nges, Hetty perceived the circumstances, and wondered
at them in her own simple way. Her ambition was a little quickened,
and the answer was as much out of the usual course of things as the
question; the poor girl attempting to refine beyond her strength.

"Superior, Judith!" she repeated with pride. "In what can Deerslayer
be your superior? Are you not mother's child--and does he know how to
read--and wasn't mother before any woman in all this part of the world?
I should think, so far from supposing himself your superior, he would
hardly believe himself mine. You are handsome, and he is ugly--"

"No, not ugly, Hetty," interrupted Judith. "Only plain. But his honest
face has a look in it that is far better than beauty. In my eyes,
Deerslayer is handsomer than Hurry Harry."

"Judith Hutter! you frighten me. Hurry is the handsomest mortal in the
world--even handsomer than you are yourself; because a man's good looks,
you know, are always better than a woman's good looks."

This little innocent touch of natural taste did not please the elder
sister at the moment, and she did not scruple to betray it. "Hetty, you
now speak foolishly, and had better say no more on this subject," she
answered. "Hurry is not the handsomest mortal in the world, by many;
and there are officers in the garrisons--" Judith stammered at the
words--"there are officers in the garrisons, near us, far comelier than
he. But why do you think me the equal of Deerslayer--speak of that, for
I do not like to hear you show so much admiration of a man like Hurry
Harry, who has neither feelings, manners, nor conscience. You are too
good for him, and he ought to be told it, at once."

"I! Judith, how you forget! Why I am not beautiful, and am
feeble-minded."

"You are good, Hetty, and that is more than can be said of Harry March.
He may have a face, and a body, but he has no heart. But enough of this,
for the present. Tell me what raises me to an equality with Deerslayer."

"To think of you asking me this, Judith! He can't read, and you can. He
don't know how to talk, but speaks worse than Hurry even;--for, sister,
Harry doesn't always pronounce his words right! Did you ever notice
that?"

"Certainly, he is as coarse in speech as in everything else. But I fear
you flatter me, Hetty, when you think I can be justly called the equal
of a man like Deerslayer. It is true, I have been better taught; in
one sense am more comely; and perhaps might look higher; bu