me of one who, by nature and position was so
helpless, and as he did not choose to utter an untruth, he preferred
being silent. The Huron mistook the motive, and supposed that
disappointed affection lay at the bottom of his reserve. Still bent on
corrupting or bribing his captive, in order to obtain possession of the
treasures with which his imagination filled the Castle, he persevered in
his attack.

"Hawkeye is talking with a friend," he continued. "He knows that
Rivenoak is a man of his word, for they have traded together, and trade
opens the soul. My friend has come here on account of a little string
held by a girl, that can pull the whole body of the sternest warrior?"

"You are nearer the truth, now, Huron, than you've been afore, since we
began to talk. This is true. But one end of that string was not fast to
my heart, nor did the Wild Rose hold the other."

"This is wonderful! Does my brother love in his head, and not in his
heart? And can the Feeble Mind pull so hard against so stout a warrior?"

"There it is ag'in; sometimes right, and sometimes wrong! The string you
mean is fast to the heart of a great Delaware; one of Mohican stock in
fact, living among the Delawares since the disparsion of his own people,
and of the family of Uncas--Chingachgook by name, or Great Sarpent.
He has come here, led by the string, and I've followed, or rather come
afore, for I got here first, pulled by nothing stronger than fri'ndship;
which is strong enough for such as are not niggardly of their feelin's,
and are willing to live a little for their fellow creatur's, as well as
for themselves."

"But a string has two ends--one is fast to the mind of a Mohican; and
the other?"

"Why the other was here close to the fire, half an hour since.
Wah-ta-Wah held it in her hand, if she didn't hold it to her heart."

"I understand what you mean, my brother," returned the Indian gravely,
for the first time catching a direct clue to the adventures of the
evening. "The Great Serpent, being strongest, pulled the hardest, and
Hist was forced to leave us."

"I don't think there was much pulling about it," answered the other,
laughing, always in his silent manner, with as much heartiness as if he
were not a captive, and in danger of torture or death--"I don't think
there was much pulling about it; no I don't. Lord help you, Huron!
He likes the gal, and the gal likes him, and it surpassed Huron
sarcumventions to keep two young people apart