Still, as his name was unavoidably connected with many of the excesses committed by his parties, he was generally oonsidered in the American provinces a wretch who de-lighted in bloodshed, and who found his greatest happiness in tormenting the helpless and the innocent; and the name of Sanglier, which was a sobriquet of his own adopting, or of Flint Heart, as he was usually termed on the borders, had got to be as terrible to the women and children of that part of the country as those of Butler and Brandt became at a later day.
The meeting between Pathfinder and Sanglier bore some resemblance to that celebrated interview between Welling-ton and Blucher which has been so often and graphically told.It took place at the fire; and the parties stood ear-nestly regarding each other for more than a minute with-out speaking.Each felt that in the other he saw a formi-dable foe; and each felt, while he ought to treat the other with the manly liberality due to a warrior, that there was little in common between them in the way of character as well as of interests.One served for money and prefer-ment; the other, because his life had been cast in the wil-derness, and the land of his birth needed his arm and ex-perience.The desire of rising above his present situation never disturbed the tranquillity of Pathfinder; nor had he ever known an ambitious thought, as ambition usually betrays itself, until he became acquainted with Mabel.
Since then, indeed, distrust of himself, reverence for her, and the wish to place her in a situation above that which he then filled, had caused him some uneasy moments; but the directness and simplicity of his character had early afforded the required relief; and he soon came to feel that the woman who would not hesitate to accept him for her husband would not scruple to share his fortunes, however humble.He respected Sanglier as a brave warrior; and he had far too much of that liberality which is the result of practical knowledge to believe half of what he had heard to his prejudice, for the most bigoted and illiberal on every subject are usually those who know nothing about it; but he could not approve of his selfishness, cold-blooded calcu-lations, and least of all of the manner in which he forgot his "white gifts," to adopt those that were purely "red."On the other hand, Pathfinder was a riddle to Captain Sanglier.The latter could not comprehend the other's motives; he had often heard of his disinterestedness, jus-tice, and truth; and in several instances they had led him into grave errors, on that principle by which a frank and open-mouthed diplomatist is said to keep his secrets better than one that is close-mouthed and wily.
After the two heroes had gazed at each other in the man-ner mentioned, Monsieur Sanglier touched his cap; for the rudeness of a border life had not entirely destroyed the courtesy of manner he had acquired in youth, nor extin-guished that appearance of _bonhomie_ which seems inbred in a Frenchman.
"Monsieur le Pathfinder," said he, with a very decided accent, though with a friendly smile, "_un militaire_ honor _le courage, et la loyaute_.You speak Iroquois?""Ay, I understand the language of the riptyles, and can get along with it if there's occasion," returned the literal and truth-telling guide; "but it's neither a tongue nor a tribe to my taste.Wherever you find the Mingo blood, in my opinion, Master Flinty-heart, you find a knave.Well, I've seen you often, though it was in battle; and I must say it was always in the van.You must know most of our bullets by sight?""Nevvair, sair, your own; _une balle_ from your honorable hand be sairtaine deat'.You kill my best warrior on some island.""That may be, that may be; though I daresay, if the truth was known, they would turn out to be great rascals.
No offence to you, Master Flinty-heart, but you keep des-perate evil company."
"Yes, sair," returned the Frenchman, who, bent on say-ing that which was courteous himself, and comprehending with difficulty, was disposed to think he received a com-pliment, "you too good.But _un brave_ always _comme ca_.
What that mean? ha! what that _jeune homme_ do?"The hand and eye of Captain Sanglier directed the look of Pathfinder to the opposite side of the fire, where Jasper, just at that moment, had been rudely seized by two of the soldiers, who were binding his arms under the direction of Muir.
"What does that mean, indeed?" cried the guide, step-ping forward and shoving the two subordinates away with a power of muscle that would not be denied."Who has the heart to do this to Jasper Eau-douce? and who has the boldness to do it before my eyes?""It is by my orders, Pathfinder," answered the Quarter-master, "and I command it on my own responsibility.
Ye'll no' tak' on yourself to disrute the legality of orders given by one who bears the king's commission to the king's soldiers?""I'd dispute the king's words, if they came from the king's own mouth, did he say that Jasper desarves this.
