E-text prepared by Al Haines Note: Project Gutenberg also has an HTML version of this file which includes the original illustration. See 17710-h.htm or 17710-h.zip: (https://www.gutenberg.org/dirs/1/7/7/1/17710/17710-h/17710-h.htm) or (https://www.gutenberg.org/dirs/1/7/7/1/17710/17710-h.zip) THE DEVIL'S OWN A Romance of the Black Hawk War by RANDALL PARRISH Author of "Contraband," "When Wilderness Was King," "Beyond The Frontier," Etc. With Frontispiece by the Kinneys [Frontispiece: "Tell me--please," she begged. "Is the man dead?"] A. L. Burt Company Publishers ---------- New York Published by arrangement with A. C. McClurg & Company Copyright A. C. McClurg & Co. 1917 Published October, 1917 Copyrighted in Great Britain Printed in the United States CONTENTS CHAPTER I At Old Fort Armstrong II On Furlough III History of the Beaucaires IV The End of the Game V Kirby Shows His Hand VI Into the Black Water VII Picking Up the Threads VIII I Decide My Duty IX The Home of Judge Beaucaire X A Girl at Bay XI To Save a "Nigger" XII We Capture a Keel-Boat XIII Seeking the Underground XIV The Dawn of Deeper Interest XV The Cabin of Amos Shrunk XVI The Trail of the Raiders XVII We Face Disaster XVIII The Loss of Rene XIX On Board the _Adventurer_ XX The Story of Elsie dark XXI The Landing at Yellow Banks XXII My Friend, the Deputy Sheriff XXIII A New Job XXIV Kirby and I Meet XXV The Fugitives XXVI The Island in the Swamp XXVII We Choose Our Course XXVIII A Field of Massacre XXIX The Valley of the Bureau XXX We Accept a Refugee XXXI The Valley of the Shadow XXXII The Trail to Ottawa The Devil's Own CHAPTER I AT OLD FORT ARMSTRONG It was the early springtime, and my history tells me the year was 1832, although now that seems so far away I almost hesitate to write the date. It appears surprising that through the haze of all those intervening years--intensely active years with me--I should now be able to recall so clearly the scene of that far-off morning of my youth, and depict in memory each minor detail. Yet, as you read on, and realize yourself the stirring events resulting from that idle moment, you may be able to comprehend the deep impression left upon my mind, which no cycle of time could ever erase.