They will be ashamed to go back to their village, and tell their people that they let their prisoner go on account of the song of this strange bird and not be able to give the name of the bird.
They do not know how to say whether it is a wren, or a cat bird.
This would be a great disgrace; my young men would not be allowed to travel in the woods without taking their mothers with them, to tell them the names of the birds!"
"You can ask my name of your prisoner," returned the girl. "It is Judith; and there is a great deal of the history of Judith in the pale-face's best book, the Bible.
If I am a bird of fine feathers, I have also my name."
"No," answered the wily Huron, betraying the artifice he had so long practised, by speaking in English with tolerable accuracy, "I not ask prisoner.
He tired; he want rest.
I ask my daughter, with feeble mind.
She speak truth.
Come here, daughter; you answer.
Your name, Hetty?"
"Yes, that's what they call me," returned the girl, "though it's written Esther in the Bible."
"He write him in bible, too!
All write in bible.
No matter- what her name?"
"That's Judith, and it's so written in the Bible, though father sometimes called her Jude.
That's my sister Judith. Thomas Hutter's daughter -Thomas Hutter, whom you called the Muskrat; though he was no muskrat, but a man like yourselves - he lived in a house on the water, and that was enough for you."
A smile of triumph gleamed on the hard wrinkled countenance of the chief, when he found how completely his appeal to the truth-loving Hetty had succeeded.
As for Judith, herself, the moment her sister was questioned, she saw that all was lost; for no sign, or even intreaty could have induced the right feeling girl to utter a falsehood.
To attempt to impose a daughter of the Muskrat on the savages as a princess, or a great lady, she knew would be idle, and she saw her bold and ingenious expedient for liberating the captive fail, through one of the simplest and most natural causes that could be imagined.
She turned her eye on Deerslayer, therefore, as if imploring him to interfere to save them both.
"It will not do, Judith," said the young man, in answer to this appeal, which he understood, though he saw its uselessness; "it will not do.
'Twas a bold idea, and fit for a general's lady, but yonder Mingo" Rivenoak had withdrawn to a little distance, and was out of earshot - "but yonder Mingo is an oncommon man, and not to be deceived by any unnat'ral sarcumvention.
Things must come afore him in their right order, to draw a cloud afore his eyes!
Twas too much to attempt making him fancy that a queen, or a great lady, lived in these mountains, and no doubt he thinks the fine clothes you wear is some of the plunder of your own father - or, at least, of him who once passed for your father; as quite likely it was, if all they say is true."
"At all events, Deerslayer, my presence here will save you for a time.
They will hardly attempt torturing you before my face!"
"Why not, Judith?
Do you think they will treat a woman of the pale faces more tenderly than they treat their own?
It's true that your sex will most likely save you from the torments, but it will not save your liberty, and may not save your scalp.
I wish you had not come, my good Judith; it can do no good to me, while it may do great harm to yourself."
"I can share your fate," the girl answered with generous enthusiasm. "They shall not injure you while I stand by, if in my power to prevent it -besides -"
"Besides, what, Judith?
What means have you to stop Injin cruelties, or to avart Injin deviltries?"
"None, perhaps, Deerslayer," answered the girl, with firmness, "but I can suffer with my friends - die with them if necessary."
"Ah! Judith - suffer you may; but die you will not, until the Lord's time shall come.
It's little likely that one of your sex and beauty will meet with a harder fate than to become the wife of a chief, if, indeed your white inclinations can stoop to match with an Injin.
'Twould have been better had you staid in the Ark, or the castle, but what has been done, is done.
You was about to say something, when you stopped at 'besides'?"
"It might not be safe to mention it here, Deerslayer," the girl hurriedly answered, moving past him carelessly, that she might speak in a lower tone; "half an hour is all in all to us.
None of your friends are idle."
The hunter replied merely by a grateful look.
Then he turned towards his enemies, as if ready again to face their torments.
A short consultation had passed among the elders of the band, and by this time they also were prepared with their decision.
The merciful purpose of Rivenoak had been much weakened by the artifice of Judith, which, failing of its real object, was likely to produce results the very opposite of those she had anticipated.
This was natural; the feeling being aided by the resentment of an Indian who found how near he had been to becoming the dupe of an inexperienced girl.
By this time, Judith's real character was fully understood, the wide spread reputation of her beauty contributing to the exposure.
As for the unusual attire, it was confounded with the profound mystery of the animals with two tails, and for the moment lost its influence.
When Rivenoak, therefore, faced the captive again, it was with an altered countenance.
He had abandoned the wish of saving him, and was no longer disposed to retard the more serious part of the torture.