The Mohegan Maiden — page 36: what you’re looking at

Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.

88 THE MOHEGAN MAIDEN. when alarm and uncertainty were at the greatest hight, a voice, which none of them ever before had heard, loudly called, “This way, men of Hadley! Rally here”: The settlers saw a tall, bearded man, of distinguished and military aspect, waving a light sword in his right hand. His foot was firmly planted, and his eagle eyes flashed over the whole array of terror-stricken forms, as he sternly com- manded : “ Rally here, for your homes and lives !” | There was no resisting the command. Every one felt him- self sink into insignificance before the richly dressed stranger. One after another, as they encountered that keen gaze, has- tened to the place designated, and soon a dozen men stood. there, cool and collected in that strange presence. The fact. that they had a leader, one who was firm and calm in the midst of that wild tumult, was in itself a saving power to the ) frightened men. “ Now, face about !” the stranger exclaimed. “ March up to | those palisades and defend them to the death !” . | The men heeded his injunction, for they dared not disobey, | and when they were stationed, the nnknown turned to Archi- | bald. | “Do you take command of those men,” he said. « Keep | them in their’ places, and shoot the first one who attempts to” leave !” ) The young man promised obedience, and the master-spirit turned back to the gaping, wondering crowd. He waved his sword toward them, while his clear tones fell with sway- ing force upon every heart. . : | “Form here, in the shelter of this building,’ he shouted. | “Every man of you here! Fools, cowards, are you not ashamed of your birthrights, to be thus driven about by a hand- ful of painted savages ?” The men, really ashamed of their recent fright, hastened to obey the strange swmamons, and soon a determined body was formed, clamorous to be led on, against those foes from Whom they had so lately fled. , “ All in good time,” said the strange man. “ But first, do you, and you” —indicating two of the strongest and coolest comic ooks.cony ; |