Hutter shouldn't hear
the truth about me, as well as a lie. I'm a captyve in Indian hands, and
Providence only knows what will come of it! Harkee, Hetty," dropping
his voice and speaking still more confidentially, "you are a little weak
minded, it must be allowed, but you know something of Injins. Here I am
in their hands, after having slain one of their stoutest warriors, and
they've been endivouring to work upon me through fear of consequences,
to betray your father, and all in the Ark. I understand the blackguards
as well as if they'd told it all out plainly, with their tongues. They
hold up avarice afore me, on one side, and fear on t'other, and think
honesty will give way atween 'em both. But let your father and Hurry
know, 'tis all useless; as for the Sarpent, he knows it already."

"But what shall I tell Judith? She will certainly send me back, if I
don't satisfy her mind."

"Well, tell Judith the same. No doubt the savages will try the torments,
to make me give in, and to revenge the loss of their warrior, but I must
hold out ag'in nat'ral weakness in the best manner I can. You may tell
Judith to feel no consarn on my account-it will come hard I know,
seeing that a white man's gifts don't run to boasting and singing under
torment, for he generally feels smallest when he suffers most--but you
may tell her not to have any consarn. I think I shall make out to stand
it, and she may rely on this, let me give in, as much as I may, and
prove completely that I am white, by wailings, and howlings, and even
tears, yet I'll never fall so far as to betray my fri'nds. When it gets
to burning holes in the flesh, with heated ramrods, and to hacking
the body, and tearing the hair out by the roots, natur' may get the
upperhand, so far as groans, and complaints are consarned, but there the
triumph of the vagabonds will ind; nothing short of God's abandoning him
to the devils can make an honest man ontrue to his colour and duty."

Hetty listened with great attention, and her mild but speaking
countenance manifested a strong sympathy in the anticipated agony of the
supposititious sufferer. At first she seemed at a loss how to act; then,
taking a hand of Deerslayer's she affectionately recommended to him to
borrow her Bible, and to read it while the savages were inflicting their
torments. When the other honestly admitted that it exceeded his power to
read, she even volunteered to remain with him, and to perform this holy
office in