never loved one of my sex, but love best
your haunts, and your own manner of life.«
    »That's it - that's just it. I am white - have a white heart, and can't, in
reason, love a red skinned maiden, who must have a red-skin heart and feelin's.
No - no - I'm sound enough, in them partic'lars, and hope to remain so; at
least, 'till this war is over. I find my time too much taken up with
Chingachgook's affair, to wish to have one of my own, on my hands, afore that is
settled.«
    »The girl that finally wins you, Deerslayer, will at least, win an honest
heart; one without treachery or guile, and that will be a victory, that most of
her sex ought to envy.«
    As Judith uttered this, her beautiful face had a resentful frown on it,
while a bitter smile lingered around a mouth that no derangement of the muscles
could render any thing but handsome. Her companion observed the change, and,
though little skilled in the workings of the female heart, he had sufficient
native delicacy to understand that it might be well to drop the subject.
    As the hour when Chingachgook was expected, still remained distant,
Deerslayer had time enough to examine into the state of the defences, and to
make such additional arrangements as were in his power, and the exigency of the
moment seemed to require. The experience and foresight of Hutter had left little
to be done, in these particulars; still several precautions suggested themselves
to the young man, who may be said to have studied the art of frontier warfare,
through the traditions and legends of the people among whom he had so long
lived. The distance between the castle and the nearest point on the shore,
prevented any apprehensions on the subject of rifle bullets thrown from the
land. The house was within musket shot, in one sense, it was true, but aim was
entirely out of the question, and even Judith professed a perfect disregard of
any danger from that source. So long then as the party remained in possession of
the fortress, they were safe; unless their assailants could find the means to
come off and carry it, by fire, or storm; or, by some of the devices of Indian
cunning and Indian treachery. Against the first source of danger Hutter had made
ample provision, and the building itself, the bark roof excepted, was not very
combustible. The floor was scuttled in several