Red Plume — page 22: what you’re looking at

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

22~C:«‘“S RED PLUME. time, not only with thefair Ellen, but With the rest of = family. Mrs. Carver soon had a fine buffalo-rib broiled, and some flour cakes baked over the coals; of. which her handsome visitor ate heartily, declaring that the cooking exceeded any thing he had seen at his fathers.camp. This praise brought the blushes into the good lady’s face, and was also grateful to Nathan Carver, who was always pleased when his wife was commended, When he had finished, his supper, he produced his pipe, and conversed pleasantly with all,.except Eben Gook- in, who seemed determined to be as. gruff and unpleasant as he knew how to be. ‘The fact. is, he had supposed; when. he followed Ellen -Carver into the wilderness, that he would have — & monopoly of the young beauty, and; would not be bothered and put out of countenance by any of the smooth-faced and well-dressed beaux who had so greatly disturbed his peace of mind in Massachusetts. . He had, too, hoped- thatthe girl, from-sheer lack of other available young men, would be com- pelled to accept him as a suitor, and, in due course of time, asa husband, It was natural, therefore, that he should feel chagrined, and consider his rights invaded, when a handsome and evidently well-to-do young man; whose admiration of Ellen was so apparent, entered their quiet circle, and threat- ened to completely upset. his calculations.. As soon as Steele saw Ellen Carver, and perceived jon beautiful she was, how charming in every way, he immedi- ately became very solicitous that Nathan Carver and his party should accompany him to,the camp of Captain Steele, and travel with that expedition as far as it might go im their direc- tion. He pictured the country as swarming with’ hostile Indians, who were daily increasing in numbers and audacity, and represented the attempt of so small a party to pass through there at that time, as hazardous in the extreme. His father, he said; was in command of a large party, which he had organized for trading and trapping purposes, and which was abundantly able to protect his new friends against all dangers. He was sure that they would be welcome, and he exhausted his eloquence in urging this project upon them, as one not only proper, but absolutely necessary for their safety, The plan struck Nathan Carver favorably, as he had reason commicbooks.com