tention to fight in defense of the house, left a picture of startling aspect. There was nothing hostile intended by this visit, however. Nick had come not only in amity, but in a kind concern to see after the females of the family, who had ever stood high in his friendship, notwithstanding the tremendous blow he had struck against their happiness. But he had been accustomed to see those close distinctions drawn between individuals and colors; and, the other proprieties admitted, would not have hesitated about consoling the widow with the offer of his own hand. Major Wil loughby, understanding, from the manner of the Indian, the object of his visit, suffered him to pursue his own course, in the hope it might rouse his mother to a better consciousness of objects around her. Nick walked calmly up to the table, and gazed at the face of his victim with a coldness that proved he felt no compunction. Still he hesitated about touching the body, actually raising his hand, as if with that intent, and then withdrawing it, like one stung by conscience. Willoughby noted the act; and, for the first time, a shadowy suspicion glanced on his mind. Maud had told him all she knew of the manner of his father's death, and old distrusts began to revive, though so faintly as to produce no immediate results. As for the Indian, the hesitating gesture excepted, the strictest scrutiny, or the keenest suspicion, could have detected no signs of feeling. The senseless form before him was not less moved than he appeared to be, so far as the human eye could penetrate. Wyandotté was unmoved. He believed that, in caring the sores on his own back in this particular manner, he had done what became a Tuscarora warrior and a chief. Let not the self-styled Christians of civilized society affect horror at this instance of savage justice, so long as they go the whole length of the law of their several communities, in avenging their own fancied wrongs, using the dagger of calumny instead of the scalpng-knife, and rending and tearing their victims, by the agency of gold and power, like so many beasts of the field, in all forms and modes that legal vindictiveness will either justify or tolerate; often exceeding those broad limits, indeed, and seeking impunity behind perjuries and frauds. 7970 Nick's examination of the body was neither hurried nor agitated. When it was over, he turned calmly to consider the daughters of the deceased, old and furonor "Why you cry why you 'fear'd?" he said, approaching Beulah, and placing his swarthy hand on the head of her sleeping infant. "Good squaw-good pappoose. Wyandotté take care 'em in woods. By'm-by go to paleface town, and sleep quiet."oit. This was rudely said, but it was well meant. Beulah so received it; and she endeavored to smile her gratitude in the face of the very being from whom, more than from all of earth, she would have turned in horror, could her mental vision have reached the fearful secret that lay buried in his own bosom. The Indian understood her look; and making a gesture of encouragement, he moved to the side of the woman whom his own hand had made a widow. The appearance of Wyandotté produced no change in the look or manner of the matron. The Indian took her hand, and spoke. "Squaw berry good," he said, with emphasis. "Why look so sorry-cap'in gone to happy huntin'-ground of his people. All good dere-chief time come, must go." The widow knew the voice, and by some secret association it recalled the scenes of the past, producing a momentary revival of her fa faculties. "Nick, you are my friend," she said, earnestly. speak to him, and see if you can wake him up." "Go The Indian fairly started, as he heard this strange proposal. The weakness lasted only for a moment, however, and he became as stoical, appearance a at least, as be fore. in "No," he said; "squaw quit cap'in, now. Warrior go on last path all alone no want companion. She look at grave, now and den, and be happy." 66 Happy!" echoed the widow, "what is that, Nick? what is happy, my son? It seems a dream- I must have known what it was; but I forget it all now. Oh! it was cruel, cruel, cruel, cruel, to stab a husband, and a father wasn't it, Robert? What say you, Nick shall I give you more medicine? You'll die, Indian, unless you take it― mind what a Christian woman tells you, and be obedient. Here, let me hold the cup; there-now you'll live!" Nick recoiled an entire step, and gazed at the still beautiful victim of his ruthless revenge, in a manner no one had ever before noted in his mien. His mixed habits left him in ignorance of no shade of the fearful picture before his eyes, and he began better to comprehend the effects of the blow he had d so hastily struck a blow meditated for years, though given at length under a sudden and vehement impulse. The widowed mother, however, was past noting these changes. "No, no, no, Nick," she added, hurriedly, scarce speaking above a whisper, "do not awake him! God will do that when He his blessed ones to the foot of his e summons throne. Let us all lie down and sleep with him. Rob ert, do you lie there, at his side, my noble, noble boy; Beulah, place little Evert and yourself at the other side Maud, your place is by the head; I will sleep at his feet; while Nick shall watch, and let us know when it will be time to rise and pray ; The general and intense, almost spell-bound, attention with which all in the room listened to these gentle but touching wanderings of a mind so single and pure, was interrupted by yells so infernal, and shrieks so wild and fearful, that it seemed, in sooth, as if the last trump had sounded, and men were passing forth from their graves to judgment. Willoughby almost leaped out of the room, and Maud followed, to to shut and bolt the door, when her waist was encircled by the arm of Nick, and she found herself borne forward towards the din. Oh, Time and Death! with certain pace alidad bez The cot, the palace, and the throne! SANDS. MAUD na little leisure for reflection. The yells and shrieks were followed by the cries of combatants, and the crack of the rifle. Nick hurried her along at a rate so rapid that she had not breath to question or remonstrate, until she found herself at the door of a small store-room, in which her mother was accustomed to keep articles of domestic economy that required but little space. Into this room Nick thrust her, and then she heard the key turn on her egress. For a single moment, Wyandotté stood hesitating whether he should endeavor to get Mrs. Willoughby and her other daughter into the same place of security; then, judging of the futility of the attempt, by the approach of the sounds within, among which he heard the full, manly voice of Robert Willoughby, calling on the garrison to be firm, he raised an answering yell to those of the Mohawks, the war-whoop of his tribe, and plunged into the fray with the desperation of one who ran a muck, and with the delight of a demon. In order to understand the cause of this sudden change, it will be necessary to return a little, in the order of time. While Willoughby was his mother and sisters, Mike gate. The rest of the garrison was either at the loops, or or was stationed on the roofs. As the darkness increased, Joel mustered sufficient courage to crawl through the hole, and actually reached the gate Without him, it was found impossible to spring his mine, and he had been prevailed on to risk this much on condi had charge of the with, ? tion it should not be asked of him to do such violence to his feelings as to enter the court of a house in which he had seen so many happy days. [\+\), The arrangement, by which this traitor intended to throw a family upon the tender mercies of savages, was exceedingly simple. It will be remembered that only one leaf of the inner gate was hung, the other being put in its place, where it was sustained by a prop. This prop consisted of a single piece of timber, of which one end rested on the ground, and the other on the centre of the gate; the last being effectually prevented from slipping by pins of wood, driven into the massive wood-work of the gate, above its end. The lower end of the prop rested against a fragment of rock that nature had placed at this particular spot. As the work had been set up in a hurry, it was found necessary to place wedges between the lower end of the prop and the rock, in order to force the leaf properly into its groove, without which it might have been canted to one side, and of course easily overturned by the exercise of sufficient force from without. To all this arrangement Joel had been a party, and he knew, as a matter of course, its strong and its weak points. Seizing a favorable moment, he had loosened the wedges, leaving them in their places, however, but using the precaution to fasten a bit of small but strong cord to the most material one of the three, which cord he buried in the dirt, and led half round a stick driven into the earth, quite near the wall, and thence through a hole made by one of the hinges, to the outer side of the leaf. The whole had been done with so much care as to escape the vigilance of casual observers, and expressly that the overseer might assist his friends in entering the place, after he himself had provided for his own safety by flight. The circumstance that no one trod on the side of the gateway where the unhung leaf stood, prevented the half-buried cord from being disturbed by any casual footstep. As soon as Jo Joel reached the wall of the Hut, his first care was to ascertain if he were safe from missiles from the loops. Assured of this fact, he stole tound to the gate, and |