Maryland independent. [volume] (Port Tobacco, Md.) 1874-current, 1931-02-20

won't come nearer" he said. Look.
Toinettel There is a white man
among them with a prisoners collar
around his neck"
His words were cut short BY sud-
den movement among the watchers, as
II a command had stirred them to life
again. The man in the lead, with
three eagle feathers in his tuft, stalked
alone into the clearing, a tall and sin
lister figure burdened only with his
weapons and warriors diminutive
travelling pack-a giant who was red
and black and ochrish yellow in his
war paint, and at whose belt hung
a bundle Of scalps in which the sun
played and danced with changing
lights as he moved. Toinette closed
her eyes that she might shut from her
vision the grisly trophies of war
rior's success. When she opened them
again, twoscore warriors in single file
were following in the footsteps Of the
leader and passed within a hundred
feet Of what once had been Lussan's
home, casting furtlve sidewise glances
as they went. In more than one belt,
fresh scalps shone in the sunshine,
and two white men and a boy with
their hands tied and prisoner thongs
about their threats walked in the line.
Not until the trees on the other side
of the clearing had swallowed the
last of the Mohawks did Toinette's
straining eyes turn to Jeems. There
had been no sound in the passing Of
the red scourge, no cautious voice, no
clatter of wood on steel, no crackle
of brittle grass or weeds under four
score moccasined feet. Where their
tracks lay in the grass, one might have
thought that three men had Travelled
instead of forty. And the world was
dead behind them. Crows did not
return to the meadow, and the blue
Jays had flown into safer distance.
The woodpecker had gone to farther
stub. Even in the old house there was
no longer the scurrying and squeaking
of mice-no sound but the tumultuous
throbbing of three hearts, two of them
human and one beasts.
1t was then Jeems spoke.
81 swear there was white man
a free white man-in that painted
crowd, and long hair was hanging from
his belt" he said.
81 saw his blond head and lighter
skin, but thought my eyes were lying
to me-" replied Toinette.
can Englishman." said Jeems. "a
murderer for money such as my Uncle
Hepsibah told me about"
"And yet-he might be French"
They stood looking into each others
eyes, she of the aristocracy of Old
France and he of the New worlds
freedom, and her hands rose slowly to
his face as his bow and arrow fell to
the floor. For the first time she raised
her mouth to his.
"Kiss me, Jeems-and pray little
with me in gratitude for the mercy
God has shown us!"
The thrill of her lips lay for mo-
ment against his.
81 am sorry for everything in the
world" she said.
Some Of the softness and beauty Of
boyhood returned into his face as she
drew herself from his arms and he de-
scended the creaking stair ahead
Of her.
They did not go out at once, but
stood near the lower door, listening
for sound and watching for something
to move.
"They are gone" Jeems finally
said. "But there may be stragglers
behind, and it is safer not to show
ourselves too SOON"
It was easier for them to talk after
this. Quite calmly. as if looking back
on a distant thing, Toinette told
Jeems of the tragedy of Tonteur
manor. Her mother, he learned, had
left for Quebec two days preceding
the coming Of the Indians. Toinette
expressed her thankfulness because of
this, but no great gladness was in her
voice. She could not remember in
vivid details all that had happened,
it had been so sudden and over
whelming, like a stream of fire en-
quilting black night. Peter Lubbock
was with Dieskau. and Heloise, his
young wife. had come to stay with
her. Both were asleep when the saw
ages attacked in the early morning,
and she was of the opinion that most
of the killing was over before they
were fairly awake-and before any
guns were fired. Then came shots and
her fathers voice roaring through the
big house. They were out Of their bed
when the seigneur came in and told
them to dress and keep to their room.
She did not know what had happened
until she looked out of her window,
and then she saw what seemed to be
hundreds of naked savages running
about. She rushed after her father,
but he was gone When she returned
to her room, Heloise had disappeared
and she did not see her again. She
could hear screaming and terrible
cries, and dressing hurriedly as her