Now,
there is a chief that has a daughter called Wah-ta-Wah, which is
intarpreted into Hist-oh-Hist, in the English tongue, the rarest gal
among the Delawares, and the one most sought a'ter and craved for
a wife by all the young warriors of the nation. Well, Chingachgook,
among others, took a fancy to Wah-ta-Wah, and Wah-ta-Wah took a
fancy to him." Here Deerslayer paused an instant; for, as he got
thus far in his tale, Hetty Hutter arose, approached, and stood
attentive at his knee, as a child draws near to listen to the
legends of its mother. "Yes, he fancied her, and she fancied him,"
resumed Deerslayer, casting a friendly and approving glance at the
innocent and interested girl; "and when that is the case, and all
the elders are agreed, it does not often happen that the young
couple keep apart. Chingachgook couldn't well carry off such a
prize without making inimies among them that wanted her as much as
he did himself. A sartain Briarthorn, as we call him in English,
or Yocommon, as he is tarmed in Injin, took it most to heart, and
we mistrust him of having a hand in all that followed.
Wah-ta-Wah went with her father and mother, two moons ago, to fish
for salmon on the western streams, where it is agreed by all in
these parts that fish most abounds, and while thus empl'yed the
gal vanished.
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