like making an enemy of the Leather-stocking. Now the Judge has a weight in the county that puts him above all fear."

Miss Temple turned her beautiful face to the callous architect, with a scornful smile, as she said"And what has any honest person to dread from so kind a man as poor Bumppo ?"

"Why, it's as easy, Miss, to pull a rifle-trigger on a magistrate as on a painter. But if the Judge don't conclude to issoo the warrant, I must go home and make it out myself."

"I have not refused your application, sir," said Marmaduke, perceiving at once that his reputation for impartiality was at stake; "go into my office, Mr. Doolittle, where I will join you, and sign the warrant."

Judge Temple stopped the remonstrances which Elizabeth was about to utter, after Hiram had withdrawn, by laying his hand playfully on her mouth, and saying

"It is more terrific in sound than frightful in reality, my child. I suppose that the Leather-stocking has shot a deer, for the season is nearly over, and you say that he was hunting with his dogs, when he came so timely to your assistance. But it will be only to examine his cabin, and find the animal, when you can pay the penalty out of your own pocket, Bess. Nothing short of the twelve dollars and a half will satisfy this harpy, I perceive; and surely my reputation as a Judge is worth that trifle."

Elizabeth was a good deal pacified with this assurance, and suffered her father to leave her, to fulfil his promise to Hiram.

When Marmaduke left his office, after executing his disagreeable duty, he met Oliver Edwards, walking up the gravelled walk in front of the Man

sion-house, with great strides, and with a face agi tated by some powerful passion. On seeing Judge Temple, the youth turned aside, and with a warmth in his manner that was not often exhibited to Marmaduke, he cried

"I congratulate you, sir; from the bottom of my soul I congratulate you, Judge Temple. Oh! it would have been too horrid to have recollected for a moment! I have just left the hut, where, after showing me his scalps, old Natty told me of the escape of the ladies, as a thing to be mentioned last. Indeed, indeed, sir, no words of mine can express half of what I have felt"-the youth paused a moment as if suddenly recollecting that he was overstepping prescribed limits, and concluded with à good deal of embarrassment-" what I have felt at this danger to Miss-Grant, and—and your daughter, sir."

But the heart of Marmaduke was too much softened by his recent emotions, to admit of his cavilling at trifles, and without regarding the confusion of the other, he replied

"I thank thee, thank thee, Oliver; as thou sayest, it is almost too horrid to be remembered. But come, let us hasten to Bess, for Louisa has already gone to the Rectory."

"The young man sprung forward, and throwing open a door, barely permitted the Judge to precede him, when he was in the presence of Elizabeth in

a moment.

The cold distance that often crossed the demeanour of the heiress, in her intercourse with Ed wards, was now entirely banished, and two hours were passed by the party, in the free unembarrassed, and confiding manner of old and esteemed friends. Judge Temple had forgotten the suspicions engendered during his morning's ride, and

the youth and maiden conversed, laughed, and were sad by turns, as if directed by a common impulse. At length Edwards, after repeating his intention to do so for the third time, left the Mansion-house, to go to the Rectory on a similar errand of friendship.

During this short period, a scene was passing at the hut, that completely frustrated the benevolent intentions of Judge Temple in favour of the Leather-stocking, and at once destroyed the shortlived harmony between the youth and Marmaduke.

When Hiram Doolittle had obtained his searchwarrant, his first business was to procure a proper officer to see it executed. The sheriff was absent, summoning, in person, the grand inquest for the county; the deputy, who resided in the village, was riding on the same errand, in a different part of the settlement; and the regular constable of the township had been selected for his station from motives of charity, being lame of one leg, and an invalid. Hiram intended to accompany the officer as a spectator, but felt no very strong desire to bear the brunt of the battle. It was, however, Saturday, and the sun was already turning the shadows of the pines towards the east; on the morrow the conscientious magistrate could not engage in such an expedition at the peril of his soul; and long before Monday, the venison, and all vestiges of the death of the deer, might be secreted or destroyed. Happily the lounging form of Billy Kirby met his eye, and Hiram, at all times fruitful in similar expedients, saw his way clear at once. Jotham, who was associated in the whole business, and who had left the mountain in consequence of a summons from his coadjutor, but who failed, equally with Hiram, in the unfortunate particular of nerve

was directed to summon the wood chopper to the dwelling of the magistrate.

When Billy appeared, he was very kindly invited to take the chair in which he had already seated himself, and was treated, in all respects, as if he were an equal.

"Judge Temple has set his heart on putting the deer law in force," said Hiram, after the preliminary civilities were over," and a complaint has been laid before him that a deer has been killed. He has issooed a sarch-warrant, and sent for me to get somebody to execute it."

Kirby, who had no idea of being excluded from the deliberative part of any affair in which he was engaged, drew up his bushy head in a reflecting attitude, and, after musing a moment, replied by asking a few questions.

"The Sheriff is gone out of the way?" "Not to be found."

"And his deputy too?"

"Both gone on the skirts of the patent."

"But I seen the constable hobbling about town an hour ago."

"Yes, yes," said Hiram, with a coaxing smile and knowing nod, "but this business wants a man -not a cripple.'

"Why," said Billy, laughing," will the chap make fight?"

"He's a little quarrelsome at times, and thinks he's the best man in the county at rough and tumble."

"I heerd him brag once," said Jotham," that there wasn't a man 'twixt the Mohawk Flats and the Pennsylvany line, that was his match at a close hug."

"Did you!" exclaimed Kirby, raising his huge

frame in his seat, like a lion stretching in his lair, "I rather guess he never felt a Varmounter's to knuckles on his back-bone. But who is the chap?" "Why," said Jotham, "it's-"

"It's ag'in law to tell," interrupted Hiram, "unless you'll qualify to sarve. You'd be the very man to take him, Bill; and I'll make out a spicial deputation in a minute, when you will get the fees."

"What's the fees?" said Kirby, laying his large hand on the leaves of a statute-book, that Hiram had opened in order to give dignity to his office, which he turned over, in his rough manner, as if he were reflecting on a subject, about which he had, in truth, already decided; "will they pay a man for a broken head?”

am.

They'll be something handsome," said Hi

"Damn the fees," said Billy, again laughing'doos the fellow think he's the best wrestler in the county, though? what's his inches ?"

"He's taller than you be," said Jotham," and one of the biggest-"

Talkers, he was about to add, but the impatience of Kirby interrupted him. The wood-chopper had nothing fierce, or even brutal in his appearance; the character of his expression was that of goodnatured vanity. It was evident he prided himself on the powers of the physical man, like all who have nothing better to boast of; and, stretching out his broad hand, with the palm downward, he said, keeping his eyes fastened on his own bones and sinews

66

Come, give us a touch of the book. I'll swear, and you'll see that I'm a man to keep my oath." Hiram did not give the wood-chopper time to change his mind, but the oath was administered