James Fenimore Cooper

“ Leather-Stocking! He may brag of his aim and his rifle, for he has the best of both, as I will own myself, for sin’ he shot the pigeon I knock 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 neck for a Barcelony. The man is seventy, and was never anything particular for strength."
"He’s a deceiving man," said Hiram, "like all the hunters; he is stronger than he seems; besides, he has his rifle."
"That for his rifle!" cried Billy; "he’d no more hurt me with his rifle than he’d fly. ”

“ Besides, as I’m much in the woods, among the timber, I don’t altogether like making an enemy of the Leather-Stocking. Now, the Judge has a weight in the county that puts him above fear."
Miss Temple turned her face to the callous Architect as she said’ "And what 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 on a painter. But if the Judge don’t conclude to issue the warrant, I must go home and make it out myself." ”

“ But I won’t mistrust the gal; she has an eye like a full-grown buck! poor thing, she didn’t choose her father, and can’t help it. I know but little of the law, Mr. Doolittle; what is to be done, now you’ve read your commission?"
"Oh! it’s nothing but form, Natty," said Hiram, endeavoring to assume a friendly aspect. "Let’s go in, and talk the thing over in reason; I dare to say that the money can be easily found, and I partly conclude, from what passed, that Judge Temple will pay it himself." ”

“ He’s a harmless creatur’, and I must say that I think he has as good right to kill deer as any man on the Patent. It’s his main support, and this is a free country, where a man is privileged to follow any 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 was never made for such as he."
"The law was made for all," observed Hiram, who began to think that the danger was likely to fall to his own share, notwithstanding his management; "and the law is particular in noticing parjury." ”

“ I came partly on such a business myself."
"You!" exclaimed Marmaduke, comprehending in an instant how completely he 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 hut at this moment, and a considerable part of my business was to get a search-warrant to examine."
"You think, sir! do you know that the law exacts an oath, before I can issue such a precept? The habitation of a citizen is not to be idly invaded on light suspicion."
"I rather think I can swear to it myself," returned the immovable Hiram ”

“ But I thought not of the expedient."
"Of what didst thou think, love? where did thy thoughts dwell most, at that 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 think of better things, but the horror was too glaring, the danger too much before my eyes." ”

“ I hope it may prove true, sir."
"I rather guess 'twill be left out to men," added Hiram, with an air equally balanced between doubt and assurance, but which judge Temple understood to mean certainty; "I some think that I am appointed a referee in the case myself; Jotham as much as told me that he should take me. The defendant, I guess, means to take Captain Hollister, and we two have partly agreed on Squire Jones for the third man."
"Are there any criminals to be tried?" asked Marmaduke. ”

“ 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 on her mouth, and saying:
"It is more terrible 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. ”