Frostburg mining journal. [volume] (Frostburg, Md.) 1871-1913, 1884-03-08
CHAPTER XXI.
Bot. Are we all met?
Qui. Pat, pat; and here's marvellous
Convenient place for our rehearsal.

The reader may better imagine, than
we describe, the surprise of Hayward.
His lurking Indians were suddenly
converted into four-footed beasts; his
lake into beaver pond his cataract
into dam, constructed by those in
dustrious quadrupeds; and a suspected
enemy into his tried friend, David
Gamut, the master of psalmody.
The merriment of Hawk-eye was not
easily appeased. Without ceremony,
and with rough hand, he twirled the
supple Gamut around on his heel, and
more than once affirmed that the HUI
rons had done themselves great credit
in the fashion of his costume.
"You were about opening your
throat-practysing among the beavers,
were ye ?" he said. "See," continued
the laughing scout, as he pointed to
the remainder of the party, who in,
obedience to the signal, were already
approaching; "this is music which has
its natural virtues it brings two good
rifles to my elbow, to say nothing of
the knives and tomahawks. But we
see that you are safe now tell US what
has become of the maidens."
"They are captives to the heathen,"
said David, "and though troubled
in spirit, enjoying comfort and safety
in the body"
"Both ~ demanded Hayward.
Given so. Though our warfaring
has been sore and our sustenance
scanty, we have had little other cause
for complaint, except the violence done
our feelings, by being thus led in cap
tivity into far land"
"Bless We for these very word"
exclaimed Munro 81 shall receive my
babes, spotless and angel-like, as lost
them ~
81 know not that their delivery is at
hand" returned David "the leader of
these savages is possessed Of an evil
spirit that no power short of Omnipo-
tence can tame. | have tried him
sleeping and waking, but neither
sounds nor language seem to touch
his SOUL
"Where is the knave 2" interrupted
the scout.
"He hunts the moose to-day with
his young men; and tomorrow, as |
hear, they pass higher to the borders
of Canada. The elder maiden is con-
veyed to a neighboring people, be-
yond black pinnacle of rock while the
younger is detained among the women
of the Hurons, but two short miles
hence, where the fire has done the
Office of the axe, and prepared the
place for their reception"
"Alice, my gentle Alice!' murmur-
ed Hayward /; "she has lost the conso
lation of her sisters presence"
Gwen so. But so far as praise and
thanksgiving in psalmody can temper
the spirit, she has not suffered
HAS she then a heart for music ?"
"Of the more solemn character,
though it must be acknowledged the
maiden weeps oftener than she
smiles"
''And why are you permitted to go
at large, unmatched ?"
David composed his features into
what he intended should express an
air of modest humility, before he
meekly replied
Little be the praise to such a worm
as L. But though the power of psalm
ody was suspended in the terrible bus
mess of that field of blood, it has re-
covered its influence even over the
souls of the heather, and am suffered
to go and come at will"
The scout laughed, and rapping his
own forehead significantly, he perhaps
explained the singular indulgence
more satisfactorily when he said
1.-THE Indians never harm u non
composer. But why, when the path
lay open before your eyes, did you not
strike back on your own trail Git is not
so blind as that which squirrel
would make and bring the tidings to
Edward ?"
The scout had probably exacted a
task that David could not have per-
formed. But, without losing the
meekness of his air, the latter was con-
tent to answer
'"Though my soul would rejoice to
visit the habitations of Christendom
once more, my feet would rather fol-
low the tender spirits intrusted to
my keeping than take one step back
ward"
Uncas pressed closer to David's side,
and regarded the speaker with COM
mendation while his father expressed
his satisfaction by the ordinary appro-
baton. The scout shook his head as
he rejoiced,-
''The Lord never intended that the
man should place all his eadeavors in
his throat, to the neglect of other and
| haitian oifts I Hara fr;anI . did