Year: 1860

| dou and darting the steel sayagely INTO tne
wood at every word.


An hour passed thus, when tall and powerful
man, behind whom appeared another, older and
with white hair, filed the doorway. so stopped
were Hester's ears with the clamors OF her bias
phemies and ravngs, that she heard no signs Of
their presence, nor dreamed OF it until Harold
Holmes cast his sinewy arm around her and
gagged her foul mouth with his hand. Father
and lover were armed with pistols only.


"Cut the cords--haste," he cried and with a
waste Of breath, for Henry Upson had done it
ere the words were spoken. The pair had marked
the flight Of the renegade and hurried in pursuit,
while the friends kept on after the Iurons


There was but brief time for embracing, and
after securely binding the venomous hag and
gagging her with rope that filled her mouth
and was tied behind her head, Harold lifted the
now fainting girl in his stout arms, and with her
father, hurried to the lake shore. There they
found canoe, in which they embarked and
pushed from the pebbly beach.


Hardly had this been done when Abner, with
three painted savages all that were left OF his
too eager band, rushed into the hut.


At glance he discovered all. Calling to his
warriors to follow him, and needless of the great
and blazing fagot that had rolled from the
hearth to the floor he rushed 10 the shore. The
moon shed radiance clear and fair, and he saw
the fngives yet in rife shot.


" Aim at the men,, he said, as he leveed his
rife al Epson Four rifles cracked at once, and
the renegade shouted with Joy as he saw both
father and lover sink to the bottom of the canoe


The girl for me-the scalps for you!' he
cried, as he plunged into the placid lake followed
by his savages.


Gagged and bound, Hester Madge watched
the brand on the floor, as il began to eat into
the wood and spread its fire around in hungry
flames.


Clara sat in the mot;onlcss canoe, and her
tpru dry hn four DIS
with fierce visages drew nearer and nearer.
The silvercd waters parted from the bIawny
throats, and the sheen of the moon-beams gilt
tered upon the scalping knives barred between
the white teeth OF the savages. Five more Of
those lnsty sweeps of dusky arms would have
carried them 10 the canoe when Clara cried


Now, father up Harold ~ and her lips
spoke the words both sprang from ambush and
tegned death, and the flash Of their pistols was
the last Of earth seen by the Hurons, ere they
sank forever.


Abncr Madge turned to regain the shore ere
the pistols should try his life again, but he heard
Harold cry, You shall not escape" and the
heavy splash in the lake told him that deadly
and formidable foe was behind him whose skill
as a sw wimmcr was the talk of the northern front
iers. The renegade no coward, and had no
lack Of faith in his own proves. lie wheeled to
meet his enemy, and drew his hunting knife from
his belt, AS he drew ii, the long hair of the
sea pS at his grdlc seemed 10 clasp bis arm Win
Shiny folds, and to bind his arm to his side. Ere
he could raise it his foe had darted upon him and
buried his dagger in his throat. lie yelled with
rage and pain-brokc the Americans fierce
hold from his collar, and sank. The next instant
Harold whled a complete somersault in the wa
ter and thus escaped the upward thrust of the
renegade S hunting knife. He sank, and the fu-
rlous Abner rose from below.


A strange light, red and unstable, began to
flare over the scene. He glanced to the shore.
The hut was in flames. A terrible vision of
bound and gagged wretch flashed upon his mind,
when, with howl of dreadful agony, he ac-
knowledged n fresh wound from his implacable
foe. Harold had slashed him across the body be-
low his belt! He plunged beneath the wave and
missed the blow that Harold struck at his neck as
he rose for breath. The wary American again
sank, and when the fast falling renegade came
up his enemy was beneath him.


He then whrled a somersault, but did not cs
cape the blade; for Harold had driven his dagger
to the hilt in Abncrs thigh. The renegade, blind
with the loss Of blood, swan feebIy around in
irregular circles, and as Harold again rose, the
merciinl bullet Of Henry Upson ended the strife.
The glare of the burning hut shone in the glarng
eyes of the renegade, as he gaSped aud sank 10
rise no more Harold FASTENED into the canoe,
and the evening of the next day saw father, lover
and maiden, within the lines Of the American
army.


The hut blazcd on, and when the sun shonc
again. the backened boues of Hester Madge were
all that remained Of the renegade mother.