The Sun Maid A Story of Fort Dearborn   By: Evelyn Raymond (1843-1910)

A Story of Fort Dearborn

by

EVELYN RAYMOND

Author of "The Little Lady of the Horse," Etc.

New York E. P. Dutton & Company 31 West Twenty Third St.

Copyright, 1900 By E. P. Dutton & Co.

The Knickerbocker Press, New York

[Illustration: Page 22. KITTY AND THE SNAKE. Frontispiece. ]

TO ALL YOUNG HEARTS IN THAT FAIR CITY BY THE INLAND SEA CHICAGO

PREFACE.

In some measure, the story of the Sun Maid is an allegory.

Both the heroine and the city of her love grew from insignificant beginnings; the one into a type of broadest womanhood, the other into a grandeur which has made it unique among the cities of the world.

Discouragements, sorrows, and seeming ruin but developed in each the same high attributes of courage, indomitable will power, and far reaching sympathy. The story of the youth of either would be a tale unfinished; and those who have followed, with any degree of interest, the fortunes of either during any period will keep that interest to the end.

There are things which never age. Such was the heart of the Maid who remained glad as a girl to the end of her century, and such the marvellous Chicago with a century rounded glory which is still the glory of a youth whose future magnificence no man can estimate.

E. R., BALTIMORE, January, 1900.

CONTENTS.

CHAPTER PAGE

I. AS THE SUN WENT DOWN 1

II. TWO FOR BREAKFAST 13

III. IN INDIAN ATTIRE 27

IV. THE WHITE BOW 38

V. HORSES: WHITE AND BLACK 50

VI. THE THREE GIFTS 64

VII. A THREEFOLD CORD IS STRONGEST 77

VIII. AN ISLAND RETREAT 91

IX. AT MUCK OTEY POKEE 107

X. THE CAVE OF REFUGE 124

XI. UNDER A WHITE MAN'S ROOF 138

XII. AFTER FOUR YEARS 156

XIII. THE HARVESTING 169

XIV. ONCE MORE IN THE OLD HOME 180

XV. PARTINGS AND MEETINGS 194

XVI. THE SHUT AND THE OPEN DOOR 209

XVII. A DAY OF HAPPENINGS 231

XVIII. WESTWARD AND EASTWARD OVER THE PRAIRIE 247

XIX. THE CROOKED LOG 260

XX. ENEMIES, SEEN AND UNSEEN 272

XXI. FAITHFUL UNTO DEATH 284

XXII. GROWING UP 296

XXIII. HEROES 306

XXIV. CONCLUSION 315

ILLUSTRATIONS.

PAGE

FORT DEARBORN Title page

BLACK PARTRIDGE AND THE SUN MAID 6

KITTY AND THE SNAKE Frontispiece 22

THE GIFT OF THE WHITE BOW 48

SNOWBIRD AND THE SUN MAID 68

GASPAR AND KITTY REACH THE FORT 188

"KITTY! MY KITTY!" 258

OSCEOLO AND GASPAR 276

THE SUN MAID.

CHAPTER I.

AS THE SUN WENT DOWN.

With gloom in his heart, Black Partridge strode homeward along the beach path.

The glory of a brilliant August sunset crimsoned the tops of the sandhills on the west and the waters of the broad lake on the east; but if the preoccupied Indian observed this at all, it was to see in it an omen of impending tragedy. Red was the color of blood, and he foresaw that blood must flow, and freely.

"They are all fools. All. They know that Black Partridge cannot lie, yet they believe not his words. The white man lies, and works his own destruction. His doom be on his head!"