"You may shake, Hurry, until you bring down the mountain," he said
quietly, "but nothing beside truth will you shake from me. It is
probable that Judith Hutter has no husband to slay, and you may
never have a chance to waylay one, else would I tell her of your
threat, in the first conversation I held with the gal."

March released his grip, and sat regarding the other in silent
astonishment.

"I thought we had been friends," he at length added; "but you've
got the last secret of mine that will ever enter your ears."

"I want none, if they are to be like this. I know we live in the
woods, Hurry, and are thought to be beyond human laws,--and perhaps
we are so, in fact, whatever it may be in right,--but there is a
law and a law-maker, that rule across the whole continent. He that
flies in the face of either need not call me a friend."

"Damme, Deerslayer, if I do not believe you are at heart a Moravian,
and no fair-minded, plain-dealing hunter, as you've pretended to be!"

"Fair-minded or not, Hurry, you will find me as plaindealing in
deeds as I am in words. But this giving way to sudden anger is
foolish, and proves how little you have sojourned with the red man.
Judith Hutter no doubt is still single, and you spoke but as the
tongue ran, and not as the heart felt. There's my hand, and we
will say and think no more about it."

Hurry seemed more surprised than ever; then he burst forth in a
loud, good-natured laugh, which brought tears to his eyes. After