The Birmingham age-herald., 1907-11-03

tionary war were numerous and not dis inclined to fight their battles over again. Even of those early events of which he wrote, such as the massacre of Fort Will liam Henry, Cooper might have obtained accounts at second hand. In short, he was near enough to the times and the people of whom he wrote to get the at 1nosphere, and yet far enough removed to enable him to get his perspective.
 This gives a peculiar charm to Cooper 8 novels. His Last of the Mohicans'' was the second of his Leather Stocking" se- ries, and is probably the best known. Coopers Indians have been much crit icsed; but the red men of whom he wrote were not the red men of the plains, and perhaps he knew more of their char acteristics than modern critics can ex- pect to know. At all events they are won derfully interesting savages. and we would not have them subjected to tho higher criticism of the iconoelast.
 TN the breathing silence that marks the
 northern American wilderness in July, three men were lying quietly by the side of swift torrent. The dull roar of nearby waterfall told whence the black streams deadly velocity came.
 Two of the three showed the red skin and wild accoutrements of a native of the woods. On the naked chest of the elder was painted frightful emblem of death in white and black. His closely shaven head presented only the scalping tuft in which was thrust a solitary eagle S plume The younger was that beautiful perfect type of being that has come down to new generations as the ideal American Indians figure.
 The third member of the little party was white man, though his skin was burned by exposure to the color of an Indians. He wore a hunting shirt of green and held an extraordinarily long rifle on his lap
 Though they were conversing sedately and evidently at ease, the eyes of all roved ceaselessly. scrutnizing every as pect of the wilderness around them; and they kept themselves so disposed that no eye from without their covert could sight them.
 These were not precautions due to any specific danger, or, rather, to any unusual danger. The wilderness portage" be- tween Lake George and the headwaters of the Hudson river was a-stalk with paint ed death. Every bush might hide an Iro- quois, and at any moment the war-whoop might ring out; for the French General Montcalm was advancing through the woods with his CanadianeFrench and savage allies to ifvest~rhe British fort, William Henry, on Lake George. only a few leagues away.
 Of all a-roam in the wilderness that day, perhaps no three men were more famous from the Canadasa to Pennsylva- mia; and certainly no mans scalp lock was more fiercely desired for a trophy to hang in Iroquois wigwams. The white man was Nathaniel Bumppo-known to the Indians as Hawk Eye and to the IL. IL. a. rt. d Indian was Chingachgook, the Great Ser pent, Sagamore of the great Mohicans an almost extinct tribe of the Delawares. The younger was his son Uncas, the Bounding Elk, the last of his race.
 Suddenly the Sagamore bent his body till his ear nearly touched the ground. '"rhe horses of white men are coming, said he quietly.
 God keep them from the Iroquois." said the white hunter, slipping into the cover with his rife cooked
 It was a strange cavalcade for that wild place that came into his view. Fore most rode a British officer wearing the uniform of major in the Royal Amerl- cans" who formed part of the garrison at Fort William Henry. Behind him rode two grls-one fair-haired, blue-eyed, seeming too exquisitely tender to move in any except the most sheltered care; the other dark beauty with coal black hair, her skin charged with rich, warm blood that seemed ready to burst it's bounds.
 q am Major Duncan Heyward,' said tine officer, answering Hawk Eyes chai- lenge in voice vibrant with joyful re- lief. "These ladies are the daughters of Colonel Munro, the commandant at Fort William Henry, whither we are bound. But our Indian guide has lost his way
 "An Indian lose his way?' said the hun ter scornfully. He peered at the Indian, who stood little way withdrawn. 'I know we'll the treachery of the Mingos,p said he. using the contemptuous term ap- piled to those Indians not allied to the great race of the Delawares. "Yon mon grel Huron Magua, has taken you far out of your course. We must capture him to prevent him from fulfilling his purpose"
 He gave an almost imperceptible sig nal and Chingachgook and Uncas slipped like serpents into the bushes to cut off the traitor Maguai straightened out gradually. Suddenly he uttered pierc- ing cry and disappeared with a single bound that took him into the bushes.
 We cannot hope to make the fort to- night" said Hawk Eye. when 1t became evident that the Mingo had made good his escape "rlfe Mingoes will be upon us within few hours at the most. You must abandon the horses and follow me. Whom have you here?'' looking at the fourth member of the party, a strange, gaunt, unganly creature of man.
 David Gamut, singing master to the Connecticut contingent" replied this in- dividual. who was regarded by both whites and Indians as having "a screw loose" and who had attached himself to the party despite all remonstrances.
 In the darkness which had now fallen Hawk Eye and the Indians took the party aboard birch bark canoe and with wonderful skill and strength forced their passage up the wild river till they reached a rocky cavernous island that lay under the waterfall itself, in a very riot of hurt ling waters Y
 All remained quiet in the strange re- treat till the light of dawn came Then suddenly the Iroquois, stealing from all sides. attacked furiously. But the superb marksmanship of the scout and the Mo- hicans kept the hostile savages at bay until nightfall. Then all the powder was exhausted. Burnppo drew the Sagamore aside and spoke long and earnestly with him. Cora Munro, the dark beauty, in terrupted their conference by saying .sYou. brave men know the forest and the uatns thereof You can reach my fathers command more quickly than others. If possible therefore, go you while it is still dark Steal through the lines of fhe eii-. sn,v and como back tn our resene with sycl, aid as n, fttber will send
 'Thc young al well as tie old some