ndians having any idea that
we were not still inside. As we retreated, the density of the smoke
became less, and I then told her to run for her life, as the Indians
would discover that the door of the cabin was open and that we had
escaped--and so it proved. We were still a hundred yards from the wood
when a yell was given which proved that they had discovered our
escape, and were in pursuit. We gained the wood; I turned round a
moment to look behind me, and perceived at least forty or fifty
Indians in full pursuit of us--the foremost about two hundred yards
distant.

"Now we must run for it, mistress," said I, "and we must no longer
take hands. We shall have to thread the wood. Away! We have no time to
lose."

So saying, I snatched my hand from her and sprang forward; she
following me as fast as she could, more fearful, evidently, of my
making my escape from her than of her own escape from the Indians. As
soon as I was a hundred yards in the wood, I turned short to the
right, and fled with all my speed in that direction, because I hoped
by this means to deceive the Indians, and it was easier to run where
the wood was not so thick. My mistress followed me close: she would
have hallooed to me, but she had not breath after the first half-mile.
I found out that I was more fleet than she was. Whether encumbered
with her clothes, or perhaps not so much used to exercise, I heard her
panting after me. I could easily have left her, but my fear was that
she would have called to me, and if she had, the Indians would have
heard her, and have known the direction I had taken, and, when once on
my trail, they would, as soon as daylight came, have followed me by it
to any distance; I therefore slackened my speed so as just to enable
my mistress to keep up with me at about ten yards' distance; when we
had run about three miles I felt certain that she could not proceed
much further: speak she could not, and as I ran without once looking
behind me, she could make no sign. I continued at a less rapid pace
for about a mile further. I did this to enable her to keep up with me,
and to recover my own breath as much as possible previous to a start.
The voices of the Indians had long been out of hearing, and it was
clear that they had not discovered the direction which we had taken. I
knew, therefore, that they could not hear her now, if she did cry out
as loud as she could, and I gradually increased my speed, till I
could no longer hear her