d he have heard
something? He looked again. Long Jim Hart's face expressed nothing.
Braxton Wyatt felt that he was growing nervous, and the next instant he
sprang to his feet with a shout of alarm. Three figures sprang from the
undergrowth and, with leveled weapons, commanded the four unbound men
who sat by the fire to throw up their hands. Up went the hands of the
four, and Timmendiquas smiled sadly.

"Your patience has been greater than ours," he said, "and the reward
that you are about to take belongs to you."

"We could fire upon you, Timmendiquas," said Henry, "and for the moment
the advantage is ours, but even if we should win the victory, in the end
some of us would fall. Those who are bound, and for whom we have come,
would surely be slain. Then, I say to you, mighty chief, give us our
friends, promise that you will forbid pursuit, and we go."

Timmendiquas stood up and his face bore a singular look of dignity and
kindness.

"You speak fairly," he said, "and I wish, Ware, that we could be friends
in peace. Cut the bonds of the prisoners."

He spoke to the two warriors, but at that moment some demon leaped up in
the soul of Braxton Wyatt. "I will do it," he said. But his rage and
disappointment were so great that they nearly blinded him. He snatched
out his knife and rushed at Paul Cotter, but the blade was turned toward
the bound boy's throat, and not toward the thongs.

Henry uttered a cry and sprang forward, but the great war tomahawk of
Timmendiquas left his hand, and flew through the air so swiftly that the
eye saw only a flash. The glittering edge struck the head of Braxton
Wyatt, and he fell, cloven to the chin. He was dead before he touched
the ground.

"We keep faith," said Timmendiquas.

The five bade the great Wyandot chieftain farewell and ten minutes
later were on their return journey. They knew that they were safe from
any pursuit by the band of Timmendiquas. They returned to Wareville and
they fought always with distinction throughout the border wars. They
were at the Blue Licks that dreadful day when Timmendiquas and Moluntha,
Caldwell and Girty, who finally came, with the Wyandots and Shawnees
destroyed more than half of the Kentucky force. Strangely enough they
went with Clark from the mouth of the Licking just two years after the
first expedition, again with a thousand riflemen against Piqua which had
been rebuilt, and they destroyed it, as before, in revenge for Blue
Licks.

Years