Chapter 26 - Page 2

not to know how to use it. It's no wonder,
Judith, that the great so often fail of their duties, when even
the little and the humble find it so hard to do what's right, and
not to do what's wrong. Then, how one evil act brings others a'ter
it! Now, wasn't it for this furlough of mine, which must soon take
me back to the Mingos, I'd find this creatur's nest, if I travelled
the woods a fortnight - though an eagle's nest is soon found by them
that understands the bird's natur', - but I'd travel a fortnight
rather than not find it, just to put the young, too, out of their
pain."

"I'm glad to hear you say this, Deerslayer," observed Hetty, "and
God will be more apt to remember your sorrow for what you've done,
than the wickedness itself. I thought how wicked it was to kill
harmless birds, while you were shooting, and meant to tell you so;
but, I don't know how it happened, - I was so curious to see if you
could hit an eagle at so great a height, that I forgot altogether
to speak, 'till the mischief was done."

"That's it; that's just it, my good Hetty. We can all see our
faults and mistakes when it's too late to help them! Howsever I'm
glad you didn't speak, for I don't think a word or two would have
stopped me, just at that moment, and so the sin stands in its
nakedness, and not aggravated by any unheeded calls to forbear.
Well, well, bitter thoughts are hard to be borne at all times, but
there's times when they're harder than at others."

Little did Deerslayer know, while thus indulging in feelings that
were natural to the man, and so strictly in accordance with his
own unsophisticated and just principles, that, in the course of the
inscrutable providence, which so uniformly and yet so mysteriously
covers all events with its mantle, the very fault he was disposed
so severely to censure was to be made the means of determining his
own earthly fate. The mode and the moment in which he was to feel
the influence of this interference, it would be premature to relate,
but both will appear in the course of the succeeding chapters. As
for the young man, he now slowly left the Ark, like one sorrowing
for his misdeeds, and seated himself in silence on the platform. By
this time the sun had ascended to some height, and its appearance,
taken in connection with his present feelings, induced him to
prepare to depart. The Delaware got the canoe ready for his friend,
as soon as apprised of his intention, while Hist busied herself
in making the few arrangements that were thought necessary to his
comfort. All this was done without ostentation, but in a way that
left Deerslayer fully acquainted with, and equally disposed to
appreciate, the motive. When all was ready, both