he mat at the door shook in the breeze, he
could detect the glimmering of a light, and fancied he could even faintly
hear the murmur of voices, he crawled among the bushes, scarcely doubting
that he was now within but a few feet of the unhappy maid in whose
service he had toiled so long and so well.

But the path to the wigwam was not yet free from obstructions. He had
scarce pushed aside the first bush in his way, opening a vista into the
den of leaves, where he looked to find his best concealment, before a
flash of light from the fire, darting through the gap, and falling upon a
dark grim visage almost within reach of his hand, showed him that he
had stumbled unawares upon a sleeping savage,--a man that had evidently
staggered there in his drunkenness, and falling among the bushes, had
straightway given himself up to sottish repose.

For the first time, a thrill smote through the bosom of the spy; but it
was not wholly a thrill of dismay. There was little indeed in the
appearance of the wretched sleeper, at that moment, to inspire terror;
for apart from the condition of helpless impotence, to which his
ungovernable appetites had reduced him, he seemed to be entirely
unarmed,--at least Nathan could see neither knife nor tomahawk about him.
But there was that in the grim visage, withered with age, and seamed with
many a scar,--in the mutilated, but bony and still nervous hand lying on
the broad naked chest,--and in the recollections of the past they
recalled to Nathan's brain, which awoke a feeling not less exciting, if
less unworthy, than fear. In the first impulse of surprise, it is true,
he started backwards, and grovelled flat upon his face, as if to beat an
instant retreat in the only posture which could conceal him, if the
sleeper should have been disturbed by his approach. But the savage slept
on, drugged to stupefaction by many a deep and potent draught; and
Nathan, preserving his snake-like position only for a moment, rose slowly
upon his hands, and peered over again upon the unconscious barbarian.

But the bushes had closed again around him, and the glimmer of the dying
fire no longer fell upon the barbarian. With an audacity of daring that
marked the eagerness and intensity of his curiosity, Nathan with his
hands pushed the bushes aside, so as again to bring a gleam upon the
swarthy countenance; which he perused with such feelings as left him for
a time unconscious of the object of his enterprise, unconsciou