The Weekly Perrysburg journal. [volume] (Perrysburg, O. [Ohio]) 1861-1???, 1863-06-03


the west, ere they first were Seen approach
ing. From all directions along the narrow
road, over prairie pathways, emerging from
the timber. or riding slowly along its out
skirts, the whole country seemed in motion
Thomas Fielding, with his two sons, al
in their holiday suits. stood at the gate, and
| welcomed all Comers with hearty shake
OF the hand while at the front door the
Younger matronS, with their smiling mother
received the females of each party. Tn,
bride-elect was not yet visible; the cerc
mony was not to take place till evening
The bridegroom had appointed q rendc1
vous for his company of rangers; and It
was at the head of these trusty guardians
of the settlement, that he was to approach
the sceno Of his happiness. In the mean.
time the guests employed the vacant hour S
each according to his fancy, the men in talk
ing over the prospect OF the country, the
danger of Indian ncursons, the plenty ot
the crops &c; while the women were
either assisting in the final preparations
for the feast, or readiusting their dsorderod
dress--either gossipping with the mother
or teasing her daughter who still kept her
! bridal chamber.
-Four o'clock in the afternoon arrived ;
and now the happy captain, with his rang
ers, might soon be expected when Jane.
/ her preparations all complete, at last issued
from her chamber, and announced hor in
tentons to walk out upon tho prairie and
! gather some wild flowers. Several of tho
young girls proposed to accompany her,
! but with smile and a blush she declined
| their compauionship. 1t WAS not pressed
upon her, for each had Il suspicion of her
object The mothers called their daughters
| aside and whispered
She is going to meet the captain, let her
60 alone"
And, in confirmation of tho suspicion, sho
passed out to the southwark and took n
| path which led in the direction of the road
along which the captain was to como.
Somewhat more than half mile from the
house stood little grove, within which she
! had often met Edgar, on his visits to her
| fathers, and from this point her parents
usually saw them approaching the house
together 1t was to this grove that she
went-by a circutous route, however, SO
as to Justify her excuse for leaving the
house, by gathering few late flowers.
! She had been absent from the house lit
tie more than an hour, when, rounding a
point of timber, which puts out from the
creek about two miles below the farm. u cav
alcade OF twenty horsemen was seen, and at
once recognized as Edgars company OF
rangers. Another body. about equal in
number, was seen ut the same time several
miles to the west, but all attention was now
directed toward the south in expectation
of the rangers. The elder of the ladies'.
smiled sedatcly, in memory Of their own
youthful days, and prophesed
He'll not come with the company
you'll see Jane and him coming up ;hat path
after a while"
And the event justified the prediction
at least part for on arriving opposite the
little grove, Edgar turned off, and directing
his companions to ride on, put his horse
to gallop, and was soon within the shad-
Ows Ot tho rendezvous.
\ vim" and fallen tree, together, formed
II pleasant scat and here, whom the skies
were clear and tho Rnniight warm. he had
often found her awaiting his approach. Ito
sought the Old place now, but she was not
there!
She must be ont soon" he muttorcd to
himself; and springing to the ground, he as
sumed the seat he had expected to find oc.
cupied, lIo was disappointed, and both
his face and attitude betrayed IT, lie leaned
his rifle against tree. and threw himself
back 10 wait patiently as he might, for
what was not likely to come, had he waited
till morning! His eyes wandered vacaully
over the scene for some minutes, when. sud
denly sprinsing up, he exclaimed -
She has been here and gone away ?'
! narrow strip of white muslin was hang
ing upon ihoIn worry near him evidently
torn from some article Of female drcss 1t
could not be "A signal for him; accident
only could have placed it there. She must
have retrcated in haste-and why? Such
were the reasOnings Of the experienced
ranger. lie reached forward and took it
oil the briar; but as he did so, his eye
fell upon Il far more ominous object The
same bush had retained piece of red cal
leo, tringed with green and Edgar at once
observed that it had come from the cape of
ahunting skirt such as the northern Indians
wore
1t was enough and yet, with the cool
ness characteristic of his race. the ranger
stepped TO the ground and calmly examined
the herecords of struggle. On each side OF
the rustic seat there was a single footstep,
deeply indented among the leaves, as if two
men had sprung suddenly from opposite
directions to common point. Then, in
front of the seat, the twigs were broken and
the ground was trampled-though but lit
tie, as if the struggle had been weak and
feeble.
No man could have been overpowered
SO soon" he said, "and it was as expected
she ,caS atone :"
But even this conviction did not hurry
him away, lie carefully examined the
ground III the neighbQrhood, and then, re-
turning to the scene of the struggle, followed
the trail, by those slight indications which
none but baCkwoodsman could have dis
covered, for several hundred yards to the
westward. He thus ascertaned these facts
That the actual captors were but two in
number that they had concealed their
horses in a small thicket, some distance
above the grove where the capture was
made that they had retrcated in great
haste, keeping within Tavinc which drained
the prairie and that at or near the thicket
they had joined the main body of marauders
consisting of half score of horscmen.
They have been frightened away by the
gatherings at Fielding's thought the ranger
lie hastened back to the grove, and spring
ing upon his horse, galoped away toward
tho house. He had still lingering hope
though faint, that he might find his bride
at home but this vanished at once, when
he rode furiously to the gate and was met
by her father.
lndians.' he shouted, in the loud, full
notes of a voice like trumpet " Ho ran
gers! Mount and follow"
CHAPTER II.
THE CHASE COMMENCED.
The cause of the alarm scarcely needed
to be explained-the word Indians was