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82 - =~ MALAESKA. - >
The old man listened to these remarks with a keen look of the
eye; he was asking himself thé reason of*this change in his grand
son, and the answer brought a grim smile.to his lips. The fair girl,
who was now almost one of his household, had“ become so endeared
to him that he. could not bear the idea of even parting with her
again, and the thought that: the line of his name:and property
might yet persuade ‘her to'make the relationship closer’ still, had
grown almost into a passion with the old man.
This state of things lasted only a few months. — Before the leaves
fell, a change came upon Mr. Danforth. He was for some time more
listless and ‘oppressed than usual, and seemed to be looking into the
distance for-some thought that had disturbed him. One day, with-
out preliminaries, he began to talk with his wife about William’s f uth-
er, and, for the first time in years, mentioned his unhappy marriage.
-**T have sometimes thought,’’ said the lady, bending over her
work to conceal the emotion that stirred her face, ‘*I have some-
times thought that we should have told our grandson of all this
years ago. 7
The old man’s hand began to tremble on the top of his cane. His
eyes grew troubled and he was-a long time in answering. -
© It is too late now — we must let the secret die with us. It would
crush him forever. Iwasa proud man in those days,’’ he said, at
last; ‘* proud and stubborn. God has smitten me therefore, I some-
times think. .The thought of that poor women, whose child I took
away, troubles me at nights. ‘Tell me Therese, if you know any
thing*about her. | The day of my sickness I wetit to the lodge in
‘Weehawken where she was last seen, hoping to find her, praying
for time to make atonement; but the lodge was in ruins— no one
could be found who even remembered her. It had cost me a great ef- -
fort to go, and when the disappointment came, I fell beneath it. Tell
me, Therese, if you have heard any thing of Malaeska?”’
The good lady was silent ; but she grew pale, and the work trem-
bled in her hands. «
» You will not. speak? ’?’ said the old man, sharply.
- ‘© Yea,’ said the wife, gently laying down her work, and lifting
her. compassionate eyes to the keen face bending toward her, ‘I did ~
hear, from some Indians that came to the fur-stations up the river,
that an—that Malaeska went back to her tribe.’’
© There is something more,’’ questioned the old man — “ somo-
thing you keep back. aan
The poor wife attempted to shake her head, but she could not,
even by a motion, force herself toan untruth. So, dropping both
hands in her lap, she shrunk away from his glance, and the tears
bean to roll down her cheeks.
“ Speak !*? said the old man, hoarsely.
-She answered, in a voice low and hoarse as his own, “6 Malaeska
went to her tribes but they have cruel laws, and looking upon her as
a traitor in giving her son to us, sent her into the woods with one
who was chosen to kill her.’’
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