ene of blood, to save her if possible, as they had previously
saved Mrs. Elmsley, who had had her horse shot under her, and been
wounded in the ankle. Both were hurried into a canoe, and concealed
under blankets by those good but now powerless chiefs, while the
brave but desperate captain returned to head his warriors and try
the last issue of the fight.

Meanwhile, Captain Headley had been again attacked and with great
fury by the rallying Indians, while the only diversion in his favor
was that made by the little band of Miamis, who, however, could
not be expected to render efficient aid much longer; besides,
whatever immediate advantage might be gained, the final result
when the darkness of night should set in, was but too certain. Not
only his officers and himself, but his men felt this, and they
could scarcely be said to regret it, when, surrounding them from
a distance, the Indians renewed a fire which, from the moment of
their first being thrown into square, had in a great degree been
lulled. During that short interval they had been made to moisten
their parched lips from their canteens of water into which had been
thrown a small quantity of rum at starting, and no one who has ever
donned the buckler need be told the exhilarating, the renewing
influence of this upon men jaded with long previous watching and
fighting at disadvantage.

"Men, husband your ammunition," enjoined the captain, "keep cool,
and when I give the word, level low and deliberately. Our position
cannot be better, for the country is all clear and flat around us.
God defend the right."

"Commence file-firing from the right of faces," he ordered, as he
remarked that the Indians, rendered bolder by has inactivity, were
evidently closing upon him, as for the purpose of a rush.

Steadily and coolly the men pulled the trigger for the first time;
and the effect of the caution he had given was perceptible. The
Indians were no less galled than astonished when turning from one
face to get out of the way of danger, they found the bullets coming
upon them from every point of the compass--not very many, it is
true, but quite enough to stay and to warn them that a nearer
approach was dangerous; and before the little band had discharged
a dozen cartridges each--few failing to tell--they had withdrawn
entirely out of reach of danger either to themselves or to their
enemies.

While thus they stood, as it were, at bay, they for the first time
had leisure t