cience finds no fault with thee, neither will I.
But as for me, let the old Adam of the flesh stir me as it may, I have no
one to fight for,--wife or child, parent or kinsman, I have none: if thee
will hunt the world over, thee will not find one in it that is my kinsman
or relative."

"But I ask you," said Roland, somewhat surprised at the turn of Nathan's
answer, "I ask you, if you _had_ a wife or child--"

"But I have _not_," cried Nathan, interrupting him vehemently; "and
therefore, friend, why should thee speak of them? Them that are dead, let
them rest: they can never cry to me more.--Think of thee own blood, and
do what seems best to thee for the good thereof."

"Assuredly I would," said Roland, who, however much his curiosity was
roused by the unexpected agitation of his guide, had little time to think
of any affairs but his own,--"Assuredly I would, could I only count upon
your hearty assistance. I tell you, man, my blood boils to look at yonder
crawling serpents, and to think of the ferocious object with which they
are dogging at my heels; and I would give a year of my life,--ay, if the
whole number of years were but ten,--one whole year of all,--for the
privilege of paying them for their villany beforehand."

"Thee has thee two men to back thee," said Nathan, who had now recovered
his composure; "and with these two men, if thee is warlike enough, thee
might do as much mischief as thee conscience calls for. But, truly, it
becomes not a man of peace like me to speak of strife and bloodshed--Yet,
truly," he added, hastily, "I think there must mischief come of this
meeting; for, verily, the evil creatures are leaving thee tracks, and
coming towards us!"

"They stop!" said Forrester, eagerly,--"they look about them,--they have
lost the track,--they are coming this way! You will not fight, yet you
may counsel.--What shall I do? Shall I attack them? What _can_ I do?"

"Friend," replied Nathan, briskly, "I can't tell what thee can do; but I
can tell thee what a man of Kentucky, a wicked fighter of Injuns, would
do in such a case made and provided. He would betake him to the thicket
where he had hidden his women and horses, and he would lie down with his
fighting men behind a log; and truly, if these ill-disposed Injun-men
were foolish enough to approach, he would fire upon them with his three
guns, taking them by surprise, and perhaps, wicked man, killing the
better half of them on the spot: and then--"

"And t