gain."

"We will see about that. You must not do drudgery for these savages much
longer. Have you no relatives with whom it may be possible your sister
is now?"

"None; the family whom we were visiting when I was captured were our
only relatives. My sister was out at the time on an errand in the town;
so you see I do not know whether she was killed or captured, undoubtedly
one or the other. My name is Millicent Gordon; hers, Martha. Now, sir,
you have my history, and I wish to thank you for your kind attention. It
has done me good to relate it to you, for you are the first white man
whom I have seen for many months."

"My dear lady, your story has interested me deeply and aroused in me
both sincere admiration and sympathy for one who has suffered so much
and so bravely. My one thought is to liberate you."

"Can you really do so? Is the country, then, not all given over to the
Indians? Oh, tell me it is not!"

"No, indeed; they are being steadily and surely conquered; though, God
knows, they do enough damage even now. I am Captain Merwin, sent here
from Boston on a scouting expedition. I have two men with me, who are
awaiting my return less than a mile off. I wandered in this direction
while they were resting. I knew there were many Indians roving about;
but that there was a camp in this vicinity I was not aware."

"They suppose their existence here to be unknown to the whites."

"I wonder they trust you as far as this."

"They do; I always return. They know I am unable to escape, and would be
found and brought back if I tried; so they grant me my only solace, that
of wandering in the woods."

"This time they have trusted you once too often. Will you go with me,
and let me take you back to your friends?" asked the captain,
impulsively.

"I would go with you most willingly; but would the venture not be too
rash? Would it not endanger your own safety and that of your men, who
might escape harm alone, but, impeded with a woman, you might lose your
lives while saving hers. No, I had better stay where I am. You can be of
more service without me," answered Millicent, with quiet forethought.

"Not for a moment would I consider myself in the matter, Miss Gordon,"
replied the captain, with prompt assurance; "but perhaps it is not best
to attempt to rescue you until I have secured more men." He remained
silent a few minutes, apparently in deep thought, and said, at last,
very decidedly, "No; in case we met even a smal