James Fenimore Cooper: The Deerslayer

21. Chapter XXI. (continued)

The very opposite emotions of the two girls kept both silent for a long time. Judith gave water to the sufferer frequently, but she forbore to urge him with questions, in some measure out of consideration for his condition, but, if truth must be said, quite as much lest something he should add in the way of explanation might disturb her pleasing belief that she was not Thomas Hutter's child. At length Hetty dried her tears, and came and seated herself on a stool by the side of the dying man, who had been placed at his length on the floor, with his head supported by some coarse vestments that had been left in the house.

"Father," she said "you will let me call you father, though you say you are not one - Father, shall I read the Bible to you - mother always said the Bible was good for people in trouble. She was often in trouble herself, and then she made me read the Bible to her - for Judith wasn't as fond of the Bible as I am - and it always did her good. Many is the time I've known mother begin to listen with the tears streaming from her eyes, and end with smiles and gladness. Oh! father, you don't know how much good the Bible can do, for you've never tried it. Now, I'll read a chapter and it will soften your heart as it softened the hearts of the Hurons."