PLANS FRUSTRATED--ESPIONAGE.
Durant, who considered himself a perfect genius in contriving strategetical
measures, now turned all his attention to the execution of the secret plans
he had matured. He first accompanied a body of Indians, who were ready to
march upon the settlements of Kentucky, with a select few, to whom he had
confided his intentions of capturing a white squaw. With these villains he
intended to attack the house of the Waltons, while the main body of the
savages made their onset upon the bulk of the settlement, including the
block-house. This measure failed, for the simple reason that he had
mistaken the house, and a family by the name of Scraggs suffered in the
stead of his intended victim.[A]
[Footnote A: "Western Adventure," page 179-182.]
He next resolved to go, with a few of his renegade followers, in a secret
manner, and steal Ellen at night, or during some of her daily walks, when
alone. Soon after crossing the river, he was taken sick, and his followers,
mistaking his directions, went another way, and made a worse blunder than
on the first occasion; and a party of whites coming into the vicinity of
his camp, the villain hastened to recross the river to the Ohio side, not
yet knowing the fate of the expedition, that portion of the band who had
been commissioned with the execution of the plot not having returned when
he was forced to retreat. However, he was not long kept in suspense; one of
his men came back, and reported a wonderful adventure with a "big squaw,
taller than the greatest warrior," who killed a number of the Indians, he
said, and when two of the others undertook to get down the chimney, "big
squaw took up mighty great wallet, all full of feathers, more than was on
all the eagles of all the hunting grounds of the red men, and tearing it
open, easy as we tear a leaf, poured them on the fire. Big black smoke puff
up quick as powder flash, and down come Indian like he shot. White squaw
take up big tomahawk, and strike both on the head. Me nearly in the door by
this time; big squaw jump at me with he great tomahawk, so big the great
chief no lift it, and lifted it to strike. Me no like to be killed by old
squaw, so me come away." A very marvelous story told the Indians, full of
high flourishes and exaggerations, but founded on truth, nevertheless.[B]
[Footnote B: "Western Adventure," page 187.]
Durant saw that some mistake had been made, and that his attempt had
signally failed, notwithstanding his confidence and boasting, and the care
with which he had laid his "hidden toils." He was greatly exasperated at
the failure of his plots, on the success of which he had built such
sanguine hopes.
After much reflection, and the formation and abandonment of many schemes
for the accomplishment of his object, he finally hit upon a plan which he
felt sure would succeed. This time he called into requisition the services
of his old crony in crime, the infamous, but not untainted, Ramsey. With
him and a couple of trusty Indians, he set out on his expedition, resolved
to succeed at the risk of his life. Ellen he would possess at all hazards.
The party reached a point which was as near the settlement as prudence
allowed them to go, and here, in the deep forest, his three companions hid
themselves, while he went forward to make observations, and work out the
details of the plot and attack. Stealthily approaching the vicinity of the
Waltons, he secreted himself in a hollow tree during the day, from an
orifice of which, at some distance from the base, he had quite a commanding
view of the adjacent country for a considerable distance either way. Here
he placed himself to make observations.
It was in the early part of autumn; the weather was mild and pleasant; the
forest had put on its diadem of rich colors, purple, scarlet and yellow,
and was gorgeously beautiful in the ripened glory of its drapery. The
season, the scene, the sunny warmth all invited to a participation in the
enjoyment which nature held out to those who would accept her bounty, and
refresh themselves in her sylvan bowers.
It was on the second day of his watch, that Durant had the satisfaction of
noticing the arrival of a gentleman at the house of Mr. Walton, which was
followed on the succeeding day by a circumstance which at once gave him
fresh encouragement and sanguine hopes. Ellen made her appearance, leaning
on the gentleman's arm; they were out enjoying the pleasure of an excursion
into the quiet woods, and to his infinite gratification, wended their way
to his immediate neighborhood.
Fortune sometimes favors the wicked, and, in this instance, she smiled on
the villain; for the lovers, fancying the spot, seated themselves on the
trunk of a fallen tree, that lay close to the one in which he had ensconced
himself, and by placing his ear near the orifice, he could distinctly hear
what passed between them.
"It is so refreshing to sit in the shade of the 'gray old forest,'" said
Ellen. "I have not enjoyed such a treat these many months."
"Why, with your facilities, I should think you would recreate every day in
pleasant weather."
"That was my habit formerly; but the last time I ventured out alone, I met
with an unexpected streak of ill luck, which has deterred me ever since
from laying myself liable to a repetition of the same bad fortune."
"Indeed! You have not informed me of this before."
"For the simple reason that more agreeable thoughts and memories have
occupied my mind; and, after all, it is hardly worth relating, though it
made me feel very unpleasant for a time."
"I must know of this adventure."
"It was only the unlooked-for appearance of my old and sworn enemy, Durant,
who made another attempt to deceive me; but failing in his designs, finally
renewed his threats of revenge."
She then, at her lover's request, narrated the incidents of her interview
with Durant, as already known to the reader.
"Strange that the villain should form such an unaccountable dislike for
you, when you never injured him in the least."
"I think his bad nature was excited, and his ill-will increased, by a few
words of merited rebuke I was forced, by his unmanliness, to pronounce
against him, the last time he was at our house in Virginia."
"And you have heard nothing from him since the day he obtruded himself upon
your notice here in the woods?"
"Nothing direct or definite, though I think he made an attempt to capture
me, with the aid of some Indians, soon afterward, but failed in his object
from some cause. But notwithstanding I have heard no direct tidings from
him, I feel a constant dread of evil, as though some impending calamity was
hanging over me."
"Such fears had better be banished at once from your mind."
"I know it, and have tried to get rid of them, but they will, despite my
efforts to the contrary, come into my mind. I do not and will not yield to
them, though I find it impossible at all times to shake them off."
"Singular, truly; I pray God, they presage no harm."
"Oh, I so much wish you could always be near me; I dread nothing in your
presence."
"I hope the time is not far distant when this dearest wish of both our
hearts will be realized."
The conversation took a tender cast at this point; and as matters of the
heart are secrets between lovers, which they dislike for third parties to
look into, we will take ourselves away, and leave them to enjoy their hour
of happiness in undisturbed quiet.
Several days brought a return of much the same routine of events, the
lovers always spending an hour of each afternoon in the woods. Durant kept
to his tree, and the others invariably occupied the same seat near his
hiding-place. At the end of a week, Durant learned from the conversation of
the young couple that the gentleman was to return to Virginia in a day or
two, to make preparations for the coming wedding, which was to take place
about the holidays, he being now on a visit to arrange the preliminaries,
and enjoy for a brief time the society of his betrothed. When they had
returned home, Durant muttered to himself:
"Now is my time! To-morrow is their last day for walking, and, like loving
fools as they are, they will be so absorbed in each others' feelings, and
the silly sentimentality of love, as to be easily surprised. Yes, to-morrow
will be my time!"
And gloating over the anticipated triumph, he left his burrow, and hastened
to his companions, to make known his intentions, and prepare everything for
the event of the morrow. He and one Indian were to seize and secure Ellen,
while Ramsey and the other should perform the more difficult task of
capturing her lover. All the details of their arrangements were discussed
and adopted; and Durant, now that he felt certain of his victims--for his
hate of Ellen's lover was bitter, though of recent date--was almost beside
himself with malignant and hellish joy. He saw before him the speedy
accomplishment of his fiendish purpose--the gratification of his inveterate
hate and long sought revenge, by the commission of the most damnable act
known this side of the "bottomless pit" of darkness; and his sin-polluted
heart actually swelled with venomous delight, and demoniac exultation. One
of the fairest flowers of earth is to be plucked by his rude hand, and
soiled by his touch and embrace! Will he succeed in his satanic designs?