had hearkened to his words. Her great self-command,
notwithstanding, enabled her to pursue the subject in a way still to
deceive him.

"What would you have me do with the weapon," she asked, "should that
which you seem to expect take place?"

"That's just what I wanted to speak to you about, Judith; that's just
it. There's Chingachgook, now, though far from being parfect sartainty,
with a rifle--for few red-skins ever get to be that--though far
from being parfect sartainty, he is respectable, and is coming on.
Nevertheless, he is my fri'nd, and all the better fri'nd, perhaps,
because there never can be any hard feelin's atween us, touchin' our
gifts, his'n bein' red, and mine bein' altogether white. Now, I should
like to leave Killdeer to the Sarpent, should any thing happen to keep
me from doing credit and honor to your precious gift, Judith."

"Leave it to whom you please, Deerslayer. The rifle is your own, to do
with as you please. Chingachgook shall have it, should you never return
to claim it, if that be your wish."

"Has Hetty been consulted in this matter? Property goes from the parent
to the children, and not to one child, in partic'lar!"

"If you place your right on that of the law, Deerslayer, I fear none of
us can claim to be the owner. Thomas Hutter was no more the father
of Esther, than he was the father of Judith. Judith and Esther we are
truly, having no other name!"

"There may be law in that, but there's no great reason, gal. Accordin'
to the custom of families, the goods are your'n, and there's no one
here to gainsay it. If Hetty would only say that she is willing, my
mind would be quite at ease in the matter. It's true, Judith, that
your sister has neither your beauty, nor your wit; but we should be the
tenderest of the rights and welfare of the most weak-minded."

The girl made no answer but placing herself at a window, she summoned
her sister to her side. When the question was put to Hetty, that
simple-minded and affectionate creature cheerfully assented to the
proposal to confer on Deerslayer a full right of ownership to the
much-coveted rifle. The latter now seemed perfectly happy, for the time
being at least, and after again examining and re-examining his prize, he
expressed a determination to put its merits to a practical test, before
he left the spot. No boy could have been more eager to exhibit the
qualities of his trumpet, or his crossbow, than this simple forester was
to prove those