even　moved；　though　both　at　that　moment　fancied　they
  could　part　with　their　new…found　happiness　in　order　to　re…
  store　their　friend　to　his　peace　of　mind。　　Jasper　was　pale
  as　death；　but；　in　Mabel；　maiden　modesty　had　caused　the
  blood　to　mantle　on　her　cheeks；　until　their　bloom　was
  heightened　to　a　richness　that　was　scarcely　equalled　in　her
  hours　of　light…hearted　buoyancy　and　joy。　　As　the　feeling
  which；　in　her　sex；　always　accompanies　the　security　of　love
  returned；　threw　its　softness　and　tenderness　over　her　coun…
  tenance；　she　was　singularly　beautiful。　　Pathfinder　gazed
  at　her　with　an　intentness　he　did　not　endeavor　to　conceal；
  and　then　he　fairly　laughed　in　his　own　way；　and　with　a　sort
  of　wild　exultation；　as　men　that　are　untutored　are　wont　to
  express　their　delight。　　This　momentary　indulgence；　how…
  ever；　was　expiated　by　the　pang　which　followed　the　sudden
  consciousness　that　this　glorious　young　creature　was　lost　to
  him　for　ever。　　It　required　a　full　minute　for　this　simple…
  minded　being　to　recover　from　the　shock　of　this　conviction；
  and　then　he　recovered　his　dignity　of　manner；　speaking
  with　gravity；　almost　with　solemnity。
  〃I　have　always　known；　Mabel　Dunham；　that　men　have
  their　gifts；〃　said　he；　〃but　I'd　forgotten　that　it　did　not
  belong　to　mine　to　please　the　young；　the　beautiful；　and
  l'arned。　　I　hope　the　mistake　has　been　no　very　heavy　sin；
  and　if　it　was；　I've　been　heavily　punished　for　it；　I　have。
  Nay；　Mabel；　I　know　what　you'd　say；　but　it's　unnecessary；
  I　_feel_　it　all；　and　that　is　as　good　as　if　I　_heard_　it　all。　　I've
  had　a　bitter　hour；　Mabel。　　I've　had　a　very　bitter　hour；
  lad。〃
  〃Hour！〃　echoed　Mabel；　as　the　other　first　used　the
  word；　the　tell…tale　blood；　which　had　begun　to　ebb　towards
  her　heart；　rushing　again　tumultuously　to　her　very　tem…
  ples；　〃surely　not　an　hour；　Pathfinder？〃
  〃Hour！〃　exclaimed　Jasper　at　the　same　instant；　〃no；
  no；　my　worthy　friend；　it　is　not　ten　minutes　since　you　left
  us！〃
  〃Well；　it　may　be　so；　though　to　me　it　has　seemed　to　be
  day。　　I　begin　to　think；　however；　that　the　happy　count
  time　by　minutes；　and　the　miserable　count　it　by　months。
  But　we　will　talk　no　more　of　this；　it　is　all　over　now；　and
  many　words　about　it　will　make　you　no　happier；　while　they
  will　only　tell　me　what　I've　lost；　and　quite　likely　how　much
  I　desarved　to　lose　her。　　No；　no；　Mabel；　'tis　useless　to　in…
  terrupt　me；　I　admit　it　all；　and　your　gainsaying　it；　though
  it　be　so　well　meant；　cannot　change　my　mind。　　Well；　Jas…
  per；　she　is　yours；　and；　though　it's　hard　to　think　it；　I　do
  believe　you'll　make　her　happier　than　I　could；　for　your　gifts
  are　better　suited　to　do　so；　though　I　would　have　strived
  hard　to　do　as　much；　if　I　know　myself；　I　would。　　I　ought
  to　have　known　better　than　to　believe　the　Sergeant；　and　I
  ought　to　have　put　faith　in　what　Mabel　told　me　at　the　head
  of　the　lake；　for　reason　and　judgment　might　have　shown
  me　its　truth；　but　it　is　so　pleasant　to　think　what　we　wish；
  and　mankind　so　easily　over…persuade　us；　when　we　over…per…
  suade　ourselves。　　But　what's　the　use　in　talking　of　it；　as　I
  said　afore？　　It's　true；　Mabel　seemed　to　be　consenting；
  though　it　all　came　from　a　wish　to　please　her　father；　and
  from　being　skeary　about　the　savages　　〃
  〃Pathfinder！〃
  〃I　understand　you；　Mabel；　and　have　no　hard　feelings；　I
  haven't。　　I　sometimes　think　I　should　like　to　live　in　your
  neighborhood；　that　I　might　look　at　your　happiness；　but；
  on　the　whole；　it's　better　I　should　quit　the　55th　altogether；
  and　go　back　to　the　60th；　which　is　my　natyve　rigiment；　as
  it　might　be。　　It　would　have　been　better；　perhaps；　had　I
  never　left　it；　though　my　sarvices　were　much　wanted　in
  this　quarter；　and　I'd　been　with　some　of　the　55th　years
  agone；　Sergeant　Dunham；　for　instance；　when　he　was　in
  another　corps。　　Still；　Jasper；　I　do　not　regret　that　I've
  known　you　　〃
  〃And　me；　Pathfinder！〃　impetuously　interrupted　Mabel；
  〃do　you　regret　having　known　_me_？　　Could　I　think　so；　I
  should　never　be　at　peace　with　myself。〃
  〃You；　Mabel！〃　returned　the　guide；　taking　the　hand　of
  our　heroine　and　looking　up　into　her　countenance　with
  guileless　simplicity；　but　earnest　affection；　〃how　could　I
  be　sorry　that　a　ray　of　the　sun　came　across　the　gloom　of　a
  cheerless　day　　that　light　has　broken　in　upon　darkness；
  though　it　remained　so　short　a　time？　　I　do　not　flatter
  myself　with　being　able　to　march　quite　so　light…hearted
  as　I　once　used　to　could；　or　to　sleep　as　sound；　for　some　time
  to　come；　but　I　shall　always　remember　how　near　I　was　to
  being　undeservedly　happy；　I　shall。　　So　far　from　blaming
  you；　Mabel；　I　only　blame　myself　for　being　so　vain　as　to
  think　it　possible　I　could　please　such　a　creatur'；　for　sar…
  tainly　you　told　me　how　it　was；　when　we　talked　it　over　on
  the　mountain；　and　I　ought　to　have　believed　you　then；　for
  I　do　suppose　it's　nat'ral　that　young　women　should　know
  their　own　minds　better　than　their　fathers。　　Ah's　me！　　It's
  settled　now；　and　nothing　remains　but　for　me　to　take　leave
  of　you；　that　you　may　depart；　I　feel　that　Master　Cap　must
  be　impatient；　and　there　is　danger　of　his　coming　on　shore
  to　look　for　us　all。〃
  〃To　take　leave！〃　exclaimed　Mabel。
  〃Leave！〃　echoed　Jasper；　〃you　do　not　mean　to　quit　us；
  my　friend？〃
  〃'Tis　best；　Mabel；　'tis　altogether　best；　Eau…douce；　and
  it's　wisest。　　I　could　live　and　die　in　your　company；　if　I　only
  followed　feeling；　but；　if　I　follow　reason；　I　shall　quit　you
  here。　　You　will　go　back　to　Oswego；　and　become　man　and
  wife　as　soon　as　you　arrive；　　for　all　that　is　determined　with
  Master　Cap；　who　hankers　after　the　sea　again；　and　who
  knows　what　is　to　happen；　　while　I　shall　return　to　the　wil…
  derness　and　my　Maker。　　Come；　Mabel；〃　continued　Path…
  finder；　rising　and　drawing　nearer　to　our　heroine；　with　grave
  decorum；　〃kiss　me；　Jasper　will　not　grudge　me　one　kiss；
  then　we'll　part。〃
  〃Oh；　Pathfinder！〃　exclaimed　Mabel；　falling　into　the
  arms　of　the　guide；　and　kissing　his　cheeks　again　and　again；
  with　a　freedom　and　warmth　she　had　been　far　from　mani…
  festing　while　held　to　the　bosom　of　Jasper；　〃God　bless　you；
  dearest　Pathfinder！　　You'll　come　to　us　hereafter。　　We
  shall　see　you　again。　　When　old；　you　will　come　to　our
  dwelling；　and　let　me　be　a　daughter　to　you？〃
  〃Yes；　that's　it；〃　returned　the　guide；　almost　gasping　for
  breath；　〃I'll　try　to　think　of　it　in　that　way。　　You're　more
  befitting　to　be　my　daughter　than　to　be　my　wife；　you　are。
  Farewell；　Jasper。　　Now　we'll　go　to　the　canoe；　it's　time
  you　were　on　board。〃
  The　manner　in　which　Pathfinder　led　the　way　to　the
  shore　was　solemn　and　calm。　　As　soon　as　he　reached　the
  canoe；　he　again　took　Mabel　by　the　hands；　held　her　at　the
  length　of　his　own　arms；　and　gazed　wistfully　into　her　face；
  until　the　unbidden　tears　rolled　out　of　the　fountains　of
  feeling　and　trickled　down　his　rugged　cheeks　in　streams。
  〃Bless　me；　Pathfinder；〃　said　Mabel；　kneeling　reverently
  at　his　feet。　　〃Oh；　at　least　bless　me　before　we　part！〃
  That　untutored　but　noble…minded　being　did　as　she　de…
  sired；　and；　aiding　her　to　enter　the　canoe；　seemed　to　tear
  himself　away　as　one　snaps　a　strong　and　obstinate　cord。
  Before　he　retired；　however；　he　took　Jasper　by　the　arm　and
  led　him　a　little　aside；　when　he　spoke　as　follows：
  〃You're　kind　of　heart　and　gentle　by　natur'；　Jasper；　but
  we　are　both　rough　and　wild　in　comparison　with　that　dear
  creatur'。　　Be　careful　of　her；　and　never　show　the　roughness
  of　man's　natur'　to　her　soft　disposition。　　You'll　get　to　un…
  derstand　her　in　time；　and　the　Lord；　who　governs　the　lake
  and　the　forest　alike；　who　looks　upon　virtue　with　a　smile
  and　upon　vice　with　a　frown；　keep　you　happy　and　worthy
  to　be　so！〃
  Pathfinder　made　a　sign　for　his　friend　to　depart；　and　he
  stood　leaning　on　his　rifle　until　the　canoe　had　reached　the
  side　of　the　_Scud_。　Mabel　wept　as　if　her　heart　would　break；
  nor　did　her　eyes　once　turn　from　the　open　spot　in　the　glade；
  where　the　form　of　the　Pathfinder　was　to　be　seen；　until　the
  cutter　had　passed　a　point　that　completely　shut　out　the
  island。　　When　last　in　view；　the　sinewy　frame　of　this　extra…
  ordinary　man　was　as　motionless　as　if　it　were　a　statue　set
  up　in　that　solitary　place　to　commemorate　the　scenes　of
  which　it　had　so　lately　been　the　witness。
  CHAPTER　XXX。
  Oh！　let　me　only　breathe　the　air；
  The　blessed　air　that's　breath'd　by　thee；
  And；　whether　on　its　wings　it　bear
  Healing　or　death；　'tis　sweet　to　me！
  MOORE。
  Pathfinder　was　accustomed　to　solitude；　but；　when
  the　_Scud_　had　actually　disappeared；　he　was　almost　overcome
  with　a　sense　of　his　loneliness。　　Never　before　had　he　been
  conscious　of　his　isolated　condition　in　the　world；　for　his
  feelings　had　gradually　been　accustoming　themselves　to　the
  blandishments　and　wants　of　social　life；　particularly　as　the
  last　were　connected　with　the　domestic　affections。　　Now；　all
  had　vanished；　as　it　might　be；　in　one　moment；　and　he　was
  left　equally　without　companions　and　without　hope。　　Even
  Chingachgook　had　left　him；　though　it　was　but　temporarily；
  still　his　presence　was　missed　at　the　precise　instant　which
  might　be　termed　the　most　critical　in　our　hero's　life。
  Pathfinder　stood　leaning　on　his　rifle；　in　the　attitude
  described　in　the　last　chapter；　a　long　time　after　the　_Scud_
  had　disappeared。　　The　rigidity　of　his　limbs　seemed　per…
  manent；　and　none　but　a　man　accustomed　to　put　his　mus…
  cles　to　the　severest　proof　coul