erfered and forced me
back. But Captain Heald, who saw her at the same time, assured me 't
was the one I sought."

"'T is small wonder, then, you could stand here at my very side so
long, and yet see me not, or remain indifferent to my presence," she
said, drawing slightly back. "Come, Captain de Croix, let us walk to
the other corner of the stockade, and leave Master Wayland to dream of
his mysterious beauty undisturbed."

"You misapprehend me," I cried, awakened by her words, but more by De
Croix's smile. "She has no such hold upon my memory as that, for until
tonight I had supposed her a mere child. I knew not you were upon the
platform, believing the forms I saw in the gloom to be those of the
night-guard. What dark figure is that, even now leaning over the logs
yonder?"

It was De Croix's deeper voice that made answer.

"'Tis Captain Wells; and we found him in no mood for conversation.
Seemingly he hath small faith in the pledges of the chiefs."

"My own hope rests far more upon our skill at arms, Monsieur," I
answered directly; "for I have known Indian treachery all my life.
They may keep faith with us to-morrow, for John Kinzie has great
influence with them for good; nevertheless, I shall oil my gun
carefully before riding forth."

It was in his eyes to make reply, but before it could come the girl
between us uttered a cry so piercing that it set us gazing where her
finger pointed out across the lake.

"Look there, Messieurs! Did ever mortal behold so grewsome a sight
before? What means the portent?"

It is before me now, in each grim, uncanny detail,--though I know well
that my pen will fail to give it fit description, or convey even feebly
a sense of the overwhelming dread of what we saw. Nature has power to
paint what human hand may never hope to copy; and though, as I now know
well, it was no more than a strange commingling of cloud and moon in
atmospheric illusion, still the effect was awe-inspiring to a degree
difficult of realization within the environments of peace and safety.
To us, it appeared as a dreadful warning,--a mysterious manifestation
of supernatural power, chilling our blood with terror and striking
agony into our souls. Up from the far east had rolled an immense black
cloud, rifted here and there by bars of vivid yellow as electric bolts
tore it asunder. Moonlight tipped its heavy edges with a pale spectral
gleam; and as it swiftly rose higher and higher into the sky, blot