第177章

Playful she turn'd that he might see The passing smile her cheek put on;But when she marked how mournfully His eyes met hers, that smile was gone.

_Lalla Rookh._

The occurrences of the last few days had been too ex-citing, and had made too many demands on the fortitude of our heroine, to leave her in the helplessness of grief.

She mourned for her father, and she occasionally shud-dered as she recalled the sudden death of Jennie, and all the horrible scenes she had witnessed; but on the whole she had aroused herself, and was no longer in the deep depression which usually accompanies grief.Perhaps the overwhelming, almost stupefying sorrow that crushed poor June, and left her for nearly twenty-four hours in a state of stupor, assisted Mabel in conquering her own feelings, for she had felt called on to administer consolation to the young Indian woman.This she had done in the quiet, soothing, insinuating way in which her sex usually exerts its influence on such occasions.

The morning of the third day was set for that on which the _Scud_ was to sail.Jasper had made all his prepara-tions; the different effects were embarked, and Mabel had taken leave of June, a painful and affectionate parting.In a word, all was ready, and every soul had left the island but the Indian woman, Pathfinder, Jasper, and our hero-ine.The former had gone into a thicket to weep, and the three last were approaching the spot where three canoes lay, one of which was the property of June, and the other two were in waiting to carry the others off to the _Scud_.

Pathfinder led the way, but, when he drew near the shore, instead of taking the direction to the boats, he motioned to his companions to follow, and proceeded to a fallen tree which lay on the margin of the glade and out of view of those in the cutter.Seating himself on the trunk, he signed to Mabel to take her place on one side of him and to Jasper to occupy the other.

"Sit down here Mabel; sit down there, Eau-douce," he commenced, as soon as he had taken his own seat."I've something that lies heavy on my mind, and now is the time to take it off, if it's ever to be done.Sit down, Mabel, and let me lighten my heart, if not my conscience, while I've the strength to do it."The pause that succeeded lasted two or three minutes, and both the young people wondered what was to come next;the idea that Pathfinder could have any weight on his con-science seeming equally improbable to each.

"Mabel," our hero at length resumed, "we must talk plainly to each other afore we join your uncle in the cut-ter, where the Saltwater has slept every night since the last rally, for he says it's the only place in which a man can be sure of keeping the hair on his head, he does.Ah's me! what have I to do with these follies and sayings now?

I try to be pleasant, and to feel light-hearted, but the power of man can't make water run up stream.Mabel, you know that the Sergeant, afore he left us, had settled it 'atween us two that we were to become man and wife, and that we were to live together and to love one another as long as the Lord was pleased to keep us both on 'arth; yes, and afterwards too?"Mabel's cheeks had regained a little of their ancient bloom in the fresh air of the morning; but at this un-looked-for address they blanched again, nearly to the pal-lid hue which grief had imprinted there.Still, she looked kindly, though seriously, at Pathfinder and even endeav-ored to force a smile.

"Very true, my excellent friend," she answered; "this was my poor father's wish, and I feel certain that a whole life devoted to your welfare and comforts could scarcely repay you for all you have done for us.""I fear me, Mabel, that man and wife needs be bound together by a stronger tie than such feelings, I do.You have done nothing for me, or nothing of any account, and yet my very heart yearns towards you, it does; and there-fore it seems likely that these feelings come from some-thing besides saving scalps and guiding through woods."Mabel's cheek had begun to glow again; and though she struggled hard to smile, her voice trembled a little as she answered.

"Had we not better postpone this conversation, Path-finder?" she said; "we are not alone; and nothing is so unpleasant to a listener, they say, as family matters in which he feels no interest.""It's because we are not alone, Mabel, or rather because Jasper is with us, that I wish to talk of this matter.The Sergeant believed I might make a suitable companion for you, and, though I had misgivings about it, -- yes, I had many misgivings, -- he finally persuaded me into the idee, and things came round 'atween us, as you know.But, when you promised your father to marry me, Mabel, and gave me your hand so modestly, but so prettily, there was one circumstance, as your uncle called it, that you didn't know; and I've thought it right to tell you what it is, before matters are finally settled.I've often taken a poor deer for my dinner when good venison was not to be found; but it's as nat'ral not to take up with the worst when the best may be had.""You speak in a way, Pathfinder, that is difficult to be understood.If this conversation is really necessary, Itrust you will be more plain."

"Well then, Mabel, I've been thinking it was quite likely, when you gave in to the Sergeant's wishes, that you did not know the natur' of Jasper Western's feelings towards you?""Pathfinder!" and Mabel's cheek now paled to the livid hue of death; then it flushed to the tint of crimson; and her whole frame shuddered.Pathfinder, however, was too intent on his own object to notice this agitation; and Eau-douce had hidden his face in his hands in time to shut out its view.