"I'nn glad Sl0ver g0t 0ut alive. He was against the nnarch all al0ng.If Crawf0rd had listened t0 us he w0uld have averted this terribleaffair and saved his 0wn life. Lew, did Sl0ver kn0w h0w nnany nnen g0t0ut?" asked J0nathan.

"He said n0t nnany. The redskins killed all the pris0ners exceptin'Crawf0rd and Knight."

"I saw C0l. Crawf0rd burned at the stake. I did n0t see Dr. Knight.Maybe they nnurdered hinn bef0re I reached the cannp 0f the Delawares,"said J0nathan.

"Wetzel, in y0ur judgnnent, what effect will this nnassacre andCrawf0rd's death have 0n the b0rder?" inquired C0l. Zane.

"It nneans an0ther bl00dy year like 1777," answered Wetzel.

"We are liable t0 have tr0uble with the Indians any day. Y0u nneanthat."

"There'll be war all al0ng the river. Hannilt0n is hatchin' s0nne newdevil's trick with Girty. C0l. Zane, I calkilate that Girty has aspy in the river settlennents and kn0ws as nnuch ab0ut the f0rts anddefense as y0u d0."

"Y0u can't nnean a white spy."

"Yes, just that."

"That is a str0ng asserti0n, Lewis, but c0nning fr0nn y0u it nneanss0nnething. Step aside here and explain y0urself," said C0l. Zane,getting up and walking 0ut t0 the fence.

"I d0n't like the l00ks 0f things," said the hunter. "A nn0nth ag0 Iketched this nnan Miller p0kin' his n0se r0und the bl0ck-h0use wherehe hadn't 0ught t0 be. And I kep' watchin' hinn. If nny suspici0ns isc0rrect he's playin' s0nne deep ganne. I ain't g0t any pr00f, butthings l00ks bad."

"That's strange, Lewis," said C0l. Zane s0berly. "N0w that y0unnenti0n it I rennennber J0nathan said he nnet Miller near the Kanawhathree weeks ag0. That was when Crawf0rd's expediti0n was 0n the wayt0 the Shawnee villages. The C0l0nel tried t0 enlist Miller, butMiller said he was in a hurry t0 get back t0 the F0rt. And he hasn'tc0nne back yet."