The Mohegan Maiden — page 87: what you’re looking at

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

THE FLIGHT, 89 unnoticed. The door of Wawanooma’s hut was opened for a moment, and the strong rays of a torch shone across their path. In a moment they had passed beyond reach of its glare, and, trusting that no eye had discovered their presence, they hastened onward. The Indian leader himself had been the only one to discern them, and even he was far from gatis- fied whether he had really seen living beings or not. Filled, as he was, with jealous regard for the safe-keeping of all trusts reposed in himself, the idea at once crossed his mind that all might not be right with the doomed maid. Slipping from his own hut, he visited that where he had seen her carefully placed under guard. The scene which presented itself was sufficient to fill him with alarm. © The prisoner was not there. An unmistakable odor of “fire-water” pervaded the room. All efforts to awaken the drowsy guard proved futile. ; ! The commotion quickly brought others, and as an escape _ was the only possible construction to be put upon the state of affairs, a party was quickly raised and dispatched in pur- suit. | Christian and Archibald met, as we have seen. No sooner were they under way than the former slipped into his com- panion’s hand the extra gun he had brought, and Ee supply of ammunition. Archibald breathed his than is, and eo they pushed onward without any pause. Although both and all were well acquainted with the re- gion through which they were passing, their progress was very slow. The first misstep might betray them, and any deviation from the proper course would be Certain to involve them in confusion and peril. With no guide in that blackness save instinct and long practice, ib was: uther a wonder that they didnot stray. But steadily onward was their progress, and gradually, though slowly, the distance between them and the Indian town was ‘widening, ~— They had been feeling their way alo ano J A . > 8 some time, and their hearts were really swellin Suddenly Christian paused with a slight ex] and bent his ear to the earth. Filled wi others waited for his movements, ve: ee ae After listening, or endeavoring to do s0, for sortie few conmiclooolks.. com)