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.