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By Root 1175 0

need be said about him. There is one—but no matter. It is all in the hand of Providence, and we must shortly come to some conclusion about our future manner of living. Remain here—that is, remain here alone, we cannot—and perhaps no occasion will ever offer for remaining in the manner you think of. It is time, too, Hetty, we should learn all we can concerning our relations and family. It is not probable we are altogether without relations, and they may be glad to see us. The old chest is now our property, and we have a right to look into it, and learn all we can by what it holds. Mother was so very different from Thomas Hutter, that, now I know we are not his children, I burn with a desire to know whose children we can be. There are papers in that chest, I am certain, and those papers may tell us all about our parents and natural friends.”

“Well, Judith, you know best, for you are cleverer than common, mother always said, and I am only half-witted. Now father and mother are dead, I don’t much care for any relations but you, and don’t think I could love them I never saw, as well as I ought. If you don’t like to marry Hurry, I don’t see who you can choose for a husband, and then I fear we shall have to quit the lake, after all.”

“What do you think of Deerslayer, Hetty?” asked Judith, bending forward like her unsophisticated sister, and endeavoring to conceal her embarrassment in a similar manner. “Would he not make a brother-in-law to your liking?”

“Deerslayer!” repeated the other, looking up in unfeigned surprise ; “why, Judith, Deerslayer isn’t in the least comely, and is altogether unfit for one like you!”

“He is not ill-looking, Hetty; and beauty in a man is not of much matter.”

“Do you think so, Judith? I know that beauty is of no great matter, in a man or woman, in the eyes of God; for mother has often told me so, when she thought I might have been sorry I was not as handsome as you—though she needn’t have been uneasy on that account, for I never coveted anything that is yours, sister; but tell me so she did; still, beauty is very pleasant to the eye, in both. I think, if I were a man, I should pine more for good looks than I do as a girl. A handsome man is a more pleasing sight than a handsome woman.”

“Poor child! you scarce know what you say or what you mean! Beauty in our sex is something, but in man, it passes for little. To be sure, a man ought to be tall, but others are tall as well as Hurry; and active—I think I know those that are more active; and strong—well, he hasn’t all the strength in the world; and brave—I’m certain I can name a youth who is braver.”

“This is strange, Judith. I didn’t think the earth held a handsomer, or a stronger, or a more active, or a braver man than Hurry Harry I am sure I never met his equal in either of these things.”

“Well, well, Hetty, say no more of this. I dislike to hear you talking in this manner. ’Tis not suitable to your innocence, and truth, and warmhearted sincerity. Let Harry March go. He quits us tonight, and no regret of mine will follow him, unless it be that he has stayed so long and to so little purpose.”

“Ah! Judith, that is what I’ve long feared; and I did so hope he might be my brother-in-law!”

“Never mind it now; let us talk of our poor mother and of Thomas Hutter.”

“Speak kindly, then, sister, for you can’t be quite certain that spirits don’t both hear and see. If father wasn’t father, he was good to us, and gave us food and shelter. We can’t put any stones over their graves here in the water to tell people all this, and so we ought to say it with our tongues.”

“They will care little for that, girl. ’Tis a great consolation to know, Hetty, that if mother ever did commit any heavy fault when young, she lived sincerely to repent of it; no doubt her sins were forgiven her.”

“ ’Tisn’t right, Judith, for children to talk of their parents’ sins. We had better talk of our own.”

“Talk of your sins, Hetty! If there ever was a creature on earth without sin, it is you! I wish I could say or think the same of myself; but we shall see. No one knows what changes