“After waiting, however, some little time, and finding every thing quiet, my apprehensions increased, for, although not the sign of a Winnebago could be seen, so profound was the stillness within, that I began to think the whole of the party had been either captured or murdered.  Suddenly, however, while hesitating as to the course to be pursued—­for I feared that if the party were all right, and the enemy departed, they might fire upon us as we approached—­I saw a man in American undress uniform, whom I had no difficulty in recognizing as Corporal Nixon, issue from the back of the house with a basket in his hands, and turning the corner with an appearance of much caution, make hastily for the river.  Directing Waunangee, whose two bands had now joined, and were then lying closely concealed in the barn, to enter the house as cautiously and noiselessly as possible, I hastened after Nixon, from whom, after recovering from his first fright at finding himself unarmed, and in the power of one whom he naturally took for one of his recent assailants, I received a brief account of all that had occurred.  On entering the house with him, shortly afterwards, what a contrast was present—­on the one hand the ludicrous—­the horrible on the other.

“Close within the doorway lay the dead body of Mr. Heywood—­”

“The dead body of Mr. Heywood!” exclaimed Elmsley, starting from his chair in almost dismay at the intelligence.  “How comes it, Ronayne, that you have never spoken of this before?”

“No interruption, Elmsley—­hear me to the close—­close within the doorway, I repeat, lay the dead body of Mr. Heywood—­his face much disfigured—­and his large frame almost rigid in a pool of clotted blood.  Imagine what a sight this was to me, whose sole object and hope it had been to restore the father in safety to the daughter, although at intervals during the route, I had more than once dreaded something of the sort.  Stupefied at the spectacle, I felt my heart to sicken, as the idea of the grief by which Maria would be overwhelmed when this sad tale should be revealed to her, rose to my imagination.  But even then my presence of mind did not desert me, and I already determined on what was to be done.  In some degree consoled by this, I raised my glance from the body to observe what further atrocity had been committed.  Three or four Indians were grouped around, evidently regarding the corpse with deep interest, for Mr. Heywood had often hunted with them, and given them refreshments when stopping to rest at his place, while on their way to the Fort laden with game.  Further on the great body of Waunangee’s people were standing leaning on their rifles, and enjoying the mistake of three of our fellows, who naturally taking them, from the great resemblance of dress, to be their enemies who had obtained an entrance, were holding aloft, in an attitude of defiance—­one a huge poker thrust through the carcass of an enormous bird, and two others a blackened leg and wing, evidently belonging to the same animal, which they ever and anon brandished over their heads, while their eyes were rivetted on the dusky forms before them.  The wooden partition sustained their muskets, from which the interposing Indians had cut them off, and against the front door of the house, which was closed and barred, leaned the only armed man of the party, deprived, however, of all power of action.”