her brushing me with her clothes, my
vain thoughts have misled me. I never spoke plainly to Mabel myself, and
now there is no use for it, since there is clearly no hope."

"Jasper," returned Pathfinder simply, but with a dignity that precluded
further remarks at the moment, "we will talk of the Sergeant's funeral
and of our own departure from this island. After these things are
disposed of, it will be time enough to say more of the Sergeant's
daughter. This matter must be looked into, for the father left me the
care of his child."

Jasper was glad enough to change the subject, and the friends separated,
each charged with the duty most peculiar to his own station and habits.

That afternoon all the dead were interred, the grave of Sergeant Dunham
being dug in the centre of the glade, beneath the shade of a huge
elm. Mabel wept bitterly at the ceremony, and she found relief in thus
disburthening her sorrow. The night passed tranquilly, as did the whole
of the following day, Jasper declaring that the gale was too severe to
venture on the lake. This circumstance detained Captain Sanglier also,
who did not quit the island until the morning of the third day after the
death of Dunham, when the weather had moderated, and the wind had become
fair. Then, indeed, he departed, after taking leave of the Pathfinder,
in the manner of one who believed he was in company of a distinguished
character for the last time. The two separated like those who respect
one another, while each felt that the other was all enigma to himself.

CHAPTER XXIX.

Playful she turn'd that he might see
The passing smile her cheek put on;
But when she marked how mournfully
His eyes met hers, that smile was gone.
_Lalla Rookh._

The occurrences of the last few days had been too exciting, and had made
too many demands on the fortitude of our heroine, to leave her in the
helplessness of grief. She mourned for her father, and she occasionally
shuddered as she recalled the sudden death of Jennie, and all the
horrible scenes she had witnessed; but on the whole she had aroused
herself, and was no longer in the deep depression which usually
accompanies grief. Perhaps the overwhelming, almost stupefying sorrow
that crushed poor June, and left her for nearly twenty-four hours in a
state of stupor, assisted Mabel in conquering her own feelings, for she
had felt called on to administer consolation to the young Indian woman.
This