She sat motionless for a long time, watching his face as intently as a fond mother might have done a child. Then his heavy and regular breathing convinced her that he was asleep. But she must be certain beyond the shadow of a doubt before she could give way to the promptings of her heart, and lighting a little strip of inflammable bark she held it close to his eyes. No flinching of muscles or winking of lids betray consciousness, and bending over him she breathed in the softest of whispers as her lips touched his:
"Ne-ne-moosha, sweetheart, how much I love you!"
"And so do I you, Cloud!" replied the scout, who had been watching her—"playin' 'possum," as he would have said—as he sprung up suddenly and clasped her in his arms and returned her caresses with usurious interest.
She tried to escape, but could not, had been fairly caught, and yielded gracefully while the hunter continued in his rough but honest and warm, great-hearted way to tell her of his affection.
"I knew I kinder liked yer," he said, as he twined his arm around and drew her close to his side, "ther very fust time I ever sot my eyes on yer, but I didn't know how much ontil I heard yer talkin' erbout ther young brave. Then it all come ter me in er minit. Howsomever, it am all right now, and jest as soon as I kin git out of this ar' infernal scrape we'll travel to whar we kin build er wigwam and live in peace."
"The pale-face is a great chief, brave and handsome," she replied, looking into his face with bashful confusion, though making no effort to conceal either her great admiration or love.
"Wal, I don't know erbout ther handsome part," he replied with a laugh, "but I do know you have become very dear ter me. And do yer love me so much?"
"He has become the Manitou of her heart."
"That's lovin' most mighty well, Cloud. Give me ernuther kiss. I hain't had er single one before since my poor mother kissed me, and that's many er long year ergo."
"If any thing should happen to him she would die," she replied, with tears gathering in her eyes as she reluctantly tore herself away and prepared for departure.