woman　to　subdue　her　most　ardent　feelings；　her　thoughts
  reverted　to　her　father；　and　to　the　blessings　that　awaited
  the　child　who　yielded　to　a　parent's　wishes。
  〃Father；〃　she　said　quietly；　almost　with　a　holy　calm；
  〃God　blesses　the　dutiful　daughter。〃
  〃He　will；　Mabel；　we　have　the　Good　Book　for　that。〃
  〃I　will　marry　whomever　you　desire。〃
  〃Nay；　nay；　Mabel；　you　may　have　a　choice　of　your
  own　　〃
  〃I　have　no　choice；　that　is；　none　have　asked　me　to　have
  a　choice；　but　Pathfinder　and　Mr。　Muir；　and　between　_them_；
  neither　of　us　would　hesitate。　　No；　father；　I　will　marry
  whomever　you　may　choose。〃
  〃Thou　knowest　my　choice；　beloved　child；　none　other
  can　make　thee　as　happy　as　the　noble…hearted　guide。〃
  〃Well；　then；　if　he　wish　it；　if　he　ask　me　again　　for；
  father；　you　would　not　have　me　offer　myself；　or　that　any
  one　should　do　that　office　for　me；〃　and　the　blood　stole　across
  the　pallid　cheeks　of　Mabel　as　she　spoke；　for　high　and　gen…
  erous　resolutions　had　driven　back　the　stream　of　life　to　her
  heart；　〃no　one　must　speak　to　him　of　it；　but　if　he　seek
  me　again；　and；　knowing　all　that　a　true　girl　ought　to　tell
  the　man　she　marries；　he　then　wishes　to　make　me　his　wife；
  I　will　be　his。〃
  〃Bless　you；　my　Mabel！　　God　in　heaven　bless　you；　and　re…
  ward　you　as　a　pious　daughter　deserves　to　be　rewarded！〃
  〃Yes；　father；　put　your　mind　at　peace；　go　on　this　expe…
  dition　with　a　light　heart；　and　trust　in　God。　　For　me　you
  will　have　now　no　care。　　In　the　spring　　I　must　have　a　lit…
  tle　time；　father　　but　in　the　spring　I　will　marry　Pathfinder；
  if　that　noble…hearted　hunter　shall　then　desire　it。〃
  〃Mabel；　he　loves　you　as　I　loved　your　mother。　　I　have
  seen　him　weep　like　a　child　when　speaking　of　his　feelings
  towards　you。〃
  〃Yes；　I　believe　it；　I've　seen　enough　to　satisfy　me　that
  he　thinks　better　of　me　than　I　deserve；　and　certainly　the
  man　is　not　living　for　whom　I　have　more　respect　than　for
  Pathfinder；　not　even　for　you；　dear　father。〃
  〃That　is　as　it　should　be；　child；　and　the　union　will　be
  blessed。　　May　I　not　tell　Pathfinder　this？〃
  〃I　would　rather　you　would　not；　father。　　Let　it　come　of
  itself；　come　naturally。〃　　The　smile　that　illuminated　Mabel's
  handsome　face　was　angelic；　as　even　her　parent　thought；
  though　one　better　practised　in　detecting　the　passing　emo…
  tions；　as　they　betray　themselves　in　the　countenance；　might
  have　traced　something　wild　and　unnatural　in　it。　　〃No；　no；
  _we_　must　let　things　take　their　course；　father；　you　have　my
  solemn　promise。〃
  〃That　will　do；　that　will　do；　Mabel；　now　kiss　me。　　God
  bless　and　protect　you；　girl！　you　are　a　good　daughter。〃
  Mabel　threw　herself　into　her　father's　arms　　it　was　the
  first　time　in　her　life　　and　sobbed　on　his　bosom　like　an　in…
  fant。　　The　stern　soldier's　heart　was　melted；　and　the　tears
  of　the　two　mingled；　but　Sergeant　Dunham　soon　started；　as
  if　ashamed　of　himself；　and；　gently　forcing　his　daughter　from
  him；　he　bade　her　good…night；　and　sought　his　pallet。　　Mabel
  went　sobbing　to　the　rude　corner　that　had　been　prepared
  for　her　reception；　and　in　a　few　minutes　the　hut　was　un…
  disturbed　by　any　sound；　save　the　heavy　breathing　of　the
  veteran。
  CHAPTER　XX。
  Wandering；　I　found　on　my　ruinous　walk；
  By　the　dial　stone；　aged　and　green；
  One　rose　of　the　wilderness；　left　on　its　stalk；
  To　mark　where　a　garden　had　been。
  CAMPBELL。
  It　was　not　only　broad　daylight　when　Mabel　awoke；　but
  the　sun　had　actually　been　up　some　time。　　Her　sleep　had
  beeu　tranquil；　for　she　rested　on　an　approving　conscience；
  and　fatigue　contributed　to　render　it　sweet；　and　no　sound
  of　those　who　had　been　so　early　in　motion　had　interfered
  with　her　rest。　　Springing　to　her　feet　and　rapidly　dressing
  herself；　the　girl　was　soon　breathing　the　fragrance　of　the
  morning　in　the　open　air。　　For　the　first　time　she　was　sen…
  sibly　struck　with　the　singular　beauties；　as　well　as　with　the
  profound　retirement；　of　her　present　situation。　　The　day
  proved　to　be　one　of　those　of　the　autumnal　glory；　so　com…
  mon　to　a　climate　that　is　more　abused　than　appreciated；
  and　its　influence　was　every　way　inspiriting　and　genial。
  Mabel　was　benefitted　by　this　circumstance；　for；　as　she
  fancied；　her　heart　was　heavy　on　account　of　the　dangers　to
  which　a　father；　whom　she　now　began　to　love　as　women　love
  when　confidence　is　created；　was　exposed。
  But　the　island　seemed　absolutely　deserted。　　The　previ…
  ous　night；　the　bustle　of　the　arrival　had　given　the　spot　an
  appearance　of　life　which　was　now　entirely　gone；　and　our
  heroine　had　turned　her　eyes　nearly　around　on　every　object
  in　sight；　before　she　caught　a　view　of　a　single　human　being
  to　remove　the　sense　of　utter　solitude。　　Then；　indeed；　she
  beheld　all　who　were　left　behind；　collected　in　a　group
  around　a　fire　which　might　be　said　to　belong　to　the　camp。
  The　person　of　her　uncle；　to　whom　she　was　so　much　accus…
  tomed；　reassured　Mabel；　and　she　examined　the　remainder
  with　a　curiosity　natural　to　her　situation。　　Besides　Cap　and
  the　Quartermaster；　there　were　the　Corporal；　the　three　sol…
  diers；　and　the　woman　who　was　cooking。　　The　huts　were
  silent　and　empty；　and　the　low　but　tower…like　summit　of
  the　blockhouse　rose　above　the　bushes；　by　which　it　was　half
  concealed；　in　picturesque　beauty。　　The　sun　was　just　cast…
  ing　its　brightness　into　the　open　places　of　the　glade；　and
  the　vault　over　her　head　was　impending　in　the　soft　sub…
  limity　of　the　blue　void。　　Not　a　cloud　was　visible；　and　she
  secretly　fancied　the　circumstance　might　be　taken　as　a　har…
  binger　of　peace　and　security。
  Perceiving　that　all　the　others　were　occupied　with　that
  great　concern　of　human　nature；　a　breakfast；　Mabel　walked；
  unobserved；　towards　an　end　of　the　island　where　she　was
  completely　shut　out　of　view　by　the　trees　and　bushes。　　Here
  she　got　a　stand　on　the　very　edge　of　the　water；　by　forcing
  aside　the　low　branches；　and　stood　watching　the　barely
  perceptible　flow　and　re…flow　of　the　miniature　waves　which
  laved　the　shore；　a　sort　of　physical　echo　to　the　agitation
  that　prevailed　on　the　lake　fifty　miles　above　her。　　The
  glimpses　of　natural　scenery　that　offered　were　very　soft　and
  pleasing；　and　our　heroine；　who　had　a　quick　eye　for　all
  that　was　lovely　in　nature；　was　not　slow　in　selecting　the
  most　striking　bits　of　landscape。　　She　gazed　through　the
  different　vistas　formed　by　the　openings　between　the
  islands；　and　thought　she　had　never　looked　on　aught　more
  lovely。
  While　thus　occupied；　Mabel　was　suddenly　alarmed　by
  fancying　that　she　caught　a　glimpse　of　a　human　form　among
  the　bushes　that　lined　the　shore　of　the　island　which　lay
  directly　before　her。　　The　distance　across　the　water　was
  not　a　hundred　yards；　and；　though　she　might　be　mistaken；
  and　her　fancy　was　wandering　when　the　form　passed　be…
  fore　her　sight；　still　she　did　not　think　she　could　be　deceived。
  Aware　that　her　sex　would　be　no　protection　against　a　rifle
  bullet；　should　an　Iroquois　get　a　view　of　her；　the　girl　in…
  stinctively　drew　back；　taking　care　to　conceal　person　as
  much　as　possible　by　the　leaves；　while　she　kept　her　own　look
  riveted　on　the　opposite　shore；　vainly　waiting　for　some
  time　in　the　expectation　of　the　stranger。　　She　was　about
  to　quit　her　post　in　the　bushes　and　hasten　to　her　uncle；　in
  order　to　acquaint　him　of　her　suspicions；　when　she　saw　the
  branch　of　an　alder　thrust　beyond　the　fringe　of　bushes　on
  the　other　island；　and　waved　towards　her　significantly；　and
  as　she　fancied　in　token　of　amity。　　This　was　a　breathless
  and　a　trying　moment　to　one　as　inexperienced　in　frontier
  warfare　as　our　heroine　and　yet　she　felt　the　great　necessity
  that　existed　for　preserving　her　recollection；　and　of　acting
  with　steadiness　and　discretion。
  It　was　one　of　the　peculiarities　of　the　exposure　to　which
  those　who　dwelt　on　the　frontiers　of　America　were　liable；
  to　bring　out　the　moral　qualities　of　the　women　to　a　degree
  which　they　must　themselves；　under　other　circumstances；
  have　believed　they　were　incapable　of　manifesting；　and
  Mabel　well　knew　that　the　borderers　loved　to　dwell　in　their
  legends　on　the　presence　of　mind；　fortitude；　and　spirit　that
  their　wives　and　sisters　had　displayed　under　circumstances
  the　most　trying。　　Her　emulation　had　been　awakened　by
  what　she　had　heard　on　such　subjects；　and　it　at　once　struck
  her　that　now　was　the　moment　for　her　to　show　that　she
  was　truly　Sergeant　Dunham's　child。　　The　motion　of　the
  branch　was　such　as　she　believed　indicated　amity；　and；
  after　a　moment's　hesitation；　she　broke　off　a　twig；　fastened
  it　to　a　stick　and；　thrusting　it　through　an　opening；　waved
  it　in　return；　imitating　as　closely　as　possible　the　manner　of
  the　other。
  This　dumb　show　lasted　two　or　three　minutes　on　both
  sides；　when　Mabel　perceived　that　the　bushes　opposite　were
  cautiously　pushid　aside；　and　a　human　face　appeared　at　an
  opening。　　A　glance　sufficed　to　let　Mabel　see　that　it　was　the
  countenance　of　a　red…skin；　as　well　as　that　of　a　woman。　　A
  second　and　a　better　look　satisfied　her　that　it　was　the　face
  of　the　Dew…of…June；　the　wife　of　Arrowhead。　　During　the
  time　she　had　travelled　in　company　with　this　woman；
  Mabel　had　been　won　by　the　gentleness　of　manner；　the
  meek　simplicity；　and　the　mingled　awe　and　affection　with
  which　she　regarded　her　husband。　　Once　or　twice　in　the
  course　of　the　journey　she　fancied　the　Tuscarora　had　mani…
  fested　towards　herself　an　unpleasant　degree　of　attention；
  an