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Page 77
"Ay," answered Algernon, sadly, "that is what I fear. I dare not meet
her suddenly, Isaac--the shock might be too much for her nerves. I have
sent for you to go first and communicate intelligence of my arrival, in
a way to surprise her as little as possible."
"I'll do it, Mr. Reynolds; but--(here Isaac's voice trembled, his
features grew pale as death, and his whole frame quivered with intense
emotion)--but--but my--my father--what--"
He could say no more--his voice had completely failed him.
"Alas! Isaac," replied Algernon, deeply affected, and turning away his
face; "think the worst."
"Oh God!" groaned Isaac, covering his face with his hands, and
endeavoring to master his feelings. "But--but--he's dead, Mr. Reynolds?"
"He is."
For a few moments Isaac sobbed grievously; then withdrawing his hands,
and raising himself to an erect posture, with a look of resignation,
he said:
"I--I can bear it now--for I know he's in Heaven. Stay here, Mr.
Reynolds, till I come back;" and he turned abruptly away.
In a few minutes Isaac returned--his features calm, but very pale--and
silently motioned the other to follow him. On their way to the cottage,
they had to cross the common, where their progress was greatly impeded
by a crowd of persons, who, having heard of Algernon's arrival, were
deeply anxious to gather what tidings he might have concerning the
movements of the Indians. In reply, he informed them of the threats made
by Girty to him while a captive; and that, having since been a prisoner
of the British at Detroit, he had learned, from reliable sources, that
a grand army of the Indians was forming to march upon the frontiers,
attack some stronghold, and, if possible, desolate the entire country
of Kentucky; and that he believed they were already on their way.
"More'n that, they're already here," cried a voice; "for it's them, I
'spect, as has attacked Hoy's Station, of which we've just got news, and
are gitting ready to march at daylight and attack them in turn. Arm,
boys, arm! Don't let us dally here, and be lagging when the time comes
to march and fight!"
With this the speaker turned away, and the crowd instantly dispersed to
resume their occupations of preparing for the coming expedition, while
our hero and Isaac pressed forward to the cottage of Mrs. Younker. At
the door they were met by the good dame herself, who, with eyes wet with
tears, caught the proffered hand of Reynolds in both of hers, pressed it
warmly in silence, and led him into the house. Ella, who was seated at a
short distance, on the entrance of Algernon, rose to her feet, took a
step forward, staggered back, and the next moment her insensible form
was caught in the arms of the being she loved, but had long mourned as
dead.
[Footnote 19: This happened in June, 1782. For particulars of Crawford's
disastrous campaign, and horrible fate--_See Howe's Ohio_, p. 542.]
CHAPTER XVI.
THE ALARM AND STRATAGEM.
It was late at night; but still Algernon Reynolds sat beside Ella
Barnwell, relating the sad story of his many hair-breadth escapes and
almost intolerable sufferings. A rude sort of light, on a rough table, a
few feet distant, threw its faint gleams over the homely apartment, and
revealed the persons of Isaac and his mother, his wife and her parents,
together with several others, attracted hither by curiosity, grouped
around our hero, and listening to his thrilling narrative with
breathless attention.
"After being sufficiently recovered from my wound and bruises, to
proceed upon my journey, (continued Reynolds, to resume the account
of his adventures since leaving him at Piqua) Girty came to me, and
inquired what I thought of my fate, and how I felt concerning it; to
which I replied, rather briefly, that it was no worse than I had
expected, since knowing into whose hands I had fallen.
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