Frostburg mining journal., 1883-12-01
THE LAST OF THE MOHICANS.
[Continued from tirst page. |

urge no words OF ldle encouragement
your own fortitude and undisturbed
reason will teach you all that may be,
come your sex, but cannot we dry the
tears of that trembling weeper on youl
bosom ~
81 am calmer, Duncan" said Alice,
raising herself from the arms OF her
sister, and forcing an appearance OF
composure through her tears; ''much
calmer, now. Surely in this hidden
spot we are safe, we are secret, free
from injury we will hope everything
from those generous men who have
risked so much already in our be-
half"
"Now does our gentle Alice speak
like daughter of Munro ~ said Hey
ward, pausing to press her hand as he
passed towards the outer entrance Of
the cavern. "With two such exam
pies of courage before him, Il man
would be ashamed to prove other than
hero" He then seated himself in
the centre of the cavern, grasping his
remaining pistol with hand convul-
sively clenched, while his contracting
and frowning eye announced the sui
len desperation of his purpose. THE
Hurons, if they come, may not gain
our position so easily us they think,
he lowly muttered and dropping his
head hack against the rock, he seemed
to await the result in patience, thougia
his gaze was INCREASINGLY bent on
the open avenue to their place of e.
treat.
With the last sound Of his voice. a
deep, long, and almost breathless 81
lence succeeded. The fresh air Of the
morning had penetrated the recess,
and its influence was gradually felt on
the spirits of its inmates. AS minute
after minute passed by, leaving them
in undisturbed security, the insinuat-
ing feeling of hope was gradually
gaining possession of every bosom,
though each one felt reluctant to give
utterance to expectations that the
next moment might so fearfully deS-
troy.
David alone formed an exception to
these varying emotions. A CLEAN OF
light from the opening crossed his wan
countenance and fell upon the pages
of the little volume, whose leaves he
was again occupied in turning, as il
searching for some song more fitted TO
their condition than any that had yet
met his eye. He was, most probably,
acting all this time under a confused
recollection of the promised consola-
ton of Duncan. At length, it would
seem, his patient industry found its re-
ward for, without explanation or
apology, he pronounced aloud the
words elsie of Wight drew long,
sweet sound from his pitch-pipe,
and then ran through the pre-
liminary modulations of the air,
whose name he had just mentioned,
with the sweetest tones of his own
musical voice.
"May not this prove dangerous 2"
asked Cora, glancing her dark eye at
Major Hayward.
"Poor fellow his voice is too feeble
to be heard amid the din of the falls, Y
was the answer; "besides the cavern
will prove his friend. Let him indulge
his passion, since it may be done with
out hazard"
''Isle of Wight Y repeated David,
looking about him with that dignity
with which he had long been wont to
silence the whispering echoes of his
school +" tits brave tune, and set to
solemn words let it be sung with meet
respect y
After allowing moment Of stiffness
to enforce his discipline, the voice Of
the singer was heard, in low, murmur
ing syllables, gradually stealing on the
ear, until it filled the narrow vault
with sounds rendered trebly thrilling
by the feeble and tremulous utterancc
produced by his debility. The melody,
which no weakness could destroy,
gradually wrought its sweet influence
on the senses of those who heard it.
1t even prevailed over the miserable
travesty OF the song Of David which
the singer had selected from volume
of similar effusions, and caused the
sense to be forgotten in the insinuating
harmony of the sounds. Alice un-
consciously dried her tears, and bent
her melting eyes on the pallid features
OF Gamut, with an expression of chas-
tened delight that she neither affected
nor wished to conceal. Cora bestowed
an approving smile on the pious efforts
of the namesalIe of the Jewish prince
and Hayward soon turned his steady,
stern look from the outlet of the cav
ern, to fasten it, with milder charac-
ter, on the face of David, or to meet
the wandering beams which at mo-
ments strayed from the humid eyes Of
Alice. The open sympathy of the
listeners stirred the spirit of the yotary
Of music, whose voice regained lis