vinced on this material point, Pathfinder rejoined our heroine in the principal apartment, setting down the light and examining the priming of Killdeer before he seated himself. "Our worst fears are realized!" said Mabel, to whom the hurry and excitement of the last five minutes appeared to contain the emotions of a life. 66 'My beloved father, and all his party, are slain or captured!" "We don't know that-morning will tell us all. I do not think the affair as settled as that, or we should hear the vagabond Mingos yelling out their triumph around the blockhouse. Of one thing, we may be sartain; if the inimy has really got the better, he will not be long in calling upon us to surrender. The squaw will let him into the secret of our situation, and, as they well know the place cannot be fired by day-light, so long as Killdeer continues to desarve his reputation, you may depend on it, that they will not be backward in making their attempt, while darkness helps them." 'Surely, I hear a groan 66 ""Tis fancy, Mabel,-when the mind gets to be skeary, especially a woman's mind, she often concaits things that have no reality. I've known them that imagined there was truth in dreams-" "Nay, I am not deceived-there is surely one below, and in pain !" Pathfinder was compelled to own that the quick senses of Mabel had not deceived her. He cautioned her, however, to repress her feelings; and reminded her that the savages were in the practice of resorting to every artifice, to attain their ends, and that nothing was more likely than that the groans were feigned with a view to lure them from the blockhouse, or, at least, to induce them to open the door. "No-no-no "said Mabel, hurriedly, there is no artifice in those sounds, and they come from anguish of body, if not of spirit. They are fearfully natural." Well, we shall soon know whether a friend is there, or not. Hide the light again, Mabel, and I will speak the person from a loop." Not a little precaution was necessary, according to Pathfinder's judgment and experience, in performing even this simple act, for he had known the careless slain by their want of proper attention to, what might have seemed to the igno rant, supererogatory means of safety. He did not place his mouth to the loop itself, but so near it that he could be heard without raising his voice, and the same precaution was observed as regards his ear. "Who is below?" Pathfinder demanded, when his ar rangements were made to his mind. "Is any one in suffering? If a friend, speak boldly, and depend on our aid.” "Pathfinder!" answered a voice that both Mabel and the person addressed at once knew to be the serjeant's-" Pathfinder, in the name of God, tell me what has become of my daughter ?" "Father, I am here!-unhurt-safe-and oh! that I could think the same of you!" The ejaculation of thanksgiving that followed was distinctly audible to the two, but it was clearly mingled with a groan of pain. "My worst forebodings are realized!" said Mabel, with a sort of desperate calmness. "Pathfinder, my father must be brought within the block, though we hazard every thing to do it.” "This is natur', and it is the law of God. But, Mabel, be calm, and endivour to be cool. All that can be effected for the sarjeant by human invention, shall be done. I only ask you to be cool." "I am- -I am- -Pathfinder. Never in my life was I more calm, more collected, than at this moment. But remember how perilous may be every instant; for Heaven's sake, what we do, let us do without delay." Pathfinder was struck with the firmness of Mabel's tones, and perhaps he was a little deceived by the forced tranquillity and self-possession she had assumed. At all events, he did not deem any farther explanations necessary, but descended forthwith, and began to unbar the door. This delicate process was conducted with the usual caution, but as he warily permitted the mass of timber to swing back on the hinges, he felt a pressure against it, that had nearly induced him to close it again. But catching a glimpse of the cause through the crack, the door was permitted to swing back, when the body of Serjeant Dunham, which was propped against it, fell partly within the block. To draw in the legs and secure the fastenings, occupied the Pathfinder but a moment. Then there existed no obstacle to their giving their undivided care to the wounded man. Mabel, in this trying scene, conducted herself with the sort of unnatural energy that her sex, when aroused, is apt to manifest. She got the light, administered water to the parched lips of her father, and assisted Pathfinder in forming a bed of straw for his body, and a pillow of clothes for his head. All this was done earnestly, and almost without speaking; nor did Mabel shed a tear, until she heard the blessings of her father murmured on her head, for this tenderness and care. All this time, Mabel had merely conjectured the condition of her parent. Pathfinder, however, had shown greater attention to the physical danger of the serjeant. He had ascertained that a rifle-ball had passed through the body of the wounded man; and he was sufficiently familiar with injuries of this nature, to be certain that the chances of his surviving the hurt were very trifling, if any. CHAPTER IX. "Then-drink my tears, while yet they fall- MOORE. THE eyes of Serjeant Dunham had not ceased to follow the form of his beautiful daughter, from the moment that the light appeared. He next examined the door of the block, to ascertain its security; for he was left on the ground below, there being no available means of raising him to the upper floor. Then he sought the face of Mabel; for as life wanes fast, the affections resume their force, and we begin to value that most which we feel we are about to lose forever. "God be praised, my child, you, at least, have escaped their murderous rifles!" he said; for he spoke with strength, and seemingly, with no additional pain. "Give me the history of this sad business, Pathfinder." "Ah's me! sarjeant; it has been sad, as you say.. That there has been treachery, and the position of the island has been betrayed, is now as sartain, in my judgment, as that we still hold the block. But "Major Duncan was right;" interrupted Dunham, laying a hand on the other's arm. "Not in the sense you mean, sarjeant-no, not in that p'int of view; never. At least, not in my opinion. I know that natur' is weak-human natur', I mean-and that we should none of us vaunt of our gifts, whether red or white; but I do not think a truer-hearted lad lives on the lines, than Jasper Western." "Bless you-bless you for that, Pathfinder!" burst forth from Mabel's very soul, while a flood of tears gave vent to emotions that were so varied, while they were so violent :"Oh! bless you, Pathfinder, bless you. The brave should never desert the brave the honest should sustain the honest." The father's eyes were fastened anxiously on the face of his daughter, until the latter hid her countenance in her apron, to conceal her tears; and then they turned with inquiry to the hard features of the guide. The latter merely wore their usual expression of frankness, sincerity, and uprightness; and the serjeant motioned to him to proceed. "You know the spot where the Sarpent and I left you, sarjeant," Pathfinder resumed; "and I need say nothing of all that happened afore. It is now too late to regret what is gone and passed; but I do think if I had staid with the boats, this would not have come to pass! Other men may be as good guides; I make no doubt they are: but then natur' bestows its gifts, and some must be better than other some. I dare say, poor Gilbert, who took my place, has suffered for his mistake." "He fell at my elbow;" the serjeant answered, in a low, melancholy tone. "We have, indeed, all suffered for our mistakes!" 66 No, no, sarjeant, I meant no condemnation on you; for men were never better commanded than your'n, in this very expedition. I never beheld a prettier flanking; and the way in which you carried your own boat up ag'in their howitzer might have teached Lundie, himself, a lesson." The eyes of the serjeant brightened; and his face even wore an expression of military triumph, though it was of a degree that suited the humble sphere in which he had been an actor. ""Twas not badly done, my friend," he said; "and we carried their log breast-work by storm!" ""Twas nobly done, sarjeant: though I fear when all the truth comes to be known, it will be found that these vaga. bonds have got their howitzer back ag'in. Well, well, put a stout heart upon it, and try to forget all that is disagree able, and to remember only the pleasant part of the matter. That is your truest philosophy; ay, and truest religion, too. If the inimy has got the howitzer ag'in, they've only got what belonged to them afore, and what we couldn't help. They hav'n't got the block-house, yet, nor are they likely to get it, unless they fire it in the dark. Well, sarjeant, the Sarpent and I separated about ten miles down the river; for we thought it wisest not to come upon even a friendly camp without the usual caution. What has become of Chingach. gook, I cannot say; though Mabel tells me he is not far off: and I make no question the noble-hearted Delaware is doing his duty, although he is not now visible to our eyes. Mark my word, sarjeant; before this matter is over, we shall hear of him at some critical time, and that in a discreet and credit. able manner. Ah! the Sarpent is, indeed, a wise and virtuous chief; and any white man might covet his gifts, though his rifle is not quite as sure as Killdeer, it must be owned. Well, as I came near the island, I missed the smoke, and that put me on my guard; for I knew that the men of the 55th were not cunning enough to conceal that sign, notwithstanding all that has been told them of its danger. This made me more careful, until I came in sight of this mockfisherman, as I've just told Mabel; and then the whole of their infernal arts was as plain before me, as if I saw it on a map. I need not tell you, sarjeant, that my first thoughts were of Mabel; and that, finding she was in the block, I came here, in order to live or die in her company." The father turned a gratified look upon his child, and Mabel felt a sinking of the heart that, at such a moment, she could not have thought possible, when she wished to believe all her concern centred in the situation of her parent. As the latter held ou, his hand she took it in her own, and kissed |