“Not yet. She’s plumb vanished. But I brung you a letter from the Colonel.” The old man felt in his hunting shirt and drew out a packet, which he handed to Jack. “Colonel Johnson says to me, says he----” Again Jack interrupted. “We’re going to Peter Bondie’s to spend the night,” he said. “Come along with us.” The old hunter’s face lit up. “Say!” he exclaimed. “You ain’t never been here before, have you? Well, you got a treat comin’! Just wait till you see Madame Fantine and eat some of her cooking. An’ she’s a mighty fine woman besides. Jest tell her I’ll be along later. First I reckon I’d better go back to the fort. I’ve got some friends there, and maybe I can smooth things down for you some. There ain’t no use in makin’ enemies. The boys are pretty sore at you just now. But I c’n smooth ’em down all right if I can only get a chance to put a word in edgeways. The trouble is that people talk so blame much----” “All right. Come to the inn when you get ready. You’ll find us there.” Jack turned back to Stickney. As he did so he tore open his letter and glanced over its contents. It was from Colonel Johnson, acknowledging the receipt of his letter, commending his action in the matter of Wilwiloway’s murder, and promising to do all he could to find the girl of whom Jack was in search. “I know her well,” ended the colonel, “and I shall be glad to look for her. She was here recently, but she has disappeared and I rather think she may have gone north with Tecumseh. Your best chance of finding her would probably be to go down the Maumee and join General Hull at Detroit. As for Captain Brito Telfair, he has disappeared and has probably gone back to Canada.” Jack handed the letter to Major Stickney. “This touches on the main object of my visit to Ohio, Major,” he said, when the latter had read it. “The girl of whom Colonel Johnson speaks is the daughter of my kinsman, Delaroche Telfair, who came to Ohio from France in 1790 and settled at Gallipolis. Later, he seems to have lived with the Shawnees, probably as a trader, and when he died he left his daughter in Tecumseh’s care.” Jack went on, explaining the circumstances that made it necessary for him to find the girl without delay. “If you can help me any, Major,” he finished, “I’ll be grateful.”