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 Nattie alone seemed undismayed. To her, the sight of a white face was cheering. She eame forward to greet them, but their manners soon convinced her that they had not come as friends. They winked at each other, and talked in a language which Nattie could not understand. Only now and then a few words were intelligible, and from these Nattie gathered that they were profane, reckless men, who would delight in lawlessness and cruelty.

Pretty soon one of them swaggered up to the fire, and gave the old Indian a rude kick, at which he cried out with fear and pain. Next he grabbed the kettle of succotash, and jerked it from its place, spilling a part of the contents on the ground. He made signs to Nattie to bring him some dishes, which she either did not understand or did not choose to heed; so the man seized the, dashed their contents on the floor, turned the broth into them, and then, calling his companions, they drew some large