Furious with anger at the evident disgust of his victim,
Wacousta no sooner saw her sink into the arms of her
lover, than with that agility for which he was remarkable
he was again on his feet, and stood in the next instant
at her side. Uniting to the generous strength of his
manhood all that was wrung from his mingled love and
despair, the officer clasped his hands round the waist
of the drooping Clara; and with clenched teeth, and feet
firmly set, seemed resolved to defy every effort of the
warrior to remove her. Not a word was uttered on either
side; but in the fierce smile that curled the lip of the
savage, there spoke a language even more terrible than
the words that smile implied. Sir Everard could not
suppress an involuntary shudder; and when at length
Wacousta, after a short but violent struggle, succeeded
in again securing and bearing off his prize, the
wretchedness of soul of the former was indescribable.
"You see 'tis vain to struggle against your destiny,
Clara de Haldimar," sneered the warrior. "Ours is but a
rude nuptial couch, it is true; but the wife of an Indian
chief must not expect the luxuries of Europe in the heart
of an American wilderness.
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