The Mohegan Maiden — page 44: what you’re looking at

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

| 46 THE MOHEGAN MAIDEN. | ) | They made their way to'a bunch of bushes, growing near | the precipice, and when they had gained that in safety, they were enabled to overlook all that was passing below them. — Archibald was not a little surprised at finding the assertion of his companion supported by what met his gaze. A tall, well-dressed man was bound to the trunk of a small tree, and several Indians were busily engaged in scraping together dead leaves, and whatever would make a fire. The sight of a fellow-being in such deadly peril, was al- most too much ‘for Archibald, great as was the power he pos- sessed over his own nerves. For some moments he could neither think nor act distinctly. He was conscious that he had seen the captive at some former time, and that his fea- tures seemed strangely familiar; but that was all. Suddenly it burst upon him, bringing greater emotions than he had hitherto experienced. The prisoner doomed to suffer at the hands of the savages, was none other than the Deliv- erer of Hadley! Yes; he saw it now, too plainly to admit of a doubt. The features were the same, and even the same ex- pression dwelt about ‘the closely-shut lips, which had distin- guished him in that hour of danger at the Indian assault. Various thoughts and emotions flashed through the young man’s brain and soul in a moment. If he had previously: felt any doubt of the mortality of that person, they were all dispelled now. Of course the Narragansetts could torture nothing but flesh and blood, and it was very certain that they intended to burn the captive at the sapling. , Feelings of gratitude, humanity, and curiosity together, prompted him to rescue the stranger, if possible, But was it possible? He looked around, his bosom swelling with hope, as he noticed the situation of affairs. There were but five of the braves engaged in gathering up means of feeding the fatal flame, and it certainly seemed to Archibald that himself and companion would be.a match for them, as they possessed the advantage in point of position, and would be the attacking party. | | “We can whip them, can’t we, Christian ?” he asked. “Do um easy ’nough by-’n-by,” replied the native. “ Wait till me tell you, and then we take um as wind takes dry leaves.” commicloooks.com |