Останній з Могікан
Chapter 10
TobedeliveredintothehandsofSirWilliamJohnsonwasfarpreferabletobeingledintothewildsofCanada;butinordertoeffecteventheformer,itwouldbenecessarytotraversetheforestformanywearyleagues,eachstepofwhichwascarryinghimfartherfromthesceneofthewar,and,consequently,fromthepost,notonlyofhonor,butofduty.
Coraalonerememberedthepartinginjunctionsofthescout,andwheneveranopportunityoffered,shestretchedforthherarmtobendasidethetwigsthatmetherhands.ButthevigilanceoftheIndiansrenderedthisactofprecautionbothdifficultanddangerous.Shewasoftendefeatedinherpurpose,byencounteringtheirwatchfuleyes,whenitbecamenecessarytofeignanalarmshedidnotfeel,andoccupythelimbbysomegestureoffeminineapprehension.Once,andonceonly,wasshecompletelysuccessful;whenshebrokedowntheboughofalargesumach,and,byasuddenthought,letherglovefallatthesameinstant.Thissign,intendedforthosethatmightfollow,wasobservedbyoneofherconductors,whorestoredtheglove,broketheremainingbranchesofthebushinsuchamannerthatitappearedtoproceedfromthestrugglingofsomebeastinitsbranches,andthenlaidhishandonhistomahawk,withalooksosignificant,thatitputaneffectualendtothesestolenmemorialsoftheirpassage.
Astherewerehorses,toleavetheprintsoftheirfootsteps,inbothbandsoftheIndians,thisinterruptioncutoffanyprobablehopesofassistancebeingconveyedthroughthemeansoftheirtrail.
