"Of poor Captain Herrod? Yes. What is thought of it, that it's the doing of the Indians?"
"There are various opinions. We have held a town meeting, resolved to prepare for the worst, discovered that there is no ammunition in town, and started a party down the river in a pirogue, to bring a supply from Cincinnati."
"No ammunition in town, is it possible, and we may be attacked at any moment!"
"True: but we do not hear of any Indians being seen on the war path. We will hope for the best."
"Miss Nell?" inquired Kenneth, "I passed her and Lyttleton as I left town this morning."
"Yes; they met Coe and came back in something of a panic. Nell hardly the more alarmed of the two, I fancy;" and there was a sly twinkle in the major's eye, an almost imperceptible smile lurking about the corners of his mouth.
"She is safe then? I was a little uneasy, not knowing how far they meant to go."
By this time quite a little crowd had collected about Romeo, and Kenneth was plied with eager queries as to the road he had been travelling, and whether he had seen any signs of hostile Indians.
His replies negativing the last question, seemed to afford some slight satisfaction, some hope that there was less occasion for alarm than had been feared.
Still all were in favor of proceeding with the work, already resolved upon in the public meeting, of fortifying the town. Kenneth was dismounting at his office door when Barbour hailed him, with a request that he would come at once to his house, as his wife seemed in a very bad way.