te man would have abandoned the attempt to light a fire in
despair, with coals that came out of the ashes resembling sparks; but
these children of the forest had many expedients that were unknown to
civilization. By the aid of a few dry leaves, which they alone knew
where to seek, a blaze was finally kindled, and then the addition of a
few light sticks made sure of the advantage that had been obtained.
When Mabel stooped down over the loop, the Indians were making a pile of
brush against the door, and as she remained gazing at their proceedings,
she saw the twigs ignite, the flame dart from branch to branch, until
the whole pile was cracking and snapping under a bright blaze. The
Indians now gave a yell of triumph, and returned to their companions,
well assured that the work of destruction was commenced. Mabel remained
looking down, scarcely able to tear herself away from the spot, so
intense and engrossing was the interest she felt in the progress of the
fire. As the pile kindled throughout, however, the flames mounted, until
they flashed so near her eyes as to compel her to retreat. Just as she
reached the opposite side of the room, to which she had retired in her
alarm, a forked stream shot up through the loophole, the lid of which
she had left open, and illuminated the rude apartment, with Mabel and
her desolation. Our heroine now naturally enough supposed that her hour
was come; for the door, the only means of retreat, had been blocked
up by the brush and fire, with hellish ingenuity, and she addressed
herself, as she believed, for the last time to her Maker in prayer. Her
eyes were closed, and for more than a minute her spirit was abstracted;
but the interests of the world too strongly divided her feelings to be
altogether suppressed; and when they involuntarily opened again, she
perceived that the streak of flame was no longer flaring in the room,
though the wood around the little aperture had kindled, and the blaze
was slowly mounting under the impulsion of a current of air that sucked
inward. A barrel of water stood in a corner; and Mabel, acting more by
instinct than by reason, caught up a vessel, filled it, and, pouring it
on the wood with a trembling hand, succeeded in extinguishing the fire
at that particular spot. The smoke prevented her from looking down
again for a couple of minutes; but when she did her heart beat high
with delight and hope at finding that the pile of blazing brush had been
overturned and