第51章

"Because I never knew my own worthlessness, perhaps, until I saw Mabel.I have travelled with some as fair, and have guided them through the forest, and seen them in their perils and in their gladness; but they were always too much above me to make me think of them as more than so many feeble ones I was bound to protect and de-fend.The case is now different.Mabel and I are so nearly alike, that I feel weighed down with a load that is hard to bear, at finding us so unlike.I do wish, Sergeant, that I was ten years younger, more comely to look at, and better suited to please a handsome young woman's fancy.""Cheer up, my brave friend, and trust to a father's knowl-edge of womankind.Mabel half loves you already, and a fortnight's intercourse and kindness, down among the islands yonder will close ranks with the other half.The girl as much as told me this herself last night.""Can this be so, Sergeant?" said the guide, whose meek and modest nature shrank from viewing himself in colors so favorable."Can this be truly so? I am but a poor hunter and Mabel, I see, is fit to be an officer's lady.Do you think the girl will consent to quit all her beloved set-tlement usages, and her visitings and church-goings, to dwell with a plain guide and hunter up hereaway in the woods? Will she not in the end, crave her old ways, and a better man?""A better man, Pathfinder, would be hard to find," re-turned the father."As for town usages, they are soon forgotten in the freedom of the forest, and Mabel has just spirit enough to dwell on a frontier.I've not planned this marriage, my friend, without thinking it over, as a general does his campaign.At first, I thought of bringing you into the regiment, that you might succeed me when Iretire, which must be sooner or later; but on reflection, Pathfinder I think you are scarcely fitted for the office.

Still, if not a soldier in all the meanings of the word, you are a soldier in its best meaning, and I know that you have the good-will of every officer in the corps.As long as Ilive, Mabel can dwell with me, and you will always have a home when you return from your scoutings and marches.""This is very pleasant to think of, Sergeant, if the girl can only come into our wishes with good-will.But, ah's me! it does not seem that one like myself can ever be agree-able in her handsome eyes.If I were younger, and more comely, now, as Jasper Western is, for instance, there might be a chance -- yes, then, indeed, there might be some chance.""That for Jasper Eau-douce, and every younker of them in or about the fort!" returned the Sergeant, snapping his fingers."If not actually a younger, you are a younger-look-ing, ay, and a better-looking man than the _Scud's_ master - ""Anan?" said Pathfinder, looking up at his companion with an expression of doubt, as if he did not understand his meaning.

"I say if not actually younger in days and years, you look more hardy and like whipcord than Jasper, or any of them; and there will be more of you, thirty years hence, than of all of them put together.A good conscience will keep one like you a mere boy all his life.""Jasper has as clear a conscience as any youth I know, Sergeant, and is as likely to wear on that account as any in the colony.""Then you are my friend," squeezing the other's hand, - "my tried, sworn, and constant friend.""Yes, we have been friends, Sergeant, near twenty years before Mabel was born.""True enough; before Mabel was born, we were well-tried friends; and the hussy would never dream of refus-ing to marry a man who was her father's friend before she was born.""We don't know, Sergeant, we don't know.Like loves like.The young prefer the young for companions, and the old the old.""Not for wives, Pathfinder; I never knew an old man, now, who had an objection to a young wife.Then you are respected and esteemed by every officer in the fort, as I have said already, and it will please her fancy to like a man that every one else likes.""I hope I have no enemies but the Mingos," returned the guide, stroking down his hair meekly and speaking thoughtfully."I've tried to do right, and that ought to make friends, though it sometimes fails.""And you may be said to keep the best company; for even old Duncan of Lundie is glad to see you, and you pass hours in his society.Of all the guides, he confides most in you.""Ay, even greater than he is have marched by my side for days, and have conversed with me as if I were their brother; but, Sergeant, I have never been puffed up by their company, for I know that the woods often bring men to a level who would not be so in the settlements.""And you are known to be the greatest rifle shot that ever pulled trigger in all this region.""If Mabel could fancy a man for that, I might have no great reason to despair; and yet, Sergeant, I sometimes think that it is all as much owing to Killdeer as to any skill of my own.It is sartainly a wonderful piece, and might do as much in the hands of another.""That is your own humble opinion of yourself, Path-finder; but we have seen too many fail with the same weapon, and you succeed too often with the rifles of other men, to allow me to agree with you.We will get up a shooting match in a day or two, when you call show your skill, and when Mabel will form some judgment concern-ing your true character."