The Hancock Jeffersonian. [volume] (Findlay, Ohio) 1857-1870, 1863-10-30

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over every obstacle.
More than an hour had been spent
thus and hc Ecgim TO listen more mt
tcntivcly, and if possible, watch more
closely for signs of his enemies. He
halted OH the brink of deep ravinc,
which furnished n channeiior another
small streams, and, before vcnturinr
into its bed, stopped nearly to the
ground, and remained for many min
utes profoundly listening TO every
sound. The stiffness of nipht was
quite unbrokcn; and he was ON the
point OF beginning the descent. when
his eye caught the flash. MS of fniut
| lightning, playing briefly upon the
leaves at the bottom Of the ravinc,-
1t was gone in q moment; and his
lirst impulse was to look up through
the trec-tops nj the sky. But the
stars were shining sercnclv-thcre
was not the slightest cloud in the
heavens. He watched for n long
time for its rcappcarancc--but the
darkness remained rs deep rs before
1T might have been FREELY: vet il
was strange that il was not rcpcatcd:
and it had been. not so much lipht
rs n flicker, like the blaze of thin fuel,
and 1t had died out gradully, not sud
denly disappeared. While he stood
lrrcsol'rte, rejecting upon thc singu-
larity of the appearance, an imperfect
sound, as of very distant thunder.
seemed to float along the earth and
die away at his feet. lie placed his
ear TO the ground and listened. The
stamping of numerous horses became
audihle-snd they could not he hut n
short distance from him. To his
lpracticcd ear the sound was familiar
enough-and he had no difficulty in
determining its locality.
! lie ut once rose to his feet and
again examined his arms. Moving
cautiously and slowly. he then de-
scended the bank until he reached
the bottom Of the ravinc. Turning
to the right he glided silently and
stealthily along its bed Tor two OF
three hundred yards. when, on com
ing to bend where the stony soil
had resisted the action or the Gle
ments, his progress was suddenly ar
rested by stream of light which
shonc from beyond the projection,
and cast deep shadows upon the op-
posite bank. The fire from which il
came was evidently built within the
ravine for concealmcnt--for it was
Only from above that it could become
visible ut any considerable distance.
To approach nearer in thus direction,
would not he prpdcnt--for by the
shadows on the bank, Edgar could
see at least twenty horses were pick
ct just beyond the shoulder of the
/ ridge and snort from one of these
might attract attention. lie had no
fear of other scntinels; he well under.
stood the Indian practice of posting
none; for, apparently so negligent arc
these most vigilant of all warriors,
that even in their incnrsions, when
they are constantly liable to attack.
every man lies down to sleep, trusting
solely to cOncealmcnt and their Man
itous, for protection.
The Ranger therefore slowly re-
treated few PAGES, and then silently
climbed the bank on the left. From
this point he could see no light: but
on advancing along the ridge little
nearer than he had ventured below
he gained view, not only of the light
but also al the FIRE, and the foYmidabl,
group around it!
More than score of swarthy In
dians, all in their war paint and GRO
tesquc ornaments, and each with hi
gun and tomahawk beside him, sa
: smoking one after the other, i'm cir
Gle around the fire. A little without
the line the excited Captain could dis
= tinctly see the shape OF somcthin,
T. white; and, as his eyes became nc
custcmcd 10 the light all doubt van
, ishcd--it was the captive bride seatc,
apart from her captors with her fac
buried in her hands. Could she hav
: known whose eyes were at that INC
? ment straining their gaze upon hcl
! how different must have been he
emotions.
Edgar grasped his rifle AID knit
with n fierce energy, which threaten
ed the suicide of the immediate al
tack. But he soon recovered hi
l calmness and set coolly about maxim
: thoroutfh examination OF the pos
i ton, and calculating the chances {
rescue.
= : The place had been well chosen fo
i concealment. 1t was n circular are
i, inclosed on all sides, except the sout
ern, by the broken and rain -washe
p ridges, and not more than an acre
extent. 1t was, indeed, a sort of b,
! sin among the hills and it was I'll
: volume of water, collected here inf
u one stream, that had cut ont the +.
c vine along which Edgar was adyan,
& ing. 1t was dry now, however, an
i the grass, which in this country @,
$ erywhcrc follows the rains of sprin,
g was growing luxuriantly beneath ii
II shelter of large hickory trees.
II OF these there was a little clump {
grove in the northern arm OF the are
q and it was just within the edge
!, this, that the fire was kmdlcd. Fro
y that side an experienced scout mig
u have approached within a few pac
l. unohserved; but what could one mi
'e do against twenty? All that he cou