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diff --git a/5169-0.txt b/5169-0.txt new file mode 100644 index 0000000..3c4259d --- /dev/null +++ b/5169-0.txt @@ -0,0 +1,6373 @@ +The Project Gutenberg EBook of Hardscrabble, by John Richardson + +This eBook is for the use of anyone anywhere at no cost and with +almost no restrictions whatsoever. You may copy it, give it away or +re-use it under the terms of the Project Gutenberg License included +with this eBook or online at www.gutenberg.org + + +Title: Hardscrabble + The Fall of Chicago: A Tale of Indian Warfare + +Author: John Richardson + + +Release Date: February, 2004 [EBook #5169] +This file was first posted on May 27, 2002 +Last Updated: March 16, 2018 + +Language: English + +Character set encoding: UTF-8 + +*** START OF THIS PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK HARDSCRABBLE *** + + + + +Produced by Gardner Buchanan with help from Charles Franks +and Distributed Proofers + + + + + + + + +HARDSCRABBLE; OR, THE FALL OF CHICAGO + +A TALE OF INDIAN WARFARE + +By John Richardson + + + + +CHAPTER I. + +It was on a beautiful day in the early part of the month of April, +1812, that four persons were met in a rude farm-house, situated on the +Southern Branch of the Chicago river, and about four miles distant from +the fort of that name. They had just risen from their humble mid-day +meal, and three of them were now lingering near the fire-place, filled +with blazing logs, which, at that early season, diffused a warmth by no +means disagreeable, and gave an air of cheerfulness to the interior of +the smoke-discolored building. + +He who appeared to be master of the establishment was a tall, good +looking man of about forty-five, who had, evidently, been long a denizen +of the forest, for his bronzed countenance bore traces of care and toil, +while his rugged, yet well-formed hands conveyed the impression of the +unceasing war he had waged against the gigantic trees of this Western +land. He was habited in a hunting-frock of grey homespun, reaching about +half way down to his knee, and trimmed with a full fringe of a somewhat +darker hue. His trowsers were of the same material, and both were girt +around his loins by a common belt of black leather, fastened by a plain +white buckle, into which was thrust a sheath of black leather also, +containing a large knife peculiar to the backwoodsmen of that day. His +feet were encased in moccasins, and on his head, covered with strong +dark hair, was carelessly donned a slouched hat of common black felt, +with several plaited folds of the sweet grass, of the adjoining prairie +for a band. He was seemingly a man of strong muscular power, while his +stern dark eye denoted firmness and daring. + +The elder of the two men, to whom this individual stood, evidently, +in the character of a superior, was a short thick-set person of about +fifty, with huge whiskers that, originally black, had been slightly +grizzled by time. His eyebrows were bushy and overhanging, and almost +concealed the small, and twinkling eyes, which it required the beholder +to encounter more than once before he could decide their true color to +be a dark gray. A blanket coat that had once been white, but which +the action of some half dozen winters had changed into a dirty yellow, +enveloped his rather full form, around which it was confined by a coarse +worsted sash of mingled blue and red, thickly studded with minute white +beads. His trowsers, with broad seams, after the fashion of the Indian +legging, were of a dark crimson, approaching to a brick-dust color, and +on his feet he wore the stiff shoe-pack, which, with the bonnet bleu on +his grizzled head, and the other parts of his dress already described, +attested him to be what he was--a French Canadian. Close at his heels, +and moving as he moved, or squatted on his haunches, gazing into the +face of his master when stationary, was a large dog of the mongrel breed +peculiar to the country--evidently with wolf blood in his veins. + +His companion was of a different style of figure and costume. He was a +thin, weak-looking man, of middle height, with a complexion that denoted +his Saxon origin. Very thin brows, retrousse nose, and a light gray +eye in which might be traced an expression half simple, half cunning, +completed the picture of this personage, whose lank body was encased in +an old American uniform of faded blue, so scanty in its proportions that +the wrists of the wearer wholly exposed themselves beneath the short, +narrow sleeves, while the skirts only “shadowed not concealed,” that +part of the body they had been originally intended to cover. A pair of +blue pantaloons, perfectly in keeping, on the score of scantiness and +age, with the coat, covered the attenuated lower limbs of the wearer, +on whose head, moreover, was stuck a conical cap that had all the +appearance of having been once a portion of the same uniform, and had +only undergone change in the loss of its peak. A small black leather, +narrow ridged stock was clasped around his thin, and scare-crow neck, +and that so tightly that it was the wonder of his companions how +strangulation had so long been avoided. A dirty, and very coarse linen +shirt, showed itself partially between the bottom of the stock, and the +uppermost button of the coat, which was carefully closed, while his feet +were protected from the friction of the stiff, though nearly worn out, +military shoes, by wisps of hay, that supplied the absence of the sock. +This man was about five and thirty. + +The last of the little party was a boy. He was a raw-boned lad of about +fourteen years of age, and of fair complexion, with blue eyes, and an +immense head of bushy hair, of the same hue, which seemed never to have +known the use of the comb. His feet were naked, and his trowsers and +shirt, the only articles of dress upon him at the moment, were of a +homespun somewhat resembling in color the hunting frock of his master. +A thick black leather strap was also around his loins--evidently part of +an old bridle rein. + +The two men first described, drew near the fire and lighted their pipes. +The ex-militaire thrust a quid of tobacco into his cheek, and taking +up a small piece of pine board that rested against the chimney corner, +split a portion off this with his jack-knife, and commenced whittling. +The boy busied himself in clearing the table, throwing occasionally +scraps of bread and dried venison, which had constituted the chief +portion of the meal, to the dog, which, however, contrary to custom, +paid little attention to these marks of favor, but moved impatiently, +at intervals, to the door, then returning, squatted himself again on his +haunches, at a short distance from his master, and uttering a low sound +betwixt a whine and a growl, looked piteously up into his face. + +“Vat the devil is de matter wid you, Loup Garou?” remarked the Canadian +at length, as, removing the pipe from his lips, he stretched his legs, +and poised himself in his low wood-bottomed chair, putting forth his +right hand at the same time to his canine follower. “You not eat, and +you make noise as if you wish me to see one racoon in de tree.” + +“Loup Garou don't prate about coons I guess,” drawled the man in +the faded uniform, without, however, removing his eyes from the very +interesting occupation in which he was engaged. “That dog I take it, Le +Noir, means something else--something more than we human critters know. +By gosh, boss,” looking for the first time at him who stood in that +position to the rest of the party--“If WE can't smell the varmint, I +take it Loup Garou does.” + +At this early period of civilization, in these remote countries, there +was little distinction of rank between the master and the man--the +employer and the employed. Indeed the one was distinguished from the +other only by the instructions given and received, in regard to certain +services to be performed. They labored together--took their meals +together--generally smoked together--drank together--conversed together, +and if they did not absolutely sleep together, often reposed in the same +room. There was, therefore, nothing extraordinary in the familiar tone +in which the ci-devant soldier now addressed him whose hired help he +was. The latter, however, was in an irritable mood, and he answered +sharply. + +“What have you got into your foolish head now, Ephraim Giles? You do +nothing but prophesy evil. What varmint do you talk of, and what has +Loup Garou to do with it? Speak, what do you mean?--if you mean anything +at all.” + +As he uttered this half rebuke, he rose abruptly from his chair, shook +the ashes from his pipe, and drew himself to his full height, with +his back to the fire. There had been nothing very remarkable in the +observation made by the man to whom he had addressed himself, but he was +in a peculiar state of mind, that gave undue importance to every word, +sounding, as it did, a vague presentiment of some coming evil, which the +very singular manner of the dog had created, although he would scarcely +acknowledge this to himself. + +The man made no reply, but continued whittling, humming, at the same +time, the air of “Yankee Doodle.” + +“Answer me, Ephraim Giles,” peremptorily resumed his master; “leave +off that eternal whittling of yours, if you can, and explain to me your +meaning.” + +“Etarnal whittling! do you call it, Boss? I guess it's no such thing. No +man knows better nor you, that, if I can whittle the smallest stick in +creation, I can bring down the stoutest tree as well as ere a fellow +in Michigan. Work is work--play is play. It's only the difference, I +reckon, of the axe and the knife.” + +“Will you answer my question like a man, and not like a fool, as you +are?” shouted the other, stooping, and extending his left hand, the +fingers of which he insinuated into the stock already described, while, +with a powerful jerk, he both brought the man to his feet, and the blood +into his usually cadaverous cheek. + +Ephraim Giles, half-throttled, and writhing with pain, made a movement +as if he would have used the knife in a much less innocent manner +than whittling, but the quick, stern eye of his master, detected the +involuntary act, and his hand, suddenly relinquishing its hold of the +collar, grasped the wrist of the soldier with such a vice-like pressure, +that the fingers immediately opened, and the knife fell upon the hearth. + +The violence of his own act, brought Mr. Heywood at once to a sense +of the undue severity he had exercised towards his servant, and he +immediately said, taking his hand: + +“Ephraim Giles, forgive me, but it was not intended. Yet, I know not how +it is, the few words you spoke just now made me anxious to know what you +meant, and I could not repress my impatience to hear your explanation.” + +The soldier had never before remarked so much dignity of manner +about his Boss, as he termed Mr. Heywood, and this fact, added to the +recollection of the severe handling he had just met with, caused him to +be a little more respectful in his address. + +“Well, I reckon,” he said, picking up his knife, and resuming his +whittling, but in a less absorbed manner, “I meant no harm, but merely +that Loup Garou can nose an Injin better than ere a one of us.” + +“Nose an Indian better than any one of us! Well, perhaps he can--he sees +them every day, but what has that to do with his whining and growling +just now?” + +“Well, I'll tell you, Boss, what I mean, more plain-like. You know that +patch of wood borderin' on the prairie, where you set me to cut, t'other +day?” + +“I do. What of that?” + +“Well, then, this mornin' I was cuttin' down as big an oak as ever grew +in Michigan, when, as it went thunderin' through the branches, with +noise enough to scare every buffalo within a day's hunt, up started, not +twenty yards from it's tip, ten or a dozen or so of Injins, all gruntin' +like pigs, and looking as fierce as so many red devils. They didn't look +quite pleasant, I calcilate.” + +“Indeed,” remarked Mr. Heywood, musingly; “a party of Pottawattamies I +presume, from the Fort. We all know there is a large encampment of them +in the neighborhood, but they are our friends.” + +“May-be so,” continued Ephraim Giles, “but these varmint didn't look +over friendly, and then I guess the Pottawattamies don't dress in war +paint, 'cept when they dance for liquor.” + +“And are you quite sure these Indians were in their war paint?” asked +his master, with an ill-concealed look of anxiety. + +“No mistake about it,” replied Giles, still whittling, “and I could +almost swear, short as the squint was I got of 'em, that they were part +of those who fought us on the Wabash, two years ago.” + +“How so, den, you are here, Gile. If dey wicked Injin, how you keep your +funny little cap, an' your scalp under de cap?” + +This question was asked by the Canadian, who had hitherto, while +puffing his pipe, listened indifferently to the conversation, but +whose attention had now become arrested, from the moment that his +fellow-laborer had spoken of the savages, so strangely disturbed by him. + +“Well, I don't exactly know about that, myself,” returned the soldier, +slightly raising his cap and scratching his crown, as if in recollection +of some narrowly escaped danger. “I reckon, tho', when I see them slope +up like a covey of red-legged pattridges, my heart was in my mouth, for +I looked for nothin' else but that same operation: but I wur just as +well pleased, when, after talkin' their gibberish, and makin' all sorts +of signs among themselves, they made tracks towards the open prairie.” + +“And why did you not name this, the instant you got home?” somewhat +sternly questioned Mr. Heywood. + +“Where's the use of spilin' a good dinner?” returned the soldier. “It +was all smokin' hot when I came in from choppin', and I thought it best +for every man to tuck it in before I said a word about it. Besides, I +reckon I don't know as they meant any harm, seein' as how they never +carried off my top-knot;--only it was a little queer they were hid in +that way in the woods, and looked so fierce when they first jumped up in +their nasty paint.” + +“Who knows,” remarked Mr. Heywood, taking down his rifle from the side +of the hut opposite to the chimney, and examining the priming, “but +these fellows may have tracked you back, and are even now, lurking near +us. Ephraim Giles, you should have told me of this before.” + +“And so,” replied the soldier, “I was goin' to, when Loup Garou began +with his capers. Then it was I gave a parable like, about his scentin' +the varmint better nor we human critters could.” + +“Ephraim Giles,” said Mr. Heywood, sharply, while he fixed his dark eye +upon him, as if he would have read his inmost soul, “you say that you +have been a soldier, and fought with our army on the Wabash. Why did you +leave the service?” + +“Because,” drawled the ex-militaire, with a leering expression of +his eye, “my captin was a bad judge of good men when he had 'em, and +reckoned I was shammin' when I fell down rale sick, and was left behind +in a charge made on the Injins at Tippecanoe. I couldn't stand the abuse +he gave me for this, and so I left him.” + +“Cool, indeed,” sneered Mr. Heywood; “now then, Ephraim Giles, hear my +opinion. Your captain thought you were a coward, for he judged you +from your conduct. I, too, judge you from your conduct, and have no +hesitation in pronouncing you to be a rogue or a fool.” + +“Well, I want to know!” was the only rejoinder of the man, as he went on +unconcernedly with his whittling. + +“Le Noir,” said his master to the Canadian, who, imitating his example, +had taken down a long duck gun from the same side of the hut, “take your +dog with you and reconnoitre in the neighborhood. You speak Indian, and +if any of these people are to be seen, ascertain who they are and why--” + +Here he was interrupted by the gradually approaching sounds of rattling +deer hoofs, so well known as composing one of the lower ornaments of the +Indian war-dress, while, at the same moment, the wild moaning of Loup +Garou, then standing at the front door-way, was renewed even more +plaintively than before. + +Mr. Heywood's cheek blanched. It was not with fear, for he was a +man incapable of fear in the common acceptation of the word, but +independently of certain vague apprehensions for others, his mind had +been in a great degree unhinged by an unaccountable presentiment of +evil, which instinctively had come over it that day. It was this, that, +inducing a certain irresoluteness of thought and action, had led him +into a manifestation of peevish contradiction in his address to Ephraim +Giles. There are moments, when, without knowing why, the nerves of +the strongest--the purposes of the wisest, are unstrung--and when it +requires all our tact and self-possession to conceal from others, the +momentary weakness we almost blush to admit to ourselves. + +But there was no time for reflection. The approach to the door was +suddenly shaded, and in the next instant the dark forms of three or +four savages, speedily followed by others, amounting in all to twelve, +besides their chief, who was in the advance, crossed the threshold, +and, without uttering a word, either of anger or salutation, squatted +themselves upon the floor. They were stout, athletic warriors, the +perfect symmetry of whose persons could not be concealed even by the +hideous war-paint with which they were thickly streaked--inspiring +anything but confidence in the honesty or friendliness of their +intentions. The head of each was shaved and painted as well as his +person, and only on the extreme crown had been left a tuft of hair, +to which were attached feathers, and small bones, and other fantastic +ornaments peculiar to their race--a few of them carried American +rifles--the majority, the common gun periodically dealt out to the +several tribes, as presents from the British Government, while all +had in addition to their pipe-tomahawks the formidable and polished +war-club. + +Such visitors, and so armed, were not of a description to remove the +apprehensions of the little party in the farm-house. Their very silence, +added to their dark and threatening looks, created more than mere +suspicion--a certainty of evil design--and deeply did Mr. Heywood +deplore the folly of Ephraim Giles in failing to apprise him of his +meeting with these people, at the earliest moment after his return. +Had he done so, there might have been a chance, nay, every assurance +of relief, for he knew that a party from the fort, consisting of a +non-commissioned officer and six men, were even now fishing not more +than two miles higher up the river. He was aware that the boy, Wilton, +was an excellent runner, and that within an hour, at least, he could +have reached and brought down that party, who, as was their wont, when +absenting themselves on these fishing excursions, were provided with +their arms. However, it might not yet be too late, and he determined to +make the attempt. To call and speak to the boy aside, would, he was +well aware, excite the suspicions of his unwelcome guests, while it was +possible that, as they did not understand English, (so at least he took +it for granted) a communication made to him boldly in their presence, +would be construed into some domestic order. + +“Wilton,” he said calmly to the boy, who stood near the doorway with +alarm visibly depicted on his countenance, and looking as if he would +eagerly seize a favorable opportunity of escape, “make all haste to the +fishing party, and tell Corporal Nixon who commands it, to lose no time +in pulling down the stream. You will come back with them. Quick, lose +not a moment.” + +Delighted at the order, the boy made no answer, but hatless--shoeless as +he was, disappeared round the corner of the house. Strange to say, the +Indians, although they had seemingly listened with attention to Mr. +Heywood while issuing these directions, did not make the slightest +movement to arrest the departure of the boy, or even to remark upon +it--merely turning to their chief, who uttered a sharp and satisfied +“ugh.” + +During all this time, Mr. Heywood and Le Noir stood at some little +distance from the Indians, and nearly on the spot they had occupied at +their entrance, the one holding his rifle, the other his duck-gun, +the butts of both, resting on the floor. At each moment their anxiety +increased, and it seemed an age before the succor they had sent +for could arrive. How long, moreover, would these taciturn and +forbidding-mannered savages wait before they gave some indication of +overt hostility, and even if nothing were done prior to the arrival of +the fishing party, would these latter be in sufficient force to awe them +into a pacific departure? The Indians were twelve in number, exclusive +of their chief, all fierce and determined. They, with the soldiers, +nine; for neither Mr. Heywood nor Le Noir seemed disposed to count +upon any efficient aid from Ephraim Giles, who, during this dumb +scene, continued whittling before the Indians, apparently as cool and +indifferent to their presence, as if he had conceived them to be the +most peaceably disposed persons in the world. He had, however, listened +attentively to the order given to Wilton by his master, and had not +failed to remark that the Indians had not, in any way, attempted to +impede his departure. + +“What do you think of these people, Le Noir,” at length asked Mr. +Heywood, without, however removing his gaze from his visitors. “Can they +be friendly Pottawattamies?” + +“Friendly Pottawattamies! no, sare,” returned the Canadian seriously, +and shrugging up his shoulders. “Dey no dress, no paint like de +Pottawattamie, and I not like der black look--no, sare, dey Winnebago.” + +He laid a strong emphasis on the last word, and as he expected, a +general “ugh” among the party attested that he had correctly named their +tribe. + +While they were thus expressing their conjectures in regard to the +character and intentions of their guests, and inwardly determining to +sell their lives as dearly as possible if attacked. Ephraim Giles had +risen from his seat in the corner of the chimney, and with his eyes +fixed on the stick he was whittling, walked coolly out of the door, +and sauntered down the pathway leading to the river. But if he had +calculated on the same indifference to his actions that the Indians had +manifested towards the boy, he was mistaken. They all watched him keenly +as he slowly sauntered towards the water, and then, when he had +got about half way, the chief suddenly springing to his feet, and +brandishing his tomahawk demanded in broken, but perfectly intelligible +English, where he was going. + +“Well, I want to know,” exclaimed the soldier, turning round, and in a +tone indicating surprise that he had thus been questioned--“only goin +over thar,” he continued, pointing to the haystacks on the opposite side +of the river, around which stood many cattle, “goin I guess to give out +some grub to the beasts, and I'll he back in no time, to give you +out some whisky.” Then, resuming his course, he went on whittling as +unconcernedly as before. + +The chief turned to his followers, and a low, yet eager conversation +ensued. Whether it was that the seeming indifference of the man, or +his promise of the whisky on his return, or that some other motive +influenced them, they contented themselves with keeping a vigilant watch +upon his movements. + +Mr. Heywood and the Frenchman exchanged looks of surprise; they could +not account for the action of Ephraim Giles, for although it was his +office to cross the river daily for the purpose he had named, it had +never been at that period of the day. How the Indians could suffer his +departure, if their intentions were really hostile, it was moreover +impossible for them to comprehend; and in proportion as the hopes of +the one were raised by this circumstance, so were those of the other +depressed. + +Mr. Heywood began to think that the suspicions of the Canadian were +unfounded, and that their guests were, after all, but a party of +warriors on their way to the Fort, either for purposes of traffic with +the only merchant residing in its vicinity, or of business with the +officer commanding. It was not likely, he reasoned, that men coming with +hostile designs, would have suffered first the boy to be despatched on +a mission which, obscurely as he had worded his directions, must in +some measure have been understood by the chief; and, secondly, permitted +Ephraim Giles to leave the house in the manner just seen--particularly +when the suspicion entertained by him as well as by Le Noir and himself, +must have been apparent. + +But the Canadian drew no such inference from these facts. Although he +could not speak the Winnebago language, he was too conversant with the +customs of the Indians, to perceive, in what they permitted in this +seeming confidence, anything but guile. He felt assured they had allowed +the boy to depart on his errand SOLELY that they might have a greater +number of victims in their power. Nothing was more easy, numerous as +they were, than to despatch THEM, and then, lying in ambush among the +trees that skirted the banks, to shoot down every one in the fishing +boat before a landing could be effected, and preparations made for +defence; while, in the indifference of their conduct in regard to the +departure of Ephraim Giles, he saw but a design to disarm suspicion, +and thus induce them to lay by their arms, the reports of which would +necessarily alarm the party expected, and so far put them on their +guard as to defeat their plans. The very appearance of Giles, moreover, +crossing the water, if seen by the descending boat would, he thought +they imagined, be a means of lulling the party into security, and thus +rendering them a more easy prey. + +While the master and the servant were thus indulging their opposite +reflections, without, however, making any intercommunication of them, +Ephraim Giles, who had now thrust his knife and stick into the pocket +of his short skirt, shoved off the only canoe that was to be seen, and +stepping into it, and seizing the paddle, urged it slowly, and without +the slightest appearance of hurry, to the opposite bank, where, within +less than ten minutes, he had again hauled it up. Then, as coolly +ascending the bank, he approached one of the haystacks, and drew from it +a few handfuls of fodder which he spread upon the ground, continuing to +do so, as the cattle assembled around, until he had gained the outermost +haystack bordering immediately upon the wood. This reached, he gave a +loud yell, which was promptly answered by the Indians, who had continued +to watch his movements up to the very moment of his disappearance; and +darting along a narrow path which skirted the wood, ran with all his +speed towards the Fort. His flight had not lasted five minutes, when the +reports of several guns, fired from the direction he had just quitted, +met his ear, and urged him to even greater exertion, until at length, +haggard and breathless, he gained his destination, and made his way +to the commanding officer, to whom he briefly detailed the startling +occurrences he had witnessed. + + + + +CHAPTER II. + +The Fort of Chicago, at that period, stood upon a portion of the same +ground occupied by its successor, and was, in fact, a very epitome of +a fortress. On the western side, two block-houses constituted its +chief defence, while on the north, a subterranean passage led from the +parade-ground to the river, near the banks of which it had been erected. +The uses of this sally port were two-fold--firstly, to afford the +garrison a supply of water in the event of a siege--secondly, to +facilitate escape, if necessary. The country around, now the seat of +fruitfulness and industry, was at that time a wilderness, tenanted only +by the savage, and by the few daring and adventurous whites who had +devoted their lives to purposes of traffic, yet whose numbers was so +small as to induce them, with a view to their safety, to establish +themselves as near the Fort as possible. Roads, there were none, and +the half formed trail of the Indian furnished the only means of +communication between this distant port, and the less thinly-settled +portions of Michigan. Nor were these journeys of frequent occurrence, +but performed at long intervals, by the enterprising and the robust +men--who feared not to encounter privations and hardships--camping at +night in the woods, or finding a less desirable repose in the squalid +wigwam of the uncertain Indian. + +The mouth of the Chicago River was then nearly half a mile more to the +southward than it is now. At a short distance from the lake, which gives +its name to the territory, it soon branched off abruptly to the north, +and then again, taking another turn, pursued its original westernly +coarse, and, passing near the Fort, gave to the latter the appearance of +a slightly elevated peninsula, separated only from the water by a gentle +declivity of no great extent. On the same side of the river was the +Government Agency House, and at about a quarter of a mile from that, a +spot generally used as a place of encampment by the friendly Indians--at +that moment occupied by a numerous band of Pottawattamies. Immediately +opposite to the Fort, stood the residence and trading establishment of +Mr. Mackenzie--a gentleman who had long mixed with the Indians--had +much influence with, and was highly regarded by them; and, close to his +abode, lived with his family, consisting of his wife and her sister, +French Canadians like himself, Ouilmette, one of the most attached of +his people, and enjoying almost equal popularity with the red men. About +a quarter of a mile beyond Ouilmettes, and immediately opposite to the +Pottawattamie encampment, from which it was divided only by the river, +was another small but neat dwelling. This belonged to Mr. Heywood, and +was then inhabited by his wife and daughter, whom he would not permit to +reside at the farm, as well on account of its rudeness of accommodation, +as of the dread of exposing them, in that remote situation, to the very +danger which we have seen he had himself so recently encountered. + +Such was the civilian population of that sparsely inhabited country in +1812. Let us now see the strength of its garrison. + +For the defence of so distant an outpost, almost cut off, as we have +already shown, from communication with the more inhabited portions of +the States, the American government had not thought it requisite +to provide more than a single company of soldiers, a force utterly +inadequate to contend in a case of emergency, with the hordes of savages +that could be collected around them within a few hours, and WEEKS before +any efficient succor could be obtained. This error, grave at any time, +in those who sought to extend the influence of their name and arms +throughout that fertile region which has now, within little more than +a quarter of a century, become the very head of American commerce and +navigation, was especially so at this particular epoch, when the +Indian spirit, stirred to action by the great chief who had so recently +measured his strength with his hated enemies at Tippecanoe, was likely +to be aroused on all occasions where facility of conquest seemed to +present itself. And, yet, that government well knew that there were, +even at that moment, difficulties existing between themselves and +Great Britain of a character to lead to an interruption of the friendly +intercourse that had hitherto subsisted between the two countries, +and which, if suffered to ripen into hostilities, would necessarily, +associate many of the Indian tribes with the forces of England, drawing +down certain destruction on those remoter posts, whose chief reliance on +immunity from danger, lay, in a great degree, in the array of strength +they could oppose to their subtle and calculating enemy. + +This company, consisting, of seventy-five men--many of them married +and with families--was under the command of an officer whose conduct +throughout the eventful and trying scenes about to be recorded, has +often been the subject of much censure--with what justice our readers +must determine. + +Captain Headley was one of those officers who, without having acquired +no greater rank at the age of forty than he now possessed, had served +in the army of the United States from his boyhood, and was, in all the +minutiae of the service, a strict disciplinarian. He had, moreover, +acquired habits of deference to authority, which caused him, on all +necessary occasions, to regulate his conduct by the orders of his +superiors, and so strongly was this engrafted on his nature, that +while he possessed mind and energy sufficient to plan the most feasible +measures himself, his dread of that responsibility which circumstances +had now forced upon him, induced the utmost disinclination to depart +from the letter of an instruction once received, and unrevoked. + +These, however, were purely faults of his military education. To a +commanding person and dignified manners, Captain Headley united a mind +highly cultivated, and feelings and sentiments which could not fail to +secure the respect even of those who were most ready to condemn that +caution and prudence of character which so eminently distinguished his +career as a subordinate soldier. It was well known and conceded that, +if he erred, the error grew not so much out of his own want of judgment, +but was rather the fruit of the too great deference to authority which +led him, implicitly, to adopt the judgment of others. In the private +relations of life, he was deservedly esteemed, excelling in all those +higher accomplishments that ensure favor with society, and seldom fail +to win for their possessor the approbation of women. Such, indeed, had +been his success in this particular application of the gifts with which +nature had endowed him, that he had, for some years, been the possessor +of the affections and the hand of one of the noblest of her sex, whom, +however, we shall take a later opportunity of introducing to the reader. + +The next officer in rank was Lieutenant Elmsley, married also, and about +ten years the junior of Headley. From causes, which will be explained in +the coarse of our narrative, the subaltern did not incline to place that +confidence in the measures and judgment of his captain, which, it has +been shown, the latter almost invariably accorded to HIS superiors, and +hence arose feelings, that, without absolutely alienating them--for, in +their relative military positions this could never be--rendered their +intercourse daily more and more formal, until, in the end, a sentiment +almost of enmity prevailed. In a remote garrison like this such an +evil was the more to be regretted, even while there was the greater +probability, from absence of serious occupation, of its occurrence. + +The junior subaltern was Ensign Ronayne, a high-spirited young +Southerner, who had now been three years at the post, and within that +period, had, by his frank demeanor, and handsome person, won the regard +of all--military and civil--there and in the neighborhood. Enterprising, +ardent, fearless, and chivalrous, this young man had passed the first +year of what he, then, considered little short of banishment, in a +restless desire for adventure; but at the end of that period, came a +marked change over him, and the spirit that had panted exclusively for +action, now bent before a gentler and a holier influence. + +Last of the officers of this little fort, was the surgeon. Doctor Von +Vottenberg, who as his name would imply, was a descendant from one of +the earlier Dutch settlers in the colonies. There was nothing remarkable +about this gentleman. He was short, stoat, rather of a bilious +temperament--clever in his profession, and much addicted to compounding +whisky punch, which he not only brewed, but drank most satisfactorily. +What other attributes and accomplishments he possessed, the incidents +herein related must develop. + +It has been said that, on its Western side, the Fort was protected by +two block-houses, while on the northern a sally port communicated +with the tower. On each side of the sally port were two small stores, +reserved for the ammunition and arms, and for the provisions and spare +clothing of the garrison. On the north and south faces, rose a series of +small low wooden buildings, appropriated to the officers, and capable of +containing thrice the number now occupying them. The southern face, or +that which looks towards the locale of the scene described in our last +chapter, was now the residence of the commanding officer, and of his +senior subordinate, who, with their families and domestics, tenanted the +whole of that range of buildings, with the exception of one large room +in the centre, generally used as a hall of council with the Indians. +In the other range, precisely similar in construction, were quartered +Ensign Ronayne and the surgeon Von Vottenberg, who each, however +occupied but one apartment. The central and largest serving as their +mess-room. The other half of the building was vacant, or rather had been +so, until the doctor obtained the permission of the commanding officer +to use it as a temporary surgery--the hospital being a distinct edifice +between the two block-houses. These latter, capacious for the size +of the fort, accommodated the non-commissioned officers and men--the +company being divided as equally as possible between the two. + +Without the whole of these buildings stood a strong stockade, about +twelve feet high, loop-holed for musquetry, with a bastion at each +angle, facing the four principal points of the compass, on each of +which was placed a small gun, that the men had been trained to work. The +entrance to the fort was from the westward, and in the direction of the +agency house, which two of these bastions immediately flanked. + +The guard consisted of a non-commissioned officer and nine men--three +sentries being furnished for the necessary duties--one for the stores +already described--another for the commanding officer's quarters--the +mess-room and the surgery, and the third for the, southern bastion, +upon which floated the glorious stars and stripes of the Union. A +fourth sentry at the gate had been dispensed with, in consequence of +the proximity to it of the guard-house. This, was a small building +immediately in front of the hospital, which, with the gate, came +particularly under the surveillance of the non-commissioned officer of +the guard. + +With the character for strict attention to discipline, which has been +ascribed to Captain Headley, it will be easily understood that every man +on duty was expected to be as correct in the execution of its details, +as though he had been at the Head Quarters of his regiment, or at +the Seat of Government itself. The utmost regard to dress, and to the +efficiency of arms was moreover enjoined, and so far did their commander +feel indisposed to trust the inspection of them to the non-commissioned +officer of the guard, that, although there were in the Fort, but two +regimental officers besides himself, he had, from the moment of assuming +the command, required them alternately to perform the necessary duties; +superintending the relief of guards, and parading all men off duty and +out of hospital, in full dress, at least once in the twenty-four hours. + +At the outset, this had been a source of much discontent with the men, +who conceiving that, in that remote region, the rigor of the service +might be dispensed with, almost openly expressed their desire that +there might be sent to command them, some officer less severe in his +exactions. This had been reported to Captain Headley by his senior +subaltern, from whose manner, while communicating the information, it +was apparent that he did not wholly disapprove of a remonstrance against +measures which involved the sacrifice of his own comfort. His superior +was not slow to remark this, he, however, quietly observed that he was +not, at his years, and in his responsible position, to be told the duty +required to be performed by the troops under his command; and that, if +he perceived any symptoms of insubordination, he would take the proper +means to suppress it. The lieutenant made no reply, but bit his lip, and +withdrew. This was the first manifestation of any thing approaching to +disunion, between these two officers. + +Lieutenant Elmsley, although by no means a negligent officer, was no +disciplinarian. He could not but look upon formal guard mountings and +parades, in that isolated quarter, as unnecessary--serving only to +create discontent amongst the men, and to induce them--the unmarried +especially--to desert, whenever an opportunity presented itself; while, +bringing the subject more immediately home to himself, he deemed it to +be a needlessly severe tax upon the only two subalterns of the garrison. +This, he thought might, situated as they were, have been dispensed with, +without the slightest inconvenience to the service; and the duty left to +the superintendence of the non-commissioned part of the force. Hence his +annoyance with his superior. + +But Captain Headley was of a different opinion. He thought that the +very remoteness of his post, rendered it the more necessary that no +appearance of carelessness should be remarked by the tribes of Indians, +who were in the vicinity, and who, however amicable their relations +THEN with the United States, might later, from caprice or events yet +unforeseen, take advantage of the slightest negligence, to attempt the +destruction of all. + +Better, he thought, that they who received the pay of the Government, +for upholding its interests and dignity, should be subject to a frequent +recurrence of duty--not in itself particularly irksome-than that +an important post--the nucleus of the future prosperity of the +State--should be perilled by the absence of that vigilance which ought +to characterize the soldier. If he allowed to be retrenched, or indeed +left unemployed, any of that military exhibition, which tends to impress +upon the many the moral superiority of the few, where, he argued, would +be their safety in the hour of need; and if those duties were performed +in a slovenly manner, and without due regard to SCENIC effect, the +result would be to induce the wily savage to undervalue that superiority +which discipline chiefly secured to the white warrior. Captain Headley +was discriminating and observant. He had, more than once, remarked the +surprise and admiration created among the Indians who had access within +the stockade, at the promptness and regularity of the system introduced +into it, and this, of itself, was a sufficient motive to cause him to +persevere in the course his judgment had adopted. + +Such was the condition of affairs at the moment when Ephraim Giles, +breathless with speed, and fancying the party of Winnebagoes close upon +his heels, made his entry into the Fort. The news he brought was of a +nature to assemble the officers, as well as many of the men and women, +all anxious to hear the details of an occurrence, which now, for +the first time since their arrival at the Fort, had created serious +apprehension. But there was one of the party who manifested more +than ordinary uneasiness. His impatience was great, and, after having +whispered a few words in the ear of Captain Headley, and received an +affirmative reply, coupled with an injunction of caution, he left +the building in haste, and proceeded towards the block-houses, where, +selecting half a dozen men, and ordering them to arm on the instant, he +passed with them through the gate--sprang into a large scow which was +unchained from its moorings, on the bank of the river, and pulled in the +direction of the house already said to have been occupied by the wife +and daughter of Mr. Heywood. + +Meanwhile, Captain Headley closely interrogated the fugitive as to the +number and appearance of the Indians who had created all this alarm, +their probable object in visiting the farm in this seemingly hostile +manner, and the number of shots he had heard fired. To all these +questions the soldier, who had now, in some degree, recovered from his +panic, replied in the usual drawling tone, his stick and knife, which +had been drawn forth again from his pocket, in which he had deposited +them in crossing from the farm-house, affording him his usual amusement, +but nothing, of course, was elicited beyond what has already been +related. Whether any one had been killed in the house, or the guns +merely discharged to frighten the fugitive, or that the reports had +proceeded from the fishing party that had been sent for, with a view to +alarm the Indians, and deter them from the commission of outrage, +were surmises that severally occurred to Captain Headley, but without +enabling him to arrive at any definite opinion. That there was cause for +apprehension, there was no doubt. The appearance of a band of strange +Indians in the neighborhood, however small in number, dressed in their +war-paint, gave earnest of coming trouble, not only through their own +acts, but through the influence of example on the many other tribes +whom they had been accustomed to look upon as friends and allies. In the +midst of these reflections arose a feeling of self-gratulation that he +had preserved that discipline and strict attention to duty, which, he +knew, that all must now admit to have been correct, and which, if any +difficulty did occur, could not fail to prove of the utmost importance. + +His first consideration now was the safety of the small fishing party, +to which allusion has more than once been made in the preceding pages, +and which it was a source of satisfaction to him to recollect were, +in accordance with an order never departed from on these and similar +excursions, furnished with the necessary arms and ammunition, although +only in their fatigue dress. + +“Mr. Elmsley,” he said turning to that officer, who stood waiting his +orders, “who commands the fishing party?” + +“Corporal Nixon, sir,” replied the lieutenant, at once entering into his +motive for the inquiry, “a brave, but discreet soldier, and one who, I +am sure, will evince all necessary resolution, should he see anything of +these Indians. The men who are with him are also fine young fellows, and +among our best shots.” + +“I am glad to hear this,” was the rejoinder, “but still, twelve Indians +firing from the woods upon half their number in an open boat, and taken +by surprise, would, I fear, render the activity, courage, and skill of +these latter but of little avail. My hope is, that Corporal Nixon may +see nothing of them, but that, on the contrary, if he has been apprised +by the boy, as the fellow says he was to be, of their presence at +Heywood's farm, he will make his way back without stopping, or at least, +use every precaution to conceal himself, until he can drop down under +cover of the darkness.” + +“What, sir,” said the lieutenant, with a surprise he could ill conceal, +“would you desire him not to afford the necessary succor to Mr. Heywood, +if, indeed, he should be in time to render any service?” + +“Mr. Elmsley,” remarked his captain, somewhat sternly, “my sympathy for +the fate of those at the farm, is, perhaps quite as strong as yours, but +I have a higher stake at issue--a higher object than the indulgence of +personal sympathy. I can ill afford, threatening as appearances are at +this moment, to risk the lives of six men, the best you say in the fort, +out of the very small force at my disposal. Nothing must be left undone +to secure their safety. Order a gun to be fired immediately from the +southern bastion. It will be distinctly heard by the party, and if not +already apprised of the existing danger they will at once understand +the signal. Moreover the report may have the effect of alarming the +savages.” + +Lieutenant Elmsley withdrew to execute the order, and soon after +the dull booming of a cannon was heard reverberating throughout the +surrounding woods, and winding its echoes along the waters of the narrow +and tranquil Chicago. So unusual an event as this excited a good deal +of speculation, not only among the inmates of the Fort, but among the +numerous friendly Indians encamped without, who, wholly unacquainted +with the cause of the alarm, were, by the strict orders of Captain +Headley, kept ignorant of the information of which Ephraim Giles had +been the bearer-- + +That night there was a more than usual vigilance exercised by the +sentinels, and although the rest of the garrison were exempt from +extraordinary duty, the watchful and anxious commanding officer slept +not until dawn. + + + + +CHAPTER III. + +At a distance of about two miles above Heywood's farm, and on the +southern branch of the Chicago, which winds its slightly serpentine +course between the wood and the prairie. There was at the period of +which we treat, a small deep bay formed by two adjacent and densely +wooded points of land, in the cool shades of which the pike, the black +bass, and the pickerel loved to lie in the heat of summer, and where, in +early spring, though in less numbers, they were wont to congregate. +This was the customary fishing spot of the garrison--six men and a +non-commissioned officer, repairing there almost daily, with their ample +store of lines and spears, as much, although not avowedly, for their +own amusement, as for the supply of the officer's table. What remained, +after a certain division among these, became the property of the +captors, who, after appropriating to themselves what was necessary for +their next day's meal, distributed the rest among the non-commissioned, +and men of the company. As the season advanced, and the fish became +more plenty, there was little limitation of quantity, for the freight, +nightly brought home, and taken with the line and spear alone, was +sufficient to afford every one abundance. In truth, even in the depth +of winter, there was little privation endured by the garrison--the fat +venison brought in and sold for the veriest trifle by the Indians--the +luscious and ample prairie hen, chiefly shot by the officers, and the +fish we have named, leaving no necessity for consumption of the salt +food with which it was but indifferently stored. + +On the day on which our narrative has commenced, the usual fishing party +had ascended the river at an early hour, for the newness of the season +and the shortness of the days rendered it an object that they should be +on the accustomed haunt as soon as possible. They had left the Fort at +daylight, passing Heywood's farm at the moment when, for the purpose of +foddering the cattle on the opposite bank, he, with the boy Wilton, was +crossing to the very canoe in which Ephraim Giles afterwards made his +escape--the latter with the Canadian, being engaged in felling trees +higher up the river. + +Arrived at the little bay to which we have just adverted, the boat was +fastened to the gnarled trunk of a tree, which projected over the +deep water at the nearest point, and the party, taking with them their +fishing rods, baits, and haversacks, but leaving their spears and +muskets in the boat, dispersed themselves at short distances along +the curve that formed the bay, which, however, was not more than three +hundred yards in extent, from point to point. + +When they first cast their lines into the water, the sun's rays were +clearly visible through the thick wood in their rear. The early morning, +too, had been cold--almost frosty--so much so, that the wild ducks, +which generally evinced a good deal of shyness, NOW, seemingly +emboldened by the briskness of the atmosphere, could be seen gliding +about in considerable numbers, about half a mile below them; while the +fish, on the contrary, as though dissatisfied with the temperature +of their element, refused to do what the men called “the amiable,” by +approaching the hook. Their occupation had been continued until long +past mid-day, during which time not more than a dozen fish had been +taken. Vexed at his ill luck, for he had not had even a nibble, one +of the men flung his rod upon the bank, impatiently, and then, seating +himself on the projecting root of a large tree, declared it was all +nonsense to play the fool any longer, and that the most sensible thing +they could do, was to take their dinners--smoke their pipes--and wash +the whole down with a little of the Monongahela. + +“I say, Collins,” remarked the corporal, good-naturedly, “we shall have +poor fare for the officers' mess, let alone our own, if we all follow +your example, and give up so soon. But, as you say, it's time to have +some grub, and we'll try our luck afterwards.” + +“Rome wasn't built in a day,” said the man who had been fishing next +to Collins, and drawing in his line also, “we've a good many hours left +yet.” + +Following the recommendation of the corporal, the rest of the party sat +down on the edge of the bank, and, opening their haversacks, produced +each his allowance of corn bread and venison, or salted pork, after +dispatching which, with the aid of their clasp knives, they took +a refreshing “horn” from the general canteen that Collins carried +suspended over his shoulder, and then drew forth and lighted their +pipes. + +As the latter puffed away with a vigor that proved either a preoccupied +mind, or extreme gratification with the weed, he cast his eyes +carelessly down the stream, where a large description of duck, called +by the French natives of the country, the cou rouge, from the color of +their necks, were disporting themselves as though nothing in the shape +of a fire arm was near them--now diving--now rising on their feet, and +shaking their outstretched wings, now chasing each other in limited +circles, and altogether so apparently emboldened by their immunity from +interruption, as to come close to the bank, at a distance of little more +than fifty yards from the spot where he sat. + +“It's very ridiculous,” he at length remarked, pouring forth at the same +time, an unusual volume of smoke, and watching the curling eddies as +they rose far above his head--“it's very ridiculous, I say, the captin's +order that we sha'nt fire. Look at them ducks--how they seem to know all +about it, too!” + +“By gosh!” said another, “I've a good notion to fetch my musket, and +have a slap into them. Shall I, corporal?” + +“Certainly not, Green,” was the answer. “If it was known in the Fort I +had permitted any of the party to fire, I should be broke, if I did'nt +get picketed for my pains, and none of us would ever get out again.” + +“No great harm in that, either,” said the man who had made the novel +observation that Rome had not been built in a day. + +The corporal looked sharply at the last speaker, as if not fully +comprehending his meaning. + +“Jackson means no great harm if we never got out again,” interposed +Collins, “and I think as he does, for I see no fun in rowing four or +five miles to fish, and scarcely getting a sight of one.” + +“Well, but Collins, that's not always our luck. I'm sure we've had sport +enough before. It must be because the weather's rather cold today, that +the fish won't bite.” + +“It's of no use his grumbling, Philips,” remarked Corporal Nixon, “we're +here, not so much for own sport as on a duty for the garrison. Let me +hear no more of this, Collins.” + +“Well, corporal that's true enough,” said Green, “but dash me if it +isn't temptin' to see them fellows there stealin' upon us, and we +lookin' on, and doin' nothin'.” + +“What fellows do you mean?” inquired the corporal, suddenly starting to +his feet, and looking down the river. + +“Why, them ducks to be sure, see how they come sailin' up to us, as if +they knowed all about the captin's order--no jumpin' or friskin' now, +but all of a heap like.” + +“Yes, but I say, what's that black looking thing beyond the ducks?” + asked one who had not hitherto spoken, pointing his finger. + +“Where, where, Weston?” exclaimed one or two voices, and the speakers +looked in the direction indicated. + +“Hang me if it isn't a bear,” said Collins in a low, anxious tone; +“that's the chap that has sent the ducks so near us. Do let me have a +crack at him, corporal. He's large enough to supply us all with fresh +meat for three days, and will make up for the bad fishing. Only one shy, +corporal, and I engage not to miss him.” + +Sure enough, there was, in the centre of the stream, a dark object, +nearly half a mile distant, which all joined in pronouncing to be a +bear. It was swimming vigorously across to their aide of the river. + +“I think we might take him as he lands,” observed Green. “What say you, +corporal; I reckon you'll let us try THAT, if you won't let us fire?” + +“Stay all where you are,” was the reply. “I can manage him myself with +a spear, if I can only be in time before he reaches the shore. If not, +it's no matter, for I won't allow a trigger to be pulled.” + +Corporal Nixon was a tall, active, strong-limbed Virginian. He soon +cleared the space that separated them from the boat, and jumping to the +stern, seized one of the fishing spears, and then moved on through: the +wood that densely skirted the bank. But he had not been five minutes +gone when he again made his appearance, not immediately by the +half-formed path he had previously taken, but by a slight detour to the +rear. + +“Hist, hist,” he said in an audible whisper, as soon as he saw that +he was perceived, motioning at the same time with his hand to enjoin +silence, and concealment. Then, beckoning to Weston to join him; he +again moved along the path with the light tread of one who fears to +alarm an object unconscious of interruption. + +All had the sense to understand that there was some good reason for +the caution of the corporal, and with the exception of Weston, who had +promptly obeyed the signal, busily, but silently resumed their morning's +occupation. + +First, a quarter of an hour, and then minute after minute passed slowly +away, yet there was no sign of the return of their companions. What +could be the meaning of this? If the bear had not proved to be too much +for them, they ought to have killed him, and rejoined them before +this. Curiosity, nay, apprehension finally overcame the strong sense +of obedience to orders, which had been literally drilled into them, and +they all, at the suggestion of Green, dropped their rods on the bank, +and moved cautiously in the direction that had been taken by the +corporal and Weston. Great, however, was the surprise of Collins, then a +little in advance, when, on nearing the spot where the boat lay moored, +he beheld, not those of who they were in search, but a naked, and +hideously painted savage, in the very act of untying the rope by which +the skiff was fastened to the knotted and projecting root of the tree. +Sensible that there was impending danger, although he knew not of what +precise kind, inasmuch as there was no Reason to apprehend anything +hostile from the Indians, with--all of whom around the fort, they had +always been on friendly terms, he sprang forward to arrest the movement. +But the distance was several rods, and the savage, alarmed by the +rustling made among the foliage and brushwood in his rear, now put his +shoulder to the boat, and, in the next instant would have had it far +across this stream, had not a hand suddenly protruded from beneath the +hollow clump of earth on which the tree grew, grasped him firmly by the +ankle, even while in the act of springing into the forcibly impelled +skiff. In a moment or two, he grappled tightly with his hands upon the +bow of the boat, but, finding the pressure on his imprisoned limb too +great for resistance, he relinquished his hold, falling upon his face +in the water, from which he was dragged, although without violence, by +Corporal Nixon, who had emerged from his hiding-place. + +When the Indian was suffered to rise, there was a threatening expression +on his countenance, which, not even the number of those by whom he was +now surrounded could check, and he made an involuntary motion of his +hand to his scalping knife, the only weapon with which he was armed, +that lay in the sheath dangling from his girdle. Seeing, however, that +there was no hostile disposition manifested by the party, he speedily +relinquished his first impulse, and stood upright before them with a +bold, but calm look. + +“What you want with boat?” asked the corporal, almost involuntarily, and +without the slightest expectation that his question would be understood. + +“Me want 'em cross,” replied the Indian, pointing to the opposite woods. + +“But why you come in bear skin?” and, in his turn, the corporal pointed +with his finger in the direction in which the supposed bear had been +seen. + +“Ugh!” grunted the savage doggedly, finding that he had been detected in +his disguise. + +“What nation you?--Pottawattamie?” + +“Wah! Pottawattamie!” + +“Curious enough,” pursued the corporal, addressing himself to his +comrades. “I don't half like the look of the fellow, but I suppose it's +all right. We musn't offend him. You chief?”, he continued, pointing +to a large silver medal suspended over the breast of the athletic and +well-proportioned Indian. + +“Yes, me chief. Pottawattamie chief,” and he made a sign in the +direction of the Fort, near which the encampment of that tribe lay. + +“You friend, then?” remarked the corporal, extending his hand. + +“Yes, me friend,” he answered promptly, brightening up and taking the +proffered hand; “you give 'em boat?” + +“Do you see any thing green in my eye?” asked the Virginian, incapable, +even under the circumstances, of repressing the indulgence of his humor. + +But the party questioned, although speaking a little English, was not +sufficiently initiated in its elegancies to comprehend this; so, he +merely answered with a “ugh!” while the greater portion of the men +laughed boisterously, both at the wit of the corporal, and at the +seeming astonishment it excited. + +This mirth by no means suited the humor of the Indian. He felt that +it was directed towards himself, and again he stood fierce, and with a +dilating frame before them. + +Corporal Nixon at once became sensible of his error. To affront one of +the friendly chiefs would, he knew, not only compromise the interests +of the garrison, but incur the severe displeasure of the commanding +officer, who had always enjoined the most scrupulous abstinence from any +thing offensive to them. + +“I only meant to say,” he added, as he again extended his hand. “I can't +give 'em boat, White chief,” and he pointed in the direction of the Fort, +“no let me.” + +“Ugh!” exclaimed the Indian, his stern features again brightening up +with a last hope. “'Spose come with Injin?” + +For a moment or two, the corporal hesitated whether or not to put the +man across, but when he reflected on the singular manner of his advent, +and other circumstances connected with his appearance among them, his +customary prudence came to his aid, and while avoiding all ground for +offence by his mode of refusal, he gave him peremptorily to understand +that there was an order against his suffering the boat to leave its +present station. + +Again the countenance of the Indian fell, even while his quick eye +rolled incessantly from one to the other of the group. “You no give 'em +boat--Injin swim,” he at length observed. + +“Just as you please,” answered corporal Nixon. “By and bye, sogers go to +the Fort--take Injin with 'em.” + +“Wah! Injin cross here,” and as he spoke, he sprang again to the bow +of the boat, and at a single bound cleared the intervening space to the +very stern. + +Several heavy splashes in the water.--a muttered curse from the +corporal--some confusion among his men, and the savage was seen nearly +half-way across the river, swimming like an eel to the opposite shore. + +“Damn the awkward brute!” exclaimed the former, angrily. “How many +muskets are there overboard, Jackson?” + +“Only three--and two cartouch boxes.” + +“ONLY three indeed! I wish the fellow had been at old Nick, instead +of coming here to create all this confusion. Is the water deep at the +stern?” + +“Nearly a fathom I reckon,” was the reply. + +“Then, my lads, you must look out for other fish to-day. Jackson, can +you see the muskets at the bottom?” + +“Not a sign of them, corporal,” answered the man, as lying flat on the +boat, he peered intently into the water. “The bottom is covered with +weeds, and I can just see the tails of two large pikes wriggling among +them. By Gemini, I think if I had my rod here, I could take them both!” + +“Never mind them,” resumed the corporal, again delivering himself of a +little wit; “muskets will be of far more use to us just now than pikes. +We must fish them up--there will be the devil to pay if we go home +without them.” + +“Then there's no other way than diving for them,” said Jackson, still +looking downwards. “Not even the glitter of a barrel can I see. They +must have buried themselves in the weeds. I say, Weston,” slightly +raising his head and turning his face to the party named, “You're a good +diver?” + +“Yes, and Collins is better than me.” + +“Well then, here's at it,” resumed Jackson, rising and commencing to +strip. “It's only by groping and feeling that we can find the arms, and +when once we've tumbled on 'em, it will be easy enough to get 'em up +with one hand, while we swim with the other. We must plunge here from +the stern,” he added, as the men whom he had named jumped on board and +commenced stripping themselves. + +“How came the Injin to knock the muskets overboard, Corporal?” inquired +one of the party who had not yet spoken--a fat, portly man, with a long +hooked nose, and a peaked chin. + +“I'm dashed,” replied Nixon, “if I can tell myself, though I was looking +at him as he jumped from one end of the boat to the other. All I know +is, the firelocks were propped against the stern of the boat as we +placed them, with the backs of the cartouch boxes slung under the +ramrods, and I suppose, for I don't know how else it could be done, that +instead of alighting on the seat, he must have passed it, and putting +his foot on the muzzles, tipped them with the weight of his body, head +over heels into the water.” + +“Corporal,” Ventured Collins, as he removed his last garment, “you asked +that painted chap if he saw anything green in your eye. Now, that's as +it may be, but hang me, if it wasn't a little green to take him for a +Pottawattamie?” + +“And how do you know he was'nt a Pottawattamie? Who made you a judge of +Indian flesh?” retorted the corporal, with an air of dissatisfaction. + +“Didn't he say he was, and didn't he wear a chiefs medal?” + +“Say? Yes, I'll be bound he'd say and wear anything to gull us, but I'm +sure he's no Pottawattamie. I never seen a Pottawattamie of that build. +They are tall, thin, skinny, bony fellows--while this chap was square, +stoat, broad-shouldered, and full of muscle.” + +Corporal Nixon pondered a little, because half-convinced, but would not +acknowledge that he could have been mistaken. “Are you all ready?” he +at length inquired, anxious, like most men, when driven into a corner on +one topic, to introduce another. + +“All ready,” answered Jackson, taking the first plunge in the direction +in which he knew the muskets must have fallen. + +Before following his example, the others waited for his report. This was +soon made. He had got hold of one of the muskets, and partly lifted it +from its bed, but the net-work of strong weeds above it, opposing too +much resistance, he had been compelled to quit his hold, and came to the +surface of the water for air. + +“Here's for another trial,” shouted Collins, as he made his plunge in +the same direction. In a few seconds he too, reappeared, bearing in his +right hand, not a firelock, but the two missing cartouch boxes. + +“Better luck next time,” remarked corporal Nixon. “I think my lads, if +two of you were to separate the weeds with your hands, so as to clear +each musket, the other might easily bring it up.” + +The suggestion of the corporal was at once acted upon, but it was not, +until after repeated attempts had been made to liberate the arms, from +their Web-like canopy, that two were finally brought up and placed in +the boat. The third they groped for in vain, until at length, the men, +dispirited and tired, declared it was utterly useless to prosecute the +search, and that the other musket must be given up as lost. + +This, however, did not suit the views of the correct corporal. He said, +pointedly, that he would almost as soon return without his head as +without his arms, and that the day having been thus far spent without +the accomplishment of the object for which they were there, he was +determined to devote the remainder to the search. Not being a bad diver +himself, although he had not hitherto deemed it necessary to add his +exertions to those of his comrades, he now stripped, desiring those +who had preceded him to throw on their shirts and rest themselves for +another plunge, when he should have succeeded in finding out where the +missing musket had lodged. + +“What's that?” exclaimed Jackson, pointing to a small, dark object, of +a nearly circular shape, which was floating about half way between the +surface of the place into which the divers had plunged, and the weeds +below. + +His companions turned their eyes in the direction indicated, but, almost +immediately after Jackson had spoken, it had disappeared wholly from +view. + +“What did it loot like?” asked the corporal. + +“It must have been a mush rat,” returned Jackson, “there's plenty of +them about here, and I reckon our diving has disturbed the nest.” + +Corporal Nixon now took his leap, but some paces farther out from the +shore than his companions had ventured upon theirs. The direction was +the right one. Extending his arms as he reached a space entirely free +from weeds, his right hand encountered the cold barrel of the musket, +but as he sought to glide it along, in order that he might grasp +the butt, and thus drag it endwise up, his hand disturbed some hairy +substance which rested upon the weapon causing it to float slightly +upwards, until it came in contact with his naked breast. Now, the +corporal was a fearless soldier whose nerves were not easily shaken, but +the idea of a nasty mush rat, as they termed it, touching his person in +this manner, produced in him unconquerable disgust, even while it gave +him the desperate energy to clutch the object with a nervous grasp, and +without regard to the chance of being bitten in the act, by the small, +sharp teeth of the animal. His consternation was even greater when, on +enclosing it within his rough palm, he felt the whole to collapse, as +though it had been a heavy air-filled bladder, burst by the compression +of his fingers. A new feeling-a new chain of ideas now took possession +of him, and leaving the musket where it was, he rose near the spot from +which he first started, and still clutching his hairy and undesirable +prize, threw it from him towards the boat, into the bottom of which it +fell, after grazing the cheek of Collins. + +“Pooh! pooh! pooh,” spluttered the latter, moving as if the action was +necessary to disembarrass him of the unsightly object no longer there. + +A new source of curiosity was now created, not only among the swimmers, +but the idlers who were smoking their pipes and looking carelessly +on. All now, without venturing to touch the loathsome looking thing, +gathered around it endeavoring to ascertain really what it was. “What do +you make of the creature?” asked corporal Nixon, who, now ascending the +side of the boat, observed how much the interest of his men had been +excited. + +“I'm sure I can't say,” answered Jackson. “It looks for all the world +like a rat, only the hair is so long. Dead enough though, for it does +not budge an inch.” + +“Let's see what it is,” said the man with the long hooked nose, and the +peaked chin. + +By no means anxious, however, to touch it with his hands, he took up the +spear and turned over and over the clammy and motionless mass. + +“Just as I thought,” exclaimed the corporal, with a shudder, as the +weapon unfolding the whole to view, disclosed alternately the moistened +hair and thick and bloody skin of a human head. + +“Gemini,” cried Jackson, “how came this scalp here, it has been freshly +taken--this very day--yet how could it get here?” + +“Depend upon't,” said Green, “that chief that was here just now, could +tell somethin' about it, if he had a mind.” + +“Then he must have had it in his breech-cloth,” remarked the corporal +seriously, for not a rag besides had he about him. “No, no it couldn't +be him, and yet it's very strange.” + +“Of course it couldn't be him,” maliciously interfered Collins, who had +so far conquered his first disgust, as to take the object of discussion +into his own hands, “for you know he was a Pottawattamie, and therefore +wouldn't scalp for the world.” + +“But whose can it be?” resumed Jackson, “and how did it get here, I am +sure its that of a boy.” + +“Could it have floated here from the farm?” half questioned Green +musingly. + +“Somethin' struck me like shots from that quarter, about an hour before +the Injin swam across, and dash me, now I recollect it, I'm sure I heard +a cry, just after the corporal left us to go after that bear.” + +“Nonsense,” said the Virginian, “how could it float against the stream, +and as for the shots you think you heard, you most have taken Ephraim +Giles's axe blows for them. Besides, you couldn't hear shots at that +distance. If you did, it most be from some of the hunters.” + +“But the cry, corporal,” urged Jackson, “what say you to the cry Green +says he heard when you left us?” + +“All stuff; did anybody else hear it besides Green, you were all sitting +on the bank with him?” + +No one answering in the affirmative, Corporal Nixon declared the thing +to be impossible, or he should have heard it too; nor could he see what +connection there was between that cry--supposing there had been one--and +the facts that had come immediately under their own observation. + +“Hist,” interrupted Collins, placing one hand upon the speaker's +shoulder, and with the other directing his attention to what, now seen +by the whole of the party, was ill calculated to re-assure them. + + + + +CHAPTER IV. + +Stealthily gliding through the fresh and thinly foliaged wood, that +skirted the opposite shore, yet almost concealed from view, Corporal +Nixon now beheld the crouching forms of several armed Indians, nearly +naked, and evidently in war costume. They were following the serpentine +course necessitated by the interposing trees, and seeking cautiously to +establish themselves behind cover on the very verge of the bank. + +“Back men for your lives, there's nothing friendly there,” exclaimed the +Virginian the moment that his glance had taken in the scene, “out +with the arms, and divide the dry ammunition. Collins, you are a smart +fellow, do you and Green set to work and light a fire, but out of sight, +and dry the muskets as fast as you can. There are twelve pounds in +each of the five remaining cartouch boxes, these will do for a spell. +Jackson, Philips, tree yourselves, while Cass lies flat in the stern, +and keeps a good look out on the devils, without exposing himself. Now, +my lads, do all this very quietly, and as if you didn't think there was +danger at hand. If they see any signs of fear, they will pitch it into +you directly. As it is, they are only waiting to settle themselves, and +do it at their leisure.” + +“Pity they don't make a general of you, corporal,” remarked Collins, as +he proceeded quietly with Green to the execution of the duty assigned to +them. “I guess Washington himself couldn't better command a little army. +Is your battle order finished, general?” + +“None of your nonsense, master Collins, this is no time for jesting. +Go and dry these arms, and when you have them so that they can send +a bullet from their throats, join Jackson and Philips in covering the +boat. Weston and I will take up our first station.” + +And in less time than we have taken to describe the cause of the alarm, +and the instructions given in consequence, the men had hastened to +execute the several duties assigned to them on shore, while Cass +remained, not only with a view of showing the Indians that the boat +was not wholly unguarded, but to be enabled to inform his comrades, who +could distinctly hear him without rendering any particular elevation +of the voice necessary, of any important movement on the part of the +former. This quietude of arrangement on the part of Corporal Nixon had, +seemingly, been not without effect. It was evident that the Indians +had no suspicion that they had been seen, and even when the men coolly +quitted the boat, they showed no impatience indicative of an impression +that the party were seeking to shield themselves from an impending +danger. + +“This silence is strange enough,” said the corporal to his companion, +after they had been some minutes secreted in the cavity from which the +departure of the Indian with the boat had been arrested. “I almost wish +they would fire a shot, for that would at once tell us how to act, and +what we are to expect, whether they are friendly Indians or not.” + +But no shot was fired, and from the moment when the men quitted the +boat, and took up their positions, everything had continued silent as +the grave on the opposite shore, and not the vestige of an Indian could +be seen. + +“But for that scalp,” again remarked the corporal, “I should take +the party to have been friendly Indians, perhaps just returned from a +buffalo hunt, and come down to the water to drink. They are surely gone +again.” + +“Look there,” said Weston, in a subdued tone, while he placed his +hand on the shoulder of his superior, as both lay crouched in their +hiding-place, “look there, corporal,” and he pointed with his finger to +the opposite bank. “Do you see that large, blackish log lying near the +hickory, and with its end towards us?” + +“I do--what of it?” + +“Well, don't you see something crouching like between the log and the +tree--something close up to both. See! it moves now a little.” + +Corporal Nixon strained his gaze in the direction indicated, but was +obliged to admit that, although he distinctly enough saw the log and the +tree, he could not discern any between thing them. + +“NOW, do you see it?” again eagerly inquired Weston, as, at that moment, +the same animal was seen to turn itself within the very limited space +which had been indicated. + +“Yes, I see it now,” replied the Virginian, “but it's as likely to be a +hog as a man, for anything I can make of that shape; a hog that has been +filling his skin with hickory nuts, and is but now waking out of his +sleep. Still, as the Injins were there just now, it may be that if +they're gone, they've left a spy behind them. We'll soon know how +matters stand, for it won't do to remain here all night. Cass,” + addressing the man in the boat who was seated low in the stern, only +occasionally taking a sly peep, and immediately withdrawing his head, +“place your cap on the rudder, and lie flat in the bottom. If they are +there, and mean to fire at all, they will try their hands at THAT.” + +“I hope they are good marksmen, corporal,” replied the man, as raising +his right arm, he removed his forage cap and placed it so that the upper +half only could be seen. “I've no great fancy for those rifle bullets, +and give them a wide berth when I can.” + +“Now are you convinced?” asked Weston, addressing the corporal, as both +distinctly saw the object upon which their attention had been anxiously +fixed, raise his head and shoulders, while he deliberately rested his +rifle against the log on his right. + +“Close down, Cass--don't move,” enjoined the Virginian; “the bait has +taken, and we shall have a shot presently.” + +Two almost imperceptible jets of spiral smoke, and crack, crack, went +two rifles, while simultaneously with the report, fell back into the +boat, the perforated forage cap. Both balls had passed through it, +and lodged in the heart of the tree to which the skiff was moored, and +behind which Jackson and Philips had taken their stand. + +Evidently believing that they had killed a man, the whole of the band, +hitherto concealed behind logs and trees, now rose to their feet, and +uttered a fierce and triumphant yell. + +“Devilish good firin', that,” remarked Green, whose face had been +touched by a splinter of bark torn from the tree by one of the balls. + +“Don't uncover yourselves, my lads,” hastily commanded the corporal; +“all the fellows want now is to see us exposed, that they may have a +crack at us.” + +“We've dried the muskets after a fashion,” said Collins, as he now +approached Jackson and Philips. “Give us a cartridge, and let's see if +we can't match the varmint at that sort of work.” Then, having loaded, +he, without asking the corporal's permission, leaned his musket against +the tree, and taking a steady aim at the man who had fired from the +point first noticed by Weston, drew the trigger. + +The shot had evidently taken effect, for two other Indians were now +seen going to the assistance of their comrade, whom they raised from the +ground (where all had secreted themselves after the yell), and hurried +to the rear. + +A loud cheer burst from the lips of Collins, which was answered +immediately by the whole of the savages, who, from various contiguous +points, sprang again to their feet, and vociferating the war-whoop, +dashed into the river nearly up to their necks, seemingly thirsting to +overcome the only obstacle which prevented them from getting at their +desired victims. + +But, at the very moment, when several of them were holding their rifles +aloft with their right hand, securing their powder-horns between their +teeth, while Corporal Nixon issued to his men injunctions, not to +pull another trigger until the savages should begin to swim, to the +astonishment of all, came the sullen and unusual booming of the cannon +from the Fort. + +For a moment, the men, taking their eyes off the sights of their +muskets, listened attentively for a repetition of the shot, but no +second report reached their ears. + +“That,” said Green, “was a warnin' for us.” + +“It was,” observed the corporal. “Had the danger been THERE, they would +have fired again. Depend upon it, my lads, there's more going on about +here than we think. So don't throw away your ammunition. Every bullet +you send must tell!” + +“Well, we can but sell our scalps as dearly as possible,” interposed +Collins, who had again loaded, and was now in the act of raising and +supporting his, musket against the tree. “But look--see how the fellows +are stealing off?” + +“Don't fire, then, don't fire,” hastily enjoined the corporal. “If they +will go quietly, let them. We must not lose our time dallying here, but +make our way back to the Fort. That gun was meant to recall us, as well +as to warn us, and luckily it has frightened the Indians, so they won't +care to attack us again.” + +Meanwhile the band of Winnebagoes, obeying, as it seemed, the command of +their leader, whom Collins swore he could identify from his figure, even +at that distance, to be the man who had attempted to carry off the boat, +quitted the river for the cover of the woods, and, after an earnest +consultation, retreated slowly in the direction of the prairie, without +clamor of any description. + +“Well rid of them, if they are gone,” exclaimed the corporal, not a +little relieved by their departure. “We must keep a sharp look out +though, and see if they return.” + +“How many of them are there?” asked Jackson; “can you give a guess, +Collins?” + +“About a dozen I should say--indeed I counted as many as they passed +through the small patch of clearing made by Eph. Giles's axe.” + +“Can they have started for the farm?” observed the corporal musingly; +“if so, my lads, we had better get away as soon as possible, for there +they will find canoes to cross.” + +“Why, sure they can swim across well enough. The river is not so wide as +to prevent them from doing it on a pinch,” remarked Philips. + +“Of course they can,” answered Collins, “but not without having their +rifles as well soaked as our muskets were a little while ago. I say, +corporal, I understand now the trick of that cunning chief. He jumped +upon the arms purposely to overturn them into the river, when he found +he couldn't get the boat, and all our firelocks over with him.” + +“Yes, that WAS a trick,” remarked Jackson, “but, corporal, you havn't +told us how the dickens that fellow came there, instead of the bear you +went to spear.” + +“There is no time to talk about it, seriously rejoined the Virginian. +Some night when we are on guard, I will tell you what little I know. +At present let us see to getting back to our post. Collins, you are the +crack shot of the party, are you loaded?” + +“I am, corporal,” returned the man somewhat self-sufficiently, “have you +got another Injin for me to sink. If so, just point him out, and if this +good barrel of Uncle Sam's don't do his job in no time, I'll give up all +claim to having hit the first fellow.” + +“Not just yet,” answered his superior, “but hear my orders. You'll +follow the path along the bank, and move along carefully, until you +reach Heywood's stacks. Conceal yourself behind one of them, until we +come down with the boat, and keep a sharp lookout on all that you see +passing in and round the farm. Now remember, Collins, not a shot, unless +it be to save your life, or else you will get us all into a scrape.” + +“Never fear me, General Nixon, and he touched his cap with all the +respect he would have accorded to an officer of that rank. I brought +one of the imps down, and that, I reckon, is nearly as good work for one +day, as filling the old boat with fish, or having a slap at them ducks, +as I wanted this morning. But now I'm off, if I see anything shall I +halloo out, and let you know there's danger?” + +“Not by a long chalk,” returned the corporal. “All I want you to do is +to keep your tongue in your head and your eyes open. If you see anything +to alarm you, come back quietly and let us know. We shall be moving down +close to the bank of the river; and now start.” + +Collins threw his musket to the trail, and advanced cautiously, though +fearlessly, along the scarcely perceptible pathway--interrupted, at +every third or fourth step by creeping vines that protruded from the +earth, and rendered it necessary, in order to prevent his tripping, +that he should raise his feet somewhat in the manner of a horse with the +string-halt. + +He had not proceeded half a mile, when, at an angle of the ill-defined +path, formed by a point where the river was the narrowest, he was +started at the sight of a human body lying across his course, evidently +on its face, though the head was concealed from view by the trunk of a +large tree that bordered upon the road. His first impulse was to turn +back and acquaint the corporal with what he had discovered; but a few +minutes of reflection satisfying him of the ridicule he should incur in +reporting, without being able to state with accuracy on WHAT, he boldly +advanced. On approaching it, he found that the body was lifeless, while +from the red and scalpless head, previously hidden from his view, were +exuding gouts of thick blood that trickled slowly over the pale features +of a youth of tender age, the expression of which had been worked up +into an intensity of terror, and there remained. At a few paces from the +head, and close upon the edge of the bank, lay a dressed bear skin which +had evidently been saturated with water, but was now fast drying in the +air and what little sunlight was occasionally thrown upon it, through +the dense branches of the forest. + +There are situations in which the mind is moved to do that from which in +cooler moments it would shrink with disgust. It chanced that Collins had +retained the scalp so singularly found at the bottom of the river, by +Corporal Nixon, and this circumstance at once determined him. + +Instead of hastening by an object so appalling, Collins rested his +musket against a tree, and taking the scalp from between the ramrod and +the stock, where he had introduced it, knelt by the body, and spreading +out the humid skin to its fullest extent, applied it to the bleeding +excavation. As he had suspected, they corresponded exactly, making all +due allowance for the time they had been separated, and he had no longer +a doubt that the mutilated boy was Mr. Heywood's help, Wilton. A much +more important discovery than this, however, resulted from his vain +endeavor to recognise the boy from his features, they were so contracted +by terror, as has already been said, and so covered with blood as to +be indistinguishable. But on turning him upon his back, and passing his +hands over his face, Collins was surprised to find that there was not +that icy chill which he had expected, but on the contrary the faint +warmth that indicates suspended, animation; and deeper yet was the +gratification of the rude soldier, when, on opening the shirt and +placing his hand on the heart of the boy, he felt an occasional +spasmodic pulsation, denoting that life was not utterly extinct. + +With an eagerness to preserve life, strongly in contrast with his recent +exultation in destroying it, his anxiety for the recovery of the boy was +almost paternal. Fortunately the latter part of the day had been free +from the chilliness of the morning, so that, although the naked skull +must have been some hours exposed, the comparatively bland state of the +atmosphere gave fair earnest that the brain itself, even if affected, +had not sustained a mortal injury. Spreading wide the scalp in his open +palm, Collins now breathed heavily upon it, until it attained what he +conceived to be the necessary warmth, when gently applying it to the +denuded crown, to which he fitted it as well as he could, he passed his +handkerchief, which he had removed from his throat, over it, and under +the chin of the boy in such a manner as to prevent the chill of the +approaching night from affecting the injured part. This done, he poured +through his closed lips a few drops of whisky from the canteen, and +then raising him gently on his left shoulder, he rose from his stooping +posture, and seizing in his right hand his musket, which he continued at +the trail, pursued his route to the haystacks as directed. + +In the meantime, Corporal Nixon, with the remainder of the fishing +party, was slowly descending the river, hugging the eastern shore as +closely as possible, in order that, if attacked suddenly, they might, on +the instant, leap into the river, and covering themselves by the boat, +fight their enemies at less disadvantage. The corporal himself and +Weston kept a vigilant look out, the one at the bow, the other at the +stern, while the four remaining men, Jackson, Philips, Green, and Cass +pulled so noiselessly that the dip of their oars, and their unavoidable +jar in the row-locks, could not be heard at a distance of more than ten +yards. At this slow rate much time was necessarily consumed, so that it +was quite dark when they reached the traverse opposite the farm, where +Ephraim Giles had crossed some hours before, and whither Collins had +been dispatched to make observations. + +The patience of the latter had been much tried, for it seemed an age +had elapsed before his comrades made their appearance. The sun was just +setting as he reached the innermost haystack, and his anxiety for his +charge had become intense. Seeing the canoe drawn up on the beach, and +the paddles in it, he had a strong inclination to cross and procure some +efficient relief for the insensible boy, but the silence that reigned +around the dwelling awed him, and he checked the natural impulse. Not +a soul was to be seen, not a voice to be heard, not even the barking of +Loup Garou, the bleating of a sheep, or the lowing of an ox. What could +this mean? and was the fate of the boy connected with that of the other +inmates of the farm? If so, where were they? + +Another consideration induced Collins to suppress his first impulse, and +that was the apprehension that his strange charge would be detained +by Mr. Heywood, when his only chance of recovery lay in the speedy +examination, and dressing his injuries by the surgeon of the garrison. +There was no alternative then, but to wait patiently for the arrival +of the boat into which the boy could be placed; and so conveyed to the +fort. Meanwhile, as the night air was becoming chill, and a slight +fog rising from the water, the considerate soldier did all he could to +shield his protege from their pernicious effect. Strewing on the ground +a few armfuls of hay, taken from the nearest of the stacks, around which +the hungry cattle now gathered, eager for their food, he extended on +it the yet inanimate form of the youth, embracing the body in order to +impart to it the benefit of animal heat and in this position, his +head being slightly raised, eagerly endeavored to discern through the +darkness not only what might be seen on the opposite shore, but the +approach of the party in the boat. + +The sun had now been down some time, and so dark was it that, in that +narrow space, obscured by the blending shadows of the tall forests on +either shore, it was difficult, at five yards distance, to make out +anything on the water, unaccompanied by light or sound. This silence +was anything but agreeable to Collins, whose imagination, excited by the +later occurrences of the day, was filled with, strange misgivings, as he +looked in vain for the customary lights in the farm-house. The fishing +party had never been out so late, and yet, at the first fall of +darkness, they had been accustomed to see the place exhibiting at least +one light; and the absence of this now caused Collins heartily to wish +himself in the boat, and safely moored under cover of the fort. Not that +the soldier was influenced by the apprehension of personal danger, but +because the deep gloom, the solitude and silence of the scene, coupled +with his newly-awakened interest in the almost corpse that lay in close +contact with his person, impressed him with a sort of superstitious +feeling, not at all lessened by the knowledge that his only companion, +at that moment, belonged rather to the grave than to the upper earth. + +At length his anxiety was relieved. The sound of the oars, cautiously +pulled, faintly met his ear, and then the boat could be indistinctly +seen approaching the canoe. To this succeeded a low call uttered by the +corporal. Collins replied in a similar tone, and then bearing the body +of the boy, still enveloped in the bear skin, he in less than a minute, +rejoined his party. + +The astonishment of the latter may be conceived on beholding so +unexpected a sight, nor was their feeling of awe diminished when their +comrade had briefly related what had occurred since he left them. + +“Strange enough, this,” remarked the corporal musingly; “stranger still, +there's no light in the house. It's neither too early nor too late for +that. I'll tell you what, my lads, if any thing has happened we must +know the worst--it will never do to go back to the Fort, without being +able to give some notion of what took place under our very noses.” + +“What would Mr. Ronayne say, if we did?” added Jackson. + +“Yes! and what would that sweet young lady, Miss Heywood, think of us, +if we returned without giving some good news of her father. Why she +never would look upon us kindly again.” + +“Right, Philips,” said Weston, “and I'm sure I'd rather offend the +captain himself, any day, than do anything to displease her. God grant +we bring her no bad news.” + +“Amen,” said the corporal, gravely, for he, like Collins, had some +strong misgivings, arising naturally from the utter darkness and silence +that continued to prevail in and around the farm-house. “Are you all +loaded? Look to your primings, but make no noise. Somebody must take +charge of the beat though. Who volunteers to remain, while the rest +follow me to the house?” + +“I do--I'll remain,” said Collins, “one of you can take my musket.” + +“What, Collins, do you shirk the thing,” sneered the man with the long +nose and the peaked chin; “have you had enough to-day, or do you fear +the ghost of the fellow you knocked over?” + +“I fear neither man or ghost, as you well know, Nutcrackers,” warmly +rejoined Collins, “but I take it, there's no great courage in making a +fuss about going where there's no enemy to be found. If there has been +danger in that quarter, I take it, it's passed, and as somebody must +stop in the boat, why 'not me as well as another?” + +“Just so,” said the corporal. “Cass, this is no time to run your rigs. +You see well enough that Collins wishes to stop behind, on account of +the boy he hopes to bring to life. Little chance of that, I fear, but +if he thinks so, it would be unchristian to disappoint him. And now push +off, but make no noise.” + +The order was obeyed. In a few minutes the bow of the boat touched +the landing-place, when all but Collins, who was at the helm, slipped +noiselessly ashore. The corporal repeated his instructions--how to act +under emergency and if separated--and moved along the path leading to +the house. Meanwhile Collins pulled back into the stream, and remained +stationary in the centre. + + + + +CHAPTER V. + +The farm-house was, as we have said, of very rude construction--such a +one as could only spring up in so remote a region, and among so sparse a +population. With the exception of the roof, the frame-work of which had +been covered with raw buffalo hides, it was built wholly of rough logs, +notched at the ends in a sort of dove-tail fashion, and when not lying +closely, filled in with chunks of wood, over which a rude plaster of +mud had been thrown, so that the whole was rendered almost impervious +to water, while it ran little risk from the agency of fire. It had +two rooms on the ground floor--one smaller than the other, used as a +dormitory, and containing all the clothes or “traps,” as they designated +them, of the household. The other served as eating-room, parlor, and +kitchen, and extended over, at least, three-fourths of the area. It was +provided with two doors--one facing the river and close to the partition +which divided the rooms--the other occupying a remoter position to the +rear. The windows of this apartment were two in number, and, equidistant +from the doors, were considerably elevated above the floor. These +apertures had been formed by simply sawing a few of the logs, so as to +complete squares, into which were fitted rude sashes, each containing +four small panes of a greenish, and by no means, transparent glass, and +connected by strong leathern hinges. In winter the necessary warmth was +afforded, by shutters put up and barred from within. The southern gable +or dormitory, was provided in the centre with one window of similar size +and construction. The upper floor, a sort of granary and depot for the +provisions of the family, was ascended by means of a ladder, and through +a square aperture just large enough to admit with ease the body of a +man. + +There was, in rear of the house, a rather extensive corn-field, and +beyond the northern gable, where the chimney stood, an orchard yet in +its infancy, but promising future abundance, while at the opposite, or +south end of the building, a large but very highly cultivated garden, +was now undergoing the customary spring process of digging and manuring, +and indeed on that very morning, Mr. Heywood had been busily engaged in +this occupation with the boy Wilton, his men being employed, the one in +field labor, the other as we have seen, in chopping wood. + +In the rear of the garden, and opposite to the corn-field, from which it +was separated by a road leading to the wood, was a tolerably sized barn, +likewise constructed of rude logs, not, however, filled in. The lower +part of this was used as a stable; the upper or loft, roofed with bark, +contained the preceding year's unhusked crop from the corn-field, while +contiguous to it, and to the rear, was another oblong square building, +constructed in the same manner, but without loft. This, partitioned and +covered simply with unhewn logs, served not only as a pen for sheep and +pigs, but as a roasting-place for the feathered portion of the stock. + +The orchard on the one side, and the garden on the other, extended to +the bank of the river--a zig-zag, or snake-fence separating them from +the road, in the centre of which, and at about ten feet from the door +of the dwelling, rose a majestic walnut tree then in early blossom. +Immediately beyond this tree, was a low enclosure which intersected the +road, passing across from the kitchen-garden to the orchard, and forming +the only court or yard upon the premises. + +When Corporal Nixon, with his little party, had cautiously advanced +some few paces towards the house, he caused them to separate, Cass +and Jackson leaping the fence which bounded the orchard, and Green and +Philips that of the garden, while he himself, with Weston, pursued +the pathway in front. The better to be prepared for any sudden attack, +bayonets had been quietly fixed, and the firelocks at the full cock, +carried at the trail--this latter precaution after the detached files +had crossed the fences. + +The night, as has already been said, was very dark, and each succeeding +minute seemed to increase the obscurity, so that it was rather from +their familiarity with the ground, than from any clear indication of +correctness of course, that the little band were enabled to preserve +their necessary unity. At length the tall shadows of the walnut +tree came suddenly upon the sight of the corporal, but so completely +absorbing was the darkness in the heavier gloom, that, without being +aware of it's proximity, he stumbled against the low and slight +enclosure, which, yielding to the impetus of his motion, feeble even as +that was, caused him to fall forward on his face, his musket dropping +from his grasp without, however, going off. + +A low growl from a dog succeeded, and before the Virginian could even +make the attempt to rise, the animal had sprang upon, and fastened his +teeth into his shoulder, shaking him so violently, that it was not until +Weston, who had now crossed the enclosure, came up to his assistance, +guided by the sound of the struggle, that the dog could be made to +relinquish his hold. + +“Loup Garou--Loup Garou, old fellow, what's the matter with you,” said +the latter coaxingly, as he caressed the neck of the dog, which he had +identified, and now sought to appease. + +Evidently recognising a friend in the utterer of his name, the animal +turned suddenly around, licked the hand of Weston, and then sent forth a +long and piteous howl. + +“Mercy, what is that?” suddenly exclaimed the corporal, who having +regained his legs and musket, had moved on a pace or two. + +“Where! what?” asked Weston, coming up to his side. + +In the darkness before them, there was a deeper darkness that bore the +indistinct appearance of a human form, lying in a stooping posture close +to the trunk of the tree. + +A vague presentiment of the truth flashed upon the mind of the +Virginian, who enjoining silence on his companion, advanced close to the +object, and laid his hand upon it. There could be no longer a doubt. +The blanket coat, and woollen sash, which he first touched, and then the +shoe pack, told him in unmistakable language that it was Le Noir, the +Canadian owner of the dog. He shook him, and twice, in a low voice +called him by name. But there was no answer, while the body stiff and +motionless, fully revealed the fate of the unfortunate man. + +Meanwhile, Loup Garou, which had followed, squatted himself at the head, +which was hanging over the front of what they knew, from its handles and +the peculiar odor, exhaling from it, to be a wheel-barrow filled with +manure, and then commenced licking--moaning at the same time in a low +and broken whine. + +“What can the dog mean by that?” whispered Weston. + +“Don't you hear him licking his dead master's face, and telling his +sorrow in his own way,” answered the corporal as, in order to assure +himself, he dropped his hand to the mouth of the dog; but no sooner had +he done so, than he drew it suddenly back with a shudder of disgust +and hastily wiped it, clammy with the blood that yet trickled from the +scalped head of the murdered man. + +A low whistle was here given on the left, and a few yards above, that +startled the Virginian, for it was the signal agreed upon if anything +suspicious, should be noticed by the other parties. He promptly answered +it in a different call, and in another minute Green and Philips had +joined him. “What have you seen?” he inquired, not regarding the +exclamation of surprise of the new comers, at the unexpected sight +before them. + +“We've seen nothin' its so dark,” answered Green, “but unless the cattle +have got into the garden, there's somethin' else movin' there. Philips +and I listened after we heard the dog howl the first time, for we could +hear as if somethin' like steps were stopped suddenly when he moaned the +second time we listened again, and thought the same thing.” + +“They couldn't be cattle,” added Philips, “for the cattle are all kept +on the other side.” + +“Only the young stock, and them as ain't used about the farm,” remarked +Weston. + +“Well, but what kind of steps were they?” eagerly questioned the +corporal, whose imagination was filled not more with the danger that +seemed to be near them, than with the censure of himself he feared he +should incur, on his return to the fort, for having subjected the party +to risk. “Surely you can tell between the tread of cattle and the steps +of men.” + +“I should say they, weren't the steps of cattle; they were too light for +that. Though they couldn't help crushin' the dry sticks and rubbish they +couldn't help seein' lyin' in the way. Don't you think so Philips?” + +“I did, corporal, and so sure did I guess them to be no cattle that it +was me that whistled.” + +“Then there's no use in going farther,” remarked the Virginian gravely. +“Even if we get to the house, we can't see anything in it for the +darkness, and the poor fellow shows plain enough that it's to use +looking out to save Mr. Heywood or Ephraim Giles. Come, my lads, we must +get back to the boat, and down stream as quick and as quiet as we can.” + +Giving his own low whistle of recall, he was answered from the opposite +direction, and in a few minutes Cass and Jackson made their appearance. + +These latter were, briefly questioned whether they had seen anything, +and great was the anxiety of all when it was known that they had also +heard in the orchard but in a fainter manner, what had attracted the +attention of Green and Philips in the garden. + +“Why didn't you give the signal then, as directed?” + +“Because,” answered Cass, “We weren't quite sure about it, and feared +the whistle might tell the Injins, if any were near, our whereabouts.” + +Scarce had this explanation been given, when the attention of all was +arrested by a loud clear shout of the corporals' name, evidently uttered +by Collins. + +“Into the house--into the house,” exclaimed the same voice. “The Injins +are creeping up to you.” + +As these words came ringing upon the silence of the night the dull steps +in rapid advance through the two enclosures were now distinctly heard, +while the flash of a gun fired in their rear, lighted up the forms of +three or four savages, gliding up to them by the pathway by which the +corporal had come. + +The danger was imminent, the necessity for securing the important +position imperative, and without waiting for the order of their +superior, or even uttering a word, the whole of the party, acting upon +the caution of Collins, made a rush towards the front entrance of the +house, which they gained at the very moment when the rattling of the +snake-fences, and the total overthrow of the slight enclosure, announced +that their enemies were thus near in pursuit. + +Fortunately the door was wide open, so that they had all passed in, when +the Indians on either flank, as though by previous arrangement, poured +in their cross fire, towards that common centre, without, however, +striking anything but the logs. + +Terrific and continuous yells succeeded, and well was it that, with cool +promptitude, the corporal had sought, and found behind the door, where +he knew they were usually kept, the strong bars, three in number, that +secured the heavy panels, for as many of the Indians as could find room +to act together, now applied their shoulders to the frame with such +violence, that but for those timely safeguards, it must have yielded. +During more than five minutes they persevered in their efforts, the men +waiting anxiously in attitude of preparation for the result, when all at +once they ceased, and their footsteps were heard cautiously retiring. + +“Quick, look to the back-door, two of you,” commanded the corporal in +an eager, but low tone, “they are going round; there, if that is not +secured we are lost.” + +Green and Philips sprang forward towards the point indicated, but the +latter in his excitement stumbled heavily against something, and fell at +his length upon the floor, exclaiming: “I've fallen over a dead man, and +am half drowned in his blood.” + +His companion who had escaped this obstruction, had scarcely time to +assure the corporal that the back door was already barred, a fact which +he had discovered by dint of feeling, when the latch was first heard +gently tried, then the door violently assaulted. Another loud and angry +yell from the Indians announced their disappointment, then several shots +were fired at the door, and two or three balls could be heard dropping +and rolling upon the floor, after having passed through the heavy +planks. + +“Safe enough now for a while, my lads,” said the corporal exultingly, +“and we can have, a little breathing time. Who's got the means of +striking a light, that we may see where we are, and what we're about?” + +“I have,” answered Green, as taking a flint, steel, and tinder from his +pocket, he, with a couple of strokes, ignited the latter, and approached +the hearth, which the faint light from the burning “punk” enabled him +to reach. The fire had long since gone out, but the crisp and blackened +embers, soon grew under the care of the soldier into light sufficient to +render objects in the apartment gradually more and more distinguishable. + +While this process was going on, the rest, leaning on their muskets, +were anxiously grouped around the spot where Philips had fallen. At +first, only the outline of a man of large stature and proportions could +be seen lying in a cramped position, as if produced by some strong +convulsive agony, and then when the fire began to kindle and crackle, +the dress could be distinguished, and then as the light grew brighter, +the scalpless head, and then the marked and distorted features of the +murdered master of the house, who lay in a pool of blood that slowly +trickled along the crevices of the floor. His hands were firmly clenched +upon the barrel of a rifle which had been broken off at the stock, that +now lay a few yards beyond, while the features, sternly set in death, +bore a mingled expression of defiance and resolution. A cut, as from a +tomahawk had laid open his left temple, while on several parts of his +body could be seen thick encrustations of blood that had exuded through +the rent clothing, marking the seat of several stabs and gunshot +wounds. It was evident that Mr. Heywood had not lost his life without a +desperate, struggle, for independently of the testimony afforded by his +broken rifle, which he seemed to have used with fierce determination, +the heavy table had been overthrown, and the few articles of necessary +furniture in the room evidently displaced. + +“What a tale, this, to carry back,” gravely remarked Weston. “I wouldn't +take the corporal's stripes to-morrow, and be the first man to tell Miss +Heywood of it.” + +“Supposing we get back at all,” said Cass. “Though we're safe enough for +the present, I've no notion these devils will let us off go soon.” + +“There's no great danger now,” interrupted the corporal. “I defy them, +if they're not stronger than we saw them this morning, to get into the +house, with six good firelocks to defend it.” + +“But they may set fire to it, and burn us out,” persevered the +apprehensive man with the hooked nose and the peaked chin; “I've heard +of those things before.” + +“Burn your granny out, Nutcrackers; look at them logs well, and say if +it would'nt take hell-fire itself to burn 'em through in a month, but +corporal, had'nt we better divide the ammunition. We don't know, as Cass +says, what the imps are about, and what trouble they may give us yet.” + +“Right, Green, there's nothing like being on the sure side, and so, my +lads look to the pouches. Weston, there's a candle in that stone bottle +on the shelf--light it, and put it on the table as soon as you have got +that on its legs again.” + +The examination was soon made. Each small cartouch box, expressly +made for light excursions, contained, with the exception of the single +cartridge which Collins had fired, the usual allowance of fifteen +rounds. Two of these however--those of Green and Philips--had been +so saturated by long immersion in the water, that they were wholly +unserviceable. They were therefore emptied and dried, and the deficiency +supplied from the pouches of their comrades, thus leaving about a dozen +charges to each man. + +“A small stock of ammunition, this, I guess, to stand a long siege on an +empty belly,” drawled forth Cass. + +“Just like you--always croakin',” sneered Green, “and always thinking of +your belly. Why man, you've more ammunition there, I take it, than ever +you'll fire away in your life.” + +“And if we haven't enough,” said the corporal, going to, and taking down +and shaking a powder horn, which hung suspended from the wall, that had +evidently been overlooked by the Indians, “here are a dozen more charges +at least, and the balls of the cartridges have not, I take it, +lost their power to drill a hole into a fellow because they've been +considerably well ducked. But hark! what noise is that--listen!” + +A low, grating sound, as of some heavy body rubbing against the ground, +was now audible at short intervals, to seemed to proceed from the +southern gable--but not a voice was heard. From the moment when they +had uttered their cry of disappointment, on finding the back entrance +secured, the Indians had preserved the utmost silence. + +Suddenly a yell, pealed from the direction of the river, caused them +for the first time to revert to the exposed position of the unfortunate +Collins. + +“Poor fellow,” said Green, dashing away a tear. “I wish he was with us. +Somehow or other, I feel as if we should all have a better chance in a +fight, were that lad in the middle of it.” + +“We shall never see him more!” gravely observed the Virginian; “That +shot fired just after he warned us, did his business, depend upon it, +and if that one didn't, it is not likely the blood-hounds would let him +off after robbing them of their prey: no, no, poor Collins has lost his +life in saving us.” + +Again the yell was repeated, and from the same quarter. The corporal +sprang to the ladder which communicated with the loft, and having placed +it under the window on the front, hastily ascended and looked out, for +no one had hitherto thought of closing an opening, from which no danger +was, seemingly, to be apprehended. + +The darkness which had been so excessive at the moment of their +entrance, had greatly diminished--so much so, that he could trace the +forms of two or three of the warriors who were stooping low, apparently +engaged with some object lying on the very bank of the river. + +“Scalping and mutilating the poor fellow, no doubt,” he muttered +fiercely to himself, “but here goes to revenge him!” + +Forgetting his usual prudence, he, in the strong excitement of the +moment, drew up the butt of his musket to his shoulder, and as well as +his cramped position would permit, covered one of the savages, but while +in the very act of pulling the trigger, they all fell prostrate, and the +bullet whizzed harmlessly over them. In the next instant a ball, aimed +at himself, and fired from another quarter, passed through the window, +grazing the shoulder slightly bitten by Loup Garou, and lodged in the +opposite logs of the room. A third loud yell followed as the corporal +drew in his head and disappeared from the window. The Indians evidently +thought he had been hit, and thus gave utterance to their triumph. + +“There's that grating sound again,” remarked Weston. + +All now listened, and heard much more distinctly than before the +peculiar sound. Then followed a scratching and bumping of something +heavy against the end of the house. + +“I have it,” said the Virginian. “They've dragged the ladder from the +barn, and are trying to fix it under the bedroom window. Cass, do you +and Philips go in and see what they're doing. But close the door after +you that they may not pick you off by the light.” + +The door was cautiously opened and again shut as soon as the men had +entered. They looked up at the window, which, in the darkness that +prevailed around, was distinctly enough visible, but although open, +nothing met their glance of a nature to startle them, nor could any +movement be heard without. + +“Hold my firelock,” whispered Cass to his companion, “while I try and +get a look out. I know poor Le Noir's bed is directly under the window, +and I don't think THAT is too high, if I stand on the pillow.” + +He now cautiously groped his way to the bed, on ascending which, being a +tall man, he found the top of his head to be on a level with the sill +of the window. This was not sufficient for his purpose, and he sought +to elevate himself still more. In attempting, with this view, to place +himself on the head-board, he missed his footing, and fell with some +force between the head of the bed, and the rode log wall. To his +dismay, he found that his feet had rested not upon the hard floor of the +apartment, but upon something soft and yielding, which his imagination, +strongly excited by the events of the day, led him unhesitatingly to +conclude, was the flesh of a human body. + +“A light corporal--a light!” he shouted, regardless of every thing, +but his desire to release himself from his present situation. “Bring a +light. Here's a fellow, who has got hold of me by the leg!” + +“Take your musket then and bayonet him,” said Philips, coolly, as he +pushed towards the struggling man the butt end of his firelock, which +at length reached his hands. At the same time, Corporal Nixon, rendered +equally imprudent by the suddenness of the demand for his presence, +entered, followed by Weston, bearing the candle. + + + + +CHAPTER VI. + +Nothing can, we conceive, be in worse taste in a fictitious narrative, +than the wanton introduction of the ludicrous upon the solemn, but when +in an historical tale these extremes do occur, fidelity forbids the +suppression of the one, lest it should mar the effect of the other. Such +is the necessity under which we find ourselves. + +The first act of the corporal, on seeing how matters stood, was to pull +back the bedstead behind which Cass was imprisoned, so as wholly to +uncover him and his assailant, but the surprise of all may be +imagined, when, instead of an Indian, with whom they believed him to be +struggling, they beheld an immense turkey-cock, well known to them all, +which was partly under the foot of the soldier--partly in a boarded +drain or reservoir which passed from the apartment into a large hog +trough, that lay along the wall and daily received the refuse of the +various meals. The bird, furious with pain, was burying its beak into +the leg of the soldier, while he, with the butt end of his musket aloft, +and the bayonet depressed, offered the most burlesque representation of +St. George preparing to give his mortal thrust to the dragon. + +In spite of the danger by which they were beset, it was impossible +for the men to restrain the indulgence of their humor at this singular +sight, nor was the disposition at all checked, when they saw the bayonet +descend and actually transfix the intruder to the floor-causing him to +droop his head, and thus free Cass from his furious attacks. + +“If that's the way you kill your enemies, Nutcrackers, we promise to eat +them up for you--as many as you like,” and as he spoke, Green advanced +and seized the dying bird by the throat; but as he pulled it suddenly +away, a dark human hand was observed to relinquish its hold of the feet, +and rapidly disappear. + +The mirth of the men was now succeeded by a seriousness befitting the +occasion, for it was clear to all that this occurrence, absurd as it +was, had been the means of betraying a new plan of the enemy to get into +the house. If the drain was large enough to admit of the passage of the +bird--always remarkable for its size--it was highly possible that some +of the more slightly formed Indians, might force their way through +it also. They had evidently tried to see if it could be done--the +turkey-cock having been put forward as a “feeler,” and the necessity of +either closing the avenue, or weakening their strength by keeping a man +constantly on the watch, was now obvious. + +“Find something to stop up that hole with Cass,” ordered the corporal. + +“I can see nothing,” replied the other, after a few moments search, +“unless we stop it with the bedding.” + +“A wise plan that. The Injins would soon set fire to it, and if they +didn't burn us out, they would soon smoke us out. Either would suit +their purpose.” + +“Let him stuff it with his head, corporal,” interposed Green, “I'm sure +that's thick enough for a plug.” + +“Perhaps there's a head in it already,” suggested Philips, “there was a +hand just now--the other may have followed.” + +“By jingo I'll try,” returned Green, “I'd give a week's grog to be able +to prick a feller with this playthin'.” + +So saying, he knelt upon the floor, and holding his musket in a +horizontal position, a few inches above it, he gave a furious thrust +into the aperture. To his astonishment, for notwithstanding his half +bravado, he had not seriously anticipated such a result, he found the +advance of his weapon slightly arrested by a yielding body, and even +had not a sharp cry of pain from the other extremity of the trough, +satisfied him of the fact, the peculiar sensation he experienced as the +steel overcame the resistance was sufficient to convince Green, little +accustomed even as he had been to bayonet men, that the bayonet had +entered into some soft part of the human body. + +To the cry of the wounded man, succeeded a savage and threatening yell +from the united band, and now re-commenced the grating sound which had +two or three times before excited the conjectures of the besieged. + +“Ah I yell away you devils; that's all the good you'll get,” exclaimed +Green, exulting at his success; “but don't take so tight a grip of my +bayonet. I say, Philips, lend us a hand, if I shan't lose my musket with +that fellow strugglin' like a speared Mascalinga.” + +Both now pulled at the firelock, with all their strength. Suddenly the +resistance ceased, and they fell sideways on the floor, bringing the +musket with them, but without the bayonet. At the same moment a shot was +fired into the aperture, and the ball whizzing by the ear of Philips, +and passing through Green's right leg, lodged in the partition beyond. + +“Stand aside, men,” shouted the corporal, “stand from before that hole, +or we shall be marks in this light for the skulking villains.” + +Jackson, who had been dispatched for one of the small round hickory logs +that lay piled up in a corner near the chimney, now approached with on +that was just large enough to fit tightly in the aperture. All seized +it, and taking the precaution to keep their legs out of danger, jammed +one end into the mouth of the drain, adding afterwards a few heavy blows +from the axes of Le Noir and Ephraim Giles, which had been found in a +corner of the room. + +“Now then,” said the Virginian, after having examined the small window +of the bed room, and securely fastened the shutter--“we've not much more +to fear. They're two to one its true, but I defy them to do us much harm +before daylight, when, I take it they'll be off, if not sooner.” + +“Well, then, corporal,” suggested Green, “I vote that as we're pretty +safe, and have yet that piece of plunder, we set to work and cook it, +for I'm devilish hungry, and so I think we must all be, seeing as how +we hain't had a regular meal the whole day, besides if we rummage the +place, we may chance to light upon somethin' else. I see the varmint +have carried off the nice row of venison hams that used to hang up round +the chimney, but there may be somethin' in the loft.” + +“No bad thought that of yours, Green,” answered the corporal, “Cass, you +killed the bird, you must pluck it and grill it.” + +“That's what I call taking it sensibly,” said the latter leaning +his musket against the wall, and dragging the heavy turkey to the +kitchen-corner, where seated on the very chair on which poor Mr. Heywood +had smoked his last pipe, he commenced plucking out the feathers by +handfuls. “Let fasting without, and feasting within be the word; but +its mortal dry eating that great he turkey, without something to wash it +down. I say, Philips, you are a good hand at foraging--don't you think +you could find out a little of the Wabash there,” and he pointed to the +loft. + +Philips approached the ladder with the intention of making a search, but +the Virginian checked him. + +“Stop a moment,” he said, “until I have had another look out in front.” + Thus saying he cautiously ascended to his former position, the view +from which was much less indistinct than before. The obscurity had, in a +great degree, passed away, so much so, that all objects within the area +formed by the enclosures of the garden and the orchard were thrown into +perceptible relief. His first thought was to cast his glance upon the +water, hoping, he scarcely knew why, that something might be seen of the +skiff which had contained the unfortunate Collins. Disappointed in that +quarter, his eye next turned upon the walnut tree, the white blossoms +of which had dropped around and upon the spot, where lay the body of the +ill-fated Le Noir, at whose head was still squatted, as when he had left +him, his faithful dog. There was much in this trait of devotion on the +part of the animal which could not fail to awaken sympathy even in +the roughest heart, and although the corporal was not particularly +sentimental, he could not but be deeply touched by the contrast forced +upon him, between the moaning animal and the wild lust for blood which +reigned in the hearts of their unprovoked assailants. His first impulse +was to call approvingly to the dog, but the next moment's reflection on +the folly of such a proceeding stifled the impulse. Then his attention +was called not only to the perfect immunity from further outrage of the +victim and his follower, but to the profound silence, and absence of +danger which seemed to exist in that quarter. That the Indians had not +departed, although they had not been heard since the yell that followed +the cry produced by the thrust from Green's bayonet, he felt confident, +and it now seemed to him that they must be directing their efforts +against some other part of the building. + +No sooner had he admitted this last belief, than he again descended, and +raising the ladder himself, bore it noiselessly to the spot whence it +had been removed, then ordering the candle to be extinguished, and the +embers to be drawn together, so as to deaden the light of the fire, he +with Green and Weston crept up the ladder, Cass being left to complete +the preparation of the turkey the best way he could, while Philips and +Jackson, posted at the back and front doors, listened attentively for +the slightest sound of danger, which being heard, they were at once to +warn the party above. + +When the corporal had gained the top of the ladder, Green, who was the +last, having yet his foot on the first step, the former was evidently +startled by some new danger. But just as he was in the act of springing +to the upper floor, the ladder, too frail to sustain their united +weight, snapped suddenly asunder in the middle and fell with some noise, +thus separating him from his companions. + +Regardless of this and having secured his own footing, he now moved +cautiously towards the opposite end of the loft, where a small opening, +about two feet in length, and one in height, seemingly intended as +a ventilator, appeared nearly vertical to the window of the bed-room +below. Casting his glance downwards through the opening, he beheld five +or six savages standing grouped together, leaning on their guns, and +apparently watching some object above them. This, naturally, drew the +corporal's attention to the same quarter, when to his dismay he found +that the long ladder usually kept at the barn was now resting against +the gable of the house, not three feet from the right corner of the +aperture, through which he gazed. In an instant it occurred to him that +this had been the work of the Indians, and at once accounted for the +grating sounds that had so often met his ears that night. There could +be no doubt that the plan of the enemy now was to enter the roof, which +could be done by removing part of the raw buffalo hides of which it was +composed. Indeed it was a slight noise made in the direction of that +very angle of the roof where the ladder now stood, that had caught his +attention on first putting his head through the aperture while preceding +his men. This had suddenly ceased at the moment when the ladder broke +and fell, nor had there been a repetition of the sound. Still, satisfied +that some discovery of the true designs of the Indians would result from +his remaining a little longer, he continued at the opening, which was +too small to betray his presence if using precaution, while it enabled +him to observe the movements of the enemy. Soon afterwards he heard them +speaking in earnest but low tones, as if addressing somebody above them, +and then a prolonged yell, which was answered by others from the front +of the house, echoed through the surrounding forests. Even amid the +horrid discord, the quick ear of the Virginian, now painfully on the +stretch, caught the same sound that had first attracted his attention. +It was exactly at the angle of the roof, and only a pace or two from +him. The peculiar noise was not to be mistaken even by an unpractised +ear. It was, evidently, that of a knife, not very sharp, cautiously +cutting through a tough and resisting leather. + +The corporal became now more anxious than ever, but this feeling did not +in the slightest degree, disturb his self-possession, or cause him +to waver in the resolution he had from the first adopted. He waited +patiently, until, as he expected, he heard a corner of one of the +buffalo hides turned up, and beheld reflected, against the back-ground +of light, thus suddenly introduced, the upper part of a human being, +whose shorn head, covered on the crown with straight and slightly +streaming feathers, too plainly indicated his purpose. What a target for +the bullet--what an object for the bayonet of the soldier, who, had not +prudence and coolness interposed, had certainly used one or the other. +But the Virginian had hit upon another, and as he conceived, a better +plan to get rid of his enemy, and in his fate, of further probable +annoyance from his ferocious companions. It was not his object to let +himself be seen, or that the Indians should even suspect that they +had been detected in this new device, for he was well aware that if he +fired, or used his bayonet against the man, those below would rush +up the ladder to succeed him, and by their weight prevent the +accomplishment of what he had in view; therefore cut off as he in a +measure was, from his party, it was incumbent on him to adopt the only +sure means of relief from danger, and that without a moment of delay. + +While the Indian, who finding, evidently, that the orifice he had made +in the roof was not yet large enough for his purpose, had dropped +the incised portion of the hide, and was again using his knife; the +Virginian, stooping slightly at the off-side of the window, ascertained +that the feet of the former were resting on one of the upper steps of +the ladder. This was what he desired, and all he now wanted was a hard, +flat substance to fasten on the point of his bayonet. After reflecting +vainly for a few moments how this was to be attained, he suddenly +bethought him of his thick-soled ammunition-boots. Removing one of +these without noise, he pierced the inner leather, by pressing it firmly +against the point of the bayonet, so as to secure without allowing it to +pass through. Then, cautiously protruding his musket from the opening, +he slowly advanced it, until the sole of the boot touched the frame of +the ladder, not two feet under the round on which the Indian stood. +Here for a moment he allowed the barrel, concealed by the low depending +eaves, to rest against the jamb of the aperture. His anxiety was now +worked up to the highest possible pitch, for he feared, notwithstanding +his success so far, that something might yet occur to defeat his +purpose, and thus peril not only his own life, but the lives of the +whole of the party below. Three minutes he remained in this trying +position of uncertainty, which seemed to him as so many hours. +Presently, however, the Indian on the roof, having evidently +accomplished his task, and believing from the silence that had for some +time pervaded around, that no one was near him, spoke in a low tone to +his companions, who now cautiously crept towards the ladder. + +This was the moment for action. The Virginian, who, although expecting +this, had watched their movements with aching interest, now summoned his +whole strength, and while the first savage below was upon the ladder, +pushed his musket with such violence against the sole, that it carried +it rapidly over the corner of the house, before the Indian could find +presence of mind to throw himself upon the roof--a sudden backward jerk +of the weapon liberated the bayonet, the extreme point of which only +had entered the wood, and as the Virginian withdrew this, he could +distinctly see the unfortunate savages fall headlong from the top of the +ladder, uttering, as both descended, a fearful cry of dismay, which +was responded to by fierce yells from the lips of their companions, who +hastened to their succor. + +“Well done, that!” said the corporal, exultingly, and half-aloud +to himself, as he slapped his thigh, in a manner to denote his own +self-approval. “That's what I call doing the business as it should be +done. The attempt,” and he smiled at the conceit, “was not a bootless +one to us all, though it has been a BOOT LESS one to ME.” + +To understand this facetiousness of the Virginian, it must be understood +that on withdrawing his bayonet, the boot which it had only slightly +pierced, had slipped from the weapon and fallen to the ground +simultaneously with the other heavier bodies, whose more marked sound +had absorbed its own. It therefore escaped the notice of the Indians. + +“Hilloa there!” he continued in a louder key; “there's no more danger +in this quarter, my lads. Show us a light, and if Cass has that turkey +ready, we'll have some supper. For my part, I'm devilish sharp set. +Here, Green, take my musket, and give me the candle.” + +Surprised at the corporal's unwonted humor, for they had been led to +apprehend, from the noise made by the falling ladder, and the excitement +evidently prevailing among the Indians, that some new act of treachery +was about to be tried by them, the men gathered underneath the opening, +Green taking his musket from the hands of the Virginian, while in +return, he mounted on one of the low chairs, and extending his arm far +above, handed him the light. + +After a few minutes search, the corporal appeared again at the mouth of +the loft, not only with a demijohn half-filled with whisky, but with a +large loaf of brown bread, and part of a shoulder of dried venison, from +which nearly one-half had been chipped away in slices. This, indeed, was +a prize, and the men looked at the articles of necessary supply, as they +were successively handed down, with an earnestness which denoted, that +whatever might be their apprehensions of danger from without, they by +no means coveted fighting on an empty stomach. After having lowered the +treasures he had been so fortunate as to secure, the Virginian swung +himself down by his hands, without difficulty, upon the lower floor. + +The fire had been again revived, and having ordered Jackson up into the +loft, to keep watch at the small-window, and apprise him if any attempt +should be made to replace the ladder, the corporal for the first time +lighting his pipe, sat down to ruminate on his position, and consider +the means by which the party were to be taken back to the fort. +Further serious apprehensions in regard to their safety he did not now +entertain, for baulked, as the Indians had been, in all their attempts +to get into the house, he felt persuaded that it was more with a view to +annoy and alarm, than with any hope of eventual success, that they still +lingered in the neighborhood. Had they been in a situation to continue +the siege longer than the morning, the case might have been different. +But it was obvious that in order to secure their own safety, alarmed as +they most know the governor would be at the absence of the party under +his command, they would not remain longer than daylight exposed to the +chances of being themselves closely assailed from without. + +Such was the reasoning of the Virginian, whose greatest source of +discomfort now was the apprehension of serious reprimand, if not +something worse, from the austere Captain Headley, whose displeasure, he +was certain, would be so much the greater on account of the loss of the +unfortunate Collins. He looked at his watch, but to his great annoyance, +found that it had stopped, the hour-hand pointing to one o'clock. How +long it had been run down, he could not tell, but from the time which +had elapsed since their abandonment of the boat, and arrival in the +house, he did not think it could be less than four in the morning. + +Desirous to satisfy himself by the appearance of the heavens, he arose, +and with the aid of Green, placed the table under the window commanding +a view of the river. This being too low, a chair was placed upon it, +thus affording the corporal the advantage of greater elevation than he +had derived from the use of the ladder itself. + +Everything was again quiet. Not a sound broke the stillness, save the +howling of a few wolves, which, probably, attracted by the scent of the +human blood that had been spilt that day, and by the exposed corpse that +was now strewed with white blossoms from the tree beneath which it lay, +were, by the increasing light, indistinctly seen on the opposite shore. +But not their savage cry of hunger alone was heard. Ever and anon, in +reply to their fierce howling was heard the snappish bark of Loup Garou, +as, leaping on the body of his unconscious master, he lashed his tail, +and seemed to bid defiance to those whose errand he seemed so perfectly +to divine. + +“Poor dog! you shall never want a master while I can keep you,” half +murmured the corporal, as he now turned his gaze upon the water, anxious +to see if any trace could be found there of the skiff and its missing +occupant. Nothing, however, came within his view, but just as he was +preparing to descend from the window, the outline of the boat, for from +its peculiar shape he easily identified it as their own, riveted his +attention as it passed quickly up the river, filled with seven or +eight savages in their war-dress, and having at the bow what had the +appearance of a pole, from the top of which dangled a human scalp. + +“Gone at last,” he exclaimed, after a moment's pause, “but with poor +Collins' scalp along with them. Cass,” he added, as he sprang to the +floor, “if that turkey is fit to eat let's have it directly, and you, +Weston, look about and see if there is any more water to be had. Make +haste, now, for we shall have to tramp it to the fort as soon as it's +daylight. The devils are gone and carried off the boat.” + +Not less anxious than himself to be once more on their way to the fort, +which some of them, on entering the house that night, had scarcely hoped +to reach alive, the men, leaning their muskets against the side of the +room, assisted in preparing the rude, but grateful meal, of which +they stood so much in need, and which was to sustain them during the +short-approaching march. The table having been placed in the centre +of the room, and on it the demijohn, and bread and venison, Green and +Weston, the latter of whom had been unsuccessful in his search for +water, seized each a leg and a wing of the ample turkey, which now +denuded and disembowelled, Cass had scientifically carved in its raw +state, and held them in the blaze of the fire, waiting patiently until +the blackness of the outside should give promise of corresponding warmth +within. Its slayer held the body of the bird over the fire in a similar +manner, the poker having been thrust into the abdomen. They all sat, or +rather stood in a squatting position with their faces to the fire. + +“Well, now, I reckon we shall make six considerable shares of this,” + drawled Cass, looking fondly at the carcass, which was slowly but +temptingly spluttering before him at the fire. “Are you any ways +particular, Green?--what part suits your taste best, Weston--a leg or a +wing? For my part I always stick to the carcass.” + +“Faith, and I like both, and a slice of the breast to boot. I'm just the +fellow, now the varmints are gone, that could eat all of them.” + +“Yes, but you know,” returned the temporary chef de cuisine, “it must be +share and share alike--there's two legs--two wings and the breast, and +the back slit in two--that just makes six portions, and we're six men in +all.” + +“Cast lots fiddlestick,” said Green, “what portion do you expect, +Nutcrackers? unless it's the neck, and the scaly part of the leg, the +Injin had hold of when you so bravely sent your bayonet through her +feathers.” + +“Well, only think how cunning of the fellows,” remarked Weston, “who'd +ever have thought they would try that fashion to get in, cramming an +old turkey before them to clear the way, and get in his craw the first +bullet that might be sent.” + +“Yes, and the tight grip the fellow had of him by the leg. Just look, +Green, the mark of the devil's hand may be upon him yet. It was the +right leg, and that's it you have.” + +“Bosh! what do you expect me to find there but the marks of your dirty +paws while plucking him, I'm too devilish hungry for such nonsense, +Nutcrackers; but show me the Injin that would venture to touch his legs +now. If I wouldn't mark him, then my name's not Seth Green.” + +Scarcely had he finished speaking, when a dark naked human hand was +slowly protruded over his shoulder, and seized not the leg of the +turkey, which Green now grasped with unconscious and convulsive energy, +but a brand from the fire. + +In his terror at that strange and unexpected appearance, he dropped the +body of the bird in the glowing embers, and uttering a faint cry, turned +half round and beheld what filled him with the deepest dismay: his +companions, scarcely less terrified than himself, sprang together to +their feet, with the intention of rushing to their muskets, but all hope +of recovering them was gone. The savage who had snatched the fire was +no longer there then, but half a dozen others in their war-paint stood +between them and their firelocks. It seemed as if they were sensible +that their very silence inspired more awe and apprehension in the bosoms +of their defenceless enemies than could have done the most turbulent +expression of their triumph. They had evidently entered by the back +door, which was now quite open, and grouped around the body of Mr. +Heywood, were apparently more interested in the dead than in the living. +Not a sign was there of the corporal, and Philips stood as if paralyzed, +leaning, musket in hand, against the opposite entrance. + + + + +CHAPTER VII. + +Leaving the little party in the dismay occasioned by their new position, +and that at a moment when they believed themselves secured from further +interruption or danger, we must now return to the Fort, where their +long-continued absence, coupled with the startling tidings conveyed by +Ephraim Giles, had created equal anxiety and apprehension. + +It will be recollected that during the examination of the latter, Ensign +Ronayne had, after communicating with the commanding officer, suddenly +departed across the river, taking with him a few armed men. The +destination of this little party was the cottage occupied by Mrs. +Heywood and her daughter, who, with a woman servant, were the sole +occupants of a dwelling, simple in construction, but decorated, both +within and without, by the hand of good taste. It was a low, one-storied +building, painted white, with green window-blinds and shutters, and a +verandah of trellis work of the same color, that extended a few feet +square round the principal entrance. On either side, rose to the roof, +on parallel lines, and at equal distances, cords of strong twine, on +which already had began to interlace themselves, the various parasites +indigenous to the soil, which winter had robbed of their freshness, but +which a southern sun was now evidently vivifying and re-invigorating. +A small garden of about half-an-acre, surrounded by a similar +trellis-work, extended equally in front, and on the sides of the +house--while the graceful form given to the various beds, and the +selection of the plants and flowers, which, although still in their +dormant state, were yet recognizable--testified the refined taste of +those who had assisted at their culture. The pathway, which was recently +gravelled from the adjacent sand-hills, ran in a straight line from +the verandah, toward the little green gate, opening on the front of the +garden, took a semi-circular sweep on either side, at about one-third +of the distance from the gate. This form had been given to it for the +purpose of affording room for the creation of a mound, on the summit +of which had been placed a small summer-house, octagon in shape, and +constructed of the same description of trellis-work. The sloping sides +of the mound itself, were profusely covered with dahlias, rhododendrons, +geraniums, and other plants of the most select kind--the whole forming, +when in bloom, a circle of floral magnificence. A short and narrow path, +just large enough to admit of the passage of one person at a time, led +to the entrance of the summer-house, which, facing the gate, was also +shaded from the light and heat of the sun's rays, by closely interlacing +vines. + +At the bottom of this artificial mound, and near the pathway, a small +spud, such as is used for pruning, was stuck into some earth, newly +drawn round a splendid tiger lily, and on the handle of the spud, were +loosely thrown a white silk jacket, a blue velvet cap, and a light pink +scarf--evidencing that no ordinary gardener had been that day employed +in bringing into new life the gorgeous beauties of the variegated +parterre. + +“Little did I think,” mused the young officer, as, leaving his party at +the gate, and hastening towards the cottage, his eye fell upon those +articles of dress--“little did I imagine when I threw off these things +a few hours since, to obey a summons to the Fort, that on my return +to them, it would be with this heavy heart, and as the bearer of these +tidings--but I must be cautious in my disclosure. Dear girl, here she +is!” + +“Why, Ronayne, what in the name of Heaven is the meaning of all this? +Are you here to take the castle by storm, with all these armed warriors? +A few hours since you were a man of peace, and now I behold in you a +most approved and valiant knight of the true American school. Sword, +cap, feather, epaulet, blue broad-cloth, and silver. Well it must be +confessed that you are not a bad imitation of a soldier, in that garb, +and it is in pity to me, I suppose, that you do not wear it oftener. +But seriously, Harry, do satisfy my curiosity, and tell me the reason of +this unusual--manner of visit!” + +The question was asked playfully, but in tones replete with sweetness, +by a tall and elegantly-formed girl, who on turning the further circle +of the walk, in her approach to her favorite flower-bed, had for the +first time, beheld the young officer, and the party stationed at the +gate. + +“Nay, dear Maria,” returned the youth, deeply grieved at the thought +of casting a gloom over the spirits of her who thus rallied him. “I +am sorry to say my errand is not one of mere parade--I have come to +announce that which will give you pain; and but that I am charged with +the agreeable duty of making you a prisoner, I never should have had the +courage to be the bearer of the intelligence.” + +Miss Heywood turned very pale, less at the words even than at the manner +of the young officer, who it was evident, felt all the weight of the +task he had undertaken. + +“Ronayne,” she said, her voice suddenly assuming a rich melancholy of +intonation, in strange contrast with her first address, “there is more +in this than you would acquaint me with. But, tell me,” and she fixed +her large dark eyes on his--“tell me all. What pain is it you fear to +occasion me, and how is it connected with my being a prisoner? Ha!” and +she grasped his arm, and betrayed deep agitation--“surely nothing in my +father's conduct--” + +“No, no, Maria,” returned the youth, quickly, “far from anything of the +kind, and yet it is of your father I would speak. But have you heard +nothing since I left you. Have you seen no one?” + +“I have heard nothing--seen not a soul from without,” she answered, as +he tenderly pressed the hand he had taken--“But, Ronayne,” she pursued, +with melancholy gravity--“a sudden light dawns upon me--my heart +tells me that some misfortune or other has happened, or is about to +happen--you say you would speak about my father. You are the bearer of +ill-news in regard to him. Yes, I know it is so; tell me, Harry,” and +she looked imploringly up to him, “am I not right?--my father has been +attacked by Indians, and he has fallen. Oh! you do not deny it!” + +“Nay, dearest Maria, I know nothing of the kind, although I will not +conceal from you that there is danger--you have guessed correctly as to +the Indians having been at the farm, but little certain is known as to +the result of their visit. That half idiot Ephraim Giles, has come in +with some wild story, but I daresay he exaggerates.” + +Miss Heywood shook her head doubtingly. “You deceive me, Ronayne--with +the best intention, but still you deceive me. If you really think the +rumor be exaggerated, why your own restlessness and seriousness of +manner? Harry, this is no time for concealment, for I feel that I can +better bear the truth NOW than LATER. Do not hesitate then to tell me +all you know.” + +“True, my love, this is no time for concealment since such be the state +of your feelings. I was unwilling to admit my own apprehension on the +subject, fearing that you might be ill-prepared for the disclosure; but +after what you have just urged, the blow can never fall less heavily +than now. You must know, then, that a party of hostile Indians have, +there is too much reason to fear, used violence toward the inmates of +the farm-house, but to what extent we have no means of knowing; though +such is the alarm created by their presence that Headley, who you know +is the very soul of caution, has ordered every white in the neighborhood +of the Fort, to be removed for safety within its walls.” + +“Would that instead of THAT,” remarked Miss Heywood, with solemnity, +“he had despatched those soldiers, whom I see there fully armed, to the +rescue of my poor father. Perhaps he might be saved yet--the house is +strong, and might be defended for some time, even by a couple of men.” + +“And me at their head. Is it not so, Maria?” inquired the youth. + +“Yes, and you at their head, dear Ronayne,” repeated Miss Heywood; “to +no one sooner would I be indebted for my father's safety, as no one +would, I am sure, more cheerfully attempt his deliverance.” + +The young American mused a moment, and then rejoined, despondingly; +“Were these men at my disposal, Maria, how gladly would I hasten to +encounter every difficulty, the removal of which would spare your gentle +bosom those pangs; but you know Headley would never permit it. His +prudence is a mania, and even were he to yield his consent--let me not +sustain you with delusive hopes--I fear it would be too late.” + +“God's will be done,” she ejaculated, as the large tears fell trickling +down her pallid cheeks, “but what will become of my poor and now nearly +death-stricken-mother, when she hears of this?” + +“The blow is indeed a fearful one, but act, I pray you, with courage. +Consider, too, your own safety. No one knows the force of the Indians, +or how soon they may be here. Go in, dearest, prepare what you may more +immediately require for a few days, and my men will carry your trunks +down to the scow which is waiting to receive you.” + +“And if I should consent to go, Ronayne, you know my poor mother cannot +rise from her bed. What do you propose to do with her? To remove her, +and let her know WHY she is removed, would soon finish the work her +debilitating disease has begun.” + +“I have made every necessary provision,” answered the young officer, +glad to find that her thoughts could be diverted from the immediate +source of her sorrow. “Elmsley's wife, to whom I spoke a few hurried +words on leaving, is even now preparing for your temporary reception, +and I have thought of an excuse to be given to your mother. You must for +once in your life use deceit, and say that Van Vottenberg desires her +presence in the fort, because his duties have become so severe that he +can no longer absent himself to bestow upon her that professional care +she so much requires. Nay, look not so incredulous. I am aware that the +pretext is a meagre one, but I cannot at present think of a better; and +in her enfeebled state she will not dwell upon the strangeness of the +plea. Go on then, I entreat you, and desire Catherine to collect what +you will want, while my men carry to the scow such articles of furniture +as will be most useful to you in your new quarters. Quick, dear Maria, +I implore you, there has already been too much time lost, and I expect +every moment an order from Headley to return immediately.” + +Sensible of a pressing emergency. Miss Heywood, with a beating heart, +regained the cottage, in which so many blissful hours had been passed +within the last two years, undisturbed by a care for the future, while +the young officer joining his men, left one to take care of the arms of +the party, and with the remainder hastened to the house making as little +noise as possible, in order not to disturb the invalid. Having chosen +such articles of furniture as he knew Mrs. Elmsley was most deficient +in, and among these a couch and a couple of easy-chairs (which latter +indeed were the work of his own hands), they were conveyed to the scow +in two trips, and then followed three or four trunks into which had been +thrown, without regard to order, such wearing apparel, and necessaries +of the toilet as the short period allowed for preparation had permitted +the agitated girl to put together. The most delicate part of the burden, +however, yet remained to be removed, and that was the invalid herself. +Desiring his men to remain without, the youth, whose long and close +intimacy with the family rendered such a step by no means objectionable, +entered the apartment of Mrs. Heywood, who had already been prepared +by her daughter for the removal, and with the assistance of Catherine +raised the bed on which she lay, and transferred it to a litter brought +for the occasion. This they carefully bore through the suite of small +and intervening rooms to the front, where two of the men relieved them, +Catherine walking at the side, and unnecessarily enjoining caution at +every step. + +“This is, indeed, an unexpected change, Ronayne,” said Miss Heywood, +sadly, “but this morning, and I was so happy, and now! These poor +flowers, too (for after having fastened the windows and doors of the +house, they were now directing their course towards the mound), that +parterre which cost us so much labor, yes, such sweet labor, must all be +left to be destroyed by the hand of some ruthless savage. Yet, what do I +say,” she pursued, in a tone of deep sorrow, “I lament the flowers; yes, +Ronayne, because they have thriven under your care, and yet, I forget +that my father perhaps no longer lives; that my beloved mother's death +may be the early consequence of this removal. Yet think me not selfish. +Think me not ungrateful. Come what may, you will yet be left to me. No, +Harry,” and she looked up to him tearfully, “I shall never be utterly +destitute, while you remain.” + +“Bless you, thrice bless you for these sweet avowals of your +confidence,” exclaimed the youth, suddenly dropping her arm, and +straining her passionately to his heart. “Yes, Maria, I shall yet remain +to love, to cherish, to make you forget every other tie in that of +husband--to blend every relationship in that of one.” + +“Nay, Ronayne,” she quickly returned, while the color mounted vividly to +her cheek, under the earnest ardor of his gaze, “I would not now unsay +what I have said, and yet I did not intend that my words should exactly +bear that interpretation--nor is this a moment--” + +“But still you will be my wife--tell me, Maria?” and he looked +imploringly into her own not averted eyes. “You will be the wife, as you +have long been the friend and companion of your Ronayne--answer me. Will +you not?” + +Her head sank upon his shoulder, and the heaving of her bosom, as she +gently returned his embrace, alone conveyed the assurance he desired. +She was deeply affected. She knew the ardent, generous nature of her +lover, and she felt that every word that had just fallen from his lips, +tended only to unravel the true emotions of his heart: but soothing as +was his impassioned language, she deemed it almost criminal, at such a +moment, to listen to it. + +“Nay, dearest Harry,” she said, gently disengaging herself from his +embrace, “we will be seen. They may wonder at our delay, and send +somebody back from the scow. Let us proceed.” + +“You are right,” replied the young officer, again passing her arm +through his own, while they continued their route, “excess of happiness +must not cause me to commit an imprudence so great, as that of suffering +another to divine the extent. Yet one word more, dear Maria! and ah! +think how much depends upon your answer. WHEN shall I call you mine?” + +“Oh! speak not now of that, Ronayne--consider the position of my +father--my mother's health.” + +“It is for that very reason that I do ask it,” returned the youth. +“Should Heaven deprive you of the one, as it in some degree threatens +you with the loss of the other, what shall so well console you as the +tenderness of him who is blessed with your love?” + +“Hush, Harry,” and she fondly pressed his arm--“they will hear you.” + +They had now approached the scow, into which the men, having previously +deposited the furniture and trunks, were preparing to embark the litter +upon which Mrs. Heywood lay extended, with an expression of resignation +and repose upon her calm features, that touched the hearts of even +these rude men. Her daughter, half-reproaching herself for not +having personally attended to her transport, and only consoled by the +recollection of the endearing explanation with her lover, which had +chanced to result from her absence, now tenderly inquired how she had +borne it, and was deeply gratified to find that the change of air, and +gentle exercise to which she had been subjected, had somewhat restored +her. Here was one source of care partly removed, and she felt, if +possible, increased affection for the youth to whose considerate +attention was owing this favorable change in the condition of a parent, +whom she had ever fondly loved. + +It was near sunset when Ronayne, who, with the robust Catherine, had +carefully lifted the invalid into the centre of the scow, reached the +landing-place below the Fort. Here were collected several of the women +of the company, and among them Mrs. Elmsley, who had come down to meet +and welcome those for whose reception she had made every provision the +hurried notice she had received would permit. The young officer had been +the first to step on shore, and after he had whispered something in +her ear, she for a moment communicated with the group of women--then +advanced to meet Miss Heywood, whom her lover was now handing from the +scow. She embraced her with a tenderness so unusually affectionate, that +a vague consciousness of the true cause flashed across the mind of the +anxious girl, recalling back all that inward grief of soul, which the +deep emotion of an engrossing love had for a time absorbed. + +In less than half-an-hour the fugitives were installed in the council +hall, and in another small apartment, dividing it from the rooms +occupied by the Elmsleys. The ensign, having seen that all was arranged +in a suitable manner in the former, went out to the parade-ground, +leaving the ladies in charge of their amiable hostess, and of the women +she had summoned to assist in bearing the latter into the Fort. + +On his way to his rooms, he met Captain Headley returning from an +inspection of the defences. He saluted him, and was in the act of +addressing him in a friendly and familiar tone, when he was checked by +the sharply-uttered remark: + +“So, sir, you are returned at last. It seems to me that you have been +much longer absent than was necessary.” + +The high spirit of the youth was chafed. “Pardon me, sir,” he answered +haughtily, “if I contradict you. No one of the least feeling would have +thought of removing such an invalid as Mrs. Heywood is, without using +every care her condition required. Have you any orders for me, Captain +Headley?” he concluded, in a more respectful manner, for he had become +sensible, the moment after he had spoken, of his error in thus evincing +asperity under the reproof of his superior. + +“You are officer of the guard, I believe, Mr. Ronayne?” + +“No, sir, Mr. Elmsley relieved me this morning.” + +At that moment the last-named officer came up, on his way to the +ensign's quarters, when, the same question having been put to him, and +answered in the affirmative, Captain Headley desired that the moment +the fishing-party came in they should be reported to him. “And now, +gentlemen,” he concluded, “I expect you both to be particularly on the +alert to-night. The absence of that fishing-party distresses me, and I +would give much that they were back.” + +“Captain Headley,” said the ensign, quickly and almost beseechingly, +“let me pick out a dozen men from the company, and I pledge myself to +restore the party before mid-day to-morrow. Nay, sir,” seeing strong +surprise and disapproval on the countenance of the commandant, “I am +ready to forfeit my commission if I fail--” + +“Are you mad, Mr. Ronayne, or do you suppose that I am mad enough to +entertain such a proposition, and thus weaken my force still more? +Forfeit your commission if you fail! Why, sir, you would deserve to +forfeit your commission, if you even succeeded in any thing so wholly +at variance with military prudence. Gentlemen, recollect what I have +said--I expect you to use the utmost vigilance to-night, and, Mr. +Elmsley, fail not instantly to report the fishing-boat.” Thus enjoining, +he passed slowly on to his quarters. + +“D--n your military prudence, and d--n your pompous cold-bloodedness!” + muttered the fiery ensign between his teeth--scarcely waiting until his +captain was out of hearing. + +“Hush,” interrupted Elmsley in a whisper. “He will hear you. Ha!” he +continued after a short pause, during which they moved on towards the +mess-room, “you begin to find out his amiable military qualities, +do you! But tell me, Ronayne, what the deuce has put this Quixotic +expedition into your head? What great interest do you take in these +fishermen, that you should volunteer to break your shins in the wood, +this dark night, for the purpose of seeking them, and that on the very +day when your ladye faire honors these walls, if I may so dignify +our stockade, with her presence for the first time. Come, come, thank +Headley for his refusal. When you sit down to-morrow morning, as +I intend you shall, to a luxurious breakfast of tea, coffee, fried +venison, and buckwheat-cakes, you will find no reason to complain of his +adherence to military prudence.” + +“Elmsley,” returned his friend, seriously, “I can have no disguise from +you at such a moment. You know my regard for Maria Heywood, although +you cannot divine its depth, and could I but be the means of saving her +father, you can well understand the joy I should feel.” + +“Certainly, my dear fellow, but you know as well as myself, that +there exists not the shadow of a hope of this. That scarecrow, Giles, +half-witted as he is, tells too straightforward a story.” + +“Elmsley,” persisted his friend, “there is every hope--every reasonable +expectation that he may yet survive. Maria herself first opened my eyes +to the possibility, for, until then, I had thought as you do; and deeply +did her words sink in my heart, when she said, reproachfully, that, +instead of sending a party to escort her, it would have been far better +to dispatch them to the farm, where her father might, at that moment, +be sustaining a siege--the house being strong enough to admit of a +temporary defence, by even a couple of persons.” + +“And what said you to that?” + +“What could I say? I looked like a fool, and felt like a school-boy +under the iron rod of a pedagogue--but I resolved.” + +“And what did you resolve, my enterprising KNIGHT errant?” + +“You have just heard my proposal to the gentleman who piques himself +upon his military prudence.” returned the youth, with bitter irony. + +“Yes, and he refused you. What then?” + +“True, and what then,” and he nodded his head impatiently. + +“You will sleep upon it, my dear fellow, after we have had a glass of +the Monongahela, and the pipe. Thus refreshed, you will think better of +it in the morning.” + +“We will have the Monongahela and the pipe, for truly I feel that I +require something to soothe, if not absolutely to exhilarate me; but no +sleep for me this night. Elmsley,” he added, more seriously, “you will +pass me out of the gate?” + +“Pass you out of what?” exclaimed the other, starting from the chair on +which he had thrown himself only the moment before. “What do you mean, +man?” + +“I mean that, as officer of the guard, you alone can pass me through +after dark, and this service you must render me.” + +“Why! where are you going? Single-handed like Jack the Giant Killer to +deliver, not a beautiful damsel from the fangs of a winged monster, but +a tough old backwoodsman from the dark paws of the savage?” + +“Elmsley,” again urged the ensign, “you forget that Mr. Heywood is the +father of my future wife.” + +“Ah! is it come to that at last. Well, I am right glad of it. But, +my dear Ronayne,” taking and cordially pressing his hand, “forgive my +levity. I only sought to divert you from your purpose. What I can do for +you, I will do; but tell me what it is you intend.” + +“Yet, Elmsley, before we enter further into the matter, do you not think +that you will incur the serious displeasure of Military Prudence?” + +“If he discovers that you are gone, certainly; and I cannot see how it +can be otherwise; he will be in the fidgets all night, and probably +ask for you; but even if not THEN, he will miss you on parade in the +morning.” + +“And what will be the consequence to you? Answer me candidly, I +entreat.” + +“Then, candidly, Ronayne, the captain likes me not well enough to pass +lightly over such a breach of duty. The most peremptory orders have, +since the arrival of this startling news, been given not to allow any +one to leave the fort, and (since you wish me to be sincere) should I +allow you to pass, it will go hard with my commission.” + +“How foolish of me not to have thought of that before! How utterly +stupid to ask that which I ought to have known myself; but enough, +Elmsley. I abandon the scheme altogether. You shall never incur that +risk for me.” + +“Yet understand me,” resumed the other, “if you really think that there +is a hope of its proving more than a mere wild goose chase, I will +cheerfully incur that risk; but on my honor, Ronayne, I myself feel +convinced that nothing you can do will avail.” + +“Not another word on the subject,” answered his friend; “here is what +will banish all care, at least for the present.” + +His servant had just entered, and deposited on the mess-table hot and +cold water, sugar, lime-juice, pipes, tobacco, and tumblers; when the +two officers with Von Vottenberg who had just come in from visiting Mr. +Heywood, sat down to indulge their social humors. Whilst the latter, +according to custom, mixed the punch, which when made was pronounced +to be his chef d'oeuvre, Elmsley amused himself with cutting up the +tobacco, and filling the pipes. The ensign, taking advantage of their +occupation, indulged himself in a reverie that lasted until the beverage +had been declared ready. + +The presence of the doctor, acting as a check upon the further allusion +by the friends to the topic that had hitherto engrossed their attention, +the little conversation that ensued was of a general nature, neither of +them, however, cared much to contribute to it, so that the doctor +found and pronounced them for that evening anything but entertaining +companions. He, however, consoled himself with copious potations from +the punch-bowl, and filled the room with dense clouds of smoke, that +were in themselves, sufficient to produce the drowsiness that Ronayne +pleaded in excuse of his taciturnity. + +After his second glass, Elmsley, reminding the ensign that he expected +him as well as the punch-brewer to breakfast with him in the morning at +eight o'clock precisely, took his departure for the guard room, for the +night. + + + + +CHAPTER VIII. + +It was about seven o'clock on the morning succeeding the occurrences +detailed in the preceding chapters, that Lieutenant Elmsley waited on +the commanding officer, to relate that the fishing boat was at length in +sight. These tidings were communicated as Captain Headley was preparing +to sit down to breakfast--a refreshment, to which the fatigue of mind +and body he had undergone during the night had not a little disposed +him. True, however, to his character, he stayed not for the meal, but +instantly arose, and taking his telescope accompanied the subaltern to +the flagstaff battery, whence the best view of the river was commanded. + +“Any thing to report, Mr. Elmsley; but I presume not, or it scarcely +would have been necessary for me to ask the question?” + +“Nothing, sir, of any consequence,” replied the lieutenant after a +moment's hesitation, “beyond a slight altercation that took place +between a drunken Pottawattamie and the sergeant of the guard--but it +was of a nature too trivial to disturb you about.” + +“What was it, Mr. Elmsley?” inquired his superior, abruptly turning to +him. + +“The Indian who had probably been lying dead drunk during the day within +the Fort, and had evidently just awakened from his sleep, was anxious +to go to his encampment, but the sergeant, strictly obeying the order +he had received from me, refused to open the gate, which seemed to annoy +the Indian very much. At that moment I came up. I knew well of course +that the order was not meant to extend rigidly to our Indian friends, +the great mass of whom might be offended by the detention of one of +their number, and I desired the sergeant to pass him through. Was I +right, sir?” + +“Perfectly, Mr. Elmsley; we must not offend those of the Indian tribes +that are disposed to be friendly toward us, for no one knows how soon +we may require their aid. The official advices I have received not only +from Detroit but from Washington are of a nature to induce apprehension +of hostilities between Great Britain and the United States; therefore, +it would, as you justly observe, and just now particularly, be +extremely bad policy to offend those whom it is so much our interest to +conciliate. Still you ought to have reported the circumstance to me, and +not acted on your own responsibility.” + +Lieutenant Elmsley bit his lip, and could scarcely control a movement of +impatience. “I am glad, however, sir,” he resumed after a pause, +“that you find no fault with my conduct; I confess I had some little +uneasiness on that score, for with you I felt that I had no right to +assume the responsibility, but I knew that you had retired to your +rooms, and I was unwilling to disturb you.” + +“You ought to have known, Mr. Elmsley, that where duty is concerned I +can never be disturbed. However, no matter. What you did was correctly +done; only in future, fail not to make your report. The slightest +unauthorized step might be a false one, and that, under all the +circumstances, is to be avoided.” + +Whatever the subaltern thought of the seeming self-sufficiency which had +dictated the concluding part of the lecture of the commanding officer, +he made no further observation, and both in silence pursued the +remainder of their short route to the bastion. + +Many of the men, dressed and accoutred for the morning parade, which +usually took place at about nine o'clock, were grouped around, and +anxiously watching the approach of the boat, as of something they had +despaired of ever again beholding. Captain Headley drew his telescope to +the proper focus, and after looking through it a few minutes--remarked-- + +“Thank Heaven, all is right--they are all there, although it is quite +unaccountable to me how they could have been detained until this +morning. And, oh! it seems they have taken a heavy draught of fish, for, +although I cannot see the bottom of the boat, their feet are raised as +if to prevent crushing or injuring something beneath them. But hold! +there is something wrong, too. I do not see the usual number of muskets +piled in the stern. How can this be, Mr. Elmsley?” + +“Perhaps there is not the same number of men,” suggested the +lieutenant--“some of them, for causes connected with their detention, +may be coming by land.” + +“Not at all. There are seven men. I think seven men compose the fishing +party; do they not?” + +“Six men, besides the non-commissioned officer; yes, sir.” + +“I can make out Corporal Nixon, for he is steering and facing me, but +for the others, I do not know them well enough to distinguish. Here, Mr. +Elmsley, take the glass, and try what you can make of them.” + +The lieutenant gazed through the glass a moment, and then pronounced +name after name, as the men severally came under the range of the lens. +“Yes, sir, as you say, there is Corporal Nixon steering--then, with, +their backs to us, and pulling, are first, Collins, then Green, then +Jackson, then Weston, then Cass, and then Philips. But what they have +in the bottom of the boat, for I now can see that plain enough, is not +fish, sir, but a human body, and a dog crouched at its side. Yes! it is +indeed the Frenchman's dog--Loup Garou.” + +“Well, I want to know!” exclaimed Ephraim Giles, who had ascended the +bastion, and now stood amid the group of men, “I take it, that if that's +Loup Garou, his master can't be far off. I never knowed them to be +separate.” + +“Yes, sir, that is certainly a dead body,” pursued the +lieutenant--“somebody killed at the farm, no doubt. Have you any orders +for the direction of the party, when they land, sir?” he inquired, as he +handed back the glass to the captain. + +“Just desire the drum to beat to parade,” was the answer. “It wants only +a few minutes of guard-mounting, and by the time the men have fallen in, +and the roll is called, the boat will be here. Where is Mr. Ronayne?” + +“I have not seen him this morning, sir, but believe that he is in his +own rooms. He, however, knows the hour, and doubtless will be here +presently.” + +“When the men have fallen in, come and report to me,” said the captain, +as he descended from the bastion, and proceeded to his own quarters, to +eat his untasted breakfast. + +The lieutenant touched his cap in assent, and then, having despatched +a man with orders to the temporary drum-major, crossed over to the +apartments of the ensign, anxious not only to excuse himself for not +being able to receive his friend to his own breakfast, at the hour +he had named, but to prepare him for the reception of the body of Mr. +Heywood, which he doubted not, was that now on its way for interment at +his own house. + +On entering the mess-room, in which they had taken their punch, the +previous evening, everything bore evidence of a late debauch. Ashes and +tobacco were liberally strewed upon the table, while around the empty +bowl, were, in some disorder, pipes and glasses--one of each emptied +of all but the ashes and sediment--the other two only half-smoked, +half-full, and standing amid a pool of wet, which had evidently been +spilt by a not very steady hand. The windows were closed, so that the +smoke clung to what little furniture there was in the room, and the +whole scent of the place was an abominable compound of stale tobacco and +strong whisky. + +A loud snoring in the room on his right attracted his attention. He knew +that it was Von Vottenberg's, and he entered to see what had kept him +in bed until that late hour. The surgeon, only half-undressed, was fast +asleep, not within, but on the outside of the bed-clothes. Somewhat +disgusted at the sight, for Elmsley was comparatively abstemious, he +shook him not very gently, when the doctor, opening his eyes with a +start, half-rose upon his elbow. “Ha!” he exclaimed, “I know you mean +to say that breakfast is waiting; I had forgotten all about it, old +fellow.” + +“I mean nothing of the kind,” was the reply, “but I recommend you to +lose no time in dressing and turning out. The men are already on parade, +and if Captain Headley, finding that you are absent, tends over here +to inquire the cause, I would not give much for your future chances of +swallowing whisky-punch within the walls of Chicago.” + +“Eh? what! what!” spluttered the surgeon, as he jumped up, drew on his +boots, dipped his face in a basin of water, and hastily completed his +toilet. In less than five minutes he was on parade. + +Meanwhile, Lieutenant Elmsley, after giving this warning, had passed +again through the mess-room, and knocked at Ronayne's door. But there +was no answer. + +“Hilloa, Ronayne,” he called loudly, as he turned the handle of the +latch, “are YOU in bed too?” + +But no Ronayne was there. He looked at the bed--like the doctor's, it +had been laid upon, but no one had been within the clothes. + +What was the meaning of this? After a few moments of delay, he flew back +to Von Vottenberg's room, but the latter was already gone. Retracing his +steps, he met Ronayne's servant entering at the mess-room door. + +“Where is your master?” he inquired. “How is it that he is not in his +room--has not been in bed?” + +“Not been in bed?” repeated the lad, with surprise. “Why, sir, he told +me last night that he was very drowsy and should lie late; and, that +he mightn't be disturbed, he desired me to sleep in one of the +block-houses. I was only to wake him in time for guard-mounting, and as +it wants but ten minutes to that, I am just come to call him.” + +“Clean out the mess-room directly--open the windows, and pat every thing +in order,” said the lieutenant, fearing that Captain Headley might, on +hearing of the absence of the young officer, pay his quarters a visit in +search of some clue to the cause. “I see it all,” he mused, as he moved +across the parade-ground. “He would not, generous fellow, get me into a +scrape, by making me privy to his design, and to avoid the difficulty of +the gate, has got over the pickets somewhere--yet, if so, he must have +had a rope, and assistance of some kind, for he never could have crossed +them without. Yet, where can he be gone, and what could he have expected +to result from his mad scheme? Had he waited until now, he would have +known by the arrival of the fishing-party with their sad charge, how +utterly useless was all this risk.” + +“Well, Mr. Elmsley,” said the captain, who now appeared at the front of +his own door, fully dressed for parade, and preparing to issue forth in +all the stateliness of command. + +“The parade is formed, sir,” remarked the lieutenant, confusedly, “but I +cannot find the officer of the guard.” + +“Sir!” exclaimed Captain Headley. + +“I cannot find Mr. Ronayne, sir--I have myself been over to his +quarters, and looked into his bed-room, but it is clear that he has not +been in bed all night.” + +“What is the meaning of all this? Send Doctor Von Vottenberg here +immediately.” + +And lucky was it for that gentleman that the officer who now desired his +attendance on the commandant had roused him from that Lethean slumber in +which he had been, only a few minutes before, so luxuriously indulging. + +“Doctor Von Vottenberg,” commenced the captain, as soon as that official +made his appearance before him; “you are quartered with Mr. Ronayne. +Have you seen any thing of him last night or this morning--no evasion, +nay,” seeing that the doctor's brow began to be overclouded, “I mean no +attempt to shield the young man by a suppression of the truth.” + +“I certainly saw him last night, Captain Headley, but not at a very +late hour. We took a glass or two of punch, and smoked a couple of pipes +together, but we both went to bed early, and for my part, I know that I +slept so soundly as to have heard nothing--seen nothing, until I got up +this morning.” + +The doctor spoke truly as to the time of their retirement to rest, for +the ensign had left him early in the night, while he had found his way +to his own bed, early in the morning. + +“The boat is nearing the landing-place, sir,” reported the sergeant of +the guard, who now came up, and more immediately addressed Lieutenant +Elmsley. + +This information, for the moment, banished the subject under discussion. +“Let the men pile their arms,” ordered Captain Headley; “and when this +is done, Mr. Elmsley, follow me to the landing-place.” + +In a few minutes both officers were there. The boat was within fifty +yards, when the subaltern joined his captain; and the oarsmen, evidently +desirous of doing their best in the presence of the commanding officer, +were polling silently and with a vigor that soon brought it to its +accustomed berth. + +“What body is that, Corporal Nixon?” inquired the latter, “and how is it +that you are only here this morning?” + +“Sir,” answered the corporal, removing one of his hands from the +steer-oar, and respectfully touching his cap, “it's poor Le Noir, the +Frenchman, killed by the Injins yesterday, and as for our absence, it +couldn't be helped, sir; but it's a long report I have to make, and +perhaps, captain, you would like to hear it more at leisure than I can +tell it here.” + +By this time the men had landed from the boat, leaving the Canadian to +be disposed of afterwards as the commanding officer might direct. The +quick eye of the latter immediately detected the slight limping of +Green, whose wound had become stiff from neglect, cold, and the cramped +position in which he had been sitting in the boat. + +“What is the matter with this man?” he inquired of the corporal. “What +makes him walk so stiffly?” + +“Nothing much the matter, captain,” was the indifferent reply. “It's +only a ball he got in his leg in the scrimmage last night.” + +“Ha! the first gun-shot wound that has come under my treatment during +the three long years I have been stationed here. Quick, my fine fellow, +take yourself to the hospital, and tell the orderly to prepare my +instruments for probing.” + +“Scrimmage last night; what do you mean, Corporal Nixon--whom had you +the scrimmage with?” + +These remarks fell at the same moment from the lips of the commander +and those of the surgeon, the latter rubbing his hands with delightful +anticipation of the treat in store for him. + +“With the Indians, captain,” replied Nixon; “the Indians that attacked +Mr. Heywood's farm.” + +“Captain Headley,” interrupted the lieutenant, with unusual deference of +manner, for he was anxious that no further reference should be made to +the subject in presence of the invalids and women, who, attracted by +the news of the arrival of the boat, had gathered around, partly from +curiosity, partly for the purpose of getting their expected supply of +fish, “do you not think it better to examine Corporal Nixon first, and +then the others in turn?” + +“Very true, Mr. Elmsley, I will examine them separately in the +orderly-room to see how far their statements agree; yet one question +you can answer here, corporal. You say that it is the body of Le Noir, +killed by the Indians. Where is Mr. Heywood, then?” + +The generous Elmsley felt faint, absolutely sick at heart on hearing +this question; the very object he had in view in proposing this private +examination was thereby threatened with discomfiture. + +“Mr. Heywood has been carried off by the Indians,” calmly replied the +corporal, yet perceptibly paling as he spoke. + +“Indeed! this is unfortunate. Let the men go to their barracks, and +there remain until I send for them,” ordered the commandant. “You, +corporal, will come to me at the orderly-room, in half an hour from +this. That will be sufficient time for you to clean yourself, and take +your breakfast. None of your party, I presume, have had their breakfast +yet?” + +“No, your honor,” answered Green, who seemed to fancy that his wound +gave him the privilege of a little license in the presence of his chief, +“not unless an old turkey, the grandfather of fifty broods, and as tough +as shoe-leather, can be called a breakfast.” + +Captain Headley looked at the speaker sternly, but took no other notice +of what he, evidently, deemed a very great liberty, than to demand how +he presumed to disobey the order of the surgeon. Then desiring him to +proceed forthwith to the hospital and have his leg dressed, he himself +withdrew after postponing the parade to one o'clock. + +“And are you sure, Nixon, that Mr. Heywood has been carried off by the +Indians,” asked Lieutenant Elmsley, the revulsion of whose feelings on +hearing the corporal's answer to the question put by Captain Headley +had been in striking contrast with what he had experienced only a moment +before; “are you quite sure of this?” + +The interrogatory was put, immediately after the commanding officer had +retired, doubtingly, in a low tone, and apart from the rest of the men. + +“I saw them carry him off myself, sir,” again deliberately said the +corporal. “The whole of the party saw it too.” + +“Enough, enough,” pursued the lieutenant, in a friendly tone. “I believe +you, Nixon. But another question. Were you joined last night by any one +of the regiment? recollect yourself.” + +The corporal declaring that nothing in the shape of an American uniform +had come under his notice, since he departed from the Fort the preceding +evening, the officer next turned his attention to the boat. + +“What are you fumbling about there, Collins?” he asked, rather +sharply--“Why do you not go and join your mess?” This was said as the +rest of the party were now in the act of moving off with their muskets +and fishing apparatus. + +“Poor fellow!” interposed the corporal, “he is not himself to-day; but +I am sure, Mr. Elmsley, you will not be hard upon him, when I tell +you that, but for him, there wouldn't be a man of us here of the whole +party.” + +“Indeed!” exclaimed the lieutenant, not a little surprised at the +information; “but we shall hear all about that presently; yet what is he +fidgetting about at the bottom of the bow of the boat?” + +“There's another body there, sir, besides Le Noir's. It's that of the +poor boy at Heywood's--an Indian scalped him and left him for dead. +Collins, who put a bullet into the same fellow, not an hour afterwards, +found the boy by accident, while retreating from the place where we had +the first scrimmage with the red devils. He was still breathing, and he +took every pains to recover him, but the cold night air was too much for +him, and he died in the poor fellow's arms.” + +“Well, this is a strange night's adventure, or rather series of +adventures,” remarked the lieutenant half aside to himself. “Then, I +suppose,” he resumed, more immediately addressing the corporal, “he has +brought the body of the boy to have him interred with Le Noir?” + +“Just so, sir, for he mourns him as if he had been his own child,” + answered Nixon, as the officer departed--“here, Loup Garou, Loup Garou,” + and he whistled to the dog. “Come along, old fellow, and get some +breakfast.” + +But Loup Garou would not stir at the call of his new master. Sorrow was +the only feast in which he seemed inclined to indulge, and he continued +to crouch near the body of the Canadian as impassible and motionless as +if he was no longer of earth himself. + +“Come along, Collins,” gently urged the Virginian, approaching the boat, +where the former was still feeling the bosom of the dead boy in the vain +hope of finding that life was not yet extinct. “It's no use thinking +about it; you have done your duty as a soldier, and as a good man, but +you see he is gone, and there is no help for it. By and by, we will bury +them both together; but come along now. The dog will let nobody near +them.” + +“Dash me, corporal, if I ever felt so queer in my life!” answered +Collins, in a melancholy tone, strongly in contrast with his habitual +brusque gaiety; “but, as you say, it's no use. The poor lad is dead +enough at last, and my only comfort now is to bury him, and sometimes +look at his grave.” + +The half-hour given by Captain Headley to the men to clean themselves +and eat their breakfasts, afforded his subaltern ample time to take his +own, which had all this time been waiting. When he readied his rooms he +found that he had another ordeal to go through. Mrs. Elmsley was already +at the bead of the table, and pouring out the coffee, with Miss Heywood +seated on her left--the latter very pale, and having evidently passed +a sleepless night. As the officer entered the room, a slight flush +overspread her features, for she looked as if she expected him to be +accompanied by another, but when he hastily unbuckled his sword, and +placed it, with his cap, on a side-table, desiring his wife to lose no +time in pouring out the coffee, as he must be off again immediately, she +felt, she knew not wherefore, very sick at heart, and became even paler +than before. Nor was she at all re-assured by the tone of commiseration +in which, after drawing a chair to her side, and affectionately pressing +her hand, he inquired after her own and her mother's health. + +“Why, George,” said Mrs. Elmsley, who remarked this change in her +friend, and in some degree divined the cause, “where are Mr. Ronayne and +the doctor? You told me last night they were to breakfast here--and see, +one, two, three, four, five cups (pointing at each with her finger), +I have prepared accordingly. Indeed, I scarcely think this young lady +would have made her appearance at the breakfast-table, had she not +expected to meet--who was it, my dear?” and she turned an arch look upon +her friend--“ah! I know now--Von Vottenberg.” + +“Nay, I have no more need of disguise from your husband than from +yourself, Margaret,” replied Miss Heywood, her coloring cheek in a +measure contradicting her words--“it was Harry Ronayne I expected; but,” + she added, with a faint smile, “do not imagine I am quite so romantic as +not to be able to take my breakfast, because he is not present to +share it; therefore if you please, I also will trouble you for a cup of +coffee.” + +“All in good time,” remarked Mrs. Elmsley. “I dare say, Ronayne is +engaged in some duty which has prevented him from keeping his engagement +as punctually as he could have desired. We shall certainly see him +before the breakfast things are removed.” + +“It seems to me,” said her husband, who was taking his meal with the +appetite of any other than a hungry man, and even with a shade of +vexation on his features, “that you all appear to be very much in the +dark here. Why, Margaret, have you not heard what has occurred during +the night, as well as this morning?” + +“How should I have heard any thing, George?” replied Mrs. Elmsley. +“I have seen no one since you went out this morning--who could have +communicated news from without? Surely you ought to know that. Will you +have more coffee?” + +“No, thank you--I have no appetite for coffee or for any thing else. I +almost wish I had not come. Dear Maria,” he added, impetuously, taking +Miss Heywood's hand in his own; “I know you have a noble--a courageous +heart, and can bear philosophically what I have to tell you.” + +“I can bear much,” was the reply, accompanied by a forced smile, that +was contradicted by the quivering of the compressed lip; “and if I could +not, I find I must begin to learn. Yet what can you have to tell me, my +dear Mr. Elmsley, more than I already divine--my poor father--” and the +tears started from her eyes. + +“Ha! there at least, I have comfort for you--although there has been sad +work at the farm--the fishing-party have come in with the bodies of +poor Le Noir and the boy Wilton, but they all say that Mr. Heywood was +carried off a prisoner by the Indians.” + +“Carried off a prisoner,” repeated Miss Heywood, a sudden glow animating +her pale features--“oh! Elmsley, thank you for that. There is still a +hope then?” + +“There is indeed a hope; but, dearest Miss Heywood, why must I heal with +one hand and wound with the other. If I give comparative good news of +your father, there is another who ought to be here, and whose absence at +this moment is to me at once a pain and a mystery.” + +“You mean Harry Ronayne?” she said, hesitatingly, but without +manifesting surprise. + +“Where the foolish fellow has gone,” he continued, “I do not know, but +he has disappeared from the Fort, nor has he left the slightest clue by +which he may be traced.” + +“Does Captain Headley know this?” she inquired, recollecting, that part +of the conversation that had passed between them the preceding day, in +reference to the succor that might have been afforded at the farm. + +“He does. I made the report of Ronayne's absence to him personally, and +the doctor was summoned to state if he had seen any thing of him. He, +however, was as ignorant as a man, who had been drunk during the night, +and was not yet quite sober in the morning, could well be. The captain +was as much surprised as displeased, but further inquiry was delayed on +the sergeant of the guard coming up and announcing the near approach of +the boat containing the fishing-party.” + +“Tell me, dear Mr. Elmsley,” said Miss Heywood, after a few moments of +seeming reflection; “what is your own opinion of the matter? How do +you account--or have you at all endeavored to account for Ronayne's +absence?” + +“I can easily understand the cause,” he replied, “but confound me if I +can attempt to divine the means he took to accomplish his object.” + +He then proceeded to relate the circumstances of his proposal to Captain +Headley--the abrupt refusal he had met with--his subsequent application +to himself to pass him out of the gate, and the final abandonment of his +request when he found that his acquiescence would seriously compromise +him, as officer of the guard. + +“Noble Harry!” thought Miss Heywood--“your confusion, your vexation +of yesterday, arose from not being able to follow your own generous +impulses: but now I fully understand the resolve you secretly made--and +all for my sake. Do not think me very romantic,” she said aloud to Mr. +Elmsley, “but really, Margaret, I cannot despair that all will yet, and +speedily, be well. The only fear I entertain is that the strict Captain +Headley may rebuke him in terms that will call up all the fire of +his nature, and induce a retort that may prove a source of serious +misunderstanding--unless, indeed, the greatness of the service rendered, +plead his justification.” + +“Now that we are on the subject, dear Miss Heywood,” remarked Elmsley, +“let me once for all disabuse you of an impression which I fear you +entertain--or is it so? Do you think that Ronayne has had an opportunity +of joining the party at the farm?” + +“Certainly, I do,” she answered, gravely, “or why should he have gone +forth? Pray do not rob me of what little comfort, in expectation, I have +left.” + +“That he went forth madly and single-handed for the purpose, I can +believe--nay, I am sure of it; but I grieve to add that he has not been +seen there.” + +“This, indeed, is strange,” she returned in faltering tones, and with +ill-disguised emotion, for, hitherto she had been sustained by the +belief that he was merely lingering behind the party, in order to +satisfy himself of facts, the detail of which could not fail to be +satisfactory to her ear. “How know you this?” + +“I questioned Corporal Nixon, who commanded the party, and who apprised +me of Mr. Heywood's having been carried off by the Indians, for I +was deeply anxious, as you may presume, to know what had become of my +friend--and this far less even for my own sake than for yours.” + +“And his answer was?” and there was deep melancholy in the question. + +“That no American uniform had come under his notice during his absence +from the Fort, save those of the party he commanded. These, as far as I +can recollect, were his precise words.” + +“Mr. Elmsley,” said a sentry, who now appeared at the door of the +breakfast-parlor, “Captain Headley waits for you in the orderly room.” + +“Is Corporal Nixon there?” asked the lieutenant. + +“He is, sir.” + +“Good, Dixon, I shall be there immediately.” + +“God bless you,” he continued, to Miss Heywood, when the man had +departed. “We shall, perhaps, elicit from him, something that will throw +light upon the obscure part of this matter. Margaret, do not leave the +dear girl alone, but cheer up her spirits, and make her hope for the +best.” + +So saying, he shook her hand affectionately, pushed back his chair from +the table, and resuming his cap and sword, left the friends together, +promising to return as soon as the examination of the man should be +concluded. + + + + +CHAPTER IX. + +Mr. Heywood's history may be told in a few words. He was the son of an +officer who had served in one of the American partizan corps, during the +Revolution, and had been killed at the attack made by General Green upon +the stronghold of Ninety-Six, in the South. At that time he was a mere +youth, and found himself a few years after, and at the age of eighteen, +without fortune, and wholly dependent upon his own resources. The war +being soon ended, his naturally enterprising disposition, added to great +physical strength, induced him to unite himself with one of the many +bands of adventurers that poured into the then, wilds of Kentucky, +where, within five years, and by dint of mere exertion and industry, +he amassed money enough to enable him to repair to Charleston, in South +Carolina, and espouse a lady of considerable landed property, with +whom he had formed a partial engagement, prior to his entering on that +adventurous life. The only fruit of this union was a daughter, and here, +as far as fortune was concerned, they might have enjoyed every comfort +in life, for Mrs. Heywood's property was principally situated in the +neighborhood, but her husband was of too restless a nature to content +himself with a sedentary life. He had at the outset embarked in +commerce--the experience of a few years, however, convincing him that +he was quite unsuited to such pursuits, he had the good sense to +abandon them before his affairs could be involved. He next attempted the +cultivation of the estate, but this failing to afford him the excitement +he craved, he suddenly took leave of his family, and placing every thing +under the control of a manager, once more obeyed the strong impulse, +which urged him again to Kentucky. Here, following as a passion the +occupation of his earlier years, he passed several seasons, scarcely +communicating during that period, with his amiable and gentle wife, for +whom, however, as well as for his daughter--now fifteen years of age, +and growing rapidly into womanhood--he was by no means wanting in +affection. Nor was his return home THEN purely a matter of choice. +Although neither quarrelsome nor dissipated in his habits, he had had +the misfortune to kill, in a duel, a young lawyer of good family who had +accompanied him to Kentucky, and had consequently fled. Great exertions +were made by the relatives of the deceased to have him arrested on the +plea that the duel, the result of a tavern dispute, had been unfair +on the part of the survivor. As there was some slight ground for this +charge, the fact of Mr. Heywood's flight afforded increased presumption +of his guilt, and such was the publicity given to the matter by his +enemies, that the rumor soon reached Charleston, and finally, the ears +of his family. + +Revealing, in this extremity, his true position to his wife, Mr. Heywood +declared it to be his intention either to cross the sea, or to +bury himself forever in the remotest civilized portion of their own +continent, leaving her however, to the undisturbed possession of the +property she had brought him, which would of course descend to their +child. + +But Mrs. Heywood would not listen to the proposal. Although she had much +to complain of, and to pain her, all recollection of the past faded from +her memory, when she beheld her husband in a position of danger, and +even in some degree of humiliation, for she was not ignorant that even +in the eyes of people not over scrupulous, ineffaceable infamy attaches +to the man, who, in a duel, aims with unfair deliberation at the life +of his opponent; and anxious to satisfy herself that such a stain rested +not on the father of her child, she conjured him to tell her if such +really was the case. He solemnly denied the fact, although he admitted +there were certain appearances against him, which, slight as they were, +his enemies had sought to deepen into proofs--and in the difficulty of +disproving these lay his chief embarrassment. + +The tone--the manner--the whole demeanor of Mr. Heywood carried +conviction with his denial, and his wife at once expressed her +determination to renounce for his sake, all those local ties and +associations by which she had been surrounded from childhood, and follow +his fortunes, whithersoever they might lead. This, she persisted, she +was the more ready and willing to do, because her daughter's education +having been some months completed, under the best masters, there was +now no anxiety on her account, other than what might arise from her own +sense of the contemplated change. + +Maria Heywood was accordingly summoned to the consultation--made +acquainted with her father's position, and the necessity for his instant +departure from that section of the country--and finally told that with +her it rested to decide, not only whether he should go alone, but if +they accompanied him, whether it should be to Europe, or to the Far +West. + +“Rest with me to decide!” exclaimed the warm-hearted girl as she threw +herself into her mother's arms. “Oh, how good of you both thus to +consult me, whose duty it is to obey. But do not think that it is any +privation for me to leave this. I cannot claim the poor merit of the +sacrifice. I have no enjoyment in cities. Give me the solitude of +nature, books, and music, and I will live in a wigwam without regret.” + +“Dear enthusiast,” said Mrs. Heywood, pressing her fondly to her heart; +“I knew well in what spirit would be your answer. You decide then for +the Far West?” + +“Oh, yes, dear mamma! the Far West for me--no Europe. Give me the tall, +dense forests of our own noble land! I desire no other home--long have I +pictured to myself the vast lakes--the trackless woods and the boundless +prairies of that region of which I have read so much, and now,” she +concluded, with exaltation, “my fondest wishes will be realized, and +I shall pass my life in the midst of them. But, dear papa, to what +particular spot do we go?” + +“To Chicago, my noble girl! It is the remotest of our Western +possessions, and quite a new country. There I may hope to pass unheeded, +but how will you, dear Maria, endure being buried alive there, when so +many advantages await you here?” + +“Only figuratively, papa,” she replied with a pensive smile stealing +over her fine intellectual features. “Have no fear for me on that score, +for depend upon it, with so much natural beauty to interest, it will +be my own fault, if I suffer myself to be buried alive. What think you, +dear mamma?” + +“I think with you, my child,” replied Mrs. Heywood, looking approvingly +at her daughter, “that it is our duty, as it assuredly will be our +pleasure to accompany your father wherever he may go.” + +It was now arranged that Mr. Heywood, furnished with a considerable sum +of money in gold, should set out alone on the following night for +their new destination, and make the necessary preparations for their +reception, while his wife, through her agent, should endeavor to dispose +of the estate. As it would require some time for this, and as the +arrangements at Chicago could not well be completed within several +months, it was settled that they should meet at Albany, early in the +following autumn, where they should proceed to take possession of their +new abode. For his better security and freedom from interruption, Mr. +Heywood, while travelling, was to assume a feigned name, but his own was +to be resumed immediately after his arrival at Chicago, for neither he +nor his family could for a moment think of increasing the suspicion of +guilt, by continuing a name that was not their own; and, finally, as a +last measure of precaution, the free servants of the establishment, had, +with the exception of Catharine, whom they were to take with them, been +discharged, while a purchaser having fortunately been found, the slaves, +with the estate, were handed over to a new master, proverbial for his +kindness to that usually oppressed race. By these means they found +themselves provided with funds more than adequate to all their future +wants, the great bulk of the sum arising from the sale of the estate +being vested in two of the most stable banks of the Union. + +With the money he took with him, carefully deposited in his saddlebags, +for he performed the whole of the journey on horseback, Mr. Heywood had +caused the cottage already described, to be built and furnished from +Detroit, in what, at that period, and so completely at the ultima thule +of American civilization, was considered a style of great luxury. He +had, however, shortly prior to his setting out for Albany, purchased +several hundred acres of land, about two miles up the Southern branch of +the Chicago, leaving instructions with Le Noir, whom he had engaged for +a long term of service, to erect upon it a log building and outhouses. +This he had been induced to do from that aching desire for physical +exertion which had been familiar to him from boyhood, and which he felt +could never be sufficiently indulged within the limited compass of the +little village itself--subjected as he must be to the observation of the +curious and the impertinent. He returned from Albany after a few months' +absence, in the autumn of 1809, bringing with him his friends who +occupied the cottage, while he himself obtained their assent that he +should inhabit the farm house, completed soon after his return. Here +he cut with his own hands, many a cord of the wood that his servants +floated down in rafts, not only for his own family, but to supply the +far more extensive wants of the garrison, with which, however, he +had little or no intercourse, beyond that resulting from his business +relations. + +Such was the condition of things at the period at which our narrative +has opened. Maria Heywood had now been three years an occupant of the +cottage, and within that time solitude and habits of reflection had +greatly matured her mind, as years had given every womanly grace to her +person. The past had also tended much to form her character, upon which +the development of physical beauty so often depends. At her first debut +into society at Charleston, in her fourteenth year--an age that would +have been considered premature, but for the rapidity with which form +and intellect are known to ripen in that precocious climate--she had +received, but listened with indifference to the vapid compliments of men +whose shallowness she was not slow to detect, and whose homage conveyed +rather a fulsome tribute to her mere personal beauty, than a correct +appreciation of her heart and understanding. Not that it is to be +inferred that she prided herself unduly upon this latter, but because it +was by that standard of conduct chiefly, that she was enabled to judge +of the minds of those who evinced so imperfect a knowledge of the female +heart, when, emerging from the gaiety of girlhood, it passes into the +earnestness of womanly feeling. + +But although cold--almost repellant to all who had poured their +ephemeral and seldom varying homage in her ear--no woman's heart ever +beat with more kind--more generous--more devoted sentiments, than her +own. Possessed of a vivid imagination, which the general quietude of her +demeanor in a great degree disowned, she had already sketched within her +glowing mind her own beau ideal, whose image was a talisman to deaden +her heart against the influence of these soulless realities. + +With such sentiments as these had Maria Heywood cheerfully consented to +accompany her parents to that secluded spot, from which there was little +probability of a speedy return; but solitude, so far from weakening the +strong impressions that had entwined themselves around her heart, from +the moment of her emancipation from childhood, only served to invest +them with new power. The more her feelings repined--the more expanded +her intellect--the stronger became the sense of absence of one who could +enter into, and in some degree, give a direction to all her thoughts +and emotions--sharing with her the rich fruit that springs from the +consciousness of kindred associations of mind. But this was the secret +of her own heart--of the heart of one whose personal attractions were +well suited to the rich and overflowing character of her soul, and +who had now attained that age which gives eloquent expression to every +movement of the ripely moulded form. + +Above the middle size, the figure of Maria Heywood was at once +gracefully and nobly formed. Her face, of a chiselled oval, was of +a delicate olive tint, which well harmonized with eyes of a lustrous +hazel, and hair of glossy raven black. A small mouth, bordered by lips +of coral fulness, disclosed, when she smiled, teeth white and even; +while a forehead, high for her sex, combined with a nose, somewhat more +aquiline than Grecian, to give dignity to a countenance that might, +otherwise, have exhibited a character of voluptuous beauty. Yet, +although her features, when lighted up by vivacity or emotion, were +radiant with intelligence; their expression when in repose was of a +pensive cast, that, contrasted with her general appearance, gave to it +a charm, addressed at once to sense and sentiment, of which it is +impossible, by description, to give an adequate idea. A dimpled cheek, +an arm, hand and foot, that might have served the statuary as a model, +completed a person which, without exaggeration, might be deemed almost, +if not wholly faultless. + +The habits of Mr. Heywood were of that peculiar nature--his desire of +isolation from every thing that could be called society was so obvious, +that for the first year of the residence of the family at Chicago, +scarcely any intercourse had been maintained between the inmates of the +cottage and the officers' wives; and it was only on the occasion of +the commanding officer giving a party, to celebrate the anniversary of +American Independence on the following year, that the first approach +to an acquaintance had been made. It had been deemed by him a matter of +duty to invite all of the few American families that were settled in the +neighborhood, and of course the Heywoods were of the number. On the same +principle of conventionalism the invitation was accepted, and not slight +was the surprise of the ladies of the garrison, when they found in the +secluded occupants of the cottage, to whom they had assigned a doubtful +position in society, those to whom no effort of their own prejudice +could refuse that correct estimate, which quiet dignity without +ostentation, is ever certain to command. + +At the announcement of the names of Mrs. and Miss Heywood, the somewhat +stately Mrs. Headley was disposed to receive with hauteur the inmates of +the cottage, but no sooner had Maria Heywood, accompanied by her gentle +mother, entered the apartment with the easy and composed air of one to +whom the drawing-room is familiar, than all her prejudices vanished, and +with a heart warming towards her, as though she, had been the cherished +sister of her love, she arose, pressed her hand affectionately and +welcomed her to the Fort with the sincerity of a generous and elevated +nature, anxious to repair its own wrong. + +From that period, both by the wife of the commandant, and by Mrs. +Elmsley--the only two ladies in the garrison, Maria Heywood was as much +liked and courted, as she had previously been disregarded. To deny that +the noble girl did in some measure exult in this change, would be to +do wrong to the commendable pride of a woman, who feels that the unjust +prejudice which had cast a false shadow over her recent life, has +at last been removed, and that the value, of which she was modestly +conscious, began to be appreciated. + +It was at this party that her acquaintance with the young Southerner had +commenced, and it is needless to trace the gradual rise of an attachment +which similarity of tastes had engendered. Naturally of an ardent +disposition, the youth had, as we have remarked on a previous occasion, +hitherto loved to indulge in the excitement of the wild sports of the +forest and the prairie, as the only present means of giving freedom +to that spirit of enterprise, so usually wedded to the generous and +unoccupied mind; but, from the period of his acquaintance with Maria +Heywood, a total change had come over his manner of life. The hunt--the +chase--and the cup that so often succeeded, were now almost wholly +abandoned, and his only delight NOW in excursions was to ride with her +across the prairie, or to pull her in his light skiff either along the +shores of the Michigan, or through the various branches of the river, +contemplating the beautiful Heavens by moonlight, and indulging in +speculations, which were not more the fruit of romantic temperament, +than of the intensity of Love. He had, moreover, four dogs trained +to draw her in a light sledge of his own device and construction, in +winter. In these rambles she was usually accompanied either by Mrs. +Headley, or by the wife of his friend and brother subaltern, and after +the invigorating exercise of the day, his evenings, whenever he could +absent himself from the Fort, were devoted within the cottage to books, +magic, and the far more endearing interchange of the resources of their +gifted minds. In summer there were other employments of a domestic +character, for in addition to their rides, walks, and excursions on the +water, both found ample scope for the indulgence of their partiality for +flowers, in the taste for practical horticulture possessed by Ronayne, +under whose care had grown the luxuriant beauty which every where +pervaded the little garden, and made it to the grateful girl a paradise +in miniature. + +Thus had passed nearly two years, and insensibly, without a word of love +having been breathed, each felt all the security which a consciousness +of being beloved alone could yield, and that assurance imparted to their +manner and address when alone a confiding air, the more endearing from +the silence of their lips. But although no word uttered by themselves +proclaimed the existence of the secret and holy compact, not only were +they fully sensible of it themselves, but it was obvious to all--even to +the least observant of the garrison, and many were there, both among the +soldiers and their wives--by all of whom the young ensign was liked for +his openness and manliness of character--who expressed a fervent hope +that the beautiful and amiable Miss Heywood would soon become the bride +of their favorite officer. This it was, which had led the men of the +fishing-party to express in their way, their sorrow for the young lady, +when she should hear of the events at the farm-house, even while passing +their rude encomiums on the sweetness of disposition of her, whom they +already regarded as the wife of their young officer. + +It was nearly noon, and Lieutenant Elmsley had not yet made his +appearance with the promised report. Maria Heywood had, after passing an +hour with her mother, returned to the breakfast-room, which it will be +recollected opened immediately upon the barrack-square. Her friend being +engaged with her domestic affairs, which every lady was at that period +in a measure compelled to superintend, she had thrown herself (still in +her morning dishabille) on a couch with a book in her hand, but with a +mind wholly distracted from the subject of its pages. After continuing +some time thus, a prey to nervous anxiety, as much the result of +Elmsley's long absence as of her former fears, the sound of the fifes +and drums fell startlingly, she knew not wherefore, upon her ear and +drew her to the door. The men were falling in, and in the course of a +few minutes the little line was formed a few yards to her left, with its +flanks resting on either range of building, so that the mess-room door, +then open, was distinctly visible in front. At the same moment, Captain +Headley and the lieutenant, followed by Corporal Nixon and the other +men of the fishing-party--Green only excepted--passed out of the orderly +room on her right, moved across, and took up their position in front of +the parade. + +“God bless me, Maria, what is that, or is it his ghost!” suddenly and +unguardedly exclaimed Mrs. Elmsley, who had that moment joined her +friend--placing her arm at the same time round her waist. + +“What do you mean, Mar--” but before Maria Heywood could complete her +sentence, all power of speech was taken from her in the emotion with +which she regarded what, after a momentary glance, met her view. + +It was her lover, fully equipped for parade, and walking towards the +men with a calm and deliberate step, which seemed to evince total +unconsciousness that any thing unusual had happened. + +“Here is a chair, my love--you really tremble as if the man was a ghost. +Now then, we shall have a scene between him and our amiable commandant.” + +“God forbid!” tremulously answered the almost bewildered girl; “I am the +cause of all.” + +“You! Stuff, Maria. What nonsense you talk, for a sensible girl. How +should you be the cause? but, positively, Ronayne can never have been +away from the Fort.” + +“Do you think so, Margaret?” + +“I am sure of it. Only look at him. He is as spruce as if he had only +just come out of a band-box. But hush, not a word. There, that's a dear. +Lean your head against my shoulder. Don Bombastes speaks!” + +“No sign of Mr. Ronayne yet?” demanded Captain Headley, his back turned +to the slowly advancing officer, whose proximity not one of the men +seemed inclined to announce, possibly because they feared rebuke for +insubordination. Mr. Elmsley, he pursued to that officer, who, acting +on a significant half-glance from his friend, was silent also as to his +approach. “Let a formal report of his absence without leave, be made to +me immediately after the parade has been dismissed.” + +“Nay, sir,” said the ensign, in his ordinary voice and close in the ear +of the speaker, “not as having been absent from duty, I trust. I am +not aware that I have ever missed a guard or a parade yet, without your +leave.” + +At the first sound of his voice, the surprised commandant had turned +quickly round, and there encountered the usual deferential salute of his +subordinate. + +“But, Mr. Ronayne, what means this? Where, sir, have you been? and, if +not absent, why thus late? Do you know that the men have already been +paraded, and that when required for your guard, you were not to be +found?” + +“The fatigues of the night, Captain Headley,” returned the young +officer, with some hesitation of manner; “the incessant watching--surely +there--” + +“I knew he had not been out of the Fort. Courage, Maria! was audible to +the men who were nearest to the speaker, from Elmsley's doorway. + +“I know what you would urge, Mr. Ronayne,” remarked the captain; “you +would offer this in plea for your late appearance. I make all due +allowance in the matter; but, let me tell you, sir, that an officer +who thoroughly understands his duty, and consults the interests of +the service, would make light of these matters, in cases of strong +emergency.” + +“Poor Ronayne!” sighed Maria, to her friend. “This is terrible to his +proud spirit. In presence of the whole of the men, too!” + +“I told you, my dear, there would be a row, but never fear--Elmsley +be there. See, he is looking significantly at us, as if to call our +attention to what is passing.” + +The lieutenant had been no less astonished than the captain, at the +unexpected appearance of Ronayne--even more so, indeed--because he had +observed, without, however, remarking on it, the cool and unhastened +pace at which he moved along the square, from the direction of the +mess-room. “Now it is coming,” he thought, and half-murmured to himself, +as he saw the crimson gathering on his brow, during the last harsh +address of his superior. + +“Captain Headley,” said the young man, drawing himself up to his full +height, and somewhat elevating his voice, for he had remarked there were +other and dearer eyes upon him, than those immediately around. “I WILL +NOT be spoken to in this manner, before the men. If you think I have +been guilty of a breach of duty or of discipline, I am prepared to meet +your charges before the proper tribunal, but you shall not take the +liberty of thus addressing me in public parade. My sword, sir,” and he +unbuckled it, and offered the handle, “is at, your disposal, but I deny +your further right.” + +“No, no, no!” shouted several men from the ranks + +“No, no, no!” repeated almost every man of the fishing-party, in even +more energetic tones, while the commanding officer was glancing his eye +keenly and rapidly along the little line, to detect those who had set +the example of insubordination. + +“Ugh! wah! good soger!” came from one of a small party of Indians in the +rear, as the disconcerted captain turned, frowningly, from the men in +front to those who had followed him from the orderly room, and now stood +grouped on the inner flank. + +“What is the meaning of all this?” he cried, in a loud and angry voice. + +“Am I braved in my own command, and by my own men? Mr. Elmsley, who are +these Indians, and how came they in?” + +“They are a part of the encampment without, sir. There was no order +given against their admission this morning, besides it is Winnebeg, and +you have said that the gates of the Fort was to be open to him at all +hours.” + +“Ah! Winnebeg, my friend, how do you do. I did not know it was you or +your people. You know you are always welcome.” + +“How do, gubbernor,” answered the chief, coming round from the rear of +the line, and taking the proffered hand--“'Spose not very angry now--him +good warrior--him good soger,” and he pointed to the young subaltern. + +“Ensign Ronayne is, no doubt, very sensible to your good opinion,” + remarked the captain, with evident pique; “but, Winnebeg, as I am sure +you never allow a white man to interfere with you, when you find fault +with your young chiefs, you must let me do the same.” + +“What find him fault for?” asked the chief, with some surprise; “brave +like a devil!” + +“Captain Headley,” interposed the ensign, with some impatience, “am I to +surrender my sword, or resume my duty?” + +But the captain either could not, or would not give a direct answer. +“Can you give me a good reason, Mr. Ronayne, why I should not receive +your sword? Do you deny that you have been guilty of neglect of duty?” + +“In what?” was the brief demand. + +“In being absent from the Fort, without leave, sir.” + +“Indeed! To substantiate that, you must bring proofs, Captain Headley. +Who,” and he looked around him, as if challenging his accuser, “pretends +to have seen me beyond these defences?” + +The commandant was for some moments at a loss, for he had not +anticipated this difficulty. At length he resumed. “Was it not to be +absent without leave, that, when the guard was all ready to be marched +off, you were not to be found?” + +“Had the guard been marched off, or the parade even formed, I should of +course, have come justly under your censure, Captain Headley; but it was +not so--you ordered the parade and guard-mounting for a later hour. I am +here at that hour.” + +“Hem!” returned the commandant, who was in some degree obliged to admit +the justice of the remark; “you defend yourself more in the spirit of a +lawyer, than of a soldier, Mr. Ronayne, but all this difficulty is soon +set at rest. I require but your simple denial that you have been absent +from the Fort, within the last twenty-four hours. That given, I shall be +satisfied.” + +“And that, sir,” was the firm reply of the youth, “I am not disposed to +give. I am not much versed in military prudence, Captain Headley,” he +pursued, after a few moments' pause, and in a tone of slight irony, +which that officer did not seem to perceive, “but at least sufficient to +induce me to reserve what I have to say for my defence. You have charged +me, sir, with having been absent from the Fort without leave; and it is +for you to prove that fact before a competent authority.” + +“March off your guard, Mr. Ronayne,” was the abrupt rejoinder of the +commandant, for he liked not the continuation of a scene in which the +advantage seemed not to rest with him, but with the very party whom he +had sought to chasten; “Mr. Elmsley dismiss the parade. I had intended +promoting on the spot, Corporal Nixon and private Collins for their +conduct yesterday, but the gross insubordination I have just seen, has +caused me to change my mind. Neither shall have the rank intended, until +the guilty parties are named. I give until the hour of parade to-morrow +for their production, and if, by that time, their names are not laid +before me, no such promotion shall take place while I command the +garrison. Dismiss the men, sir. Here, Winnebeg, my good fellow, you have +come at a good moment. I have dispatches to send to Detroit this very +evening, and I know no one I can trust so well as yourself.” + +“Good,” was the answer, “Winnebeg always ready to do him order--no angry +more, gubbernor, with young chief,” pointing to the ensign, as he moved +off with his small guard. “Dam good soger--you see dis?” and he touched +his scalping-knife with his left hand, and looked very significantly. + +“No, Winnebeg, not angry any more,” was the reply; “but how do you know +him to be good soger? What has your scalping-knife to do with it?” + +“Winnebeg know all,” said the chief gravely, as he laid his heavy hand +upon the shoulder of the commandant, “but can't tell. Young chief say +no, and Winnebeg love young chief.” + +This remark forcibly struck Captain Headley, and brought back to his +mind, certain recollections. He, however, asked no further question, but +pointed, as they moved in the direction of his own apartments, towards +the sun, showing by his gesture that it was not too early to take the +mid-day dram. + +“Where the devil have you been, man, and with what confounded impudence +you got through the scrape,” was remarked at a distant part of the same +ground, and at the same moment with the conversation just given. + +“How is Maria?” eagerly asked Ronayne. “When shall I see her?” + +“Well enough to hear all that passed between you and Military Prudence,” + returned his friend; “but that is no answer to my question.” + +“There was nothing like braving it,” answered the other evasively; “but +I say, Elmsley, I am devilish hungry, that breakfast you invited me to +last night is over long ago, of course.” This last sentence was uttered +in a mock piteous tone. + +“Just what I was going to speak about, my dear boy. We have had number +ONE, but before half an hour, we shall be seated at number TWO. When +your sergeant has relieved his sentries, come over and you will find a +piping hot breakfast.” + +“Will it be quite consistent with military prudence to leave my guard +so soon, after the lecture I have had?” remarked the ensign, with a +smile--“but, ah! I had nearly forgotten. Elmsley, I must say a few words +to you before I go in, and a better opportunity cannot be afforded than +while we are walking from this to your place. Just go then, and order +the breakfast as you propose, and return here. I shall have completed +the arrangements of the guard by that time, and all that I have to ask +of you, can be answered as we go along.” + +“I hope it is no great secret you have to impart,” returned the +lieutenant, “for I am a sad hand at the mysterious, and shall be sure to +tell my wife, if I do not tell Maria.” + +“Not you--you will tell neither, but au revoir.” + + + + +CHAPTER X. + +At the moment when Ensign Ronayne removed his sword, with the intention +of handing it to his commanding officer, in anticipation of the arrest +which he expected, Maria Heywood, little conversant with those military +formalities, and apprehending from the previous high tone of her lover, +that something fearful was about to occur, had not absolutely fainted, +but become so agitated, that Mrs. Elmsley was induced to take her back +to the sofa, on which she had previously been reclining. As she was +leaving her chair, Mrs. Headley, whose attention had also been arrested +by the loud and angry voice of her husband, came from her own door +and joined the little group, anxiously inquiring the cause of the +disturbance without. + +In a few brief sentences, and as correctly as she was able, Mrs. Elmsley +explained to her the circumstances, and although her attentive auditor +offered no very pointed remark, it was evident from her manner that +she deeply deplored that strict military punctilio, which had led the +husband whom she both loved and esteemed, to place himself in a false +position with his own force--for that it was a false position in some +degree, to provoke insubordination, and yet be without the power to +punish it, she had too much good sense not to perceive. She felt the +more annoyed, because she had on more than one occasion, observed that +there was not that unanimity between her husband and Lieutenant Elmsley, +which she conceived ought to exist between parties so circumstanced--a +commander of a remote post, and his second in command, on whose mutual +good understanding, not only the personal security of all might depend, +but the existence of those social relations, without which, their +isolated position involved all the unpleasantness of a voluntary +banishment. This had ever been to her a source of regret, and she had on +several occasions, although in the most delicate and unobtrusive manner, +hinted at the fact; but the man who doated upon her, and to whom, in all +other respects, her desire was law, evinced so much inflexibility in all +that appertained to military etiquette, that she had never ventured +to carry her allusions beyond the light commentary induced by casual +reference to the subject. + +If then she lamented that unfortunate coolness, if not absolute +estrangement, which existed between Lieutenant Elmsley and her husband, +bow much more acutely did she feel the difficulty of the position now, +when the only other responsible officer of the garrison--and that a +young man of high feeling and accomplishment, whom she had ever liked +and admired--was fast being led into the same antagonism. Nay, what +rendered the matter more painful to her, was the fact of the latter +being the lover, or perhaps the affianced of a girl, whom she regarded +with a fervor not often felt by one woman for another, and for whose +interests she could have made every sacrifice, not affecting those of +her husband. + +Such were the women who were now seated on the ottoman, engaged more +in their own reflections, than in conversation, when Lieutenant Elmsley +entered the room, announcing that the truant would shortly be in for +breakfast, which, he requested, might be instantly prepared in the usual +manner, only adding thereto a couple of bottles of claret. + +“Ah! pardon me, Mrs. Headley,” he added, somewhat stiffly, as his wife +left the room to issue the necessary orders, “I did not see you, or I +should have been rather more ceremonious in my domestic communications.” + +Mrs. Headley slightly colored. She was sensible that pique towards her +husband, and a belief that she wholly shared his sentiments, had induced +this rather sarcastic speech. + +“By no means, Mr. Elmsley. I trust you will not put ME down as a +stranger, whatever your disposition to others.” + +There was a significance in the manner in which this was said, that +deeply touched the lieutenant, and his tone immediately changed. + +“Then, I take you at your word,” he said. “It is a long time since I +have had the pleasure of seeing you here, and you must positively join +our second breakfast. I know Captain Headley is engaged with Winnebeg, +whom he purposes sending off this evening with despatches, so that you +will not be missed for at least an hour. There, look at Miss Heywood's +imploring look--she pleads with her eyes in my favor, although there is +no chance, it appears, of getting a word from her lips.” + +“Nay,” remarked the other, who had rallied from her late despondency, +on hearing the object of the breakfast; “you are very unreasonable, Mr. +Elmsley. You do not deserve that I should speak to you to-day, and I am +not quite sure that I shall.” + +“And pray, fair lady, why not? Wherein have I had the misfortune to +offend?” + +“Ah! do you forget? You promised to bring me a certain report of certain +occurrences, and yet instead of that, not a word have you condescended +to address to me until this moment.” + +“I plead guilty,” he answered deprecatingly, “but pray for a suspension +of sentence, until the return of one through whose influence I hope to +obtain your pardon! I go now,” he whispered, “to lead him to your feet.” + +“Well, what is the great question you have to put to me?” said the +lieutenant to his friend, whom he had rejoined, and with whom he now +returned slowly towards the house--“one involving a case of life and +death it might be imagined, from the long face you put on when alluding +to the matter.” + +“Nay, not exactly that, but still involving a good deal. Tell me +frankly, Elmsley, has Miss Heywood heard any further account of the +events at the farm-house?” + +“She has heard the report brought in by Nixon and the rest of the +fishing-party.” + +“And what was that, I pray you?” eagerly returned the ensign. + +“That Mr. Heywood had been carried off by the Indians.” + +“From whom did she hear it?” + +“It was I who told her, on the strength of what the corporal reported, +not only to myself, but to Captain Headley.” + +“You are a considerate fellow, Elmsley,” said his friend, warmly +pressing his hand. “I thank you for that, and now that the great +question, as you term it, is answered, I am quite ready for the promised +breakfast. Did these fellows bring home any fish? I have a great fancy +for fish this morning.” + +“No; they brought home dead men,” and the lieutenant looked searchingly +into the face of his companion, dwelling on every word, moreover, as if +he would convey that he (Ronayne), knew perfectly well what freight the +boat had brought to the Fort. + +Further remark was prevented by their arrival at their destination--the +front-door being open, and revealing the little party within. The first +upon, whom the young officer's eye fell, was Mrs. Headley, of whose +intended presence, his friend had not thought of apprising him. Still +smarting under a keen sense of the severity of reproof of his commanding +officer, and falling into the common error of involving the wife in the +unamiability of the husband, Ronayne would have retired, even at the +risk of losing his breakfast, and, what was of far more moment to him, +of delaying his meeting with her to whom his every thought was devoted. +But when Mrs. Headley, who had remarked the movement, came forward to +the door, and gave him her hand with all the warmth and candor of her +noble nature, the pique vanished from his mind, and in an instant, +he, like Elmsley, evinced that devotion and regard for her, which her +fascinating manner could not fail to inspire. + +The sense of constraint being thus banished by the only one whose +presence had occasioned it, the party, after a few minutes low +conversation between the lovers, sat down gaily to a meal--half-break +fast, half-luncheon, at which the most conspicuous actor was the lately +reprimanded ensign. + +“Really, Mr. Ronayne, you must have met with a perfect chapter of +adventures during your absence last night. You have devoured the last +four fresh eggs, my cook says, there were in the house--three limbs of a +prairie fowl, and nearly the half of a young bear ham. Do, pray, tell +us where you have been to gain such an appetite? Indeed you must--I am +dying to know.” + +“My dear Mrs. Elmsley,” he replied, coloring, “where should I have been +but in the Fort?” + +“True! where SHOULD you have been, indeed; but this is not the point, +my hungry gentleman. Where WERE you? If I was, I KNOW WHO,” she added, +significantly, “I should have my suspicions, unless, indeed, you have +already confessed within the few minutes you have been in the room.” + +“Nay, do not imagine I have so much influence over the truant, as to +compel him to the confessional,” said Maria Heywood. “I assure you I am +quite as much in the dark as any one present.” + +“Come, Mr. Ronayne, recount your adventures,” added Mrs. Headley. +“Recollect you are not on parade now, or exactly before the sternest +Court of Inquiry in the world, and should therefore, entertain no dread +of punishment on your self-conviction.” + +“Thus urged and encouraged,” said the ensign, during one of the short +pauses of his knife and fork, which, in truth, he had handled as much +to study what he should say, as to satisfy his hunger; “who could resist +such pleading, were there really any thing to communicate; but I am +quite at a loss to conceive why so general an opinion seems to prevail +that I have been out of the Fort, and in quest of adventure. Why not +rather ascribe my tardiness at parade to some less flattering cause--a +head-ache--fatigue from night-watching--indolence, or even a little +entetement, arising from the denial of a very imprudent request I made +to Captain Headley last evening, to allow me the command of a detachment +for a particular purpose. Pardon me, I have made quite a speech, but +indeed you compel me.” + +“Let us drown this inquisition in a bumper of claret,” interposed +Elmsley, coming to the assistance of his friend, whose motive for thus +parrying inquiry into his conduct, he thought he could divine. “I say, +my dear fellow, you may wish yourself a head-ache--fatigue--indolence, +or even a little entetement every morning of your life, if it is to be +cured in this manner. This is some of the most splendid Lafayette that +ever found its way into these western wilds. Look well at it. It is of +the clearest, the purest blood of the grape--taste it again. A bottle of +it will do you no harm if you had twenty guards in charge.” + +As he had desired and expected, the introduction of his remarks on +the wine proved not only a means of changing the conversation, but of +causing the ladies to withdraw from the table, round which they had been +sitting, rather to keep the young officer company, than to participate +in the repast themselves. Mrs. Headley was the first to move. + +“Give me your arm, and see me home,” she said carelessly, to Ronayne, +who now having finished his breakfast, had also risen. “Do not be +jealous, my dear Miss Heywood, but you will later know, if you do +not know already, that the wife of the commanding officer always +appropriates to herself, the handsomest unmarried young officer of the +regiment.” + +Both Ronayne and his betrothed were too quick of apprehension not to +perceive, under this light gaiety, a deep interest, and a desire to +convey to them both, that, if unhappily, there did not exist a cordial +understanding between her husband and the former, in matters purely +military, and in relation to subjects which should have no influence +over private life, she was by no means, a party to the disunion. + +“Not very difficult to choose between the handsomest and the cleverest +of the unmarried officers of the garrison of Chicago,” replied Maria +Heywood with an effort at cheerfulness; “therefore, Mr. Ronayne, I +advise you not to be too much elated by Mrs. Headley's compliment. After +that caution, I think you may be trusted with her.” + +“What a noble creature, and what a pity she has so cold and pompous a +husband,” remarked Lieutenant Elmsley, as Mrs. Headley disappeared from +the door-way. “I never knew her so well as this morning, and upon my +word, Margaret, were both HE and YOU out of the way, I should be greatly +tempted to fall in love with her.” + +“You would act wisely if you did, George; I have always thought most +highly of her. She is, it is true, a little reserved in manner, but that +I am sure comes wholly from a certain restraint, imposed upon her by +her husband's formality of character. I say I am sure of this, for there +have been occasions when I have seen her exhibit a warmth of address, as +different from her general demeanor, as light is from shadow.” + +“Perhaps Headley has systematically drilled her into the particular +bearing that ought to be assumed by the wife of the commandant of a +garrison.” + +“Nay, George! that is not generous, but I know you are not serious in +what you say. You judge Mrs. Headley better, and that she is not a +woman to be so drilled. She has too much good sense, despite all +her partiality for her husband, to allow herself to be improperly +influenced, where her judgment condemns; and although, as his wife, she +must necessarily act in concert with him, it by no means follows that +she approves unreservedly, all that he does.” + +“You are a dear, noble creature yourself!” exclaimed the gratified +Elmsley, as he fondly embraced his wife. “There is nothing I love so +much as to see one woman warm in the defence of another--one so seldom +meets with that sort of thing. What, Maria, tears?” + +“Yes--tears of pleasure!” she answered earnestly, as she held her +handkerchief to her eyes--“tears of joy to see so much generosity of +feeling among those whom I have so much reason to esteem and admire. You +are right,” she pursued, addressing Mrs. Elmsley, “she is indeed a noble +woman. Perhaps I may justly be accused of a little partiality, for I +never can forget the frank and cordial proffers of friendship with which +she received me on the first night of my appearance here.” + +“Ha! Von Vottenberg to the rescue!” exclaimed Elmsley, with sudden +animation, as the stout figure of the former shaded the door-way. “Well, +doctor, have you passed away in the evaporation produced by fright, the +violent head-ache you were suffering from this morning? If not, try that +claret. It is capital stuff, and a tumbler of it will make up for the +breakfast you have lost.” + +“Faith, and there is no breakfast lost, that I can perceive,” chuckled +the doctor, seating himself unceremoniously at the table, and commencing +upon the remains of the bear ham, and prairie hen. + +“I fear the tea and coffee are cold,” said Mrs. Elmsley; “let me get +some hot for you?” + +“By no means, my dear Mrs. Elmsley, I could not think of such slops with +generous claret at my elbow. Nay, do not look offended. Your tea and +coffee are always of the best, but they do not just now, suit my taste. +Miss Heywood, how do you do this morning? How is your gentle mother? +I have called expressly to see her. Elmsley, where is that runaway, +Ronayne?” + +And where indeed was he? They had not walked more than three or four +paces, when Mrs. Headley, after some little hesitation, addressed him +thus:-- + +“Mr. Ronayne, notwithstanding your evident desire to conceal the fact, +I can plainly see that you were not within the Fort last night. I can +fully comprehend that your motive for absenting yourself, has been +praiseworthy, but you must also admit that the reproof you met with this +morning, was not altogether undeserved. Pray do not start or look grave, +for, believe me, I am speaking to you only as a friend--indeed it was to +have the opportunity of convincing you that I am such, that I asked you +to escort me.” + +“Really, Mrs. Headley,” interrupted the young officer, little divining +to what all this was to tend, and feeling not altogether at his ease, +from the abruptness with which the subject had been introduced, “I feel +as I ought, the interest you profess to take in me, but how is that +connected either with my asserted absence, or the reproof it entailed?” + +“It is so far connected with it, that I wish to point out the means by +which any unpleasant result may be avoided!” + +“Unpleasant result! Mrs. Headley?” + +“Yes, unpleasant result, for I have too good an opinion of you not +to believe that any thing tending to destroy the harmony of our very +limited society, would be considered such by you.” + +“I am all attention, Madam. Pray, proceed.” + +“The pithiness of your manner does not afford me much encouragement yet +I will not be diverted from my purpose, even by that. You have had the +Commandant's lecture,” she continued, with an attempt at pleasantry, +“and now you must prepare yourself for (pardon the coinage of the term) +that of the Commandantess.” + +“The plot thickens,” said the ensign, somewhat sharply--“both the +husband and the wife. Jupiter Tonans and Juno the Superb in judgment +upon poor me in succession. Ah! that is too bad. But seriously, Mrs. +Headley, I shall receive with all due humility, whatever castigation you +may choose to inflict.” + +“No castigation I assure you, Ronayne, but wholesome advice from one, +who, recollect, is nearly old enough to be your mother. However, you +shall hear and then decide for yourself.” + +“Although,” she pursued, after a short pause, “we women are supposed to +know nothing of those matters, it would be difficult, in a small place +like this, to be ignorant of what is going on. Hence it is that I have +long since remarked, with pain and sorrow, the little animosity which +exists between Headley and yourself--(I will not introduce Mr. Elmsley's +name, because what I have to say has no immediate reference to him), and +the almost daily widening breach. Now, Ronayne, I would appeal to your +reason. Place yourself for a moment in my husband's position. Consider +his years, nearly double your own--his great responsibility and the +peculiar school of discipline in which he has been brought up. Place +yourself, I repeat, in his position, and decide what would be your +sentiments if, in the conscientious discharge of your duty, you thought +yourself thwarted by those very men--much your juniors both in years and +military experience--on whose co-operation you had every fair reason to +rely.” + +“You have, my dear Mrs. Headley, put the case forcibly yet simply.” + returned the ensign, who had listened with marked deference to the whole +of her remonstrance. “In such a case I should feel no slight annoyance, +but why imagine that I have sought to thwart Captain Headley?” + +“Was it not apparently to thwart him--bear in mind I speak to you +dispassionately and as a friend--to refuse in the presence of the whole +garrison this morning to account for your absence of last night, which +might have been easily explained, had you been so disposed?” + +“But, my dear Mrs. Headley, why is it persisted in, that I was +absent--and even if such were the case, might not I have had a good +reason for refusing to commit myself by the avowal.” + +“Admitting this, could you have maintained your position without, in a +measure, setting his authority at defiance--thus encouraging the men to +do the same. Was this right, I ask? Was this officer-like?” + +“Well, no, perhaps not. I blush not to make the admission to YOU, for +indeed, there is no resisting so bewitching a master in petticoats. Yet, +what would you have me do?” + +“Ah, now, I begin to entertain some hope of you,” she replied, in a +gayer tone, placing her hand at the same time familiarly on his shoulder +and looking approvingly in his face. “Ronayne, you are engaged--perhaps +will shortly become the husband of the noble girl, whom I love even as +though she were my own daughter--yes,” she repeated energetically, as +she felt his grateful pressure of her hand, “even as though she were +my own daughter--nay, you know I like yourself for your open, although +rather too impetuous character. Do you then think that feeling this it +can be any other than a source of deep pain and vexation to me, to see +those in whom I feel so much interest, alienated from each other--in +some degree even mutually hating and hated?” + +“Yet, what would you have me to do, my dear Mrs. Headley? Some +concession I suppose, must be made. Any thing in honor and in reason +will I do for your sake,” returned the young officer, deeply touched by +her manner and language. + +“This I wish you to do, Ronayne. Take the first favorable opportunity, +either while on guard to-day, or when relieved to-morrow, to see Headley +privately, and by such language as you well know how to use, remove +the unfavorable impression you have left on his mind--depend upon +it, although extremely cold and inflexible when apparently braved, my +husband has a warm and generous--aye, a noble heart, and will freely +grant what is frankly solicited. Bear in mind, moreover, Ronayne, that +it is no humiliation to admit error when conscious of having committed +it; and if this be so in the social relations of life, how much less +derogatory is it in a military sense.” + +“Say no more, dearest Mrs. Headley, since it is your wish, I will go, no +matter what the reception I encounter; and any further rebuke I may meet +with, I will cheerfully endure for your sake.” + +“Now then, Ronayne, you are once more yourself, the generous, +high-minded boy, in whom I delighted, even as a mother would delight +in her son, when you first arrived here about three years ago. Yet, +recollect that not only _I_ shall be gratified and benefitted by this, +but YOU and YOURS. Let but this unhappy discord terminate, and we shall +then be what soldiers and those connected with them, ought ever to +be--one undivided family. And now, for the present, farewell.” + +“God bless you!” fervently exclaimed the ensign, as he took his leave +of the graceful and noble wife of the commanding officer, with emotions +that fully testified the effect produced upon him by her generous +confidence and candor. + +From the frequent reference made by Mrs. Headley to her own riper years, +one might have been induced to consider her rather in the decline of +life; but such was not the case. Her splendid and matronly figure might +indeed have impressed the superficial observer with the belief that she +had numbered more than forty summers, but the unchained and luxuriant +hair--the white, even and perfect teeth--the rich, full lip, and +unwrinkled brow, and smooth and brilliant cheek, would not have +permitted the woman most jealous of her charms, could such have been +found, to pronounce her more than six-and-thirty, which was, indeed, her +age. It was a source of gratification to her to consider and represent +herself as older than she really was; and if she had any peculiarity--a +weakness it could not be called--it was that of loving to look upon +those younger persons who claimed a place in her friendship and esteem, +as though she actually stood in the maternal relation to them. This +may have, in some degree, arisen from the fact of her having ever been +childless herself. + +As Ronayne approached Elmsley's house on his return, a remarkably +handsome and noble-looking Indian--quite a youth--was leaning against +the frame of the door, and according to the simple habit of his race, +indulging his curiosity by looking at, and admiring all that he beheld +within. Elmsley himself had gone out, but Von Vottenberg, still seated +at the breakfast-table, was discussing, with its remains, the now nearly +finished claret, while Mrs. Elmsley and Maria Heywood were seated on +the sofa opposite to the door, passing their whispered remarks on the +Indian, whose softened dark glances occasionally fell with intense +admiration on the former, when he fancied the act unseen, but as +instantly were withdrawn, when he perceived that it was observed. + +Mrs. Elmsley was endeavoring to dissipate the dejection of her friend +by rallying her, as the young officer came to the door, on the evidently +new conquest she had made. The Indian turned to look at the intruder +upon his pleasant musings, when a “wah!” expressive of deep satisfaction +escaped him, and at the same moment, Ronayne grasped, and cordially +shook his hand. + +“Ha! there is his formidable rival, and seemingly his friend,” whispered +Mrs. Elmsley, in the ear of Maria--“handsome fellows, both of them, so +much so, that were I single, like you, I should have some difficulty in +choosing between them.” + +As she uttered these words, a sharp and unaccountable pang, sudden and +fleeting as electricity, shot through the frame of her friend. The blood +suddenly receded from her cheek, and then rapidly returning, suffused it +with a burning heat. + +“What is the matter, my love? Are you ill, you looked so pale just now?” + tenderly inquired Mrs. Elmsley. + +“I cannot account for what I experienced. It was a feeling different +from any I had ever known before--a strange, wild, and inexplicable +dread of I know not what. But it has passed away. Take no notice of it, +dear, before Ronayne.” + +“Mrs. Elmsley,” said the latter, almost using force to induce the +modest-looking young Indian to enter the room, “will you allow me first +to introduce my friend Waunangee to you, and then to give him a glass +of claret? Forgive the liberty I take, but I confess a good deal of +obligation to him, and would fain do the civil in return.” + +“Indeed! what a set speech for a glass of wine. Give it to him by all +means, if it is only for his beautiful eyes--that is to say, if the +doctor has left any--or stay, I will get another bottle.” + +“By no means,” returned the young officer, “this unconscionable man has +just left about half a tumbler foil, and I do not intend he shall have +more. Waunangee,” he pursued, after filling and presenting him with the +glass, “that is the lady of the house,” pointing to Mrs. Elmsley, “you +must drink to her health.” + +“And dis you handsome squaw,” remarked the Indian, a moment or two after +having tossed off the wine, which quickly circulated through his veins. +“Dis you wife!” he repeated, throwing his expressive eyes upon Miss +Heywood, while a rich glow lighted up his dark, but finely formed +features. + +“Hush!” said Ronayne, making a sign to intimate that he was not to +indulge in such observations. + +But even the small quantity of wine he had taken was acting potently on +the fast animating Indian. “Dis no you squaw--dis Waunangee squaw,” he +said, with strong excitement of manner. “Waunangee, see him beautiful, +Waunangee got warm heart--love him very much!” + +“Tolerably well for a modest youth!” exclaimed the laughing Mrs. +Elmsley. “Who would have thought that one with those soft black eyes, +more fitted for a woman than a man, would hazard so glowing a speech, +after an acquaintance of barely five minutes?” + +“Who says Chicago doesn't abound in adventure?” sneered Von Vottenberg, +as he arose and passed into the apartment of his patient. “I shall +certainly write a book about this when I get back into the civilized +world, and entitle it 'The Loves of the Handsome Waunangee, and the +Beautiful American.'” + +“You had better write 'The Loves of the Fat Von Vottenberg, and his +Mistress, Whisky Punch,'” remarked Ronayne, peevishly, for in spite of +himself, he felt annoyed at an observation, which he thought delicacy +might have spared. “Come, Waunangee, my good friend, we must go.” + +But the young Indian was not so easily led. “Waunangee have him first +dis nice squaw,” he said, with all that show of dogged obstinacy which +so usually distinguishes his race, when under the influence of liquor, +and bent upon the attainment of a particular object. + +“Hear me, Waunangee,” replied the other, placing his hand upon +his shoulder, and now, that Mrs. Elmsley only was present with his +affianced, feeling less scruple in explaining to the young savage--“that +is my squaw--my wife.” + +“Why you no tell him so?” asked the youth, gravely, and with an air of +reproach, while, at the same time, he fixed his soft and melancholy eyes +upon Miss Heywood. “Waunangee love officer's squaw--but Waunangee good +heart. Shake him hand, my friend,” he continued, walking up to her, and +tendering his own, while, singular as it seemed to all, a tear dimmed +his eye, and stole down his cheek. “'Spose no Waunangee wife--you +Waunangee's friend?” + +The generous but trembling girl, shook cordially the hand that rested +in her own, and assured the youth, in a way easily intelligible to +him, that, as the friend of her husband, and she blushed deeply, as the +moment afterwards she became sensible she had used a word, she could not +but feel to be premature, she would always regard him with friendship +and esteem. + +“What a nice little scene we might get up out of this morning's +adventure,” said the ever gay Mrs. Elmsley, as Waunangee, after having +shaken hands with herself, departed with Ronayne. “Really, my dear, +he is a fine looking, and certainly a warm-hearted fellow, that +Wau--Wan--what's his name, Maria?” + +“Waunangee. I know not how it is, Margaret, or why--I should attach so +much importance to the thing, but if ever those glimpses of the future, +called presentiments, had foundation in truth, that young Indian is +destined to exercise some sort of influence over my fate.” + +“You do not mean that he is to supplant Ronayne, I hope,” returned her +friend, trying to laugh her oat of the serious mood, in which she seemed +so much inclined to indulge. + +“How can you speak so, Margaret? No, my presentiment is of a different +character. But it is very foolish and silly to allow the feeling to +weigh with me. I will try to think more rationally. Say nothing of this, +however, and least of all to Ronayne.” + +“Not a word, dearest. Good bye for the present. I must look after the +dinner. You know who dines with us.” + +A look expressive of the deep sense she entertained of the consideration +of her friend, was the only commentary of Miss Heywood, as she passed +into her mother's apartment. + + + + +CHAPTER XI. + +It was now the middle of May. A month had elapsed since the events +detailed in the preceding chapters. The recollection of the outrage at +Heywood's farm, committed early in April was fast dying away, save +in the bosoms of those more immediately interested in the fate of its +proprietor, and apprehensions of a repetition of similar atrocities +had, in a great measure, ceased. A better understanding between the +commanding officer and his subordinates--the result of a long private +interview, which Ensign Ronayne had had with the former, on the morning +after his promise to Mrs. Headley, followed by an apology on parade +that day, had arisen. Corporal Nixon was now Sergeant Nixon--Collins had +succeeded to him, and Le Noir and the boy--Catholic and Protestant--had +been buried in one grave. Ephraim Giles filled the office of factotum +to Von Vottenberg, whose love of whisky punch, was, if possible, on the +increase. Winnebeg, the bearer of confidential despatches, announcing +the hostile disposition and acts of certain of the Winnebagoes, had not +returned, and Waunangee, who, recovered from the fumes of the claret, +had, in an earnest manner, expressed to Ronayne contrition for +the liberty he had taken with Miss Heywood, had departed from the +neighborhood, no one knew whither. Harmony, in a word, had been some +days restored in the Fort, and the only thing that detracted from the +general contentment, was the uncertainty attending the fate of Mr. +Heywood--regretted less, however, for his own sake, than for that of +his amiable daughter, who vainly sought to conceal from her friends, +the anxiety induced by an absence, the duration of which it was utterly +impossible to divine. As for Mrs. Heywood, she was still in ignorance, +so well had things been managed by the Elmsleys, that any of the fearful +scenes had occurred. She still believed her husband to be at the farm. + +But, as it was not likely she could much longer remain in ignorance of +what had been the subject of conversation with every one around her, +it was advised by Von Vottenberg, that, as the warmth of spring was now +fully developed, and all dread of the Indians resuming their hostile +visit, at an end, she should be conveyed back to the cottage, the pure +air around which, was much more likely to improve her health, than +the confined atmosphere of the Fort. She had accordingly been removed +thither early in May, accompanied by her daughter and Catherine. + +Ronayne, of course, become once more a daily visitor, and soon beneath +his hand, the garden began again to assume the beautiful garb it had +worn at that season, for the last two years. The interviews of the +lovers here, freed from the restraints imposed upon them while in the +Fort, had resumed that fervent character which had marked them on the +afternoon of the day when they so solemnly interchanged their vows of +undying faith. They now no longer merely looked their love. They spoke +of it--drank in the sweet avowal from each others lips, and luxuriated +in the sweet pleasure it imparted. They were as the whole world to each +other, and although language could not convey a warmer expression of +their feelings, than had already gone forth from their lips, still was +the repetition replete with a sweetness that never palled upon the ear. +Like the man who never tires of gazing upon his gold, so did they +never tire of the treasures of the expressed love, that daily grew more +intense in their hearts. And yet, notwithstanding this utter devotedness +of soul--notwithstanding her flattering heart confessed in secret the +fullest realization of those dreams which had filled and sustained her +in early girlhood--albeit the assurance the felt that, in Ronayne, she +had found the impersonation of the imaginings of her maturer life, still +whenever he urged her in glowing language to name the day when she would +become his wife, she evaded an answer, not from caprice, but because she +would not bring to him a heart clouded by the slightest tinge of that +anxiety with which ignorance of her father's fate, could not fail to +shade it. A painful circumstance which happened about that period, at +length, however, brought affairs to a crisis. + +It was a lovely evening towards the close of May, and after a somewhat +sultry morning which had been devoted to a ride on horseback along the +lakeshore--Mrs. Headley and Mrs. Elmsley, who had accompanied them, +having returned home, that Ronayne and his betrothed sat in the little +summer-house already described. Mrs. Heywood who had been so far +recovered from her weakness by the change of air, as to take slight +exercise in the garden, supported by her daughter, and the young +officer, had on this occasion expressed a wish to join them, in order +that she might inhale the soft breeze that blew from the south, and +enjoy once more the scenery of the long reach of the river, which wound +its serpentine course from the direction of the farm. To this desire no +other objection was offered, than what was suggested by her companions, +from an apprehension that the fatigue of the ascent would be too great +for her. She, however, persisted in her wish, declaring that she felt +herself quite strong enough--an assertion for which her returning color +gave some evidence. They ceased to oppose her. It was the first time +the invalid had been in the summer-house, since the same period the +preceding spring, and naturally associating the recollection of her +husband, with the familiar objects in the distance, she took her +daughter's hand, and said in a low and husky voice, that proved how much +she had overrated her own strength: + +“How is it, Maria, my love, that we have seen nothing of your father, +lately? I have never known him, since we have been in this part of the +country, to be so long absent from us at one time.” + +“Nay, dear mamma,” returned the pained girl, the tears starting to her +eyes, in spite of her efforts to restrain them, “I do not exactly know +what can detain him. Perhaps he is not at the farm,” and here her tears +forced their way--“you know, dearest mamma, that he is very fond of long +hunting excursions.” + +“Yes, but, my child, why do you weep? Surely there is nothing in that to +produce such emotion. He will soon be back again.” + +“Oh! yes, I hope so. Forgive me, my dear mamma, but I have a very bad +head-ache, and never felt more nervous than I do this evening. Perhaps +it is the effect of my ride in the heat of the sun. Shall we go on. It +is nearly sunset, and I dread your being exposed to the night-air.” + +“Oh! it is so delicious,” softly returned the invalid; “I feel as if I +had not lived for the last twelve months, until now. Only a little +while longer, shall I not, Mr. Ronayne? Perhaps I may never have an +opportunity of ascending to this summer-house again.” + +During this short conversation, trifling in itself, but conveying, under +the circumstances, so much subject for deep and painful reflections, +the young officer had evinced much restlessness of manner, yet without +interposing any other remark than to join Miss Heywood's entreaties that +her mother would suffer herself to be conducted home, before the dew +should begin to fall. In order, moreover, as much as possible to leave +them uninterrupted in the indulgence of their feelings, he had from the +first risen, and stood with his back to them, within the entrance of the +summer house, and was now, with a view to drown their conversation to +his own ear, whistling to Loup Garou, sitting on his haunches outside +the garden-gate, looking fixedly at him. + +Touched by the account he had received of the fidelity of the dog, he, +had, with the consent of Sergeant Nixon, who was glad to secure for his +favorite so kind a protector, become possessed of him from the moment of +his return home; and time, which had in some degree blunted the sorrow +of the animal for the loss of one master, rendered equally keen his +instinct of attachment for the other. Within the month he had been his, +every care had been taken by Ronayne himself, as well as by his servant, +to wean the mourner from the grave of Le Noir, on which, for the first +few days, he had lain, absorbed in grief--refusing all food, until, +yielding at length to the voice of kindness, his memory of the past +seemed to have faded wholly away. + +Ronayne, however, from a fear of exciting unpleasant recollections +in those who were not ignorant of the former position of the dog, had +endeavoured as much as possible, to prevent him from crossing the river +during his visits to the cottage; but, within the last four or five +days, Loup Garou would not thus be kept back, and when expelled from the +boat, had swam across, taking up his station at the gate, beyond which, +however, he did not presume to pass, as if sensible that the delicate +parterres within, were interdicted ground, and there generally lay +squatted with his nose resting on the grass, between his outstretched +fore-paws, until his master came forth on his return home. + +The unexpected and encouraging whistle of the latter on this occasion, +which had been given in pure unconsciousness, caused him to prick +his ears, and uttering a sharp cry, he sprang over the gate, bounding +rapidly towards the eminence on which his master stood. About half-way +between its base and the summit, there was a beautiful rose-bush which +had been planted by Ronayne, and from which he had plucked two flowers, +for the mother and daughter, during the ascent, and presented with +a hand that was observed by Maria Heywood to tremble, and a cheek +unwontedly pale. + +On arriving opposite the rose-tree, the animal suddenly stopped, and +putting his nose to the ground close under it, and sniffing almost +furiously, uttered a prolonged and melancholy howl, while, with his +fore-paws he began to scratch up the loose earth around, regardless of +the voice of his master, who renewed his whistling, and called upon him +almost angrily to desist. + +Alarmed at this perseverance of action, the ensign descended to the +spot--laid hands on Loup Garou, and sought to remove him, but the +animal, strong of neck--full in the chest--and on the present occasion, +under the influence of furious impulse, was not to be restrained. + +The moaning of the dog--the descent-the corrective voice of his master, +and the seeming struggle of both to attain opposite purposes, naturally +attracted the attention of those above, and they both rose and neared +to the doorway Ronayne had so recently quitted. Their horror may well +be imagined when, on looking down, they found that the dog had +already uncovered a human body, which, though disfigured and partially +decomposed, filial and conjugal affection too clearly distinguished as +the father of the one, the husband of the other! + +Uttering a feeble shriek, Mrs. Heywood fell insensible within the +threshold of the summer-house, while her daughter, less overwhelmed, but +with feelings impossible to describe, stooped and chafed her mother's +temples, and notwithstanding a horrid thought, which, despite her own +will, shot through her mind, that the man to whom she had given every +affection of her heart, was in some degree connected with this horrid +spectacle, she called vehemently to him for assistance. + +The situation of the perplexed officer was scarcely less painful. On +the one hand, feeling all the necessity of retaining his grasp of Loup +Garou, as the only means of preventing him from further uncovering of +the body--on the other, urged by the summons of her, whom he knew, from +her very manner, to be in possession of this fearful secret, his mind +become a perfect chaos, and large drops of perspiration streamed from +his brow. In this irritating dilemma, a sudden transport of rage took +possession of his heart, and seizing Loup Garou with both his hands, he +so compressed them around his throat, that the dog, already exhausted +with his exertions, was half-strangled before being raised with a +frantic effort, and dashed with violence upon the body he had so +unhappily been instrumental in discovering. + +Scarcely had this been done--a low moaning from Loup Garou, as if +reproaching him for the act, alone denoting that he breathed, when the +ensign flew up the steps of the summer-house, and regardless of the +involuntary half-shudder of his betrothed, as he approached, caught the +insensible invalid in his arms, and so carrying her, that her eyes, if +she should open them, could not encounter the horrid spectacle below, +again rapidly descended, and hurried towards the house. Maria Heywood, +on passing the rose-tree so recently prized, but now so abhorrent to her +sight, could not resist a strong impulse to look upon the mysteries so +strangely unveiled, but although the twilight had not yet passed away, +nothing could be seen but the displaced earth, and stretched over the +excavation he himself had made, the motionless body of the dog. + +Sick at heart, and with wild and unconnected images floating through her +heated brain, she followed almost mechanically to the cottage. + +This was no time for ceremony. When answering the loud ring, Catherine +appeared hurriedly at the door, Ronayne bore his inanimate charge into +her bedroom, and in silence and deep grief, sought, by every means in +his power, to restore her. But all his efforts proving vain, he, in a +state of mind difficult to describe, tore a leaf from his pocket-book, +wrote a few hurried lines to Elmsley, requesting him to allow his +wife to come over immediately with Von Vottenberg, and when they had +departed, to call upon Captain Headley and explain the cause of his +absence. This note he gave to Catherine, with instructions to cross in +the boat which was waiting for himself, and to return with Mrs. Elmsley, +or if she did not come, with the doctor. + +When left together, beside the insensible body of Mrs. Heywood, the +lovers experienced for the first time, a feeling of restraint, for in +the hearts of both, were passing thoughts which neither seemed desirous +of imparting. But, Maria Heywood, gentle as she was, was not of a +character long to endure the state of uncertainty under which she +labored. The strange wild apprehensions which had arisen, she knew +not how or why, had so preyed upon her quiet, that suspense became +intolerable, and at length, addressing her lover in a voice, never more +melancholy or touching than at that moment, and looking at him with +an expression of deep sadness, while the large tears trickled down her +cheeks. + +“Ronayne, you know--you must have known--your whole conduct throughout +this affair, proves you must have known of my poor father's death, and +of his rude--almost insulting burial in that fatal spot. How he came +hither, you best can tell. Oh! Harry, it is very cruel thus to have +reposed the confidence of the entire soul, and then to have been +disappointed. This cruel discovery will be the means of destroying my +peace forever, unless you give the explanation which alone can restore +our confidence in each other--yet how can I, with these glaring truths +before my eyes, expect that you will?” + +“Insulting burial! oh, Maria, I feel that I never loved you more than +now when you would break my heart with this unkindness.” He bent his +head upon the same pillow, upon which reclined the unconscious head of +the mother of the woman whom he so ardently loved, and wept tears of +bitterness and sorrow. + +“I cannot stand this, Ronayne, dear Ronayne, whatever you be--whatever +you may have done, I love you with all the ardor of the most devoted +soul! But,” she continued, more composedly, “forgive me, if my feelings +and my judgment are at issue. One question I must ask, cost what it may, +for I cannot longer endure this agony of suspense--no, for your sake +I cannot endure it. How is it that you have always made a secret--a +mystery even to me, of the motive of your absence on that fatal night +succeeding the massacre at the firm.” + +“Dear Maria. I can well forgive the question in the excitement which +must have been produced in you by the startling events of this evening.” + +“Ronayne,” she mournfully interrupted--“your sudden interference with +the dog--your struggle with him--nay, your very manner of speaking now, +convince me that you knew my father lay buried beneath that rose-tree. +In candor, answer me. Yes or no.” + +“And, admitting I had had that knowledge, Maria--can you imagine no good +reason for my forbearing all allusion to the subject?” + +“Yet, why conceal the fact from one who had supposed you could have +no concealment from her--and then again, how am I to reconcile the +circumstance of my poor father having been reported to be a prisoner--a +report which, sanctioned by yourself, left me not utterly hopeless--and +the fact of his burial here--evidently with your knowledge.” + +“Maria,” returned Ronayne, impressively, and with an expression of much +pain at the remark, “as I have already said, I can make every allowance, +in recollection of the painful scene of which I have, in some degree, +been the cause, but is it generous--is it quite appreciating my +character and my feelings towards yourself, to doubt that I had intended +from the first, and at a fitting moment, to explain every thing to you?” + +Again was the confidence of the generous girl established, and with +almost passionate warmth, she exclaimed. “Oh! Ronayne, forgive--forgive +me, but this melancholy--this harrowing occurrence has made me so far +not myself--that I almost hate myself. Tell me, dear Ronayne, do you +forgive me?” + +“Yes, from the bottom of my soul, do I forgive you, and yet, dearest, +there is nothing to forgive, for how could it be otherwise, than that +your poor and sorely tried heart should be subjected to wild imaginings +inexplicable to yourself. The ordeal to which you have been submitted, +is a severe one, but I am sure your oppressed heart will be greatly +lightened when you shall have been in possession of the truth connected +with this most melancholy affair--your regard for me, will if possible, +be even greater than before. Pardon this seeming vanity. I make the +assertion because I know it will not a little console you, under this +terrible infliction.” + +It was a strange sight, that of these lovers, hitherto so devoted and +now only temporarily half-doubting, talking of the fate of one parent +while leaning over the apparent death-bed of the other. + +“Ronayne, dear Ronayne, I am satisfied--fully, wholly satisfied, and +as you observe, the assurance which you have now given me, will form my +chief support under this double affliction,” and she pointed, weeping, +to her mother, whose scarcely perceptible breathing alone attested that +she lived. + +“Maria,” he said tenderly and gravely, as he took her hand in his, over +the invalid--“the hour of your promise is come--the fate of your father +is known--would that it had been less abruptly revealed--and were other +inducement to keep it wanting, is it not to be found here? But at this +moment I will ask nothing which you may feel reluctance in granting. +To-morrow we will speak of this again--to-morrow you shall know how much +I have sought--how much I have risked--to soften the pang which I knew +would, soon or late be inflicted on her whom I so love.” + +“Generous--kind--considerate Ronayne, I can fully understand you, yet, +ah! what must you think of me, who could for a moment doubt your power +to explain every act of your life, however ambiguous in appearance. But +what is that paper you have taken from your pocket-book?” + +“One that I have long designed for your perusal. It was written a few +days after the events at the farm, and I have since then frequently +determined to place it in your hands in order that, in the sacredness of +solitude, you might indulge in the bitter tears its few pages will wring +from you; but too selfish--yes, selfish, and severely am I punished for +it--to suffer the joy of the hour to be broken in upon by sadness, I +have hitherto delayed putting you in possession of that which, if only +communicated a day earlier, would have spared us this painful scene. But +I hear footsteps approaching. They must be those of Mrs. Elmsley and the +doctor, with Catherine. Be not surprised, dearest, if I leave you soon +after they enter, for I have something to do this evening which will +require my presence in the Fort. Early in the morning, however, I shall +be here.” + +“I understand well what demands your presence elsewhere,” she returned +with a look of deep gratitude and love. “Oh! Ronayne, whatever may +happen,” and the tears streamed down her pale face, as she pointed to +her mother--“hear me declare that whatever you may ask of me one month +hence, I shall not consider myself justified in refusing.” + +Scarcely had he time to impress upon her lips his deep but chastened +sense of happiness, when the party expected, entered the room--Von +Vottenberg immediately applying himself to an examination of the +patient, whose condition, it was evident from his unusually grave look, +he conceived to be highly critical. + +Dreading to hear his opinion pronounced in the presence of his +betrothed, and the more so, because he had in some degree been its +cause, the young officer, after having warmly shaken hands with Mrs. +Elmsley, whom he thanked for her prompt attention, urged her to do all +in her power to soothe Maria, to whom, at parting, he also offered his +hand, while his eye was eloquent with the feelings he could not well +openly express. + +He first directed his course towards the rose-bush, and approached it +with a feeling almost similar to what would have been experienced by +him, had he been the actual murderer of Mr. Heywood. Loup Garou was +sitting crouched near the head and was so far recovered as to growl +rather fiercely at him, as he approached. On hearing the voice of his +master, not in anger but in conciliation, he arose, slightly wagged his +tail, and came forward slowly and crouching, as if in dread of further +punishment, his lip uncurled, showing all his upper teeth, and with a +short, quick sneeze, peculiar to his half-wolf-blooded race. + +Calling gently to the animal, he preceded him to the gate, desiring him +to wait there until he returned--an injunction evidently understood by +the dog, which, crouching down in his accustomed posture, ventured not +to move. With the small spud, already alluded to, and then near the +rose-tree, he put back in small quantities the displaced earth, until +the ghastly face, indistinctly seen in the star-light, was again wholly +hidden from view. This done, he approached the bank of the river, +followed by the dog, and gave a shrill whistle, which, without being +answered, speedily brought over the boat in which he now embarked for +the opposite shore. + +His first care was to seek Elmsley, who, as officer of the guard, was +up accoutred for duty, and was now looking over an old “Washington +Intelligencer,” that had been read at least a dozen times before, while +he smoked his pipe and sipped from a bowl of whisky punch, which Von +Vottenberg had just finished brewing, when so suddenly summoned to the +cottage. + +After Ronayne had detailed to his friend the occurrences of the evening, +and communicated his views, they both issued forth to the guard-room, +where Sergeant Nixon happened to be upon duty. With the latter, a brief +conversation was held by Ronayne, ending with an injunction for him to +come to Lieutenant Elmsley's quarters and announce to him (the former), +when certain arrangements which had been agreed upon, were completed. + +Returned to the abode of the latter, the young officer required no very +great pressing to induce him to join his superior in the beverage, to +which anxiety of mind not less than fatigue of body had so much disposed +him, yet of which both partook moderately. While so employed, and +awaiting the appearance of the sergeant, Ronayne, who had now no motive +for further mystery or concealment, detailed at the request of his +friend, but in much more succinct terms than he had done in the paper +he had handed to Maria Heywood, the circumstances connected with his +absence from the Fort, on the night of the attack upon the farm, and the +means taken by him to attain the object in which he had been thwarted by +Captain Headley. + + + + +CHAPTER XII. + +“You dam Yankee, stop Injin when him go wigwam,” commenced Ronayne, +rising at the same time and imitating the action of one unsteady from +intoxication. “'Spose tell him gubbernor?” + +“Ah! you horrid wretch--I see it all now, yet could I have been so +imposed upon? You then were the pretended drunken Indian I let out that +night? Upon my word, Master Ronayne. I never will forgive you for that +trick.” + +“Yes you will, old fellow. It was the only way to save you from a +scrape, but I confess I have often since laughed in my sleeve at the +recollection of the manner in which I deceived you.” + +“Hang me if you didn't play your part to admiration, but the best of the +jest is, that on reporting the circumstance to Headley, on the following +morning, he said I had acted perfectly right; so had you known this when +you had that scene on the parade, you might have pleaded his sanction. +However, all that is over. Now then for your adventure.” + +“The tale is soon told,” began Ronayne. “On the evening when you and +Von Vottenberg were so busy, the one in concocting his whisky-punch--the +other in cutting up the Virginia, I was sacking my brain for a means +to accomplish my desire to reach the farm, where I had a strong +presentiment, from the lateness of the hour, without bringing any +tidings of them, the fishing-party were, with Mr. Heywood and his +people, in a state of siege, and I at length decided on what seemed to +me to be the only available plan. I was not sorry to see you leave +after taking your second glass, for I knew that I should have little +difficulty in sewing up the doctor, whose tumbler I repeatedly +filled, and made him drink off after sundry toasts, while he did not +perceive--or was by no means sorry if he did--that I merely sipped +from my own. When I thought he had swallowed enough to prevent him from +interfering with my project, I bade him good night and left him, knowing +well that in less than ten minutes he would be asleep. Instead, however, +of going to bed, I hastened at once to preliminaries, having first +got rid of my servant whom I did not wish to implicate, by making him +acquainted with my intended absence. But tell me, did you examine my +room at all the next day?” + +“I did.” + +“And found nothing missing?” + +“Nothing. I scouted everywhere, and found only yourself wanting--the bed +unrumpled, and everything in perfect bachelor order.” + +“And that leather dress, my dear fellow, in which I once paid a visit +to the camp of Winnebeg, from whose squaw, indeed, I had bought it. You +know it generally hangs against the wall at the foot of my bed.” + +“Ah! now I recollect, that was not there certainly, although I did not +notice its absence then--so then, that was the dress you went out in, +and I such a goose as not to remark it.” + +“Because you know that I had had the precaution to throw a blanket over +it in the most approved Pottawattamie style, while my features were +colored with gambouge and Indian ink.” + +“Well, say no more about that--I am ashamed to have been so taken in by +a Johnny Raw. We will now suppose you kicked out of the Fort. Did I not +kick you out,” he added humorously, “and say, begone, you drunken dog, +and never show your ugly face here again!” + +“On the contrary,” returned his junior in the same mocking strain, +“you were but too glad to be civil when I threatened you with the +'gubbernor!'” + +“Once out of the Fort,” he gravely continued, “my course was plain. I +immediately went to the wigwam of Winnebeg, whom I found seated, with +his toes almost in the embers of an expiring fire, and smoking his last +pipe previous to wrapping himself up for the night in his blanket. +You may imagine his surprise, when, after some little difficulty, he +recognized in that garb, and at that hour, particularly after the events +of the day, with which he had been made acquainted by Mr. Frazer, before +the latter, with his family, took refuge in the Fort. Still, true to the +dignified reserve of his race, he concealed as much as possible what +was passing in his mind, and made me sit by his side, near which, I +have omitted to say, was an extremely handsome young Indian, whom he +presented to me as his son, and then bade me tell him the object of my +visit. + +“Of course I knew enough of Indian etiquette to be satisfied that +I should gain by not attempting to hurry matters, and I accordingly +suppressed my own impatience while taking a few whiffs from the pipe he +courteously offered to me. Winnebeg then received it back, and while he +sat with his eyes fixed intently on the fire, puffed away in an attitude +of profound attention which encouraged me to proceed. + +“When he had heard all I had to say in regard to the fears I entertained +for the absent party--for I did not confine my profession of interest to +ONE--my vain application to the commandant, and my strong reliance +upon him to send a party of his young men with me to the farm, his eye +suddenly kindled--his countenance assumed a more animated expression, +and removing the pipe from his lips, and puffing forth a more than usual +volume of smoke, he cordially shook my hands, saying something in Indian +to his son, who immediately sprang to his feet, and disappeared from the +tent. + +“After a lapse of time which seemed to me as an age, the youth +re-appeared with a dozen young warriors, all armed and decked in their +war paint. They remained grouped round the entrance for a few minutes, +while Waunangee changed his own dress, and Winnebeg provided me with a +rifle, tomahawk and scalping-knife. Thus accoutred I took the lead with +the former, and after cautiously creeping through the encampment, passed +along the skirt of the wood that almost overhung the river. We moved off +at a quick walk, but soon our pace increased to a half-run, so anxious +were we all to get to the farm. + +“We had not proceeded more than half-way when we saw a small boat, which +I immediately distinguished as that belonging to the fishing-party, +slowly descending the river. The Indians simultaneously, and as if +governed by one common instinct, dropped flat on the ground, as I +supposed to remain unseen until the boat should come opposite to them, +while I, uncertain by whom it was occupied, and anxious to ascertain, +after whispering a few words to Waunangee, moved cautiously in advance +along the shore. When I had crept up about fifty yards, I could +distinctly see that it was one of our men, and I immediately hailed to +know who he was, and where the remainder of the party were. + +“Scarcely had he answered 'Collins,' and commenced a few words of +explanation of the cause of his being there and alone, when the forms +of two Indians, which I fancied I had before detected creeping along the +shore, regulating their stealthy progress by that of the boat, started +into full height, and silently bounded towards me--one a little in +advance of the other. The moment was critical. They were not twenty +paces from me, and I have often since wondered at the presence of mind +I preserved. It occurred to me that they would not commit the imprudence +of using firearms so near the Fort, and that steel only would be +resorted to by them. This suggested my own course. Throwing my rifle +upon the beach in order that Collins, who was now pulling for the +shore, might seize and use it as occasion should require, I grasped the +scalping-knife in my left hand, and with my tomahawk in my right, did +not wait for the attack, but rushed upon the foremost Indian, for I knew +that my only chance of success lay in the killing or disabling of one +before his comrade could come up. At the same time, both to apprise +Waunangee of my position, and to daunt my adversaries, I uttered one of +these tremendous yells, you know I so well can imitate, and receiving +the blow of his tomahawk upon my own, thrown up in true military guard, +plunged my knife into his body with such suddenness and force, that +on examining it afterwards, I found that at least half an inch of the +tapering handle had followed the blade. The savage fell dead without +uttering a groan, a sight which, instead of checking the advance of his +companion, rather urged him to revenge his fall. He had now come up +with me, brandishing his tomahawk, when I put myself again on my guard, +purposing to use my knife as I had done before, but at the very moment +when the descent of his weapon was expected by me, he was suddenly +seized from behind, raised from his feet, and thrown upon the ground. +This was the act of Collins, who had gained the shore just after the +first Indian fell, and had flown to my assistance. + +“At the same moment, Waunangee, who, with his warriors had started up +on hearing my loud yell of defiance, came quickly to the spot, and +they were not a little astounded to see an Indian, whom they instantly +pronounced to be a Winnebago, lying motionless at my feet, nor was their +respect for me at all lessened, when on handing my scalping-knife from +one to the other, they perceived what a proficient I was in the use of +their own favorite weapon. + +“Of course I was not silly enough to detract from my own glory, by +admitting that it was as much the result of accident as of design. +They made signs for me to scalp him, but having no particular desire to +possess this trophy of my successful hand to hand encounter, one of the +young men asked me to waive my right in his favor. This I did, and +the scalp of the Winnebago was soon dangling from his waist. The other +spoils I did not object to, and his rifle, tomahawk, and knife are +now in Winnebago's tent, until there offers a favorable opportunity of +bringing them to my quarters. But to proceed. + +“So much time had been passed in the examination of the body of the +slain Winnebago, that his comrade had found ample time to escape. The +Pottawattamies had not seen him, and Collins, after having temporarily +disabled him, had run up to afford me further assistance, on seeing +advancing in the rear, those whom he took to be of the same hostile +party. Thus left unwatched, the savage had managed to creep away into +the wood, and when attention was at length drawn to him, he was not to +be seen. + +“When Collins had explained the position of the party at the farm, whose +danger, on finding himself of no service there, he was then on his way +to report, I proposed to Waunangee that half of his warriors should +ascend by land, while the remainder with himself, accompanied me in +the boat. We accordingly separated, and made what haste we could to our +destination--the party on shore regulating their progress by that of the +boat. During the descent my anxiety was very great, for my whole soul +was bent upon the attainment of one object--that of restoring Mr. +Heywood unharmed to his family. But the absence of all sound indicating +conflict was by no means favorable, and I had already begun to fear that +the silence which prevailed, was but the result of victory on the part +of the hostile band who had departed, when suddenly the loud, +fierce yell of disappointment which burst from them, as I have since +understood, when a ladder by which they attempted to enter was thrown +from the roof by Nixon, rang encouragingly upon my ear, and urged me to +increased exertion. Our progress, however, was by no means proportioned +to my anxiety, for somehow or other, only two oars were in the boat, +and, as the Indians did not much care or know how to pull in time, the +task devolved wholly upon Collins and myself. At length, just as the day +was beginning to dawn, we reached the farm-house, about a hundred yards +beyond which we put in and landed, making a detour by the barn, so as +to meet the remainder of our little force in the rear, and thus to place +the enemy, if actually surrounding the house, between two fires. + +“After waiting, however, some little time, and finding every thing +quiet, my apprehensions increased, for, although not the sign of a +Winnebago could be seen, so profound was the stillness within, that +I began to think the whole of the party had been either captured or +murdered. Suddenly, however, while hesitating as to the course to be +pursued--for I feared that if the party were all right, and the enemy +departed, they might fire upon us as we approached--I saw a man in +American undress uniform, whom I had no difficulty in recognizing as +Corporal Nixon, issue from the back of the house with a basket in his +hands, and turning the corner with an appearance of much caution, make +hastily for the river. Directing Waunangee, whose two bands had now +joined, and were then lying closely concealed in the barn, to enter the +house as cautiously and noiselessly as possible, I hastened after Nixon, +from whom, after recovering from his first fright at finding himself +unarmed, and in the power of one whom he naturally took for one of his +recent assailants, I received a brief account of all that had occurred. +On entering the house with him, shortly afterwards, what a contrast was +present--on the one hand the ludicrous--the horrible on the other. + +“Close within the doorway lay the dead body of Mr. Heywood--” + +“The dead body of Mr. Heywood!” exclaimed Elmsley, starting from his +chair in almost dismay at the intelligence. “How comes it, Ronayne, that +you have never spoken of this before?” + +“No interruption, Elmsley--hear me to the close--close within the +doorway, I repeat, lay the dead body of Mr. Heywood--his face much +disfigured--and his large frame almost rigid in a pool of clotted blood. +Imagine what a sight this was to me, whose sole object and hope it +had been to restore the father in safety to the daughter, although at +intervals during the route, I had more than once dreaded something of +the sort. Stupefied at the spectacle, I felt my heart to sicken, as the +idea of the grief by which Maria would be overwhelmed when this sad +tale should be revealed to her, rose to my imagination. But even then my +presence of mind did not desert me, and I already determined on what was +to be done. In some degree consoled by this, I raised my glance from the +body to observe what further atrocity had been committed. Three or four +Indians were grouped around, evidently regarding the corpse with deep +interest, for Mr. Heywood had often hunted with them, and given them +refreshments when stopping to rest at his place, while on their way +to the Fort laden with game. Further on the great body of Waunangee's +people were standing leaning on their rifles, and enjoying the mistake +of three of our fellows, who naturally taking them, from the great +resemblance of dress, to be their enemies who had obtained an entrance, +were holding aloft, in an attitude of defiance--one a huge poker thrust +through the carcass of an enormous bird, and two others a blackened leg +and wing, evidently belonging to the same animal, which they ever and +anon brandished over their heads, while their eyes were rivetted on the +dusky forms before them. The wooden partition sustained their muskets, +from which the interposing Indians had cut them off, and against the +front door of the house, which was closed and barred, leaned the only +armed man of the party, deprived, however, of all power of action.” + +“What a scene for some American Hogarth!” interrupted the lieutenant, +“and how graphically you have described it. I can see the picture before +me now.” + +“I confess,” answered Ronayne, “I could not even, amid all my own +painful feelings, suppress a smile at its extreme absurdity, for the +appearance of three men seeking to defend themselves from what they +believed to be fierce and blood-thirsty enemies, with the burnt carcass +and limbs of an old turkey-cock, was such a burlesque on the chivalrous, +that, knowing as I did how little their supposed enemy was to be +dreaded, I could not suppress thoughts which, while they forced +themselves upon me, I was angry at allowing myself to entertain. To +understand the scene fully, you must have looked on it yourself. Had +I recounted this to you yesterday, or even this morning, I could have +filled up the picture more grotesquely, and yet not less truly. But +now I have too great a weight on my spirits to give more than a simple +sketch. + +“At the announcement of my name and purpose, the statue at the door +became suddenly disenchanted--the legs and wings fell--a man dropped +lightly from the loft, musket in hand, and Cass only, with his gaze +intently fixed on the mocking savages before him, of whom he took me +indeed to be one, continued his defensive attitude with the poker, nor +was it until I had advanced and taken his weapon from him, amid the loud +laughter of the young Indians, that he finally came to his senses. And +yet, after all, poor devil, his distrust was but natural. + +“No time was to be lost. While some of the men were, according to my +instructions, wrapping in a blanket the body of Mr. Heywood, after +removing from it what blood they could, and the others bore to the +boat the unfortunate Le Noir, whom I had not at first distinguished, so +completely had he been covered over by his dog and walnut blossoms, I +took the corporal aside, and explained to him how important it was that +nothing should be known at the Fort of the fate of Mr. Heywood. On +his asking what he should say if questioned, I desired him (with some +hesitation, I confess, for I knew I was setting a bad example to the +men, which only the peculiar circumstances of the case could justify), +to give an evasive answer, and say that the Indians had carried him off +with them, which indeed would be the fact, as I intended him to be borne +away by the party I had brought. I told him, moreover, that at a fitting +opportunity, I would explain every thing to Captain Headley, and take +all the responsibility upon myself. + +“On his promptly saying that he would, I added that the men of his party +should be made acquainted with my wish, and asked if I might depend upon +their secrecy. He replied that there was not a man among them who did +not so love Miss Heywood, as to run the risk of any punishment, rather +than utter one word that could be the means of giving her pain, and that +while on the way down he would take care to warn them. + +“Elmsley, I was touched at this--almost to tears--for it was a source +of proud yet tender pleasure to me--much more so than I can express--to +know that Maria was so great a favorite with these rude-hearted fellows. +Assured that every thing was right, I told the corporal to embark his +men immediately, and pull for the Fort, while I, with Waunangee and his +Indians proceeded by land with the body of Mr. Heywood. + +“'Don't you think, sir,' said the corporal, hesitatingly, as he prepared +to execute my orders--'don't you think it would be well for the ladies' +sake that they should not be reminded of the name of this place, more +than can be helped?' + +“'Undoubtedly, Nixon, but what do you mean?' + +“'Why, sir, I mean that as poor Mr. Heywood never can be here again, +it would be better nothing should be left to remind them of the bloody +doings of yesterday.' + +“'And what other name would you give it?' I asked. + +“'If it was left to me, Mr. Ronayne,' replied the corporal; 'I would +call it HARDSCRABBLE, on account of the hard struggle the fellows must +have had with Mr. Heywood, judging from his wounds and his broken rifle, +before they mastered him.' + +“'Then, HARDSCRABBLE be it,' I said, 'not that I can really see it will +make much difference in calling the thing to mind, yet it would scarcely +be fair to deny to you, who have so bravely defended the place, the +privilege of giving it a new name, if the old one is to be abandoned.' + +“'Thank you, sir,' returned Nixon, 'but if you hadn't come to our +assistance, I don't know what the upshot might have been, I suspect +that fellow whose comrade you killed, sent them off sooner than they +intended.' + +“'No more of that, Nixon--and now do you remember what you are to say +when you get back to the Fort?' + +“'I do, sir, and every man shall be told to say as I do--but about the +new name, Mr. Ronayne,' he pursued, returning, after he had gone a few +paces, 'do you think, sir, Mrs. Heywood will consent to it?' + +“'My good fellow,' I answered, 'recollect that Mrs. Heywood must know +nothing about it--at least for the present. I will settle all that +later. In the mean time, as you have called it HARDSCRABBLE, so let it +remain.' + +“And HARDSCRABBLE that scene of blood is called to this hour. + +“I had at first apprehended,” pursued Ronayne, “that the Indians would +evince disinclination to carry the body so long a distance, or even at +all, but on Waunangee explaining my desire, they all to my surprise, +expressed even eagerness to meet my wishes, for, as he assured me, the +young men looked upon me as a great warrior who had achieved a deed of +heroism that might procure the distinction of a chief, and entitling me +to their services in all things. + +“I certainly thought my honors cheaply enough purchased; however I was +but too glad to appropriate to myself the respect and good-will which +the killing of the Winnebago had entailed--and matters were soon +arranged. + +“The body having been removed outside, and the doors secured as well as, +under the circumstances, could be done, one of the warriors cut from a +tree in the adjacent wood, a semi-circular piece of tough and flexible +bark, about six feet in length, and in the hollow of this, the murdered +father of Maria Heywood, already swathed tightly in a blanket, was +placed. A long pole was then passed through the equidistant loops of +cord that encircled the whole, and two of the Indians having, with the +assistance of their companions, raised it upon their shoulders, it was +thus borne--the parties being relieved at intervals--over the two long +miles of road that led to the skirt of the woods near the encampment. +Here the body of Indians stopped, while Waunangee and myself repaired to +the tent of his father, who no sooner had heard detailed by his son the +account of my Winnebago killing practice of the preceding evening, than +he overwhelmed me with congratulations, and looked proudly on the knife, +still stained with a spot or two of blood, which I returned to him, and +which he restored to its usual resting-place on his hip. + +“Perceiving that Winnebeg was, like his young men, ready to do any thing +for me. I explained to him my desire to convey the body of Mr. Heywood +across the river, and bury him secretly in his own grounds, but that +it was necessary, in order to do this effectually, that he and his son +should go with me, and by some circuitous route. Entering at once into +my views, he said he would show me a place where we could cross without +being seen either from the Fort or from his own encampment, and then led +the way back to the wood where the party were still waiting. + +“The rest is soon told. Dismissing the young men into the encampment. +Winnebeg, with his son, bore the body within the skirt of the wood, +until we reached a bend of the river hidden from observation, where +a canoe with paddles was drawn up on the beach. There we crossed, +and going round to the rear of the cottage, entered the garden, and +proceeded to the upper end, where at the summer house, near a favorite +rose-tree of Maria's, I dug with my own hands a hasty grave, in which +Winnebeg and Waunangee placed the body--its only coffin being the bark +that was swathed around it. Of course I always intended to disinter it +at some future, but not distant period, and bestow upon it the usual +rites of burial. + +“This painful task accomplished, and the soil having been carefully +replaced, so as to leave no inequality of surface, I accompanied +my friends back by the same route, and about nine o'clock left the +Pottawattamie encampment with them and a few other warriors of the +tribe for the Fort, which in the crowd I entered without difficulty or +creating suspicion. Watching my opportunity, I stole to the rear of my +bed-room--opened and entered the window--changed my dress, and made my +appearance on parade as you saw.” + +“All is ready, sir,” said Sergeant Nixon, entering just as he had +concluded, and before Elmsley could offer any remark on this singular +adventure--“the coffin is in the scow, and Corporal Collins, Green and +Philips are there also with their shovels, ropes, and picks. If Mr. +Elmsley will give me permission,” and he touched his cap to that +officer. “I will go too, sir.” + +“As sergeant of the guard--no, Nixon, my good fellow, that will never +do. The three men you have named, are, with myself, quite enough. Be +on the look-out though, to let us in on our return. Have you provided a +dark lantern?” + +“Yes, sir, Collins has the lantern belonging to the guard house.” + +“Good. I will follow you in a moment, Elmsley,” he continued, rising and +draining off his half-emptied glass, “lend me your prayer-book. I wish +that you could be present at this dismal ceremony, but of course that is +wholly out of the question.” + +“It is, indeed, my dear fellow. It would never do for us both to be +absent. Not only ourselves but the men would be brought into the scrape, +for you know Headley always sleeps with one eye open.” + +“I do not like to do any thing clandestinely,” remarked the +ensign--“particularly after our reconciliation with him. Moreover, it +is, as you say, in some degree compromising the men and myself with +them. I have a great mind before I start to see and explain every thing +to Headley, and obtain his sanction to my absence.” + +“Nonsense,” returned his friend, “he will never know it; besides it +is possible that he may refuse to let you go before morning, and your +object is, of course, to have every thing finished to-night. Take my +advice; go without speaking to him on the subject, and if your remorse +of conscience,” and he smiled archly, “be so great afterwards, as to +deprive you of more rest and appetite than you lost after killing that +poor devil of a Winnebago, go to him as you did before--confess that +you have again been a naughty boy--ask his pardon, and I am sure he will +forgive the crime.” + +“Well, I believe you are right. Be it so. Adieu, I shall be back within +a couple of hours at the latest.” + +“If you do, you will in all probability find me still poring over this +old Intelligencer, which is full of rumors of approaching war with the +British.” + +“I shall be more inclined to hug my pillow,” replied the ensign as +he departed, “for I must again cross to the cottage, and be back here +before guard-mounting to-morrow.” + +Within ten minutes the party--two of them having borne the empty coffin, +and the corporal the necessary implements, stood near the rose-tree in +the garden. The body of Mr. Heywood was disinterred--the bark in which +it lay wound round with many folds of a large sheet, and placed in the +coffin, which after being screwed down, was deposited in a grave dug at +least five feet under the surface. Then commenced the burial service, +which was read by the young officer in a slow and impressive tone, and +by the light of the shaded lantern, which, falling obliquely upon the +forms of the men, discovered them standing around the grave--one foot +resting on the edge--the other drawn back, as they awaited the signal +to lower their almost offensive burden into its last resting-place. At +length the prayers for the dead were ended, and the grave was carefully +filled up, leaving as before, no inequality, but too deep to attract the +scent of Loup Garou. Then after having dug up a few small roots of the +sweet briar, and placed them at intervals on the newly-turned earth. +Ronayne crossed with his little party to the Fort, glad to obtain a few +hours of that repose, for which the harassing events of the day had so +much predisposed him. + + + + +CHAPTER XIII. + +The fourth of July 1812, was a more than usual gala-day in the little +Fort of Chicago, for in addition to the National Jubilee, there was to +be celebrated one of a private, yet not less interesting nature. On that +evening Ensign Ronayne was to espouse, in the very room in which he had +first been introduced to her the woman he had so long and so ardently +loved, and who, her mother having after a severe struggle become +convalescent, had conformably to her promise, yielded a not reluctant +consent to his proposal that this day of general joy, should be that of +the commencement of their own happiness. + +At that remote period, and in the absence of duly ordained clergymen, +it was customary for marriages to be performed by the Governors of +Districts and by commanding officers of distant Forts, and these, +perfectly legal, were subsequently as inclination, or scruple of +conscience induced, celebrated in the usual manner. The early marriages +of British subjects in Canada, soon after its conquest from the French, +as well as many of those of the colonies now known as the United States, +took place in this manner, and the custom had been continued until +increased population provided the means of securing that spiritual +comfort, which it must, of course, have been impossible for one dressed +in a red coat instead of a black one, to impart. + +But neither Maria Heywood or Ronayne stood much on this punctilio. +Provided the ceremony was legal, and according to the customs of +the country, it mattered little who married them--the governor of +a district--the commandant of a garrison, or a Gretna Green +blacksmith--had they felt at all disposed to avail themselves of the +services of the latter. + +It was a lovely day, and every thing seemed to smile upon the denizens +of that region, from the early dawn until the setting of the sun. +Officers and men were in their brightest uniforms--the women and +children in their holiday dresses. A splendid new Star Spangled +Banner--the work of Maria Heywood's hands--floated in the dazzling rays +of the sun, upon the southern bastion of the Fort. Joy and pride sat on +every brow. They exulted at the recollection of that hardly won freedom +from injustice, which was that day to be celebrated for the thirty-sixth +time. + +At noon the cannon thundered forth their bursts of rejoicing. This was +the signal for the numerous Pottawattamies outside, all of whom had +decked themselves for the occasion, to approach nearer to the Fort. On +the glacis they discharged their guns and rifles, and seemed to have +but one spirit with the allies to whom they appeared to have devoted +themselves. Winnebeg, however, though long expected, had not yet +returned, and nothing yet had been seen of Waunangee, since his +departure on the day following the little incident which occurred in +Elmsley's apartments. + +Contrary to that unnatural etiquette which enjoins that two betrothed +persons, who are expected to be inseparable after marriage, should never +show themselves together in public immediately before, Ronayne had after +parade ascended the rampart, with Maria Heywood leaning upon his arm, +occasionally glancing at the group of gaily-costumed Indians, who were +amusing themselves on the green, but oftener admiring the lovely +view, softened by distance, which was presented in various points, and +particularly towards the farm--the theatre of events which the otherwise +happy girl, could not at that moment avoid bringing to her recollection. + +While gazing in that direction, her eye fell upon the form of a young +Indian who was leaning against the corner of the picketed bastion on her +left, in the shallow, dry, and grass-covered ditch that surrounded +it. At first her glance caught an indistinct human form dressed in the +Indian garb, but as her gaze settled on the object, her surprise was +great to recognise Waunangee, who was even then looking at her with +the same softened and eloquent expression, which had given her so much +anxiety on a former occasion. The impression produced upon her was +exactly what it had been then--indescribable--inexplicable to herself. + +“What is the matter, my love?” inquired Ronayne tenderly, and pressing +her arm to his heart--“what fixes your attention below?” then seeing the +Indian himself. “Ah! Waunangee, my friend!” he exclaimed, “where have +you been all this time? Come round to the gate and shake hands with my +wife.” + +“No, no, no, do not call him up, Ronayne--you cannot think how much the +presence of that Indian troubles me.” + +“Nay, dearest Maria, you are not yourself. Why continue this strong +dislike against the poor fellow? I thought you had quite forgiven him.” + +Was it accident--was it modesty, or was it a consciousness that his +presence was not desired by at least one of the parties, that prevented +the young Indian from obeying the summons of the officer. Whatever the +cause, he assumed a serious mein, and playing one of those melancholy +airs which so often, at that time, might be heard proceeding from the +rude flute of their race, walked slowly away. + +“I fear you have offended him, Maria. Oh! if you knew--” + +“Ronayne--dearest Harry!” interrupted his betrothed--“I have never said +anything of this before to you, because, after all, it is but an +idle fancy, yet I cannot divest myself of the idea that this Indian, +interesting and prepossessing as he is, is somehow or other connected +with my future fate. Nay,” as the young officer smiled in playful +mockery, “you may ridicule my presentiment, which is, I confess, so +much at variance with good sense, that I almost blush to introduce the +subject, but still I cannot banish the impression.” + +“Then, I will assist you in doing so, dearest, even though at the risk +of re-opening a newly-closed wound,” remarked her lover, with deep +affection of manner. “In my narrative of those events, hastily thrown +together, which I gave you on that memorable night, when I suffered for +a period, almost the torments of the damned, I did not, it seems to me, +name the young Indian, who, with his father, so greatly aided me on my +return to the farm, and even bore upon his shoulders the sacred charge.” + +“No, Harry, you did not,” quickly rejoined Maria Heywood; “but I know +now whom you mean. It was Waunangee.” + +“It was,” said the ensign--“I know your knowledge of that fact will +change your feelings towards him.” + +“They are changed--even at this moment, and henceforth I shall be to him +as a sister. Ah! how ungrateful must I have appeared to the poor +fellow. I shall conquer this silly weakness: I have misunderstood my own +impressions, and it must have been that I have mistaken the influence +Waunangee has had for that which is to be. Call him up now, Ronayne, and +I will cheerfully give him my hand, and promise to love him as a brother +in return for the devotion he has evinced, not less for you than for my +poor father.” + +“Time enough, repentant sinner,” returned the young officer, at the +same time casting his glance rapidly over the group of Indians, who were +amusing themselves at various athletic games. “I can see nothing of him. +Your evident displeasure,” he added playfully, “has destroyed his peace, +as indeed you might have known from that plaintive ditty. However, +dearest girl, I shall see him soon, and make him promise to be present +this evening at the nuptials of his friend and sister. Nay, if I had not +engaged Elmsley, I should insist on his being my bridesman.” + +The only notice taken of this sally was a faint smile from his +companion, who now descended with him from the rampart and proceeded to +the apartments of Mrs. Elmsley, where her mother and herself had once +more been visitors for the last few days. Here they separated to meet +again in the evening--Ronayne directing his attention to his various +duties, and looking out at intervals for his young Indian friend. + +It was night. No accident had occurred beyond the laceration of two of +Ephraim Giles's fingers, who having that day been presented with a +new suit by the doctor--the fac-simile in fashion of the old--had been +whittling almost in front of one of the guns when discharged, and +lost, with the skin of his finger, both his stick and his knife. The +sultriness of the day had been succeeded by a cool and refreshing air. +Gaiety and content every where prevailed, and many were the voices--male +and female--that exclaimed, as allusion was made to the ceremony all +knew, to be in progress: “God bless them, and make them happy, as they +deserve to be.” A large tub of whisky-punch, the gift of the commanding +officer, had been brewed by Von Vottenberg, for their mid-day revel, and +this, all had been unanimous in pronouncing the best medicine the doctor +had ever administered to them; and now in small social messes, seated +round their rude tables, covered with tin goblets, and pitchers of the +same metal--the mothers with their children at their side or upon their +knees, and the fathers and unmarried men puffing clouds of smoke from +their short pipes--which they filled from two others placed on an +elevated settle--one in each block house--which the happy Ronayne had +given them on the occasion. + +Even the guard was moderately supplied, and the sentries alone, pacing +to and fro in their limited walk, felt the bitterness of privation, as +they counted the minutes that must elapse before they could join in the +festivities which the loud voice and ringing laugh, occasionally wafted +to their ears, told them were in progress. + +In the rooms of the commanding officer there was more than the usual +manifestation of the anniversary. All had dined at an early hour, but +a large side-board that stood in one corner of the council room--always +fitted up on these occasions--was covered with vases containing wines, +liqueurs, juleps, and punches of various kinds--the latter the work +of the indefatigable son of Esculapius, and of these the host and his +guests partook freely, in commemoration of the day. At the opposite end +of the room had been raised a sort of tribune for the orator of the day, +but as it was intended the address should be impromptu, no name had been +mentioned, nor could any one know, until the moment when the majority of +voices should select him on whom the office was to devolve. In the fear +entertained by each that he should be the party selected, the glass, to +impart the necessary courage, was not spared. But he who was not in the +room, or of the number of those devoted to the punch-bowl was the person +chosen. As if by one impulsive consent, Ronayne, who was seated in the +inner room, and discoursing of any thing but politics to his betrothed, +found himself loudly called upon--knew it was in vain to object--and +reluctantly rose in obedience to the summons. + +“Come young gentleman,” said Captain Headley, entering with an air of +gaiety by no means usual to him, “you are, it appears, in all things,” + and he bowed significantly to Maria Heywood, “the chosen of the +evening--but recollect,” he added, as he drew his arm through his own, +and proceeded towards the larger apartment where Ronayne was awaited, +“as you acquit yourself of YOUR duty, so shall I of MINE.” + +“I shall do my best, sir,” replied the youth, in the same light tone, +“but of the two orations, I know which will be the best suited to my own +taste.” + +The other ladies, with the exception of Mrs. Heywood, had also risen, +and now stood grouped near Captain Headley, who, with Maria Heywood on +his arm, leaned against the door-way separating the two rooms--while +Ronayne, amid cheers and congratulations, made his way to the tribune, +at the farther end of the apartment. + +His address was necessarily not long--for independently of the +impatience he could not but entertain at that moment of all subjects but +that nearest his heart, he was by no means ambitious of making a display +of his powers of elocution. Yet, notwithstanding this, he treated +his theme in so masterly a manner, and in such perfectly good taste, +omitting all expressions of that rancor towards Great Britain, which +forms so leading a feature in American orations on this occasion, and +yet reflecting honor on the land of his birth--alluding, moreover, +to the high position even then occupied by the nation, and the future +greatness which he predicted, from its laws, its institutions, and +peculiar form of government, awaited it--that Maria Heywood could not +fail to experience a secret pride in the warm, and evidently sincere +acclamation of the little party present, attesting as they did, their +estimate of the worth of him, who in another hour, would be her own for +life. + +As Ronayne descending from the tribune, passed to the other side of the +room, he looked out of the door which had been left open, not more +on account of the heat, than to afford the men and their families an +opportunity of hearing the discourse thus delivered--almost the first +person who came under his glance was Waunangee, for whose admission +he had given orders to the serjeant of the guard, and who now, in +compliance with his pressing entreaty, had attended. He was becomingly +dressed in deer skin, richly embroidered, pliant and of a clear brown +that harmonized well with the snowy whiteness of his linen shirt, +which was fastened with silver brooches, while on the equally decorated +leggins, he wore around the ankle, strings of minute brass bells. On his +head floated the rich plumage of various rare birds, but no paint was +visible beyond the slightest tint of vermilion on the very top of each +cheek-bone, rendering even more striking the expression of his soft dark +eyes. + +Beckoning to him, Ronayne drew the young Indian within the door, which +had he not accidentally distinguished him in the crowd, he was quite too +modest to enter alone. Then drawing his arm through his own, he led him, +coloring and embarrassed at the novelty of the scene, to the place where +Captain Headley was still lingering with his charge. The moment they +were near enough, the latter held out her hand to Waunangee, and with +all the warmth of her generous nature, pressed that which he extended. +The young Indian colored more deeply even than before--his hand trembled +in hers--and the look of thankfulness which he bent upon her, in return +for this unmistakable confidence, had all the touching melancholy of +expression which she had remarked in them at their first meeting. Again +a mingled sentiment of confusion and distrust suffused the cheek, +and for a moment oppressed the spirit of Maria Heywood in despite of +herself, and she almost wished Waunangee had not returned. The thought +however, was momentary. She felt the folly, the injustice of her +feelings, and anxious to atone for them, she nervously--almost +convulsively grasped the hand of the Indian, carried it to her lips, +and said in her full, sweet and earnest tones, that he must ever be her +brother as she would ever be his sister. + +“And now,” said Captain Headley to the young officer, “what reward do +you expect for your maiden oration? What shall it be, Miss Heywood?” + +“I will spare her the trouble of an answer,” interposed Ronayne, as +he took the arm which had just disengaged itself from that of the +commandant, and placed it within his own, “until you have set your seal +to the priceless gift,” and his eyes looked all the intensity of his +feeling; “I part not with it again.” + +“Every thing is ready is the next room,” answered Captain Headley--“go +in. When I have announced that the ceremony is about to take place, I +shall hasten to give you the dear girl for life,” and imprinting a kiss +upon her brow, he passed on to those who were paying their homage to the +punch-bowl, and discussing the merits of the oration just delivered. + +It was with a flushed cheek, and a beating heart that Maria Heywood was +led by Ronayne, radiant with hope and joy, to the little table covered +with plain, white linen, and illuminated by half a dozen tall candles, +behind which the commanding officer had placed himself on an elevated +estrade. + +All of the guests were grouped around, a little in the rear, while +Lieutenant Elmsley stood on the right hand of his friend, and his wife +on the left of the betrothed. Next to her, in an arm chair, which, +provided with rollers, was easily moved, Mrs. Heywood--and with her +beautiful arms reposing on the high back of this, stood Mrs. Headley in +graceful attitude, watching the ceremony with almost maternal interest. +Immediately behind Ronayne, from whom he evidently did not like to be +separated, stood Waunangee, with an air of deep dejection, yet casting +glances rapidly from one to the other of his two friends. + +When the young officer, after having formally received the bride from +her mother, whose strength barely permitted her to rise and go through +that part of the ceremony, proceeded to place the ring upon the finger +of his wife, it fell, either from nervousness or accident upon the +matted floor. Quick as thought, Waunangee, who had now his whole +attention bent upon the passing scene, stooped, picked it up, and +attempted to place it on the finger, still extended, for which it was +designed. + +“Gently, Waunangee, my good fellow,” said the officer, piqued not less +at his own awkwardness at such a moment, than at the outre act of the +youth, from whom he rather unceremoniously took it--“the husband only +does this.” + +“Wah!” involuntarily exclaimed the other, his cheek becoming brighter, +and his eyes kindling into sudden fierceness, while his hand intuitively +clutched the handle of his knife--yet the moment afterwards relinquished +it. The motion had been so quick, indeed, that only Mr. Headley and the +bride herself had noticed it. + +Still fascinated as it were by the novel scene, Waunangee moved not +away, but the expression of his eyes had wholly changed. There was no +longer to be remarked there the great melancholy of the past--but the +wild restless, flashing glance that told of strong excitement within. + +When immediately afterwards they knelt, and had their hands joined by +Captain Headley, Waunangee bent eagerly forward, as if apprehensive of +losing the slightest part of the ceremonial, but when at the conclusion, +Ronayne saluted his wife in the usual manner, his cheek became suddenly +pale as its native hue would permit, and with folded arms and proud +attitude he withdrew slowly from the place he had hitherto occupied, to +mingle more with the crowd behind. + +When Ronayne, who, remembering the little incident of the ring, and the +possible pique Waunangee might feel, turned to look for him, that he +might again present his bride in her new character, he was no where +to be seen, nor was he ever again beheld within the precincts of that +stockade. + +And under those singular and somewhat ominous circumstances, were the +long-delayed nuptials of Harry Ronayne and Maria Heywood--the great +favorites of the garrison--celebrated to the joy of all within the Fort +of Chicago. + + +END + + + + + + + + +End of the Project Gutenberg EBook of Hardscrabble, by John Richardson + +*** END OF THIS PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK HARDSCRABBLE *** + +***** This file should be named 5169-0.txt or 5169-0.zip ***** +This and all associated files of various formats will be found in: + http://www.gutenberg.org/5/1/6/5169/ + +Produced by Gardner Buchanan with help from Charles Franks +and Distributed Proofers + + +Updated editions will replace the previous one--the old editions +will be renamed. + +Creating the works from public domain print editions means that no +one owns a United States copyright in these works, so the Foundation +(and you!) can copy and distribute it in the United States without +permission and without paying copyright royalties. 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