ve by the man who
would never, never leave it.

Harvey Catlett, with tightened belt and ready rifle, had stepped upon a
new trail, destined to be fraught with strange adventures.

CHAPTER XIV.

IN GIRTY'S CABIN.

Kate Merriweather was quite exhausted when the renegade's forest home
was reached.

Her strange abduction, rescue and recapture had told upon her nature,
and she crossed Girty's threshold with a sigh of despair which did not
escape her companion's notice.

"Oh, you will not find Jim Girty's home so bad as your imagination has
pictured it," he said with a smile. "A British officer at Fort Miami
tells about a place that had over its door the words, 'who enters here
leaves hope behind;' but that isn't my home."

Kate shuddered at his heartless levity, which he applauded with a coarse
laugh.

She felt that the legend that blazed over the portals of Dante's hell
might with propriety have been inscribed above Girty's door.

She felt like abandoning hope, and resolved not to plead with the brute
into whose hands she had fallen.

But she determined to protect herself from insult while under his roof.

Of the coarse meal which the renegade sat before her Kate partook, for
fatigue had rendered her hungry, and Girty eyed her triumphantly while
she ate.

The breakfast was at last concluded, and Girty began to remove the
remains of the matutinal meal.

While engaged in this duty a quick step alarmed him, and a lithe young
Indian appeared in the door-way.

Girty stepped forward with a smile of recognition, for the youth was
clad in the scanty costume of a runner, and the message which he bore
was speedily delivered.

Buckhougahelas, the great sachem, and the confederate chiefs were about
to advance upon Wayne, and requested the White Whirlwind's presence.

During the delivery of the dispatch an uneasiness was visible in Girty's
face, which would not have escaped the notice of an older warrior. It
was evident that he did not expect the news at that hour.

"What says the Whirlwind?"

"I will come. Before the end of another sleep I will be with my braves."

The runner bowed, and snatching a piece of venison from the rough table,
he bounded away, eating as he ran.

"A pretty fix! a pretty fix!" muttered the renegade to himself, turning
from the door and glancing at his captive. "I am one of them as much as
Mataquan, the runner. I have helped on the war; I have stirred up the
nations; I have mad