Beadle's New York Dime Library, No. 183 — page 4: what you’re looking at

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ie “It is well,” replied Owasco. ‘‘ Come.” The young agent did not waste time in bid- ding her farewell, but pressed her hand est- ly to his lips, and she followed the chief at a quick pace out of the thicket, and struck into a forest path leading away from the river to the east. Not half a mile from the place where they had left the party they came upon a thicket of pine bushes, in the mi of which grew up an old dead sycamore, whose root was over- grown by briers and bushes, mostly of the vround blackberry species. Lifting some of the trailing vines, the chief showed an opening in the trunk of the sycamore, large enough to ad- mit the body of a man. ‘* Am I to go in here?” she said. “Yes,” replied the chief. ‘‘Owasco will show you what to do.” Entering the huge hollow trunk, she was sur- 'came the bateau, four stron | Gilbert, the Guide. -——- —— of the habits of the Indians to understand that they were perfecting their plans for the insnar- ing of the men in the bateau, All at once there came a resounding cheer, the cry of the Ameri- cans rushing into battle, the voice which tells with what rage and patient valor the cere on Saxon fights, and the bateau came foaming round the point, headed directly toward the island which lay below. Their coming was the signal for the secret foe to break out into a tem- pest of screams and yells, and pandemonium seemed to have broken out upon earth. Down rowers tugging with might and main, and Gilbert, Waterman and the chief standing with leveled weapons ready to fire at the first red-skin who show himself. The muskets gave tongue as they rounded the point, and the rifle of Gilbert, the Guide, came slowly to his cheek, as an Indian prised to find that it was not very dark, and | after discharging his'musket, attempted to dart looking up she could see the sky through a great opening at the top. Sticks uad been driven into toe wood at ‘close intervals and about six feet from the ground was a rude seat, set into the tree, with a place below for the feet. *“You will stay here,” said the chief, ‘ until Lor Gilbert call you. If any one looks in who does not say ‘ Here I come,’ you will not anawer, for they cannot see you from below. You have nothing to fight with, if an enemy should come. Will you take Owasco’s hatchet?” “IT have pistols here, which Mr. Waterman gave me, but I will take the hatchet, too, if you will give it to me.”’ He handed the hatchet to her with a grace which would have done credit to a courtier, and then assisted her to ascend to the seat above, which, from below, looked in the obscurity of the place like one of the natural obstructions to be found in the hollow of a tree. To make the darkness greater, he fastened a piece of buck- skin which hung from the sides, across the open- ing above, so that the darkness became intense. ‘*See,” said Owasco. ‘“ You will want some light, and here it is.” He drew out a couple of pegs from the tree in front of her, and showed small circular open- ings slanting downward, by which she could look out into the opening about the tree, and readily tell if any one came near the place. ‘*IT leave you now,” he said. ‘But be sure that a chief of the Onondagas never forgets, and that you are safe here. You will soon hear the sound of the battle and the cries of men in agony, but if cannot come near you.” 7 d-by. I hope you will be spared; but if you do not come back, what shall 1 do?” “If Ido not come back, wait all nigbt, and then find the river and try to get to the army. It is ten miles from the river, on the road to Defiance, and perhaps the Great Spirit will guide Ni safe to it.” He pped from his perch and crept out at the opening, and she heard him arranging the briers in front. A moment after he darted across the clearing, turned a backward look at the tree to satisfy himself that everything was right, stood for a moment in an attitude which reminded her of an old classic statue, and was gone. She was alone—alone in the dim recesses of the great sycamore, with the eternal forest about her. She could see quite well from her elevated perch, and through an opening in the woods she caught a simp of shining water, and knew that the Miami (Maumee) was in sight. A low bank, clothed with soft green foliage, swept down to the water’s edge, and as she gazed she could not help a feeling of admi- ration at the beauty of the landscape, even while she was conscious that on that river her friends were busy, trying to break through the cordon of their enemies. The fair landscape was blotted, for there darted from the thicket across the spot of green turf a stalwart figure, clothed in the fantastic garb of the Indian, wearing upon his head a p-culiar head-dress, upon which two long fea- taers rose like horns. Another and another fol- lowed, until fourteen men had , allarmed with guns, fo.: she could see them flashing in the sunlight. They had not yet begun to use the clouded bai rel for firearms, except in rifles, and most of these Indians carried the regulation arm of the English service. They were gone some moments, when another and stranger figure drew the attention of Helen. It was the figure of the Queen of the Lake, who had come out upon the green spot of earth which lay within the line of vision of the girl in the tree, dressed in her picturesque b, and watching the river with keen, ing eyes. Who was this strange girl, who came and went as she would, asking no aid from any one, confident in her own power to defend herself from insult as well as danger? She stood with ber hands tightly upon the muzzle of her gun, and her eyes fixed upon some object up the river. The distance was too great to distin- features, but her attitude betrayed her great interest in the drama which was being enacted above. ‘ There was a sudden hush and stillness, the si- lence which precedes the earthquake, and the girl in the tree, who had lived for some years the midst of wild border scenes, knew enough from one cover to another. e seemed to take no aim, for the moment the rifle was level it cracked. The savage threw up his hands, and with a yell of agony which woke all the echoes in the dim old woods, dropped to the earth, rolling about in the agonies of death, pierced by the deadly ball. “He did it once too often,” remarked Gilbert, sternly. ‘The pitcher that goes often to the spring is broken at last.” A bullet, better aimed than the others, caught a lock of his whisker as it flew past and twitched his head sharply to one side; but he laughed uguely as he bastily reloaded his rifle, even while the bateau flew on. Thoseof my readers who have fired at a stag upon the leap know that it is no easy trick to do it right, and it is not so surprising that the close fire of the sav- ages was not more effectual, when we consider the weapons used and the excitement of the moment, Besides, the Indians had a prudent regard for the excellent aim of the Guide and Owasco, and the death of one of their number had given them a lesson, and before they had time to think the bateau had reached the island in safety, and the men had scrambled out and hauled the boat_by main force bigh upon the bank, while the Indians howled dismally in the woods. All this wild scene Helen had seen from her — in the sycamore, and she could hardl elp uttering a cry of joy. But her triam was short-lived, for, happening to turn her eyes downward, she saw something which ae to curdle the blood in her veins. What was it A great black bear was prowling about the roots of the tree, evidently seeking to force a age into the vr. at the root. Whether e had been frightened by something he had met, and had been cut off from his own lair,-or scented the girl in the tree, it is impossible to say, but there he was, prone upon the earth, tearing at the ary with teeth and claws, growling savagely as he did so. Though not naturally ferocious, the black bear will make a terrible enemy when driven into a corner, and at certain seasons of the year. This one was evidently excited and determined to get into the tree. Fearfully alarmed, and thinking that ber time had come, the poor girl stared down at the shaking bark and flying splinters of rotten wood which were dropping under the assault of the bear. She could see his white teeth, gleam- ing eyes and sharp claws at the opening, and then he forced his hairy body inch by ras into the cavity, until she saw him standing upon his hind feet and snuffing the air below with an air of SLY wae Helen Carlyon came of nghting blood, and though she saw death very near her, she was too brave a girl not to turn upon it bravely, and, if necessary, die fighting. The pistols which Waterman had given her were loaded, and she laid them side by side upon the little shelf upon which she kneeled, and took up the hatchet. From the position of the shelf she knew that the bear must come up the tree with his back to her, and she would have a chance at bim. He sppcares in no hurry to make the ascent, snuffing industriously about every part of the sycamore, and biting off wood in a play- ful manner, looking up at her now and then with an unpleasant glance in his wicked eye. The brute evidently thought that his work was easy, and be could do it whenever he thought fit, and need not hurry about it. Helen glanced hurriedly toward the island and saw that no help could come to her from that direction, for the defenders of the little place were busy with their axes cutting down trees and bushes and building a barricade about the island in every amy where it would be possible to land, mak- g the place a fortress. It was hard to die here alone, hemmed into this narrow place, which now must be her tomb. She was young, and life was at its sweetest with her. To by this horrible death might have made ach ary man tremble. But, a braver heart never bea in woman’s breast than that which heaved un- der the bodice of Helen Carlyon. Kneeling on the little shelf with hatehet sed for a blow, she met with an undaun glance the fiery eyes of the bear, and waited for the assault. He was evidently playing with her, as a cat plays with a mouse, taking great delight in add- ing to her torture. Twice he commenced the assault, and as often sat! back upon his haunches and rubbed his stupid head with his fore paw with a single eye fixed upon the brave girl. A last he seemed determined to end it, for he be- gan to climb up the inside of the tree. She stooped a little and poised the hatchet, and, as ‘he came within reach, leveled a furious blow at his head. He put - his heavy paw, and with one pat sent the hatchet flying out of her and it fell with a dull clang to the earth below, She felt that death was near. CHAPTER IV. THE ISLAND. GruBERT, the Guide, knew the signs of the forest well, and he had not been long in deciding that it would be impossible to gO down the river in the face of the enemy who lined the banks. Though they might break through the first band, he knew that they could cross the bends in the river and be ready to meet him at every turn, even if many more were not posted below. Theisland was small and heavily timbered, and they might barricade it in sucha way that they could beat off the enemy, while either himself or the chief made his way to the army of Wayne, and brought the soldiers to their relief. They had hardly reached the island, when they began to work like beavers to make the lace a fortress. Small trees were cut down, heavy branches intertwined, and. everythin done which military skill upon the part o Waterman and knowledge of Indian fighting on the part of Gilbert and Owasco could devise for the defense of the place. They wouldenot have been allowed to do this if the Horned Ow) had had any means of getting at them, but he knew that if he attacked them in thesingle canoe not one in five would live to reach the island, ““Where did you leave the girl, Owasco?” said Gilbert, as the two were lifting the end of a heavy log to lay upon the barricade. ‘In the hollow tree,” said the chief. ‘She is better there if she is not frightened, for a Wyandot knife digs deep.” ‘You need not fear for her courage,” said the oung official. ‘‘I have seen few men in m ime who had braver hearts than that wea girl, when real danger threatens her. If you think she is safely hidden, that is all I ask.” ‘Do you see yonder giant sycamore that stands so high above the others?” said Gilbert. ‘There, a little to the right of that pine.” ‘*The one with the dry top?” ‘Yes; she is in that tree. ‘‘In it? I don’t know what you mean,” said Waterman. ‘* Well, Owasco and I need hiding-places often- times, and so we mark them wherever we find them. That tree is hollow, and we've fixed it so that you can elimb up several feet inside, and sit upon a shelf we’ve set in there. That's where the girlis. I reckon she’s watching us now, and I’ll bet she wanted to cheer when we got through safe.” ‘** How can she see us if she is in the tree?” Waterman asked. ** We made peep-holes for observation. Ah, the sights we have seen and the fights we have fought together, Owasco and I! Never you fear for-the girl, for she’s as safe there as she would be in the forts. I don’t think any one would dream of looking for her there. So when ou come to the close grapple, think that she looking on, and fight bravely. A flash came into the handsome face of the young man, and the sad eye of the Guide seemed to catch a gleam from it, for it grew brighter. *“ He’s young,” he muttered, ‘‘and he don’t know trouble yet, least of all such trouble as mine. He’s young, and loves a woman, as I did once. at will he be if he lives to see everything he loved torn from him at once, and the heart e black and desolate? It makes the heart warm, though, to come in contact with one like this, whose sorrows are yet to come. Give me that rifle, Pat. I see somethin moving on the shore, yonder, and I guess I’ find out what it is.” As he brought the rifle to his shoulder, he started and uncocked the weapon quickly. ‘* May the arm rot off at the shoulder if I shed her blood,” he said. ‘I wes very near it then, and I'd never forgive myself if I’d done it.” ** Who is it?’ inquired Waterman. “The girl; the little beauty we met in the Mo A Helen? Don't tell me that ** Not en me that you “Gilbert!” ae it ain’t her, but if this girl’s skin was not os brown, and she’d got on Christian clothes . ‘'d say it was thesame. You saw me n surprise when I saw the girl you call Helen to-day, did you not?’ J “Yes. I did not understand it, and had no time to ask you to explain yourself.” “* This is an Indian girl, whom the Wyandots call Queen of the Lake—a strange girl as ever you saw, and the picture of Helen. She is a wonderful ereature, and speaks Freneb, com lish and Indian, and if your of Helen bravery is true, this one is like her in that.” — ‘Och, ain’t she jist a beauty, thougb!” put in EGOMIGDOCKS So)