544 THE MALEDICTED. 



she believed she had seen him in the neighbourhood, endeavouring to 

 gain a sight of her ! I promised that I would no more endanger a life 

 which had become dear to her and, shade of MARIAN forgive me ! 

 sealed the promise on her lips. 



We heard no more of our Indian friends, and the circumstance which 

 caused depression to the inmates of New Hope, brought an elevation 

 of the heart to me. This w r as the first struggle in which I had been 

 engaged, and, without a vaunt, I might say I was the victor. I hailed 

 the omen with a delight which now I cannot but characterize as childish. 

 It was then, however, " the rainbow of the storm to me ;" it was plain 

 that I was not to be worsted in every encounter vengeance, a mother's 

 vengeance, was at length tired of pursuing me, and I might breathe 

 once more without the sensation of the ever-stifling curse ! 



My life became one unvarying round of sweet placidity. We pur- 

 sued our labour when it was necessary ; when otherwise, we took a 

 range in the woods, or a day's fishing in the lakes. When the weather 

 admitted of neither and sometimes it was dreadfully severe the time 

 was spent in cheerful games the relation of an old romance or the 

 fine voice of Emily, sometimes in a native ballad, and sometimes in the 

 popular airs of my own land in her happier days. Of course it had 

 been my pleasant province to teach her the latter, and it was a joy 

 to me to hear the plaintive airs of ancient Ireland warbled by a music- 

 breathing voice, amid the vast forests of the western world. 



I had now become a confirmed settler, and a practised agriculturist, 

 without even a wish to change my situation. The empty dreams that 

 cheered my boyhood hours the more emphatic aspirations of succeeding 

 days the air-drawn visions which hope nursed and glory pointed to 

 with her bright alluring finger, were all merged in deep forgetfulness ; 

 every epoch of my life, save one alone, was buried in oblivion ; and 

 even that I was striving to forget. I was more happy than I had been 

 for years. The seed time was passed, and we were looking forward to 

 our 'usual ample harvest, when to pass away the vacuum more spiritedly, 

 we proceeded, the entire family, to a settlement some miles distant, and 

 availing ourselves of the kind ministrations of a French missionary, I 

 became the husband of Emily Detroisier, and more sincere vows were 

 never breathed beneath the fretted roofs of ponderous cathedrals, than 

 were that day offered up in the small log chapel of the wilderness. Old 

 Detroisier shed tears of joy, and his hale old wife blessed us with the 

 best blessings of a fond mother. I prayed in my secret heart that they 

 might prove propitious, 



Whilst we were yet in the midst of our merry-making, we were vi- 

 sited by a party of straggling Indians, who halted for refreshment. 

 There were but five of them and two I instantly recognized as my 

 friends of the forest. I affected not to know them. Had there been 

 fifty instead of five, I am certain that Jerard Detroisier would have made 

 them welcome. He was, at any time, an epitome of hospitality, but 

 now, when he was scarcely in the possession of his senses, he would have 

 entertained a colony. Gerard informed them of the nature of our fes- 

 tivity, and the effect the intelligence had on my recent assailant is cer- 

 tainly worth recording. He dashed the maple cup from his lips, and in 

 a few minutes exhibited all the indications of the most intense despair ; 

 he bit pieces of flesh from his arms j and seemed the very image of 

 frenzy. He then gave vent to a volley of wild intonation, and fled to 



