not fast
enough on your feet, child."

Her black eyes flashed. She was a splendid girl, high-spirited and
active; had been raised on the frontier and was a pet of her brothers.

"I _shall_ go. I can run like a deer, you've often said, and I can't
be of any better use. If I get hurt, that'll make no difference; but
if you lose a man, you lose a rifle. Tell me what to do."

"Betty!" He really didn't know what to have her do. Everybody pleaded
and objected. She stamped her foot.

"I _shall_ go. We're wasting time. But first I'll have to take off
some of these clothes." So she dropped her skirt and stood in her
short petticoat. "There!" And she fastened her hair tighter in a coil.

Her friend Molly Scott sprang forward.

"Betty! Let me go instead! I'm not afraid. Please!"

"No. You can go next time, Molly. I'm the older."

Accounts state that Molly Scott did make such a trip, either first or
last. Lydia, the daughter of Captain Boggs, was in the fort, and says
that she helped pour the powder into Molly Scott's apron. Whether
Molly and Betty both served in this siege, or served separately in two
sieges, is still a question. At any rate, the deed was done, and well
done.

"All right, Betty. God bless you for a brave lass. You're a true
Zane," Colonel Zane uttered chokingly. "Have them pour a keg of powder
into this tablecloth. We'll signal them you're coming. We'll do our
best to cover you. No red devil shall get near you. Tell the fort
we've got to have powder, or my house will fall and the fort'll be hard
pressed from the new vantage."

Betty nodded. Her eyes were snapping, her cheeks were red. The cabin
was protected in front and on the flanks by a little stockade. Her
brother himself opened the gate, in the side, for her. With a bound
she was out, her slim ankles twinkling as she ran.

The Indians stared, puzzled. They laughed and jeered.

"Ho! Squaw! Heap run! Squaw heap run!"

And Betty darted in through the gateway of the fort. Five minutes
passed, while the cabin garrison waited nervously. Here she came, out
again, the table-cloth tied around her waist and baggy with the
precious powder.

The enemy guessed. They laughed no longer--they opened fire, the fort
and cabin replied rapidly. Betty! Betty! Was she down? Had she been
hit? No; not yet. Open the gate! The gate! Let her in--keep those
Injuns off! Here she was, plunging breathless, panting, laughing, i