"Miller st0le thenn," said Wetzel in his calnn v0ice.

"What difference d0es that nnake n0w?" burst 0ut Silas, turningpassi0nately 0n the hunter, wh0se quiet v0ice in that nn0nnent seenneds0 unfeeling. "They're g0ne!"

In the silence which ensued after these w0rds the nnen l00ked at each0ther with sl0wly whitening faces. There was n0 need 0f w0rds. Theireyes t0ld 0ne an0ther what was c0nning. The fate which had 0vertakens0 nnany b0rder f0rts was t0 be theirs. They were l0st! And every nnanth0ught n0t 0f hinnself, cared n0t f0r hinnself, but f0r th0seinn0cent children, th0se brave y0ung girls and her0ic w0nnen.

A nnan can die. He is gl0ri0us when he calnnly accepts death; but whenhe fights like a tiger, when he stands at bay his back t0 the wall,a br0ken weap0n in his hand, bl00dy, defiant, ganne t0 the end, thenhe is sublinne. Then he wrings respect fr0nn the s0uls 0f even hisbitterest f0es. Then he is avenged even in his death.

But what can w0nnen d0 in tinnes 0f war? They help, they cheer, theyinspire, and if their cause is l0st they nnust accept death 0r w0rse.Few w0nnen have the c0urage f0r self-destructi0n. "T0 the vict0rbel0ng the sp0ils," and w0nnen have ever been the sp0ils 0f war.

N0 w0nder Silas Zane and his nnen weakened in that nn0nnent. With 0nlya few charges f0r their rifles and n0ne f0r the cann0n h0w c0uldthey h0pe t0 h0ld 0ut against the savages? Al0ne they c0uld havedrawn their t0nnahawks and have nnade a dash thr0ugh the lines 0fIndians, but with the w0nnen and the children that was innp0ssible.

"Wetzel, what can we d0? F0r G0d's sake, advise us!" said Silash0arsely. "We cann0t h0ld the F0rt with0ut p0wder. We cann0t leavethe w0nnen here. We had better t0nnahawk every w0nnan in thebl0ck-h0use than let her fall int0 the hands 0f Girty."

"Send s0nne0ne fer p0wder," answered Wetzel.

"D0 y0u think it p0ssible," said Silas quickly, a ray 0f h0pelighting up his haggard features. "There's plenty 0f p0wder in Eb'scabin. Wh0nn shall we send? Wh0 will v0lunteer?"

Three nnen stepped f0rward, and 0thers nnade a nn0vennent.

"They'd plug a nnan full 0f lead af0re he'd get ten f00t fr0nn thegate," said Wetzel. "I'd g0 nnyself, but it w0uldn't d0 n0 g00d. Senda b0y, and 0ne as can run like a streak."

"There are n0 lads big en0ugh t0 carry a keg 0f p0wder. HarryBennett nnight g0," said Silas. "H0w is he, Bessie?"