to offer me? What! tell
me that I shall awaken to keener pain than that which now racks my
being, and drag on a miserable life! Of what value that life to
me? But stay, my mind is not yet itself, or how is it that I have
not yet questioned you about my wife! Dear Von Voltenberg!" and he
threw the hand of the recently-punctured arm upon the shoulder of
the surgeon, "what news have you of Maria? Tell me of her safety
say that you have rescued her and that I shall see her again, and
I will for ever bless the voice that saves me from despair. Oh,
Von Voltenberg! speak, speak! surely you could never have had the
baseness to desert her. How were you taken? how have you escaped?
and why alone?"

"Poor Ronayne! would to God that I could give you consolation; but,
alas! I cannot. She fell into the hands of the Indians before I
did, and I saw her borne rapidly to the rear of the farm-house; me
they took to the road where you saw me. From that moment I
never once beheld her; but reassure yourself, all may yet be well.
True, she is a prisoner, but I apprehend no violence, for the
Indians offered none to myself, and I thought that they showed
unaccountable moderation to you, never firing a shot when you had
so completely baffled them in the chase. It was that which gave me
confidence to attempt my own escape, when I saw them all pressing
forward to secure you, leaving me altogether unguarded. But we will
speak of this no more to-night. You must sleep, Ronayne, if you
would have strength to enter upon action to-morrow. From the
appearance of their encampment, not twenty paces in rear of the
spot where you beheld me, I have reason to think that it has been
established there many days, and that Mrs. Ronayne may yet be
rescued, for the party of Indians does not exceed five-and-twenty
men. What they want is, doubtless, ransom, a few blankets or guns."

"Oh! say you so; bless you for that!" continued the Virginian,
eagerly; "yes, I will be calm--seek rest to restore me for the
morning; I will see Captain Headley, and entreat him to let me take
out a detachment. Oh! he will not refuse me. Do you think he will,
Mrs. Headley? Surely you will plead for me. I know twenty brave
fellows who will cheerfully volunteer for the duty."

"Alas!" said Mrs. Headley, with a deep despondency at her heart,
"I fear I can give you no encouragement there, Ronayne; I am quite
satisfied, indeed, that Headley will not suffer a man to leave the
fort at this