第60章

Of females who were officially recognized as belonging to the class of ladies, there were but three in the fort, all of whom were officers' wives; Mabel being strictly, as had been stated by the Quartermaster, the only real candidate for matrimony among her sex.

Some little preparation had been made for the proper reception of the females, who were placed on a low staging of planks near the immediate bank of the lake.In this vicinity the prizes were suspended from a post.Great care was taken to reserve the front seat of the stage for the three ladies and their children; while Mabel and those who belouged to the non-commissioned officers of the regi-ment, occupied the second.The wives and daughters of the privates were huddled together in the rear, some stand-ing and some sitting, as they could find room.Mabel, who had already been admitted to the society of the officers' wives, on the footing of a humble companion, was a good deal noticed by the ladies in front, who had a proper appreciation of modest self-respect and gentle re-finement, though they were all fully aware of the value of rank, more particularly in a garrison.

As soon as this important portion of the spectators had got into their places, Lundie gave orders for the trial of skill to proceed in the manner that had been prescribed in his previous orders.Some eight or ten of the best marksmen of the garrison now took possession of the stand, and began to fire in succession.Among them were officers and men indiscriminately placed, nor were the casual visitors in the fort excluded from the competition.

As might have been expected of men whose amusements and comfortable subsistence equally depended on skill in the use of their weapons, it was soon found that they were all sufficiently expert to hit the bull's-eye, or the white spot in the centre of the target.Others who succeeded them, it is true, were less sure, their bullets striking in the different circles that surrounded the centre of the target without touching it.

According to the rules of the day, none could proceed to the second trial who had failed in the first, and the ad-jutant of the place, who acted as master of the ceremonies, or marshal of the day, called upon the successful adven-turers by name to get ready for the next effort, while he gave notice that those who failed to present themselves for the shot at the bull's-eye would necessarily be excluded from all the higher trials.Just at this moment Lundie, the Quartermaster, and Jasper Eau-douce appeared in the group at the stand, while the Pathfinder walked leisurely on the ground without his beloved rifle, for him a measure so unusual, as to be understood by all present as a proof that he did not consider himself a competitor for the honors of the day.All made way for Major Duncan, who, as he approached the stand in a good-humored way, took his station, levelled his rifle carelessly, and fired.The bullet missed the required mark by several inches.

"Major Duncan is excluded from the other trials!"proclaimed the Adjutant, in a voice so stroug and confi-dent that all the elder officers and the sergeants well un-derstood that this failure was preconcerted, while all the younger gentlemen and the privates felt new encourage-ment to proceed on account of the evident impartiality with which the laws of the sports were administered.

"Now, Master Eau-douce, comes your turn," said Muir;"and if you do not beat the Major, I shall say that your hand is better skilled with the oar than with the rifle."Jasper's handsome face flushed, he stepped upon the stand, cast a hasty glance at Mabel, whose pretty form he ascertained was bending eagerly forward as if to note the result, dropped the barrel of his rifle with but little ap-parent care into the palm of his left hand, raised the muzzle for a single instant with exceeding steadiness, and fired.

The bullet passed directly through the centre of the bull's-eye, much the best shot of the morning, since the others had merely touched the paint.

"Well performed, Master Jasper," said Muir, as soon as the result was declared; "and a shot that might have done credit to an older head and a more experienced eye.

I'm thinking, notwithstanding, there was some of a young-ster's luck in it; for ye were no' partic'lar in the aim ye took.Ye may be quick, Eau-douce, in the movement, but yer not philosophic nor scientific in yer management of the weepon.Now, Sergeant Dunham, I'll thank you to request the ladies to give a closer attention than com-mon; for I'm about to make that use of the rifle which may be called the intellectual.Jasper would have killed, I allow; but then there would not have been half the sat-isfaction in receiving such a shot as in receiving one that is discharged scientifically."All this time the Quartermaster was preparing himself for the scientific trial; but he delayed his aim until he saw that the eye of Mabel, in common with those of her com-panions, was fastened on him in curiosity.As the others left him room, out of respect to his rank, no one stood near the competitor but his commanding officer, to whom he now said in his familiar manner, --"Ye see, Lundie, that something is to be gained by ex-citing a female's curiosity.It's an active sentiment is curiosity, and properly improved may lead to gentler in-novations in the end."

"Very true, Davy; but ye keep us all waiting while ye make your preparations; and here is Pathfinder drawing near to catch a lesson from your greater experience.""Well Pathfinder, and so _you_ have come to get an idea too, concerning the philosophy of shooting? I do not wish to hide my light under a bushel, and yer welcome to all ye'll learn.Do ye no' mean to try a shot yersel', man?""Why should I, Quartermaster, why should I? I want none of the prizes; and as for honor, I have had enough of that, if it's any honor to shoot better than yourself.

I'm not a woman to wear a calash."