Some months
afterwards Simon Girty ransomed her and sent her and tried to follow the
trail; but the crafty forest warriors had concealed it with such care
that no effective pursuit could be made.
Retaliation of the Settlers.
In none of the above-mentioned raids did the Indians suffer any loss of
life, and in none was there any successful pursuit. But in one instance
in this same year and same neighborhood the assailed settlers
retaliated, with effect. It was near Wheeling. A lad named John Wetzel,
one of a noted border family of coarse, powerful, illiterate Indian
fighters, had gone out from the fortified village in which his kinsfolk
were living to hunt horses. Another boy went with him. There were
several stray horses, one being a mare which belonged to Wetzel's
sister, with a colt, and the girl had promised him the colt if he would
bring the mare back. The two boys were vigorous young fellows,
accustomed to life in the forest, and they hunted high and low, and
finally heard the sound of horse-bells in a thicket. Running joyfully
forward they fell into the hands of four Indians, who had caught the
horses and tied them in the thicket, so that by the tinkling of their
bells they might lure into the ambush any man who came out to hunt them
up.
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