the pathfinder-第112章

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although　perfectly　satisfied　that　Arrowhead　had　fallen；
manifested　neither　curiosity　nor　feeling。　　He　continued
calmly　eating　his　soup；　as　if　the　meal　had　been　tranquil　as
usual。　　There　was　something　of　pride　and　of　an　assumed
indifference　to　fate；　imitated　from　the　indians；　in　all　this；
but　there　was　more　that　really　resulted　from　practice；　habi…
tual　self…command；　and　constitutional　hardihood。　　With
Pathfinder　the　case　was　a　little　different　in　feeling；　though
much　the　same　in　appearance。　　He　disliked　Muir；　whose
smooth…tongued　courtesy　was　little　in　accordance　with　his
own　frank　and　ingenuous　nature；　but　he　had　been　shocked
at　his　unexpected　and　violent　death；　though　accustomed
to　similar　scenes；　and　he　had　been　surprised　at　the　expos…
ure　of　his　treachery。　　With　a　view　to　ascertain　the　extent
of　the　latter；　as　soon　as　the　body　was　removed；　he　began
to　question　the　Captain　on　the　subject。　　The　latter；　hav…
ing　no　particular　motive　for　secrecy　now　that　his　agent
was　dead；　in　the　course　of　the　breakfast　revealed　the　fol…
lowing　circumstances；　which　will　serve　to　clear　up　some　of
the　minor　incidents　of　our　tale。

Soon　after　the　55th　appeared　on　the　frontiers；　Muir　had
volunteered　his　services　to　the　enemy。　　In　making　his
offers；　he　boasted　of　his　intimacy　with　Lundie；　and　of　the
means　it　afforded　of　furnishing　more　accurate　and　impor…
tant　information　than　usual。　　His　terms　had　been　ac…
cepted；　and　Monsieur　Sanglier　had　several　interviews　with
him　in　the　vicinity　of　the　fort　at　Oswego；　and　had　actu…
ally　passed　one　entire　night　secreted　in　the　garrison。　　Ar…
rowhead；　however；　was　the　usual　channel　of　communica…
tion；　and　the　anonymous　letter　to　Major　Duncan　had　been
originally　written　by　Muir；　transmitted　to　Frontenac；
copied；　and　sent　back　by　the　Tuscarora；　who　was　return…
ing　from　that　errand　when　captured　by　the　_Scud_。　　It　is
scarcely　necessary　to　add　that　Jasper　was　to　be　sacrificed
in　order　to　conceal　the　Quartermaster's　treason；　and　that
the　position　of　the　island　had　been　betrayed　to　the　enemy
by　the　latter。　　An　extraordinary　compensation　　that　which
was　found　in　his　purse　　had　induced　him　to　accompany
the　party　under　Sergeant　Dunham；　in　order　to　give　the
signals　that　were　to　bring　on　the　attack。　　The　disposition
of　Muir　towards　the　sex　was　a　natural　weakness；　and　he
would　have　married　Mabel；　or　any　one　else　who　would　ac…
cept　his　hand；　but　his　admiration　of　her　was　in　a　great
degree　feigned；　in　order　that　he　might　have　an　excuse　for
accompanying　the　party　without　sharing　in　the　responsi…
bility　of　its　defeat；　or　incurring　the　risk　of　having　no
other　strong　and　seemingly　sufficient　motive。　　Much　of
this　was　known　to　Captain　Sanglier；　particularly　the　part
in　connection　with　Mabel；　and　he　did　not　fail　to　let　his
auditors　into　the　whole　secret；　frequently　laughing　in　a
sarcastic　manner；　as　he　revealed　the　different　expedients
of　the　luckless　Quartermaster。

〃_Touchez…la_；〃　said　the　cold…blooded　partisan；　holding
out　his　sinewy　hand　to　Pathfinder；　when　he　ended　his　ex…
planations；　〃you　be　_honnete_；　and　dat　is　_beaucoup_。　　We
tak'　de　spy　as　we　tak'　_la　medicine_；　for　de　good；　_mais；　je　les
deteste！　　Touchez…la。_〃

〃I'll　shake　your　hand；　Captain；　I　will；　for　you're　a　law…
ful　and　nat'ral　inimy；〃　returned　Pathfinder；　〃and　a　man…
ful　one；　but　the　body　of　the　Quartermaster　shall　never
disgrace　English　ground。　　I　did　intend　to　carry　it　back　to
Lundie　that　he　might　play　his　bagpipes　over　it；　but　now
it　shall　lie　here　on　the　spot　where　he　acted　his　villainy；　and
have　his　own　treason　for　a　headstone。　　Captain　Flintyheart；
I　suppose　this　consorting　with　traitors　is　a　part　of　a　sol…
dier's　regular　business；　but；　I　tell　you　honestly；　it　is　not
to　my　liking；　and　I'd　rather　it　should　be　you　than　I　who
had　this　affair　on　his　conscience。　　What　an　awful　sinner！
To　plot；　right　and　left；　ag'in　country；　friends；　and　the
Lord！　　Jasper；　boy；　a　word　with　you　aside；　for　a　single
minute。〃

Pathfinder　now　led　the　young　man　apart；　and；　squeez…
ing　his　hand；　with　the　tears　in　his　own　eyes；　he　continued：

〃You　know　me；　Eau…douce；　and　I　know　you；〃　said　he；
〃and　this　news　has　not　changed　my　opinion　of　you　in　any
manner。　　I　never　believed　their　tales；　though　it　looked
solemn　at　one　minute；　I　will　own；　yes；　it　did　look　solemn；
and　it　made　me　feel　solemn　too。　　I　never　suspected　you
for　a　minute；　for　I　know　your　gifts　don't　lie　that…a…way；
but；　I　must　own；　I　didn't　suspect　the　Quartermaster
neither。〃

〃And　he　holding　his　Majesty's　commission；　Pathfinder！〃

〃It　isn't　so　much　that；　Jasper　Western；　it　isn't　so　much
that。　　He　held　a　commission　from　God　to　act　right；　and　to
deal　fairly　with　his　fellow…creaturs；　and　he　has　failed
awfully　in　his　duty。〃

〃To　think　of　his　pretending　love　for　one　like　Mabel；
too；　when　he　felt　none。〃

〃That　was　bad；　sartainly；　the　fellow　must　have　had
Mingo　blood　in　his　veins。　　The　man　that　deals　unfairly
by　a　woman　can　be　but　a　mongrel；　lad；　for　the　Lord　has
made　them　helpless　on　purpose　that　we　may　gain　their
love　by　kindness　and　sarvices。　　Here　is　the　Sergeant；　poor
man；　on　his　dying　bed；　he　has　given　me　his　daughter　for
a　wife；　and　Mabel；　dear　girl；　she　has　consented　to　it；　and
it　makes　me　feel　that　I　have　two　welfares　to　look　after；　two
naturs　to　care　for；　and　two　hearts　to　gladden。　　Ah's　me；
Jasper！　　I　sometimes　feel　that　I'm　not　good　enough　for
that　sweet　child！〃

Eau…douce　had　nearly　gasped　for　breath　when　he　first
heard　this　intelligence；　and；　though　he　succeeded　in　sup…
pressing　any　other　outward　signs　of　agitation；　his　cheek
was　blanched　nearly　to　the　paleness　of　death。　　Still　he
found　means　to　answer　not　only　with　firmness；　but　with
energy；　

〃Say　not　so；　Pathfinder；　you　are　good　enough　for　a
queen。〃

〃Ay；　ay；　boy；　according　to　your　idees　of　my　goodness；
that　is　to　say；　I　can　kill　a　deer；　or　even　a　Mingo　at　need；
with　any　man　on　the　lines；　or　I　can　follow　a　forest…path
with　as　true　an　eye；　or　read　the　stars；　when　others　do　not
understand　them。　　No　doubt；　no　doubt；　Mabel　will　have
venison　enough；　and　fish　enough；　and　pigeons　enough；
but　will　she　have　knowledge　enough；　and　will　she　have
idees　enough；　and　pleasant　conversation　enough；　when　life
comes　to　drag　a　little；　and　each　of　us　begins　to　pass　for　our
true　value？〃

〃If　you　pass　for　your　value；　Pathfinder；　the　greatest　lady
in　the　land　would　be　happy　with　you。　　On　that　head　you
have　no　reason　to　feel　afraid。〃

〃Now；　Jasper；　I　dare　to　say　_you_　think　so；　nay；　I　_know_
you　do；　for　it　is　nat'ral；　and　according　to　friendship；　for
people　to　look　over…favorably　at　them　they　love。　　Yes；　yes；
if　I　had　to　marry　you；　boy；　I　should　give　myself　no　con…
sarn　about　my　being　well　looked　upon；　for　you　have　always
shown　a　disposition　to　see　me　and　all　I　do　with　friendly
eyes。　　But　a　young　gal；　after　all；　must　wish　to　marry　a
man　that　is　nearer　to　her　own　age　and　fancies；　than　to
have　one　old　enough　to　be　her　father；　and　rude　enough　to
frighten　her。　　I　wonder；　Jasper；　that　Mabel　never　took　a
fancy　to　you；　now；　rather　than　setting　her　mind　on　me。〃

〃Take；　a　fancy　to　me；　Pathfinder！〃　returned　the　young
man；　endeavoring　to　clear　his　voice　without　betraying
himself；　〃what　is　there　about　me　to　please　such　a　girl　as
Mabel　Dunham？　　I　have　all　that　you　find　fault　with　in
yourself；　with　none　of　that　excellence　that　makes　even　the
generals　respect　you。〃

〃Well；　well；　it's　all　chance；　say　what　we　will　about　it。
Here　have　I　journeyed　and　guided　through　the　woods　fe…
male　after　female；　and　consorted　with　them　in　the　garri…
sons；　and　never　have　I　even　felt　an　inclination　for　any；
until　I　saw　Mabel　Dunham。　　It's　true　the　poor　Sergeant
first　set　me　to　thinking　about　his　daughter；　but　after　we
got　a　little　acquainted　like；　I'd　no　need　of　being　spoken
to；　to　think　of　her　night　and　day。　　I'm　tough；　Jasper；　yes；
I'm　very　tough；　and　I'm　risolute　enough；　as　you　all　know；
and　yet　I　do　think　it　would　quite　break　me　down；　now；　to
lose　Mabel　Dunham！〃

〃We　will　talk　no　more　of　it；　Pathfinder；〃　said　Jasper；
returning　his　friend's　squeeze　of　the　hand；　and　moving
back　towards　the　fire；　though　slowly；　and　in　the　manner
of　one　who　cared　little　where　he　went；　〃we