the hour for that worthy pair to retire had nearly come. Conversation between the two was rather a luxury than a common indulgence. Like the two buckets of their own deep well, when the one was up, it was always left full on the curb ready for use, and the other was sunk into the profundity beneath, and though it took some time to bring it up, it was fresh for household service, it was always there when the traveller came, and welcome for his horse or himself. The bucket never came up empty. The old Boerman gave a sudden start, as if something had struck him. Angelica saw that he was alarmed through some cause without doors. She was well acquainted with the habits of her husband, and knew all the circumstances of the country sufficiently well to enter immediately into the feeling of the occasion. He was not a man to be frightened at a shadow, nor was she unprepared for the exigencies of the period. When Martin, after cautiously looking up to the window rose slowly on his feet, and stepped to the stair that went up to the chamber, lifting old Peg, as he passed, from her resting place on the wooden hooks fixed in the joists over head, the careful vrow ceased even to breathe, sitting as still on her stool as if she was stone; then, with an equally cautious step, followed her husband up the steps, both that she might aid him and obtain information, or give counsel. The house was one of those heavy stone structures, that seemed built more as towers of defence than as places for comfort; the walls three feet thick, with small windows, like ancient shot holes, covered with heavy shutters, which, in the windy seasons, slamned like the gates of a sepulchre, and as dolefully loud.

Close by one of these in the dark, Martin stood peering out, when Angelica joined her sight to his; and thinking herself the first to perceive the cause of alarm, she whispered too loud, "Vat's dat dere, noo?"

Martin had seen it, but durst not breathe of it lest the ear of some one would catch the sound; and turning around he gave his good vrow a pinch on the arm, which was neither love nor hate. Pointing with his finger, he directed Angelica's eye to some living thing moving between them and a grey rock that stood but a short distance from the house; and nearer to them another of the same kind of shadows. Their blood ran quicker as that last object assured them both that

it was a human form. Danger was abroad! AI their negroes were asleep; no friendly pen: would be prowling around a house at such a hour. Massacres had been common; the Indus were on the hills, and the Tories had marked & . Martin for their prey. His very name, Schuy.. was enough to render him obnoxious to the .55 race. He loved his country, and had venture. :: take the side he felt was right, but he was a r—, a husband, and a father.

"The teeken vuur is blazing on the Kekre." whispered the trembling wife, as she came fra looking towards the east. Martin's courage ne as he saw the acknowledged signal. His fri were aware of danger being abroad, but here va something which came under his immediate i spection. Spies were around his house. C by nature, and rendered cautious through experience in the woods and on the hills, net er animal nor Indian could double him, when one upon the alert. His own cunning was his greatst danger. He had fallen occasionally into his o trap, and trusted more to the judgment of he family than he was willing to confess.

g

"Where's Elsie?" he whispered to the w She was their only child, and had, in the lack 2o sons, become the chief stay of her parents ir la declining years. Vigorous, prudent, and pron in all her actions, she was equal to any yo.. man in a case of emergency. It was therefre with some mortification and sinking of the hear, that he heard the mother say:

"Elsie, O, the Lamashee has gone to the h ing at the Bught. Take Cæsar wit thee, bes strong, and faithful, I'll go and waken him."

"Stay! stay! do not ruin us, dese blacks are sich cowardly critters, I would as soon take off of the ox steers wid me in the dark, I must g myself."

After he had said this, they came and sat down on the same place where we found him beside the fire, and composedly smoked the pipe he h began to fill when he was first disturbed. T was his manner when his brain was foggy; he st his way best when the smoke whirled thickest around him, and as he feared it might be see time before he obtained more of this necessary life, his first resolution was to puff a supply. F the time he was through, his mind was made Angelica had been anticipating the whole res and while the smoke became slow and regular, she

had gathered up some olecakes and rusk, thrusting them into his ample pockets, filling his horn with dry powder, counting out twenty bullets and some buck-shot, which she deposited in the same place, brought a worsted cap of her own working which she drew upon his head well over his ears, which he pushed up in an instant, and doing all this without a word, she sat down, bending her head forward on her hands, seeming to be in the act of silent prayer, which was evidently understood by the musing Dutchman; for he ceased to puff except in the most silent stream, that rose more as incense than as indulgence. Not a word had been uttered by them since they came from the chamber above, and the house had been made long since proof against all peering eyes, so that Martin only waited the proper time to go out, but that could not be till he was sure that the marauders had gone from the dwelling.

The house, as we have hinted, was large and solid as all the mansions are, except where the New England leaven has changed the taste of some rebellious youth, who was determined to ignore his Dutch origin. Martin Schuyler was not of that tribe. His father had built one side of the house, with the evident forethought, that his posterity to the fourth and fifth generation should continue to add to it; and our friend had done his share by raising wings larger than the original body, which was distinguished from the rest by being a few feet lower than the new sides. So that the house resembled some old men we have seen, whose head had sunk considerably beneath their shoulders, while their larger rear, required all the room that could be spared to them. It was literally so of Martin's dwelling built on a side hill, and so strong itself, it was hard to say whether the hill or the house was the most crowded. No matter, the high ground behind served a good purpose in these times of public tumult, when life and property were in such danger. A cave had been originally dug in the hill, to serve as a root-house; this suggested the idea of a hiding-place, which had been carried still further into the interior. Indeed so far, that a passageway had been made sufficiently wide for a person to worm his way to an opening on the south side of the house. Into that receptacle, long since all the silver plate of Holland manu facture, all the milledoleors which Martin had saved, the China intended for Elsie, a castle of

quilted work, indeed everything that could be dispensed with out of the house; so that surprise, was not to be so great if it did come at all, upon such cautious and cool heads. If there was aught neglected, it was more through too much care than too little. As in the case of the house being burned or surrounded, and they forced to flee, ready money was essential, so a round hole had been dug in the meadow below, out of which a piece of turf was carefully taken, the earth removed, and a pot of silver coin put in, all so well done, that Martin declared at the end of his life, he could "never find out the place himself to this day."

A few pantomime signs were only passed between the two. Angelica was preparing for retreat if necessary, and Martin for defence, when a slight noise was distinctly heard, as if some one had missed a footing, and had put out a hand to recover himself. Neither of the two moved a muscle, but their senses were now fully awakened to danger. "Oh, if Elsie were only here," was the internal wish of the anxious man. So rising slowly and quietly from his seat, he stepped into the back part of the house, through a panel which served as a door that opened at his touch. Angelica following to receive and give counsel.

"Where is Elsie said you, Anshela?"

"Down in the Bught at a husking bee," was the quiet and subdued reply; for the good wife and mother saw plainly that her husband was troubled. "Let me go out with you; four eyes are better than two; and you know that I have both caution and courage to meet any danger, when you are beside me."'

"You speak like one of the foolish women, Anshela. I am only going to watch, not to fight -if I can help it. I shall go to the top of the hill, and return in an hour, but if not, send Elsie to meet me on the Sout Mountain."

"On the Sout Mountain !" the careful wife exclaimed; "why not rather light the teeken vuur and gather our friends ?"

"Vrow! Vrow!" whispered Martin with great vehemence, "before any friends could be here, our scalps would be reeking in that savage Kiskataam's fingers, our gray hairs twisted together. No, I must watch the redskin and see what deviltry he is up to, and trap him in his den. Elsie is the only one that can help me at this hour. You stay here quietly. There are only two of

them. They are waiting till we sleep, and then they will go to the flat rock and light their warning fire. Ha! Ha! cunning dogs. Martin is before you! Catch a squirrel sleeping. Thanks to Peet for all that I know." The farmer and the hunter chuckled at the thought of outwitting Kiskataam, the Wild-cat, upon his own ground, the Kaatskills.

There was no more difficulty in bringing Angelica to agree to the plan. She was well aware that her careful husband possessed means of information which he kept to himself. So with a few more olecakes, and some quiet blessings, and prayers on his safety, she saw him crawl on his hands and knees through the narrow passage leaving her to close all up as quietly, and as closely as possible, without calling up any of the negro men, who were all asleep in the lower part of the house, in what is called the cellar kitchen.

Martin emerged from his underground journey like a rabbit that has found itself in the wide world, ready to return to its burrow quickly should danger be near. He lay still for at least five minutes, listening till he became familiarized. with the silence and the darkness around him; when he gradually rose upright, standing so still that he seemed but one of the stumps of the field. Taking a wide circuit from his own house, he sought a patch of wood through which there was a cow path, guessing that the spies around him would take that on their way to their accustomed rendezvous. Nor was he mistaken, for after waiting patiently a full hour, he heard footsteps distinctly, coming behind him. He would have been at a loss to tell whether it was man or animal had he not also heard a human voice which became more audible, but to him more mysterious the nearer as it approached. Now it was the low guttural tones of an Indian, and again it seemed something else, but neither Indian nor Dutch. Here was something of which he had not dreamed. His secret informant of yesterday had not hinted of any one but Indian. Till now he had been comparatively calm, for his experience had taught him that it was easier to circumvent ten Indians, than one true and determined white man of experience. But judge of the still greater surprise of our watcher, when he heard distinctly the tones of the English tongue, and that of a young woman. He started to his feet with an alertness the reverse of his previous sluggishness. Martin's Martin's

acquaintance with the world of Albany, and of Manhattan Island had been frequent, among is own near relatives, who were of the first qua in the colony, enabling him to judge at once these tones, and of the distinct words uttered assuring him that this was a woman of polishe life and language. Why brought hither to thee wild regions? He lay down again, waiting the persons to pass by, but so near that he mig obtain a perfect view of their forms, and if poss guess into the mystery. As the Indian Kiskatapassed, carrying in his arms a young female, was beseeching him to tell her why he was tak her through these woods. The heart of the bonet Dutchman leaped to his throat, as he drew form and old Peg, with her muzzle almost touching the mean catiff that passed him, and but for the gre he shielded himself behind, an ounce of ki! would have decided his fate. But he was alir to pass, while the name, "Mother! oh, my dr mother!" and another name, which Martin cool! not hear distinctly, rung in his ear, calling t him for help.

"And help you shall have, my strange lim shee," said the tender father. "My own Ele may be the next, and how could I come back to Anshela, if I saw our own daughter dragged of in that way. The murderous savage that he & I have long determined to give him the contents of Peg, and now is my time. No, now is his time, I will follow him and watch my chance. The dear lady, though she be of the English blood. must be set free, though the blood of Kiskatum flows for it."

The really excited Boerman was just about to rise, when there passed by on the same path, but in far quieter motion, another of the same rat leading a dog by a bark string. At the sight of the man and beast, Martin ground his teeth with inward rage.

"Dunder and blitzen, were the Dominie here himself he would zweert, I will say-duivil. There is that duivil Shandaagan carrying off Rover, and here I must lie still and see all."

They who knew all would have pardoned the good Dutchman; even his swearing, when they reflected on the mean character of this secoci Indian, and the provocation he had given to Martin before and now. He was one of those offscourings of the race who proved false to all be pretended to serve. pretended to serve. At this very time, he was

borhood, he took a different position in hope that new background might discover some wandering shadow; but there were still the same Indian faces; and that of the young pale-face, which he could see plainly in the flickering glow of the fire as it rose and fell. Never was a man more puzzled to account for all these things. Here was a captive, and she could not be a Whig's daughter, judging from her English accent and foreign style of speech; and yet Kiskataam was in the pay of the king. Had he since thought of turning to the other side, making this the price of his double treachery?

"He shall not succeed," said the excited Martin, with a vehemence which nearly cost him his life; for standing as he did so near to the verge of the crag, he pushed with his feet so hard that a loose rock gave way, falling to the bottom of the precipice, over which, in the dark, he might have been hurled to his destruction. The noise reverberating through those wild hills in the night, roused up the beasts below from their lairs, and the party above were evidently much alarmed; for when Martin recovered himself, he saw that the two Indians were standing both upright like sentinels, ready for an attack. However, soon discovering the seeming cause of the interrupted silence, they sank back to their usual somnolence. Our white sentinel on the hill had made up his mind to a plan, just as soon as he could obtain his expected help, which he thought must be near at hand; and with that in view he took the most prominent point of Puddingstone Hall, where he stood like one of the black stumps of a tree which even an Indian could not distinguish him from in the dark.

CHAPTER II. DEEP DOUBT.

MARTIN, though almost in agony for his daughter never took his eyes off the wigwam. A fluttering leaf or the movement of an animal might arrest his mind unconsciously, still he never turned his thoughts on anything fixedly, so as to be moved aside from the object before him. He was certain now that the two Indians were only the instruments and outside actors in this drama, and his desire was increasing with every beating of his pulse to see the hand behind the scenes; so eager did he become, that he forgot that Elsie might arrive and not find him in the appointed place. He was drawing nearer and nearer all the time,

fearful lest anything might escape his notice. He heard voices, but could not discern, at the distre he stood away, what was said. This induced h to step onward, till he found himself so near the he could distinctly perceive on one occasion t'a captive sitting up, while the ruddy glow of the fire showed him sufficient of her countenance t satisfy him that she was none of the maidens í the colony around, but one of those that he seen riding out on the roads around Albany, were birds of passage, gay in plumage and full life, never intending to make this land their be "Ruddy, and of a fair countenance," as the Dominie would say, though Martin inward y thought "she has been stolen by this sinner, at the bidding of those wicked profligates that for these fair doves as the hawks do their prey."

"She is no child neither, as I am a Schuvier, and as good blood as ever came from Holland, a lady of at least nineteen is she that walks out there before the fire, and she is talking just n to the Indian. I wish I could but hear her org Yes, poor lamishee, you may well look out on th black sky, made darker by the very fire now t your eyes, for woe to thee, an unknown ends before thee."

With the true hunter spirit, the watcher was drawing closer and closer, so as to have a perfect view and reach his game in the best advantage. He could have brought down one of those dis shadows that stood before him on the flat rok with ease; the other he could meet singly withest hesitation, but there were others here, and with white faces.

He was now so near that he could hear words indistinctly, and might have pressed closer in his eagerness, but at this instant he was startled be something in his rear moving the shrubs close to the ground. He looked through the darknes with the glare of the fire in his eyes, seet. nothing till he had time to recover from the effe of the light, and then saw distinctly two small balls of fire, so near to one another that he instantly felt that they must be the eyes of some animal about to spring upon him. His first motion was to lift Peg into her defensive position, but listening with all his senses awake, he soot heard what he had frequently heard before whe he hunted on these mountains-the snuffing of deer, attracted by the light, and thereby blindel to its own danger. Martin had been out on the