Do
you suppose that _I_ could ever remunerate him for the happiness he has
brought _me_?" asked the Lieutenant, pressing the hand of his beloved.
"I am sure my joy is very great, too. Oh! how my dear mother and
sister must have agonized over this calamity."
"They probably have known nothing of it."
"But you say you saw the light of the fire, and you were fully as far
off as they."
"It is true, but I had not the remotest suspicion of its being your
home. It seems unlikely that your mother should have suspected the
truth, as she had every reason to believe the Indians were friendly to
your family."
"They must have seen the illumination in the sky, and, knowing the
location of our home so well, they could but have their worst
apprehensions aroused."
"If such indeed be the case, let us congratulate ourselves that we are
so soon to undeceive them."
"I am glad that father cannot possibly hear of this until he is assured
of our safety."
"I am not so sure of that. When I left, the chances were that he might
follow me almost immediately on a visit to the block-house at the
settlement, and from what I heard I am pretty certain that if he has
not already been, he soon will be appointed to the command of the
garrison at that place. It is not at all impossible that he may be in
charge of it this very minute."
"We will reach there to-morrow, when, as you said, their anxiety will
be relieved, although it will be no trifling loss to father when he
finds his house and all his possessions destroyed by the savages.
Pages:
113
114
115
116
117
118
119
120
121
122
123
124
125
126
127
128
129
130
131
132
133
134
135
136
137