Adventure and adventurers > Away in the wilderness, or, Life among the red Indians and fur-traders of North America

AWAY IN THE WILDERNESS.
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Jasper, on whose bronzed countenance there was
a deep flush of excitement and a look of anxiety.
Just as he said this, Jasper’s heart appeared to
leap into his throat and almost choked him.
Pulling up suddenly, he swallowed his heart, with
some difliculty, and said—
“ Hold on, lads. I’ll ride round to the fort by
way of the river, for reasons of my own. Push on,
Heywood, with the Indian, and let Mr. Pemberton
know I’m coming. See, I will give you the
packet of letters we were asked to carry from the
fort below. Now, make haste.”
Heywood, though a little surprised at this speech,
and at the manner of his friend, took the packet
in silence and rode swiftly away, followed by the
Indian. When they were gone, Jasper dismounted,
tied his horse to a tree, and walked quickly into
the woods in another direction.
Now this mysterious proceeding is not difficult
to explain. Jasper had caught sight of a female
figure walking under the trees at a considerable
distance from the spot where he had pulled up.
He knew that there were none but Indian women
at Fort Erie at that time, and that, therefore, the
only respectably dressed female at the place must
needs be his own Marie Laroche. Overjoyed at
the opportunity thus unexpectedly afforded him of
meeting her alone, he hastened forward with a
beating heart.