The Mohegan Maiden — page 42: what you’re looking at

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

44 THE MOHEGAN MAIDEN. scout more than all else, and no sooner were they satisfied that it was empty, than both rushed upon him with a yell. | The white, unfortunately for him, was armed only with a heavy knife, and the weapon he had just discharged. These were no match for the hatchets of the Indians, and one of them had a loaded musket, which he kept presented as he advanced. No wonder that Archibald was uncertain how to meet them. He did not wish tamely to submit, and life was too precious to be recklessly periled.. Could he have retreated, the young man would not have hesitated to do so. but that was already an impossibility. The savages were almost upon him. Not more than a rod separated the two parties, and Archibald could read his fate in the burning glances of his adversaries. He was trvine to think of some desperate plan by which to elude them. Ween the report of a musket sounded from the bank ove and the Indian bearing the gun pitched headlong upon the ground. The other paused, hesitated, and fled, as a dark form burst through the woods, and rushed in pursuit. But the race was not long. ‘The terrible impetus of the new-comer, added to the fright of the Narragansett, soon ended the race. The latter was overtaken and a hatchet buried in his brain. After tearing away the scalp, which he Suspended from his belt, the deliverer turned to Archibald; it was Christian, the Mohegan. ‘The two friends met with a hearty hand-shakitiy and, after acknowledging his great debt of gratitude, the wiih asked, “ How in the world came you here, Christian? T thought you were going to stay a while with your people.” “Yes; no,” was the characteristic response. “Me stay little while, feel lonesome, no find pale-face friend there, and me come on, find ugly Nar’gansett, ana git his scalp !” There was a decided expression of triumph upon the red- skin’s face, and he pointed to the dripping trophy at his side with eager satisfaction. But then he noticed that another In- dian had fallen, whose scalp he did not possess, and he at once started for that. Archibald sought to dissuade him, but in vain. The coniiclhooks.conm