Frostburg mining journal., 1883-12-01

suading himselfof their truth. Still
ignorant of the fate of those who had
trusted to the aid of the swift current,
he at first listened intently to any
signal, or sound of alarm, which
might announce the good or evil for
tune of their hazardous undertaking.
His attention was, however, bestowed
in vain; for, with the disappearance
of Uncas, every sign of the advent
urers had been lost, leaving him in
total uncertainty Of their fate.
In a moment Of such painful doubt,
Duncan did not hesitate to look about
him, without consulting that protec-
ton from the rocks which just before
had been so necessary to his safety.
Every effort, however, to detect the
least evidence of the approach of their
hidden enemies was as fruitless as
the inquiry after his late companions.
The wooded banks of the rivers
seemed again deserted by everything
possessing animal life. The uproar
which had so lately echoed through
the vaults of the forest was gone,
leaving the rush of the waters to
swell and sink on the currents OF the
air, in the unmingled sweetness Of
nature. A fsh-hawk, which, secure
on the topmost branches of dead
pine, had been a distant spectator of
the fray, now stopped from his high
and ragged perch, and scared, in wide
sweeps, above his prey; while a jay,
whose noisy voice had been stilled
by the hoarser cries of the savages,
ventured again to open his discordant
throat, as though once more in undis-
turbed possession of his wild domains.
Duncan caught from these natural
accomplishments of the solitary scene
a glimmering of hope and he began
to rally his faculties to renewed exer-
tions, with something like reviving
confidence of success.
"The Hurons are not to be seen,"
he said, addressing David, who had by
no means recovered from the effects of
the stunning blow he had received;
''let lis conceal ourselves in the cav
ern, and trust the rest to Provi-
dence."
81 remember to have united with
two comely maidens, in lifting up
our voices in praise and thanks
giving" returned the bewildered
singing-master; ''since which time l
have been visited by heavy judge
ment for my sins. | have been mock
ed with the likeness ofsleep, while
sounds of discord have rent my ears,
such as might manifest the fitness of
time, and that nature had forgotten
her harmony"
.'Poor fellow! thine own period
was in truth, near its accomplishment.
But arouse, and come with me; l
will lead you where all other sounds
but those of your psalmy shall be ex-
cluded."
"There is melody in the fall of the
cataract and the rushing of many
waters is sweet to the sensesw said
David, pressing his hand confusedly
on his brow. "Is not the air yet fill
ed with shrieks and cries, as though
the departed spirits of the dam
med"
"Not now, not now," interrupted
the impatient Hayward, "they had
ceased, and they who raised them; |
trust in God they are gone, too;
everything but the water is still and
at peace; in, then, where you may
create those sounds you love so well
to hear"
David smiled sadly, though not
without a momentary CLEAN Of pleas
ure, at this allusion to his beloved
vocation. He no longer hesitated to
be led to spot which promised such
unalloyed qualification to his wearied
senses; and, leaning on the arms OF
his companion he entered the narrow
mouth to the cave. Duncan seized %
pile of the sassafras, which he drew
before the passage, studiously con-
cealing every appearance of an apart
ure. Within this fragile barrier he
arranged the blankets abandoned by
the foresters, darkening the inner ex-
tremity of the cavern, while its outer
received a chastened light from the
narrow ravine, through which one
arm of the river rushed, to form the