"G.o.d bless my soul, is it possible? This is terrible, indeed. Are we then already surrounded by hostile Indians, and is the war already brought to our door?"

"War! what war?" asked the subaltern, "and what has this fearful piece of treachery to do with open war--war with whom?"

"And have you not heard that England and the United States are openly engaged in hostilities--has Winnebeg not revealed this?"

"Not a word," replied Lieutenant Elmsley, astonished, in his turn, at the information.

"At another moment, and on an indifferent occasion, this mutual misunderstanding might afford room for pleasantry," continued Mr.

McKenzie with a grave smile; "but it is not so. Winnebeg, I see, has been true to his trust; and although cognizant of the nature of the despatches, revealed the information to no one but myself, whom he regarded as having not only a right to possess it at the earliest moment, but as being the most proper person to advise with the commanding officer, at the earliest moment, on the measures to be adopted. I am here for that purpose; think you I shall find him alone, for I wouldn't enter upon the subject before Mrs. Headley."

"I have just said that Mrs. Headley and Margaret are in attendance on the unfortunate Ronayne," replied Elmsley. "You will, therefore, be sure to find him alone, and no doubt busied in the formation of plans of operations consequent on this intelligence."

"Recollect, not a word of this until it is officially revealed. I shall not even let Captain Headley know that I am aware of the facts, but simply state that, having heard he was in receipt of despatches, I had come to know if there was any news of importance.

But, of one thing I would warn you, Elmsley; there will be a council of war to-morrow, and I could wish that your view of the subject may lead you to prefer defending the fort to the last extremity in preference to a long and uncertain retreat to Fort Wayne, which I know is suggested in the despatch."

"I shall have no difficulty in arriving at that decision," returned the officer of the guard, "for common sense only is necessary to show the advantages of one course over the other. In the meantime, I shall evince no knowledge of what you have conveyed to me, until the hour of council. Did no other consideration weigh with me, I would oppose a movement which cuts us off from all hope of restoring the dear lost wife of Ronayne to her distracted husband."

"Good bye, G.o.d bless you," answered the trader, as he moved towards the quarters of Captain Headley.

"Then," mused Elmsley, when alone, "are the forebodings of that fusty old number of the National Intelligencer which I have thumbed for hours over and over again for the last three months at length finally realized--and war was come at last; well be it so! My chief anxiety is for Margaret. Would that she and all the rest of the weak women in this fortress were safe within the fortifications of Detroit; but all evil seems to be coming upon us at once."

"Ah! Mr. McKenzie, I am very glad to see you," said Captain Headley, rising as the trader entered the room set apart for his library and the transaction of military official business. "Take a seat.

You could not have paid me a more opportune visit."

"I had understood that Winnebeg had just returned with despatches from Detroit," remarked the trader, "and am come to learn the news."

"Bad enough," answered Capt. Headley, gravely, as he handed to him the despatch from General Hull. "Read that!"

Mr. McKenzie attentively perused the doc.u.ment. It was evidently of a nature not to please him, for as he read he knit his brow, bit his lip, and uttered more than one ejaculatory "pish!"

"And what do you intend to do, Captain Headley?" he demanded, as he twisted the paper in his fingers impatiently.

"Stay, my dear sir," said the commanding officer, anxiously, "do not thus disfigure or slight the general's official--I must preserve it as the only voucher for the course I shall in all probability pursue."

"What is that course?" asked Mr. McKenzie; "surely, Captain Headley, you will not strictly follow the letter of these instructions? You are not compelled to do so. It is left optional with yourself; and there cannot be a question as to the great disadvantage attending a retreat."

"Pardon me," said the commanding--officer, with something of the hauteur of one sensible of his own personal responsibility; "I consider every paragraph in this official as a direct order. The only sentence that would appear to leave a certain option with myself is where reference is made to the _practicability_ of retreat.

Now, I can see nothing impracticable in it. We have nothing to apprehend, with a body of five hundred brave Pottowatomies for our escort, while, if we continue here we must expect a strong British force speedily upon us."

"Let me give you a word of counsel before this question is publicly discussed," returned the trader seriously; "I know the Indians well, and how easily they are influenced by circ.u.mstances. Friendly as these Pottowatomies now seem to be, the influence of the majority of the tribes who have joined the British forces may soon change them from friends into foes."

"My life on their fidelity," returned Captain Headley, with unusual energy. "While Winnebeg continues with them, I feel that I should dishonor by doubting him."

"Do not mistake me," returned the trader. "Your faith in the honesty of Winnebeg, Capt. Headley, is not greater than my own--nay, not so great, perhaps, for I have known and always regarded him from his boyhood; but all the Pottowatomies are not Winnebegs, neither are the warriors so completely under the control of their chiefs as to permit their counsels alone to influence their actions."

"You do not mean to say that you have reason to doubt any of these people, Mr. McKenzie?" remarked the captain, seriously and inquiringly.

"Not at all; but I wish to show how much more imprudent it would be to trust to them than to ourselves; reinforcements may arrive in time if they are sent for immediately, and should they not, it will be time enough to think of evacuating when our Indian spies bring us notice of the preparations of the British to attack us."

"And should they arrive before our retreat is begun, then must, we be driven into an unequal contest, for the order of the secretary at war expressly declares that no post shall be surrendered without a battle. It is evident that the fort cannot be maintained against a regular force; therefore, the garrison, or they who survive the a.s.sault, must be made prisoners in any case; whereas, by retiring now, we not only prevent the advance of the enemy, to the manifest ruin of yourself and other settlers in the neighborhood, but carry succor to Fort Wayne. This is the resolution I have taken. After first consulting with my officers on public parade in the morning, when our position shall be fully made known to all, I shall meet the Indians in council. The necessary directions have been conveyed to Winnebeg."

"I can only regret, sir," returned Mr. McKenzie, with great gravity of speech and deportment, "that your determination should have been formed before consulting with your officers. In a case of this kind, involving the interests of all, it becomes, I should conceive, not a mere courtesy but a duty, that the opinions and advice of all competent to judge should be taken."

"You need not be alarmed, Mr. McKenzie; I perfectly know how to act on this occasion. The opinions of my officers shall be taken, even as I have taken yours. If you have anything further to offer, therefore, I shall be happy to hear it."

"Captain Headley," returned the trader, rising with dignity, and taking up his hat, "I have nothing further of advice to offer to one so confident in his own judgment; but bear in mind what I now tell you, that if you follow the letter of these instructions rather than the spirit, you will have cause to repent it. I make not this remark from mere considerations of my own personal interests, which, of course, will be greatly affected by this abandonment of the post, but because I sincerely believe that a defence will entail less disaster than a march through the vast wilderness we shall have to traverse, hampered as we shall be with women, less able to bear up against fatigue, privation, and disaster. As the Indian orators say, 'I have spoken!' and now, sir, I have the honor of wishing you a very good day."

"Well, what says he--what does he intend?" asked Lieutenant Elmsley, who was lingering near the gate, waiting for the return of his father-in-law.

"He is an obstinate, conceited ramrod," returned the latter, peevishly; "but you will know all to-morrow, for he really intends to do you the honor to consult you in the morning."

"But what is his decision? You have not said."

"To give up everything to the Indians, and retreat forthwith."

"Can it be possible?" exclaimed the officer, perfectly indignant at the communication.

"Even so. Alas, for the poor women, and the ladies particularly!

what a march for them; but I go, meanwhile, to 'set my house in order.' Well, Elmsley, all I had garnered up through a quarter of a century of incessant toil, as a heritage for you and yours, will, I fear, be utterly lost."

"G.o.d bless you," said the officer, grasping his hand, "think not of that. There are far weightier considerations at stake than those of a merely pecuniary nature. The lesson Margaret has taught herself--to be contented to live on a soldier's pay--will not have altogether been thrown away upon her. The loss of her fortune is the least calamity to be dreaded."

"n.o.bly said, Elmsley. Well are you worthy of her!" He warmly shook the hand that still lingered in his own, and then turned the angle of the gateway leading down to his own dwelling.

CHAPTER XII.

"For we to-morrow hold divided council."

--_Richard III._

On the following morning there was unusual commotion in the fort, and, notwithstanding the great sultriness of the weather, both officers and men appeared in the full costume of the regiment from an early hour. The bright and silken flag, worked by the hands of Mrs. Ronayne, had been hoisted by Corporal Nixon's own hands, for he knew that not a man of the garrison would look upon it without vividly interesting himself in the fate of her who had worked it, and desiring to be a volunteer of the party he fully expected would be sent out that morning to attempt her rescue. Already had he decided on five of the number who, besides himself, would be selected by Ronayne on the occasion, and these were Collins, Phillips, Weston, Green, and Watson. He knew that an early parade had been ordered by Captain Headley, and as this was a rare occurrence, he could a.s.sign no other cause for it than the desire the commanding officer entertained to send off the little expedition as speedily as possible.

Precisely at eight o'clock the roll of the drum brought forth from their respective barrack rooms some sixty men, composing the strength of the little fort, with the exception of the invalids and convalescents, some fifteen in number. But even of these, such as could find strength to drag themselves, came forth and lingered in the rear of the slowly forming little line, while women and children gathered in groups near the guard-house, anxious to see who would be the fortunate ones selected for the recovery of the much-loved wife of their favorite.

A few moments later, and the officers were seen approaching from their several quarters to join the parade. Captain Headley, dressed in his newest uniform, was the first on the ground; then came the Doctor, then Elmsley, for, on that occasion, the guard at the gate had been left without an officer; and lastly, much to the surprise of all, Ronayne. As he approached, all eyes were fixed upon him, and every breast acknowledged a sympathy in the pallor of his now unmoved brow, that in more than one instance moulded itself into a tear it was impossible to suppress. As for the women, they held their ap.r.o.ns to their eyes and wept outright. On gaining his company, the Virginian touched his cap as usual to the commander of the parade, and, pa.s.sing close by Elmsley, whose eyes he saw riveted upon him with much interest, he significantly grasped his hand.

"Mr. Elmsley," ordered the commandant, "let the company be wheeled inwards, to form a hollow square."

The order was promptly obeyed, and within the square stood the little group of officers.

"Gentlemen and men!" began Captain Headley, as he unfolded a despatch, "it is on no common occasion that we find ourselves a.s.sembled this morning."

Every eye was again turned upon Ronayne. The looks of the men seemed to say, "We know it, and we are prepared to do our utmost to repair the evil."

"There is not a man of us, your honor," said Corporal Collins, "who is not ready to volunteer to go out and recover Mrs. Ronayne, or die in the attempt. You have but to say the word."