Year: 1872

BY JAMES M'CARRoLL.


On the eve of the opening of hostilities be-
tween the Americans and the English, in 1872
an officer named MARROW, belonging to small
British force stationed at Windsor, directly
opposite Detroit, had become terribly smitter
with Helen, the only child of Mr.. Justice
WAYNE, who resided with her father on the
American side of the river, almost within
view of the English garrison. This young
lady, who was remarkable for her great per
sonal beauty and mental endowments, so tai
from returning the passion OF her ardent ad'
mirer, rejected it with an emphasis not to be
mistaken; although the obtuse and egotistical
soldier who piqued himself upon his birth and
fortune, could not at first comprehend the
aversion evinced toward him, and set it down
to a bit of coquetry, which simply gave zest
to his suit, and which in due course should
fall before his powers Of persuasion, his lieu
tenants commission, and his red head.


There, however, he was mistaken for the
heart of his fair enchantress had already been
given to another, who, without being able to
boast of fortune or Of high blood, was noblll.
ty itself, and as brave fellow as ever stepped
in shoe leather. The father of Helen, al
though in many respects an excellent gentle
man, had some exceedingly weak points in re.
lation to what is called "family;" and hence
his daughter, fearless and true as she was,
could never summon up sufficient courage to
inform him of her prediction for Raymond
West, we'll knowing that he would at once de-
mur to her giving the slightest encouragement
to the hopes of a poor and unknown adventur'
er, who had not long previously appeared for
the first time in the vicinity of Lake St. Clair,
and wbc was now nothing but mere hunter,
to be found almost daily in companionship
with the red children Of the forest, and who
only visited the haunts of the white man from
time to time.


In this way matters stood, when, the even
ing before the first gun of defiance doomed
across the river between both nations party
of Shawnee Indians suddenly pounced upon
Helen as she was walking alone on the banks
of the river, and, hurrying her into canoe,
bore her across the rapid food to lonely
point on the Canadian shore, where, just as
darkness was beginning to set in, she was
placed in the custody Of two squaws, who
seemed to have but recently taken up their
abode in rude hut, or wigwam, constructed
beneath some isolated rocks at the termination
of an unfrequented promontory about two
miles above the British post, in the direction
of the smaller lake. Here she was at once In
formed that any attempt to alarm passing
boat or to escape would be visited with instant
death, while silence and submission would in
sure kindness and consideration. Of this she
was apprised through signs and a few words
of broken English; and feeling that her life
depended upon acquiescence bitterly as her
soul was wrung with the danger ofher impend-
ing fate, and through her sudden separation
from her father and her lover, she determined
to give her jailors no plea for putting their
threats into execution, but to trust in Provl-
dence and bide her time with ears and eyes
open. Ofthe cause of her capture she had no
conception whatever beyond the general idea
that it was one of the first acts of the war, al
though she had heard previously that Of late
similar descents by the Indians had been made
at various points on the American frontier re-
sulting in much blood and outrage.


Scarcely, however, had she time to reflect
upon the horrors of her condition, when Gen
eral Hull then Governor of Michigan, crossed
the river from Detroit 10 attack the British
post at Maiden, to which NARROW and his COM
panions in arms were obliged to retreat at a
moments notice, and upon which the Indians
under Tecumtha and his brother, "The
Prophet" we're also constrained to fall back.
This relieved the poor prisoner from all lin
mediate app Extensions of danger, save at the
hands of her keepers; but as in the eyes of the
Younger of the two, who was about her own
age she observed an occasional gleam of SYM
pathy and compassion, she had no appreheu-
sion of violence in this direction. Of the pres
ence of her countrymen upon Canadian soil
and of the retreat of the British from the
neighboring post to Maiden she had become
aware; but still she was seemingly no nearer
to her freedom that she had been before either
of these occurrences had taken place, from the
fact that she seemed cut off from all succor,
and had now become aware that one Indian
(at least) was secreted in the vicinity of the
hut who had brought the intelligence that
the Americans, instead of marching upon
Maiden, had gone into camp at Sandwich,
where, as history records, they remained sub
sequently in criminal inactivity for four weeks.


When Mr.. Wayne became cognizant Of the
capture of his daughter by the Indians, her
seizure having been accidentally witnessed by
party who recognized her, his agony was of
the most appalling character He had long
been widower, and now he was childless. In
such dire extremity to whom was he to look
for slccor? War had commenced, and his be.
loved and only daughter was in the hands OF
the most savage of the enemy. He was fren'
zied and cried aloud in his anguish for help
Three days and nights of the most terrible
torture had he spent, when Raymond West
pale snd haggard, stood before him. Hearing
that hostilities had commenced between both
nations, he had fastened from the West to be
near his betrothed but had arrived too late
for she was already in the merciless clutches ol
the Shawnee savages.


Raising his fearless eyes to those of the 81,
lent hunter, the old man implored him to 60
in quest of his daughter, and rescue her from
the horrors of death and captivity. Had he
had the slightest idea that he was addressing
the lover of his beautiful child he would have
pleaded more eloquently in her behalf; but
he had no conception whatever Of the exist
ence of any affection or intimacy between
them. Raymond he knew as a hunter only
and as a man of generous impulses, and he
simply asked his aid as one versed in Indian
life and strategy. When, however, the young
man grasped his hand and assured MIN, while
stern resolve overspread his handsome fea
lures and burned in his large gray eyes, that
his child should be restored to him, if she was
still in the land of the living, all his strength
forsook him, and he wept like an infant Oh
the shoulder of his intending benefactor.


Although at first NARROW believed that he
should be able to overcome "the scruples' o.