, nor her mother,
ever mentioned it, in her presence, and there appeared to be a silent
convention, that in naming the different objects that occasionally stood near
it, or even lay on its lid, care should be had to avoid any allusion to the
chest itself. Habit had rendered this so easy, and so much a matter of course,
that it was only quite recently the girl had began even to muse on the
singularity of the circumstance. But there had never been sufficient intimacy
between Hutter and his eldest daughter to invite confidence. At times he was
kind, but in general, with her more especially, he was stern and morose. Least
of all had his authority been exercised in a way to embolden his child to
venture on the liberty she was about to take, without many misgivings of the
consequences, although the liberty proceeded from a desire to serve himself.
Then Judith was not altogether free from a little superstition, on the subject
of this chest, which had stood a sort of tabooed relic before her eyes, from
childhood to the present hour. Nevertheless the time had come when it would seem
that this mystery was to be explained, and that under circumstances, too, which
left her very little choice in the matter.
    Finding that both her companions were watching her movements, in grave
silence, Judith placed a hand on the lid, and endeavored to raise it. Her
strength, however, was insufficient, and it appeared to the girl, who was fully
aware that all the fastenings were removed, that she was resisted in an
unhallowed attempt by some supernatural power.
    »I cannot raise the lid, Deerslayer!« she said - »Had we not better give up
the attempt, and find some other means of releasing the prisoners?«
    »Not so - Judith; not so, gal. No means are as sartain and easy, as a good
bribe,« answered the other. »As for the lid, 'tis held by nothing but its own
weight, which is prodigious for so small a piece of wood, loaded with iron as it
is.«
    As Deerslayer spoke, he applied his own strength to the effort, and
succeeded in raising the lid against the timbers of the house, where he took
care to secure it, by a sufficient prop. Judith fairly trembled, as she cast her
first glance at the interior, and she felt a temporary relief in discovering
that a piece of canvass, that was carefully tucked in, around the edges,
effectually concealed all beneath it. The chest was apparently well stored,
however, the