tion, and led 'em on--as a villainous looking chap
war seed about the vicinity not long ago."

"Do they suspicion who war the spy?" asked Boone.

"Why some thinks as how it war that thar accussed renegade, Simon
Girty."

"Wretch!" muttered Boone, grasping his rifle almost fiercely; "I'd like
to have old Bess, here, hold a short conflab with him. But what have you
got thar in your arms, that seems so heavy, David?"

"Rifles, Colonel. I've bin riding round and collecting on 'em for this
mad party of Younker's, who went off without any precaution; and I'm now
on my way to deliver 'em, that they may start instanter arter the cussed
red skins, and punish 'em according to the Mosaic law."

"Spur on then, David, and you may perhaps overtake some o' them; and all
that you do, arm and send 'em here as quick as possible--for I'm
dreadful impatient to be off."

The colloquy between the two thus concluded, the horseman--a
strongly-built, hard-favored, muscular man of forty--set spurs to his
horse; and bounding onward toward Wilson's (distant some five miles--the
ravine being about half way between the residence of the groom and
bride,) he was quickly lost to the sight of the other, who quietly
seated himself to await the reinforcement.

In the course of half an hour, Boone was joined by some three or four of
the wedding party, who bad been overtaken by Billings, learned the news,
accepted a rifle each, bidden their fair companions adieu, and sent them
and the horses back to the house of the bride, while they moved forward
to meet danger, rescue the living, and seek revenge.

In the course of an hour and a half, Billings himself returned,
accompanied by some seven or eight stout hearts; among whom were young
Switcher, Stokes, Millbanks, and, lastly, Isaac Younker, who had been
roused from the nuptial bed to hear of the terrible calamity that had
befallen his friends. Isaac, on the present occasion, did not disgrace
his training, the land which gave him birth, nor the country he now
inhabited. When the messenger came with the direful news, although
somewhat late in the morning, Isaac had been found in his bed, closely
folded in the arms of the god of sleep. On being awakened and told of
what had taken place, he slowly rose up into a sitting posture, rubbed
his eyes, stared searchingly at his informant, gathered himself upon his
feet, threw on his wedding garments, and made all haste to descend
below; where he at once sought