is consuming it.

We would not have it understood to be altogether the case with the young
destitute before us; but, at least, if she still continued to feel these
still-occurring influences, there was little or no outward indication of
their power upon the hidden spirit. She said nothing to him on his
departure, but with a half-wandering sense, that may perhaps have
described something of the ruling passion of an earlier day, she rose
shortly after he had left the house, and placing herself before the
small mirror which surmounted the toilet in the apartment, rearranged
with studious care, and with an eye to its most attractive appearance,
the long and flowing tresses of that hair, which, as we have already
remarked, was of the most silky and raven-like description. Every
ringlet was adjusted to its place, as if nothing of sorrow was about
her--none of the badges and evidences of death and decay in her thought.
She next proceeded to the readjustment of the dress she wore, taking
care that a string of pearl, probably the gift of her now indifferent
lover, should leave its place in the little cabinet, where, with other
trinkets of the kind, it had been locked up carefully for a long season,
and once more adorned with it the neck which it failed utterly to
surpass in delicacy or in whiteness. Having done this, she again took
her place on the couch, along with the corpse; and with a manner which
did not appear to indicate a doubt of the still lingering spirit, she
raised the lifeless head, with the gentlest effort placing her arm
beneath, then laid her own quietly on the pillow beside it.

CHAPTER XXVI.

THE CAMP.

Ignorant, as we have already said, of his late most providential escape
from the weapon of his implacable enemy, Ralph Colleton was borne
forward by his affrighted steed with a degree of rapidity which entirely
prevented his rider from remarking any of the objects around him, or,
indeed, as the moon began to wane amid a clustering body of clouds, of
determining positively whether he were still in the road or not. The
_trace_ (as public roads are called in that region) had been rudely cut
out by some of the earlier travellers through the Indian country, merely
_traced_ out--and hence, perhaps, the term--by a _blaze_, or white spot,
made upon the trees by hewing from them the bark; which badge, repeated
in succession upon those growing immediately upon the line chosen for
the destined road, indicated