Grant County herald. [volume] (Lancaster, Wis.) 1850-1968, 1890-11-27

redskin, else he would not have under
taken such long journeys through the
woods with nothing to rely on but his
own sagacity, or instinct, as you may
choose to term it.
''Instinct is the lowest form Of rea-
son. was the reply. 1T belongs to ami
mails and mot to men. 1t is the Off
spring of practical experience, some
times aided by heredity. A mechanic
does not accomplish his work by in
stinct, but by skill derived from prac-
tice, and If his father and grandfather
were mechanics he inherits from them
a mysterious aid to his ingenuity Of
which he is unconscious, and which we
call natural transmission. as we find
names For other things which we can
not explain"
There being no response TO these re-
marks, Selwyn became aware that his
friend was fast asleep. Silence reigned
in the camp; the fires were smoldering
in their ashes, like human passions;
dim shadows revealed the sentinels at
their posts, watchful as the stars and as
silent. Wrapped in blanket, his back
resting against a tree, Brant, the Mo-
hawk chief, sat motionless, bat not
asleep. From the dense forest in the
rear of the camp came the boot OF an
owl. After an interval of minute
the cry was echoed at a distance
on the opposite side of the stream. II
any one had been watching the red
chief they would scarcely have been
aware that he had changed his position,
so deep was the obscurity; but he was
not there. Again the dismal sound
| tolled forth like funeral bell, and had
its echo 49, before; again and again and
then it ceased. The sentinels were
changed; Selwyn, sleepless and vigilant,
inspected the posts. All was we'll. The
red chief rested in the same place; but
his eyes shone like panther's in the
darkness, and there was fresh scalp at
his belt.
The hour before dawn was the time
when the sentinels were most vigilant,
for it was the hour when an attack was
most to be expected, but when the sun
arose there was no appearance Of the
enemy. Brant secured the timber in
the rear of the camp and found nothing
except the carcass of Huron minus his
scalp and with knife-cut in his breast.
Selwyn's anxiety was rather increased
by this impressive silence, and he was
impatiently awaiting the return of
scouts, when a sentinel observed a canoe
coming up the stream and keeping close
to the opposite shore. Then it suddenly
shot across the stream, and Jabe and
another ranger sprang up the bank and
over the breastwork He was the bearer
of letter to Selwyn from the com
mander of Oswego.
The young soldier eagerly broke the
seal. The dispatch was brief. After
thanking Selwyn for his patriotism and
energy in coming to his relief, Colonel
Mercer requested him to hold his posi-
ton as long as ha deemed 1t prudent;
but if threatened by a superior force, he
was to fall back on the fort, which he
(Merccr) was resolved TO defend to the
last extremity.
Observing that Jabe's face wore an
unusually grave expression. Selwyn
kindly inquired the reason, when the
honest ranger informed him that when
Ariel learned that his master was
prisoner to the enemy, he seemed for
time 10 be overwhelmed with grief,
from which, however, he soon recovered.
but knew" said Jabe. that some
thing was working in his mind, and
l wasn't surprised to hear, just before
left tho fort, that he had disappeared
with his canoe. and know as well as if
he told me that he's gone in search of
his master-may be to Montreal"