"I wonder what makes my breast feel as if there was a weight upon it,"
he said, "I'll ask _ma mere_."

And putting spurs to Cloud, Verty scoured through the pine hills, and
in an hour drew near his home.

It was one of those mountain huts which are frequently met with to
this day in our Virginian uplands. Embowered in pines, it rather
resembled, seen from a distance, the eyrie of some huge eagle, than
the abode of human beings, though eagles' eyries are not generally
roofed in, with poles and clapboards.

The hut was very small, but not as low pitched as usual, and the place
had about it an air of wild comfort, which made it a pleasant object
in the otherwise unbroken landscape of pines, and huge rocks, and
browling streams which stretched around it. The door was approached
by a path which wound up the hill; and a small shed behind a clump of
firs was visible--apparently the residence of Cloud.

Verty carefully attended to his horse, and then ascended the hill
toward the hut, from whose chimney a delicate smoke ascended.

He was met at the door by an old Indian woman, who seemed to have
reached the age of three-score at least. She was clad in the ordinary
linsey of the period; and the long hair falling upon her shoulders was
scarcely touched with grey. She wore beads and other simple trinkets,
and the expression of her countenance was very calm and collected.

Verty approached her with a bright smile, and taking her hand in his