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again with that strange； sweet smile。
〃Oh…h…h！〃 breathed Nell； falling on her knees。
〃No； no； Mr。 Wells； you are only weak； you will be all right again soon；〃
cried Jim。
〃Jim； Nellie； I have known all night。 I have lain here wakeful。 My heart never
was strong。 It gave out yesterday； and now it is slowly growing weaker。 Put
your hand on my breast。 Feel。 Ah！ you see！ My life is flickering。 God's will
be done。 I am content。 My work is finished。 My only regret is that I brought
you out to this terrible borderland。 But I did not know。 If only I could see
you safe from the peril of this wilderness； at home； happy； married。〃
Nell bent over him blinded by her tears； unable to see or speak； crushed by
this last overwhelming blow。 Jim sat on the other side of the old missionary；
holding his hand。 For many moments neither spoke。 They glanced at the pale
face； watching with eager； wistful eyes for a smile； or listening for a word。
〃Come；〃 said the Indian。
Nell silently pointed toward her uncle。
〃He is dying；〃 whispered Jim to the Indian。
〃Go； leave me；〃 murmured Mr。 Wells。 〃You are still in danger。〃
〃We'll not leave you；〃 cried Jim。
〃No； no； no；〃 sobbed Nell； bending over to kiss him。
〃Nellie； may I marry you to Jim？〃 whispered Mr。 Wells into her ear。 〃He has
told me how it is with him。 He loves you； Nellie。 I'd die happier knowing I'd
left you with him。〃
Even at that moment； with her heart almost breaking； Nell's fair face flushed。
〃Nell； will you marry me？〃 asked Jim； softly。 Low though it was； he had heard
Mr。 Wells' whisper。
Nell stretched a little trembling hand over her uncle to Jim； who inclosed it
in his own。 Her eyes met his。 Through her tears shone faintly a light； which；
but for the agony that made it dim； would have beamed radiant。
〃Find the place；〃 said Mr。 Wells； handing Jim a Bible。 It was the one he
always carried in his pocket。
With trembling hand Jim turned the leaves。 At last he found the lines； and
handed the book back to the old man。
Simple； sweet and sad was that marriage service。 Nell and Jim knelt with hands
clasped over Mr。 Wells。 The old missionary's voice was faint； Nell's responses
were low； and Jim answered with deep and tender feeling。 Beside them stood
Wingenund； a dark； magnificent figure。
〃There！ May God bless you！〃 murmured Mr。 Wells； with a happy smile； closing
the Bible。
〃Nell； my wife！〃 whispered Jim； kissing her hand。
〃Come！〃 broke in Wingenund's voice； deep； strong； like that of a bell。
Not one of them had observed the chief as he stood erect； motionless； poised
like a stag scenting the air。 His dark eyes seemed to pierce the purple…golden
forest； his keen ear seemed to drink in the singing of the birds and the
gentle rustling of leaves。 Native to these haunts as were the wild creatures；
they were no quicker than the Indian to feel the approach of foes。 The breeze
had borne faint； suspicious sounds。
〃KeeptheBible；〃 said Mr。 Wells； 〃rememberitsword。〃 His hand closely
clasped Nell's； and then suddenly loosened。 His pallid face was lighted by a
meaning； tender smile which slowly fadedfaded； and was gone。 The venerable
head fell back。 The old missionary was dead。
Nell kissed the pale； cold brow； and then rose； half dazed and shuddering。
Jim was vainly trying to close the dead man's eyes。 She could no longer look。
On rising she found herself near the Indian chief。 He took her fingers in his
great hand； and held them with a strong； warm pressure。 Strangely thrilled；
she looked up at Wingenund。 His somber eyes； fixed piercingly on the forest；
and his dark stern face； were； as always； inscrutable。 No compassion shone
there； no emotion unbefitting a chieftain would ever find expression in that
cold face； but Nell felt a certain tenderness in this Indian； a response in
his great heart。 Felt it so surely； so powerfully that she leaned her head
against him。 She knew he was her friend。
〃Come；〃 said the chief once more。 He gently put Nell aside before Jim arose
from his sad task。
〃We can not leave him unburied；〃 expostulated Jim。
Wingenund dragged aside a large stone which formed one wall of the cavern。
Then he grasped a log which was half covered by dirt； and； exerting his great
strength； pulled it from its place。 There was a crash； a rumble； the jar of a
heavy weight striking the earth； then the rattling of gravel； and； before Nell
and Jim realized what had happened； the great rock forming the roof of the
cavern slipped down the bank followed by a small avalanche。 the cavern was
completely covered。 Mr。 Wells was buried。 A mossy stone marked the old
missionary's grave。
Nell and Jim were lost in wonder and awe。
〃Ugh！〃 cried the chief； looking toward the opening in the glade。
Fearfully Nell and Jim turned； to be appalled by four naked； painted savages
standing with leveled rifles。 Behind them stood Deering and Jim Girty。
〃Oh； God！ We are lost！ Lost！ Lost！〃 exclaimed Jim； unable to command himself。
Hope died in his heart。
No cry issued from Nell's white lips。 She was dazed by this final blow。 Having
endured so much； this last misfortune； apparently the ruin of her life；
brought no added suffering； only a strange； numb feeling。
〃Ah…huh！ Thought you'd give me the slip； eh？〃 croaked Girty； striding forward；
and as he looked at Wingenund his little； yellow eyes flared like flint。 〃Does
a wolf befriend Girty's captives？ Chief you hev led me a hard chase。〃
Wingenund deigned no reply。 He stood as he did so often； still and silent；
with folded arms； and a look that was haughty； unresponsive。
The Indians came forward into the glade； and one of them quickly bound Jim's
hands behind his back。 The savages wore a wild； brutish look。 A feverish
ferocity； very near akin to insanity； possessed them。 They were not quiet a
moment； but ran here and there； for no apparent reason； except； possibly； to
keep in action with the raging fire in their hearts。 The cleanliness which
characterized the normal Indian was absent in them； their scant buckskin dress
was bedraggled and stained。 They were still drunk with rum and the lust for
blood。 Murder gleamed from the glance of their eyes。
〃Jake； come over here；〃 said Girty to his renegade friend。 〃Ain't she a
prize？〃
Girty and Deering stood before the poor； stricken girl； and gloated over her
fair beauty。 She stood as when first transfixed by the horror from which she
had been fleeing。 Her pale face was lowered； her hands clenched tightly in the
folds of her skirt。
Never before had two such coarse； cruel fiends as Deering and Girty encumbered
the earth。 Even on the border； where the best men were bad； they were the
worst。 Deering was yet drunk； but Girty had recovered somewhat from the
effects of the rum he had absorbed。 The former rolled his big eyes and nodded
his shaggy head。 He was passing judgment； from his point of view； on the fine
points of the girl。
〃She cer'aintly is；〃 he declared with a grin。 〃She's a little beauty。 Beats
any I ever seen！〃
Jim Girty stroked his sharp chin with dirty fingers。 His yellow eyes； his
burnt saffron skin； his hooked nose； his thin lipsall his evil face seemed
to shine with an evil triumph。 to look at him was painful。 To have him gaze at
her was enough to drive any woman mad。
Dark stains spotted the bright frills of his gaudy dress； his buckskin coat
and leggins； and dotted his white eagle plumes。 Dark stains； horribly
suggestive； covered him from head to foot。 Blood stains！ The innocent blood
of Christians crimsoned his renegade's body； and every dark red blotch cried
murder。
〃Girl； I burned the Village of Peace to git you；〃 growled Girty。 〃Come here！〃
With a rude grasp that tore open her dress； exposing her beautiful white
shoulder and bosom； the ruffian pulled her toward him。 His face was transfixed
with a fierce joy； a brutal passion。
Deering looked on with a drunken grin； while his renegade friend hugged the
almost dying girl。 The Indians paced the glade with short strides like leashed
tigers。 The young missionary lay on the moss with closed eyes。 He could not
endure the sight of Nell in Girty's arms。
No one noticed Wingenund。 He stood back a little； half screened by drooping
branches。 Once again the chief's dark eyes gleamed； his head turned a trifle
aside； and； standing in the statuesque position habitual with him when
resting； he listened； as one who hears mysterious sounds。 Suddenly his keen
glance was riveted on the ferns above the low cliff。 He had seen their
graceful heads quivering。 Then two blinding sheets of flame burst from the
ferns。
Spang！ Spang！
The two rifle reports thundered through the glade。 Two Indians staggered and
fell in their tracksdead without a cry。
A huge yellow body； spread out like a panther in his spring； descended with a
crash upon Deering