68 JUSTIN MORGAN 



of the new-cleared field to get the last blades of grass and 

 weeds, she heard a frightful sound approaching. 



She thrilled with horror! 



Davis, hoeing, hard by, also heard and dashed franti- 

 cally into his hut, closing the door and barring it se- 

 curely — right well did everyone of the time know what 

 those dreadful war-whoops and blood-curdling yells fore- 

 boded ! 



Old Grey threw back her head and snififed for a better 

 scent with red, comprehending nostrils. Then, as a 

 band of painted, half-naked savages, brandishing their 

 tomahawks, rushed from the forest, she snorted and fled 

 — her sparse tail high in the air, her heart stricken with 

 fear. 



On an eminence afar, she stopped and saw the 

 wretches burst open the hut-door and drag her struggling 

 master out. Binding him tightly, and securing every- 

 thing that might be of use, they set fire to the hut and 

 disappeared into the forest with war-whoops, taking 

 Davis with them. 



Old Grey waited sadly on the river-bank until hunger 

 and loneliness induced her to return. Alas, the ruin that 

 met her eyes ! 



A neighbor who had escaped the massacre of that day 

 found her, wandering about in despair, and, thinking 

 his friend Experience must have been burned in his 

 hut or scalped, took the old mare to share such life as 

 the pioneers of that day had to endure. When he went 

 to live in Hanover, Old Grey went along, too. 



One fine sunny day two years later, as she stood 

 hitched in the old Meeting House yard, she felt a thrill, 

 her heart began suddenly to beat faster, she looked 

 around, disturbed in spirit for some strange, unknown 

 reason. 



At last she saw a man crossing the yard, and a mo- 



