have　covered　a　hundred　acres；　but　with　it　every　sign　of
  civilization　ceased。　　All　beyond　was　forest；　that　dense；
  interminable　forest　which　Mabel　could　now　picture　to
  herself；　through　her　recollections；　with　its　hidden　glassy
  lakes；　its　dark　rolling　stream；　and　its　world　of　nature。
  Turning　from　this　view；　our　heroine　felt　her　cheek
  fanned　by　a　fresh　and　grateful　breeze；　such　as　she　had　not
  experienced　since　quitting　the　far　distant　coast。　　Here　a
  new　scene　presented　itself：　although　expected；　it　was　not
  without　a　start；　and　a　low　exclamation　indicative　of　pleas…
  ure；　that　the　eager　eyes　of　the　girl　drank　in　its　beauties。　　To
  the　north；　and　east；　and　west；　in　every　direction；　in　short；
  over　one　entire　half　of　the　novel　panorama；　lay　a　field　of
  rolling　waters。　　The　element　was　neither　of　that　glassy
  green　which　distinguishes　the　American　waters　in　general；
  nor　yet　of　the　deep　blue　of　the　ocean；　the　color　being　of　a
  slightly　amber　hue；　which　scarcely　affected　its　limpidity。
  No　land　was　to　be　seen；　with　the　exception　of　the　adjacent
  coast；　which　stretched　to　the　right　and　left　in　an　unbroken
  outline　of　forest　with　wide　bays　and　low　headlands　or
  points；　still；　much　of　the　shore　was　rocky；　and　into　its
  caverns　the　sluggish　waters　occasionally　rolled；　producing
  a　hollow　sound；　which　resembled　the　concussions　of　a　dis…
  tant　gun。　　No　sail　whitened　the　surface；　no　whale　or　other
  fish　gambolled　on　its　bosom；　no　sign　of　use　or　service　re…
  warded　the　longest　and　most　minute　gaze　at　its　boundless
  expanse。　　It　was　a　scene；　on　one　side；　of　apparently　end…
  less　forests；　while　a　waste　of　seemingly　interminable　water
  spread　itself　on　the　other。　　Nature　appeared　to　have　de…
  lighted　in　producing　grand　effects；　by　setting　two　of　her
  principal　agents　in　bold　relief　to　each　other；　neglecting　de…
  tails；　the　eye　turning　from　the　broad　carpet　of　leaves　to
  the　still　broader　field　of　fluid；　from　the　endless　but
  gentle　heavings　of　the　lake　to　the　holy　calm　and　poetical
  solitude　of　the　forest；　with　wonder　and　delight。
  Mabel　Dunham；　though　unsophisticated；　like　most　of
  her　countrywomen　of　that　period；　and　ingenuous　and
  frank　as　any　warm…hearted　and　sincere…minded　girl　well
  could　be；　was　not　altogether　without　a　feeling　for　the
  poetry　of　this　beautiful　earth　of　ours。　　Although　she　could
  scarcely　be　said　to　be　educated　at　all；　for　few　of　her　sex
  at　that　day　and　in　this　country　received　much　more　than
  the　rudiments　of　plain　English　instruction；　still　she　had
  been　taught　much　more　than　was　usual　for　young　women
  in　her　own　station　in　life；　and；　in　one　sense　certainly；　she
  did　credit　to　her　teaching。　　The　widow　of　a　field…officer；
  who　formerly　belonged　to　the　same　regiment　as　her　father；
  had　taken　the　child　in　charge　at　the　death　of　its　mother；
  and　under　the　care　of　this　lady　Mabel　had　acquired　some
  tastes　and　many　ideas　which　otherwise　might　always　have
  remained　strangers　to　her。　　Her　situation　in　the　family
  had　been　less　that　of　a　domestic　than　of　a　humble　com…
  panion；　and　the　results　were　quite　apparent　in　her　attire；
  her　language；　her　sentiments；　and　even　in　her　feelings；
  though　neither；　perhaps；　rose　to　the　level　of　those　which
  would　properly　characterize　a　lady。　　She　had　lost　the　less
  refined　habits　and　manners　of　one　in　her　original　position；
  without　having　quite　reached　a　point　that　disqualified　her
  for　the　situation　in　life　that　the　accidents　of　birth　and
  fortune　would　probably　compel　her　to　fill。　　All　else　that
  was　distinctive　and　peculiar　in　her　belonged　to　natural
  character。
  With　such　antecedents　it　will　occasion　the　reader　no
  wonder　if　he　learns　that　Mabel　viewed　the　novel　scene
  before　her　with　a　pleasure　far　superior　to　that　produced
  by　vulgar　surprise。　　She　felt　its　ordinary　beauties　as　most
  would　have　felt　them；　but　she　had　also　a　feeling　for　its
  sublimity　　for　that　softened　solitude；　that　calm　grandeur；
  and　eloquent　repose；　which　ever　pervades　broad　views　of
  natural　objects　yet　undisturbed　by　the　labors　and　strug…
  gles　of　man。
  〃How　beautiful！〃　she　exclaimed；　unconscious　of　speak…
  ing；　as　she　stood　on　the　solitary　bastion；　facing　the　air
  from　the　lake；　and　experiencing　the　genial　influence　of
  its　freshness　pervading　both　her　body　and　her　mind。
  〃How　very　beautiful！　and　yet　how　singular！〃
  The　words；　and　the　train　of　her　ideas；　were　interrupted
  by　a　touch　of　a　finger　on　her　shoulder；　and　turning；　in　the
  expectation　of　seeing　her　father；　Mabel　found　Pathfinder
  at　her　side。　　He　was　leaning　quietly　on　his　long　rifle；　and
  laughing　in　his　quiet　manner；　while；　with　an　outstretched
  arm；　he　swept　over　the　whole　panorama　of　land　and　water。
  〃Here　you　have　both　our　domains；〃　said　he；　　〃Jasper's
  and　mine。　　The　lake　is　for　him；　and　the　woods　are　for
  me。　　The　lad　sometimes　boasts　of　the　breadth　of　his
  dominions；　but　I　tell　him　my　trees　make　as　broad　a
  plain　on　the　face　of　this　'arth　as　all　his　water。　　Well；
  Mabel；　you　are　fit　for　either；　for　I　do　not　see　that　fear　of
  the　Mingos；　or　night…marches；　can　destroy　your　pretty
  looks。〃
  〃It　is　a　new　character　for　the　Pathfinder　to　appear　in；
  to　compliment　a　silly　girl。〃
  〃Not　silly；　Mabel；　no；　not　in　the　least　silly。　　The　Ser…
  geant's　daughter　would　do　discredit　to　her　worthy　father；
  were　she　to　do　or　say　anything　that　could　be　called　silly。〃
  〃Then　she　must　take　care　and　not　put　too　much　faith　in
  treacherous；　flattering　words。　　But；　Pathfinder；　I　rejoice　to
  see　you　among　us　again；　for；　though　Jasper　did　not　seem
  to　feel　much　uneasiness；　I　was　afraid　some　accident　might
  have　happened　to　you　and　your　friend　on　that　frightful
  rift。〃
  〃The　lad　knows　us　both；　and　was　sartain　that　we
  should　not　drown；　which　is　scarcely　one　of　my　gifts。　　It
  would　have　been　hard　swimming　of　a　sartainty；　with　a
  long…barrelled　rifle　in　the　hand；　and　what　between　the
  game；　and　the　savages　and　the　French；　Killdeer　and　I
  have　gone　through　too　much　in　company　to　part　very
  easily。　　No；　no；　we　waded　ashore；　the　rift　being　shallow
  enough　for　that　with　small　exceptions；　and　we　landed　with
  our　arms　in　our　hands。　　We　had　to　take　our　time　for　it；
  on　account　of　the　Iroquois；　I　will　own；　but；　as　soon　as　the
  skulking　vagabonds　saw　the　lights　that　the　Sergeant　sent
  down　to　your　canoe；　we　well　understood　they　would
  decamp；　since　a　visit　might　have　been　expected　from　some
  of　the　garrison。　　So　it　was　only　sitting　patiently　on　the
  stones　for　an　hour；　and　all　the　danger　was　over。　　Patience
  is　the　greatest　of　virtues　in　a　woodsman。〃
  〃I　rejoice　to　hear　this；　for　fatigue　itself　could　scarcely
  make　me　sleep；　for　thinking　of　what　might　befall　you。〃
  〃Lord　bless　your　tender　little　heart；　Mabel！　but　this　is
  the　way　with　all　you　gentle　ones。　　I　must　say；　on　my　part；
  however；　that　I　was　right　glad　to　see　the　lanterns　come
  down　to　the　waterside；　which　I　knew　to　be　a　sure　sign　of
  _your_　safety。　　We　hunters　and　guides　are　rude　beings；　but
  we　have　our　feelings　and　our　idees；　as　well　as　any　general
  in　the　army。　　Both　Jasper　and　I　would　have　died　before
  you　should　have　come　to　harm　　we　would。〃
  〃I　thank　you　for　all　you　did　for　me；　Pathfinder；　from
  the　bottom　of　my　heart；　I　thank　you；　and；　depend　on　it；
  my　father　shall　know　it。　　I　have　already　told　him　much；
  but　have　still　a　duty　to　perform　on　this　subject。〃
  〃Tush；　Mabel！　　The　Sergeant　knows　what　the　woods
  be；　and　what　men　　true　red　men　　be；　too。　　There　is　lit…
  tle　need　to　tell　him　anything　about　it。　　Well；　now　you
  have　met　your　father；　do　you　find　the　honest　old　soldier
  the　sort　of　person　you　expected　to　find　？〃
  〃He　is　my　own　dear　father；　and　received　me　as　a　soldier
  and　a　father　should　receive　a　child。　　Have　you　known　him
  long；　Pathfinder？〃
  〃That　is　as　people　count　time。　　I　was　just　twelve　when
  the　Sergeant　took　me　on　my　first　scouting；　and　that　is
  now　more　than　twenty　years　ago。　　We　had　a　tramping　time
  of　it；　and；　as　it　was　before　your　day；　you　would　have　had
  no　father；　had　not　the　rifle　been　one　of　my　natural　gifts。〃
  〃Explain　yourself。〃
  〃It　is　too　simple　for　many　words。　　We　were　ambushed；
  and　the　Sergeant　got　a　bad　hurt；　and　would　have　lost　his
  scalp；　but　for　a　sort　of　inbred　turn　I　took　to　the　weapon。
  We　brought　him　off；　however；　and　a　handsomer　head　of
  hair；　for　his　time　of　life；　is　not　to　be　found　in　the　rijiment
  than　the　Sergeant　carries　about　with　him　this　blessed　day。〃
  〃You　saved　my　father's　life；　Pathfinder！〃　exclaimed
  Mabel；　unconsciously；　though　warmly；　taking　one　of　his
  hard；　sinewy　hands　into　both　her　own。　　〃God　bless　you
  for　this；　too；　among　your　other　good　acts！〃
  〃Nay；　I　did　not　say　that　much；　though　I　believe　I　did
  save　his　scalp。　　A　man　might　live　without　a　scalp；　and　so
  I　cannot　say　I　saved　his　life。　　Jasper　may　say　that　much
  consarning　you；　for　without　his　eye　and　arm　the　canoe
  would　never　have　passed　the　rift　in　safety　on　a　night　like
  the　last。　　The　gifts　of　the　lad　are　for　the　water；　while
  mine　are　for　the　hunt　and　the　trail。　　He　is　yonder；　in　the
  cove　there；　looking　after　the　canoes；　and　keeping　his　eye
  on　his　beloved　little　craft。　　To　my　eye；　there　is　no　likelier
  youth　in　these　parts　than　Jasper　Western。〃
  For　the　first　time　since　she　had　left　her　room；　Mabel
  now　turned　her　eyes　beneath　her；　and　got　a　view　of　what
  might　be