Iron County register., 1890-10-09

lounged on the grass, while anothc r
aided the cook, whose negro feature
and the sound OF his voice, as he direct
ed his assistant, indicated that he was
Lemourier's servant. In the back
ground he caught glimpse of rude
shelter composed of bark and blankets
suspended upon poles driven in the
earth, at the entrance CT which sat a
girl whose long, straight, black hair fell
over the vesture of u squaw or half
breed.
Ariel waited few minutes for further
developments, and then crept back to
the canoe. He found Marden awaiting
his return with much anxiety.
| Where hast thou been, Aricl?' he
asked. Thy face indicates some dis
covcry."
The boy at once communicated his
adventure. after which he proceeded to
| prepare breakfast while his master
thought out plan to assure himself of
the presence of Mile. DeStain in the en-
emy's camp and to rescue her if possi-
Bile. After the meal the fire was OK
tinguishod, and the baggage transferred
to the ca1oc, which was headed for the
island where Ariel made his first OBJ
servations. There, concealed in the
foliage of the great tree, the adventurers
! watched the movements of the enemy.
The whites were lounging on the
| shore; but the negro was not visible.
Presently tall female figure emerg-
cd from the tepec, followed by another,
which Ariel recognized as that of the
squaw.
The distance was too great to distin-
guish features, but Marden felt that
the tall slender form could belong to no
! other than Ninon Destain. Two canoes
were drawn up on the shore, and the
| careless demeanor of the men indicated
their entire sense of security from at
| tack or observation. All day tho scouts
kept watch in the branches until the
| growing darkness hid the island from
view. when they descended and made
| fire to prepare the meal which their
! long abstinence rendered necessary to
recruit them for their contemplated en-
terprise.
| After two hours rest, they launched
| the canoo and stcered boldly for the
camp of the enemy. The white men
were asleep by the fire; but the negro
was not to be seen when Ariel stepped
on shore to reconnoitcr, and cropt soft
| ly toward the tepec, across the entrance
of which was stretched the bulky form
of the negro. The boy retreated to the
rear of the tepec, whore he searched for
a crevico in the side. The interior was
dark with the exception of a faint ray
which struggled through the entrance
| from the fire without. Batfled in this
| attempt to communicate with Ninon,
| Ariel resolved upon a dangerous expert
ment. Creeping along the ground like
a saake, he approached tho negro, whose
| heavy breathing encouraged him to pro-
ceed. He arose and stepped over him.
In doing so he intercepted the ray of
! light, which, as he perceived, fell upon
| the face of the squaw. She moved, and
as Ariel glided into the darkness, she
raised herself on ner elbow, then appar-
emily satisfied. composed herself to rest
again. Ariel paused to listen, and soon
| detected gentle breathing: he knelt
| down and touched hand which shiver-
! ed and withdrew. Then the negro's
| voice Jared upon his car, asking the
squaw if she was asleep. The woman
replied sull1ily. He muttered a threat
| and went away to the fire, and returning
with his pipe lighted resumed his place
at the entrance.
Ninon, also awakened, stretched out
| her hand and encountered that of Ariel.
| 1t was critical moment; would she
scream? He placed a finger on her Ii ps.
| She did not move and scarcely breathed.
Ariel traced his name letter by letter on
the palm of her hand, and he knew by
the pressure on his own that she COM
pretended all. Her presence of mind
saved them, and while she asked the
squaw some careless questions, she
drew piece of bark aside and pushed
him through the crevice. She was
about to follow him when the squaw
laid her hand upon her shoulder. ''Why
you not go to sleep?" she asked in
broken French. Ariel heard the ques-
tion and knew that the opportunity was
lost for the present, although part of
his mission had succeeded. Mile. Des-
tain knew that her friends were at
hand.
THAT will be relief to her." he
thought, ''if she does not betray it by
her looks.''
Marden was growing impatient, how
ever. He told Ariel, that no better op-
oprtunity was likely to occur, while
some accident mi ght snatch the prize
from their grasp.
$50 back" he said; ''or stay; I'll go
myself. We must have her tonight if
we have to fight against odds. Ha!
what is that?' Something attracts their
attention. Ariel did you hear that
shout? 1t came from the water. Seer'
AS he spoke huge shadow appeared a
few rods from the shore; another mo-
ment and the freight fell upon a
barge, propelled1by six rowers, in the
bow of which stood man of large pro-
portions, who sprang to the shore before
the vessel touched. Marden recognized |
him instantly. 1t was Lemourier.
CHAPTER XIII.
BRING HANDTUI.S OF LILIES"
Mercer was prepared, as far as his |
limited force admitted. for the attack |
of the enemy, with the courage of a
man who was ready to die at his post, |
mingled with scorn of the pusillanimity |
which rendered the loss of an important |
position almost certain, and for which
the English Generals Loudouu and Alb
ercrombie earned the lasting contempt |
of the colonists, if not of their own
troops, while history accuses them of
imbccility and cowardice.
1t was Renwick's wnim to announce
the arrival of the little fleet at Oswego
by the discharge of one of the captured
cannon, to the surprise of Mercer, who
did not know that these reinforcements
cod 0E ~ I