the pathfinder-第68部分

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her　steadily　in　the　face；　and　continued　her　inquiries。

〃If　June　has　something　to　tell　her　friend；　let　her　speak
plainly；〃　she　said。　　〃My　ears　are　open。〃

〃June　'fraid　Arrowhead　kill　her。〃

〃But　Arrowhead　will　never　know　it。〃　　Mabel's　blood
mounted　to　her　temples　as　she　said　this；　for　she　felt　that
she　was　urging　a　wife　to　be　treacherous　to　her　husband。
〃That　is；　Mabel　will　not　tell　him。〃

〃He　bury　tomahawk　in　June's　head。〃

〃That　must　never　be；　dear　June；　I　would　rather　you
should　say　no　more　than　run　this　risk。〃

〃Blockhouse　good　place　to　sleep；　good　place　to　stay。〃

〃Do　you　mean　that　I　may　save　my　life　by　keeping　in　the
blockhouse；　June？　　Surely；　surely；　Arrowhead　will　not
hurt　you　for　telling　me　that。　　He　cannot　wish　me　any
great　harm；　for　I　never　injured　him。〃

〃Arrowhead　wish　no　harm　to　handsome　pale…face；〃　re…
turned　June；　averting　her　face；　and；　though　she　always
spoke　ih　the　soft；　gentle　voice　of　an　Indian　girl；　now　per…
mitting　its　notes　to　fall　so　low　as　to　cause　them　to　sound
melancholy　and　timid。　　〃Arrowhead　love　pale…face　girl。〃

Mabel　blushed；　she　knew　not　why；　and　for　a　moment
her　questions　were　repressed　by　a　feeling　of　inherent　deli…
cacy。　　But　it　was　necessary　to　know　more；　for　her　appre…
hensions　had　been　keenly　awakened；　and　she　resumed　her
inquiries。

〃Arrowhead　can　have　no　reason　to　love　or　to　hate　_me_；〃
she　said。　　〃Is　he　near　you？〃

〃Husband　always　near　wife；　here；〃　said　June；　laying　her
hand　on　her　heart。

〃Excellent　creature！　　But　tell　me；　June；　ought　I　to
keep　in　the　blockhouse　to…day　　this　morning　　now？〃

〃Blockhouse　very　good；　good　for　women。　　Blockhouse
got　no　scalp。〃

〃I　fear　I　understand　you　only　too　well；　June。　　Do　you
wish　to　see　my　father？〃

〃No　here；　gone　away。〃

〃You　cannot　know　that；　June；　you　see　the　island　is　full
of　his　soldiers。〃

〃No　full；　gone　away；〃　　here　June　held　up　four　of　her
fingers；　　〃so　many　red…coats。〃

〃And　Pathfinder？　would　you　not　like　to　see　the　Path…
finder？　　He　can　talk　to　you　in　the　Iroquois　tongue。〃

〃Tongue　gone　wid　him；〃　said　June；　laughing；　〃keep
tongue　in　his　mout'。〃

There　was　something　so　sweet　and　contagious　in　the　in…
fantine　laugh　of　an　Indian　girl；　that　Mabel　could　not　re…
frain　from　joining　in　it；　much　as　her　fears　were　aroused
by　all　that　had　passed。

〃You　appear　to　know；　or　to　think　you　know；　all　about
us；　June。　　But　if　Pathfinder　be　gone；　Eau…douce　can　speak
French　too。　　You　know　Eau…douce；　shall　I　run　and　bring
him　to　talk　with　you？〃

〃Eau…douce　gone　too；　all　but　heart；　that　there。〃　　As
June　said　this；　she　laughed　again；　looked　in　different　di…
rections；　as　if　unwilling　to　confuse　the　other；　and　laid　her
hand　on　Mabel's　bosom。

Our　heroine　had　often　heard　of　the　wonderful　sagacity
of　the　Indians；　and　of　the　surprising　manner　in　which
they　noted　all　things；　while　they　appeared　to　regard　none；
but　she　was　scarcely　prepared　for　the　direction　the　dis…
course　had　so　singularly　taken。　　Willing　to　change　it；　and
at　the　same　time　truly　anxious　to　learn　how　great　the
danger　that　impended　over　them　might　really　be；　she　rose
from　the　camp…stool　on　which　she　had　been　seated；　and；
by　assuming　an　attitude　of　less　affectionate　confidence；
she　hoped　to　hear　more　of　that　she　really　desired　to　learn；
and　to　avoid　allusions　to　that　which　she　found　so　embar…
rassing。

〃You　know　how　much　or　how　little　you　ought　to　tell
me；　June；〃　she　said；　〃and　I　hope　you　love　me　well　enough
to　give　me　the　information　I　ought　to　hear。　　My　dear
uncle；　too；　is　on　the　island；　and　you　are；　or　ought　to　be；　his
friend　as　well　as　mine；　and　both　of　us　will　remember　your
conduct　when　we　get　back　to　Oswego。〃

〃Maybe；　never　get　back；　who　know？〃　　This　was　said
doubtingly；　or　as　one　who　lays　down　an　uncertain　propo…
sition；　and　not　with　a　taunt；　or　a　desire　to　alarm。

〃No　one　knows　what　will　happen　but　God。　　Our　lives
are　in　His　hands。　　Still；　I　think　you　are　to　be　His　instru…
ment　in　saving　us。〃

This　passed　June's　comprehension；　and　she　only　looked
her　ignorance；　for　it　was　evident　she　wished　to　be　of　use。

〃Blockhouse　very　good；〃　she　repeated；　as　soon　as　her
countenance　ceased　to　express　uncertainty；　laying　strong
emphasis　on　the　last　two　words。

〃Well；　I　understand　this；　June；　and　will　sleep　in　it　to…
night。　　Of　course　I　am　to　tell　my　uncle　what　you　have
said？〃

The　Dew…of…June　started；　and　she　discovered　a　very
manifest　uneasiness　at　the　interrogatory。

〃No；　no；　no；　no！〃　she　answered；　with　a　volubility　and
vehemence　that　was　imitated　from　the　French　of　the　Can…
adas；　〃no　good　to　tell　Saltwater。　　He　much　talk　and　long
tongue。　　Thinks　woods　all　water；　understand　not'ing。
Tell　Arrowhead；　and　June　die。〃

〃You　do　my　dear　uncle　injustice；　for　he　would　be　as
little　likely　to　betray　you　as　any　one。〃

〃No　understand。　　Saltwater　got　tongue；　but　no　eyes；　no
ears；　no　nose　　not'ing　but　tongue；　tongue；　tongue！〃

Although　Mabel　did　not　exactly　coincide　in　this　opinion；
she　saw　that　Cap　had　not　the　confidence　of　the　young　In…
dian　woman；　and　that　it　was　idle　to　expect　she　would　con…
sent　to　his　being　admitted　to　their　interview。

〃You　appear　to　think　you　know　our　situation　pretty
well；　June；〃　Mabel　continued；　〃have　you　been　on　the
island　before　this　visit？〃

〃Just　come。〃

〃How　then　do　you　know　that　what　you　say　is　true？
my　father；　the　Pathfinder；　and　Eau…douce　may　all　be　here
within　sound　of　my　voice；　if　I　choose　to　call　them。〃

〃All　gone；〃　said　June　positively；　smiling　good…humoredly
at　the　same　time。

〃Nay；　this　is　more　than　you　can　say　certainly；　not　hav…
ing　been　over　the　island　to　examine　it。〃

〃Got　good　eyes；　see　boat　with　men　go　away　　see　ship
with　Eau…douce。〃

〃Then　you　have　been　some　time　watching　us：　I　think；
however；　you　have　not　counted　them　that　remain。〃

June　laughed；　held　up　her　four　fingers　again；　and　then
pointed　to　her　two　thumbs；　passing　a　finger　over　the　first；
she　repeated　the　words　〃red…coats；〃　and　touching　the　last；
she　added；　〃Saltwater；〃　〃Quartermaster。〃　　All　this　was
being　very　accurate；　and　Mabel　began　to　entertain　serious
doubts　as　to　the　propriety　of　her　permitting　her　visitor　to
depart　without　her　becoming　more　explicit。　　Still　it　was
so　repugnant　to　her　feelings　to　abuse　the　confidence　this
gentle　and　affectionate　creature　had　evidently　reposed　in
her；　that　Mabel　had　no　sooner　admitted　the　thought　of
summoning　her　uncle；　than　she　rejected　it　as　unworthy　of
herself　and　unjust　to　her　friend。　　To　aid　this　good　reso…
lution；　too；　there　was　the　certainty　that　June　would　reveal
nothing；　but　take　refuge　in　a　stubborn　silence；　if　any　at…
tempt　were　made　to　coerce　her。

〃You　think；　then；　June；〃　Mabel　continued；　as　soon　as
these　thoughts　had　passed　through　her　mind；　〃that　I　had
better　live　in　the　blockhouse？〃

〃Good　place　for　woman。　　Blockhouse　got　no　scalp。
Logs　t'ick。〃

〃You　speak　confidently；　June；　as　if　you　had　been　in　it；
and　had　measured　its　walls。〃

June　laughed；　and　she　looked　knowing；　though　she
said　nothing。

〃Does　any　one　but　yourself　know　how　to　find　this
island？　have　any　of　the　Iroquois　seen　it？〃

June　looked　sad；　and　she　cast　her　eyes　warily　about　her；
as　if　distrusting　a　listener。

〃Tuscarora；　everywhere　　Oswego；　here；　Frontenac；　Mo…
hawk　　everywhere。　　If　he　see　June；　kill　her。〃

〃But　we　thought　that　no　one　knew　of　this　island；　and
that　we　had　no　reason　to　fear　our　encmies　while　on　it。〃

〃Much　eye；　Iroquois。〃

〃Eyes　will　not　always　do；　June；　　This　spot　is　hid　from
ordinary　sight；　and　few　of　even　our　own　people　know　how
to　find　it。〃

〃One　man　can　tell；　some　Yengeese　talk　French。〃

Mabel　felt　a　chill　at　her　heart。　　All　the　suspicions　against
Jasper；　which　she　had　hitherto　disdained　entertaining；
crowded　in　a　body　on　her　thoughts；　and　the　sensation　that
they　brought　was　so　sickening；　that　for　an　instant　she　im…
agined　she　was　about　to　faint。　　Arousing　herself；　and　re…
membering　her　promise　to　her　father；　she　arose　and　walked
up　and　down　the　hut　for　a　minute；　fancying　that　Jasper's
delinquencies　were　naught　to　her；　though　her　inmost　heart
yearned　with　the　desire　to　think　him　innocent。

〃I　understand　your　meaning；　June；〃　she　then　said；
〃you　wish　me　to　know　that　some　one　has　treacherousy
told　your　people　where　and　how　to　find　the　island？〃

June　laughed；　for　in　her　eyes　artifice　in　war　was　oftener
a　merit　than　a　crime；　but　she　was　too　true　to　her　tribe
herself　to　say　more　than　the　occasion　required。　　Her　object
was　to　save　Mabel；　and　Mabel　only；　and　she　saw　no　suffi…
cient　reason　for　〃travelling　out　of　the　record；〃　as　the　law
yers　express　it；　in　order　to　do　anything　else。

〃Pale…face　know　now；〃　she　added。　　〃Blockhouse　good
for　girl；　no　matter　for　men　and　warriors。〃

〃But　it　is　much　matter　with　me；　June；　for　one　of　those
men　is　my　uncle；　whom　I　love；　and　the　others　are　my
countrymen　and　friends。　　I　must　tell　them　what　has
passed。〃

〃Then　June　be　kill；〃　returned　the　young　Indian　quietly；
though　she　evidently　spoke　with　concern。

〃No；　they　shall　not　know　that　you　have　been　here。
Still；　they　must　be　on　their　guard；　and　we　can　all　go　into
the　blockhouse。〃

〃Arrowhead　know；　see　everything；　and　June　be　kill。
June　come　to　tell　young　pale…face　friend；　not　to　tell　men。
Every　warrior　watch　his　own　scalp。　　June　woman；　and
tell　woman；　no　tell　men。〃

Mabel　was　greatly　distressed　at　this　declaration　of　her
wild　friend；　for　it　was　now　evident　the　young　creature
understood　that　her　communication　was　to　go　no　further。
She　was　ignorant　how　far　these　people　consider　the　point
of　honor　interested　in　her　keeping　the　secret；　and　most
of　all　was　she　unable　to　say　how　far　any　indiscretion　of　her
own　might　actually　commit　June　and　endanger　her　life。
All　these　considerations　flashed　on　her　mind；　and　reflection
only　rendered　their　influence　more　painful。　　June；　too；
manifestly　viewed　the　matter　gravely；　for　she　began　to
gather　up　the　different　little　articles　she　had　dropped　in
taking　Mabel's　hand；　and　was　preparing　to　depart。　　To
attempt　detaining　her　was　out　of　the　question；　and　to　part
from　her；　after　all　she　had　hazarded　to　serve　her；　was　re…
pugnant　to　all　the　just　and　kind　feelings　of　our　heroine's
nature。

〃June；〃　said　she　eagerly；　folding　her　arms　round　th