planations； 〃you be _honnete_； and dat is _beaucoup_。 We
tak' de spy as we tak' _la medicine_； for de good； _mais； je les
deteste！ Touchez…la。_〃
〃I'll shake your hand； Captain； I will； for you're a law…
ful and nat'ral inimy；〃 returned Pathfinder； 〃and a man…
ful one； but the body of the Quartermaster shall never
disgrace English ground。 I did intend to carry it back to
Lundie that he might play his bagpipes over it； but now
it shall lie here on the spot where he acted his villainy； and
have his own treason for a headstone。 Captain Flintyheart；
I suppose this consorting with traitors is a part of a sol…
dier's regular business； but； I tell you honestly； it is not
to my liking； and I'd rather it should be you than I who
had this affair on his conscience。 What an awful sinner！
To plot； right and left； ag'in country； friends； and the
Lord！ Jasper； boy； a word with you aside； for a single
minute。〃
Pathfinder now led the young man apart； and； squeez…
ing his hand； with the tears in his own eyes； he continued：
〃You know me； Eau…douce； and I know you；〃 said he；
〃and this news has not changed my opinion of you in any
manner。 I never believed their tales； though it looked
solemn at one minute； I will own； yes； it did look solemn；
and it made me feel solemn too。 I never suspected you
for a minute； for I know your gifts don't lie that…a…way；
but； I must own； I didn't suspect the Quartermaster
neither。〃
〃And he holding his Majesty's commission； Pathfinder！〃
〃It isn't so much that； Jasper Western； it isn't so much
that。 He held a commission from God to act right； and to
deal fairly with his fellow…creaturs； and he has failed
awfully in his duty。〃
〃To think of his pretending love for one like Mabel；
too； when he felt none。〃
〃That was bad； sartainly； the fellow must have had
Mingo blood in his veins。 The man that deals unfairly
by a woman can be but a mongrel； lad； for the Lord has
made them helpless on purpose that we may gain their
love by kindness and sarvices。 Here is the Sergeant； poor
man； on his dying bed； he has given me his daughter for
a wife； and Mabel； dear girl； she has consented to it； and
it makes me feel that I have two welfares to look after； two
naturs to care for； and two hearts to gladden。 Ah's me；
Jasper！ I sometimes feel that I'm not good enough for
that sweet child！〃
Eau…douce had nearly gasped for breath when he first
heard this intelligence； and； though he succeeded in sup…
pressing any other outward signs of agitation； his cheek
was blanched nearly to the paleness of death。 Still he
found means to answer not only with firmness； but with
energy；
〃Say not so； Pathfinder； you are good enough for a
queen。〃
〃Ay； ay； boy； according to your idees of my goodness；
that is to say； I can kill a deer； or even a Mingo at need；
with any man on the lines； or I can follow a forest…path
with as true an eye； or read the stars； when others do not
understand them。 No doubt； no doubt； Mabel will have
venison enough； and fish enough； and pigeons enough；
but will she have knowledge enough； and will she have
idees enough； and pleasant conversation enough； when life
comes to drag a little； and each of us begins to pass for our
true value？〃
〃If you pass for your value； Pathfinder； the greatest lady
in the land would be happy with you。 On that head you
have no reason to feel afraid。〃
〃Now； Jasper； I dare to say _you_ think so； nay； I _know_
you do； for it is nat'ral； and according to friendship； for
people to look over…favorably at them they love。 Yes； yes；
if I had to marry you； boy； I should give myself no con…
sarn about my being well looked upon； for you have always
shown a disposition to see me and all I do with friendly
eyes。 But a young gal； after all； must wish to marry a
man that is nearer to her own age and fancies； than to
have one old enough to be her father； and rude enough to
frighten her。 I wonder； Jasper； that Mabel never took a
fancy to you； now； rather than setting her mind on me。〃
〃Take； a fancy to me； Pathfinder！〃 returned the young
man； endeavoring to clear his voice without betraying
himself； 〃what is there about me to please such a girl as
Mabel Dunham？ I have all that you find fault with in
yourself； with none of that excellence that makes even the
generals respect you。〃
〃Well； well； it's all chance； say what we will about it。
Here have I journeyed and guided through the woods fe…
male after female； and consorted with them in the garri…
sons； and never have I even felt an inclination for any；
until I saw Mabel Dunham。 It's true the poor Sergeant
first set me to thinking about his daughter； but after we
got a little acquainted like； I'd no need of being spoken
to； to think of her night and day。 I'm tough； Jasper； yes；
I'm very tough； and I'm risolute enough； as you all know；
and yet I do think it would quite break me down； now； to
lose Mabel Dunham！〃
〃We will talk no more of it； Pathfinder；〃 said Jasper；
returning his friend's squeeze of the hand； and moving
back towards the fire； though slowly； and in the manner
of one who cared little where he went； 〃we will talk no
more of it。 You are worthy of Mabel； and Mabel is worthy
of you you like Mabel； and Mabel likes you her father
has chosen you for her husband； and no one has a right to
interfere。 As for the Quartermaster； his feigning love for
Mabel is worse even than his treason to the king。〃
By this time they were so near the fire that it was neces…
sary to change the conversation。 Luckily； at that instant；
Cap； who had been in the block in company with his dy…
ing brother…in…law； and who knew nothing of what had
passed since the capitulation； now appeared； walking with
a meditative and melancholy air towards the group。 Much
of that hearty dogmatism； that imparted even to his ordi…
nary air and demeanor an appearance of something like
contempt for all around him； had disappeared； and he
seemed thoughtful； if not meek。
〃This death； gentlemen；〃 said he； when ho had got suffi…
ciently near； 〃is a melancholy business； make the best of
it。 Now； here is Sergeant Dunham； a very good soldier； I
make no question； about to slip his cable； and yet he holds
on to the better end of it； as if he was determined it should
never run out of the hawse…hole； and all because he loves
his daughter； it seems to me。 For my part； when a friend
is really under the necessity of making a long journey； I
always wish him well and happily off。〃
〃You wouldn't kill the Sergeant before his time？〃 Path…
finder reproachfully answered。 〃Life is sweet； even to the
aged； and； for that matter； I've known some that seemed
to set much store by it when it got to be of the least value。〃
Nothing had been further from Cap's real thoughts than
the wish to hasten his brother…in…law's end。 He had found
himself embarrassed with the duties of smoothing a death…
bed； and all he had meant was to express a sincere desire
that the Sergeant were happily rid of doubt and suffering。
A little shocked； therefore； at the interpretation that had
been put on his words； he rejoined with some of the asper…
ity of the man； though rebuked by a consciousness of not
having done his own wishes justice。 〃You are too old and
too sensible a person； Pathfinder；〃 said be； 〃to fetch a man
up with a surge； when he is paying out his ideas in dis…
tress； as it might be。 Sergeant Dunham is both my
brother…in…law and my friend； that is to say； as intimate
a friend as a soldier well can be with a seafaring man； and
I respect and honor him accordingly。 I make no doubt；
moreover； that he has lived such a life as becomes a man；
and there can be no great harm； after all； in wishing any
one well berthed in heaven。 Well！ we are mortal； the best
of us； that you'll not deny； and it ought to be a lesson
not to feel pride in our strength and beauty。 Where is
the Quartermaster； Pathfinder？ It is proper he should
come and have a parting word with the poor Sergeant； who
is only going a little before us。〃
〃You have spoken more truth； Master Cap； than you've
been knowing to； all this time。 You might have gone
further； notwithstanding； and said that we are mortal； the
_worst_ of us； which is quite as true； and a good deal more
wholesome； than saying that we are mortal； the _best_ of us。
As for the Quartermaster's coming to speak a parting
word to the Sergeant； it is quite out of the question； seeing
that he has gone ahead； and that too with little parting
notice to himself； or to any one else。〃
〃You are not quite so clear as common in your language；
Pathfinder。 I know that we ought all to have solemn
thoughts on these occasions； but I see no use in speaking
in parables。〃
〃If my words are not plain； the idee is。 In short； Mas…
ter Cap； while Sergeant Dunham has been preparing him…
self for a long journey； like a conscientious and honest
man as he is； deliberately； the Quartermaster has started；
in a hurry； before him； and； although it is a matter on
which it does not become me to be very positive； I give it
as my opinion that they travel such different roads that
they will never meet。〃
〃Explain yourself； my friend；〃 said th