e found another face into which I now look with still
deeper wonder than into that of Nature, and which exerts a still deeper
fascination. It is the face of a woman, in whom all the beauties of
nature seem to be mirrored. She is everything to me; she is the entire
universe embodied in a gentle heart."

He gazed at her with a look that made her pulses beat; but she was
determined not to permit him to drift back into that dangerous mood from
which she had drawn him with such difficulty.

"One time you told me," she said, "that the birds and squirrels were
such good friends to you, that if you called them they would come to you
like your dog. I should love to see that. Look! There is a squirrel
sitting on the limb of this very tree! How saucy he looks! How shy!
Bring him to me! I command you! You have said that I am your mistress;
go, slave!"

Rising to her feet she pointed to the squirrel. Her lithe form was
outlined against the green background of the forest in a pose of
exquisite grace and beauty, her eyes glowed with animation, and her lips
smiled with the consciousness of power. It was impossible to resist her.

He rose, looked in the direction toward which she pointed, and saw the
squirrel cheeping among the branches. Imitating its cries, he began to
move slowly toward it. The little creature pricked up its ears, cocked
its head on one side, flirted its bushy tail and watched the approaching
figure suspiciously. As it drew nearer and nearer, he began to creep
down the branches. Stopping now and then to reconnoiter, he started
forward again; paused; retreated; returned, and still continued to
advance, until he was within a foot or two of David's hand, which he
examined first with one eye and then the other and made a motion as if
to spring upon it. Suddenly the spell was broken. With a wild flirt of
his tail and a loud outcry, he sprang up the tree and disappeared in the
foliage.

David watched him until he had vanished, and then turned toward Pepeeta
with a look of disappointment and chagrin.

"It is too bad," she cried, hastening toward him sympathetically, "but
see, there is a redbird on the top of that old birch tree. Try again!
You will have better success this time, I am sure you will."

He determined to make another experiment. The brilliant songster was
pouring out his heart in that fine cry of strength and hope which he
sends resounding over hill and vale. Suddenly hearing his own voice
repeated to hi