The Land Claim — page 11: what you’re looking at

Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.

THE FRENCH TRADER. vi this spirit of her father, Alicia, his daughter, was powerless. Though but a girl in years, she was his only aid and house- keeper, and alone had to bear her heavy burden. The fear of bloodshed, however, induced her to plead for peace—a plea which only aggravated the parent’s unnatural harshness. He walked the floor, in his anger, uttering imprecations on his neighbors. Alicia, to divert his thoughts, at length timidly remarked : “Mr. Mauvais, from the trading-post, was here to-day inquiring for you.” “ What did he want with me ?—the cursed Frenchman !” “ Hfe did not state his business ; he said he would call again in a day or two.” , Newcome Jooked sharply at his daughter. “ Must have been urgent business, I should say! How long did he stay? What did he say to you?” The young girl felt herself blushing, more at her father’s tone and manner, than at any thing she recollected in the interview with the trader. This suspicious manner on the part of the questioner made her own hesitating and embarrassed, as she answered : “I hardly can tell what he said; though I think he ad- mired our choice for a building spot—remarked that this whole country was familiar ground to him—that he could tell me masa meee Indian wars, manners, legends, “No doubt. Veryinteresting some of them would be. He ought to be pretty well posted in Indian customs. What else did he say?” ak ees ; “He asked me whether I had any brothers and sisters ; and thought I must be very lonely on this wild claim with no one but you; and you gone much of the time.” “He thinks you need company, does he? Well, I don’t agree with him. I tell you What, Alicia Newcome, if that French trader comes around here any more, asking for me, and stopping to talk with you, I'll make you sorry for encour- aging such acquaintances.” “ But, how can I keep him from coming, or from talking to me if he should come?” asked Alicia, between grief and re- sentment at her father’s harshness. . Commicloooksaconn