wa villages. But who was the woman who rescued him so
splendidly, and what do you suppose became of her?"

"He claims her as his squaw," replied the hunter, "and ef she's where I
left her, she's setting watching him at this moment."

"You don't mean it! How can she be?" cried the major, jumping to his
feet.

"I do mean it; and she can be beside him because I let her in myself,
not half an hour ago, and locked the door after me when I come out."

"Then come with me at once, for I must go and see them," exclaimed the
proprietor, starting toward the door.

"Hold a bit, major. Don' you think that maybe Songa has earned a few
hours of uninterrupted rest?" asked the hunter.

"Yes, you are right, he certainly has," replied the major, as he again
sank into his chair.

CHAPTER IV

ESCAPE OF THE PRISONERS

Mrs. Hester, who had been putting her child to sleep, entered the room
in time to hear the conclusion of the hunter's story, which she found
intensely interesting. Like her husband, she was filled with a desire
to see the brave woman who, daring all for the man she loved, had,
alone and unaided, saved him from a horrible fate. With him, though,
she agreed that it would be cruel to disturb the much-needed and
bravely earned rest of their guests. Thus it was decided that they
should wait until morning before visiting those whom Fate had so
strangely thrust upon their hospitality. In the meantime, were they
guests or prisoners, and what was to be done with them? Long and
animated was the discussion of these questions, which were finally
settled by the major, who said: "They are both. For this night they
are our guests. To-morrow morning I shall set a guard over them, for
their protection as well as our own. Thus they will become prisoners.
If by the time the Ottawa warrior is sufficiently recovered of his
wounds to travel, I have received no word to the contrary from Johnson,
I shall let him go, and bid him God speed. If, however, I should
receive orders to continue to hold him, or even to deliver him over to
his savage captors, which God forbid, I can conceive of no alternative
save that of obedience."

"Oh, Graham! You wouldn't, you couldn't, deliver that splendid Indian
and his brave wife to the awful fate that would await them!" cried Mrs.
Hester.

"I don't think that I could give up the woman nor that I would be
required to, seeing that she was not a prisoner of war; but with the
man it is di