第116章

Now I daresay that the fellow has been trying to persuade you, Mabel, that I have had more than one wife already.""In that case his time would have been thrown away, sir, as everybody knows that you have been so unfortunate as to have had four.""Only three, as sure as my name is David Muir.The fourth is pure scandal -- or rather, pretty Mabel, she is yet _in petto_, as they say at Rome; and that means, in matters of love, in the heart, my dear.""Well, I'm glad I'm not that fourth person, _in petto_, or in anything else, as I should not like to be a scandal.""No fear of that, charming Mabel; for were you the fourth, all the others would be forgotten, and your won-derful beauty and merit would at once elevate you to be the first.No fear of your being the fourth in any thing."There is consolation in that assurance, Mr.Muir," said Mabel, laughing, "whatever there may be in your other assurance; for I confess I should prefer being even a fourth-rate beauty to being a fourth wife."So saying she tripped away, leaving the Quartermaster to meditate on his success.Mabel had been induced to use her female means of defence thus freely, partly be-cause her suitor had of late been so pointed as to stand in need of a pretty strong repulse, and partly on account of his innuendoes against Jasper and the Pathfinder.

Though full of spirit and quick of intellect, she was not naturally pert; but on the present occasion she thought circumstances called for more than usual decision.When she left her companion, therefore, she believed she was now finally released from attentions which she thought as ill-bestowed as they were certainly disagreeable.Not so, however, with David Muir; accustomed to rebuffs, and familiar with the virtue of perseverance, he saw no reason to despair, though the half-menacing, half-self-satisfied manner in which he shook his head towards the retreating girl might have betrayed designs as sinister as they were determined.While he was thus occupied, the Pathfinder approached, and got within a few feet of him unseen.

"'Twill never do, Quartermaster, 'twill never do," com-menced the latter, laughing in his noiseless way; "she is young and active, and none but a quick foot can overtake her.They tell me you are her suitor, if you are not her follower.""And I hear the same of yourself, man, though the pre-sumption would be so great that I scarcely can think it true.""I fear you're right, I do; yes, I fear you're right; --when I consider myself, what I am, how little I know, and how rude my life has been, I altogether distrust my claim, even to think a moment of one so tutored, and gay, and light of heart, and delicate -- ""You forget handsome," coarsely interrupted Muir.

"And handsome, too, I fear," returned the meek and self-abased guide; "I might have said handsome at once, among her other qualities; for the young fa'n, just as it learns to bound, is not more pleasant to the eye of the hun-ter than Mabel is lovely in mine.I do indeed fear that all the thoughts I have harbored about her are vain and presumptuous.""If you think this, my friend, of your own accord and natural modesty, as it might be, my duty to you as an old fellow-campaigner compels me to say -- ""Quartermaster," interrupted the other, regarding his companion keenly, "you and I have lived together much behind the ramparts of forts, but very little in the open woods or in front of the enemy.""Garrison or tent, it all passes for part of the same cam-paign, you know, Pathfinder; and then my duty keeps me much within sight of the storehouses, greatly contrary to my inclinations, as ye may well suppose, having yourself the ardor of battle in your temperament.But had ye heard what Mabel had just been saying of you, ye'd no think another minute of making yourself agreeable to the saucy and uncompromising hussy."Pathfinder looked earnestly at the lieutenant, for it was impossible he should not feel an interest in what might be Mabel's opinion; but he had too much of the innate and true feeling of a gentleman to ask to hear what another had said of him.Muir, however, was not to be foiled by this self-denial and self-respect; for, believing he had a man of great truth and simplicity to deal with, he determined to practise on his credulity, as one means of getting rid of his rivalry.He therefore pursued the subject, as soon as he perceived that his companion's self-denial was stronger than his curiosity.

"You ought to know her opinion, Pathfinder," he con-tinued; "and I think every man ought to hear what his friends and acquaintances say of him: and so, by way of proving my own regard for your character and feelings, I'll just tell you in as few words as possible.You know that Mabel has a wicked, malicious way with them eyes of her own, when she has a mind to be hard upon one's feel-ings."

"To me her eyes, Lieutenant Muir, have always seemed winning and soft, though I will acknowledge that they sometimes laugh; yes, I have known them to laugh, and that right heartily, and with downright goodwill.""Well, it was just that then; her eyes were laughing with all their might, as it were; and in the midst of all her fun, she broke out with an exclamation to this effect:

- I hope 'twill no' hurt your sensibility, Pathfinder?""I will not say Quartermaster, I will not say.Mabel's opinion of me is of no more account than that of most others.""Then I'll no' tell ye, but just keep discretion on the subject; and why should a man be telling another what his friends say of him, especially when they happen to say that which may not be pleasant to hear? I'll not add an-other word to this present communication.""I cannot make you speak, Quartermaster, if you are not so minded, and perhaps it is better for me not to know Mabel's opinion, as you seem to think it is not in my favor.