the pathfinder-第4章

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〃Red　man；　Mohican；〃　said　the　Tuscarora；　〃good；　pale…
faces；　Yengeese。〃

〃These　are　heavenly　tidings；〃　murmured　Mabel；　who
little　relished　the　prospect　of　a　deadly　fray　in　that　remote
wilderness。　　〃Let　us　approach　at　once；　dear　uncle；　and
proclaim　ourselves　friends。〃

〃Good；〃　said　the　Tuscarora　〃red　man　cool；　and　know；
pale…face　hurried；　and　fire。　　Let　the　squaw　go。〃

〃What！〃　said　Cap　in　astonishment；　〃send　little　Mag…
net　ahead　as　a　lookout；　while　two　lubbers；　like　you　and
me；　lie…to　to　see　what　sort　of　a　land…fall　she　will　make！
If　I　do；　I　　〃

〃It　is　wisest；　uncle；〃　interrupted　the　generous　girl；
〃and　I　have　no　fear。　　No　Christian；　seeing　a　woman　ap…
proach　alone；　would　fire　upon　her；　and　my　presence　will
be　a　pledge　of　peace。　　Let　me　go　forward；　as　Arrowhead
wishes；　and　all　will　be　well。　　We　are；　as　yet；　unseen；　and
the　surprise　of　the　strangers　will　not　partake　of　alarm。〃

〃Good；〃　returned　Arrowhead；　who　did　not　conceal　his
approbation　of　Mabel's　spirit。

〃It　has　an　unseaman…like　look；〃　answered　Cap；　〃but；
being　in　the　woods；　no　one　will　know　it。　　If　you　think；
Mabel　　〃

〃Uncle；　I　know。　　There　is　no　cause　to　fear　for　me；　and
you　are　always　nigh　to　protect　me。〃

〃Well；　take　one　of　the　pistols；　then　　〃

〃Nay；　I　had　better　rely　on　my　youth　and　feebleness；〃
said　the　girl；　smiling；　while　her　color　heightened　under
her　feelings。　　〃Among　Christian　men；　a　woman's　best
guard　is　her　claim　to　their　protection。　　I　know　nothing　of
arms；　and　wish　to　live　in　ignorance　of　them。〃

The　uncle　desisted；　and；　after　receiving　a　few　cautious
instructions　from　the　Tuscarora；　Mabel　rallied　all　her
spirit；　and　advanced　alone　towards　the　group　seated　near
the　fire。　　Although　the　heart　of　the　girl　beat　quick；　her
step　was　firm；　and　her　movements；　seemingly；　were　with…
out　reluctance。　　A　death…like　silence　reigned　in　the　forest；
for　they　towards　whom　she　approached　were　too　much　oc…
cupied　in　appeasing　their　hunger　to　avert　their　looks　for
an　instant　from　the　important　business　in　which　they
were　all　engaged。　　When　Mabel；　however；　had　got　within
a　hundred　feet　of　the　fire；　she　trod　upon　a　dried　stick；　and
the　trifling　noise　produced　by　her　light　footstep　caused
the　Mohican；　as　Arrowhead　had　pronounced　the　Indian
to　be；　and　his　companion；　whose　character　had　been
thought　so　equivocal；　to　rise　to　their　feet；　as　quick　as
thought。　　Both　glanced　at　the　rifles　that　leaned　against　a
tree；　and　then　each　stood　without　stretching　out　an　arm；
as　his　eyes　fell　on　the　form　of　the　girl。　　The　Indian　uttered
a　few　words　to　his　companion；　and　resumed　his　seat　and
his　meal　as　calmly　as　if　no　interruption　had　occurred。　　On
the　contrary；　the　white　man　left　the　fire；　and　came　forward
to　meet　Mabel。

The　latter　saw；　as　the　stranger　approached　that　she　was
about　to　be　addressed　by　one　of　her　own　color；　though　his
dress　was　so　strange　a　mixture　of　the　habits　of　the　two
races；　that　it　required　a　near　look　to　be　certain　of　the　fact。
He　was　of　middle　age；　but　there　was　an　open　honesty；　a
total　absence　of　guile；　in　his　face；　which　otherwise　would
not　have　been　thought　handsome；　that　at　once　assured
Magnet　she　was　in　no　danger。　　Still　she　paused。

〃Fear　nothing；　young　woman；〃　said　the　hunter；　for
such　his　attire　would　indicate　him　to　be；　〃you　have　met
Christian　men　in　the　wilderness；　and　such　as　know　how　to
treat　all　kindly　who　are　disposed　to　peace　and　justice。　　I
am　a　man　well　known　in　all　these　parts；　and　perhaps　one
of　my　names　may　have　reached　your　ears。　　By　the
Frenchers　and　the　red…skins　on　the　other　side　of　the　Big
Lakes；　I　am　called　La　Longue　Carabine；　by　the　Mohicans；
a　just…minded　and　upright　tribe；　what　is　left　of　them；
Hawk　Eye；　while　the　troops　and　rangers　along　this　side　of
the　water　call　me　Pathfinder；　inasmuch　as　I　have　never
been　known　to　miss　one　end　of　the　trail；　when　there　was　a
Mingo；　or　a　friend　who　stood　in　need　of　me；　at　the　other。〃

This　was　not　uttered　boastfully；　but　with　the　honest
confidence　of　one　who　well　knew　that　by　whatever　name
others　might　have　heard　of　him；　ho　had　no　reason　to　blush
at　the　reports。　　The　effect　on　Mabel　was　instantaneous。
The　moment　she　heard　the　last　_sobriquet_　she　clasped　her
hands　eagerly　and　repeated　the　word　〃Pathfinder！〃

〃So　they　call　me；　young　woman；　and　many　a　great　lord
has　got　a　title　that　he　did　not　half　so　well　merit；　though；
if　truth　be　said；　I　rather　pride　myself　in　finding　my　way
where　there　is　no　path；　than　in　finding　it　where　there　is。
But　the　regular　troops　are　by　no　means　particular；　and
half　the　time　they　don't　know　the　difference　between　a
trail　and　a　path；　though　one　is　a　matter　for　the　eye；　while
the　other　is　little　more　than　scent。〃

〃Then　you　are　the　friend　my　father　promised　to　send
to　meet　us？〃

〃If　you　are　Sergeant　Dunham's　daughter；　the　great
Prophet　of　the　Delawares　never　uttered　more　truth。〃

〃I　am　Mabel；　and　yonder；　hid　by　the　trees；　are　my
uncle；　whose　name　is　Cap；　and　a　Tuscarora　called　Arrow…
head。　　We　did　not　hope　to　meet　you　until　we　had　nearly
reached　the　shores　of　the　lake。〃

〃I　wish　a　juster…minded　Indian　had　been　your　guide；〃
said　Pathfinder；　〃for　I　am　no　lover　of　the　Tuscaroras；　who
have　travelled　too　far　from　the　graves　of　their　fathers
always　to　remember　the　Great　Spirit；　and　Arrowhead　is
an　ambitious　chief。　　Is　the　Dew…of…June　with　him？〃

〃His　wife　accompanies　us；　and　a　humble　and　mild　crea…
ture　she　is。〃

〃Ay；　and　true…hearted；　which　is　more　than　any　who
know　him　will　say　of　Arrowhead。　　Well；　we　must　take
the　fare　that　Providence　bestows；　while　we　follow　the　trail
of　life。　　I　suppose　worse　guides　might　have　been　found
than　the　Tuscarora；　though　he　has　too　much　Mingo　blood
for　one　who　consorts　altogether　with　the　Delawares。〃

〃It　is；　then；　perhaps；　fortunate　we　have　met；〃　said
Mabel。

〃It　is　not　misfortunate；　at　any　rate；　for　I　promised　the
Sergeant　I　would　see　his　child　safe　to　the　garrison；　though
I　died　for　it。　　We　expected　to　meet　you　before　you　reached
the　Falls；　where　we　have　left　our　own　canoe；　while　we
thought　it　might　do　no　harm　to　come　up　a　few　miles；　in
order　to　be　of　service　if　wanted。　　It　is　lucky　we　did；　for　I
doubt　if　Arrowhead　be　the　man　to　shoot　the　current。〃

〃Here　come　my　uncle　and　the　Tuscarora；　and　our　parties
can　now　join。〃　　As　Mabel　concluded；　Cap　and　Arrowhead；
who　saw　that　the　conference　was　amicable；　drew　nigh；　and
a　few　words　sufficed　to　let　them　know　as　much　as　the　girl
herself　had　learned　from　the　strangers。　　As　soon　as　this
was　done；　the　party　proceeded　towards　the　two　who　still
remained　near　the　fire。



CHAPTER　II。

Yea！　long　as　Nature's　humblest　child
Hath　kept　her　temple　undefiled
　　　By　simple　sacrifice；
Earth's　fairest　scenes　are　all　his　own；
He　is　a　monarch　and　his　throne
　　　Is　built　amid　the　skies！
WILSON。


The　Mohican　continued　to　eat；　though　the　second　white
man　rose；　and　courteously　took　off　his　cap　to　Mabel　Dun…
ham。　　He　was　young；　healthful；　and　manly　in　appearance；
and　he　wore　a　dress　which；　while　it　was　less　rigidly　pro…
fessional　than　that　of　the　uncle；　also　denoted　one　accus…
tomed　to　the　water。　　In　that　age；　real　seamen　were　a　class
entirely　apart　from　the　rest　of　mankind；　their　ideas；　or…
dinary　language；　and　attire　being　as　strongly　indicative　of
their　calling　as　the　opinions；　speech；　and　dress　of　a　Turk
denote　a　Mussulman。　　Although　the　Pathfinder　was
scarcely　in　the　prime　of　life；　Mabel　had　met　him　with　a
steadiness　that　may　have　been　the　consequence　of　having
braced　her　nerves　for　the　interview；　but　when　her　eyes
encountered　those　of　the　young　man　at　the　fire；　they　fell
before　the　gaze　of　admiration　with　which　she　saw；　or
fancied　she　saw；　he　greeted　her。　　Each；　in　truth；　felt　that
interest　in　the　other　which　similarity　of　age；　condition；
mutual　comeliness；　and　their　novel　situation　would　be
likely　to　inspire　in　the　young　and　ingenuous。

〃Here；〃　said　Pathfinder；　with　an　honest　smile　bestowed
on　Mabel；　〃are　the　friends　your　worthy　father　has　sent　to
meet　you。　　This　is　a　great　Delaware；　and　one　who　has　had
honors　as　well　as　troubles　in　his　day。　　He　has　an　Indian
name　fit　for　a　chief；　but；　as　the　language　is　not　always　easy
for　the　inexperienced　to　pronoun