There, Judith; there's Kildeer; take him back, ag'in, and
keep him for some hand that's more desarving to own such a piece."
"I know of none as deserving as your own, Deerslayer," answered
the girl in haste; "none but yours shall keep the rifle."
"If it depended on skill, you might be right enough, gal, but we
should know when to use firearms, as well as how to use 'em. I
haven't l'arnt the first duty yet, it seems; so keep the piece till
I have. The sight of a dyin' and distressed creatur', even though
it be only a bird, brings wholesome thoughts to a man who don't know
how soon his own time may come, and who is pretty sartain that it
will come afore the sun sets; I'd give back all my vain feelin's,
and rej'icin's in hand and eye, if that poor eagle was only on its
nest ag'in, with its young, praisin' the Lord for anything that we
can know about the matter, for health and strength!"
The listeners were confounded with this proof of sudden repentance
in the hunter, and that too for an indulgence so very common, that
men seldom stop to weigh its consequences, or the physical suffering
it may bring on the unoffending and helpless. The Delaware understood
what was said, though he scarce understood the feelings which had
prompted the words, and by way of disposing of the difficulty, he
drew his keen knife, and severed the head of the sufferer from its
body.
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