Mr. Shaw was walking in the Champ de Mars with a couple of officers, when La Liberte espied him.  He immediately ran up, and, seizing him by both hands, accosted him,—­

“Ah! mon cher Monsieur le Chat:  comment vous portez-vous?” (My dear Mr. Cat, how do you do?)

“Tres-bien, Louizon.”

“Et comment se porte Madame la Chatte?” (How is the mother cat?)

“Bien, bien, Louizon; elle est tres-bien” (She is very well.)

“Et tous les petits Chatons?” (And all the kittens?)

This was too much for Mr. Shaw.  He answered shortly that the kittens were all well, and turned away with his military friends, leaving poor Louizon quite astonished at the abruptness of his departure.

Cut off, in the manner described, from the world at large, with no society but the military, thus lived the family of Mr. Kinzie, in great contentment, and in the enjoyment of all the comforts, together with most of the luxuries, of life.

The Indians reciprocated the friendship that was shown them, and formed for them an attachment of no ordinary strength, as was manifested during the scenes of the year 1812, eight years after Mr. Kinzie first came to live among them.

Some of the most prominent events of that year are recorded in the following Narrative.

CHAPTER XVIII.

MASSACRE AT CHICAGO.[29]

It was the evening of the 7th of April, 1812.  The children of Mr. Kinzie were dancing before the fire to the music of their father’s violin.  The tea-table was spread, and they were awaiting the return of their mother, who had gone to visit a sick neighbor about a quarter of a mile up the river.

Suddenly their sports were interrupted.  The door was thrown open, and Mrs. Kinzie rushed in, pale with terror, and scarcely able to articulate, “The Indians! the Indians!”

“The Indians?  What?  Where?” eagerly demanded they all.

“Up at Lee’s Place, killing and scalping!”

With difficulty Mrs. Kinzie composed herself sufficiently to give the information, “That, while she was up at Burns’s, a man and a boy were seen running down with all speed on the opposite side of the river; that they had called across to give notice to Barns’s family to save themselves, for the Indians were at Lee’s Place, from which they had just made their escape.  Having given this terrifying news, they had made all speed for the fort, which was on the same side of the river that they then were.”

All was now consternation and dismay.  The family were hurried into two old pirogues, that lay moored near the house, and paddled with all possible haste across the river to take refuge in the fort.

All that the man and boy who had made their escape were able to tell, was soon known; but, in order to render their story more intelligible, it is necessary to describe the scene of action.