had not anticipated
finding a house awaiting their arrival. The baggage was soon placed in
it, and by nightfall they were fairly domiciled in their new home.
Tired of being unsettled, Mr. Duncan, on examining the locality around
him, determined to make himself a permanent home, much to the
gratification of the curate, whose choice of society had been hitherto
necessarily limited, as there were but few settlers within twenty miles
of his station. Jones and Cole refused to take up their abode there.
Visions of gold mines constantly haunted them, and after a week's delay
they departed for their hidden treasure.

The chief now became impatient to return, and to the astonishment of
all, and great indignation of Sidney, formally demanded of Mr. Duncan
that he should give authority for him to marry Jane, in order that he
might be on his journey back to his people. This demand was so
extraordinary that the father did not know what to do, and sought Howe,
to see if he could throw any light on this singular freak of the chief.
A shade of sorrow settled on the brow of the trapper when Mr. Duncan
told him his errand. "The chief," he remarked, "has been making love in
his fashion to Jane ever since we have been away, greatly to the
annoyance of Sidney, who looks upon her as if he thought no one had a
right to make love to her but himself."

"How is it with Jane?" asked Mr. Duncan, anxiously.

"If I am not greatly deceived, she prefers the chief to Sidney. I am
not certain of it, however. She was too guarded in her looks for me to
ascertain positively."

"This is strange! What am I to do?"

"Not strange at all, Duncan," returned the trapper. "Do what is right,
and all will be well enough."

"The question then is, what is right?"

"Not a hard one, by any means, to answer. If she prefers him, and he
will abandon his savage habits, live and be civilized like other
people, let her take him by all means. He is a noble, generous fellow,
and we are under great obligations to him, and common gratitude demands
from us any consistent return."

"But this mixing of the races!--I must acknowledge I can but feel a
repugnance to it; but we will see what Jane says, and leave it all to
her."

On approaching, they found her in earnest conversation with the chief,
and as they came up, they heard her say--"Do not ask me to leave them;
I feel as if a separation from all my kindred would be fatal to my
happiness. Your people are strangers to m