a
companion who could sympathize in her tastes and feelings, which had
ever been above the standard of any others with whom she was
acquainted. And Henrich could do more than sympathize in her
aspirations--he could instruct her how they might be fully realized in
the attainment of divine knowledge, and the experience of Christian
love. No wonder, then, that Henrich held already the first place in her
heart and imagination, and was endowed by her lively fancy with every
quality and every perfection, both of mind and body, that she could
conceive to herself.

The simple-minded girl made no concealment of her preference for the
young stranger, whom she regarded as a brother--but a brother in every
way immeasurably her superior--and her father never checked her growing
attachment. The youth of both parties, the position that Henrich
occupied in his family as his adopted son, and the difference of race
and color, prevented him from even anticipating that a warmer sentiment
than fraternal affection could arise between them; and he fully
regarded his daughter as the future inmate and mistress of an Indian
warrior's lodge--whether that of Coubitant or of some other brave,
would, he considered, entirely depend on the comparative prowess in war
and hunting, and the value of the presents that would be the offering
of those who claimed her hand. That she should exercise any choice in
the matter never occurred to him; and, probably, had he foreseen that
such would be the case, and that the choice would fill on the son of a
stranger--on the pale-faced captive whose father had slain her only
brother--he would have removed her from such dangerous influence. But
he thought not of such consequences resulting from the intimacy of
Henrich and Oriana: he only saw that his child was happy, and that she
daily improved in grace and intelligence, and in the skilful and
punctual performance of all her domestic duties; and he was well
satisfied that he had not shed the blood of the Christian youth on the
grave of his lost Tekoa. His own esteem and affection for his adopted
son also continued to increase; and, young as Henrich was, the
influence of his superior cultivation of mind, and rectitude of
principle, was felt even by the aged Chief, and caused him to treat
him, at times, with a degree of respect that added bitterness to
Coubitant's malicious feelings.

He saw how fondly Oriana regarded her adopted brother, and personal
jealousy made h