the pathfinder-第124章

按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！


lighten　my　very　heart　to　witness　your　gladness。　　But　if　I
cannot；　　farewell　　farewell；　　the　Sergeant　was　wrong；　
yes；　the　Sergeant　was　wrong！〃

This　was　the　last　the　Pathfinder　ever　uttered　to　the　ears
of　Jasper　Western　and　Mabel　Dunham。　　He　turned　away；
as　if　the　words　choked　him；　and　was　quickly　at　the　side
of　his　friend。　　As　soon　as　the　latter　saw　him　approach；　he
shouldered　his　own　burthen；　and　glided　in　among　the
trees；　without　waiting　to　be　spoken　to。　　Mabel；　her　hus…
band；　and　June　all　watched　the　form　of　the　Pathfinder；　in
the　hope　of　receiving　a　parting　gesture；　or　a　stolen　glance
of　the　eye；　but　he　did　not　look　back。　　Once　or　twice　they
thought　they　saw　his　head　shake；　as　one　trembles　in　bitter…
ness　of　spirit；　and　a　toss　of　the　hand　was　given；　as　if　he
knew　that　he　was　watched；　but　a　tread；　whose　vigor　no
sorrow　could　enfeeble；　soon　bore　him　out　of　view；　and
was　lost　in　the　depths　of　the　forest。

Neither　Jasper　nor　his　wife　ever　beheld　the　Pathfinder
again。　　They　remained　for　another　year　on　the　banks　of
Ontario；　and　then　the　pressing　solicitations　of　Cap　in…
duced　them　to　join　him　in　New　York；　where　Jasper　even…
tually　became　a　successful　and　respected　merchant。　　Thrice
Mabel　received　valuable　presents　of　furs　at　intervals　of
years；　and　her　feelings　told　her　whence　they　came；　though
no　name　accompanied　the　gift。　　Later　in　life　still；　when
the　mother　of　several　youths；　she　had　occasion　to　visit
the　interior；　and　found　herself　on　the　banks　of　the　Mo…
hawk；　accompanied　by　her　sons；　the　eldest　of　whom　was
capable　of　being　her　protector。　　On　that　occasion　she　ob…
served　a　man　in　a　singular　guise；　watching　her　in　the　dis…
tance；　with　an　intentness　that　induced　her　to　inquire　into
his　pursuits　and　character。　　She　was　told　he　was　the　most
renowned　hunter　of　that　portion　of　the　State；　　it　was　after
the　Revolution；　　a　being　of　great　purity　of　character　and
of　as　marked　peculiarities；　and　tbat　he　was　known　in　that
region　of　country　by　the　name　of　the　Leather…stocking。
Further　than　this　Mrs。　Western　could　not　ascertain；
though　the　distant　glimpse　and　singular　deportment　of
this　unknown　hunter　gave　her　a　sleepless　night；　and　cast　a
shade　of　melancholy　over　her　still　lovely　face；　that　lasted
many　a　day。

As　for　June；　the　double　loss　of　husband　and　tribe　pro…
duced　the　effect　that　Pathfinder　had　foreseen。　　She　died
in　the　cottage　of　Mabel；　on　the　shores　of　the　lake；　and
Jasper　conveyed　her　body　to　the　island；　where　he　interred
it　by　the　side　of　that　of　Arrowhead。

Lundie　lived　to　mary　his　ancient　love；　and　retired　a
war…worn　and　battered　veteran；　but　his　name　has　been
rendered　illustrious　in　our　own　time　by　the　deeds　of　a
younger　brother；　who　succeeded　to　his　territorial　title；
which；　however；　was　shortly　after　merged　in　one　earned
by　his　valor　on　the　ocean。







End