y real opinion of you."

"Then don't try to entice me to overlook my furlough, gal! A furlough
is a sacred thing among warriors and men that carry their lives in their
hands, as we of the forests do, and what a grievous disapp'intment would
it be to old Tamenund, and to Uncas, the father of the Sarpent, and to
my other fri'nds in the tribe, if I was so to disgrace myself on my very
first war-path. This you will pairceive, moreover, Judith, is without
laying any stress on nat'ral gifts, and a white man's duties, to say
nothing of conscience. The last is king with me, and I try never to
dispute his orders."

"I believe you are right, Deerslayer," returned the girl, after a little
reflection and in a saddened voice: "a man like you ought not to act
as the selfish and dishonest would be apt to act; you must, indeed,
go back. We will talk no more of this, then. Should I persuade you to
anything for which you would be sorry hereafter, my own regret would not
be less than yours. You shall not have it to say, Judith--I scarce know
by what name to call myself, now!"

"And why not? Why not, gal? Children take the names of their parents,
nat'rally, and by a sort of gift, like, and why shouldn't you and Hetty
do as others have done afore ye? Hutter was the old man's name, and
Hutter should be the name of his darters;--at least until you are given
away in lawful and holy wedlock."

"I am Judith, and Judith only," returned the girl positively--"until the
law gives me a right to another name. Never will I use that of Thomas
Hutter again; nor, with my consent, shall Hetty! Hutter was not even his
own name, I find, but had he a thousand rights to it, it would give none
to me. He was not my father, thank heaven; though I may have no reason
to be proud of him that was!"

"This is strange!" said Deerslayer, looking steadily at the excited
girl, anxious to know more, but unwilling to inquire into matters that
did not properly concern him; "yes, this is very strange and oncommon!
Thomas Hutter wasn't Thomas Hutter, and his darters weren't his darters!
Who, then, could Thomas Hutter be, and who are his darters?"

"Did you never hear anything whispered against the former life of this
person, Deerslayer?" demanded Judith "Passing, as I did, for his child,
such reports reached even me."

"I'll not deny it, Judith; no, I'll not deny it. Sartain things have
been said, as I've told you, but I'm not very credible as to reports.
Young as I am