Year: 1868

1t was on beautiful morning in the month
OF June of the second year of the Revolution
ary War that Murphy, the Indian slayer
and scout, might have been seen standing on
the brow of the hill that overlooked charm
ing valley in the State of New York. He
was standing in the shadow of large tree,
leaning upon his rifle, and evidently
hunter though he was, and used to scenes of
grandeur and beauty in nature-drinking in
the beauties of as lovely a scene as the eye
could wish to behold The valley-if valley
it could properly be called. being bordered
on the opposite side by dense forest-was
not more than mile wide. A small stream
ran through the green meadows, and on its
banks nestled little settlement of rude huts.
There was a strong block house in the center
of the hamlet, and the settlers had evidently
gathered in it, there being no smoke ascend
ing from any but its chimney. Two or three
cows, grazing on the borders of the wood,
were the only visible things having life
Murphy's eyes wandered over the entire
scene, but rested longest on the block house.


lie scrutinized it closely for short time,
when he suddenly Strengthened himself, and
carrying his rifle to his shoulder he muttered,
" It's little out of the way, to be sure,
but somehow I've got notion that some
things wrong hererabouts. jist from the
looks of things. Anyway. I'll stop in and
let EN- know how things is going outside o.
this ere valley" Giving his belt a hitch
as he finished speaking he commenced de-
scending the hill He soon reached the plain
and struck out with a long. swinging stride
for the settlement. His long strides soon
brought him to the block house, the door of
which Immediately opened to admit him
He was kindly received, although an entire
stranger Murphy noticed. on entering, by
the compressed lips and troubled expression
of countenances of those that admitted him.
that something of an alarming nature had
occurred, and on reaching the innsr room he
felt satisfied that his surnises were right,
for number of women were gathered round
and trying to soothe a middle-aged woman,
who was seated on pallet in one corner,
weeping as though her heart would break.


In answer to Murphy's what's all this
mean ?" coupled with his inquiring looks, an
old gray-haired man said:


Wall, stranger, this morning, bout two
hours ago, one o. the girls went out to milk
the cows. They were only bout couple O.
hundred yards from the house, and as the
Injins had not been seen in the neighborhood
for some time we had no fear. She must
have been bout through, when we heard
her screaming, and looking out through the
loophules, we saw her carried off by Iniins.
Eey soon entered the woods, and that is the
last we've seen on 'em.


Stranger, as you see, there's only us old
men and women and children here. The
able-bodiei men are all in the army. The
girls father, two brothers and intended hus-
band are all fighting for their country. We
could not pursue the imps, and | fear the
poor girl is lost forever. That's her mother
sitting in the corner" and he pointed to the
weeping woman.


Murphy. to all outward appearances, was
but little moved by this touching story. He
uttered a few words of consolation to the
grief-strcken mother advised them all to
stay as close to the block house as possible,
and then saying he had long way to travel
yet, he bid them good by and departed with
out revealing his name, or giving them the
least evidence of the resolution he had form.
ed while listening to the old mans tale.


On leaving the house he bent his steps to
the place were the Indians entered the woods
on the retreat. He soon found the trail, and
Immediately commenced the pursuit. Near
three hours had passed since the capture
had taken place. but the trail was broad, the
Indians evidently fearing no persuit from the
feeble garrison. had taken no pains to hide it.


Fired by revenge, and the hope of rescu-
ing an innocent girl from the clutches of the
fends, and restoring her to sorrowing
mother and loving friends, Murphy pressed
forward with all the speed of which he was
capable. He kept on without once stopping
till about five o'clock in the afternoon, when,
knowing by the signs of the trail, that his
foes could not be far in advance of him. he
halted on the top of high hill, and climbing
tall tree, he reconnoitered. the surround
ing country. Casting his eyes over the val
ley that lay beneath him, he saw at con-
siderable distance in advance of him the
objects of his pursuit. They were going at
a moderate pace, with the fair captive trudg-
ing YEARLY along between them He noted
the exact course they were taking. and then
descending the tree he took up the trail. A
halt hour later the Indians encamped, and
Murphy, leaving the trail, entered dense
tElcket, there to await the coming shadows
OF night before commencing operations.


Murphy waited until the darkness was
intense, and then he quietly arose and left
the thicket, and he advanced without any
mishap close to the Indian camp. Slowly
and with the greatest caution he gained a
position which afforded him view of all
their movements. The four Indians were
sitting around a fire silently smoking their
long stemmed pipes. Their captive sat lit
tie to one side, and between them and the
scout. Her feet were bound, but her hands
which bad been pinioned, to allow her to eat
her scanty supper. still remained free. For
half an hour the Indians continued to smoke
entirely unconscious of the glittering ewes
bent upon them. Then they knocked the
ashes from their pipes, and one of them rose.
and stepping toward the captive took rope,
made of twisted deer hide and placing her
hands behind her, tied them firmly together
with one end of it, and then made the other
end fast to a peg driven in the ground. Or.
dering her to lie down and go to sleep. and
make no attempt to escape, or he would in.
stantly kill her, he returned to the fire. and.
after kicking together the smouldering
embers, wrapped his blanket around him
and stretched himself upon the earth. The