第86章

What pearl is it that rich men cannot buy, That learning is too proud to gather up;But which the poor and the despised of all Seek and obtain, and often find unsought?

Tell me -- and I will tell thee what is truth.

COWPER.

The meeting with the Indian and his wife excited no surprise in the majority of those who witnessed the occur-rence; but Mabel, and all who knew of the manner in which this chief had been separated from the party of Cap, simultaneously entertained suspicions, which it was far easier to feel than to follow out by any plausible clue to certainty.Pathfinder, who alone could converse freely with the prisoners, for such they might now be considered, took Arrowhead aside, and held a long conversation with him, concerning the reasons of the latter for having de-serted his charge and the manner in which he had been since employed.

The Tuscarora met these inquiries, and he gave his an-swers with the stoicism of an Indian.As respects the sep-aration, his excuses were very simply made, and they seemed to be sufficiently plausible.When he found that the party was discovered in its place of concealment, he naturally sought his own safety, which he secured by plunging into the woods.In a word, he had run away in order to save his life.

"This is well," returned Pathfinder, affecting to believe the other's apologies; "my brother did very wisely; but his woman followed?""Do not the pale-faces' women follow their husbands?

Would not Pathfinder have looked back to see if one he loved was coming?"This appeal was made to the guide while he was in a most fortunate frame of mind to admit its force; for Mabel and her blandishments and constancy were becom-ing images familiar to his thoughts.The Tuscarora, though he could not trace the reason, saw that his excuse was admitted, and he stood with quiet dignity awaiting the next inquiry.

"This is reasonable and natural," returned Pathfinder;"this is natural, and may be so.A woman would be likely to follow the man to whom she had plighted faith, and husband and wife are one flesh.Your words are honest, Tuscarora," changing the language to the dialect of the other."Your words are honest, and very pleasant and just.But why has my brother been so long from the fort?

His friends have thought of him often, but have never seen him.""If the doe follows the buck, ought not the buck to fol-low the doe?" answered the Tuscarora, smiling, as he laid a finger significantly on the shoulder of his interrogator.

"Arrowhead's wife followed Arrowhead; it was right in Arrowhead to follow his wife.She lost her way, and they made her cook in a strange wigwam.""I understand you, Tuscarora.The woman fell into the hands of the Mingos, and you kept upon their trail.""Pathfinder can see a reason as easily as he can see the moss on the trees.It is so.""And how long have you got the woman back, and in what manner has it been done?""Two suns.The Dew-of-June was not long in coming when her husband whispered to her the path.""Well, well, all this seems natural, and according to matrimony.But, Tuscarora, how did you get that canoe, and why are you paddling towards the St.Lawrence in-stead of the garrison?"

"Arrowhead can tell his own from that of another.

This canoe is mine; I found it on the shore near the fort.""That sounds reasonable, too, for the canoe does belong to the man, and an Indian would make few words about taking it.Still, it is extraordinary that we saw nothing of the fellow and his wife, for the canoe must have left the river before we did ourselves."This idea, which passed rapidly through the mind of the guide, was now put to the Indian in the shape of a question.

"Pathfinder knows that a warrior can have shame.The father would have asked me for his daughter, and I could not give her to him.I sent the Dew-of-June for the canoe, and no one spoke to the woman.A Tuscarora woman would not be free in speaking to strange men."All this, too, was plausible, and in conformity with In-dian character and customs.As was usual, Arrowhead had received one half of his compensation previously to quitting the Mohawk; and his refraining to demand the residue was a proof of that conscientious consideration of mutual rights that quite as often distinguishes the moral-ity of a savage as that of a Christian.To one as upright as Pathfinder, Arrowhead had conducted himself with delicacy and propriety, though it would have been more in accordance with his own frank nature to have met the father, and abided by the simple truth.Still, accustomed to the ways of Indians, he saw nothing out of the ordinary track of things in the course the other had taken.

"This runs like water flowing down hill, Arrowhead,"he answered, after a little reflection, "and truth obliges me to own it.It was the gift of a red-skin to act in this way, though I do not think it was the gift of a pale-face.You would not look upon the grief of the girl's father?"Arrowhead made a quiet inclination of the body as if to assent.

"One thing more my brother will tell me," continued PaLhfinder, "and there will be no cloud between his wig-wam and the strong-house of the Yengeese.If he can blow away this bit of fog with his breath, his friends will look at him as he sits by his own fire, and he can look at them as they lay aside their arms, and forget that they are warriors.Why was the head of Arrowhead's canoe looking towards the St.Lawrence, where there are none but ene-mies to be found?"