The citizen., 1914-05-01

men to do that. But this Is not strict
ly a military matter, and give you no
orders. l need confidential messen-
ger, a man Of intelligence and nerve;
but he will take his life in his hand.
and possibly to no purpose. l half
suspect treachery, and will order no
officer Of my command to such hazard
Gus service"
He stopped, and stood staring out OF
the window, his broad back toward me.
"You must deem this matter Of
grave Importance" said. firmly. "and
need seek no further; / volunteer to
CO."
He wheeled about, and grasped my
hand.
Il thought SO, Hayward. I am not
often mistaken in a man, and l like
your face. Yet do not be too hasty In
decision. Sit down here, where we
can have the map between US, until /
can explain what hell is brewing In
the pot of those north woods. What
think you honestly of Simon Girty?"
Everything bad; scoundrel from
head to foot"
"Ay! yet Hamilton uses him. The
man was a messenger, even as he
claimed. The Englishman wrote that
with his own hand; have seen the
writing before"
He pushed the crumpled bit Of pa
per across, and l read the crooked
lines slowly, for the penmanship was
almost illegible. Twice read it, half
convinced my brain played me some
trick.
''Is this true, sir?"
Some of 1t Is; enough to make me
afraid 1t may all be. The exact situa'
ton is this, Hayward. The tribes of
the northwest are ready for war. In
spite of the influence Of the chiefs
many Of the young men are already on
the war trail. They are in small par
ties ranging the woods, attacking out
lying settlers and hunters. Stories of
outrages come drifting in here every
day. Nothing prevents general out
break but British restraint, and the op-
position of the Wyandots."
"A strong nation"
"The most important In the Indian
alliance. They are no friends Of ours.
yet they claim to be Christian, con
verted by French Jesuits, and thus far
the priests have held them on the side
of peace. For the first time their
chiefs have met in council with the
others and threaten war. Do you un-
derstand the cause?"
mot clearly, sir; because Of some
prisoners we hold, Is 1t not?"
"It was Greek to me, also, until
Girty explained. That is where trouble
arises. We have no such prisoner, but
if send that word back by Girty, they
will believe l lied. But II an officer
of this garrison goes boldly to them
in response to their challenge; faces
them at their council fire, and says SO
openly they will probably accept his
word"
II the Wyandots join the other
tribes 1t will mean war;"
YES; the length and breadth of the
frontier l have no force with which
to meet them; hundreds of lives-men
women and children will be de-
stroyed; settlements ruined. l doubt
If there be white man left north OF
the Ohio in three months II those
f1ends break loose. This is not my
work, endeavoring to treat with those
red devils. It Is the duty of the gov.
ernor. But st. Clair is away; l have
no means of reaching him with this
information. The Wyandots demand
instant reply, and our messenger must
reach them as soon as, If not before,
the return Of Girty.'"
do have my choice of scouts?"
Certainly"
Then I will take Brady, SIR"
"The best man available. / would
have named him, only l feared your
late trouble had left you enemies"
Not at all; it was fair fight"
sat thinking in silence, and Har-
mar waited. The danger of the Jour-
ACy uAIOllOu DClOA0 iuo al tIQdklud-
tion-the perilous waterways; the long
trail through the trackless woods, men,
aced by rowing Indian bands; the hos
tile tribes in council; the chances of
treachery and death lurking in every
step of the way. Audacity, determine
ton, the lives dependent on my sue
cess, gave me courage. 1t was work
someone must do. l drew the letter
over again, and studied it.
You are sure, general, this 'Wa-pa-
tee-tah' is not in our hands? At some
of the other forts?"
"As sure as can be; l heard from
Pitt yesterday, with reports from the
garrison between, and no account was
made of such prisoner being brought
in. Hambrouck wrote me from Vim
cennes two weeks ago-some French
voyageurs left the letter on their way
up the river-and he mentions moth
ing save his troubles with the Indians
u.