of　a　good　conscience；　may　always　keep　the　doctors　at　a　dis…
  tance。　　But　I　am　human　after　all；　yes；　I　find　I'm　very
  human　in　some　of　my　feelings。〃
  Mabel　looked　surprised；　and　it　would　be　no　more　than
  delineating　the　character　of　her　sex；　if　we　added　that　her
  sweet　countenance　expressed　a　good　deal　of　curiosity；　too；
  though　her　tongue　was　more　discreet。
  〃There　is　something　bewitching　in　this　wild　life　of
  yours；　Pathfinder；〃　she　exclaimed；　a　tinge　of　enthusiasm
  mantling　her　cheeks。　　〃I　find　I'm　fast　getting　to　be　a
  frontier　girl；　and　am　coming　to　love　all　this　grand　silence
  of　the　woods。　　The　towns　seem　tame　to　me；　and；　as　my
  father　will　probably　pass　the　remainder　of　his　days　here；
  where　he　has　already　lived　so　long；　I　begin　to　feel　that　I
  should　be　happy　to　continue　with　him；　and　not　to　return
  to　the　sea…shore。〃
  〃The　woods　are　never　silent；　Mabel；　to　such　as　under…
  stand　their　meaning。　　Days　at　a　time　have　I　travelled
  them　alone；　without　feeling　the　want　of　company；　and；
  as　for　conversation；　for　such　as　can　comprehend　their　lan…
  guage；　there　is　no　want　of　rational　and　instructive　dis…
  course。〃
  〃I　believe　you　are　happier　when　alone；　Pathfinder；　than
  when　mingling　with　your　fellow…creatures。〃
  〃I　will　not　say　that；　I　will　not　say　exactly　that。　　I　have
  seen　the　time　when　I　have　thought　that　God　was　sufficient
  for　me　in　the　forest；　and　that　I　have　craved　no　more　than
  His　bounty　and　His　care。　　But　other　feelings　have　got
  uppermost；　and　I　suppose　natur'　will　have　its　way。　　All
  other　creaturs　mate；　Mabel；　and　it　was　intended　man　should
  do　so　too。〃
  〃And　have　you　never　bethought　you　of　seeking　a　wife；
  Pathfinder；　to　share　your　fortunes？〃　inquired　the　girl；
  with　the　directness　and　simplicity　that　the　pure　of　heart
  and　the　undesigning　are　the　most　apt　to　manifest；　and　with
  that　feeling　of　affection　which　is　inbred　in　her　sex。　　〃To
  me　it　seems　you　only　want　a　home　to　return　to　from　your
  wanderings　to　render　your　life　completely　happy。　　Were
  I　a　man；　it　would　be　my　delight　to　roam　through　these
  forests　at　will；　or　to　sail　over　this　beautiful　lake。〃
  〃I　understand　you；　Mabel；　and　God　bless　you　for　think…
  ing　of　the　welfare　of　men　as　humble　as　we　are。　　We　have
  our　pleasures；　it　is　true；　as　well　as　our　gifts；　but　we　might
  be　happier；　yes；　I　do　think　we　might　be　happier。〃
  〃Happier！　in　what　way；　Pathfinder？　　In　this　pure　air；
  with　these　cool　and　shaded　forests　to　wander　through；　this
  lovely　lake　to　gaze　at　and　sail　upon；　with　clear　consciences；
  and　abundance　for　all　their　real　wants；　men　ought　to　be
  nothing　less　than　as　perfectly　happy　as　their　infirmities
  will　allow。〃
  〃Every　creatur'　has　its　gifts；　Mabel；　and　men　have
  theirs；〃　answered　the　guide；　looking　stealthily　at　his　beau…
  tiful　companion；　whose　cheeks　had　flushed　and　eyes　bright…
  ened　under　the　ardor　of　feelings　excited　by　the　novelty　of
  her　striking　situation；　〃and　all　must　obey　them。　　Do　you
  see　yonder　pigeon　that　is　just　alightin'　on　the　beach
  here　in　a　line　with　the　fallen　chestnut？〃
  〃Certainly；　it　is　the　only　thing　stirring　with　life　in　it；
  besides　ourselves；　that　is　to　be　seen　in　this　vast　solitude。〃
  〃Not　so；　Mabel；　not　so；　Providence　makes　nothing　that
  lives　to　live　quite　alone。　　Here　is　its　mate；　just　rising　on
  the　wing；　it　has　been　feeding　near　the　other　beach；　but　it
  will　not　long　be　separated　from　its　companion。〃
  〃I　understand　you；　Pathfinder；〃　returned　Mabel；　smiling
  sweetly；　though　as　calmly　as　if　the　discourse　was　with　her
  father。　　〃But　a　hunter　may　find　a　mate；　even　in　this　wild
  region。　　The　Indian　girls　are　affectionate　and　true；　I　know；
  for　such　was　the　wife　of　Arrowhead；　to　a　husband　who
  oftener　frowned　than　smiled。〃
  〃That　would　never　do；　Mabel；　and　good　would　never
  come　of　it。　　Kind　must　cling　to　kind；　and　country　to　coun…
  try；　if　one　would　find　happiness。　　If；　indeed；　I　could　meet
  with　one　like　you；　who　would　consent　to　be　a　hunter's　wife；
  and　who　would　not　scorn　my　ignorance　and　rudeness；　then；
  indeed；　would　all　the　toil　of　the　past　appear　like　the　sport…
  ing　of　the　young　deer；　and　all　the　future　like　sunshine。〃
  〃One　like　me！　　A　girl　of　my　years　and　indiscretion
  would　hardly　make　a　fit　companion　for　the　boldest　scout
  and　surest　hunter　on　the　lines。〃
  〃Ah；　Mabel！　　I　fear　me　that　I　have　been　improving　a　red…
  skin's　gifts　with　a　pale…face's　natur'？　　Such　a　character
  would　insure　a　wife　in　an　Indian　village。〃
  〃Surely；　surely；　Pathfinder；　you　would　not　think　of
  choosing　one　so　ignorant；　so　frivolous；　so　vain；　and　so　in…
  experienced　as　I　for　your　wife？〃　Mabel　would　have　added；
  〃and　as　young；〃　but　an　instinctive　feeling　of　delicacy　re…
  pressed　the　words。
  〃And　why　not；　Mabel？　　If　you　are　ignorant　of　frontier
  usages；　you　know　more　than　all　of　us　of　pleasant　anecdotes
  and　town　customs：　as　for　frivolous；　I　know　not　what　it
  means；　but　if　it　signifies　beauty；　ah's　me！　　I　fear　it　is　no
  fault　in　my　eyes。　　Vain　you　are　not；　as　is　seen　by　the　kind
  manner　in　which　you　listen　to　all　my　idle　tales　about
  scoutings　and　trails；　and　as　for　experielice；　that　will　come
  with　years。　　Besides；　Mabel；　I　fear　men　think　little　of　these
  matters　when　they　are　about　to　take　wives：　I　do。〃
  〃Pathfinder；　your　words；　　your　looks：　　surely　all　this
  is　meant　in　trifling；　you　speak　in　pleasantry？〃
  〃To　me　it　is　always　agreeable　to　be　near　you；　Mabel；　and
  I　should　sleep　sounder　this　blessed　night　than　I　have　done
  for　a　week　past；　could　I　think　that　you　find　such　discourse
  as　pleasant　as　I　do。〃
  We　shall　not　say　that　Mabel　Dunham　had　not　believed
  herself　a　favorite　with　the　guide。　　This　her　quick　femi…
  nine　sagacity　had　early　discovered；　and　perhaps　she　had
  occasionally　thought　there　had　mingled　with　his　regard
  and　friendship　some　of　that　manly　tenderness　which　the
  ruder　sex　must　be　coarse；　indeed；　not　to　show　on　occasions
  to　the　gentler；　but　the　idea　that　he　seriously　sought　her
  for　his　wife　had　never　before　crossed　the　mind　of　the　spir…
  ited　and　ingenuous　girl。　　Now；　however；　a　gleam　of　some…
  thing　like　the　truth　broke　in　upon　her　imagination；　less
  induced　by　the　words　of　her　companion；　perhaps；　than　by
  his　manner。　　Looking　earnestly　into　the　rugged；　honest
  countenance　of　the　scout；　Mabel's　own　features　became
  concerned　and　grave；　and　when　she　spoke　again；　it　was
  with　a　gentleness　of　manner　that　attracted　him　to　her　even
  more　powerfully　than　the　words　themselves　were　calculated
  to　repel。
  〃You　and　I　should　understand　each　other；　Pathfinder；〃
  said　she　with　an　earnest　sincerity；　〃nor　should　there　be
  any　cloud　between　us。　　You　are　too　upright　and　frank　to
  meet　with　anything　but　sincerity　and　frankness　in　return。
  Surely；　surely；　all　this　means　nothing；　　has　no　other　con…
  nection　with　your　feelings　than　such　a　friendship　as　one
  of　your　wisdom　and　character　would　naturally　feel　for　a
  girl　like　me？〃
  〃I　believe　it's　all　nat'ral；　Mabel　yes；　I　do：　the　Sergeant
  tells　me　he　had　such　feelings　towards　your　own　mother；
  and　I　think　I've　seen　something　like　it　in　the　young　people
  I　have　from　time　to　time　guided　through　the　wilderness。
  Yes；　yes；　I　daresay　it's　all　nat'ral　enough；　and　that　makes
  it　come　so　easy；　and　is　a　great　comfort　to　me。〃
  〃Pathfinder；　your　words　make　me　uneasy。　　Speak　plainer；
  or　change　the　subject　for　ever。　　You　do　not；　cannot　mean
  that　　you　cannot　wish　me　to　understand〃　　even　the
  tongue　of　the　spirited　Mabel　faltered；　and　she　shrank；　with
  maiden　shame；　from　adding　what　she　wished　so　earnestly
  to　say。　　Rallying　her　courage；　however；　and　determined　to
  know　all　as　soon　and　as　plainly　as　possible；　after　a　mo…
  ment's　hesitation；　she　continued；　　〃I　mean；　Pathfinder；
  that　you　do　not　wish　me　to　understand　that　you　seriously
  think　of　me　as　a　wife？〃
  〃I　do；　Mabel；　that's　it；　that's　just　it；　and　you　have　put　the
  matter　in　a　much　better　point　of　view　than　I　with　my　for…
  est　gifts　and　frontier　ways　would　ever　be　able　to　do。　　The
  Sergeant　and　I　have　concluded　on　the　matter；　if　it　is　agree…
  able　to　you；　as　he　thinks　is　likely　to　be　the　case；　though　I
  doubt　my　own　power　to　please　one　who　deserves　the　best
  husband　America　can　produce。〃
  Mabel's　countenance　changed　from　uneasiness　to　sur…
  prise；　and　then；　by　a　transition　still　quicker；　from　surprise
  to　pain。
  〃My　father！〃　she　exclaimed；　　〃my　dear　father　has
  thought　of　my　becoming　your　wife；　Pathfinder？〃
  〃Yes；　he　has；　Mabel；　he　has；　indeed。　　He　has　even
  thought　such　a　thing　might　be　agreeable　to　you；　and　has
  almost　encouraged　me　to　fancy　it　might　be　true。〃
  〃But　you　yourself；　　you　certainly　can　care　nothing
  whether　this　singular　expectation　shall　ever　be　realized　or
  not？〃
  〃Anan？〃
  〃I　mean；　Pathfinder；　that　you　have　talked　of　this　match
  more　to　oblige　my　father　than　anything　else；　that　your　feel…
  ings　are　no　way　concerned；　let　my　answer　be　what　it　may？〃
  The　scout　looked　earnestly　into　the　beautiful　face　of
  Mabel；　which　had　flushed　with　the　ardor　and　novelty　of
  her　sensations；　and　it　was　not　possible　to　mistake　the　in…
  tense　admiration　that　betrayed　itself　in　every　lineament　of
  his　ingenuous　countenance。
  〃I　have　often　thought　myself　happy；　Mabel；　when　rang…
  ing　the　woods　on　a　successful　hunt；　breathing　the　pure　air
  of　the　hills；　and　filled　with　vigor　and　health；　but　I