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planations; but it was even doubtful if his conductors would allow him to have the least intercourse with any European, from a fear of his betraying them and their countrymen; and supposing they prohibited this, his life would no longer be worth an hour's purchase.

Next day Derbond's rifle, knives, hatchets, etc. were taken from him by the chiefs, and he started on the journey homewards, attended by ten Apalachees, who, previous to their departure, had received many instructions respecting him. Their route lay in a very

different direction from the one that he had chosen; and though indistinct and intricate, was neither dangerous nor very fatiguing. About two leagues within the borders of the marsh they came to a large expanse of water; this they crossed in a canoe, which lay in readiness, and which, after disembarking on the opposite side, they carefully concealed under some brushwood, and three hours more travelling brought them to the immediate neighbourhood of Derbond's plantation. The whole journey occupied only a day and a half, and was performed for the most part in silence, the Indians having declined entering into conversation with their prisoner, who boded no good to himself from their unsociableness and taciturnity.

The party halted in a thicket, while Derbond having pointed out the site of his house, one of them went to reconnoitre, and to ascertain whether his account of its solitariness was correct, for they had been instructed

not to venture into a populous neighbourhood under any circumstances whatever. The scout quickly re

turned, and having assured his companions that they might safely advance, they proceeded directly to the plantation with Derbond, who soon found himself once more under his own roof, but surrounded by guests with whose company he would gladly have dispensed. The Apalachees now desired him to lose no time in bringing forth the promised grain, in order that they might divide it into convenient packages for carriage, and hasten back with it to the Ouaquahenegow. When he acknowledged that he had it not, and that he must obtain it from a friend residing two miles off, they imagined that they had all along been his dupes, and that he now proposed to betray them to his countrymen.

Impressed with this idea, it was long before they would listen to Derbond's entreaties that he might be allowed to proceed to Markham's plantation; for they supposed that by accompanying him there, they would only approach nearer the snare intended to effect their destruction. At length an Indian offered to go to reconnoitre as before, which he did; and his companions, encouraged by his report, again placed themselves under the guidance of their prisoner, who at once conducted them to Markham's house.

Neither he nor any of his male slaves were at home, and Derbond quickly gained admittance to Emily, who

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received him with a mixture of joy, anger, and astonishment; for his sudden and unexpected departure had incensed her against him, while she had at the same time dreaded that he would never return to his estate, nor ever acquaint her with his designs and place of abode. He instantly related his recent adventures, and his then critical situation, and requested her to allow him to take a supply of grain from the quantity which he knew that her husband had in store.

"Do you return to the Ouaquahenegow to remain for life?" inquired Emily.

"I must return, and that too without one day's delay," replied Derbond; "otherwise these Apalachees will put me to death. What may afterwards happen is uncertain. I may, perhaps, choose to live among them; or perhaps I may try to escape from their territories. But, dearest Emily, let us have no further parley-lead me to the granary.”

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Nay," said Emily, "not until I have made my conditions:-remember my former declarations; I now repeat them.-Take me with you!-My life has been a scene of constant misery since we last parted, and chiefly owing to yourself. The day after you quitted me so abruptly, I sent you a note, asking an explanation of your conduct; but the slave who carried it to your house, learning there that you had set out on a long journey, brought it back, and accidentally delivered it to my husband instead of to myself. His suspicions

were awakened; he opened and read it, and erroneously believed from the contents that I had been unfaithful to him. The meek Markham was in a moment transformed into a ferocious tiger, and we have lived in bitter hostility ever since. Derbond, I know that you love mee-I am not to be mistaken on that point.What folly is it then in you to refuse my companionship! Let all the shame-all the disgrace-all the dishonour rest with me. And of what import are these terms to us? We go amongst savages, who have no fantastic theories of right and wrong, and who would not disapprove of what I propose; but even supposing the contrary, it matters not; for they can never know the relation in which we stand to each other. Accept me as yours for ever, and you shall instantly have what you demand. Scorn and reject me, and I will leave you to be dealt with by the Apalachees!" "Time presses," said one of the Indians to Derbond, "we can wait but a few moments longer; and if you do not speedily fulfil your engagements, I will fulfil mine."

"Mistress of my fate, lead on!" cried Derbond; and Emily made a sign to the Apalachees to follow her, and conducted them to the apartment where the grain was stored. Here, with the assistance of Derbond, the proper quantity of each kind was quickly selected and carried out; and Emily, having wrapped herself in a large cloak, and placed a bundle of clothes in charge of one of the Indians, told Derbond that she was prepared to depart.

He heard her words, but was scarcely sensible that they were addressed to himself; for the distracting circumstances of his situation had deprived him of all collectedness or self-possession, and he quietly suffered himself to be hurried along by her who was the author of his misery and his ruin. The Indians with their burthens preceded them; and they themselves were about to pass out of the house, when Markham appeared at the doorway. If he was astonished at seeing strange men carrying away his property, he became much more so when he discovered his wife evidently dressed for flight, and clasping the arm of him whom he regarded as her seducer. The shock of this seemed at first entirely to paralyse him; and the guilty pair also stood still and did not attempt to speak.

"Villain and robber!" cried Markham, "the curse of God be upon thee." These words had scarcely escaped his lips, when he raised a double-barrelled gun, which he had before carried in his hand, and fired at Derbond, who, finding himself stunned, but not wounded, and observing his assailant pointing the other barrel at his head, seized a bayonet that hung upon the wall close by, and rushing forwards, merely with a view to terrify and disarm him, stumbled when within a few feet of him, and in his fall accidentally struck the weapon into the lower part of his left side.

Markham

dropped upon his face, and died without a struggle.

The Indians hearing the shots, returned into the

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