Page:Peterson's Magazine 1842, Volume I.pdf/23

18 unreservedly do I cherish his image in my heart—and that is a confession I have never made before, even to you. But—but—but—”

“Never mind the buts, sweet coz,” gaily said Jane, "I guess your excuse, although you cannot find words in which to express it, for i it had been about that mad- cap Charley Stanworth we had been conversing, and I had been convieted of blushing at his name, the excuse T should have given would have been that I could not help i” and the maiden actually paused from sheer want of breath as she finished the sentence,

“Oh! how you rattle on, Jane,” said her milder companion, “I am sure I never could talk as you do, about Harry.”

“And why not, Helen? Simply because it is not your nature so to do. But you know you were always silent and reserved, while I have been called a rattler over since we dressed our dolls together in the old parlor in Albany, before father had failed, or either of us had thought of these wild but beautiful woods.”

“Or of Captain Stanworth,” interposed Helen, with something of the archness of her companion.

“Why, my modest coz,” retorted Jane, merrily lifting up her hands in affected astonishment, a gesture which Drought the blood again into the checks of her sensitive companion, “you have really cast off your reserve a fast—the leopard has changed his spots—but” she added suddenly, seeing that the blood had left Helen’s face, and that her cheeks had assumed a hue as livid as that of death, while her eyes, distended with horror, were fixed in a stony gaze at some object across the shoulder of the speaker, “what is the matter? Are you ill? In heaven's name speak.”

Helen made an attempt to reply, for ber lips moved, hut it seemed as if some strange power had deprived he, of speech, and her only reply to the question was made by pointing with a quivering finger in the direction in which her gaze was fixed. All this passed in an instant. —the next moment Jane turned hurriedly around.

The sight that met her eyes would have driven the blood back in torrents on the stoutest heart, and well accounted for the terror which shook the frame of Helen as in an ague-fit, for in the opposite casement might be seen the dark scowling face of an Indian, in his war paint, peering through the brown embowering foliage, He had approached unseen and pushing aside the vine leaves, glared in on the cousins like a tiger on his prey, Never had a more fearful countenance met the eye of either of the maidens. His wrinkled brow was bent into a habitual frown, and from beneath his overhanging forehead gleamed forth his dark fiery eyes like livid coats glowing far down in a furnace. His tooth were slightly parted in a sardonic smile, and his nostrils were distended in eager anticipation of his prey. A slight scream burst from Isabel's lips as her eye fell on this fearful apparition, and for a moment, as she reflected on the situation of Helen and herself, her brain whirled wildly around, as if reason was reeling from its throne. And well might her heart beat quick, the color flush and go in her check, and her breath come in short quick gasps, when she reflected on her unprotected situation, It war tho year in which the Mohawks under Brandt mede those tetrible incursions into the valley which have since filled the most melancholy pages of our revolutionary history,—incursions in which villages were depopulated, whole districts laid waste, and some of the most frighful massacres committed by the savages and their more bar+ barous allies the tories, that ever have stained the re cords of the past—and although the settlements in the vicinity where our heroines resided had hitherto been con- sidered safe from the enemy, yet rumors of the atrocious decds perpetrated by the Indians had often drawn teara from the cousins’ eyes, and made the name of a Mohawk as terrible to them as that of some ellalestroying pesti- lence, aye! or of death itvelf, Jane saw, at a glance, therefore the dangers that surrounded her. She knew enough to know that the Indian before her was an enemy» and judging from his paint, engaged on a war-expedition. Besides that, the intruder was not unaccompanied, for a hasty glance revealed to her more than one dusky face in the background. Alone, unprotected, far from all suc- cor—what could tia focble women do against such foes Jane suspected moreover that either the assailants were in such force as to defy all the strength of the valley, or else that tho cottage hud been watched with the inten- tion of surprising its moro defenceless inmates when their natural protectore should be absent. A dark fear also shot across her mind lest her brother should have been waylaid and murdered. ‘he thought was agony itself; for if such bad indeed boon the case, where would bo the slightest hope of succor even if the savages should spare their life and that of Helen, and carry them off as prisoners? Suddenly the idea fashed ecrose ber mind, that perhaps she might make good a defence for a few minutes, trusting that during the delay either help might arrive, or some accident occur te rescue them in another way. With this object, with admirable presence of mind, she eprang to the door of the appartment and hastily let- ting fall a huge bar which served for a bolt in liea of a more finished fastening, cffectually excluded the assail- ants from entering in that direction, without firat destroy- ing the door. This manceuvre did not occupy an instant, during which Helon bad sunk almost fainting into chair; but when Jane returned to her cousin, the daring gitl found that the wily savage who had first arrested her attention was endeavoring to dash in the window frame, and thus gain an ingress into the apartment. ‘The spirit of Jane waa high and bold even to masculine courage, and it was now rendered even more so by the iclplessness of her coustn and the conviction that every

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