be a soldier, or a captyve. Being the
last, I must take the chances of a prisoner."

"Have the Hurons suffered you to quit them in this manner, without watch
or guard."

"Sartain--I woul'n't have come in any other manner, unless indeed it had
been by a bold rising, or a sarcumvention."

"What pledge have they that you will ever return?"

"My word," answered the hunter simply. "Yes, I own I gave 'em that, and
big fools would they have been to let me come without it! Why in
that case, I shouldn't have been obliged to go back and ondergo any
deviltries their fury may invent, but might have shouldered my rifle,
and made the best of my way to the Delaware villages. But, Lord! Judith,
they know'd this, just as well as you and I do, and would no more let me
come away, without a promise to go back, than they would let the wolves
dig up the bones of their fathers!"

"Is it possible you mean to do this act of extraordinary
self-destruction and recklessness?"

"Anan!"

"I ask if it can be possible that you expect to be able to put yourself
again in the power of such ruthless enemies, by keeping your word."

Deerslayer looked at his fair questioner for a moment with stern
displeasure. Then the expression of his honest and guileless face
suddenly changed, lighting as by a quick illumination of thought, after
which he laughed in his ordinary manner.

"I didn't understand you, at first, Judith; no, I didn't! You believe
that Chingachgook and Hurry Harry won't suffer it; but you don't know
mankind thoroughly yet, I see. The Delaware would be the last man on
'arth to offer any objections to what he knows is a duty, and, as for
March, he doesn't care enough about any creatur' but himself to
spend many words on such a subject. If he did, 'twould make no great
difference howsever; but not he, for he thinks more of his gains than
of even his own word. As for my promises, or your'n, Judith, or any
body else's, they give him no consarn. Don't be under any oneasiness,
therefore, gal; I shall be allowed to go back according to the furlough;
and if difficulties was made, I've not been brought up, and edicated as
one may say, in the woods, without knowing how to look 'em down."

Judith made no answer for some little time. All her feelings as a woman,
and as a woman who, for the first time in her life was beginning to
submit to that sentiment which has so much influence on the happiness
or misery of her sex, revolted at the cruel fate