the pathfinder-第81节

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master　with　me；　and　may　set　fire　to　the　building；　in　order
to　dislodge　them。　　They　tell　me　that　fire　is　the　great　dan…
ger　to　such　places。〃

〃No　burn　blockhouse；〃　said　June　quietly；

〃You　cannot　know　that；　my　good　June；　and　I　have　no
means　to　keep　them　off。〃

〃No　burn　blockhouse。　　Blockhouse　good；　got　no　scalp。〃

〃But　tell　me　why；　June；　I　fear　they　will　burn　it。〃

〃Blockhouse　wet　　much　rain　　logs　green　　no　burn　easy。
Red　man　know　it　　fine　t'ing　　then　no　burn　it　to　tell
Yengeese　that　Iroquois　been　here。　　Fader　come　back；
miss　blockhouse；　no　found。　　No；　no；　Indian　too　much
cunning；　no　touch　anything。〃

〃I　understand　you；　June；　and　hope　your　prediction　may
be　true；　for；　as　regards　my　dear　father；　should　he　escape　
perhaps　he　is　already　dead　or　captured；　June　？〃

〃No　touch　fader　　don't　know　where　he　gone　　water　got
no　trail　　red　man　can't　follow。　　No　burn　blockhouse　
blockhouse　good；　got　no　scalp。〃

〃Do　you　think　it　possible　for　me　to　remain　here　safely
until　my　father　returns？〃

〃Don't　know；　daughter　tell　best　when　fader　come　back。〃
Mabel　felt　uneasy　at　the　glance　of　June's　dark　eye　as
she　uttered　this；　for　the　unpleasant　surmise　arose　that　her
companion　was　endeavoring　to　discover　a　fact　that　might
be　useful　to　her　own　people；　while　it　would　lead　to　the
destruction　of　her　parent　and　his　party。　　She　was　about　to
make　an　evasive　answer；　when　a　heavy　push　at　the　outer
door　suddenly　drew　all　her　thoughts　to　the　immediate
danger。

〃They　come！〃　she　exclaimed。　　〃Perhaps；　June；　it　is
my　uncle　or　the　Quartermaster。　　I　cannot　keep　out　even
Mr。　Muir　at　a　moment　like　this。〃

〃Why　no　look？　plenty　loophole；　made　purpose。〃

Mabel　took　the　hint；　and；　going　to　one　of　the　downward
loops；　that　had　been　cut　through　the　logs　in　the　part　that
overhung　the　basement；　she　cautiously　raised　the　little
block　that　ordinarily　filled　the　small　hole；　and　caught　a
glance　at　what　was　passing　at　the　door。　　The　start　and
changing　countenance　told　her　companion　that　some　of　her
own　people　were　below。

〃Red　man；〃　said　June；　lifting　a　finger　in　admonition　to
be　prudent。

〃Four；　and　horrible　in　their　paint　and　bloody　trophies。
Arrowhead　is　among　them。〃

June　had　moved　to　a　corner；　where　several　spare　rifles
had　been　deposited；　and　had　already　taken　one　into　her
hand；　when　the　name　of　her　husband　appeared　to　arrest
her　movements。　　It　was　but　for　an　instant；　however；　for　she
immediately　went　to　the　loop；　and　was　about　to　thrust　the
muzzle　of　the　piece　through　it；　when　a　feeling　of　natural
aversion　induced　Mabel　to　seize　her　arm。

〃No；　no；　no；　June！〃　said　the　latter；　〃not　against　your
own　husband；　though　my　life　be　the　penalty。〃

〃No　hurt　Arrowhead；〃　returned　June；　with　a　slight
shudder；　〃no　hurt　red　man　at　all。　　No　fire　at　'em；　only
scare。〃

Mabel　now　comprehended　the　intention　of　June；　and
no　longer　opposed　it。　　The　latter　thrust　the　muzzle　of　the
rifle　through　the　loophole；　and；　taking　care　to　make　noise
enough　to　attract　attraction；　she　pulled　the　trigger。　　The
piece　had　no　sooner　been　discharged　than　Mabel　reproached
her　friend　for　the　very　act　that　was　intended　to　serve　her。

〃You　declared　it　was　not　your　intention　to　fire；〃　she
said；　〃and　you　may　have　destroyed　your　own　husband。〃

〃All　run　away　before　I　fire；〃　returned　June；　laughing；
and　going　to　another　loop　to　watch　the　movements　of　her
friends；　laughing　still　heartier。　　〃See！　get　cover　　every
warrior。　　Think　Saltwater　and　Quartermaster　here。　　Take
good　care　now。〃

〃Heaven　be　praised！　　And　now；　June；　I　may　hope　for　a
little　time　to　compose　my　thoughts　to　prayer；　that　I　may
not　die　like　Jennie；　thinking　only　of　life　and　the　things
of　the　world。〃

June　laid　aside　the　rifle；　and　came　and　seated　herself
near　the　box　on　which　Mabel　had　sunk；　under　that　physi…
cal　reaction　which　accompanies　joy　as　well　as　sorrow。　　She
looked　steadily　in　our　heroine's　face；　and　the　latter　thought
that　her　countenance　had　an　expression　of　severity　mingled
with　its　concern。

〃Arrowhead　great　warrior；〃　said　the　Tuscarora's　wife。
〃All　the　girls　of　tribe　look　at　him　much。　　The　pale…face
beauty　has　eyes　too？〃

〃June！　　what　do　these　words　　that　look　　imply？　what
would　you　say？〃

〃Why　you　so　'fraid　June　shoot　Arrowhead？〃

〃Would　it　not　have　been　horrible　to　see　a　wife　destroy
her　own　husband？　　No；　June；　rather　would　I　have　died
myself。〃

〃Very　sure；　dat　all？〃

〃That　was　all；　June；　as　God　is　my　judge！　　and　surely
that　was　enough。　　No；　no！　there　have　been　sufficient　hor…
rors　to…day；　without　increasing　them　by　an　act　like　this。
What　other　motive　can　you　suspect？〃

〃Don't　know。　　Poor　Tuscarora　girl　very　foolish。　　Arrow…
head　great　chief；　and　look　all　round　him。　　Talk　of　pale…
face　beauty　in　his　sleep。　　Great　chief　like　many　wives。〃

〃Can　a　chief　possess　more　than　one　wife；　June；　among
your　people？〃

〃Have　as　many　as　he　can　keep。　　Great　hunter　marry
often。　　Arrowhead　got　only　June　now；　but　he　look　too
much；　see　too　much；　talk　too　much　of　pale…face　girl。〃

Mabel　was　conscious　of　this　fact；　which　had　distressed
her　not　a　little；　in　the　course　of　their　journey；　but　it
shocked　her　to　hear　this　allusion；　coming；　as　it　did；　from
the　mouth　of　the　wife　herself。　　She　knew　that　habit　and
opinions　made　great　differences　in　such　matters；　but；　in
addition　to　the　pain　and　mortification　she　experienced　at
being　the　unwilling　rival　of　a　wife；　she　felt　an　apprehension
that　jealousy　would　be　but　an　equivocal　guarantee　for
her　personal　safety　in　her　present　situation。　　A　closer　look
at　June；　however；　reassured　her；　for；　while　it　was　easy　to
trace　in　the　unpractised　features　of　this　unsophisticated
being　the　pain　of　blighted　affections；　no　distrust　could
have　tortured　the　earnest　expression　of　her　honest　counte…
nance　into　that　of　treachery　or　hate。

〃You　will　not　betray　me；　June？〃　Mabel　said；　pressing
the　other's　hand；　and　yielding　to　an　impulse　of　generous
confidence。　　〃You　will　not　give　up　one　of　your　own　sex
to　the　tomahawk？〃

〃No　tomahawk　touch　you。　　Arrowhead　no　let　'em。　　If
June　must　have　sister…wife；　love　to　have　you。〃

〃No；　June；　my　religion；　my　feelings；　both　forbid　it；
and；　if　I　could　be　the　wife　of　an　Indian　at　all；　I　would
never　take　the　place　that　is　yours　in　a　wigwam。〃

June　made　no　answer；　but　she　looked　gratified；　and　even
grateful。　　She　knew　that　few；　perhaps　no　Indian　girl
within　the　circle　of　Arrowhead's　acquaintance；　could　com…
pare　with　herself　in　personal　attractions；　and；　though　it
might　suit　her　husband　to　marry　a　dozen　wives；　she　knew
of　no　one；　beside　Mabel；　whose　influence　she　could　really
dread。　　So　keen　an　interest；　however；　had　she　taken　in　the
beauty；　winning　manners；　kindness；　and　feminine　gentle…
ness　of　our　heroine；　that　when　jealousy　came　to　chill　these
feelings；　it　had　rather　lent　strength　to　that　interest；　and；
under　its　wayward　influence；　had　actually　been　one　of　the
strongest　of　the　incentives　that　had　induced　her　to　risk　so
much　in　order　to　save　her　imaginary　rival　from　the　conse…
quences　of　the　attack　that　she　so　well　knew　was　about　to
take　place。　　In　a　word；　June；　with　a　wife's　keenness　of
perception；　had　detected　Arrowhead's　admiration　of　Mabel；
and；　instead　of　feeling　that　harrowing　jealousy　that　might
have　rendered　her　rival　hateful；　as　would　have　been　apt
to　be　the　case　with　a　woman　unaccustomed　to　defer　to　the
superior　rights　of　the　lordly　sex；　she　had　studied　the　looks
and　character　of　the　pale…face　beauty；　until；　meeting　with
nothing　to　repel　her　own　feelings；　but　everything　to　en…
courage　them；　she　had　got　to　entertain　an　admiration　and
love　for　her；　which；　though　certainly　very　different；　was
scarcely　less　strong　than　that　of　her　husband's。　　Arrow…
head　himself　had　sent　her　to　warn　Mabel　of　the　coming
danger；　though　he　was　ignorant　that　she　had　stolen　upon
the　island　in　the　rear　of　the　assailants；　and　was　now　in…
trenched　in　the　citadel　along　with　the　object　of　their　joint
care。　　On　the　contrary；　he　supposed；　as　his　wife　had　said；
that　Cap　and　Muir　were　in　the　blockhouse　with　Mabel；　and
that　the　attempt　to　repel　him　and　his　companions　had
been　made　by　the　men。

〃June　sorry　the　Lily〃　　for　so　the　Indian；　in　her　poeti…
cal　language；　had　named　our　heroine　　〃June　sorry　the
Lily　no　marry　Arrowhead。　　His　wigwam　big；　and　a　great
chief　must　get　wives　enough　to　fill　it。〃

〃I　thank　you；　June；　for　this　preference；　which　is　not
according　to　the　notion　of　us　white　women；〃　returned
Mabel；　smiling　in　spite　of　the　fearful　situation　in　which
she　was　placed；　〃but　I　may　not；　probably　never　shall；
marry　at　all。〃

〃Must　have　good　husband；〃　said　June；　〃marry　Eau…
douce；　if　don't　like　Arrowhead。〃

〃June！　this　is　not　a　fit　subject　for　a　girl　who　scarcely
knows　if　she　is　to　live　another　hour　or　not。　　I　would　obtain
some　signs　of　my　dear　uncle's　being　alive　and　safe；　if　pos…
sible。〃

〃June　go　see。〃

〃Can　you？　　will　you？　　would　it　be　safe　for　you　to　be
seen　on　the　island？　is　your　presence　known　to　the　warriors；
and　would　they　be　pleased　to　find　a　woman　on　the　war…
path　with　them？〃

All　this　Mabel　asked　in　rapid　connection；　fearing　that
the　answer　might　not　be　as　she　wished。　　She　had　thought
it　extraordinary　that　June　should　be　of　the