, and even, in some cases, rude
deportment, that when his manners seemed to soften by time, the Judge, if he
thought about it at all, would have been most likely to imagine that the
improvement was the result of his late association. But women are always more
alive to such subjects than men; and what the abstraction of the father had
overlooked, the observation of the daughter had easily detected. In the thousand
little courtesies of polished life, she had early discovered that Edwards was
not wanting, though his gentleness was so often crossed by marks of what she
conceived to be fierce and uncontrollable passions. It may, perhaps, be
unnecessary to tell the reader that Louisa Grant never reasoned so much after
the fashions of the world. The gentle girl, however, had her own thoughts on the
subject, and, like others, she drew her own conclusions.
    »I would give all my other secrets, Louisa,« exclaimed Miss Temple,
laughing, and shaking back her dark locks, with a look of childish simplicity
that her intelligent face seldom expressed, »to be mistress of all that those
rude logs have heard and witnessed.«
    They were both looking at the secluded hut, at the instant, and Miss Grant
raised her mild eyes, as she answered -
    »I am sure they would tell nothing to the disadvantage of Mr. Edwards.«
    »Perhaps not; but they might, at least, tell who he is.«
    »Why, dear Miss Temple, we know all that already. I have heard it all very
rationally explained by your cousin« -
    »The executive chief! he can explain any thing. His ingenuity will one day
discover the philosopher's stone. But what did he say?«
    »Say!« echoed Louisa, with a look of surprise; »why every thing that seemed
to me to be satisfactory; and I have believed it to be true. He said that Natty
Bumppo had lived most of his life in the woods, and among the Indians, by which
means he had formed an acquaintance with old John, the Delaware chief.«
    »Indeed! that was quite a matter of fact tale for cousin Dickon. What came
next?«
    »I believe he accounted for their close intimacy, by some story about the
Leather-stocking saving the life of John in a battle.«
    »Nothing more likely,« said Elizabeth, a little impatiently; »but what is
all this to the purpose?«
    »Nay, Elizabeth, you must bear with my ignorance, and I will repeat all that