Red Plume — page 99: what you’re looking at

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

TOO LATE. 99 late in the morning, When they took up their line of march for their own camp, bearing the body of David Carver, as the kind and gentlemanly captain did not overlook the natural desire of his parents to view his remains. | Nathan Carver and his wife were, of course, Se ae at the safe return of Ellen, but their joy was overbalaneed by their grief at the death of their only son. It was arranged that they should go ‘with one of ‘Cap- tain Stecle’s parties, that was to start for Missouri early in the Fall. They were content to remain, in the mean time, at his camp, Which was the general rendezvous, through’ the season, for his trading and trapping expeditions. is Frank Steele did not omit to improve the sinocusies for forming ° amore intimate acquaintance with Nelly Carver, and the attachment that had been begun in scenes of excitement and ‘peril soon ripened into the warmest love. It was not long before the young man proposed to her parents that. they “should, instead of making a long and useless journey to Massa- ~chusetts, give him Nelly for his wife, and remain with him in Missouri, After due, and doubtless prayerful consideration, they consented to both requests, and Captain Stecle had not the least idea of Sppestae an ildsen ommn that pleased Frank so well. _-Eben Gookin had viewed the intimacy between Frank and — Ellen with great displeasure, but, he knew of no way ‘to’stop it. She might as well have stayed at home in Massachusetts, he thought, for she was bound to find good-looking lovers wherever she went. She was- always kind. and cousinly to him, but it was plain that her smiles, and all those numberless little favors that a damsel so well knows how to bestow where she chooses, were reserved for his dark-eyed rival. At last he concluded to learn his fate, as the novelists say, and opened his mind to his cousin as soon as he found her alone. . 5 “ Say, now, cousin Nelly,” he began, “as you and the old folks are talkin’ about goin’ back to Massachusetts, I thought T’'d speak to you about somethin’ that interests you and me, You know that I’ve been kinder settin’ up to you for a good while, and you can’t have any doubt that I love you, and after all I’ve been through here in the wilderness, and all I’ve done connicloooks. com