man.

"Speak out, lass, if you have any thing important to say," remarked
Boone, when they entered the inclosure, placing his hand encouragingly
on the girl's head.

Mary still hesitated, and Boone was no little puzzled to conjecture
rightly what it was she intended to impart; but he was convinced it
must be something of no ordinary nature that would induce a maiden of
reputed timidity to leave her father's hut at a late hour of the
night.

"Now tell me, Mary, what it was you wished to say," remarked Glenn,
addressing her in a playful tone, when they were seated in the house,
and a lamp suspended against the wall was lighted.

"I did not expect to find Mr. Boone and Sneak with you--and now--"

"What?" inquired Glenn, much moved by her paleness, and the throbbing
of her breast, which now seemed to be gradually subsiding.

"Nothing--only you and Joe are both safe now," she replied, with her
eyes cast down.

"Were we in danger? How are we safe?" inquired Glenn, regarding her
words as highly mysterious.

"Everybody is safe where Mr. Boone is," replied Mary.

"But what was the danger, my pretty lass?" inquired Boone, playfully
taking her hand.

"Why Posin, one of father's boatmen--"

"Speak on, lass--I know Posin to be an unfeeling wretch, and a
half-blood Indian; but he is also known to be a great coward, and
surely no harm could have been feared from him," said Boone.

"But I heard him speaking to himself when I was filling my pitcher at
the spring, and he was standing behind some rocks, where he couldn't
see me, and didn't think any one was within hearing."

"What said he?" inquired Glenn, impatiently, and much interested in
the anticipated disclosure, for he had often remarked the satanic
expression of Posin's features.

"These were his words: 'The Osages will be here before to-morrow
morning. If Raven, the chief, will go halves with me, I'll tell him
how much money the young men have, and help to get it!' Such were his
very words!" continued Mary, her dark eyes assuming a brightness, and
her voice a boldness unwonted on ordinary occasions, as she proceeded:
"He then started off towards the prairie with his rifle, and nobody
has seen him since. I told father about it but he wouldn't believe
there was any danger; and when night came, he told me not to be
uneasy, but to sleep like a good girl. I did lie down, for I never
like to disobey my father; but I couldn't sleep, and so I got up and
came here to w