clothes was
wanting."

"The recollection of which, Deerslayer, must now be a great consolation
to you."

"It is the thought of such things, my fri'nds, that enables a man to
keep his furlough. It might be done without it, I own; for the worst
red-skins sometimes do their duty in this matter; but it makes that
which might otherwise be hard, easy, if not altogether to our liking.
Nothing truly makes a bolder heart than a light conscience."

Judith turned paler than ever, but she struggled for self-command, and
succeeded in obtaining it. The conflict had been severe, however, and
it left her so little disposed to speak that Hetty pursued the subject.
This was done in the simple manner natural to the girl.

"It would be cruel to kill the poor deer," she said, "in this world, or
any other, when you don't want their venison, or their skins. No good
white man, and no good red man would do it. But it's wicked for a
Christian to talk about chasing anything in heaven. Such things are
not done before the face of God, and the missionary that teaches these
doctrines can't be a true missionary. He must be a wolf in sheep's
clothing. I suppose you know what a sheep is, Deerslayer."

"That I do, gal, and a useful creatur' it is, to such as like cloths
better than skins for winter garments. I understand the natur' of sheep,
though I've had but little to do with 'em, and the natur' of wolves too,
and can take the idee of a wolf in the fleece of a sheep, though I think
it would be like to prove a hot jacket for such a beast, in the warm
months!"

"And sin and hypocrisy are hot jackets, as they will find who put them
on," returned Hetty, positively, "so the wolf would be no worse off than
the sinner. Spirits don't hunt, nor trap, nor fish, nor do anything that
vain men undertake, since they've none of the longings of this world to
feed. Oh! Mother told me all that, years ago, and I don't wish to hear
it denied."

"Well, my good Hetty, in that case you'd better not broach your doctrine
to Hist, when she and you are alone, and the young Delaware maiden is
inclined to talk religion. It's her fixed idee, I know, that the good
warriors do nothing but hunt and fish in the other world, though I don't
believe that she fancies any of them are brought down to trapping, which
is no empl'yment for a brave. But of hunting and fishing, accordin' to
her notion, they've their fill, and that, too, over the most agreeablest
hunting grounds, and amo