the pathfinder-第34部分

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hope　I'm　not　a　vain　talker　about　my　own　exploits；　but　a
man's　gifts　are　his　gifts；　and　it's　flying　in　the　face　of　Prov…
idence　to　deny　them。　　The　Sergeant's　daughter；　here；
shall　judge　between　us；　if　you　have　the　stomach　to　submit
to　so　pretty　a　judge。〃

The　Pathfinder　had　named　Mabel　as　the　arbiter　because
he　admired　her；　and　because；　in　his　eyes；　rank　had　little　or
no　value；　but　Lieutenant　Muir　shrank　at　such　a　reference
in　the　presence　of　the　wives　of　the　officers。　　He　would
gladly　keep　himself　constantly　before　the　eyes　and　the
imagination　of　the　object　of　his　wishes；　but　he　was　still
too　much　under　the　influence　of　old　prejudices；　and　per…
haps　too　wary；　to　appear　openly　as　her　suitor；　unless　he
saw　something　very　like　a　certainty　of　success。　　On　the
discretion　of　Major　Duncan　he　had　a　full　reliance；　and　he
apprehended　no　betrayal　from　that　quarter；　but　he　was
quite　aware；　should　it　ever　get　abroad　that　he　had　been
refused　by　the　child　of　a　non…commissioned　officer；　he
would　find　great　difficulty　in　making　his　approaches　to　any
other　woman　of　a　condition　to　which　he　might　reasonably
aspire。　　Notwithstanding　these　doubts　and　misgivings；
Mabel　looked　so　prettily；　blushed　so　charmingly；　smiled　so
sweetly；　and　altogether　presented　so　winning　a　picture　of
youth；　spirit；　modesty；　and　beauty；　that　he　found　it　ex…
ceedingly　tempting　to　be　kept　so　prominently　before　her
imagination；　and　to　be　able　to　address　her　freely。

〃You　shall　have　it　your　own　way；　Pathfinder；〃　he　an…
swered；　as　soon　as　his　doubts　had　settled　down　into　de…
termination；　〃let　the；　Sergeant's　daughter　　his　charming
daughter；　I　should　have　termed　her　　be　the　umpire　then；
and　to　her　we　will　both　dedicate　the　prize；　that　one　or　the
other　must　certainly　win。　　Pathfinder　must　be　humored；
ladies；　as　you　perceive；　else；　no　doubt；　we　should　have　had
the　honor　to　submit　ourselves　to　one　of　your　charming
society。〃

A　call　for　the　competitors　now　drew　the　Quartermaster
and　his　adversary　away；　and　in　a　few　moments　the　second
trial　of　skill　commenced。　　A　common　wrought　nail　was
driven　lightly　into　the　target；　its　head　having　been　first
touched　with　paint；　and　the　marksman　was　required　to　hit
it；　or　he　lost　his　chances　in　the　succeeding　trials。　　No　one
was　permitted　to　enter；　on　this　occasion；　who　had　already
failed　in　the　essay　against　the　bull's…eye。

There　might　have　been　half　a　dozen　aspirants　for　the
honors　of　this　trial；　one　or　two；　who　had　barely　succeeded
in　touching　the　spot　of　paint　in　the　previous　strife；　pre…
ferring　to　rest　their　reputations　there；　feeling　certain　that
they　could　not　succeed　in　the　greater　effort　that　was　now
exacted　of　them。　　The　first　three　adventurers　failed；　all
coming　very　near　the　mark；　but　neither　touching　it。
The　fourth　person　whb　presented　himself　was　the　Quarter…
master；　who；　after　going　through　his　usual　attitudes；　so　far
succeeded　as　to　carry　away　a　small　portion　of　the　head　of
the　nail；　planting　his　bullet　by　the　side　of　its　point。　　This
was　not　considered　an　extraordinary　shot；　though　it
brought　the　adventurer　within　the　category。

〃You've　saved　your　bacon；　Quartermaster；　as　they　say
in　the　settlements　of　their　creaturs；〃　cried　Pathfinder；
laughing；　〃but　it　would　take　a　long　time　to　build　a　house
with　a　hammer　no　better　than　yours。　　Jasper；　here；　will
show　you　how　a　nail　is　to　be　started；　or　the　lad　has　lost
some　of　his　steadiness　of　hand　and　sartainty　of　eye。　　You
would　have　done　better　yourself；　Lieutenant；　had　you　not
been　so　much　bent　on　soldierizing　your　figure。　　Shooting
is　a　natural　gift；　and　is　to　be　exercised　in　a　natural　way。〃

〃We　shall　see；　Pathfinder；　I　call　that　a　pretty　attempt
at　a　nail；　and　I　doubt　if　the　55th　has　another　hammer；　as
you　call　it；　that　can　do　just　the　same　thing　over　again。〃

〃Jasper　is　not　in　the　55th；　but　there　goes　his　rap。〃

As　the　Pathfinder　spoke；　the　bullet　of　Eau…douce　hit　the
nail　square；　and　drove　it　into　the　target；　within　an　inch　of
the　head。

〃Be　all　ready　to　clench　it；　boys！〃　cried　out　Pathfinder；
stepping　into　his　friend's　tracks　the　instant　they　were
vacant。　　〃Never　mind　a　new　nail；　I　can　see　that；　though
the　paint　is　gone；　and　what　I　can　see　I　can　hit；　at　a　hun…
dred　yards；　though　it　were　only　a　mosquito's　eye。　　Be
ready　to　clench！〃

The　rifle　cracked；　the　bullet　sped　its　way；　and　the　head
of　the　nail　was　buried　in　the　wood；　covered　by　the　piece
of　flattened　lead。

〃Well；　Jasper；　lad；〃　continued　Pathfinder；　dropping　the
butt…end　of　his　rifle　to　the　ground；　and　resuming　the　dis…
course；　as　if　he　thought　nothing　of　his　own　exploit；　〃you
improve　daily。　　A　few　more　tramps　on　land　in　my　com…
pany；　and　the　best　marksman　on　the　frontiers　will　have
occasion　to　look　keenly　when　he　takes　his　stand　ag'in　you。
The　Quartermaster　is　respectable；　but　he　will　never　get　any
farther；　whereas　you；　Jasper；　have　the　gift；　and　may　one
day　defy　any　who　pull　trigger。〃

〃Hoot；　hoot！〃　exclaimed　Muir；　〃do　you　call　hitting
the　head　of　the　nail　respectable　only；　when　it's　the　per…
fection　of　the　art？　　Any　one　the　least　refined　and　elevated
in　sentiment　knows　that　the　delicate　touches　denote　the
master；　whereas　your　sledge…hammer　blows　come　from　the
rude　and　uninstructed。　　If　'a　miss　is　as　good　as　a　mile；'　a
hit　ought　to　be　better；　Pathfinder；　whether　it　wound　or
kill。〃

〃The　surest　way　of　settling　this　rivalry　will　be　to　make
another　trial；〃　observed　Lundie；　〃and　that　will　be　of　the
potato。　　You're　Scotch；　Mr。　Muir；　and　might　fare　better
were　it　a　cake　or　a　thistle；　but　frontier　law　has　declared
for　the　American　fruit；　and　the　potato　it　shall　be。〃

As　Major　Duncan　manifested　some　impatience　of　man…
ner；　Muir　had　too　much　tact　to　delay　the　sports　any　longer
with　his　discursive　remarks；　but　judiciously　prepared　him…
self　for　the　next　appeal。　　To　say　the　truth；　the　Quarter…
master　had　little　or　no　faith　in　his　own　success　in　the
trial　of　skill　that　was　to　follow；　nor　would　he　have　been　so
free　in　presenting　himself　as　a　competitor　at　all　had　he　an…
ticipated　it　would　have　been　made；　but　Major　Duncan；
who　was　somewhat　of　a　humorist　in　his　own　quiet　Scotch
way；　had　secretly　ordered　it　to　be　introduced　expressly　to
mortify　him；　for；　a　laird　himself；　Lundie　did　not　relish
the　notion　that　one　who　might　claim　to　be　a　gentleman
should　bring　discredit　on　his　caste　by　forming　an　unequal
alliance。　　As　soon　as　everything　was　prepared；　Muir　was
summoned　to　the　stand；　and　the　potato　was　held　in　readi…
ness　to　be　thrown。　　As　the　sort　of　feat　we　are　about　to
offer　to　the　reader；　however；　may　be　new　to　him；　a　word　in
explanation　will　render　the　matter　more　clear。　　A　potato
of　large　size　was　selected；　and　given　to　one　who　stood　at
the　distance　of　twenty　yards　from　the　stand。　　At　the　word
〃heave！〃　which　was　given　by　the　marksman；　the　vegetable
was　thrown　with　a　gentle　toss　into　the　air；　and　it　was　the
business　of　the　adventurer　to　cause　a　ball　to　pass　through
it　before　it　reached　the　ground。

The　Quartermaster；　in　a　hundred　experiments；　had　once
succeeded　in　accomplishing　this　difficult　feat；　but　he　now
essayed　to　perform　it　again；　with　a　sort　of　blind　hope　that
was　fated　to　be　disappointed。　　The　potato　was　thrown　in
the　usual　manner；　the　rifle　was　discharged；　but　the　flying
target　was　untouched。

〃To　the　right…about；　and　fall　out；　Quartermaster；〃　said
Lundie；　smiling　at　the　success　of　the　artifice。　　〃The　honor
of　the　silken　calash　will　lie　between　Jasper　Eau…douce　and
Pathfinder。〃

〃And　how　is　the　trial　to　end；　Major？〃　inquired　the
latter。　　〃Are　we　to　have　the　two…potato　trial；　or　is　it　to　be
settled　by　centre　and　skin？〃

〃By　centre　and　skin；　if　there　is　any　perceptible　differ…
ence；　otherwise　the　double　shot　must　follow。〃

〃This　is　an　awful　moment　to　me；　Pathfinder；〃　observed
Jasper；　as　he　moved　towards　the　stand；　his　face　actually
losing　its　color　in　intensity　of　feeling。

Pathfinder　gazed　earnestly　at　the　young　man；　and　then；
begging　Major　Duncan　to　have　patience　for　a　moment；　he
led　his　friend　out　of　the　hearing　of　all　near　him　before　he
spoke。

〃You　seem　to　take　this　matter　to　heart；　Jasper？〃　the
hunter　remarked；　keeping　his　eyes　fastened　on　those　of
the　youth。

〃I　must　own；　Pathfinder；　that　my　feelings　were　never
before　so　much　bound　up　in　success。〃

〃And　do　you　so　much　crave　to　outdo　me；　an　old　and
tried　friend？　　and　that；　as　it　might　be；　in　my　own　way？
Shooting　is　my　gift；　boy；　and　no　common　hand　can　equal
mine。〃

〃I　know　it　　I　know　it；　Pathfinder；　but　yet　　〃

〃But　what；　Jasper；　boy？　　speak　freely；　you　talk　to　a
friend。〃

The　young　man　compressed　his　lips；　dashed　a　hand
across　his　eye；　and　flushed　and　paled　alternately；　like　a
girl　confessing　her　love。　　Then；　squeezing　the　other's
hand；　he　said　calmly；　like　one　whose　manhood　has　over…
come　all　other　sensations；　〃I　would　lose　an　arm；　Path…
finder；　to　be　able　to　make　an　offering　of　that　calash　to
Mabel　Dunham。〃

The　hunter　dropped　his　eyes　to　the　ground；　and　as　he
walked　slowly　back　towards　the　stand；　he　seemed　to　ponder
deeply　on　what　he　had　just　heard。

〃You　never　could　succeed　in　the　double　trial；　Jasper！〃
he　suddenly　remarked。

〃Of　that　I　am　certain；　and　it　troubles　me。〃

〃What　a　creature　is　mortal　man！　he　pines　for　things
which　are　not　of　his　gift　and　treats　the　bounties　of　Provi…
dence　lightly。　　No　matter；　no　matter。　　Take　your　station；
Jasper；　for　the　Major　is　waiting；　and　harke；　lad；　　I　must
touch　the　skin；　for　I　could　not　show　my　face　in　the　garri…
son　with　less　than　that。〃

〃I　suppose　I　must　submit　to　my　fate；〃　returned　Jasper；
flushing　and　losing　his　color　as　before；　〃but　I　will　make
the　effort；　if　I　die。〃

〃What　a　thing　is　mortal　man！〃　repeated　Pathfinder；
falling　back　to　allow　his　friend　room　to　take　his　arm；　〃he
overlooks　his　own　gifts；　and　craves　those　of　another！〃

The　potato　was　thrown；　Jasper　fired；　and　the　shout　that
followed　preceded　the　announcement　of　the　fact　that　he
had　driven　his　bullet　through　its　centre；　or　so　nearly　so　as
to　merit　that　award。

〃Here　is　a　competitor　worthy　of　you；　Pathfinder；〃　cried
Major　Duncan　with　delight；　as　the　former　took　his　station；
〃and　we　may　look　to　some　fine　shooting　in　the　double
trial。〃

〃What　a　thing　is　mortal