rang along the hollow,
natural gallery, from the distant closing door, had ceased, pointing
toward his insensible daughter, he said:

"Now let my brother show his power."

Thus unequivocally called on to exercise the functions of his assumed
character, Heyward was apprehensive that the smallest delay might prove
dangerous. Endeavoring, then, to collect his ideas, he prepared to
perform that species of incantation, and those uncouth rites, under
which the Indian conjurers are accustomed to conceal their ignorance and
impotency. It is more than probable that, in the disordered state of his
thoughts, he would soon have fallen into some suspicious, if not fatal,
error had not his incipient attempts been interrupted by a fierce growl
from the quadruped. Three several times did he renew his efforts to
proceed, and as often was he met by the same unaccountable opposition,
each interruption seeming more savage and threatening than the
preceding.

"The cunning ones are jealous," said the Huron; "I go. Brother, the
woman is the wife of one of my bravest young men; deal justly by her.
Peace!" he added, beckoning to the discontented beast to be quiet; "I
go."

The chief was as good as his word, and Duncan now found himself alone
in that wild and desolate abode with the helpless invalid and the fierce
and dangerous brute. The latter listened to the movements of the Indian
with that air of sagacity that a bear is known to possess, until another
echo announced that he had also left the cavern, when it turned and
came waddling up to Duncan before whom it seated itself in its natural
attitude, erect like a man. The youth looked anxiously about him for
some weapon, with which he might make a resistance against the attack he
now seriously expected.

It seemed, however, as if the humor of the animal had suddenly changed.
Instead of continuing its discontented growls, or manifesting any
further signs of anger, the whole of its shaggy body shook violently, as
if agitated by some strange internal convulsion. The huge and unwieldy
talons pawed stupidly about the grinning muzzle, and while Heyward kept
his eyes riveted on its movements with jealous watchfulness, the grim
head fell on one side and in its place appeared the honest sturdy
countenance of the scout, who was indulging from the bottom of his soul
in his own peculiar expression of merriment.

"Hist!" said the wary woodsman, interrupting Heyward's exclamation of
surprise; "the