plumage of birds-their carcasses and eggs-in short, he seemed to have levied his contributions equally on the elements of earth air and water. There are still in the most civilized parts of our country, some individuals of the aboriginal race, who like the remnants of their sacrifice-rocks, remain among us monuments of past ages. They seek the most secluded and wildest spots, where the face of nature, yet untouched by man, expresses some sympathy for them-owns an alliance with them. Some of them are pretenders to medical skill, and receive the significant appellation of "root doctors." They no longer affect to possess the charms, and use the spells of the ancient pow-wows, but their preparations are made with a studied secrecy which, by its influence over the imaginations of the vulgar, answers the purpose of magic. Without taxing our credulity to believe in all the marvellous cures that are ascribed to them, we see no reason why the simples they extract from the bosom of our kind mother earth should not prove as innocent and quite as efficacious as the drugs of the foreign soils. Every one has felt the inspiring influence of returning day-light-the most timid are emboldened by it. Emily inhaled the cool and fragrant morning air: she saw through the open door the dewy foliage glittering in the sun-beams, and the cheerful light that chequered the shaded foot-path, and the still voice of nature seemed to whisper encouragement to her spirit. She heard the shrill voice of the lark, and the clear note of the robin, and they sounded in her ear like the voices of her familiar friends. Exhausted as she was by long sufferings and recent terrors, hope nerved her to attempt her liberty. The rattling of the straw as she moved from it startled the vigilant dog, she saw him fix his eye upon her, and looking around for some means of diverting his attention, she espied a piece of dried meat hanging over the door; she cautiously took it down, stooped over him and patted him coaxingly, while she offered him the tempting bribe, but he shook off her arm, and with a low growl expressed his disdain of her arts. Finding the dog impracticable, she trusted that he would not be able to awaken his master from his deep sleep, and stealing timidly around his feet, and having attained the threshold of the door, she ascertained by one fearful glance that he still slept soundly, and rashly bounded over the doorstep, but she was suddenly arrested by the dog, who having jealously watched her stolen movements, now sprang after her, and caught her garments between his teeth. While she made an effort to extricate herself, the yelping of the animal awoke his master, who growled on her more fiercely than his dog. She turned towards him, and sunk on her knees, and with tears and entreaties, besought him, as he hoped for that mercy. from Heaven which he would so soon need, that he would have mercy on her.' He heeded her no more than if she had spoken to him in a dead language; and after gazing on her for a few moments silently, and with a mixture of sullen anger and brute indifference, he commended and caressed his dog, and then pulled the helpless despairing girl into the hut. She sunk back on her straw bed, while Sooduck, apparently unconscious of her sobs, and even of her presence, proceeded to make preparations for his breakfast. He first whetted his appetite by a copious draught of Reuben's liquor, and then kindled a fire, on which, without any fastidious preparation, he threw the still gasping trout. When they were but half roasted, he offered one on a piece of indian cake to Emily, who, as might be anticipated, rejected his hospitality, though her fast had been a long one. Quite unaffected by the scruples of his guest, Sooduck devoured his savage repast with a voracious appetite. He then left the hut, secured the door as well as he was able with a stout cord, and attaching his dog by his collar to a chain which was fastened in a staple driven into one of the upright posts, he left the trusty animal to guard his prisoner, while he with his pole and line sauntered to a little brook near his dwelling, but hidden by a thick growth of trees which it nourished on its sides. Emily remained stretched on her rude bed, now giving way to a burst of grief as the recollection of the past, or the gloomy portents of the future overpowered her-and now relapsing into profound silence, rendered more grievous by the sweet music of nature which struck on the poor prisoner's sickening sense. The melody of the birds, as they flew about her prison house, breathed freedom and gladness; and the brook which she distinctly heard as it gurgled around the roots of the trees that impeded its way, or bounded over the stones that vainly obstructed its free passage, conveyed to her the song of liberty. She was sometimes startled by the shrill whistle of the indian, who, still pursuing his drowsy pleasure in the shelter of the wood, sent his greeting to his dog, whose hoarse response answered the purpose of the sentinel call of "all is well." 79 CHAPTER XVII Proud of her parts, but gracious in her pride → And in her air was dignity and grace." Crabbe. WHILE the transactions so fatal to the peace of Emily Allen were going on, Deborah and Ellen were quietly pursuing their journey, though not as expeditiously as Ellen could have wished. She had not, as has been seen, left Eton in the most tranquil state of mind, and she was perhaps more impatient at the little accidents that retarded their progress than she would have been at another time, or under other circumstances. Sometimes the old racked chaise needed repair-sometimes the horse, who as Deborah said, "had like herself seen better and stronger days, and needed to be favoured," required a day's delay-and sometimes they came into the neighbourhood of an old acquaintance or far-off cousin of Deborah's, and she judged it right to diverge from their direct route to prove to them her friendly remembrance; for she scrupulously maintained the New-England custom (which among the degenerate moderns is becoming a little unfashionable) of noticing a relative to |