The Richmond palladium and sun-telegram. [volume] (Richmond, Ind.) 1907-1939, 1919-10-02
THE DEERSLAYE
BY JAMES Kenmore COOPER
Condensation by Alfred S. Clark

When the young white hunters,
Deerslayer and Hurry Harry, reached
the Lake Glimmerglass, the Hurons
were on the warpath. Floating Tom
Hutter. the only settler on the lake.
knew the red-mens ways and had
built his house on piles, a quarter OF
mile from shore. With him lived
his daughters, Judith, handsome and
with the mind of child. Hurry Har-
ry, handsome giant of the woods,
had been one of Judith's many wooers.
Floating Tom had another home, the
Ark, crude hOuseboat propelled by
sweeps and a sail. Here the hunters
found him. AS the Ark passed an
overhanging sapling, warriors. bedaub-
ed by war paint, leaped for the roof.
They fell into the lake, but yells and
pattering bullets from shore told that
they were out in force.
Hutter was a hardy fighter, Hurry
! had the strength of 10 ordinary men,
and Natty Bumppo had won his name
of Deerslayer because of his unerring
aim with the rife. They might have
Withstood a siege of weeks. But Hut
ter and Hurry, tempted by the bounty
for scalpS, determined to raid the In
dian encampment, where they expect
ed to find only sqUaws and children.
Deerslayer refused to join this COW
ardly warfare. But warriors were in
, the tents and the raiders were cap
tured. Deerslayers, now the sole re
lance of the girls in Hutter's lake
girdled house, could not attempt their
| rescue.
His simple honesty and his modesty
made profound impression upon Jud-
/ it'll. who had hitherto listened too will
1ngly to the honeyed words Of English
| onlctrs. Her arts were forgotten in
the presence of this naive woOdsman
who was blind to feminine wiles.
Although the Indians had no canoes,
| Deerslayer knew that they could
. quickly make RATS, and he was glad
! enough that he had agreed to meet
at the lake that night his dearest
! friend, the young Delaware warrior.
Big Serpent At sunset he maneuvred
the Ark near the rendezvous and Big
Serpent leaped aboard. The bank re.
sounded with exultant yells, and a
! score of savages splashed into the
water. Deerslayer and Big Serpent
bent to the sweeps and foiled them
! Big Serpent's hatred of the Hurons
was white hot, for they were carrying
into captivity his betrothed, the lis
some Hist-oh- Hist.
1t was simple minded Hetty who
first went to the rescue Of Hutter and
Hurry. She believed that reading hel
Bible to these savages would soften
their hearts. She was allowed to con
verse freely with the captives, for the
Indians had a superstitiOus belief thai
tho tbnco 10
/ wits were weak. Her pleading words
however, fell upon deaf ears. Deer
slayer. with keener knowledge OF In
dian character, ransomed Hutter anC
Hurry with some ivory chessmen tina
the redmen deemed idols.
While the released captives slep
and the girls watched, Deerslayer ant
Big Serpent padded away TO rescue
Hist-Ch- Hist, who had sent word b,
Hetty that she would be on a conspic
uOus point of land when a bright sta
| came out over the hilltop. The sta
came out, but Hist did not appear
The Delaware and his paleface com
rade crept nOiSelesSly to a ridge Wher,
they could overlook the encampmnnt
Big Serpent chirruped like a squire
: and Hist, guarded by an old hag, wa
so suddenly silent that they knew sh
understood.
At last the two women passed them
Big Serpent dragged his beloved tow
ard the canoe; Deerslayer clutched tn
old woman, but her screams alarme
the camp. He ran for the canoe, bu
as he pushed it off, an Indian lande
| squarely upon his back. Deerslaye
, thought not Of himself, but gave tn
canoe SO powerful a shove that i
glided hundred feet away H
| tumbled into the lake, arose with hi
+ assailant, and they floundered i
breast-high water. He was quickl
surrounded, SO he surrendered quietly
Morning come and the Ark wa
, swept toward the house. The kee
eyes Of Hist detected a moccasin foa,
ing against pile and Big Serpent wa
b. sure the Hurons were within. Hurr
/ and Hutter laughed at him and the
clambered inside through a trap-doo
Hardly were they within, before Their
was a heavy fall. To the sharp ear
= Of Big Serpent, the whole house seen
! ed alive. Now and then an Indian We
sounded or deep below from Hurry
Big Serpent dared not desert tn
? three girls. Suddenly the door burs
: open and Hurry came raging fort
opCii 'ilC S4lie1AI pldtIOlIl. ne SlOO
painting, cycling his enemies. TheL h
seized one brave by the waist an
flung him far into the lake; two other
quickly followed. Four were left. The
= were without arms and had little d,
> sire to close with this demon. II
l kicked one into the water he double
up another by prodigious blow. TIL
bigger of the two remaining close
with his white foe. They wrestle
l fiercely upon the narrow platform
: Then Hurry raised the redman hie
above his head, hurled him down an
fell heavily upon him. But at tina
moment Of conquest his arms wer