tance that I was so long the Sergeant's comrade can be no
great merit in your eyes. I wish, too, I was more comely, I do; but
we are all as natur' made us, and the last thing that a man ought to
lament, except on very special occasions, is his looks. When all is
remembered, age, looks, learning, and habits, Mabel, conscience tells me
I ought to confess that I'm altogether unfit for you, if not downright
unworthy; and I would give up the hope this minute, I would, if I didn't
feel something pulling at my heart-strings which seems hard to undo."

"Pathfinder! Noble, generous Pathfinder!" cried our heroine, seizing his
hand and kissing it with a species of holy reverence; "You do yourself
injustice--you forget my poor father and your promise--you do not know
_me_!"

"Now, here's Jasper," continued the guide, without allowing the girl's
caresses to win him from his purpose, "with _him_ the case is different.
In the way of providing, as in that of loving, there's not much to
choose 'atween us; for the lad is frugal, industrious, and careful. Then
he is quite a scholar, knows the tongue of the Frenchers, reads many
books, and some, I know, that you like to read yourself, can understand
you at all times, which, perhaps, is more than I can say for myself."

"What of all this?" interrupted Mabel impatiently; "Why speak of it
now--why speak of it at all?"

"Then the lad has a manner of letting his thoughts be known, that I
fear I can never equal. If there's anything on 'arth that would make my
tongue bold and persuading, Mabel, I do think it's yourself; and yet in
our late conversations Jasper has outdone me, even on this point, in a
way to make me ashamed of myself. He has told me how simple you were,
and how true-hearted, and kind-hearted; and how you looked down upon
vanities, for though you might be the wife of more than one officer,
as he thinks, that you cling to feeling, and would rather be true to
yourself and natur' than a colonel's lady. He fairly made my blood warm,
he did, when he spoke of your having beauty without seeming ever to have
looked upon it, and the manner in which you moved about like a young
fa'n, so nat'ral and graceful like, without knowing it; and the truth
and justice of your idees, and the warmth and generosity of your
heart--"

"Jasper!" interrupted Mabel, giving way to feelings that had gathered
an ungovernable force by being so long pent, and falling into the
young man's willing arms, weeping