pointed out he struck the trail of
the "Captive," and traced him to Sugar Grove. Here he learned that the
man had crossed the State line into New York. The chase was too near
at an end to allow any delay, so Mr. Brayton took along a doctor as
witness of the interview, and set out for the house of Mr. Smith,
where it was said that the "Captive" had gone.

It was seven o'clock in the evening when the two arrived at the house,
and the daylight was fast fading into darkness. They knocked at the
door, and, in response to an invitation from within, entered the
house. A man, with his boots off, was drying his feet at the fire. Mr.
Brayton stepped forward eagerly and enquired where the "folks" were,
and was told that they were out doing some work in the yard. Mr.
Brayton said he wanted them called in, and wished a light struck
at once, following up the request with the question whether the
man to whom he spoke was the "Indian Captive." On being told in the
affirmative he became greatly agitated and proceeded at once to get a
light. The "Captive" hastily drew on his boots, buckled his dog to his
belt, and drew back with suspicion from the strangers. As soon as the
light was obtained Mr. Brayton bade the "Captive" bare his head, and
then both he and his companion examined the spot where his father
had told them to search for the scar. The emotion of William Brayton
may be imagined when the scar was plainly revealed to his eyes,
unmistakable in its character, and situated precisely where he had
been told to look for it. In an agitated voice he bade the man take
the boot from his right foot, which was done, and there too, was a
scar visible, just where it had been described to exist.

The emotions of William Brayton may be imagined, but cannot be
portrayed. The brother for whose loss he had always reproached himself
was at length found through his means, and the sorrows of thirty-four
years were at an end. For some minutes he paced up and down the room,
his whole frame convulsed with agitation. Then he turned to the cause
of all this emotion, who sat perfectly astonished at the proceedings,
and the "Indian Captive" was declared to be the long lost Matthew
Brayton.

A letter was at once sent home, containing the glad news of the
discovery, and, as soon as possible, the reunited brothers set out in
the same direction.

At every station on the road home, crowds gathered, and at Carey,
where they were expected to stop, hundreds we