in English, or Yocommon, as he is tarmed in
Injin, took it most to heart, and we mistrust him of having a hand in
all that followed."

"Wah-ta-Wah went with her father and mother, two moons ago, to fish for
salmon on the western streams, where it is agreed by all in these parts
that fish most abounds, and while thus empl'yed the gal vanished. For
several weeks we could get no tidings of her; but here, ten days since,
a runner, that came through the Delaware country, brought us a message,
by which we learn that Wah-ta-Wah was stolen from her people, we think,
but do not know it, by Briarthorn's sarcumventions,-and that she was
now with the inimy, who had adopted her, and wanted her to marry a
young Mingo. The message said that the party intended to hunt and forage
through this region for a month or two, afore it went back into the
Canadas, and that if we could contrive to get on a scent in this
quarter, something might turn up that would lead to our getting the
maiden off."

"And how does that concern you, Deerslayer?" demanded Judith, a little
anxiously.

"It consarns me, as all things that touches a fri'nd consarns a fri'nd.
I'm here as Chingachgook's aid and helper, and if we can get the young
maiden he likes back ag'in, it will give me almost as much pleasure as
if I had got back my own sweetheart."

"And where, then, is your sweetheart, Deerslayer?"

"She's in the forest, Judith--hanging from the boughs of the trees, in a
soft rain--in the dew on the open grass--the clouds that float about in
the blue heavens--the birds that sing in the woods--the sweet springs
where I slake my thirst--and in all the other glorious gifts that come
from God's Providence!"

"You mean that, as yet, you've never loved one of my sex, but love best
your haunts, and your own manner of life."

"That's it--that's just it. I am white--have a white heart and can't,
in reason, love a red-skinned maiden, who must have a red-skin heart
and feelin's. No, no, I'm sound enough in them partic'lars, and hope to
remain so, at least till this war is over. I find my time too much taken
up with Chingachgook's affair, to wish to have one of my own on my hands
afore that is settled."

"The girl that finally wins you, Deerslayer, will at least win an honest
heart,--one without treachery or guile; and that will be a victory that
most of her sex ought to envy."

As Judith uttered this, her beautiful face had a resentful frown on it;
while a bitte