THE BORDER RIFLEMEN; OR, THE FOREST FIEND. A ROMANCE OF THE BLACK-HAWK UPRISING. BY LIEUT. LEWIS W. CARSON. NEW YORK. BEADLE AND ADAMS, PUBLISHERS, 98 WILLIAM STREET. Entered according to Act of Congress, in the year 1872, by FRANK STARR & CO., In the office of the Librarian of Congress at Washington. CONTENTS I. The Border Suitor—Cooney Joe 9 II. Minneoba’s warning 15 III. Black-Hawk Insulted 22 IV. Little Fox—Na-She-Eschuck 29 V. The Price of Treachery 35 VI. The First Blow 42 VII. Overboard 49 VIII. Melton’s Scout—A Bush Fight 54 IX. The Defense of the Island 61 X. The Forest Fiend 68 XI. Black-Hawk Keeps His Word 75 XII. Sadie’s Sacrifice 82 XIII. Guests Not Invited 88 THE BORDER RIFLEMEN; OR, THE FOREST FIEND. CHAPTER I. THE BORDER SUITOR—COONEY JOE. The sun was going down behind the western hills in a flood of yellow light, and a river dimpled on under the slanting rays, great fish leaping now and then from the placid surface, and the trees along the bank casting fantastic shadows into its depths. In a sheltered nook, near a spot where a little creek joined the river, a settler had built a cabin, which the hand of woman had beautified and adorned as only the hand of woman can. Bright flowers bloomed on each side of the rustic doorway and an English ivy vine clung to the walls and was rapidly spreading its delicate tendrils over the whole front. The cabin faced the stream, and behind it the hand of industry had cleared many acres which now showed heavy growths of cereals and roots, carefully cultivated. It was a silvan spot, and one upon which the eye of the artist would linger long and pleasantly.