a time, kept him silent. The emotions of William Hinkley were such
as to deprive him of all desire for speech; and each, accordingly,
found sufficient employment in brooding over his own awakened fancies.
Even had they spoken in the ordinary tone of their voices, the
sounds could not have reached the persons approaching on the opposite
side. They drew nigh, evidently unconscious that the scene was
occupied by any other than themselves. Ned Hinkley was half-shrouded
in the shrubbery that environed the jutting crag upon which his
form was crouched, and they were not yet sufficiently nigh to the
tarn to perceive his projecting rod, and the gaudy fly which he
kept skipping about upon the surface. The walk which they pursued
was an ancient Indian footpath, which had without doubt conducted
the red warriors, a thousand times before, to a spot of seclusion
and refreshment after their long day's conflict on the "DARK AND
BLOODY GROUND." It was narrow and very winding, and had been made so
in order to lessen the fatigue of an ascent which, though gradual
enough, was yet considerable, and would have produced great weariness,
finally, had the pathway been more direct.

The circuitousness of this route, which lay clear enough before
the eyes of our two friends upon the eminence--crawling, as it did,
up the woodland slopes with the sinuous course of a serpent--was
yet visible to Ned Hinkley, on his lowlier perch, only at its
starting-point, upon the very margin of the lake. He, accordingly,
saw as little of the approaching persons as they had seen of him.
They advanced slowly, and seemed to be mutually interested in
their subject of conversation. The action of Stevens was animated;
The air and attitude of Margaret Cooper was that of interest and
attention. It was with something little short of agony that William
Hinkley beheld them pause upon occasion, and confront each other