Would to God that
I had not deserved to be numbered among these! But what power was it
that called me from the sleep of death just in time to escape the
merciless knife of this enemy? Had my swoon continued till he had
reached the spot, he would have effectuated my death by new wounds and
torn away the skin from my brows. Such are the subtle threads on which
hang the fate of man and of the universe!
While engaged in these reflections, I perceived that the moonlight had
begun to fade before that of the sun. A dusky and reddish hue spread
itself over the east. Cheered by this appearance, I once more resumed my
feet and the road. I left the savage wrhere he lay, but made prize of
his tomahawk. I had left my own in the cavern; and this weapon added
little to my burden. Prompted by some freak of fancy, I stuck his musket
in the ground, and left it standing upright in the middle of the road.
Chapter XX.
I moved forward with as quick a pace as my feeble limbs would permit. I
did not allow myself to meditate. The great object of my wishes was a
dwelling where food and repose might be procured. I looked earnestly
forward, and on each side, in search of some token of human residence;
but the spots of cultivation, the _well-pole_, the _worm fence_,
and the hayrick, were nowhere to be seen.
Pages:
299
300
301
302
303
304
305
306
307
308
309
310
311
312
313
314
315
316
317
318
319
320
321
322
323