his arms, and followed in the footsteps of the scout. They
found the sick woman as they had left her, still alone, and passed
swiftly on, by the natural gallery, to the place of entrance. As they
approached the little door of bark, a murmur of voices without announced
that the friends and relatives of the invalid were gathered about the
place, patiently awaiting a summons to re-enter.

"If I open my lips to speak," Hawkeye whispered, "my English, which is
the genuine tongue of a white-skin, will tell the varlets that an enemy
is among them. You must give 'em your jargon, major; and say that we
have shut the evil spirit in the cave, and are taking the woman to the
woods in order to find strengthening roots. Practise all your cunning,
for it is a lawful undertaking."

The door opened a little, as if one without was listening to the
proceedings within, and compelled the scout to cease his directions. A
fierce growl repelled the eavesdropper, and then the scout boldly threw
open the covering of bark, and left the place, enacting the character of
a bear as he proceeded. Duncan kept close at his heels, and soon found
himself in the center of a cluster of twenty anxious relatives and
friends.

The crowd fell back a little, and permitted the father, and one who
appeared to be the husband of the woman, to approach.

"Has my brother driven away the evil spirit?" demanded the former. "What
has he in his arms?"

"Thy child," returned Duncan, gravely; "the disease has gone out of her;
it is shut up in the rocks. I take the woman to a distance, where I will
strengthen her against any further attacks. She will be in the wigwam of
the young man when the sun comes again."

When the father had translated the meaning of the stranger's words into
the Huron language, a suppressed murmur announced the satisfaction with
which this intelligence was received. The chief himself waved his hand
for Duncan to proceed, saying aloud, in a firm voice, and with a lofty
manner:

"Go; I am a man, and I will enter the rock and fight the wicked one."

Heyward had gladly obeyed, and was already past the little group, when
these startling words arrested him.

"Is my brother mad?" he exclaimed; "is he cruel? He will meet the
disease, and it will enter him; or he will drive out the disease, and
it will chase his daughter into the woods. No; let my children wait
without, and if the spirit appears beat him down with clubs. He is
cunning, and will bur