 Temple. As I told you before, I say
nothing egotistical. But a discovery has been made, and you are deeply
interested in it.«
    »Proceed - I am all ears.«
    »No, no, 'duke, you are bad enough, I own, but not so bad as that either;
your ears are not quite full grown.«
    The Sheriff laughed heartily at his own wit, and put himself in good humour
thereby, when he gratified his patient cousin with the following explanation: -
    »You know, 'duke, there is a man living on your estate, that goes by the
name of Natty Bumppo. Here has this man lived, by what I can learn, for more
than forty years - by himself, until lately; and now with strange companions.«
    »Part very true, and all very probable,« said the Judge.
    »All true, sir; all true. Well, within these last few months have appeared
as his companions, an old Indian chief, the last, or one of the last of his
tribe, that is to be found in this part of the country, and a young man, who is
said to be the son of some Indian agent, by a squaw.«
    »Who says that!« cried Marmaduke, with an interest that he had not
manifested before.
    »Who! why common sense - common report - the hue and cry. But listen, till
you know all. This youth has very pretty talents - yes, what I call very pretty
talents - and has been well educated, has seen very tolerable company, and knows
how to behave himself, when he has a mind to. Now, Judge Temple, can you tell me
what has brought three such men as Indian John, Natty Bumppo, and Oliver
Edwards, together?«
    Marmaduke turned his countenance, in evident surprise, to his cousin, and
replied quickly -
    »Thou hast unexpectedly hit on a subject, Richard, that has often occupied
my mind. But knowest thou any thing of this mystery, or are they only the crude
conjectures of« -
    »Crude nothing, 'duke, crude nothing; but facts, stubborn facts. You know
there are mines in these mountains; I have often heard you say that you believed
in their existence« -
    »Reasoning from analogy, Richard, but not with any certainty of the fact.«
    »You have heard them mentioned, and have seen specimens of the ore, sir; you
will not deny that! and, reasoning from analogy, as you say,
