Year: 1871

try and lead PASTORAL life for the


rest of their days.


To this proposition the young mar


heartily assented, and after returning


from st. Paul went bravely to work il


the woods, telling trees for building


purposes. 1t was agreed first that


should build a new hewed log house


for the united family, as Watson had


only got up small, single-room cabin


Then the wedding was to take


place, and the men would again re-


sumo their work


While thus busily engaged, the 81.
oux war broke out. 1t was the habit
of Leonora to take her rifle out every
morning and shoot prairie chicken
for the table while her lover and faith
er were hard at work. on the new


house. Watson had brought her as a


present from St. Paul, light and


handsome revolving rifle, of which she


was immensely fond, and with which


she became so expert that she could


shoot duck or prairie chicken on the


wing with absolute certainty.


One morning, as she was strolling
around the lake, rifle in hand, she no.
ticed three canoe loads of Indians pad
ding carefully along the opposite side
of the water, steadily and stealthily
approaching the spot where her father
and lover were at work. She did not


Immediately apprehend any tragedy,


but in some unaccountablc way she
felt impelled to stay and watch their
motions. She therefore concealed her.
self behind the top of fallen tree,
and observed their movements, which
grew more and more suspicious. There
were two Indians in each canoe, and,
after pulling steadily to point where
a thick, overhanging birch tree afford
ed concealment for their canoes, they
dsembarked, and crept carefully and
noiselcssly along until they were with
in few feet of where the unsuspect-
ing men were chopping. Suddenly,
with veil that made the forest ring,
and which echoed and re-echoed across
the broad, still lake, they sprang upon
their victims and bore them to the
earth.


Leonora trembled with excitement
and apprehension, expecting nothing
less than to witness the horrible butch
cry of her father and lover at once.


But this did not seem to be the OBJ
ject of the Indians, for tying the arms
of the captives behind them, they
took to their canoes, where, taking the
old man into one and the young man
into the other, they showed boldly in
to the lake and padded rapidly down
toward where the house stood. Le-
onora OWNED their intent instantly.
"Ha ~ she said to herself, "they de-
sign capturing me, too. They deem
that an easy job, perhaps !" and her
eyes flashed and her face flushed with
anger. "See, there is fourth canoe,
which they no doubt suppose will
carry me. This villainous work was
well calculated, but ha you bad saw
ages, you have mistaken your girl this
time. Leonora Brown has been taught |
more things than to cook venison steak.
Oh, dear, dear father, your Leonora
will soon show you how bravely she
can succor you, and how your instruc-
ting her in the use of this rife has
saved you this day. And you, too,
darling Henry Watson, have won
longer lease of your precious life by
presenting me with this rife. Six
bullets for six rufiians Miss one of
hem p? ha, if l should-there's my
Snife ! No, Leonora, you must not
Miss one of them"


The girl now crept stealthily through
he underbrush up to the bank of the
,rairie above. She knew that to reach
he house, the Indians would have to
ross broad fat field, where there
vas no shelter for their persons. She
lid not think they would hesitate to
10 this, because, having taken the two
men, they would hardly expect any re-
istance from single girl. About
hirty rods to the right of the path a
attle yard had been erected by her
ather, in the corner of which stood
N immense elm tree. Inside of the
ard climbed Leonora, and behind the
zig elm tree she concealed herself.


A few minutes more proved that
he was right in her conjecture. The
indians, after having tied stout raw
ide thongs around the feet of their
risoncrs, laid them down in their ca
ocs, aud strobe gayly and laughingly
long toward the house, without any
Z a.. |