the pathfinder-第49章

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cutter　idle　when　anything　is　to　be　done；　and　we　may
expect　activity　on　his　part。　　My　gifts；　however；　run　so
little　towards　the　water　and　vessels　generally；　unless　it　be
among　rapids　and　falls　and　in　canoes；　that　I　pretend　to
know　nothing　about　it。　　We　shall　have　all　right　under
Jasper；　I　make　no　doubt；　who　can　find　a　trail　on　Ontario
as　well　as　a　Delaware　can　find　one　on　the　land。〃

〃And　our　own　Delaware；　Pathfinder　　the　Big　Serpent　
why　is　he　not　with　us　to…night？〃

〃Your　question　would　have　been　more　natural　had　you
said；　Why　are　_you_　here；　Pathfinder？　　The　Sarpent　is　in
his　place；　while　I　am　not　in　mine。　　He　is　out；　with　two　or
three　more；　scouting　the　lake　shores；　and　will　join　us　down
among　the　islands；　with　the　tidings　he　may　gather。　　The
Sergeant　is　too　good　a　soldier　to　forget　his　rear　while　he
is　facing　the　enemy　in　front。　　It's　a　thousand　pities；
Mabel；　your　father　wasn't　born　a　general；　as　some　of　the
English　are　who　come　among　us；　for　I　feel　sartain　he
wouldn't　leave　a　Frencher　in　the　Canadas　a　week；　could
he　have　his　own　way　with　them。〃

〃Shall　we　have　enemies　to　face　in　front？〃　asked　Mabel；
smiling；　and　for　the　first　time　feeling　a　slight　apprehen…
sion　about　the　dangers　of　the　expedition。　　〃Are　we　likely
to　have　an　engagement？〃

〃If　we　have；　Mabel；　there　will　be　men　enough　ready
and　willing　to　stand　between　you　and　harm。　　But　you　are
a　soldier's　daughter；　and；　we　all　know；　have　the　spirit　of
one。　　Don't　let　the　fear　of　a　battle　keep　your　pretty　eyes
from　sleeping。〃

〃I　do　feel　braver　out　here　in　the　woods；　Pathfinder；
than　I　ever　felt　before　amid　the　weaknesses　of　the　towns；
although　I　have　always　tried　to　remember　what　I　owe　to
my　dear　father。〃

〃Ay；　your　mother　was　so　before　you。　　'You　will　find
Mabel；　like　her　mother；　no　screamer；　or　a　faint…hearted
girl；　to　trouble　a　man　in　his　need；　but　one　who　would　en…
courage　her　mate；　and　help　to　keep　his　heart　up　when
sorest　prest　by　danger；'　said　the　Sergeant　to　me；　before　I
ever　laid　eyes　on　that　sweet　countenance　of　yours；　　he
did！〃

〃And　why　should　my　father　have　told　you　this；　Path…
finder？〃　the　girl　demanded　a　little　earnestly。　　〃Perhaps
he　fancied　you　would　think　the　better　of　me　if　you　did
not　believe　me　a　silly　coward；　as　so　many　of　my　sex　love　to
make　themselves　appear。〃

Deception；　unless　it　were　at　the　expense　of　his　enemies
in　the　field；　　nay；　concealment　of　even　a　thought；　　was
so　little　in　accordance　with　the　Pathfinder's　very　nature；
that　he　was　not　a　little　embarrassed　by　this　simple　ques…
tion。　　In　such　a　strait　he　involuntarily　took　refuge　in　a；
middle　course；　not　revealing　that　which　he　fancied　ought
not　to　be　told；　nor　yet　absolutely　concealing　it。

〃You　must　know；　Mabel；〃　said　he；　〃that　the　Sergeant
and　I　are　old　friends；　and　have　stood　side　by　side　　or；　if
not　actually　side　by　side；　I　a　little　in　advance；　as　became　a
scout；　and　your　father　with　his　own　men；　as　better　suited
a　soldier　of　the　king　　on　many　a　hard　fi't　and　bloody　day。
It's　the　way　of　us　skirmishers　to　think　little　of　the　fight
when　the　rifle　has　done　cracking；　and　at　night；　around
our　fires；　or　on　our　marches；　we　talk　of　the　things　we　love；
just　as　you　young　women　convarse　about　your　fancies　and
opinions　when　you　get　together　to　laugh　over　your　idees。
Now　it　was　natural　that　the　Sergeant；　having　such　a
daughter　as　you；　should　love　her　better　than　anything　else；
and　that　he　should　talk　of　her　oftener　than　of　anything
else；　　while　I；　having　neither　daughter；　nor　sister；　nor
mother；　nor　kith；　nor　kin；　nor　anything　but　the　Delawares
to　love；　I　naturally　chimed　in；　as　it　were；　and　got　to　love
you；　Mabel；　before　I　ever　saw　you　　yes；　I　did　　just　by　talk…
ing　about　you　so　much。〃

〃And　now　you　_have_　seen　me；〃　returned　the　smiling　girl；
whose　unmoved　and　natural　manner　proved　how　little　she
was　thinking　of　anything　more　than　parental　or　fraternal
regard；　〃you　are　beginning　to　see　the　folly　of　forming
friendships　for　people　before　you　know　anything　about
them；　except　by　hearsay。〃

〃It　wasn't　friendship　　it　isn't　friendship；　Mabel；　that
I　feel　for　you。　　I　am　the　friend　of　the　Delawares；　and
have　been　so　from　boyhood；　but　my　feelings　for　them；　or
for　the　best　of　them；　are　not　the　same　as　those　I　got　from
the　Sergeant　for　you；　and；　especially；　now　that　I　begin　to
know　you　better。　　I'm　sometimes　afeared　it　isn't　whole…
some　for　one　who　is　much　occupied　in　a　very　manly　call…
ing；　like　that　of　a　guide　or　scout；　or　a　soldier　even；　to　form
friendships　for　women；　　young　women　in　particular；　　as
they　seem　to　me　to　lessen　the　love　of　enterprise；　and　to
turn　the　feelings　away　from　their　gifts　and　natural　occu…
pations。〃

〃You　surely　do　not　mean；　Pathfinder；　that　a　friendship
for　a　girl　like　me　would　make　you　less　bold；　and　more　un…
willing　to　meet　the　French　than　you　were　before？〃

〃Not　so；　not　so。　　With　you　in　danger；　for　instance；　I
fear　I　might　become　foolhardy；　but　before　we　became　so
intimate；　as　I　may　say；　I　loved　to　think　of　my　scoutings；
and　of　my　marches；　and　outlyings；　and　fights；　and　other
adventures：　but　now　my　mind　cares　less　about　them；　I
think　more　of　the　barracks；　and　of　evenings　passed　in　dis…
course；　of　feelings　in　which　there　are　no　wranglings　and
bloodshed；　and　of　young　women；　and　of　their　laughs　and
their　cheerful；　soft　voices；　their　pleasant　looks　and　their
winning　ways。　　I　sometimes　tell　the　Sergeant　that　he　and
his　daughter　will　be　the　spoiling　of　one　of　the　best　and
most　experienced　scouts　on　the　lines。〃

〃Not　they；　Pathfinder；　they　will　try　to　make　that　which
is　already　so　excellent；　perfect。　　You　do　not　know　us；　if
you　think　that　either　wishes　to　see　you　in　the　least　changed。
Remain　as　at　present；　the　same　honest；　upright；　conscien…
tious；　fearless；　intelligent；　trustworthy　guide　that　you　are；
and　neither　my　dear　father　nor　myself　can　ever　think　of
you　differently　from　what　we　now　do。〃

It　was　too　dark　for　Mabel　to　note　the　workings　of　the
countenance　of　her　listener；　but　her　own　sweet　face　was
turned　towards　him；　as　she　spoke　with　an　energy　equal　to
her　frankness；　in　a　way　to　show　how　little　embarrassed
were　her　thoughts；　and　how　sincere　were　her　words。　　Her
countenance　was　a　little　flushed；　it　is　true；　but　it　was　with
earnestness　and　truth　of　feeling；　though　no　nerve　thrilled；
no　limb　trembled；　no　pulsation　quickened。　　In　short；　her
manner　and　appearance　were　those　of　a　sincere…minded
and　frank　girl；　making　such　a　declaration　of　good…will　and
regard　for　one　of　the　other　sex　as　she　felt　that　his　services
and　good　qualities　merited；　without　any　of　the　emotion
that　invariably　accompanies　the　consciousness　of　an　in…
clination　which　might　lead　to　softer　disclosures。

The　Pathfinder　was　too　unpractised；　however；　to　enter
into　distinctions　of　this　kind；　and　his　humble　nature　was
encouraged　by　the　directness　and　strength　of　the　words
he　had　just　heard。　　Unwilling；　if　not　unable；　to　say　any
more；　he　walked　away；　and　stood　leaning　on　his　rifle　and
looking　up　at　the　stars　for　full　ten　minutes　in　profound
silence。

In　the　meanwhile　the　interview　on　the　bastion；　to　which
we　have　already　alluded；　took　place　between　Lundie　and
the　Sergeant。

〃Have　the　men's　knapsacks　been　examined？〃　demanded
Major　Duncan；　after　he　had　cast　his　eye　at　a　written　report；
handed　to　him　by　the　Sergeant；　but　which　it　was　too　dark
to　read。

〃All；　your　honor；　and　all　are　right。〃

〃The　ammunition　　arms？〃

〃All　in　order；　Major　Duncan；　and　fit　for　any　service。〃

〃You　have　the　men　named　in　my　own　draft；　Dunham？〃

〃Without　an　exception；　sir。　　Better　men　could　not　be
found　in　the　regiment。〃

〃You　have　need　of　the　best　of　our　men；　Sergeant。　　This
experiment　has　now　been　tried　three　times；　always　under
one　of　the　ensigns；　who　have　flattered　me　with　success；
but　have　as　often　failed。　　After　so　much　preparation　and
expense；　I　do　not　like　to　abandon　the　project　entirely；
but　this　will　be　the　last　effort；　and　the　result　will　mainly
depend　on　you　and　on　the　Pathfinder。〃

〃You　may　count　on　us　both；　Major　Duncan。　　The　duty
you　have　given　us　is　not　above　our　habits　and　experience；
and　I　think　it　will　be　well　done。　　I　know　that　the　Path…
finder　will　not　be　wantin