“Yes!” Polly had risen to her feet, her face alight. “‘A woman belongs to the one mate only,’” she repeated. “Now I will tell you, now you will understand. Grandmother! They took me from my mate. Only one moon we had together--and they took me away. I tried to tell them, but they would not listen; they thought me crazed. I tried to hide from them, but they found me. I tried to slip away and go to him, but they brought me back. And now they have given me to another, and tell me I must forget. How can I forget? What right have I to forget? You think that my man forgets? No! It would not be hard to love this other one, he is young, kind, handsome--but Indians do not mate often, like palefaces. To them that is shame. The moon looks at me sternly, so that I cannot sleep; the forest calls to me and I cannot go; when there is rain on this strange roof I close my eyes and think it is beating upon our tepee beyond the water. But I have not known where I shall find him again, nor how.” Granny was gasping. “My girl, my girl! Light the candle, quick! I cannot see you. What are you telling me? A red man, a savage, the murderer of your own people? You would bring such disgrace as this on decent folk? But no, no, you are mad, my poor lamb! Ezra was right--the horror has turned your wits. There, there, my pretty! We will protect you. Ezra will not let them take you again. And the baby will comfort and heal----” A sudden cry of terror from without drowned her speech, a savage yell, the negro’s voice panting as he neared the cabin: “Injuns! Injuns! Lemme in, miss, open de do’! Fo’ Gawd’s sake, lemme _in_! Aie-e-e!” A shriek died into silence. Again the savage yell, much closer. Granny was already out of her chair, stick and rheumatism forgotten, and across the cabin with the agility of a cat. “The bars--quick!” she panted, as she ran. “Get those bars across the door. I’ll take care of the window.” She slammed the shutter as she spoke. “Now the door to the lean-to--come, help me push the table against it. Now the settle--so!” She was everywhere at once, cap off, gray hair flying. “Don’t stand there, gaping! Here, take a shot through the shutter chink, even if you hit nothing. It’ll bring help.” She herself was sighting carefully at one of the door portholes. There was a loud report, a choking grunt. “There!” she said grimly. “I got him. They’re in the lean-to, they’ll be on the roof next. Um, I thought so!” She listened a moment, her eyes lifted, then darted to the bed, seized a pillow, slashed it open with the bread knife, and dumped the contents on the flames. A burst of smoke set them coughing. “Aha!” she muttered. “You would, would you? I’m onto your tricks, nasty devils! You’ll not get in the chimney way, so long as the feathers last. Shoot, girl, shoot, I tell you! Let ’em think we’ve men in here. We’ll stand them off till the neighbors come.” * * * * *