manent；　and　none　but　a　man　accustomed　to　put　his　mus…
  cles　to　the　severest　proof　could　have　maintained　that　pos…
  ture；　with　its　marble…like　inflexibility；　for　so　great　a　length
  of　time。　　At　length　he　moved　away　from　the　spot；　the
  motion　of　the　body　being　preceded　by　a　sigh　that　seemed
  to　heave　up　from　the　very　depths　of　his　bosom。
  It　was　a　peculiarity　of　this　extraordinary　being　that　his
  senses　and　his　limbs；　for　all　practical　purposes；　were　never
  at　fault；　let　the　mind　be　preoccupied　with　other　interests　as
  much　as　it　might。　　On　the　present　occasion　neither　of
  these　great　auxiliaries　failed　him；　but；　though　his　thoughts
  were　exclusively　occupied　with　Mabel；　her　beauty；　her　pref…
  erence　of　Jasper；　her　tears；　and　her　departure；　he　moved
  in　a　direct　line　to　the　spot　where　June　still　remained；
  which　was　the　grave　of　her　husband。　　The　conversation
  that　followed　passed　in　the　language　of　the　Tuscaroras；
  which　Pathfinder　spoke　fluently；　but；　as　that　tongue　is
  understood　only　by　the　extremely　learned；　we　shall　trans…
  late　it　freely　into　the　English；　preserving；　as　far　as　possi…
  ble；　the　tone　of　thought　of　each　interlocutor；　as　well　as　the
  peculiarities　of　manner。　　June　had　suffered　her　hair　to　fall
  about　her　face；　had　taken　a　seat　on　a　stone　which　had　been
  dug　from　the　excavation　made　by　the　grave；　and　was　hang…
  ing　over　the　spot　which　contained　the　body　of　Arrowhead；
  unconscious　of　the　presence　of　any　other。　　She　believed；
  indeed；　that　all　had　left　the　island　but　herself；　and　the
  tread　of　the　guide's　moccassined　foot　was　too　noiseless
  rudely　to　undeceive　her。
  Pathfinder　stood　gazing　at　the　woman　for　several　min…
  utes　in　mute　attention。　　The　contemplation　of　her　grief；
  the　recollection　of　her　irreparable　loss；　and　the　view　of　her
  desolation　produced　a　healthful　influence　on　his　own　feel…
  ings；　his　reason　telling　him　how　much　deeper　lay　the
  sources　of　grief　in　a　young　wife；　who　was　suddenly　and
  violently　deprived　of　her　husband；　than　in　himself。
  〃Dew…of…June；〃　he　said　solemnly；　but　with　an　earnest…
  ness　which　denoted　the　strength　of　his　sympathy；　〃you
  are　not　alone　in　your　sorrow。　　Turn；　and　let　your　eyes　look
  upon　a　friend。〃
  〃June　has　no　longer　any　friend！〃　the　woman　answered。
  〃Arrowhead　has　gone　to　the　happy　hunting…grounds；　and
  there　is　no　one　left　to　care　for　June。　　The　Tuscaroras
  would　chase　her　from　their　wigwams；　the　Iroquois　are
  hateful　in　her　eyes；　and　she　could　not　look　at　them。　　No！
  leave　June　to　starve　over　the　grave　of　her　husband。〃
  〃This　will　never　do　　this　will　never　do。　　'Tis　ag'in　rea…
  son　and　right。　　You　believe　in　the　Manitou；　June？〃
  〃He　has　hid　his　face　from　June　because　he　is　angry。
  He　has　left　her　alone　to　die。〃
  〃Listen　to　one　who　has　had　a　long　acquaintance　with
  red　natur'；　though　he　has　a　white　birth　and　white　gifts。
  When　the　Manitou　of　a　pale…face　wishes　to　produce　good
  in　a　pale…face　heart　He　strikes　it　with　grief；　for　it　is　in
  our　sorrows；　June；　that　we　look　with　the　truest　eyes　into
  ourselves；　and　with　the　farthest…sighted　eyes　too；　as　re…
  spects　right。　　The　Great　Spirit　wishes　you　well；　and　He
  has　taken　away　the　chief；　lest　you　should　be　led　astray　by
  his　wily　tongue；　and　get　to　be　a　Mingo　in　your　disposition；
  as　you　were　already　in　your　company。〃
  〃Arrowhead　was　a　great　chief；〃　returned　the　woman
  proudly。
  〃He　had　his　merits；　he　had；　and　he　had　his　demerits；
  too。　　But　June　you　are　not　desarted；　nor　will　you　be　soon。
  Let　you；　grief　out　　let　it　out；　accordiug　to　natur'；　and
  when　the　proper　time　comes　I　shall　have　more　to　say　to
  you。〃
  Pathfinder　now　went　to　his　own　canoe；　and　he　left　the
  island。　　In　the　course　of　the　day　June　heard　the　crack　of
  his　rifle　once　or　twice；　and　as　the　sun　was　setting　he　re…
  appeared；　bringing　her　birds　ready　cooked；　and　of　a　deli…
  cacy　and　flavor　that　might　have　tempted　the　appitite　of
  an　epicure。　　This　species　of　intercourse　lasted　a　month；
  June　obstinately　refusing　to　abandon　the　grave　of　her　hus…
  band　all　that　time；　though　she　still　accepted　the　friendly
  offerings　of　her　protector。　　Occasionally　they　met　and　con…
  versed；　Pathfinder　sounding　the　state　of　the　woman's　feel…
  ings；　but　the　interviews　were　short；　and　far　from　frequent。
  June　slept　in　one　of　the　huts；　and　she　laid　down　her　head
  in　security；　for　she　was　conscious　of　the　protection　of　a
  friend；　though　Pathfinder　invariably　retired　at　night　to　an
  adjacent　island；　where　he　had　built　himself　a　hut。
  At　the　end　of　the　month；　however；　the　season　was　getting
  to　be　too　far　advanced　to　render　her　situation　pleasant　to
  June。　　The　trees　had　lost　their　leaves；　and　the　nights　were
  becoming　cold　and　wintry。　　It　was　time　to　depart。
  At　this　moment　Chingachgook　reappeared。　　He　had　a
  long　and　confidential　interview　on　the　island　with　his
  friend。　　June　witnessed　their　movements；　and　she　saw　that
  her　guardian　was　distressed。　　Stealing　to　his　side；　she　en…
  deavored　to　soothe　his　sorrow　with　a　woman's　gentleness
  and　with　a　woman's　instinct。
  〃Thank　you；　June；　thank　you！〃　he　said；　〃'tis　well
  meant；　though　it's　useless。　　But　it　is　time　to　quit　this
  place。　　To…morrow　we　shall　depart。　　You　will　go　with　us；
  for　now　you've　got　to　feel　reason。〃
  June　assented　in　the　meek　manner　of　an　Indian　woman；
  and　she　withdrew　to　pass　the　remainder　of　her　time　near
  the　grave　of　Arrowhead。　　Regardless　of　the　hour　and　the
  season；　the　young　widow　did　not　pillow　her　head　during
  the　whole　of　that　autumnal　night。　　She　sat　near　the　spot
  that　held　the　remains　of　her　husband；　and　prayed；　in　the
  manner　of　her　people；　for　his　success　on　the　endless　path
  on　which　he　had　so　lately　gone；　and　for　their　reunion　in
  the　land　of　the　just。　　Humble　and　degraded　as　she　would
  have　seemed　in　the　eyes　of　the　sophisticated　and　unreflect…
  ing；　the　image　of　God　was　on　her　soul；　and　it　vindicated
  its　divine　origin　by　aspirations　and　feelings　that　would
  have　surprised　those　who；　feigning　more；　feel　less。
  In　the　morning　the　three　departed；　Pathfinder　earnest
  and　intelligent　in　all　he　did；　the　Great　Serpent　silent　and
  imitative；　and　June　meek；　resigned；　but　sorrowful。　　They
  went　in　two　canoes；　that　of　the　woman　being　abandoned：
  Chingachgook　led　the　way；　and　Pathfinder　followed；　the
  course　being　up　stream。　　Two　days　they　paddled　westward；
  and　as　many　nights　they　encamped　on　islands。　　Fortu…
  nately　the　weather　became　mild；　and　when　they　reached
  the　lake　it　was　found　smooth　and　glassy　as　a　pond。　　It　was
  the　Indian　summer；　and　the　calms；　and　almost　the　bland…
  ness　of　June；　slept　in　the　hazy　atmosphere。
  On　the　morning　of　the　third　day　they　passed　the　mouth
  of　the　Oswego；　where　the　fort　and　the　sleeping　ensign　in…
  vited　them　in　vain　to　enter。　　Without　casting　a　look　aside；
  Chingachgook　paddled　past　the　dark　waters　of　the　river；
  and　Pathfinder　still　followed　in　silent　industry。　　The
  ramparts　were　crowded　with　spectators；　but　Lundie；　who
  knew　the　persons　of　his　old　friends；　refused　to　allow　them
  to　be　even　hailed。
  It　was　noon　when　Chingachgook　entered　a　little　bay
  where　the　_Scud_　lay　at　anchor；　in　a　sort　of　roadstead。　　A
  small　ancient　clearing　was　on　the　shore；　and　near　the
  margin　of　the　lake　was　a　log　dwelling；　recently　and　com…
  pletely；　though　rudely　fitted　up。　　There　was　an　air　of　fron…
  tier　comfort　and　of　frontier　abundance　around　the　place；
  though　it　was　necessarily　wild　and　solitary。　　Jasper　stood
  on　the　shore；　and　when　Pathfinder　landed；　he　was　the
  first　to　take　him　by　the　hand。　　The　meeting　was　simple；
  but　very　cordial。　　No　questions　were　asked；　it　being　ap…
  parent　that　Chingachgook　had　made　the　necessary　expla…
  nantions。　　Pathfinder　never　squeezed　his　friend's　hand
  more　cordially　than　in　this　interview；　and　he　even　laughed
  cordially　in　his　face　as　he　told　him　how　happy　and　well　he
  appeared。
  〃Where　is　she；　Jasper？　where　is　she？〃　the　guide　at
  length　whispered；　for　at　first　he　had　seemed　to　be　afraid
  to　trust　himself　with　the　question。
  〃She　is　waiting　for　us　in　the　house；　my　dear　friend；
  where　you　see　that　June　has　already　hastened　before　us。〃
  〃June　may　use　a　lighter　step　to　meet　Mabel；　but　she　can…
  not　carry　a　lighter　heart。　　And　so；　lad；　you　found　the　chap…
  lain　at　the　garrison；　and　all　was　soon　settled？〃
  〃We　were　married　within　a　week　after　we　left　you；　and
  Master　Cap　departed　next　day。　　You　have　forgotten　to　in…
  quire　about　your　friend　Saltwater。〃
  〃Not　I；　not　I；　the　Sarpent　has　told　me　all　that：　and
  then　I　love　to　hear　so　much　of　Mabel　and　her　happiness；
  I　do。　　Did　the　child　smile　or　did　she　weep　when　the　cere…
  mony　was　over？〃
  〃She　did　both；　my　friend；　but　　〃
  〃Yes；　that's　their　natur'；　tearful　and　cheerful。　　Ah's
  me！　they　are　very　pleasant　to　us　of　the　woods；　and　I　do
  believe　I　should　think　all　right；　whatever　Mabel　might　do。
  And　do　you　think；　Jasper；　that　she　thought　of　me　at　all
  on　that　joyful　occasion？〃
  〃I　know　she　did；　Pathfinder；　and　she　thinks　of　you　and
  talks　of　you　daily；　almost　hourly。　　None　love　you　as　we
  do。〃
  〃I　know　few　love　me　better　than　yourself；　Jasper：
  Chingachgook　is　perhaps；　now；　the　only　creatur'　of　whom
  I　can　say　that。　　Well；　there's　no　use　in　putting　it　off　any
  longer；　it　must　be　done；　and　may　as　well　be　done　at　once；
  so；　Jasper；　lead　the　way；　and　I'll　endivor　to　lo