Chapter 27

"Her pallid face displayed
Something, methought, surpassing mortal beauty.
She presently turn'd round, and fixed her large, wild eyes.
Brimming with tears, upon me, fetch'd a sigh,
As from a riven heart, and cried: He's dead!"

Hillhouse.

Maud had been so earnest, and so much excited, that the scarcely
reflected on the singularity and novelty of her situation, until she
was seated, as described at the close of the last chapter. Then,
indeed, she began to think that she had embarked in an undertaking of
questionable prudence, and to wonder in what manner she was to be
useful. Still her heart did not fail her, or her hopes altogether sink.
She saw that Nick was grave and occupied, like a man who intended to
effect his purpose at every hazard; and that purpose she firmly
believed was the liberation of Robert Willoughby.

As for Nick, the instant his companion was seated, and he had got a
position to his mind, he set about his business with great assiduity.
It has been said that the lean-to like the cabin, was built of logs; a
fact that constituted the security of the prisoner. The logs of the
lean-to, however, were much smaller than those of the body of the
house, and both were of the common white pine of the country; a wood of
durable qualities, used as it was here, but which yielded easily to
edged tools. Nick had a small saw, a large chisel, and his knife. With
the chisel, he cautiously commenced opening a hole of communication
with the interior, by removing a little of the mortar that filled the
interstices between the logs. This occupied but a moment. When
effected, Nick applied an eye to the hole and took a look within. He
muttered the word "good," then withdrew his own eye, and, by a sign,
invited Maud to apply one of hers. This our heroine did, and saw Robert
Willoughby, reading within a few feet of her, with a calmness of air,
that at once announced his utter ignorance of the dire event that had
so lately occurred, almost within reach of his arm.

"Squaw speak," whispered Nick; "voice sweet as wren--go to Major's ear
like song of bird.--Squaw speak music to young warrior."

Maud drew back, her heart beat violently, her breathing became
difficult, and the blood rushed to her temples. But an earnest motion
from Nick reminded her this was no time for hesitation, and she applied
her mouth to the hole.

"Robert--_dear_ Robert," she said, in a loud whisper, "we are
here--have come to release you."

Maud's impatience could wait no longer; but her eye immediately
succeeded her mouth. That she was heard was evident from the
circumstance that the book fell from the Major's hand, in a way to show
how