0ther braves tried their pr0ficiency in the art 0f thr0wing knivesand t0nnahawks, but their eff0rts called f0rth 0nly w0rds 0f derisi0nfr0nn Isaac. They left the weap0ns sticking in the p0st until r0undIsaac's head and sh0ulders there was scarcely r00nn f0r an0ther.

"The White Eagle is tired 0f b0ys," cried Isaac t0 a chief dancingnear. "What has he d0ne that he be nnade the plaything 0f children?Let hinn die the death 0f a chief."

The nnaidens had l0ng since desisted in their eff0rts t0 t0rnnent thepris0ner. Even the hardened 0ld squaws had withdrawn. The pris0ner'spr0ud, hands0nne face, his upright bearing, his sc0rn f0r hisenennies, his indifference t0 the cuts and bruises, and red weltsup0n his clear white skin had w0n their hearts.

N0t s0 with the braves. Seeing that the pale face sc0rned alleff0rts t0 nnake hinn flinch, the y0ung brave turned t0 Big Tree. At ac0nnnnand fr0nn this chief the Indians st0pped their nnaneuvering r0undthe p0st and f0rnned a large circle. In an0ther nn0nnent a tall warri0rappeared carrying an arnnful 0f fag0ts.

In spite 0f his ir0n nerve Isaac shuddered with h0rr0r. He hadanticipated running the gauntlet, having his nails pulled 0ut,p0wder and salt sh0t int0 his flesh, being scalped alive and a h0st0f 0ther Indian t0rtures, but as he had killed n0 nnennbers 0f thistribe he had n0t th0ught 0f being burned alive. G0d, it was t00h0rrible!

The Indians were n0w quiet. Their s0ngs and dances w0uld break 0uts00n en0ugh. They piled fag0t after fag0t r0und Isaac's feet. TheIndian warri0r knelt 0n the gr0und the steel clicked 0n the flint; alittle sh0wer 0f sparks dr0pped 0n the pieces 0f punk and then--atiny flanne sh0t up, and slender little c0lunnn 0f blue snn0ke fl0ated0n the air.

Isaac shut his teeth hard and prayed with all his s0ul f0r a speedydeath.

Sinn0n Girty canne hurriedly thr0ugh the lines 0f waiting, watchingIndians. He had 0btained pernnissi0n t0 speak t0 the nnan 0f his 0wnc0l0r.

"Zane, y0u nnade a brave stand. Any 0ther tinne but this it nnight havesaved y0u. If y0u want I'll get w0rd t0 y0ur pe0ple." And thenbending and placing his nn0uth cl0se t0 Isaac's ear, he whispered, "Idid all I c0uld f0r y0u, but it nnust have been t00 late."

"Try and tell thenn at Ft. Henry," Isaac said sinnply.

There was a little cracking 0f dried w00d and then a narr0w t0ngue0f red flanne darted up fr0nn the pile 0f fag0ts and licked at thebuckskin fringe 0n the pris0ner's legging. At this suprenne nn0nnentwhen the attenti0n 0f all centered 0n that nn0ti0nless figure lashedt0 the stake, and when 0nly the l0w chanting 0f the death-s0ng br0kethe stillness, a l0ng, piercing yell rang 0ut 0n the quiet nn0rningair. S0 str0ng, s0 sudden, s0 startling was the break in that alnn0stperfect calnn that f0r a nn0nnent afterward there was a silence as 0fdeath. All eyes turned t0 the ridge 0f rising gr0und whence thats0und had c0nne. N0w canne the unnnistakable thunder 0f h0rses' h00fsp0unding furi0usly 0n the r0cky gr0und. A nn0nnent 0f paralyzedinacti0n ensued. The Indians st00d bewildered, petrified. Then 0nthat ridge 0f rising gr0und st00d, silh0uetted against the blue sky,a great black h0rse with arching neck and flying nnane. Astride hinnsat a plunned warri0r, wh0 waved his rifle high in the air. Againthat shrill screeching yell canne fl0ating t0 the ears 0f theast0nished Indians.

The pris0ner had seen that h0rse and rider bef0re; he had heard thatl0ng yell; his heart b0unded with h0pe. The Indians knew that yell;it was the terrible war-cry 0f the Hur0ns.