the　cry　that　followed　it　so　quickly　as　to　blend　the　sounds。
  The　terrific　war…whoop　arose　out　of　the　covers　of　the
  island；　and　some　twenty　savages；　horrible　in　their　paint
  and　the　other　devices　of　Indian　ingenuity；　rushed　forward；
  eager　to　secure　the　coveted　scalps。　　Arrowhead　was　fore…
  most；　and　it　was　his　tomahawk　that　brained　the　insensible
  Jennie；　and　her　reeking　hair　was　hanging　at　his　girdle　as
  a　trophy　in　less　than　two　minutes　after　she　had　quitted
  the　blockhouse。　　His　companions　were　equally　active；　and
  M'Nab　and　his　soldiers　no　longer　presented　the　quiet　as…
  pect　of　men　who　slumbered。　　They　were　left　in　their　gore；
  unequivocally　butchered　co　rpses。
  All　this　passed　in　much　less　time　than　has　been　required
  to　relate　it；　and　all　this　did　Mabel　witness。　　She　had　stood
  riveted　to　the　spot；　gazing　on　the　whole　horrible　scene；　as
  if　enchained　by　some　charm；　nor　did　the　idea　of　self　or　of
  her　own　danger　once　obtrude　itself　on　her　thoughts。　　But
  no　sooner　did　she　perceive　the　place　where　the　men　had
  fallen　covered　with　savages；　exulting　in　the　success　of　their
  surprise；　than　it　occurred　to　her　that　Jennie　had　left　the
  blockhouse　door　unbarred。　　Her　heart　beat　violently；　for
  that　defence　alone　stood　between　her　and　immediate　death；
  and　she　sprang　toward　the　ladder　with　the　intention　of
  descending　to　make　sure　of　it。　　Her　foot　had　not　yet
  reached　the　floor　of　the　second　story；　however；　when　she
  heard　the　door　grating　on　its　hinges；　and　she　gave　herself
  up　for　lost。　　Sinking　on　her　knees；　the　terrified　but　cour…
  ageous　girl　endeavored　to　prepare　herself　for　death；　and
  to　raise　her　thoughts　to　God。　　The　instinct　of　life；　how…
  ever；　was　too　strong　for　prayer；　and　while　her　lips　moved；
  the　jealous　senses　watched　every　sound　beneath。　　When
  her　ears　heard　the　bars；　which　went　on　pivots　secured　to
  the　centre　of　the　door；　turning　into　their　fastenings；　not
  one；　as　she　herself　had　directed；　with　a　view　to　admit　her
  uncle　should　he　apply；　but　all　three；　she　started　again　to
  her　feet；　all　spiritual　contemplations　vanishing　in　her
  actual　temporal　condition；　and　it　seemed　as　if　all　her　fac…
  ulties　were　absorbed　in　the　sense　of　hearing。
  The　thoughts　are　active　in　a　moment　so　fearful。　　At
  first　Mabel　fancied　that　her　uncle　had　entered　the　block…
  house；　and　she　was　about　to　descend　the　ladder　and　throw
  herself　into　his　arms；　then　the　idea　that　it　might　be　an
  Indian；　who　had　barred　the　door　to　shut　out　intruders
  while　he　plundered　at　leisure；　arrested　the　movement。　　The
  profound　stillness　below　was　unlike　the　bold；　restless　move…
  ments　of　Cap；　and　it　seemed　to　savor　more　of　the　artifices
  of　an　enemy。　　If　a　friend　at　all；　it　could　only　be　her　uncle
  or　the　Quartermaster；　for　the　horrible　conviction　now　pre…
  sented　itself　to　our　heroine　that　to　these　two　and　herself
  were　the　whole　party　suddenly　reduced；　if；　indeed；　the　two
  latter　survived。　　This　consideration　held　Mabel　in　check；
  and　for　full　two　minutes　more　a　breathless　silence　reigned
  in　the　building。　　During　this　time　the　girl　stood　at　the
  foot　of　the　upper　ladder；　the　trap　which　led　to　the　lower
  opening　on　the　opposite　side　of　the　floor；　the　eyes　of
  Mabel　were　riveted　on　this　spot；　for　she　now　began　to　ex…
  pect　to　see　at　each　instant　the　horrible　sight　of　a　savage
  face　at　the　hole。　　This　apprehension　soon　became　so　in…
  tense；　that　she　looked　about　her　for　a　place　of　conceal…
  ment。　　The　procrastination　of　the　catastrophe　she　now
  fully　expected；　though　it　were　only　for　a　moment；　afforded
  a　relief。　　The　room　contained　several　barrels；　and　behind
  two　of　these　Mabel　crouched；　placing　her　eyes　at　an　open…
  ing　by　which　she　could　still　watch　the　trap。　　She　made
  another　effort　to　pray；　but　the　moment　was　too　horrible
  for　that　relief。　　She　thought；　too；　that　she　heard　a　low
  rustling；　as　if　one　were　ascending　the　lower　ladder　with　an
  effort　at　caution　so　great　as　to　betray　itself　by　its　own　ex…
  cess；　then　followed　a　creaking　that　she　was　certain　came
  from　one　of　the　steps　of　the　ladder；　which　had　made　the
  same　noise　under　her　own　light　weight　as　she　ascended。
  This　was　one　of　those　instants　into　which　are　compressed
  the　sensations　of　years　of　ordinary　existence。　　Life；　death；
  eternity；　and　extreme　bodily　pain　were　all　standing　out　in
  bold　relief　from　the　plane　of　every…day　occurrences；　and
  she　might　have　been　taken　at　that　moment　for　a　beautiful
  pallid　representation　of　herself；　equally　without　motion
  and　without　vitality。　　But　while　such　was　the　outward
  appearance　of　the　form；　never　had　there　been　a　time　in
  her　brief　career　when　Mabel　heard　more　acutely；　saw　more
  clearly；　or　felt　more　vividly。　　As　yet；　nothing　was　visible
  at　the　trap；　but　her　ears；　rendered　exquisitely　sensitive　by
  intense　feeling；　distinctly　acquainted　her　that　some　one
  was　within　a　few　inches　of　the　opening　in　the　floor。　　Next
  followed　the　evidence　of　her　eyes；　which　beheld　the　dark
  hair　of　an　Indian　rising　so　slowly　through　the　passage　that
  the　movements　of　the　head　might　be　likened　to　that　of　the
  minute…hand　of　a　clock；　then　came　the　dark　skin　and　wild
  features；　until　the　whole　of　the　swarthy　face　had　risen
  above　the　floor。　　The　human　countenance　seldom　appears
  to　advantage　when　partially　concealed；　and　Mabel　imagined
  many　additional　horrors　as　she　first　saw　the　black；　roving
  eyes　and　the　expression　of　wildness　as　the　savage　counte…
  nance　was　revealed；　as　it　might　be；　inch　by　inch；　but　when
  the　entire　head　was　raised　above　the　floor；　a　second　and　a
  better　look　assured　our　heroine　that　she　saw　the　gentle；
  anxious；　and　even　handsome　face　of　June。
  CHAPTER　XXII。
  Spectre　though　I　be；
  I　am　not　sent　to　scare　thee　or　deceive；
  But　in　reward　of　thy　fidelity。
  WORDSWORTH。
  It　would　be　difficult　to　say　which　evinced　the　most　sat…
  isfaction；　when　Mabel　sprang　to　her　feet　and　appeared　in
  the　centre　of　the　room；　our　heroine；　on　finding　that　her
  visitor　was　the　wife　of　Arrowhead；　and　not　Arrowhead
  himself；　or　June；　at　discovering　that　her　advice　had　been
  followed；　and　that　the　blockhouse　contained　the　person
  she　had　so　anxiously　and　almost　hopelessly　sought。　　They
  embraced　each　other；　and　the　unsophisticated　Tuscarora
  woman　laughed　in　her　sweet　accents　as　she　held　her　friend
  at　arm's　length；　and　made　certain　of　her　presence。
  〃Blockhouse　good；〃　said　the　young　Indian；　〃got　no
  scalp。〃
  〃It　is　indeed　good；　June；〃　Mabel　answered；　with　a　shud…
  der；　veiling　her　eyes　at　the　same　time；　as　if　to　shut　out　a
  view　of　the　horrors　she　had　so　lately　witnessed。　　〃Tell　me；
  for　God's　sake；　if　you　know　what　has　become　of　my　dear
  uncle！　　I　have　looked　in　all　directions　without　being　able
  to　see　him。〃
  〃No　here　in　blockhouse？〃　June　asked；　with　some　curi…
  osity。
  〃Indeed　he　is　not：　I　am　quite　alone　in　this　place；　Jen…
  nie；　the　woman　who　was　with　me；　having　rushed　out　to
  join　her　husband；　and　perishing　for　her　imprudence。〃
  〃June　know；　June　see；　very　bad；　Arrowhead　no　feel　for
  any　wife；　no　feel　for　his　own。〃
  〃Ah；　June；　your　life；　at　least；　is　safe！〃
  〃Don't　know；　Arrowhead　kill　me；　if　he　know　all。〃
  〃God　bless　and　protect　you；　June！　　He　_will_　bless　and
  protect　you　for　this　humanity。　　Tell　me　what　is　to　be
  done；　and　if　my　poor　uncle　is　still　living？〃
  〃Don't　know。　　Saltwater　has　boat；　maybe　he　go　on
  river。〃
  〃The　boat　is　still　on　the　shore；　but　neither　my　uncle　nor
  the　Quartermaster　is　anywhere　to　be　seen。〃
  〃No　kill；　or　June　would　see。　　Hide　away！　　Red　man
  hide；　no　shame　for　pale…face。〃
  〃It　is　not　the　shame　that　I　fear　for　them；　but　the　op…
  portunity。　　Your　attack　was　awfully　sudden；　June！〃
  〃Tuscarora！〃　returned　the　other；　smiling　with　exultation
  at　the　dexterity　of　her　husband。　　〃Arrowhead　great　war…
  rior！〃
  〃You　are　too　good　and　gentle　for　this　sort　of　life；　June；
  you　cannot　be　happy　in　such　scenes？〃
  June's　countenance　grew　clouded；　and　Mabel　fancied
  there　was　some　of　the　savage　fire　of　a　chief　in　her　frown
  as　she　answered；
  〃Yengeese　too　greedy；　take　away　all　hunting…grounds；
  chase　Six　Nation　from　morning　to　night；　wicked　king；
  wicked　people。　　Pale…face　very　bad。〃
  Mabel　knew　that；　even　in　that　distant　day；　there　was
  much　truth　in　this　opinion；　though　she　was　too　well　in…
  structed　not　to　understand　that　the　monarch；　in　this；　as
  in　a　thousand　other　cases；　was　blamed　for　acts　of　which　he
  was　most　probably　ignorant。　　She　felt　the　justice　of　the
  rebuke；　therefore；　too　much　to　attempt　an　answer；　and
  her　thoughts　naturally　reverted　to　her　own　situation。
  〃And　what　am　I　to　do；　June？〃　she　demanded。　　〃It
  cannot　be　long　before　your　people　will　assault　this　build…
  ing。〃
  〃Blockhouse　good　　got　no　scalp。
  〃But　they　will　soon　discover　that　it　has　got　no　garrison
  too；　if　they　do　not　know　it　already。　　You　yourself　told
  me　the　number　of　people　that　were　on　the　island；　and
  doubtless　you　learned　it　from　Arrowhead。〃
  〃Arrowhead　know；〃　answered　June；　holding　up　six　fin…
  gers；　to　indicate　the　number　of　the　men。　　〃All　red　men
  know。　　Four　lose　scalp　already；　two　got　'em　yet。〃
  〃Do　not　speak　of　it；　June；　the　horrid　thought　curdles
  my　blood。　　Your　people　cannot　know　that　I　am　alone　in
  the　blockhouse；　but　may　fancy　my　uncle　and　the　Quarter…
  master　with　me；　and　may　set　fire　to　the　building；　in　orde