such animals, at the garrisons, and mother had a book in which there was
a printed account of the creature. Father burnt that with all the other
books, for he said Mother loved reading too well. This was not long
before mother died, and I've sometimes thought that the loss hastened
her end."

This was said equally without levity and without any very deep
feeling. It was said without levity, for Judith was saddened by her
recollections, and yet she had been too much accustomed to live for
self, and for the indulgence of her own vanities, to feel her mother's
wrongs very keenly. It required extraordinary circumstances to awaken a
proper sense of her situation, and to stimulate the better feelings of
this beautiful, but misguided girl, and those circumstances had not yet
occurred in her brief existence.

"Elephant, or no elephant, 'tis an idol," returned the hunter, "and not
fit to remain in Christian keeping."

"Good for Iroquois!" said Chingachgook, parting with one of the castles
with reluctance, as his friend took it from him to replace it in the
bag--"Elephon buy whole tribe--buy Delaware, almost!"

"Ay, that it would, as any one who comprehends red-skin natur' must
know," answered Deerslayer, "but the man that passes false money,
Sarpent, is as bad as he who makes it. Did you ever know a just Injin
that wouldn't scorn to sell a 'coon skin for the true marten, or to pass
off a mink for a beaver. I know that a few of these idols, perhaps one
of them elephants, would go far towards buying Thomas Hutter's liberty,
but it goes ag'in conscience to pass such counterfeit money. Perhaps no
Injin tribe, hereaway, is downright idolators but there's some that come
so near it, that white gifts ought to be particular about encouraging
them in their mistake."

"If idolatry is a gift, Deerslayer, and gifts are what you seem to think
them, idolatry in such people can hardly be a sin," said Judith with
more smartness than discrimination.

"God grants no such gifts to any of his creatur's, Judith," returned the
hunter, seriously. "He must be adored, under some name or other, and not
creatur's of brass or ivory. It matters not whether the Father of All is
called God, or Manitou, Deity or Great Spirit, he is none the less our
common maker and master; nor does it count for much whether the souls
of the just go to Paradise, or Happy Hunting Grounds, since He may send
each his own way, as suits his own pleasure and wisdom; but it cu