om any thing ever heard among civilized beings, would have
crazed almost any person, but Dernor listened to them with as much
composure as he would to the songs of so many birds.

He became aware, shortly after, from the direction of these sounds,
that the Indians had entered the ravine, and were now coming along
again, at the top of their speed. He paused a moment, to determine
precisely the distance of these, and then looked into the gloomy,
terror-stricken face of Edith.

"I have rested," said he, "and if we don't get over ground faster than
this, them red-skins will have us both, in less than ten minutes. Let
me carry you."

She made no resistance, for she was barely able to stand, and
supporting her in such a manner that her feet hardly touched ground,
Dernor once more threw all of his astonishing energy into the flight.
Fully a quarter of a mile he ran directly through the ravine, and then,
reaching a point that would admit of it, he made a running leap, and
came up out of it, like a diver emerging from the sea.

He was now in the woods again, after having gained a considerable
advantage over his pursuers; but the Indians behind him were still
uncomfortably close, and he could not hope that all would pass the
point where he had left the ravine, without discovering the signs he
had left there of his flight. Knowing this, he was aware that the
golden moment was the present. The Miamis--to whom most of the pursuers
belonged--were "thrown off the scent" for the time. After having gone a
considerable distance, and having satisfied himself that they had not
yet regained it, Dernor determined to take advantage of this to give
Edith a portion of the rest she needed so much.

"I am not used to running like this," said she, leaning heavily on him,
"and I am afraid I can not bear it."

"I ought to be shot and scalped, for making you take this journey,"
said Dernor.

"Why, you did it for the best," she added, in surprise.

"Yes, I thought so--perhaps, the best for myself. I had no idea of
being pursued in this manner. It seems I have been a fool. I let that
Simon Girty make me believe he was an awkward countryman, and lead me
into this muss."

"You think we can keep out of their hands?"

"I trust so; the night ain't many hours away, and if we can only keep
clear till then, why, all right. I hain't seen the Injin yet, Miami or
Shawnee, that could foller a track in the night-time."

"They did not see us come out o