CHAPTER XXX.
"The court awards it, and the law doth give it." --Merchant of Venice.
Remarkable Pettibone, who had forgotten the wound received by her pride,in contemplation of the ease and comforts of her situation, and whostill retained her station in the family of judge Temple, was dispatchedto the humble dwelling which Richard already styled "The Rectory," inattendance on Louisa, who was soon consigned to the arms of her father.
In the mean time, Marmaduke and his daughter were closeted for more thanan hour, nor shall we invade the sanctuary of parental love, by relatingthe conversation. When the curtain rises on the reader, the Judge isseen walking up and down the apartment, with a tender melancholy in hisair, and his child reclining on a settee, with a flushed cheek, and herdark eyes seeming to float in crystals.
"It was a timely rescue! it was, indeed, a timely rescue, my child!"cried the Judge. "Then thou didst not desert thy friend, my noble Bess?"
"I believe I may as well take the credit of fortitude," said Elizabeth,"though I much doubt if flight would have availed me anything, had Ieven courage to execute such an intention. But I thought not of theexpedient."
"Of what didst thou think, love? where did thy thoughts dwell most, atthat fearful moment?"
"The beast! the beast!" cried Elizabeth, veiling her face with her hand."Oh! I saw nothing, I thought of nothing but the beast. I tried to thinkof better things, but the horror was too glaring, the danger too muchbefore my eyes."
"Well, well, thou art safe, and we will converse no more on theunpleasant subject. I did not think such an animal yet remained inour forests; but they will stray far from their haunts when pressed byhunger, and--"
A loud knocking at the door of the apartment interrupted what he wasabout to utter, and he bid the applicant enter. The door was opened byBenjamin, who came in with a discontented air, as if he felt that he hada communication to make that would be out of season.
"Here is Squire Doolittle below, sir," commenced the major-domo. "He hasbeen standing off and on in the door-yard for the matter of a glass;and he has summat on his mind that he wants to heave up, d'ye see; but Itells him, says I, man, would you be coming aboard with your complaints,said I, when the judge has gotten his own child, as it were, out of thejaws of a lion? But damn the bit of manners has the fellow, any morethan if he was one of them Guineas down in the kitchen there; and so ashe was sheering nearer, every stretch he made toward the house, Icould do no better than to let your honor know that the chap was in theoffing."
"He must have business of importance," said Marmaduke: "something inrelation to his office, most probably, as the court sits so shortly."
"Ay, ay, you have it, sir," cried Benjamin; "it's summat about acomplaint that he has to make of the old Leather-Stocking, who, to myjudgment, is the better man of the two. It's a very good sort of a manis this Master Bumppo, and he has a way with a spear, all the same asif he was brought up at the bow-oar of the captain's barge, or was bornwith a boat-hook in his hand."
"Against the Leather-Stocking!" cried Elizabeth, rising from herreclining posture.
"Rest easy, my child; some trifle, I pledge you; I believe I am alreadyacquainted with its import Trust me, Bess, your champion shall be safein my care. Show Mr. Doolittle in, Benjamin."
Miss Temple appeared satisfied with this assurance, but fastenedher dark eyes on the person of the architect, who profited by thepermission, and instantly made his appearance.
All the impatience of Hiram seemed to vanish the instant he entered theapartment. After saluting the Judge and his daughter, he took the chairto which Marmaduke pointed, and sat for a minute, composing his straightblack hair, with a gravity of demeanor that was in tended to do honor tohis official station. At length he said:
"It's likely, from what I hear, that Miss Temple had a narrow chancewith the painters, on the mountain."
Marmaduke made a gentle inclination of his head, by way of assent, butcontinued silent.
"I s'pose the law gives a bounty on the scalps," continued Hiram, "inwhich case the Leather-Stocking will make a good job on't."
"It shall be my care to see that he is rewarded," returned the Judge.
"Yes, yes, I rather guess that nobody hereabouts doubts the Judge'sgenerosity. Does he know whether the sheriff has fairly made up his mindto have a reading desk or a deacon's pew under the pulpit?"
"I have not heard my cousin speak on that subject, lately," repliedMarmaduke. "I think it's likely that we will have a pretty dull courton't, from what I can gather. I hear that Jotham Riddel and the man whobought his betterments have agreed to leave their difference to men, andI don't think there'll be more than two civil cases in the calendar."
"I am glad of it," said the judge; "nothing gives me more pain than tosee my settlers wasting their time and substance in the unprofitablestruggles of the law. I hope it may prove true, sir."
"I rather guess 'twill be left out to men," added Hiram, with an airequally balanced between doubt and assurance, but which judge Templeunderstood to mean certainty; "I some think that I am appointed areferee in the case myself; Jotham as much as told me that he shouldtake me. The defendant, I guess, means to take Captain Hollister, and wetwo have partly agreed on Squire Jones for the third man."
"Are there any criminals to be tried?" asked Marmaduke.
"There's the counterfeiters," returned the magistrate, "as they werecaught in the act, I think it likely that they'll be indicted, in whichcase it's probable they'll be tried."
"Certainly, sir; I had forgotten those men. There are no more, I hope.""Why, there is a threaten to come forward with an assault that happenedat the last independence day; but I'm not sartain that the law'll takehold on't. There was plaguey hard words passed, but whether they struckor not I haven't heard. There's some folks talk of a deer or two beingkilled out of season, over on the west side of the Patent, by some ofthe squatters on the 'Fractions.'"
"Let a complaint be made, by all means," said the Judge; "I amdetermined to see the law executed to the letter, on all suchdepredators."
"Why, yes, I thought the judge was of that mind; I came partly on such abusiness myself."
"You!" exclaimed Marmaduke, comprehending in an instant how completelyhe had been caught by the other's cunning; "and what have you to say,sir?"
"I some think that Natty Bumppo has the carcass of a deer in his hutat this moment, and a considerable part of my business was to get asearch-warrant to examine."
"You think, sir! do you know that the law exacts an oath, before I canissue such a precept? The habitation of a citizen is not to be idlyinvaded on light suspicion."
"I rather think I can swear to it myself," returned the immovable Hiram;"and Jotham is in the street, and as good as ready to come in and makeoath to the same thing."
"Then issue the warrant thyself; thou art a magistrate, Mr. Doolittle;why trouble me with the matter?"
"Why, seeing it's the first complaint under the law, and knowing thejudge set his heart on the thing, I thought it best that the authorityto search should come from himself. Besides, as I'm much in the woods,among the timber, I don't altogether like making an enemy of the LeatherStocking. Now, the Judge has a weight in the county that puts him abovefear."
Miss Temple turned her face to the callous Architect as she said' "Andwhat has any honest person to dread from so kind a man as Bumppo?"
"Why, it's as easy, miss, to pull a rifle trigger on a magistrate as ona painter. But if the Judge don't conclude to issue the warrant, I mustgo home and make it out myself."
"I have not refused your application, sir," said Marmaduke, perceivingat once that his reputation for impartiality was at stake; "go into myoffice, Mr. Doolittle, where I will join you, and sign the warrant."Judge Temple stopped the remonstrances which Elizabeth was about toutter, after Hiram had withdrawn, by laying his hand on her mouth, andsaying:
"It is more terrible in sound than frightful in reality, my child. Isuppose that the Leather-Stocking
has shot a deer, for the season isnearly over, and you say that he was hunting with his dogs when he cameso 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 ownpocket, Bess. Nothing short of the twelve dollars and a half willsatisfy this harpy, I perceive; and surely my reputation as judge isworth that trifle."
Elizabeth was a good deal pacified with this assurance, and suffered herfather 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 themansion-house with great strides, and with a face agitated by feeling.On seeing judge Temple, the youth turned aside, and with a warmth in hismanner that was not often exhibited to Marmaduke, he cried:
"I congratulate you, sir; from the bottom of my soul, I congratulateyou, Judge Temple. Oh! it would have been too horrid to have recollectedfor a moment! I have just left the hut, where, after showing me hisscalps, old Natty told me of the escape of the ladies, as the thing tobe mentioned last. Indeed, indeed, sir, no words of mine can expresshalf of what I have felt "--the youth paused a moment, as if suddenlyrecollecting that he was overstepping prescribed limits, and concludedwith a good deal of embarrassment--"what I have felt at this danger toMiss--Grant, and--and your daughter, sir."
But the heart of Marmaduke was too much softened to admit his cavillingat trifles, and, without regarding the confusion of the other, hereplied:
"I thank thee, thank thee, Oliver; as thou sayest, it is almost toohorrid to be remembered. But come, let us hasten to Bess, for Louisa hasalready gone to the rectory."
The young man sprang forward, and, throwing open a door, barelypermitted the Judge to precede him, when he was in the presence ofElizabeth in a moment.
The cold distance that often crossed the demeanor of the heiress, in herintercourse with Edwards, was now entirely banished, and two hours werepassed by the party, in the free, unembarrassed, and confiding mannerof old and esteemed friends. Judge Temple had forgotten the suspicionsengendered during his morning's ride, and the youth and maidenconversed, laughed, and were sad by turns, as impulse directed.
At length, Edwards, after repeating his intention to do so for the thirdtime, left the mansion-house to go to the rectory on a similar errand offriendship.
During this short period, a scene was passing at the hut that completelyfrustrated the benevolent intentions of Judge Temple in favor of theLeather-Stocking, and at once destroyed the short-lived harmony betweenthe youth and Marmaduke.
When Hiram Doolittle had obtained his search-warrant, his first businesswas to procure a proper officer to see it executed. The sheriff wasabsent, summoning in person the grand inquest for the county; the deputywho resided in the village was riding on the same errand, in a differentpart of the settlement; and the regular constable of the township hadbeen selected for his station from motives of charity, being lame of aleg. Hiram intended to accompany the officer as a spectator, but he feltno very strong desire to bear the brunt of the battle. It was, however,Saturday, and the sun was already turning the shadows of the pinestoward the east; on the morrow the conscientious magistrate could notengage in such an expedition at the peril of his soul and long beforeMonday, the venison, and all vestiges of the death of the deer, might besecreted or destroyed. Happily, the lounging form of Billy Kirby met hiseye, and Hiram, at all time fruitful in similar expedients, saw his wayclear at once. Jotham, who was associated in the whole business, and whohad left the mountain in consequence of a summons from his coadjutor,but who failed, equally with Hiram, in the unfortunate particular ofnerve, was directed to summon the wood-chopper to the dwelling of themagistrate.
When Billy appeared, he was very kindly invited to take the chair inwhich he had already seated himself, and was treated in all respects asif he were an equal.
"Judge Temple has set his heart on putting the deer law in force," saidHiram, after the preliminary civilities were over, "and a complainthas been laid before him that a deer has been killed. He has issued asearch-warrant, and sent for me to get somebody to execute it."
Kirby, who had no idea of being excluded from the deliberative partof any affair in which he was engaged, drew up his bushy head in areflecting attitude, and after musing a moment, replied by asking a fewquestions,
"The sheriff has gone out of the way?"
"Not to be found."
"And his deputy too?"
"Both gone on the skirts of the Patent."
"But I saw the constable hobbling about town an hour ago."
"Yes, yes," said Hiram, with a coaxing smile and knowing nod, "but thisbusiness 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 thecountry at rough and tumble."
"I heard him brag once," said Jotham, "that there wasn't a man 'twixtthe Mohawk Flats and the Pennsylvany line that was his match at a closehug."
"Did you?" exclaimed Kirby, raising his huge frame in his seat, likea lion stretching in his lair; "I rather guess he never felt aVarmounter's knuckles on his backbone-But who is the chap?"
"Why," said Jotham, "it's--"
"It's agin' law to tell," interrupted Hiram, "unless you'll qualify tosarve. You'd be the very man to take him, Bill, and I'll make out aspecial deputation in a minute, when you will get the fees."
"What's the fees?" said Kirby, laying his large hand on the leaves ofa statute-book that Hiram had opened in order to give dignity tohis office, which he turned over in his rough manner, as if he werereflecting on a subject about which he had, in truth, already decided;"will they pay a man for a broken head?"
"They'll be something handsome," said Hiram.
"Damn the fees," said Billy, again laughing--"does the fellow thinkhe'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 interruptedhim. The wood-chopper had nothing fierce or even brutal in hisappearance; the character of his expression was that of good-naturedvanity. It was evident he prided himself on the powers of the physicalman, like all who have nothing better to boast of; and, stretchingout his broad hand, with the palm downward, he said, keeping his eyesfastened on his own bones and sinews:
"Come, give us a touch of the book. I'll swear, and you'll see that I'ma man to keep my oath."
Hiram did not give the wood-chopper time to change his mind, butthe oath was administered without unnecessary delay. So soon as thispreliminary was completed, the three worthies left the house, andproceeded by the nearest road toward the hut. They had reached the bankof the lake, and were diverging from the route of the highway, beforeKirby recollected that he was now entitled to the privilege of theinitiated, and repeated his question as to the name of the offender,
"Which way, which way, squire?" exclaimed the hardy wood-chopper; "Ithought it was to search a house that you wanted me, not the woods.There is nobody lives on this side of the lake, for six miles, unlessyou count the Leather-Stocking and old John for settlers. Come, tell methe chap's name, and I warrant me that I lead you to his clearing by astraighter path than this, for I know every sapling that grows withintwo miles of Templeton."
"This is the way," said Hiram, pointing forward and quickening his step,as if apprehensive that Kirby would desert, "and Bumppo is the man."
Kirby stopped short, and looked from one of his companions to the otherin astonishment. He then burst into a loud laugh, and cried:
"Who? Leather-Stocking! He may brag of his aim and his rifle, for he hasthe best of both, as I will own myself, for sin' he shot the pigeon Iknock under to him; but for a wrestle! why, I would take the creatur'between my finger and thumb, and tie him in a bow-knot around my neckfor a Barcelony. The man is seventy, and was never anything particularfor strength."
"He'
s a deceiving man," said Hiram, "like all the hunters; he isstronger than he seems; besides, he has his rifle."
"That for his rifle!" cried Billy; "he'd no more hurt me with his riflethan he'd fly. He's a harmless creatur', and I must say that I think hehas as good right to kill deer as any man on the Patent. It's his mainsupport, and this is a free country, where a man is privileged to followany calling he likes."
"According to that doctrine," said Jotham, "anybody may shoot a deer."
"This is the man's calling, I tell you," returned Kirby, "and the law wasnever made for such as he."
"The law was made for all," observed Hiram, who began to think thatthe danger was likely to fall to his own share, notwithstanding hismanagement; "and the law is particular in noticing parjury."
"See here, Squire Doolittle," said the reckless woodchopper; "I don'tcare the valie of a beetlering for you and your parjury too. But as Ihave come so far, I'll go down and have a talk with the old man, andmaybe we'll fry a steak of the deer together."
"Well, if you can get in peaceably, so much the better," said themagistrate. "To my notion, strife is very unpopular; I prefar, at alltimes, clever conduct to an ugly temper."
As the whole party moved at a great pace, they soon reached the hut,where Hiram thought it prudent to halt on the outside of the top of thefallen pine, which formed a chevaux-de-frise, to defend the approachto the fortress, on the side next the village. The delay was littlerelished by Kirby, who clapped his hands to his mouth, and gave a loudhalloo that brought the dogs out of their kennel, and, almost at thesame instant, the scantily-covered head of Natty from the door.
"Lie down, old fool," cried the hunter; "do you think there's morepainters about you?"
"Ha! Leather-Stocking, I've an arrand with you," cried Kirby; "here'sthe good people of the State have been writing you a small letter, andthey've hired me to ride post."
"What would you have with me, Billy Kirby?" said Natty, stepping acrosshis threshold, and raising his hand over his eyes, to screen them fromthe rays of the setting sun, while he took a survey of his visitor."I've no land to clear, and Heaven knows I would set out six trees aforeI would cut down one.--Down, Hector, I say; into your kennel with ye."
"Would you, old boy?" roared Billy; "then so much the better for me. ButI must do my arrand. Here's a letter for you, Leather-Stocking. If youcan read it, it's all well, and if you can't, here's Squire Doolittle athand, to let you know what it means. It seems you mistook the twentiethof July for the first of August, that's all."
By this time Natty had discovered the lank person of Hiram, drawn upunder the cover of a high stump; and all that was complacent in hismanner instantly gave way to marked distrust and dissatisfaction. Heplaced his head within the door of his hut, and said a few words in anundertone, when he again appeared, and continued:
"I've nothing for ye; so away, afore the Evil One tempts me to do youharm. I owe you no spite, Billy Kirby, and what for should you troublean old man who has done you no harm?"
Kirby advanced through the top of the pine, to within a few feet ofthe hunter, where he seated himself on the end of a log, with greatcomposure, and began to examine the nose of Hector, with whom he wasfamiliar, from their frequently meeting in the woods, where he sometimesfed the dog from his own basket of provisions.
"You've outshot me, and I'm not ashamed to say it," said thewood-chopper; "but I don't owe you a grudge for that, Natty! though itseems that you've shot once too often, for the story goes that you'vekilled a buck."
"I've fired but twice to-day, and both times at the painters," returnedthe Leather-Stocking; "see, here are the scalps! I was just going inwith them to the Judge's to ask the bounty."
While Natty was speaking, he tossed the ears to Kirby, who continuedplaying with them with a careless air, holding them to the dogs, andlaughing at their movements when they scented the unusual game.
But Hiram, emboldened by the advance of the deputed constable, nowventured to approach also, and took up the discourse with the air ofauthority that became his commission. His first measure was to read thewarrant aloud, taking care to give due emphasis to the most materialparts, and concluding with the name of the Judge in very audible anddistinct tones.
"Did Marmaduke Temple put his name to that bit of paper?" said Natty,shaking his head; "well, well, that man loves the new ways, and hisbetterments, and his lands, afore his own flesh and blood. But I won'tmistrust the gal; she has an eye like a full-grown buck! poor thing, shedidn't choose her father, and can't help it. I know but little ofthe law, Mr. Doolittle; what is to be done, now you've read yourcommission?"
"Oh! it's nothing but form, Natty," said Hiram, endeavoring to assume afriendly aspect. "Let's go in, and talk the thing over in reason; I dareto say that the money can be easily found, and I partly conclude, fromwhat passed, that Judge Temple will pay it himself."
The old hunter had kept a keen eye on the movements of his threevisitors, from the beginning, and had maintained his position, justwithout the threshold of the cabin, with a determined manner, thatshowed he was not to be easily driven from his post. When Hiram drewnigher, as if expecting his proposition would be accepted, Natty liftedhis hand, and motioned for him to retreat.
"Haven't I told you more than once, not to tempt me?" he said. "Itrouble no man; why can't the law leave me to myself? Go back--go back,and tell your Judge that he may keep his bounty; but I won't have hiswasty ways brought into my hut."
This offer, however, instead of appeasing the curiosity of Hiram, seemedto inflame it the more; while Kirby cried:
"Well, that's fair, squire; he forgives the county his demand, and thecounty should forgive him the fine; it's what I call an even trade, andshould be concluded on the spot. I like quick dealings, and what's fair'twixt man and man."
"I demand entrance into this house," said Hiram, summoning all thedignity he could muster to his assistance, "in the name of the people;and by virtue of this war rant, and of my office, and with this peaceofficer."
"Stand back, stand back, squire, and don't tempt me," said theLeather-Stocking, motioning him to retire, with great earnestness.
"Stop us at your peril," continued Hiram. "Billy! Jotham! close up--Iwant testimony."
Hiram had mistaken the mild but determined air of Natty for submission,and had already put his foot on the threshold to enter, when he wasseized unexpectedly by his shoulders, and hurled over the little banktoward the lake, to the distance of twenty feet. The suddenness of themovement, and the unexpected display of strength on the part of Natty,created a momentary astonishment in his invaders, that silenced allnoises; but at the next instant Billy Kirby gave vent to his mirth inpeals of laughter, that he seemed to heave up from his very soul.
"Well done, old stub!" he shouted; "the squire knowed you better than Idid. Come, come, here's a green spot; take it out like men, while Jothamand I see fair play."
"William Kirby, I order you to do your duty," cried Hiram, from underthe bank; "seize that man; I order you to seize him in the name of thepeople."
But the Leather-Stocking now assumed a more threatening attitude;his rifle was in his hand, and its muzzle was directed toward thewood-chopper.
"Stand off, I bid ye," said Natty; "you know my aim, Billy Kirby; Idon't crave your blood, but mine and your'n both shall turn this greengrass red, afore you put foot into the hut."
While the affair appeared trifling, the wood-chopper seemed disposedto take sides with the weaker party; but, when the firearms wereintroduced, his manner very sensibly changed. He raised his large framefrom the log, and, facing the hunter with an open front, he replied:
"I didn't come here as your enemy, Leather-Stocking; but I don't valuethe hollow piece of iron in your hand so much as a broken axe-helve; so,squire, say the word, and keep within the law, and we'll soon see who'sthe best main of the two."
But no magistrate was to be seen! The instant the rifle was producedHiram and Jotham vanished; and when the wood-chopper bent his eyes abouthim in
surprise at receiving no answer, he discovered their retreatingfigures moving toward the village at a rate that sufficiently indicatedthat they had not only calculated the velocity of a rifle-bullet, butalso its probable range.
"You've scared the creatur's off," said Kirby, with great contemptexpressed on his broad features; "but you are not going to scare me; so,Mr. Bumppo, down with your gun, or there'll be trouble 'twixt us." Nattydropped his rifle, and replied:
"I wish you no harm, Billy Kirby; but I leave it to yourself, whether anold man's hut is to be run down by such varmint. I won't deny the buckto you, Billy, and you may take the skin in, if you please, and show itas testimony. The bounty will pay the fine, and that ought to satisfyany man."
"Twill, old boy, 'twill," cried Kirby, every shade of displeasurevanishing from his open brow at the peace-offering; "throw out the hide,and that shall satisfy the law."
Natty entered the hut, and soon reappeared, bringing with him thedesired testimonial; and the wood-chopper departed, as thoroughlyreconciled to the hunter as if nothing had happened. As he paced alongthe margin of the lake he would burst into frequent fits of laughter,while he recollected the summerset of Hiram: and, on the whole, hethought the affair a very capital joke.
Long before Billy' reached the village, however, the news of his danger,and of Natty's disrespect of the law, and of Hiram's discomfiture, werein circulation. A good deal was said about sending for the sheriff; somehints were given about calling out the posse comitatus to avenge theinsulted laws; and many of the citizens were collected, deliberating howto proceed. The arrival of Billy with the skin, by removing all groundsfor a search, changed the complexion of things materially. Nothing nowremained but to collect the fine and assert the dignity of the people;all of which, it was unanimously agreed, could be done as well on thesucceeding Monday as on Saturday night--a time kept sacred by largeportion of the settlers. Accordingly, all further proceedings weresuspended for six-and-thirty hours.
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