Frostburg mining journal. [volume] (Frostburg, Md.) 1871-1913, 1884-02-23
CONTINUED STORY.
THE -.-.
LAST OF THE MOHICANs.
u. Fe,i1nOre Cooper.
TCOntinued from last weak I

CONTINUED from last week.
"My child!" said Munro, speaking
quick and wildly; "give me my
child"
"Uncas will try" was the short
and touching answer.
The simple but meaning assurance
was lost ON the father, who seized
the piece of gauze and crushed it in
his hand, while his eyes roamed fear
fully among the bushes, as if he
equally dreaded and hoped for the
secrets they might reveal.
"Here are no dead" said Hayward !;
'the storm seems not to have passed
this way.'
''That's manifest; and clearer than
the heavens above our heads" return
ed the undisturbed scout; "but either
she or they that have robbed her,
have passed the bush; for remember
the rag she wore to hide face that
all did love to look upon. Uncas,
you are right the dark-hair has been
here, and she has fled, like frighten-
ed fawn, to the wood; none who
could fly would remain to be mur-
dered. Let us search for the marks
she left; for to Indian eyes, l some
times think that even humming-
bird leaves his trail in the air."
The young Mohican darted away
at the suggestion, and the scout had
hardly done speaking, before the FORM
er raised a cry of success from the mar
gin of the forest. On reaching the
spot, the anxious party perceived
another portion of the veil fluttering
on the lower branch of the beech.
''Softly, SOFTLY" said the scout,
extending his long rifle in front of
the eager Hayward; eve now know
our work, but the beauty of the trail
must not be deformed. A step too
soon may give us hours of trouble.
We have them though; that is much
beyond denial"
"Bless ye, bless ye, worthy man!'
exclaimed Munro; "whither then
have they fled, and where are my
babes?"
''The path they have taken depends
on many chances. If they have gone
alone, they are quite as likely to
move in circle as straight, and they
may be within a dozen miles of us !;
but if the Hurons, or any of the
French Indians have laid hands on
them tits probable they are now near
the borders of the Canadas. But what
matters that ?" continued the delib-
crate scout; "here are the Mohicans
and I on one end of the trail, and
rely on it, we find the other, though
they should be a hundred leagues
asunder! Gently, gently, Uncas,
you are as impatient as a man in the
settlements; you forget that light feet
leave but faint marksw
"Hugh!" exclaimed Chingachgook.
"Here is the palpable impression of
the footstep of man," cried Hey
ward she has trod in the margin of
this pool, and the mark cannot be
mistaken. They are captives."
''Better so than left to starve in the
wilderness" returned the scout
Sand they will leave a wider trail. l
would wager fifty beaver skins
against as many tlints, that the Mo-
hicans and / enter their wigwams
within the month! Stoop to it,
Uncas, and try what you can make
of the moccasin'; for moccasin it
plainly is, and no SHOE"
The young Mohican bent over the
track, and removing the scattered
leaves from the place. he examined
it with much of that sort of fscrutiny,
that a money dealer in these days of
pecuniary doubts, would bestow on a
suspected due-bill. At length he
arose from his knees, satisfied with
the result Of the examination.
"Well, boy" demanded the at
tentive scout; what does it say? can
you make anything of the telltale p
"Le Renard Subtilw
"Ha! that rampaging devil again
there will never be an end to his
loping till 'Kill-deer' has said a
friendly word to him.
Hayward reluctantly admitted the
truth of this intelligence, and now
expressed rather his hopes than his
doubts by saying
"One moccasin is so much like