L'Ietan, the Oto chief, bore the mark of Cain but his motive for killing his brother was revenge, not jealousy. Like Cain he could never escape the shadow of his crime.

Colonel McKenney heard the story from Indian Commissioner J. T. Irving who had visited the tribe. As he told the Indian superintendent he could not keep his eyes off the Oto's face during the council. The tip of the Indian's nose was missing.

L'Ietan and his brother had fought a savage fight oversome ponies. During the brawl the brother bit off the end of the chief's nose. Blood pouring down his face, L'Ietan covered his face with his blanket and hid in his lodge.

The following morning, only his eyes showing over the blanket, he sought out his brother and told him that he had disfigured him for life. "Tonight I will go to my lodge and sleep. If I can forgive you when the sun rises, you are safe; if not, you die."

The whole village waited intently for sunup. When it rose the Oto chief walked slowly out of his lodge.

"Tell my brother," he told a brave, "that I have made up my mind. He is to die. Tell him to meet me like a warrior and we will settle this."

But his brother fled. L'Ietan trailed him for months before he found him. Somewhere in the prairie brother faced brother. Then the hunted one dropped his blanket and calmly waited for death.

L'Ietan fired, killing his brother instantly. He then blackened his face and went into a long period of mourning. As McKenney wrote: "It was not until many years had elapsed that he recovered from the deep anguish caused by his unnatural act of vengeance."

His portrait was painted when he accompanied the large Pawnee delegation to Washington. His mutilation took place ten years later.