ll you promise not to escape if I set you free?"

"Certainly not," replied I. "You set me free for your own purposes,
because you wish me to help to defend your property; and then, forsooth,
when the Indians are beat off, you will chain me again."

"No, no; that was not my feeling, as I sit here alive," replied she;
"but I was thinking that, if forced to retreat from the cabin, you would
never be able to escape, and I never could save you; but they should
hack me to pieces first."

"Answer me one question," said I. "In a time of peril like this, would
you, as a conscientious person, think that you were justified in
retaining in such fetters even a convict who had robbed you? And if you
feel that you would not, on what grounds do you act in this way to a man
whom you profess to love?--I leave it to your conscience."

She remained silent for some time: when the dog barked, and she started
up.

"I believe I am mad, or a fool," said she, sweeping back her hair from
her forehead.

She then took the key of the manacle out of her dress, and released me.

"Alexander--"

"Silence!" said I, putting my hand to her mouth, "this is no time to be
heard speaking. Silence!" repeated I in a whisper, "I hear them, they
are round the house."

I stood upon one of the stools and looked through a loop-hole. It was
very dark, but as the Indians stood on the hill, there was clear sky
behind them as low down as their waists, and I could perceive their
motions, as they appeared to be receiving orders from their chief; and
they advanced to the door of the cabin with axes and tomahawks. My
mistress had mounted on the table at the same time that I had got on the
stool. We now got down again without speaking, and, each taking a
musket, we kneeled down at the lower loop-holes which I have described.
On second thoughts I mounted the stool, whispering to her, "Don't fire
till I do."

The Indians came to the door and tapped, one asking in English to be let
in. No reply was given, and they commenced their attack upon the door
with their axes. As soon as this aggression took place, I took good aim
at their chief, as I presumed him to be, who was now standing alone on
the hill. I fired. He fell immediately.

As I leaped from the stool my mistress discharged her musket, and we
both caught up others and returned to the loop-holes below. By this
time the blows of the axes were incessant, and made the cabin-door
tremble and the dust t