He gazed
wistfully towards the castle, but there all seemed to be silent
and desolate, and a feeling of loneliness and desertion came over
him to increase the gloom of the moment.
"God's will be done!" murmured the young man, as he walked sorrowfully
away from the beach, entering again beneath the arches of the wood.
"God's will be done, on 'arth as it is in heaven! I did hope that
my days would not be numbered so soon, but it matters little a'ter
all. A few more winters, and a few more summers, and 'twould have
been over, accordin' to natur'. Ah's! me, the young and actyve
seldom think death possible, till he grins in their faces, and
tells 'em the hour is come!"
While this soliloquy was being pronounced, the hunter advanced
into the area, where to his surprise he saw Hetty alone, evidently
awaiting his return. The girl carried the Bible under her arm,
and her face, over which a shadow of gentle melancholy was usually
thrown, now seemed sad and downcast. Moving nearer, Deerslayer
spoke.
"Poor Hetty," he said, "times have been so troublesome, of late,
that I'd altogether forgotten you; we meet, as it might be to mourn
over what is to happen. I wonder what has become of Chingachgook
and Wah!"
"Why did you kill the Huron, Deerslayer? -" returned the girl
reproachfully.
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