ing her my
simple story, gaining in return brief glimpses of her experiences in
Canada and the farther West. She even informed me that orders had been
received, the day before she became lost upon the lake, to abandon Fort
Dearborn; that an Indian runner--whom she named Winnemeg--had arrived
from General Hull at Detroit, bringing also news that Mackinac had
fallen.

"Doubtless your absence has greatly worried them also," I said.

"Oh, no; none of them knew my plight. Possibly some may miss me, but
they will naturally suppose I have been at Mr. Kinzie's house all this
time. I have been there often for weeks together, and they have
frequently urged me to take shelter with them. You see it is far safer
there than at the Fort, for even the most hostile Indians remain on
friendly terms with Mr. Kinzie and his family. He has been there so
many years, and is so just a man in his dealings with them. 'T is
really strange to see how he leaves his house unguarded, while the
garrison at the Fort is almost in a state of siege. It makes it hard
to realize how imminent is the danger. Yet they are terribly alarmed
at the Fort, and I fear with cause. Even Mr. Kinzie feels the
situation to be critical. There were fully three hundred Pottawattomie
warriors encamped without the Fort two days ago; and they were becoming
bold and impudent,--one chief even firing his gun in Captain Heald's
office, thinking to frighten him into furnishing them with liquor."

"But the Fort is strong?" I asked. "It is capable of resisting an
attack?"

"I should suppose so," she answered, hesitatingly; "but that is not a
matter upon which a girl may judge. I fear, however, all is not
harmony among its defenders. I know that Captain Heald and Ensign
Ronan do not agree, and I have heard bitter words spoken by other
officers of the garrison."

I thought she did not care to speak more about this matter, and we
drifted off upon other topics, until I felt her head sink slowly down
upon my shoulder, and knew she slept. I sat there still, pillowing her
tenderly upon my arm, when the gray light of the dawn stole slowly
toward us across the ridges of sand and revealed the upturned face.

CHAPTER VIII

TWO MEN AND A MAID

The emotion I felt was new and strange to me; for though I had known
little of young women, yet as I looked upon her in that dim light of
dawn I found myself wondering if I already loved this strange girl.
Fair as her face ce