290 HILLS AND LAKES. 



by a head, than the rest. His arms were long, almost 

 like an ape's, and one of 'em seemed stiff at the elbow, 

 as if from an old hurt. I counted 'em where I lay in 

 the bushes, over and over again, as they danced a hor- 

 rible dance round that burnin' pile. I warn't angry, 

 nor sorrowful, nor afraid. A strange sort of calmness 

 was on me. I seemed to look on without any thought, 

 but to study the faces and forms of them Ingens ; why, 

 I know not My feelins' seemed to be all dead. I 

 forgot father, mother, brother, sisters ; all passed from 

 me, while I looked upon those bloody scalps, and 

 studied the faces of them red demons dancin' round. 



" ' After awhile they gave one last horrible yell, and 

 filed off, one after another, towards the forest. They 

 passed close to the bush beneath which I lay. He with 

 the scalps w r ent first, and the rest in a line behind him. 

 I saw all their faces, plain and distinct, as I see yours. 

 They all seemed to look straight at me, as theypassed 

 by, and moved away into the still woods. Then a 

 Irowsiness, heavy, like death, came over me, and I 

 sank away into a deep sleep. 



" ' When I awoke, the sun' was shining. I looked 

 out from the bush, and saw the neighbors standin' 

 round, and wondered why they were all there. I 



