The Ranger or The Fugitives of the Border   By: Edward Sylvester Ellis (1840-1916)

OR

THE FUGITIVES OF THE BORDER

BY EDWARD S. ELLIS

AUTHOR OF "OONOMOO," "SET JONES," "IRONA," ETC.

NEW YORK HURST & COMPANY PUBLISHERS

COPYRIGHT, 1911, BY HURST & COMPANY.

[Illustration: "Hold! You strike the white man's friend!"]

CONTENTS.

I. Zeb and his Master

II. The Night of Terror

III. Kent and Leslie

IV. The Captives

V. The Meeting on the River

VI. The Raft

VII. Lost and Found

VIII. The Companion in Captivity

IX. Zeb's Revenge

X. The Brief Reprieve

XI. A Friend

XII. Escape

XIII. The Captive

XIV. The Rescue

XV. The Fugitives Flying no Longer

LIST OF ILLUSTRATIONS.

"Hold! You strike the white man's friend!"

George and Rosalind

"Them varmints," said he, "are playing particular devil in these parts"

There were two horses in the party, and upon one of these Rosalind had been placed

"Ready," whispered Leslie, "you take the nearest one."

"You shoot Indian, eh?" said one, brandishing his knife at the same time

The savages were amusing themselves by ascertaining who could send his tomahawk nearest the body of their captive without touching him

"Does the maiden remember Pequanon?"

Two savages were left on shore

"Yonder is something approaching."

KENT, THE RANGER.

CHAPTER I.

ZEB AND HIS MASTER.

At the southern part of Ohio, where the river of that name swerves from its south western course, and makes a sweeping bend toward the north west, many years ago stood a large and imposing dwelling. Its character, so different and superior to others found here and there along the Ohio, showed that its owner must have been a man both of superior taste and abundant means. It had been built by Sir William Leland, who had emigrated from Europe with his young wife, and erected a home in the western wilderness. Here they lived a goodly number of days; and when, at last, they took their departure within a year of each other, they left behind them a son and daughter to cherish and inherit their home.

George Leland, at the time of which we speak, was but twenty, while his sister Rosalind was three years his junior. Yet both, with the assistance of a faithful negro servant, managed to live quite comfortably. The soil was exceedingly rich, and, with a little pains, yielded abundantly every thing that could be wished, while the river and wood were unfailing resources. Three years had elapsed since the elder Leland's death, and during that time, although living in a country swarming with Indians, nothing had occurred to alarm the fears of our friends, or even to give them the slightest suspicion that danger threatened them.

[Illustration: George and Rosalind.]

When Sir William settled in this section, he followed the example of the great founder of Pennsylvania, and purchased every foot of his land from those who claimed it; and, in addition to the liberal remuneration which each received, they were given some charming present by their pale faced brother. This secured their friendship; and, although many miles intervened between the whites and their nearest kindred, yet they had nothing to fear from the savages who surrounded them. Thus matters stood when George and Rosalind were left orphans, some years before the opening of our story.

It was a pleasant day in early summer that George and his sister were seated in front of their house. The sun was just setting, and they had remained thus a long time. Zeb, the negro, was absent for the time, and they were thus undisturbed.

"Do you really think," pursued the sister, "it can be true that the Indians have perpetrated the outrages which have been reported?"