“Nothing, do you say? Oh! sir, it’s another proof of your noble courage. I can never show you enough gratitude. For all that, I feel deeply grateful.”
Her voice trembled with emotion—tears welled into her eyes.
Her brave heart had well endured danger, but could not contemplate, without betraying its emotion, the self-generosity of her preserver.
“Wal,” said he, in order to change the conversation, which he thought too flattering towards himself, “what do you intend doing, now that your horse is gone?”
She wiped the tears from her eyes, and in a firm voice answered him—
“I’m not more than four or five miles from my home. I merely rode out for pleasure. I little thought that my excursion would end thus. Where do you live, sir? I don’t remember to have seen you before.”
“At the settlement?” he asked.
She nodded.
“No; I ain’t a resident of no place. I’m as you see me—a hunter. I’ve been at the settlement tho’ many a time; in fact, I used to live on that thar spot afore thar war any settlement. It war enough for me to know they war a-comin’, so I pulled up stakes and quit. You see, miss, it don’t do for a hunter to live among the clearins; besides, I’m a deal happier by myself.”
“No doubt. To a contented mind, such a life as yours must be a happy one.”