Part 1 (2/2)
”'The Indians have retreated, and the settlers are following We shall be in ti forward 'But we must first search for any who have survived' His previous calh the burning huts, towards one of the buildings
”Stephen and I were about to folloe heard a cry proceeding froh the dooras charred and the burning e in, I sturound, while his hand grasped an axe, the blade covered with gore I gazed on his face, and recognised, after a moment's scrutiny,his hearth and houessed, was his eldest child, shot through the head
”My poor sister! where could she be?
”Again a cry reached my ear It came from an inner room It was Martha, your round, holding you in her ar fast away
”I endeavoured to stanch it, telling her meanwhile who I was
”'Stephen and I have come at your invitation,' I said
”'Heaven, rather, has sent you, to protectto put you in my ar voices which I knew to be those of white ht co
You will ever be a father to him?'
”The blood continued to flow; and soon she breathed her last, her head resting on my arm Your dress and little hands were stained with her blood; but you were too young to understand clearly what had happened, although, as I took you up to carry you from the hut, you cried out lustily to be taken back to your poor ht return, I hurried out to look for Stephen, so that we ht make our escape I was resolved at all costs to save your life I tried to co you that I was your uncle, and that youron a little way, I found another hut, the door of which was open, and ses had thrown in their firebrands as they quitted the village, and the front part was already on fire
”While I was shouting for Stephen he rushed out of the hut, with a blanket rolled up in his arms, the end thrown over his own head
”'I have saved this child, and thank Heaven you are here to take her!'
he exclaiirl into ain throwing the blanket over his head, he dashed in through the fla under the heavy burden of a grown-up person wrapped in the blanket As he reached me he sank down, overcome by the sed
”On opening the blanket I saw a young woman, her dress partly burned
She too ounded The fresh air so the little girl, she stretched out her arms for her
'Lilias! my little Lily! she's saved,' she whispered, as she pressed her lips to the child's brow 'May Heaven reward you!'
”It was the final effort of exhausted nature, and in a few minutes she breathed her last
”The fla, andthat it was ier,” said Uncle Mark ”I'll tell you more about the matter to-morrow”
As Uncle Mark always meant what he said, I knew that there would be no use in trying to get hier as I was to hear more of what had, as ly turned intoIndians and burning villages; and e unearthly sounds which came from the depths of the forest
These noises, I e brutes occasionally came near the settlement, attracted by the sheep and cattle which the inhabitants had brought with the kept, however, it was seldom that any of our stock was carried off Bears also occasionally cahbourhood; and we had already shot those skins supplied us inter coats Our intention was to kill as ht serve us for other purposes--especially as coverlets for our beds And, besides, their flesh was always a welco ent about our usual work My uncle with his bright axe co away from sunrise to sunset, with only an hour's interth would allow, for a certain number of hours daily