86 THE ALLEGHANIES. 



sort of " warning attack " of partial paralysis. Bodily pain 

 and nervous anxiety cut loose the knot that tied up his 

 tongue. -A httle warmth of the old blood returned — an in- 

 ner consciousness, an agi'eeable sense of a shadowy something 

 which loomed out of the misty past, a yearning for that deli- 

 cious sympathy and gentle touch of woman which an old 

 man so much appreciates Avhen his steps grow feeble and 

 pains tingle through his bones. 



Said he to Starkweather, one day, when he was dubbing a 

 green pelt in the shanty — said he : " Pardner, I'm treed ! " 



A hound raised his nose from his paws and whined at the 

 unusual yoice, but Starkweather showed no sign of sui-prise. 



'• Let it out, old boss," he rejoined ; and went on with his 

 graining. 



'' Hubbard, I'm afeard I'll have to give in. I aint no ac- 

 count any more. I've had this first warning attack, and 

 they say the third is a settler. One of these times when 

 you're off with the traps, or out to the settlements, you'll 

 come back and find me stiff. 'Twould be kinder hard to 

 drop off alone, old boss ! " 



"Pshaw!" 



" Hubbard, you must get me a woman to take care of me ! 

 I don't care what sort she is, much ; only mind, Hubbard, 

 she musn't le j)rettyr 



" I'll do it, old chum. Ill do it, if it cost me a fortin. 

 Take another snooze, pard, and call the thing settled." 



So the conversation terminated, and early the next morn- 

 ing Starkweather struck into the woods. The " woman" he 

 brought, in course of time, to the sylvan altar, was a " she- 

 Norwegian " and *a widow, who couldn't speak a word of 

 English. That she was plain, there can be no doubt. It 

 was so named in the contract. That she made a good wife, 

 is equally certain; for the hunter's cabin soon assumed a 

 vastly improved appearance, as did the " old case " himself. 

 He was as good as new. 



In the course of time there was a weddin^f at Pritchard's. 



