Oonomoo the Huron

e South a light, as i

tal walls of heaven,

its hundred hands up

rivers and piling huge sha

ot. Those nearest had their bark blistered and their leaves curled and scorched from the intense heat. A conflagration at night, when viewed from a distance, always seems awful in its sublimity. There is something calculated to inspire terror in the i

their lair turned their glowing eyeballs toward the dreadful illumination, and stood transfixed with fear until its light died away; while the dark face of the vengeful Shawnee grew darker an

the particulars of the attack of the Shawnee party upon the house of Captain Prescott and the capture of his daughter. Had not the impulsive Lieutenant thus learned of his beloved's safety from massacre, had he not received the assurance of an immediate attempt for her recaptu

es of the negroes still lay upon the ground, having been undisturbed, and with a feeling of heart-sickness the young soldier passed them by. In his profession, he had witnessed many revolting sights, but none that affected him more than this.

collected together and piled one above the other, so that they bore some resemblance to a rudely-fashioned oven. From the circumstances of the case, these must have been arranged in this manner subsequently to the visit of the Shawnees,

was considerably strengthened when he either heard or fancied he heard the movement of some one within it. Prudence dictated that he should place a little more distan

nearly lifted the Lieutenant from his feet. At the same moment he heard a suppre

of that concern, and what sort of animal is c

of the odd-looking hut. It seemed hardly possible that any human being co

roaching. The growls were now redoubled, and he really belie

r their bloody work, and caged up some poor creature within tho

eled against him, and for a moment his ears were stunned with the deafening uproar. He determined, however, to solve the mystery. Giving the structure a push that brought it tumbling to the ground, he sprung bac

jine, don't hurt me! Please don't tomahawk poor Cato! He never hurt an Injin

f," said the Lieutenant, recognizing in the frightened

ease, good, nice Mr. Injine, let me go, and I'll do anyt'ing you wants me to, and lubs you as long as

ring Cato to his senses; but only after he had been assisted by what he supposed to b

t want to be killed, get up

Lieutenant, laughing heartily at th

ne, Massa Canfield?" he asked, hi

ook lik

e. "Hebens, golly! I ain't afeard!" he suddenly exclaimed, straig

stantial evidence of your c

large words of the soldier, and his looks

t'ink I's

d such a looking

t? To keep de r

ned at all for

maybe 'twill. Bes' to be r

of a storm coming very soon, why

berry suddent sometimes. Ough

ommon sense did you set up such a gro

growl a

oise as a grizzly be

a. Hebens, golly! wanted to

serious air, "let the jesting cease. Wh

," he replied, with a shudder, ca

they-the Sha

me in de night, berry late-b

t. Although the Huron had given him the principal incidents of the attack and m

arning of the

ow dey war about ti

eard, Cato? Give me the particu

lib a fousand years. Wal, you see I and Big Mose

s Mary r

ty near de house, when Mose whispers, 'Cato, I see'd a man crawling on de ground back dar. I didn't say nuffin' for fear ob scaring ob you.' 'Oh! git out,' says I, 'you's skeart.' But I felt a little oneasy myself, 'cause I kind ob fought I heern somefin' when we was a little furder off. I com

o turn white about de gills when I heerd him say dat. I'd been shibering and shaking, and now I shook like de ager. I told Big Mose to be still and go to sleep, 'cause it seemed to me if I went to sleep when t'ings looked bad, dey would be all right agin in de mornin'. But, he wouldn't be still and says, 'I tell you, Cato, dar am Injines crawlin' around ob dis house dis very minute, 'cause I can hear dar knees an

de floor, and I listened to see what he was going to do. I heerd him move around and den all was still. 'What you doing, Mose?' I axed. 'I'm going to say my pra

, and I looked out and de barn was all afire. Den dar come a yell dat nearly blowed de roof off de house. Big Mose gib a screech and run, and bang-bang went a lot ob

hey ha

d to keep de Injines from killing de poor ni

t that you

n I sneaked out and none of 'em didn't 'pear to notic

anything more

ng. Dey didn't take any ob de niggers, 'cause dey had killed

se besides Mary, were they?" asked the Lieutenant,

sis Prescott and Helen went off on a visi

iss Mary rema

grinning vastly, in total forgetfulness, f

know? Of cou

you'd be 'long dese parts 'bout dis time, and she 'clude

urneyed so far to see. Despite the heart-sickness which had come over him at sight of the revolting scenes

that this was the reas

didn't I hear he

? And what

persuade her to go, 'cause dey knowed dar wan't no use ob tryin' to do nuffin' like dat. She lu

when you built thi

mornin', arter all de Injines had gone. T'oug

id the Lieutenant, looking around

ow what will become of him now dat he's all

to. Captain Prescott and all his family are living, and,

e-de horses-de corns

tinued musing for a m

he settlement to which

een or for

me more precis

and forty or fifty-d

er been ther

-horse

now th

s did from de h

you like to

the old look of terror comi

been there and back

ur soul! de Injine

e as many as there

ant to go alone. What ma

urn to this place by nightfall, when I intend to accompany

to gi

r daughter, assuring her that the Huron and myself will do all we can to rescue Mary. They must have seen the light, last night, and no doubt are

nough to take care of his self. All

rest until his return.

ime 'sp

e is another matter that must be attended to. Do you

r is dough. I'll

building were heaped together, and searching among the ruins,

ar?" he asked, as he bro

uld be wrong to deny them a decent buri

d wished that the corpses were placed in the ground, although he had not the courage to p

ig, I presume?" as

s berry same spade. Whar

the four, and this spot wil

hour or two, he had hollowed out a grave, ready for the reception of the dead bodies. H

Injines war a-comin' a long time afore dey did. Poor Mose," he added, as the big tears trickled down his cheek, "he neber will eat any mor

ght which haunted Lieutenant Canfield for many a night-those black, upturned corpses-awful evidences of the t

ier began to look momentarily for the appearance of t

itters likes to travel, so what's de use ob our waitin' here so long. Oder Injines mought be around

the ruins of the house. Looking down, he saw something glitter. What was his surprise to discover in the ashes a gold watch and chain which he had often seen upon the neck of Mary Prescott. A portion of th

Mary's! dat i

around her neck, certai

side her bed, and dat's de way it got

thither and searched among them for a considerable time. Nothing further rewarded him, however. Placing the watch upon his own person, he went on

eel sleep

'd you ax

get a little sleep. I wish you to k

e of dem Injines

you to see him the minute he comes, and awaken

learing, while the fatigued soldier stretched himself up

and would have slept even longer had he not bee

ked, looking up in the terror-s

golly! de

what are you

rty fousand of 'em ou

enant Canfield arose and walked stealthily toward the clearing to s

u," admonished the latter, fo

the ruins that lay around them with considerable curiosity. They were ugly-looking customers in their revolting war-paint and fantastic costumes, and the Lieut

ground. I laid dar a good while afore I woke, and de fust t'ing I see'd when I looked out dar, war dem Injines walking

ection do you t

near from dis way, mighty clus to whar we's standin';

cordingly, he proceeded to where his horse was tied, and unfastening, led him into the wood. Making a détour, he came back nearly upon the opposite si

les and stands, etc. Here and there they pulled the black, twisted nails forth, that looked like worms burnt to a cinder, and carefully preserved them for future use. Every metallic substance was seized as a prize

g board with evident delight. Turning it over, he balanced it on his shoulder and was walking rapidly away, when suddenly he sprung se

at. Lower part all afire, and

uld be seen, slapping his fingers against his person, after he had hastily dropped some object. One eager Shawnee attempted to draw a red-hot nail from a slab with his thumb and finger, and roasted the ends of both by the operation, while a second seated himself upon a board which set fire to the fringe of his hunting-shirt.

e. He seemed in danger of apoplexy several times from the efforts he made to subdue his laughter. But, all at once there was

Look dar!

thing to

nto the clearin'. Don't

ey had halted and were consulting together. They certainly must have noticed it before, but had probably been too busy to examine it particularly. It had never o

"Fortunately it will soon be da

n de hoss?" asked t

. Let us take to the wo

a body, taking an easterly direction, which was different from that followed by the soldier and negro. Now that all immediate dange

t them from pursuing his two friends, whom they would most certainly have captured, he discharged his piece among them, and then purposely showed himself to draw them after him. The stratagem succeeded as