Quasqueton guardian. (Quasqueton, Buchanan County, Iowa) 1856-1858, 1857-01-10


ed below, he gained view, not only O
the light, but also of the fire, and the for.
midable group around it.
More than score of swarthy Indians
all in their war paint and grotesque orna
mcnts, and each with his gun and toma
hawk beside him, sat smoking, one after
the other, in circle about the fire. A
little without the line the excited captain
could indistinctly see the shape of some
thing white; and as his eyes became ac
customed to the light, all doubt vanished
it was the Captive Bride, seated apar;
from her captors, with her face buried in
her hands. Could she have known whose
eyes were at that moment straining theiI
gaze upon her, how different must have
been her emotions.
The place had been we'll chosen for
concealment. 1t was circular area, in
closed on all sides, except the southern,
by the broken and rain washed ridges,
and not more than an acre in extent II
was, indeed, sort of basin among the
hills !; and it was the volume of water,
collected here into one stream, that had
cut out the ravine along which Edgar was
advancing. 1t was dry now, however,
and the grass, which in this country ev-
erywhere follows the rains of spring, was
growing luxuriantly beneath the shelter
of large oak and hickory trees.
Of these there was little clump OF
grove in the northern arm of the area
and it was just within the edge of this
that the fire was kindled. From that side
an experienced scout might have APP
preached within few PAGES unobserved
but what could one man do against TWEEN
ty? All that he could now effect, Ed
gar thought, was to watch the movements
of his enemies, and take advantage OF
whatever opportunity might offer; or, il
none should present itself, as was most
probable, patiently to await the arrival OF
his men.
While he stood in the shadow of tree
rejecting what course to pursue, a sud
den movement took place in the circle OF
sayages. One, who seemed to be chief,
rose to his feet, and the council broke
up. The warrior turned toward the cap
- - Lii = g. IL
ground, spread it at the foot of a tree,
and beckoned her to take it. He did this
with so much more courtesy than was
usually displayed by the Indians to their
female prisoners, that Edgar's blood tin
glcd to the very ends of his fingers.
The redskin dog designs her for his
wife ? he muttered !; but he shall die
first, if | lose my scalp y
Jane rose quietly from her seat, and,
wrapping the blanket about her, lay down
upon the ground. The chief and two
other warriors then placed themselves
near her, to prevent escape the remain
der of the party spread their blankets
around the fire and, within few min
utes, all was as still within the family
lighted space, as if not living being
breathed between the rivers. The fire
gradually burnt down to bed of Goals ;
as the flame went out the shadows crept
closer and closer to the dusky group !;
and so still was the night that, on stealing
a little nearer, Edgar could plainly hear
the heavy breathing of the tired sleep
ers.
Sill nearer and nearer he slowly crept,
though with no definite design or plan of
action. The bride who had been snatch
ed almost from his arms, was within that
circle-and this gave it a fascination not
to be resisted. He was now upon the
bank, which sloped gently down to the
level of the Jipouac, and here narrow,
sandy path wound round the jutting
points, and led directly toward the
smouldering fire. Almost without anef-
fort of the Withdrawn by the charm of
of her presence-he stepped upon the
noiseless sand. He commenced the de-
sccnt-issued from the shadow of little
ridge-was, for a moment, in full view of
the whole party-passed on again into
the shadows, and stood within twenty
feet of the object of his search.
The light from the dying fire played
fitfully upon james face, and emile, Sc
rene as in her happiest moments, gave
meaning to the fitting shadows. He
gazed for a few moments upon her, and
then the impulse which had led him with
in arms length of her, slowly shaped it.
self into purpose-the vague attraction
settled into consc ious resolution.
Nearer, step by step, and silently as
the closing in of night, he approached
the group. He was now within the in
- ~.