June had moved to a corner, where several spare rifles had been deposited, and had already taken one into her hand, when the name of her husband appeared to arrest her movements.  It was but for an instant, however, for she immediately went to the loop, and was about to thrust the muzzle of the piece through it, when a feeling of natural aversion induced Mabel to seize her arm.

“No, no, no, June!” said the latter; “not against your own husband, though my life be the penalty.”

“No hurt Arrowhead,” returned June, with a slight shudder, “no hurt red man at all.  No fire at ’em; only scare.”

Mabel now comprehended the intention of June, and no longer opposed it.  The latter thrust the muzzle of the rifle through the loophole; and, taking care to make noise enough to attract attraction, she pulled the trigger.  The piece had no sooner been discharged than Mabel reproached her friend for the very act that was intended to serve her.

“You declared it was not your intention to fire,” she said, “and you may have destroyed your own husband.”

“All run away before I fire,” returned June, laughing, and going to another loop to watch the movements of her friends, laughing still heartier.  “See! get cover —­ every warrior.  Think Saltwater and Quartermaster here.  Take good care now.”

“Heaven be praised!  And now, June, I may hope for a little time to compose my thoughts to prayer, that I may not die like Jennie, thinking only of life and the things of the world.”

June laid aside the rifle, and came and seated herself near the box on which Mabel had sunk, under that physical reaction which accompanies joy as well as sorrow.  She looked steadily in our heroine’s face, and the latter thought that her countenance had an expression of severity mingled with its concern.

“Arrowhead great warrior,” said the Tuscarora’s wife.  “All the girls of tribe look at him much.  The pale-face beauty has eyes too?”

“June! —­ what do these words —­ that look —­ imply? what would you say?”

“Why you so ’fraid June shoot Arrowhead?”

“Would it not have been horrible to see a wife destroy her own husband?  No, June, rather would I have died myself.”

“Very sure, dat all?”

“That was all, June, as God is my judge! —­ and surely that was enough.  No, no! there have been sufficient horrors to-day, without increasing them by an act like this.  What other motive can you suspect?”

“Don’t know.  Poor Tuscarora girl very foolish.  Arrowhead great chief, and look all round him.  Talk of pale-face beauty in his sleep.  Great chief like many wives.”

“Can a chief possess more than one wife, June, among your people?”

“Have as many as he can keep.  Great hunter marry often.  Arrowhead got only June now; but he look too much, see too much, talk too much of pale-face girl.”