ent with his own, and ask for
nothing that is the property of another."

The trapper had not time to express the surprise he felt at this
incoherent and contradictory language, for the man who was advancing,
was, already, within fifty feet of the place where they stood.--In
the mean time, Hector had not been an indifferent witness of what was
passing. At the sound of the distant footsteps, he had arisen, from his
warm bed at the feet of his master; and now, as the stranger appeared in
open view, he stalked slowly towards him, crouching to the earth like a
panther about to take his leap.

"Call in your dog," said a firm, deep, manly voice, in tones of
friendship, rather than of menace; "I love a hound, and should be sorry
to do an injury to the animal."

"You hear what is said about you, pup?" the trapper answered; "come
hither, fool. His growl and his bark are all that is left him now; you
may come on, friend; the hound is toothless."

The stranger profited by the intelligence. He sprang eagerly forward,
and at the next instant stood at the side of Ellen Wade. After assuring
himself of the identity of the latter, by a hasty but keen glance, he
turned his attention, with a quickness and impatience, that proved
the interest he took in the result, to a similar examination of her
companion.

"From what cloud have you fallen, my good old man?" he said in a
careless, off-hand, heedless manner that seemed too natural to be
assumed: "or do you actually live, hereaway, in the prairies?"

"I have been long on earth, and never I hope nigher to heaven, than I am
at this moment," returned the trapper; "my dwelling, if dwelling I may
be said to have, is not far distant. Now may I take the liberty with
you, that you are so willing to take with others? Whence do you come,
and where is your home?"

"Softly, softly; when I have done with my catechism, it will be time to
begin with yours. What sport is this, you follow by moonlight? You are
not dodging the buffaloes at such an hour!"

"I am, as you see, going from an encampment of travellers, which lies
over yonder swell in the land, to my own wigwam; in doing so, I wrong no
man."

"All fair and true. And you got this young woman to show you the way,
because she knows it so well and you know so little about it yourself!"

"I met her, as I have met you, by accident. For ten tiresome years have
I dwelt on these open fields, and never, before to-night, have I found
human beings