ans as they
did among the whites. The Delawares had been one of the few
peacefully disposed tribes. In order to get them to join their
forces with Governor Hamilton, the British commander, Girty declared
that Gen. Washington had been killed, that Congress had been
dispersed, and that the British were winning all the battles.

Girty spoke most of the Indian languages, and Hamilton employed him
to go among the different Indian tribes and incite them to greater
hatred of the pioneers. This proved to be just the life that suited
him. He soon rose to have a great and bad influence on all the
tribes. He became noted for his assisting the Indians in marauds,
for his midnight forays, for his scalpings, and his efforts to
capture white women, and for his devilish cunning and cruelty.

For many years Girty was the Deathshead of the frontier. The mention
of his name alone created terror in any household; in every
pioneer's cabin it made the children cry out in fear and paled the
cheeks of the stoutest-hearted wife.

It is difficult to conceive of a white man's being such a fiend in
human guise. The only explanation that can be given is that
renegades rage against the cause of their own blood with the fury of
insanity rather than with the malignity of a naturally ferocious
temper. In justice to Simon Girty it must be said that facts not
known until his death showed he was not so cruel and base as
believed; that some deeds of kindness were attributed to him; that
he risked his life to save Kenton from the stake, and that many of
the terrible crimes laid at his door were really committed by his
savage brothers.

Isaac Zane suffered no annoyance at the hands of Cornplanter's
braves until the seventh day of his imprisonment. He saw no one
except the squaw who brought him corn and meat. On that day two
savages came for him and led him into the immense council-lodge of
the Five Nations. Cornplanter sat between his right-hand chiefs, Big
Tree and Half Town, and surrounded by the other chiefs of the
tribes. An aged Indian stood in the center of the lodge and
addressed the others. The listening savages sat immovable, their
faces as cold and stern as stone masks. Apparently they did not heed
the entrance of the prisoner.

"Zane, they're havin' a council," whispered a voice in Isaac's ear.
Isaac turned and recognized Girty. "I want to prepare you for the
worst."

"Is there, then, no hope for me?" asked Isaac.

"I'm afraid not," con