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.
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