Des Moines courier. ([Ottumwa] Iowa) 1848-1854, 1853-02-03
OTTUMWA, IOWA, THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 8, 1853.

value---a fair face which may be narred
so easily! But do not reproach you.
Only | will not owe to your sense of
honor wha. could not win from your
love. That is not mine, il is another's
even"
Villa started, and bowed her he adj, as
though he could have seen her bushes
in the dim light. Norman went on:--
HYe, do not think il was that bribe tina,
sent me to warn Moore's For. of its
danger. No, il was your own first ap-
peal, Villa, that made me resolve TO car.
ry the warning, or die in the attempt;
and was stepping forward to volunteer,
when your fathers words, and your own
noble promise, slenced me; for had no
right :hen to stand apart from others
But tell you now. lest you might think
that you owed me payment for deb,
for which had bargained. You are
free, Villa: this mockery Of betroihal
is at an end. Did you hear that" con.
tinued he, bending over her as she did
not move, and speaking with lha, bitter.
ness and levity which unhappiness often
chooses for its utterance. "You are
free, Villa. Have you no words to tell
your gladness!"
"May God bless you for it!' said
Villa, earnestly, as she raised her head.
and the trembling starlight; fell on her
clasped hands.
The words went 10 Norman's heart.
He caught her hands, pressed them ca
gerly to his lips-then, ashamed of this
burst of weakness, turned away, and
sprang down the bassion.
| The close of another moon found af.
fairs wearing very differen, aspect at
the 3iockhouse Fort. All was activity
aud vigilance. Struggling parties Of o.
sage Indians were lettering among the
surrounding woods, aud little skirmishes
with them were occurring constantly,
whenever the garrison wanted venison,
or sough: TO hold communication with
J those without the walls. On such pc-
casions Norman Reed was always fore
most. Ii was his bullet that truest hi,
the deer, and his GOODNESS and intrepidity
that were ever ready to battle the foes,
J or beat them back. There was a reck.
lessness, even in his bravery, which
, might have bespoken him as careless
of the life he hazardeG; but too many OF
his comrades had been rejected by Villa
!, Thorncastle tor them to think of such
motives for his conduct; and the old sol.
} dier only saw in il theme for commen-
, dation in his dispatches to Detroit, which
together with the reports from Moore
Fort, made Gen. Hammond begin to
think that he had quite militia hero un,
, der his command.
Frank Nugent was still at the block.
house, and the accepted lover Of Villa
Thorncastle. He had joined her faith
? er's corps, for the time, as volunteer
but wound received in an early skir
misf had kept him inactive ever since
Stephenson once said, that to have Villa
for nurse was sufficient to make any
man in no great hurry to get well.
Old Mark was parading his little banC
in the fort one morning. ins.ructing them
in sundry evolutions. which they never
found opportunity TO practice in the
bush, when the distant crack of rifle Gu
] short the word of command. Another
and another followed. then several, ant
q wild whoop yelled the tidihgs of com
bat far through the forest.
"Quick, lads, sally forth and help III,
right side!' cried old Thorncastle.
Think you il may be lure to draw
US QUIT" asked prudent Stephenson.
"They are not all Indian guns; there
are white men fighting there" said Nor
man.
A faint cheer came like the echo ol
his words. All was hustle for minute
Then Stephenson led out his gallan
party, only dozen being left to guart
: the fort. besides the old soldier him self
/, who, greiving, as at such moments hs
ever did, over the lameness which KEEP
him useless whenever speed was reqli
red, stood watching them until theil
I bright rifles and green jackets were alike
lost among the greerer branches.
On they went at rapid pace. theil
ardor heightened by the frequent whoop:
and quick discharges of firearms, tha,
told of hot and earnest fighting. A
length they reached sunny glade, where
nearly twenty white men were battling
manfully against crowd of Indians,
while some of each lay gasping out their
lives upon the grass. Overwhelming
numbers had already beaten back the
colonists to the edge of the glade before
the sharp shooters arrived; but they took
the Indians in flank. ard each singing
out his man, score Of red men fell a,
their first fire. The shock of this fatal
volley staggered the Indians. while their
opponents fought with fresh vigor.-
There was short but terrible struggle
hand-to-hand. in which Norman Reeds
career had nearly ended. He had jus,
freed himself from an enemy. when,
CHANGING to turn his head, he saw close
to him young warrior-by his orna-
ments chief--whose bravery and inAu.
ence had been obvious during the con-
aict. The Indians arm was in the ac,
of sweeping round with the sharp axe
which would give his dealh.blow, when