the pathfinder-第67章

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June　must　have　sister…wife；　love　to　have　you。〃

〃No；　June；　my　religion；　my　feelings；　both　forbid　it；
and；　if　I　could　be　the　wife　of　an　Indian　at　all；　I　would
never　take　the　place　that　is　yours　in　a　wigwam。〃

June　made　no　answer；　but　she　looked　gratified；　and　even
grateful。　　She　knew　that　few；　perhaps　no　Indian　girl
within　the　circle　of　Arrowhead's　acquaintance；　could　com…
pare　with　herself　in　personal　attractions；　and；　though　it
might　suit　her　husband　to　marry　a　dozen　wives；　she　knew
of　no　one；　beside　Mabel；　whose　influence　she　could　really
dread。　　So　keen　an　interest；　however；　had　she　taken　in　the
beauty；　winning　manners；　kindness；　and　feminine　gentle…
ness　of　our　heroine；　that　when　jealousy　came　to　chill　these
feelings；　it　had　rather　lent　strength　to　that　interest；　and；
under　its　wayward　influence；　had　actually　been　one　of　the
strongest　of　the　incentives　that　had　induced　her　to　risk　so
much　in　order　to　save　her　imaginary　rival　from　the　conse…
quences　of　the　attack　that　she　so　well　knew　was　about　to
take　place。　　In　a　word；　June；　with　a　wife's　keenness　of
perception；　had　detected　Arrowhead's　admiration　of　Mabel；
and；　instead　of　feeling　that　harrowing　jealousy　that　might
have　rendered　her　rival　hateful；　as　would　have　been　apt
to　be　the　case　with　a　woman　unaccustomed　to　defer　to　the
superior　rights　of　the　lordly　sex；　she　had　studied　the　looks
and　character　of　the　pale…face　beauty；　until；　meeting　with
nothing　to　repel　her　own　feelings；　but　everything　to　en…
courage　them；　she　had　got　to　entertain　an　admiration　and
love　for　her；　which；　though　certainly　very　different；　was
scarcely　less　strong　than　that　of　her　husband's。　　Arrow…
head　himself　had　sent　her　to　warn　Mabel　of　the　coming
danger；　though　he　was　ignorant　that　she　had　stolen　upon
the　island　in　the　rear　of　the　assailants；　and　was　now　in…
trenched　in　the　citadel　along　with　the　object　of　their　joint
care。　　On　the　contrary；　he　supposed；　as　his　wife　had　said；
that　Cap　and　Muir　were　in　the　blockhouse　with　Mabel；　and
that　the　attempt　to　repel　him　and　his　companions　had
been　made　by　the　men。

〃June　sorry　the　Lily〃　　for　so　the　Indian；　in　her　poeti…
cal　language；　had　named　our　heroine　　〃June　sorry　the
Lily　no　marry　Arrowhead。　　His　wigwam　big；　and　a　great
chief　must　get　wives　enough　to　fill　it。〃

〃I　thank　you；　June；　for　this　preference；　which　is　not
according　to　the　notion　of　us　white　women；〃　returned
Mabel；　smiling　in　spite　of　the　fearful　situation　in　which
she　was　placed；　〃but　I　may　not；　probably　never　shall；
marry　at　all。〃

〃Must　have　good　husband；〃　said　June；　〃marry　Eau…
douce；　if　don't　like　Arrowhead。〃

〃June！　this　is　not　a　fit　subject　for　a　girl　who　scarcely
knows　if　she　is　to　live　another　hour　or　not。　　I　would　obtain
some　signs　of　my　dear　uncle's　being　alive　and　safe；　if　pos…
sible。〃

〃June　go　see。〃

〃Can　you？　　will　you？　　would　it　be　safe　for　you　to　be
seen　on　the　island？　is　your　presence　known　to　the　warriors；
and　would　they　be　pleased　to　find　a　woman　on　the　war…
path　with　them？〃

All　this　Mabel　asked　in　rapid　connection；　fearing　that
the　answer　might　not　be　as　she　wished。　　She　had　thought
it　extraordinary　that　June　should　be　of　the　party；　and；　im…
probable　as　it　seemed；　she　had　fancied　that　the　woman
had　covertly　followed　the　Iroquois　in　her　own　canoe；　and
had　got　in　their　advance；　merely　to　give　her　the　notice
which　had　probably　saved　her　life。　　But　in　all　this　she
was　mistaken；　as　June；　in　her　imperfect　manner；　now
found　means　to　let　her　know。

Arrowhead；　though　a　chief；　was　in　disgrace　with　his　own
people；　and　was　acting　with　the　Iroquois　temporarily；
though　with　a　perfect　understanding。　　He　had　a　wigwam；
it　is　true；　but　was　seldom　in　it；　feigning　friendship　for
the　English；　he　had　passed　the　summer　ostensibly　in　their
service；　while　he　was；　in　truth；　acting　for　the　French；　and
his　wife　journeyed　with　him　in　his　many　migrations；　most
of　the　distances　being　passed　over　in　canoes。　　In　a　word；
her　presence　was　no　secret；　her　husband　seldom　moving
without　her。　　Enough　of　this　to　embolden　Mabel　to　wish
that　her　friend　might　go　out；　to　ascertain　the　fate　of　her
uncle；　did　June　succeed　in　letting　the　other　know；　and
it　was　soon　settled　between　them　that　the　Indian　woman
should　quit　the　blockhouse　with　that　object　the　moment　a
favorable　opportunity　offered。

They　first　examined　the　island；　as　thoroughly　as　their
position　would　allow；　from　the　different　loops；　and　found
that　its　conquerors　were　preparing　for　a　feast；　having　seized
upon　the　provisions　of　the　English　and　rifled　the　huts。
Most　of　the　stores　were　in　the　blockhouse；　but　enough
were　found　outside　to　reward　the　Indians　for　an　attack
that　had　been　attended　by　so　little　risk。　　A　party　had
already　removed　the　dead　bodies；　and　Mabel　saw　that　their
arms　were　collected　in　a　pile　near　the　spot　chosen　for　the
banquet。　　June　suggested　that；　by　some　signs　which　she
understood；　the　dead　themselves　were　carried　into　a　thicket
and　either　buried　or　concealed　from　view。　　None　of　the
more　prominent　objects　on　the　island；　however；　were　dis…
turbed；　it　being　the　desire　of　the　conquerors　to　lure　the
party　of　the　Sergeant　into　an　ambush　on　its　return。　　June
made　her　companion　observe　a　man　in　a　tree；　a　look…out；
as　she　said；　to　give　timely　notice　of　the　approach　of　any
boat；　although；　the　departure　of　the　expedition　being　so
recent；　nothing　but　some　unexpected　event　would　be　likely
to　bring　it　back　so　soon。　　There　did　not　appear　to　be　any
intention　to　attack　the　blockhouse　immediately；　but　every
indication；　as　understood　by　June；　rather　showed　that　it
was　the　intention　of　the　Indians　to　keep　it　besieged　until
the　return　of　the　Sergeant's　party；　lest；　the　signs　of　an　as…
sault　should　give　a　warning　to　eyes　as　practised　as　those
of　Pathfinder。　　The　boat；　however；　had　been　secured；　and
was　removed　to　the　spot　where　the　canoes　of　the　Indians
were　hid　in　the　bushes。

June　now　announced　her　intention　to　join　her　friends；
the　moment　being　particularly　favorable　for　her　to　quit
the　blockhouse。　　Mabel　felt　some　distrust　as　they　de…
scended　the　ladder；　but　at　the　next　instant　she　was
ashamed　of　the　feeling；　as　unjust　to　her　companion　and
unworthy　of　herself；　and　by　the　time　they　both　stood　on
the　ground　her　confidence　was　restored。　　The　process　of
unbarring　the　door　was　conducted　with　the　utmost　cau…
tion；　and　when　the　last　bar　was　ready　to　be　turned　June
took　her　station　near　the　spot　where　the　opening　must
necessarily　be。　　The　bar　was　just　turned　free　of　the
brackets；　the　door　was　opened　merely　wide　enongh　to　allow
her　body　to　pass；　and　June　glided　through　the　space。
Mabel　closed　the　door　again；　with　a　convulsive　movement；
and　as　the　bar　turned　into　its　place；　her　heart　beat　audibly。
She　then　felt　secure；　and　the　two　other　bars　were　turned
down　in　a　more　deliberate　manner。　　When　all　was　fast
again；　she　ascended　to　the　first　floor；　where　alone　she　could
get　a　glimpse　of　what　was　going　on　without。

Long　and　painfully　melancholy　hours　passed；　during
which　Mabel　had　no　intelligence　from　June。　　She　heard
the　yells　of　the　savages；　for　liquor　had　carried　them　be…
yond　the　bounds　of　precaution；　and　occasionally　caught
glimpses　of　their　mad　orgies　through　the　loops；　and　at　all
times　was　conscious　of　their　fearful　presence　by　sounds
and　sights　that　would　have　chilled　the　blood　of　one　who
had　not　so　lately　witnessed　scenes　so　much　more　terrible。
Toward　the　middle　of　the　day；　she　fancied　she　saw　a　white
man　on　the　island；　though　his　dress　and　wild　appearance
at　first　made　her　take　him　for　a　newly…arrived　savage。　　A
view　of　his　face；　although　it　was　swarthy　naturally；　and
much　darkened　by　exposure；　left　no　doubt　that　her　con…
jecture　was　true；　and　she　felt　as　if　there　was　now　one　of
a　species　more　like　her　own　present；　and　one　to　whom　she
might　appeal　for　succor　in　the　last　emergency。　　Mabel　lit…
tle　knew；　alas！　how　；small　was　the　influence　exercised　by
the　whites　over　their　savage　allies；　when　the　latter　had
begun　to　taste　of　blood；　or　how　slight；　indeed；　was　the
disposition　to　divert　them　from　their　cruelties。

The　day　seemed　a　month　by　Mabel's　computation；　and
the　only　part　of　it　that　did　not　drag　were　the　minutes
spent　in　prayer。　　She　had　recourse　to　this　relief　from　time
to　time；　and　at　each　effort　she　found　her　spirit　firmer；　her
mind　more　tranquil；　and　her　resignation　more　confirmed。
She　understood　the　reasoning　of　June；　and　believed　it
highly　probable　that　the　blockhouse　would　be　left　unmo…
lested　until　the　return　of　her　father；　in　order　to　entice　him
into　an　ambuscade；　and　she　felt　much　less　apprehension　of
immediate　danger　in　consequence；　but　the　future　offered
little　ground　of　hope；　and　her　thoughts　had　already　begun
to　calculate　the　chances　of　her　captivity。　　At　such　mo…
ments；　Arrowhead　and　his　offensive　admiration　filled　a
prominent　place　in　the　background：　for　our　heroine　well
knew　that　the　Indians　usually　carried　off　to　their　villages；
for　the　purposes　of　adoption；　such　captives　as　they　did　not
slay；　and　that　many　instances　had　occurred　in　which　in…
dividuals　of　her　sex　had　passed　the　remainder　of　their
lives　in　the　wigwams　of　their　conquerors。　　Such　thoughts
as　these　invariably　drove　her　to　her　knees　and　to　her
prayers。

While　the　light　lasted　the　situation　of　our　heroine　was
sufficiently　alarming；　but　as　the　shades　of　evening　grad…
ually　gathered　over　the　island；　it　became　fearfully　appal…
ling。　　By　this　time　the　savages　had　wrought　themselves
up　to　the　point　of　fury；　for　they　had　possessed　themselves
of　all　the　liquor　of　the　English；　and　their　outcries　and
gesticulations　were　those　of　men　truly　possessed　by　evil
spirits。　　All　the　efforts　of　their　French　leader　to　restrain
them　were　entirely　fruitless；　and　he　had　wisely　withdrawn
to　an　adjacent　island；　where　he　had　a　sort　of　bivouac；　that
he　might　keep　at　a　safe　distance　from　friends　so　apt　to
run　into　excesses。　　Before　quitting　the　spot；　however；　this
officer；　at　great　risk　to　his　own　life；　had　succeeded　in　ex…
tinguishing　the　fire；　and　in　securing　the　ordinary　means
to　relight　it。　　This　precaution　he　took　lest　the　Indians
should　burn　the　blockhouse；　the　preservation　of　which　was
necessary　to　the　success　of　his　future　plans。　　He　would
gladly　have　removed　all　the　arms　also；　but　this　he　found
impracticable；　the　warriors　clinging　to　their　knives　and
tomahawks　with　the　tenacity　of　men　who　regarded　a　point
of　honor　as　long　as　a　faculty　was　left；　and　to　carry　off　the
rifles；　and　leave　behind　him　the　very　weapons　that　were
generally　used　on　such　occasions；　would　have　been　an　idle
expedient。　　The　extinguishing　of　the　fire　proved　to　be　the
most　prudent　measure；　for　no　sooner　was　the　officer's　back
turned　than　one　of　the　warriors　in　fact　proposed　to　fire
the　blockhouse。　　Arrowhead　had　also　withdrawn　from　the
group　of　drunkards　as　soon　as　he　found　that　they　were
losing　their　senses；　and　had　taken　possession　of　a　hut；
where　he　had　thrown　himself　on　the　straw；　and　sought　the
rest　that　two　wakeful　and　watchful　nights　had　rendered
necessary。　　It　followed　that　no　one　was　left　among　the
Indians　to　care　for　Mabel；　if；　indeed；　any　knew　of　her　ex…
istence　at　all；　and　the　proposal　of　the　drunkard　was　re…
ceived　with　yells