seemed to rend the breast of the Indian hunter, as though
pride and want were contending for the mastery; but the latter
prevailed, and in a faint voice he said:--

"Give me but a cup of cold water, for I am very faint."

This appeal was no more successful than the others. With abuse he was
told to drink of the river which flowed some distance off. This was
all that he could obtain from one who called himself a Christian, but
who allowed prejudice and obstinacy to steel his heart--which to one
of his own nation would have opened at once--to the sufferings of his
redskinned brother.

With a proud yet mournful air the Indian turned away, and slowly
proceeded in the direction of the little river. The weak steps of the
native showed plainly that his need was urgent; indeed he must have
been reduced to the last extremity, ere the haughty Indian would have
asked again and again for that which had been once refused.

Happily his supplicating appeal was heard by the farmer's wife. Rare
indeed is it that the heart of woman is steeled to the cry of
suffering humanity; even in the savage wilds of central Africa, the
enterprising and unfortunate Mungo Park was over and over again
rescued from almost certain death by the kind and generous care of
those females whose husbands and brothers thirsted for his blood.

The farmer's wife, Mary Sullivan, heard the whole as she sat hushing
her infant to rest; and from the open casement she watched the poor
Indian until she saw his form sink, apparently exhausted, to the
ground, at no great distance from her dwelling. Perceiving that her
husband had finished his work, and was slowly bending his steps toward
the stables with downcast eyes--for it must be confessed he did not
feel very comfortable--she left the house, and was soon at the poor
Indian's side, with a pitcher of milk in her hand, and a napkin, in
which was a plentiful meal of bread and roasted kid, with a little
parched corn as well.

"Will my red brother drink some milk?" said Mary, bending over the
fallen Indian; and as he arose to comply with her invitation, she
untied the napkin and bade him eat and be refreshed.

When he had finished, the Indian knelt at her feet, his eyes beamed
with gratitude, then in his soft tone, he said: "Carcoochee protect
the white dove from the pounces of the eagle; for her sake the
unfledged young shall be safe in its nest, and her red brother will
not seek to be revenged."

Drawing a bunch