"Grey, Zane - Betty Zane" - читать интересную книгу автора (Grey Zane)

still living?"

"Probably not. It is now four years since he was recaptured. I think it would
have been impossible to keep him that length of time, unless, of course, he
has married that Indian girl. The simplicity of the Indian nature is
remarkable. He could easily have deceived them and made them believe he was
content in captivity. Probably, in attempting to escape again, he has been
killed as was poor Andrew."

Brother and sister gazed with dark, sad eyes into the fire, now burned down to
a glowing bed of coals. The silence remained unbroken save for the moan of the
rising wind outside, the rattle of hail, and the patter of rain drops on the
roof.



CHAPTER II.

Fort Henry stood on a bluff overlooking the river and commanded a fine view of
the surrounding country. In shape it was a parallelogram, being about three
hundred and fifty-six feet in length, and one hundred and fifty in width.
Surrounded by a stockade fence twelve feet high, with a yard wide walk running
around the inside, and with bastions at each corner large enough to contain
six defenders, the fort presented an almost impregnable defense. The
blockhouse was two stories in height, the second story projecting out several
feet over the first. The thick white oak walls bristled with portholes.
Besides the blockhouse, there were a number of cabins located within the
stockade. Wells had been sunk inside the inclosure, so that if the spring
happened to go dry, an abundance of good water could be had at all times.

In all the histories of frontier life mention is made of the forts and the
protection they offered in time of savage warfare. These forts were used as
homes for the settlers, who often lived for weeks inside the walls.

Forts constructed entirely of wood without the aid of a nail or spike (for the
good reason that these things could not be had) may seem insignificant in
these days of great nasal and military garrisons. However, they answered the
purpose at that time and served to protect many an infant settlement from the
savage attacks of Indian tribes. During a siege of Fort Henry, which had
occurred about a year previous, the settlers would have lost scarcely a man
had they kept to the fort. But Captain Ogle, at that time in charge of the
garrison, had led a company out in search of the Indians. Nearly all of his
men were killed, several only making their way to the fort.

On the day following Major McColloch's arrival at Fort Henry, the settlers had
been called in from their spring plowing and other labors, and were now busily
engaged in moving their stock and the things they wished to save from the
destructive torch of the redskin. The women had their hands full with the
children, the cleaning of rifles and moulding of bullets, and the thousand and
one things the sterner tasks of their husbands had left them. Major McColloch,