From the time at which he had been seen passing a house which stood near the stream, on his way to the ford, it was evident that he must have met his fate at the very moment his sister saw, or thought she saw him, passing before her.

I could not but suggest the inquiry, when these sad particulars were narrated to me,—­

“Mother, is it not possible this might have been a dream?”

“A dream?  No, indeed, my child.  I was perfectly wide awake—­as much so as I am at this moment.  I am not superstitious.  I have never believed in ghosts or witches, but nothing can ever persuade me that this was not a warning sent from God, to prepare me for my brother’s death.”

And those who knew her rational good sense—­her freedom from fancies or fears, and the calm self-possession that never deserted her under the most trying circumstances—­would almost be won to view the matter in the light she did.

* * * * *

The order for the evacuation of Port Dearborn, and the removal of the troops to Fort Howard (Green Bay), had now been received.  The family circle was to be broken up.  Our mother, our sister Mrs. Helm, and her little son, were to return with us to Fort Winnebago; the other members of the family, except Robert, were to move with the command to Green Bay.

The schooner Napoleon was to be sent from Detroit to convey the troops with their goods and chattels to their destined post.  Our immediate party was to make the journey by land—­we were to choose, however, a shorter and pleasanter route than the one we had taken in coming hither.  My husband, with his Frenchmen, Petaille Grignon and Simon Lecuyer, had arrived, and all hands were now busily occupied with the necessary preparations for breaking up and removal.

I should be doing injustice to the hospitable settlers of Hickory Creek were I to pass by without notice an entertainment with which they honored our Chicago beaux about this time.  The merry-making was to be a ball, and the five single gentlemen of Chicago were invited.  Mr. Dole, who was a new-comer, declined; Lieutenant Foster was on duty, but he did what was still better than accepting the invitation, he loaned his beautiful horse to Medard Beaubien, who with Robert Kinzie and Gholson Kercheval promised himself much fun in eclipsing the beaux and creating a sensation among the belles of Hickory Creek.

Chicago was then, as now, looked upon as the City par excellence.  Its few inhabitants were supposed to have seen something of the world, and it is to be inferred that the arrival of the smart and dashing young men was an event looked forward to with more satisfaction by the fair of the little settlement than by the swains whose rivals they might become.

The day arrived, and the gentlemen set off in high spirits.  They took care to be in good season, for the dancing was to commence at two o’clock in the afternoon.  They were well mounted, each priding himself upon the animal he rode, and they wore their best suits, as became city gallants who were bent on cutting out their less fashionable neighbors and breaking the hearts of the admiring country damsels.