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 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 tell who he is."

"Why, dear Miss Temple, we know all that already," returned the other; "I have heard it all very rationally explained by your cousin"—

"The executive chief!" interrupted Elizabeth—"yes, yes, 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 ail that I remember to have overheard; for the dialogue was between my father and the Sheriff, so lately as the last time they met. He then added, that the kings of England used to keep gentlemen as agents among the different tribes of Indians, and sometimes officers in the army, who frequently passed half their lives on the edge of the wilderness."

"Told with a wonderful historical accuracy! And did he end there?"