rd, who,
however, remained firm, still folding the fragile form of Alice to his
heart, at once too proud and too hopeless to ask favor of an enemy
so often foiled. When Magua had effected his object he approached his
prisoners, and said in English:

"The pale faces trap the cunning beavers; but the red-skins know how to
take the Yengeese."

"Huron, do your worst!" exclaimed the excited Heyward, forgetful that a
double stake was involved in his life; "you and your vengeance are alike
despised."

"Will the white man speak these words at the stake?" asked Magua;
manifesting, at the same time, how little faith he had in the other's
resolution by the sneer that accompanied his words.

"Here; singly to your face, or in the presence of your nation."

"Le Renard Subtil is a great chief!" returned the Indian; "he will go
and bring his young men, to see how bravely a pale face can laugh at
tortures."

He turned away while speaking, and was about to leave the place through
the avenue by which Duncan had approached, when a growl caught his ear,
and caused him to hesitate. The figure of the bear appeared in the door,
where it sat, rolling from side to side in its customary restlessness.
Magua, like the father of the sick woman, eyed it keenly for a moment,
as if to ascertain its character. He was far above the more vulgar
superstitions of his tribe, and so soon as he recognized the well-known
attire of the conjurer, he prepared to pass it in cool contempt. But
a louder and more threatening growl caused him again to pause. Then he
seemed as if suddenly resolved to trifle no longer, and moved resolutely
forward.

The mimic animal, which had advanced a little, retired slowly in his
front, until it arrived again at the pass, when, rearing on his hinder
legs, it beat the air with its paws, in the manner practised by its
brutal prototype.

"Fool!" exclaimed the chief, in Huron, "go play with the children and
squaws; leave men to their wisdom."

He once more endeavored to pass the supposed empiric, scorning even the
parade of threatening to use the knife, or tomahawk, that was pendent
from his belt. Suddenly the beast extended its arms, or rather legs, and
inclosed him in a grasp that might have vied with the far-famed power of
the "bear's hug" itself. Heyward had watched the whole procedure, on the
part of Hawkeye, with breathless interest. At first he relinquished his
hold of Alice; then he caught up a thong of buckskin, whic