"Must not."
"Yes; must not, Melchior; when you quit the tribe, you will no longer have any power, nor can you have any interest about her. She shall then choose—if she will come with me, I will take her, and nothing shall prevent me; and in so doing I do you no injustice, nor do I swerve in my fidelity."
"How do you know that? I may have my secret reasons against it."
"Surely you can have no interest in a soldier's brat, Melchior?"
Melchior appeared confused and annoyed. "She is no soldier's brat; I acknowledge, Japhet, that the child was stolen; but you must not, therefore, imply that the child was stolen by me or by my wife."
"I never accused you, or thought you capable of it; and that is the reason why I am now surprised at the interest you take in her. If she prefers to go with you, I have no more to say, but if not, I claim her; and if she consents, will resist your interference."
"Japhet," replied Melchior, after a pause, "we must not quarrel now that we are about to part. I will give you an answer in half an hour."
Melchior returned to Nattée, and re-commenced a conversation with her, while I hastened to Fleta.
"Fleta, do you know that the camp is to be broken up, and Melchior and Nattée leave it together?"
"Indeed!" replied she, with surprise. "Then what is to become of you and Timothy?"