and I
rendezvous'd an app'intment, to meet this evening at sunset on the
rendezvous-rock at the foot of this very lake, intending to come out on
our first hostile expedition ag'in the Mingos. Why we come exactly this
a way is our own secret; but thoughtful young men on the war-path, as
you may suppose, do nothing without a calculation and a design."

"A Delaware can have no unfriendly intentions towards us," said Judith,
after a moment's hesitation, "and we know you to be friendly."

"Treachery is the last crime I hope to be accused of," returned
Deerslayer, hurt at the gleam of distrust that had shot through Judith's
mind; "and least of all, treachery to my own color."

"No one suspects you, Deerslayer," the girl impetuously cried.
"No--no--your honest countenance would be sufficient surety for the
truth of a thousand hearts! If all men had as honest tongues, and no
more promised what they did not mean to perform, there would be less
wrong done in the world, and fine feathers and scarlet cloaks would not
be excuses for baseness and deception."

The girl spoke with strong, nay, even with convulsed feeling, and her
fine eyes, usually so soft and alluring, flashed fire as she concluded.
Deerslayer could not but observe this extraordinary emotion; but
with the tact of a courtier, he avoided not only any allusion to the
circumstance, but succeeded in concealing the effect of his discovery
on himself. Judith gradually grew calm again, and as she was obviously
anxious to appear to advantage in the eyes of the young man, she was
soon able to renew the conversation as composedly as if nothing had
occurred to disturb her.

"I have no right to look into your secrets, or the secrets of your
friend, Deerslayer," she continued, "and am ready to take all you say on
trust. If we can really get another male ally to join us at this trying
moment, it will aid us much; and I am not without hope that when the
savages find that we are able to keep the lake, they will offer to give
up their prisoners in exchange for skins, or at least for the keg of
powder that we have in the house."

The young man had the words "scalps" and "bounty" on his lips, but a
reluctance to alarm the feelings of the daughters prevented him from
making the allusion he had intended to the probable fate of their
father. Still, so little was he practised in the arts of deception,
that his expressive countenance was, of itself, understood by the
quick-witted Judit