ge of it. It had served
to divert the action of the savages, and the attention of all being
occupied with their two prisoners, he managed with considerable
difficulty to reach the wood without being discovered.

Here, at a safe distance, he watched the progress of things. The
building was now one mass of flame, which lit up the sky with a lurid,
unearthly glare. The border of the forest was visible and the trunks
and limbs of the trees appeared as if scorched and reddened by the
consuming heat. The savages resembled demons dancing and yelling around
the ruin which they had caused. It was with difficulty that Leland
restrained himself from firing upon them. With a sad heart he saw the
house which had sheltered him from infancy fall inward with a crash. The
splinters and ashes of fire were hurled in the air and fell at his feet,
and the thick volume of smoke reached him.

Yet he thought more of the captives which were in the hands of their
merciless enemies. Their safety demanded his attention. Thoughtfully and
despondingly he turned upon his heel and disappeared in the shadows of
the great forest.

CHAPTER III.

KENT AND LESLIE.

When Roland Leslie reached his destination some miles up the Ohio, his
fears and suspicions were confirmed. There had been a massacre, a week
previous, of a number of settlers, and the Indians were scouring the
country for more victims.

This information was given by Kent Whiteman, the person for whom he was
searching. This personage was a strange character, some forty years of
age, who led a wandering hunter's life, and was known by every white man
for a great distance along the Ohio. Roland Leslie had made his
acquaintance when but a mere lad, and they often spent weeks together
hunting and roaming through the great wilderness, which was the home of
both. He cherished an implacable hatred to every red-man, and they in
turn often sought his life, for they had no enemy so dangerous as he.

"Yes, sir, them varmints," said he, as he leaned upon his long rifle and
gazed at Leslie, "are playing particular devil in these parts, and I
calkelate it's a game that two can play at."

[Illustration: "Them varmints," said he, "are playing particular devil
in these parts."]

"Jump in the boat, Kent," said Leslie, "and ride down with me; I
promised George Leland that if he needed assistance I would bring it to
him."

"He needs it, that's a p'inted fact, and as soon as it can conveniently