e. Such might, and probably would be her own
fate, for it was hoping against hope to expect any other issue.

She reached the door, and clung to the post for support. Then she saw
that Ethan, instead of following her, was pursuing the Indian boy. It
was but a short chase, for he immediately overtook the youth, and in
spite of his yells, dragged him into the house with him. Ethan seemed
then to have a savage spirit, for he handled the boy without mercy,
dragging him by the hair of the head, and kicking him to accelerate his
movements.

The capture of the young Indian had been witnessed by the whole of the
pursuing party, who yelled with renewed vigor when they saw him borne
into the house. When they reached the place where the squaw had fallen,
they paused. The tall form of Lean Bear was seen bending over her, and
it was plain that there was confusion in the counsels of the savages.

"Hold this boy, Fanny," said Ethan, out of breath with the violence of
his exertions, as he took from the belt of the little prisoner a small
scalping-knife, and offered it to Fanny. "Don't let him go, no-how;
stick him ef he don't keep still."

"I can hold him; I don't want the knife," replied she, as she grasped
the boy by the arms, bending them back behind him.

Taking her handkerchief, she tied his arms behind him, so that he was
powerless to do her any mischief. She then cut off a portion of the
clothes line, which hung up in the kitchen, and tied his feet together.
In this condition, he was secured to a door. The boy looked cool and
savage; he did not cry, and ceased to struggle only when the bonds
prevented him from doing so.

"Now we are ready for sunthin'," said Ethan, as he appeared with two
guns and a revolver, which he had taken from their place of concealment
behind the oven.

CHAPTER XV.

THE CONFERENCE.

Mr. Grant, like all settlers and backwoodsmen, had a profound respect
and veneration for his weapons. They were absolutely necessary for
purposes of defence in a new country, and upon their skilful use often
depended the supplies in the family larder. More coveted than any other
property by the Indians, trappers and strollers of the prairies, he was
obliged to secure them carefully, so that they should not be stolen;
and Mr. Grant, in building his house, had provided the place behind the
oven for their reception.

One of the guns was a fowling-piece, and the other a rifle. The
appropriate ammunition for ea