heard the proposition with indifference。 Shaking his head
in the negative； he advanced towards the stage； where his
approach excited a little commotion； the officers' ladies；
one and all； having determined to accept the present；
should the gallantry of the young sailor induce him to
offer it。 But Jasper's diffidence； no less than admiration
for another； would have prevented him from aspiring to
the honor of complimenting any whom he thought so
much his superiors。
〃Mabel；〃 said he； 〃this prize is for you； unless 〃
〃Unless what； Jasper？〃 answered the girl； losing her
own bashfulness in the natural and generous wish to re…
lieve his embarrassment； though both reddened in a way
to betray strong feeling。
〃Unless you may think too indifferently of it； because
it is offered by one who may have no right to believe his
gift will be accepted。〃
〃I do accept it； Jasper； and it shall be a sign of the
danger I have passed in your company； and of the grati…
tude I feel for your care of me your care； and that of the
Pathfinder。〃
〃Never mind me； never mind me！〃 exclaimed the latter；
〃this is Jasper's luck； and Jasper's gift： give him full
credit for both。 My turn may come another day； mine
and the Quartermaster's； who seems to grudge the boy the
calash； though what _he_ can want of it I cannot under…
stand； for he has no wife。〃
〃And has Jasper Eau…douce a wife？ or have you a wife
yoursel'； Pathfinder？ I may want it to help to get a
wife； or as a memorial that I have had a wife； or as proof
how much I admire the sex； or because it is a female gar…
ment； or for some other equally respectable motive。 It's
not the unreflecting that are the most prized by the
thoughtful； and there is no surer sign that a man made a
good husband to his first consort； let me tell you all； than
to see him speedily looking round for a competent suc…
cessor。 The affections are good gifts from Providence；
and they that have loved one faithfully prove how much
of this bounty has been lavished upon them by loving an…
other as soon as possible。〃
〃It may be so； it may be so。 I am no practitioner in
such things； and cannot gainsay it。 But Mabel here； the
Sergeant's daughter； will give you full credit for the words。
Come； Jasper； although our hands are out； let us see what
the other lads can do with the rifle。〃
Pathfinder and his companions retired； for the sports
were about to proceed。 The ladies； however； were not so
much engrossed with rifle…shooting as to neglect the calash。
It passed from hand to hand； the silk was felt； the fashion
criticized； and the work examined； and divers opinions
were privately ventured concerning the fitness of so hand…
some a thing passing into the possession of a non…commis…
sioned officer's child。
〃Perhaps you will be disposed to sell that calash； Mabel；
when it has been a short time in your possession？〃 in…
quired the captain's lady。 〃Wear it； I should think； you
never can。〃
〃I may not wear it； madam；〃 returned our heroine
modestly； 〃but I should not like to part with it either。〃
〃I daresay Sergeant Dunham keeps you above the ne…
cessity of selling your clothes； child； but； at the same time；
it is money thrown away to keep an article of dress you
can never wear。〃
〃I should be unwilling to part with the gift of a friend。〃
〃But the young man himself will think all the better
of you for your prudence after the triumph of the day is
forgotten。 It is a pretty and a becoming calash； and ought
not to be thrown away。〃
〃I've no intention to throw it away； ma'am； and； if
you please； would rather keep it。〃
〃As you will； child； girls of your age often overlook
the real advantages。 Remember； however； if you do de…
termine to dispose of the thing； that it is bespoke； and that
I will not take it if you ever even put it on your own head。〃
〃Yes； ma'am；〃 said Mabel； in the meekest voice imagin…
able； though her eyes looked like diamonds； and her cheeks
reddened to the tints of two roses； as she placed the for…
bidden garment over her well…turned shoulders； where she
kept it a minute； as if to try its fitness； and then quietly
removed it again。
The remainder of the sports offered nothing of interest。
The shooting was reasonably good； but the trials were all
of a scale lower than those related； and the competitors
were soon left to themselves。 The ladies and most of the
officers withdrew； and the remainder of the females soon
followed their example。 Mabel was returning along the
low flat rocks that line the shore of the lake； dangling her
pretty calash from a prettier finger； when Pathfinder met
her。 He carried the rifle which he had used that day； but
his manner had less of the frank ease of the hunter about
it than usual； while his eye seemed roving and uneasy。
After a few unmeaning words concerning the noble sheet
of water before them； he turned towards his companion
with strong interest in his countenance； and said；
〃Jasper earned that calash for you； Mabel； without much
trial of his gifts。〃
〃It was fairly done； Pathfinder。〃
〃No doubt； no doubt。 The bullet passed neatly through
the potato； and no man could have done more； though
others might have done as much。〃
〃But no one did as much！〃 exclaimed Mabel； with an
animation that she instantly regretted； for she saw by the
pained look of the guide that he was mortified equally by
the remark and by the feeling with which it was uttered。
〃It is true； it is true； Mabel； no one did as much then；
but yet there is no reason I should deny my gifts which
come from Providence yes； yes； no one did as much
there； but you shall know what _can_ be done here。 Do you
observe the gulls that are flying over our heads？〃
〃Certainly； Pathfinder； there are too many to escape
notice。〃
〃Here； where they cross each other in sailing about；〃
he added； cocking and raising his rifle； 〃the two the two。
Now look！〃
The piece was presented quick as thought； as two of the
birds came in a line； though distant from each other many
yards； the report followed； and the bullet passed through
the bodies of both victims。 No sooner had the gulls
fallen into the lake； than Pathfinder dropped the butt…end
of the rifle； and laughed in his own peculiar manner； every
shade of dissatisfaction and mortified pride having left his
honest face。
〃That is something； Mabel； that is something； although
I have no calash to give you！ But ask Jasper himself； I'll
leave it all to Jasper； for a truer tongue and heart are not
in America。〃
〃Then it was not Jasper's fault that he gained the
prize？〃
〃Not it。 He did his best； and he did well。 For one
that has water gifts； rather than land gifts； Jasper is un…
commonly expert； and a better backer no one need wish；
ashore or afloat。 But it was my fault； Mabel； that he got
the calash； though it makes no difference it makes no
difference； for the thing has gone to the right person。〃
〃I believe I understand you； Pathfinder；〃 said Mabel；
blushing in spite of herself； 〃and I look upon the calash
as the joint gift of yourself and Jasper。〃
〃That would not be doing justice to the lad； neither。
He won the garment； and had a right to give it away。 The
most you may think； Mabel； is to believe that； had I won
it； it would have gone to the same person。〃
〃I will remember that； Pathfinder； and take care that
others know your skill； as it has been proved upon the
poor gulls in my presence。〃
〃Lord bless you； Mabel！ there is no more need of your
talking in favor of my shooting on this frontier； than of
your talking about the water in the lake or the sun in the
heavens。 Everybody knows what I can do in that way；
and your words would be thrown away； as much as French
would be thrown away on an American bear。〃
〃Then you think that Jasper knew you were giving
him this advantage； of which he had so unhandsomely
availed himself？〃 said Mabel； the color
which had im…
parted so much lustre to her eyes gradually leaving her
face； which became grave and thoughtful。
〃I do not say that； but very far from it。 We all forget
things that we have known； when eager after our wishes。
Jasper is satisfied that I can pass one bullet through two
potatoes； as I sent my bullet through the gulls； and he
knows no other man on the frontier can do the same thing。
But with the calash before his eyes； and the hope of giving
it to you； the lad was inclined to think better of himself；
just at that moment； perhaps； than he ought。 No； no；
there's nothing mean or distrustful about Jasper Eau…
douce； though it is a gift natural to all young men to wish
to appear well in the eyes of handsome young women。〃
〃I'll try to forget all； but the kindness you've both
shown to a poor motherless girl；〃 said Mabel； struggling
to keep down emotions she scarcely knew how to account
for herself。 〃Believe me； Pathfinder； I can never forget
all you have already done for me you and Jasper； and
this new proof of your regard is not thrown away。 Here；
here is a brooch that is of silver； and I offer it as a token
that I owe you life or liberty。〃
〃What shall I do with this； Mabel？〃 asked the bewil…
dered hunter； holding the simple trinket in