Frostburg mining journal. [volume] (Frostburg, Md.) 1871-1913, 1884-03-22


toned and unnoticed, endeavoring to
find some trace Of her in whose be-
half he incurred the risk he ran. In
the present temper of the tribe, it
would have been easy to have fled and
rejoined his companions, had such a
wish crossed his mind. But, in
addition to the never-ceasing anxiety
on account of Alice, a fresher, though
feebler, interest in the fate of Uncas
assisted to chain him to the spot.
He continued therefore to stray from
hut to hut, looking into each only to
encounter additional disappointment,
until he had made the entire circnit
of the village. Abandoning species
of inquiry that proved so fruitless,
he retraced his steps to the council
lodge, resolved to seek and question
David, in order to put an end to his
doubts.
On reaching the building the
young man found the excitement
had subsidized. The warriors had
re-assembled, and while smoking con-
versed on the chief incidents of their
recent expedition to the Horican.
Though the return of Duncan was
likely to remind them of his character,
and the suspicious circumstances of
his visit, it produced no visible SEN
sation. So far, the terrible scene that
had just occurred proved favorable
to his views, and he required no other
prompter than his own feelings to
convince him of the expediency Of
profiting by so unexpected an advant-
age.
Without seeming to hesitate he
walked into the lodge, with gravity
that accorded admirably with the
department. of his host. A hasty
glance sufficed to tell him that,
though Uncas still remained where
he had left him, David had not re-
appeared. Hayward had too recently
witnessed a frightful instance of the
prompt punishments of the people
into whose hands he had fallen, to haz-
ard exposure by any officious boldness.
He had not long occupied the seat,
wisely taken a little in the shade, when
another of the elder warriors, who
spoke the French language, address,
ed HIM
"My Canada father does not forget
his children" said the chief; 81 thank
him. An evil spirit lives in the wife
of one of my young men. Can the
cunning stranger frighten him
away?"
Aware of the necessity of preserving
the dignity of his imaginary charac-
ter, he answered with suitable mys-
tery,-
"Spirits differ; some yield to the
power of wisdom, while others are
too strong"
"My brother is a great medicine"
said the cunning savage; che will
try"
A gesture OF accent was the answer.
The Huron was content with the as
surance, and resumlng his pipe, he
awaited the proper moment to move.
The impatient Hayward was fain
to assume an air of indifference,
equal to that maintained by the chief,
who was, in truth, a near relative of
the afflicted woman. The delay had
seemed an hour to the adventurer in
empiricism, when the Huron laid
aside his pipe. Just then a warrior
of powerful frame darkened the door,
and seated himself ON one end of the
low pile of brush which sustained
Duncan. The latter cast an impa-
tient look at his neighbor and felt his
flesh creep with uncomfortable horror
when he found himself in actual con-
tact with Magua.
The sudden return of this artful
and dreaded chief caused delay in
the departure of the Huron. Ten
minutes, which appeared so many
ages to Duncan, might have passed
in this manner; and the warriors
were fairly enveloped in cloud of
smoke before any of them spoke.
"Welcomew one at length uttered;
"has my friend found the moose
"The young men stagger under
their burdens" returned Magua.
"Let 'Reed-that-bends' go on the
hunting path; he will meet them"
A deep and awful silence succeed
ed the utterance of the forbidden
name. There was nothing in the air
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