When he worried, by dint of hard pricking, the miserable hack that
proved food for the wolves, through the forest, he had better
appointments. I saw the bones of the animal no later than this day. They
have been polished by fowls and frost, till the driven snow of the
mountains is not whiter!"
Meaning and uneasy, but hasty glances of the eye were exchanged between
Content and Ruth, as Eben Dudley thus uttered the thoughts which had been
suggested by the unexpected return of the stranger.
"Go you to the look-out at the western palisadoes," said the latter; "and
see if perchance the Indian may not be lurking near the dwellings, ashamed
of his delay, and perchance fearful of calling us to his admission. I
cannot think that the child means to desert us, with no sign of kindness,
and without leave-taking."
"I will not take upon me to say, how much or how little of ceremony the
youngster may fancy to be due to the master of the valley and his kin; but
if not gone already, the snow will not melt more quietly in the thaw, than
the lad will one day disappear.
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