ting that
the remainder of the herd would readily follow at their heels, he crept
from the fold, to make his way up the valley, and round among the hills,
to the rendezvous. But that was a direction in which, as he soon learned
to his cost, neither the horses he had in hand, nor those that were to
follow in freedom, had the slightest inclination to go; and there
immediately ensued a struggle between the stealer and the stolen, which,
in the space of a minute or less, resulted in the whole herd making a
demonstration towards the centre of the village, whither they succeeded
both in carrying themselves and the vainly resisting horse-thief, who was
borne along on the backs of those he had haltered, like a land-bird on
the bosom of a torrent, incapable alike of resisting or escaping the
flood.

In this manner he was taken in a trap of his own making, as many a better
and wiser man of the world has been, and daily is; and it was no
melioration of his distress to think he had whelmed his associates in his
ruin, and defeated the best and last hopes of his benefactress. It was
with such feelings at his heart, that he was dragged up to the fire, to
be exulted over and scolded at as long as it should seem good to his
captors. But the latter, exhausted by the day's revels, and satisfied
with their victory, so complete and so bloodless, soon gave over
tormenting him, resolving, however, that he should be soundly beaten at
the gantelope on the morrow, for the especial gratification, and in
honour, of the Wyandott party, their guests.

This resolution being made, he was, like Roland and Nathan, led away
bound, each being bestowed in a different hut, where they were committed
to safer guards than had been appointed to watch over Edith; and, in an
hour after, the village was again wrapped in repose. The last to betake
themselves to their rest were Doe, and his confederate, Braxley, the
latter of whom had been released from his disagreeable bonds, when Edith
was carried back to the tent. It was while following Doe to his cabin,
that he discovered the loss of the precious document upon the possession
of which he had built so many stratagems, and so many hopes of success.
His agitation and confusion were so great at the time of Nathan's
assault, that he was wholly unaware it had been taken from him by this
assailant; and Doe, to whom its possession opened newer and bolder
prospects, and who had already formed a design for using it to his