Indians.”

“I’d admire to see the reptyles,” said Kerr, spitefully, “sneaking round when our boys are here, Cap. No, no, thur ain’t one of ’em left near us, since the Mountain Devil’s up and arter ’em.”

“The Mountain Devil! Who’s that?” asked Adrian, surprised. It was the first time he had heard allusions from others to the singular being that had effected his own release from his late captors.

“Wal, Cap, that’s hard to say,” responded the scout.[Pg 55] “Some say he’s a real devil, some say he’s only a feller that’s got a spite against the Injins. All I know is, that he’s been round lately, and skeered every one on ’em out of the country. Folks say he’s b’en dodgin’ round Burgoyne’s men, playin’ the same games, and that thur leavin’ for hum.”

[Pg 55]

“Has he been seen near our quarters?” asked the hussar.

“Nary time, Cap. He may be a devil, but if so, he’s a mighty friendly one fur our side. He don’t only kill Injins and Tories, and leaves our folks alone. We hain’t so much as seen him, though prisoners tells mighty tough stories about him, how he’s got horns and huffs, and sends fire out of his mouth, and sich like.”

Schuyler did not tell the scout of his own experience. He was too much puzzled at the nature of the apparition.

He remained watching the camp of the English dragoons in silence, feeling certain that his presence was unseen by the army, then turning, he led his horse away out of sight.

He was about to lead his party round to reconnoiter from another quarter, when one of the flanking scouts was seen to go off, at a gallop, to the right, into the woods, as if in chase of something. A moment later, a black horse, which the hussar recognized as the one he had turned loose to go back to the Haunted Mountain, dashed out of the woods, bearing a lady on his back, and came galloping up, pursued by the scout.

Schuyler waved his hand to the latter to halt, for he recognized the figure of the lady. Then, up galloped the unknown fair one who called herself Diana, and checked her horse with fearless grace in front of the party.

Diana was more beautiful, if possible, in the habiliments of civilization, than she had been in her woodland guise. She was dressed in a black riding-habit of velvet, laced across the breast in strange 

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