f in the woods for scalps."

"Didn't lose his?"

"No; although he come mighty nigh losing his head."

"It's an all-fired shame," resumed O'Hara. "As soon as he got inside
the fort there with Lew, I streaked it for the settlement to get the
boys. I told you to hurry, but after you got to the clearin', I wanted
you to wait so that I could jine in the fun, and pitch in
promiscuously. Why didn't you do it?"

"Matters were mixed up a little too much to allow us to wait," replied
Lewis Dernor.

"S'pose they was, but I'm mad and want to lick somebody. Won't you
fight, Lew?"

The latter merely smiled, and the party moved on, O'Hara being forced
to bottle his wrath, as he could find no one upon whom to expend it.
Occasionally, however, he and the brothers Smith had a war of words,
but it amounted to nothing, being attended by no real ill-feeling upon
either side.

It was just growing dark when the party reached the settlement. The
delight with which the fugitives were welcomed by the settlers need not
be described. Many had had the most painful apprehensions regarding
Edith, and nearly every family felt as if one of its members had been
restored, upon her return. And the confidence which they reposed in the
gallant-hearted Rifleman, the reliance which they placed upon his
prowess and bravery, were such that all felt his death would have been
a public calamity.

The Riflemen remained several days in the settlement, there being no
special cause for hurrying their departure. While the members of this
small party enjoyed themselves to the utmost, the sadness and dejection
of their leader was remarked by all. He was often seen wandering in the
woods, silent and moody, resolutely refusing communication with any
one. He carefully avoided Sego and Edith, until the latter, wondering
more than the others at the cause of his changed behavior, sent word to
him that she wished him to spend an evening with her. Dernor's first
impulse was to refuse the invitation; but, on second thought, he
concluded to accept it, and he returned a reply promising to call upon
her on the following evening.

Edith was living with Smith, where Sego was also spending his time,
and, from the wording of her invitation, he confidently expected to
meet her alone. He was considerably disappointed and chagrined,
therefore, on entering the room, to find Sego seated within a few feet
of her, the expression of both faces showing that each was full of
happines