am were all wrapped in a profound sleep, not dreaming
of danger near. The infant, nestling in his mother's bosom, by a sudden
start roused her to partial consciousness. A deep groan, as of one in
expiring agonies, awakened all her faculties. She sprung up and called
upon her husband--

"O-ken-ah-ga, what is the matter?"

Another deep groan, and a stifled yell of triumph, was the only answer.

Staring wildly round, what a scene of horror met her eyes! Her father,
her mother, her husband, pierced with many wounds, and weltering in
their yet warm blood, lay dead before her; while a band of fierce and
terrible enemies, of the Athapuscow tribe, stood over them, with the
reeking instruments of death in their hands, their eyes gleaming with
savage delight, and their whole faces distorted with the most fiend-like
expression of rage and triumph. With the true instinct of a mother, she
clasped her infant to her breast, and bowed her head in silence, utterly
unable to give any utterance to the bitterness of her wo. It was this
silence that saved her and her child from an instant participation in
the fate of the mangled ones around her. The first word spoken, would
have brought down that reeking tomahawk upon their heads. The
Athapuscows were few in number, and their only safety consisted in doing
their work of revenge with secrecy and despatch, for the Chippeways were
many and powerful, and to disturb the slumbers of one of them would be
to rouse the whole tribe in a moment.

The work of death was done. The scalps of their victims hung dripping at
the belts of the murderers, and the spoils of the cabin were secured.
The spoilers turned to depart, and Tula, in obedience to their word,
without complaint or remonstrance, rose and followed them. Gathering up
a few necessary articles, among which she contrived to conceal her babe,
she took one farewell look upon the loved ones, whom death had so
suddenly and fearfully claimed, and left them, and the home of her
youth, for ever.

With cautious stealthy steps, the murderous band plunged into the deep
forest, threading their way through its intricate mazes, with
inconceivable skill and sagacity, till they reached an opening, on the
bank of the Wapatoony river, where a considerable detachment of their
tribe was temporarily encamped. Delivering their prisoner into the hands
of the women, the braves proceeded at once to the council of the chiefs,
to show their trophies, and relate the i