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Chapter 8
"Notakarnel!"exclaimedtheobdurateHawkeye;"hisdeathiscertain,andwehavenopowdertospare,forIndianfightssometimeslastfordays;’tistheirscalpsorours!—andGod,whomadeus,hasputintoournaturesthecravingtokeeptheskinonthehead!"
Againstthissternandunyieldingmorality,supportedasitwasbysuchvisiblepolicy,therewasnoappeal.Fromthatmomenttheyellsintheforestoncemoreceased,thefirewassufferedtodecline,andalleyes,thoseoffriendsaswellasenemies,becamefixedonthehopelessconditionofthewretchwhowasdanglingbetweenheavenandearth.Thebodyyieldedtothecurrentsofair,andthoughnomurmurorgroanescapedthevictim,therewereinstantswhenhegrimlyfacedhisfoes,andtheanguishofcolddespairmightbetraced,throughtheinterveningdistance,inpossessionofhisswarthylineaments.Threeseveraltimesthescoutraisedhispieceinmercy,andasoftenprudencegettingthebetterofhisintention,itwasagainsilentlylowered.AtlengthonehandoftheHuronlostitshold,anddroppedexhaustedtohisside.Adesperateandfruitlessstruggletorecoverthebranchsucceeded,andthenthesavagewasseenforafleetinginstant,graspingwildlyattheemptyair.ThelightningisnotquickerthanwastheflamefromtherifleofHawkeye;thelimbsofthevictimtrembledandcontracted,theheadfelltothebosom,andthebodypartedthefoamingwaterslikelead,whentheelementclosedaboveit,initsceaselessvelocity,andeveryvestigeoftheunhappyHuronwaslostforever.
