"
A soft flush stained her white face. She slipped her arm tenderly
around his neck, and held her cheek close to his.
"Jim," she murmured.
"Nellie, don't you know me?" asked Mr. Wells, trembling, excited.
This was the first word she had spoken in four days.
"Uncle!" she exclaimed, suddenly loosening her hold on Jim, and
sitting up in bed, then she gazed wildly at the others.
"Was it all a horrible dream?"
Mr. Wells took her hand soothingly, but he did not attempt to answer
her question. He looked helplessly at Heckewelder, but that
missionary was intently studying the expression on Nell's face.
"Part of it was a dream," he answered,impressively.
"Then that horrible man did take us away?"
"Yes."
"Oh-h! but we're free now? This is my room. Oh, tell me?"
"Yes, Nellie, you're safe at home now."
"Tell--tell me," she cried, shudderingly, as she leaned close to Jim
and raised a white, imploring face to his. "Where is Kate?--Oh!
Jim--say, say she wasn't left with Girty?"
"Kate is dead," answered Jim, quickly. He could not endure the
horror in her eyes. He deliberately intended to lie, as had
Heckewelder.
It was as if the tension of Nell's nerves was suddenly relaxed. The
relief from her worst fear was so great that her mind took in only
the one impression.
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