bout to spur his boast onward again, when the sound of Boone's voice
reached, his ear; requesting him to pause; and at the same time, to his
astonishment, Boone himself emerged into the path before him.

"Ha! Colonel Boone," said the horsemen, quickly; "I'm glad to meet ye;
for now is a time when every true man's wanted."

"What's the news, David Billings?" inquired Boone, anxiously, as he
noticed a troubled, earnest expression on the countenance of the other.

"Bad!" answered Billings, emphatically. "The Injens have been down upon
us agin in a shocking manner."

"Heaven forbid thar be many victims!" ejaculated Boone, unconsciously
tightening the grasp on his rifle.

"Too many--too many!" rejoined Billings, shaking his head sadly. "Thar's
my neighbor Millbanks' family--"

"Well? well?" cried Boone, impatiently, as the other seemed to hesitate.

"Have all been murdered, and his house burnt to ashes."

"All?" echoed Boone.

"All but young Harry, who's fortunately away to a wedding at Wilson's."

"Why, the one you speak of war just now here," said Boone, with a start;
"and I sent him back to raise a party to trail the red varmints, who've
been operating as you see yonder: Good heavens! what awful news for poor
Harry, who seems so likely a lad."

"Yes, likely you may well say," returned the other; "and so war the
whole family--God ha' mercy on 'em! But what's been done here?"

"Why, I suppose Ella Barnwell--Younker's niece, you know--and a likely
young stranger who war along with her, called Reynolds, have been
captured."

"Ha! well it's supposed Younker and his wife are captives too, or else
that thar bones lie white among the ashes of thar own ruins."

"Good heavens!" cried Boone. "Any more, David?"

"Yes, thar's Absalom Switcher and his wife, and a young gal of twelve;
and Ephraim Stokes' wife and a young boy of five; who war left by
themselves, (Stokes himself being away, and his son Seth at the wedding,
as was a son o' Switcher's also) have all bin foully mardered--besides
Johnny Long's family, Peter Pierson's, and a young child of Fred Mason's
that happened to be at Pierson's house, and one or two others whose
names I disremember."

"But when did this happen, David?"

"Last night," replied the other. "It's suspected that the Injens ha bin
warting round here, and took advantage of this wedding, when the greater
part on 'em war away. It's thought too that thar war a white spy out,
who gin 'em informa