as so grateful to Judith to hear these unequivocal admissions of her
personal charms, that much would have been forgiven to the man who
made them, let him be who he might. But, at that moment, and from a far
better feeling, it would not have been easy for Deerslayer seriously
to offend her, and she listened with a patience, which, had it been
foretold only a week earlier, it would have excited her indignation to
hear.

"I understand your meaning, Deerslayer," returned the girl, with a
meekness and humility that a little surprised her listener, "and hope to
be able to profit by it. But, you have mentioned only one of the enemies
I have to fear; who, or what is the other."

"The other is givin' way afore your own good sense and judgment, I
find, Judith; yes, he's not as dangerous as I supposed. Howsever, havin'
opened the subject, it will be as well to end it honestly. The first
inimy you have to be watchful of, as I've already told you, Judith,
is oncommon good looks, and the next is an oncommon knowledge of the
sarcumstance. If the first is bad, the last doesn't, in any way, mend
the matter, so far as safety and peace of mind are consarned."

How much longer the young man would have gone on in his simple and
unsuspecting, but well intentioned manner, it might not be easy to say,
had he not been interrupted by his listener's bursting into tears, and
giving way to an outbreak of feeling, which was so much the more violent
from the fact that it had been with so much difficulty suppressed. At
first her sobs were so violent and uncontrollable that Deerslayer was a
little appalled, and he was abundantly repentant from the instant that
he discovered how much greater was the effect produced by his words than
he had anticipated. Even the austere and exacting are usually appeased
by the signs of contrition, but the nature of Deerslayer did not require
proofs of intense feelings so strong in order to bring him down to a
level with the regrets felt by the girl herself. He arose, as if an
adder had stung him, and the accents of the mother that soothes her
child were scarcely more gentle and winning than the tones of his voice,
as he now expressed his contrition at having gone so far.

"It was well meant, Judith," he said, "but it was not intended to hurt
your feelin's so much. I have overdone the advice, I see; yes, I've
overdone it, and I crave your pardon for the same. Fri'ndship's an awful
thing! Sometimes it chides us for not