"You'll see, sister; you'll
see, how soon it will bring him to, like a gentle child!"
"Will you tell me, Hetty, what you intend to say?" asked Deerslayer.
"I know the savages well, and can form some idee how far fair words
will be likely, or not, to work on their bloody natur's. If it's
not suited to the gifts of a red-skin, 'twill be of no use; for
reason goes by gifts, as well as conduct."
"Well, then," answered Hetty, dropping her voice to a low,
confidential, tone, for the stillness of the night, and the nearness
of the Ark, permitted her to do this and still to be heard - "Well,
then, Deerslayer, as you seem a good and honest young man I will
tell you. I mean not to say a word to any of the savages until I
get face to face with their head chief, let them plague me with as
many questions as they please I'll answer none of them, unless it
be to tell them to lead me to their wisest man - Then, Deerslayer,
I'll tell him that God will not forgive murder, and thefts; and
that if father and Hurry did go after the scalps of the Iroquois,
he must return good for evil, for so the Bible commands, else he
will go into everlasting punishment. When he hears this, and feels
it to be true, as feel it he must, how long will it be before he
sends father, and Hurry, and me to the shore, opposite the castle,
telling us all three to go our way in peace?"
The last question was put in a triumphant manner, and then the
simple-minded girl laughed at the impression she never doubted that
her project had made on her auditors.
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