“Oh, he cannot be serious!” cried Betty.  “Oh, how foolish am I.”

“Get back up from the river, everybody,” commanded Col.  Zane.

“Col.  Zane,” said Clarke, walking beside the Colonel up the bank, “I saw Wetzel watching the island in a manner that I thought odd, under the circumstances, and I watched too.  Presently I saw a dark form dart behind a bush.  I went over and told Wetzel, and he said there were Indians on the island.”

“This is most d—­n strange,” said Col.  Zane, frowning heavily.  “Wetzel’s suspicions, Miller turns up, teases Betty attempting that foolhardy trick, and then—­Indians!  It may be a coincidence, but it looks bad.”

“Col.  Zane, don’t you think Wetzel may be mistaken?” said Miller, coming up.  “I came over from the other side this morning and I did not see any Indian sign.  Probably Wetzel has caused needless excitement.”

“It does not follow that because you came from over the river there are no Indians there,” answered Col.  Zane, sharply.  “Do you presume to criticise Wetzel’s judgment?”

“I saw an Indian!” cried Clarke, facing Miller with blazing eyes.  “And if you say I did not, you lie!  What is more, I believe you know more than any one else about it.  I watched you.  I saw you were uneasy and that you looked across the river from time to time.  Perhaps you had better explain to Col.  Zane the reason you taunted his sister into attempting that ride.”

With a snarl more like that of a tiger than of a human being, Miller sprang at Clarke.  His face was dark with malignant hatred, as he reached for and drew an ugly knife.  There were cries of fright from the children and screams from the women.  Alfred stepped aside with the wonderful quickness of the trained boxer and shot out his right arm.  His fist caught Miller a hard blow on the head, knocking him down and sending the knife flying in the air.

It had all happened so quickly that everyone was as if paralyzed.  The settlers stood still and watched Miller rise slowly to his feet.

“Give me my knife!” he cried hoarsely.  The knife had fallen at the feet of Major McColloch, who had concealed it with his foot.

“Let this end right here,” ordered Col.  Zane.  “Clarke, you have made a very strong statement.  Have you anything to substantiate your words?”

“I think I have,” said Clarke.  He was standing erect, his face white and his eyes like blue steel.  “I knew him at Ft.  Pitt.  He was a liar and a drunkard there.  He was a friend of the Indians and of the British.  What he was there he must be here.  It was Wetzel who told me to watch him.  Wetzel and I both think he knew the Indians were on the island.”

“Col.  Zane, it is false,” said Miller, huskily.  “He is trying to put you against me.  He hates me because your sister—­”

“You cur!” cried Clarke, striking at Miller.  Col.  Zane struck up the infuriated young man’s arm.