The Daughter of the Chieftain | Page 8

it best, we will move into the fort with the other
people until the danger is past."
"Yes, mother; I will fight better knowing that you and Alice are safe.
There's Linna! What about her?"
"Who's Linna?" asked the visitor.
"She is the little child of Omas, the Delaware warrior. He brought her
here this afternoon to make Alice a visit, and promised to call
tomorrow for her. Will it be safe to wait until he comes?"
The neighbor shook his head.
"You mustn't take any chances. Why don't you turn her loose to take
care of herself? She can do it."
"I couldn't," the mother hastened to say; "Omas left her in our care, and
I must not neglect her. She will go with us."
"I don't think it will be safe for her father to come after her, when the
flurry is over."
"Why not?"
"He will be with the Iroquois, even though his tribe doesn't like them

any too well; for the Iroquois are the conquerors of the Delawares, and
drove them off their hunting grounds."
"Well," said Mrs. Ripley, with a sigh; "even if he never comes for her,
she will always have a home with us."
The dwelling of the Ripleys was on the eastern shore of the
Susquehanna. On the other side stood Fort Wintermoot and Forty Fort,
the former being at the upper end of the valley. That would be the first
one reached by the invaders, and the expectation was that it would give
up whenever ordered to do so, for nearly all in it were friends of the
Tories.
It was evident that when Omas left his child with her friends, and spoke
of returning the next day, or soon thereafter, he did not know how near
the invasion was. Mrs. Ripley expected that when he did learn it, he
would hasten back for her.
The night, however, passed without his appearance, and the hot July
sun came up over the forests on the eastern bank of the river, and still
he remained away. It looked as if he had decided to let her take her
chances while he joined the invaders in their work of destruction and
woe.
Mrs. Ripley would have been willing to wait longer, but she was urged
not to lose another hour. The frightened settlers were not allowed to
take anything but their actual necessaries with them, for the cramped
quarters in Forty Fort, where a number of cabins were erected, would
be crowded to the utmost to make room for the hundreds who might
clamor for admission. The quarters, indeed, were so scant that many
camped outside, holding themselves ready to rush within should it
become necessary.
Little Linna was filled with wonder when she saw her friends preparing
to move and knew she was going with them. But she helped in her way
as much as she could and asked no questions. There was no need, in
fact, for Alice asked enough for both.

And just here I must relate to you a little history.
On the last days of June, 1778, Colonel John Butler, with about four
hundred soldiers--partly made up of Tories--and six or seven hundred
Indians, entered the head of Wyoming Valley. As I have said, he was a
cousin of Colonel Zebulon Butler, who commanded the patriots and did
all he could to check the invaders. Reaching Fort Wintermoot, the
British officer sent in a demand for its surrender. The submission was
made, and the invaders then came down the valley and ordered the
Connecticut people to surrender Forty Fort and the settlements. Colonel
Zebulon Butler had under him, to quote the historical account, "two
hundred and thirty enrolled men, and seventy old people, boys, civil
magistrates, and other volunteers." They formed six companies, which
were mustered at Forty Fort, where the families of the settlers on the
east side of the river had taken refuge.
Colonel Zebulon Butler, upon receiving the summons, called a council
of war. This was on the 3rd of July. The officers believed that a little
delay would be best, in the hope of the arrival of reinforcements; but
nearly all the men were so clamorous to march out and give the
invaders battle, that it was decided to do so.
"You are going into great danger," remarked the leader, as he mounted
his horse and placed himself at the head of the patriots, "but I will go as
far as any of you."
At three o'clock in the afternoon the column, numbering about three
hundred, marched from the fort with drums beating and colors flying.
They moved up the valley, with the river on the right and a marsh on
the left, until they arrived at Fort Wintermoot, which had been set on
fire by the