himself, if he could speak as loud as he can
bray."

"Nelly," resumed the squatter, who paid very little attention to what
Paul considered a highly creditable and ingenious vindication, "Nelly,
this is a wide and a wicked world, on which you have been in such a
hurry to cast yourself. You have fed and you have slept in my camp for
a year, and I did hope that you had found the free air of the borders,
enough to your mind to wish to remain among us."

"Let the girl have her will," muttered Esther, from the rear; "he, who
might have persuaded her to stay, is sleeping in the cold and naked
prairie, and little hope is left of changing her humour; besides,
a woman's mind is a wilful thing, and not easily turned from its
waywardness, as you know yourself, my man, or I should not be here the
mother of your sons and daughters."

The squatter seemed reluctant to abandon his views of the abashed girl,
so easily; and before he answered to the suggestion of his wife, he
turned his usual dull look along the line of the curious countenances of
his boys, as if to see whether there was not one among them fit to fill
the place of the deceased. Paul was not slow to observe the expression,
and hitting nigher than usual on the secret thoughts of the other,
he believed he had fallen on an expedient which might remove every
difficulty.

"It is quite plain, friend Bush," he said, "that there are two opinions
in this matter; yours for your sons, and mine for myself. I see but one
amicable way of settling this dispute, which is as follows:--do you make
a choice among your boys of any you will, and let us walk off together
for the matter of a few miles into the prairies; the one who stays
behind, can never trouble any man's house or his fixen, and the one who
comes back may make the best of his way he can, in the good wishes of
the young woman."

"Paul!" exclaimed the reproachful, but smothered voice of Ellen.

"Never fear, Nelly," whispered the literal bee-hunter, whose
straight-going mind suggested no other motive of uneasiness, on the part
of his mistress, than concern for himself; "I have taken the measure of
them all, and you may trust an eye that has seen to line many a bee into
his hole!"

"I am not about to set myself up as a ruler of inclinations," observed
the squatter. "If the heart of the child is truly in the settlements,
let her declare it; she shall have no let or hinderance from me. Speak,
Nelly, and let what you say come