the　varieties　of　our　religious　creeds；　let　us　depend　on　the
  mediation　of　Christ；　the　dogmas　of　Mahomet；　or　the　elab…
  orated　allegories　of　the　East；　there　is　a　conviction；　common
  to　all　men；　that　death　is　but　the　stepping…stone　between
  this　and　a　more　elevated　state　of　being。　　Sergeant　Dun…
  ham　was　a　brave　man；　but　he　was　departing　for　a　country
  in　which　resolution　could　avail　him　nothing；　and　as　he
  felt　himself　gradually　loosened　from　the　grasp　of　the　world；
  his　thoughts　and　feelings　took　the　natural　direction；　for
  if　it　be　true　that　death　is　the　great　leveller；　in　nothing　is
  it　more　true　than　that　it　reduces　all　to　the　same　views　of
  the　vanity　of　life。
  Pathfinder；　though　a　man　of　peculiar　habits　and　opin…
  ions；　was　always　thoughtful；　and　disposed　to　view　the
  things　around　him　with　a　shade　of　philosophy；　as　well　as
  with　seriousness。　　In　him；　therefore；　the　scene　in　the
  blockhouse　awakened　no　very　novel　feelings。　　But　the
  case　was　different　with　Cap：　rude；　opinionated；　dogmati…
  cal；　and　boisterous；　the　old　sailor　was　little　accustomed　to
  view　even　death　with　any　approach　to　the　gravity　which
  its　importance　demands；　and　notwithstanding　all　that　had
  passed；　and　his　real　regard　for　his　brother…in…law；　he　now
  entered　the　room　of　the　dying　man　with　much　of　that
  callous　unconcern　which　was　the　fruit　of　long　training　in
  a　school　that；　while　it　gives　so　many　lessons　in　the　sublim…
  est　truths；　generally　wastes　its　admonitions　on　scholars
  who　are　little　disposed　to　profit　by　them。
  The　first　proof　that　Cap　gave　of　his　not　entering　so　fully
  as　those　around　him　into　the　solemnity　of　the　moment；
  was　by　commencing　a　narration　of　the　events　which　had
  just　led　to　the　deaths　of　Muir　and　Arrowhead。　　〃Both
  tripped　their　anchors　in　a　hurry；　brother　Dunham；〃　he
  concluded；　〃and　you　have　the　consolation　of　knowing
  that　others　have　gone　before　you　in　the　great　journey；　and
  they；　too；　men　whom　you've　no　particular　reason　to　love；
  which　to　me；　were　I　placed　in　your　situation；　would　be　a
  source　of　very　great　satisfaction。　　My　mother　always　said；
  Master　Pathfinder；　that　dying　people's　spirits　should　not
  be　damped；　but　that　they　ought　to　be　encouraged　by　all
  proper　and　prudent　means；　and　this　news　will　give　the
  poor　fellow　a　great　lift；　if　he　feels　towards　them　savages
  any　way　as　I　feel　myself。〃
  June　arose　at　this　intelligence；　and　stole　from　the　block…
  house　with　a　noiseless　step。　　Dunham　listened　with　a　va…
  cant　stare；　for　life　had　already　lost　so　many　of　its　ties　that
  he　had　really　forgotten　Arrowhead；　and　cared　nothing　for
  Muir；　but　he　inquired；　in　a　feeble　voice；　for　Eau…douce。
  The　young　man　was　immediately　summoned；　and　soon
  made　his　appearance。　　The　Sergeant　gazed　at　him　kindly；
  and　the　expression　of　his　eyes　was　that　of　regret　for　the
  injury　he　had　done　him　in　thought。　　The　party　in　the
  blockhouse　now　consisted　of　Pathfinder；　Cap；　Mabel；　Jas…
  por；　and　the　dying　man。　　With　the　exception　of　the　daugh…
  ter；　all　stood　around　the　Sergeant's　pallet；　in　attendance
  in　his　last　moments。　　Mabel　kneeled　at　his　side；　now　press…
  ing　a　clammy　hand　to　her　head；　now　applying　moisture　to
  the　parched　lips　of　her　father。
  〃Your　case　will　shortly　be　ourn；　Sergeant；〃　said　Path…
  finder；　who　could　hardly　be　said　to　be　awestruck　by　the
  scene；　for　he　had　witnessed　the　approach　and　victories　of
  death　too　often　for　that；　but　who　felt　the　full　difference
  between　his　triumphs　in　the　excitement　of　battle　and　in
  the　quiet　of　the　domestic　circle；　〃and　I　make　no　question
  we　shall　meet　ag'in　hereafter。　　Arrowhead　has　gone　his
  way；　'tis　true；　but　it　can　never　be　the　way　of　a　just　In…
  dian。　　You've　seen　the　last　of　him；　for　his　path　cannot　be
  the　path　of　the　just。　　Reason　is　ag'in　the　thought　in　his
  case；　as　it　is　also；　in　my　judgment；　ag'in　it　too　in　the　case
  of　Lieutenant　Muir。　　You　have　done　your　duty　in　life；
  and　when　a　man　does　that；　he　may　start　on　the　longest
  journey　with　a　light　heart　and　an　actyve　foot。〃
  〃I　hope　so；　my　friend：　I've　tried　to　do　my　duty。〃
  〃Ay；　ay；〃　put　in　Cap；　〃intention　is　half　the　battle；　and
  though　you　would　have　done　better　had　you　hove…to　in
  the　offing　and　sent　a　craft　in　to　feel　how　the　land　lay；　things
  might　have　turned　out　differently：　no　one　here　doubts
  that　you　meant　all　for　the　best；　and　no　one　anywhere　else；
  I　should　think；　from　what　I've　seen　of　this　world　and　read
  of　t'other。〃
  〃I　did；　yes。　　I　meant　all　for　the　best。〃
  〃Father！　　Oh；　my　beloved　father！〃
  〃Magnet　is　taken　aback　by　this　blow；　Master　Pathfinder；
  and　can　say　or　do　but　little　to　carry　her　father　over　the
  shoals；　so　we　must　try　all　the　harder　to　serve　him　a
  friendly　turn　ourselves。〃
  〃Did　you　speak；　Mabel？〃　Dunham　asked；　turning　his
  eyes　in　the　direction　of　his　daughter；　for　he　was　already
  too　feeble　to　turn　his　body。
  〃Yes；　father；　rely　on　nothing　you　have　done　yourself
  for　mercy　and　salvation；　trust　altogether　in　the　blessed
  mediation　of　the　Son　of　God！〃
  〃The　chaplain　has　told　us　something　like　this；　brother。
  The　dear　child　may　be　right。〃
  〃Ay；　ay；　that's　doctrine；　out　of　question。　　He　will　be
  our　Judge；　and　keeps　the　log…book　of　our　acts；　and　will
  foot　them　all　up　at　the　last　day；　and　then　say　who　has
  done　well　and　who　has　done　ill。　　I　do　believe　Mabel　is
  right；　but　then　you　need　not　be　concerned；　as　no　doubt
  the　account　has　been　fairly　kept。〃
  〃Uncle！　　dearest　father！　this　is　a　vain　illusion！　　Oh；　place
  all　your　trust　in　the　mediation　of　our　Holy　Redeemer！
  Have　you　not　often　felt　your　own　insufficiency　to　effect
  your　own　wishes　in　the　commonest　things？　and　how　can
  you　imagine　yourself；　by　your　own　acts；　equal　to　raise　up
  a　frail　and　sinful　nature　sufficiently　to　be　received　into　the
  presence　of　perfect　purity？　　There　is　no　hope　for　any　but
  in　the　mediation　of　Christ！〃
  〃This　is　what　the　Moravians　used　to　tell　us；〃　said　Path…
  finder　to　Cap　in　a　low　voice；　〃rely　on　it；　Mabel　is　right。〃
  〃Right　enough；　friend　Pathfinder；　in　the　distances；　but
  wrong　in　the　course。　　I'm　afraid　the　child　will　get　the
  Sergeant　adrift；　at　the　very　moment　when　we　had　him　in
  the　best　of　the　water　and　in　the　plainest　part　of　the　chan…
  nel。〃
  〃Leave　it　to　Mabel；　leave　it　to　Mabel；　she　knows　better
  than　any　of　us；　and　can　do　no　harm。〃
  〃I　have　heard　this　before；〃　Dunham　at　length　replied。
  〃Ah；　Mabel！　it　is　strange　for　the　parent　to　lean　on　the
  child　at　a　moment　like　this！〃
  〃Put　your　trust　in　God；　father；　lean　on　His　holy　and
  compassionate　Son。　　Pray；　dearest；　dearest　father；　pray
  for　His　omnipotent　support。〃
  〃I　am　not　used　to　prayer。　　Brother；　Pathfinder　　Jasper；
  can　you　help　me　to　words？〃
  Cap　scarcely　knew　what　prayer　meant；　and　he　had　no
  answer　to　give。　　Pathfinder　prayed　often；　daily；　if　not
  hourly；　but　it　was　mentally；　in　his　own　simple　modes　of
  thinking；　and　without　the　aid　of　words　at　all。　　In　this
  strait；　therefore；　he　was　as　useless　as　the　mariner；　and　had
  no　reply　to　make。　　As　for　Jasper　Eau…douce；　though　he
  would　gladly　have　endeavored　to　move　a　mountain　to　re…
  lieve　Mabel；　this　was　asking　assistance　it　exceeded　his
  power　to　give；　and　he　shrank　back　with　the　shame　that　is
  only　too　apt　to　overcome　the　young　and　vigorous；　when
  called　on　to　perform　an　act　that　tacitly　confesses　their
  real　weakness　and　dependence　on　a　superior　power。
  〃Father；〃　said　Mabel；　wiping　her　eyes；　and　endeavoring
  to　compose　features　that　were　pallid；　and　actually　quiver…
  ing　with　emotion；　〃I　will　pray　with　you；　for　you；　for　_my…
  self_；　for　us　_all_。　　The　petition　of　the　feeblest　and　humblest
  is　never　unheeded。〃
  There　was　something　sublime；　as　well　as　much　that　was
  supremely　touching；　in　this　act　of　filial　piety。　　The　quiet
  but　earnest　manner　in　which　this　young　creature　prepared
  herself　to　perform　the　duty；　the　self…abandonment　with
  which　she　forgot　her　sex's　timidity　and　sex's　shame；　in
  order　to　sustain　her　parent　at　that　trying　moment；　the
  loftiness　of　purpose　with　which　she　directed　all　her　powers
  to　the　immense　object　before　her；　with　a　woman's　devotion
  and　a　woman's　superiority　to　trifles；　when　her　affections
  make　the　appeal；　and　the　holy　calm　into　which　her　grief
  was　compressed；　rendered　her；　for　the　moment；　an　object
  of　something　very　like　awe　and　veneration　to　her　compan…
  ions。
  Mabel　had　been　religiously　educated；　equally　without
  exaggeration　and　without　self…sufficiency。　　Her　reliance　on
  God　was　cheerful　and　full　of　hope；　while　it　was　of　the
  humblest　and　most　dependent　nature。　　She　had　been　ac…
  customed　from　childhood　to　address　herself　to　the　Deity
  in　prayer；　taking　example　from　the　Divine　mandate　of
  Christ　Himself；　who　commanded　His　followers　to　abstain
  from　vain　repetitions；　and　who　has　left　behind　Him　a　pe…
  tition　which　is　unequalled　for　sublimity；　as　if　expressly　to
  rebuke　the　disposition　of　man　to　set　up　his　own　loose　and
  random　thoughts　as　the　most　acceptable　sacrifice。　　The
  sect　in　which　she　had　been　reared　has　furnished　to　its　fol…
  lowers　some　of　the　most　beautiful　compositions　in　the　lan…
  guage；　as　a　suitable　vehicle　for　its　devotion　and　solicitations。
  Accustomed　to　this　mode　of　public　and　even　private
  prayer；　the　mind　of　our　heroine　had　naturally　fallen　into
  its　train　of　lofty　thought；　her　task　had　become　improved
  by　its