would have increased his love for her on
whom nature, hand in hand with the graces, had lavished such
adornments of disposition and person as to compel a homage which
rarely came to woman from such a quarter. The love of Wau-nan-gee
had been known to both, but it had always been regarded as the
innocent and enthusiastic preference of the boy who had scarcely
yet learned to comprehend the new and strange emotion struggling
for development at his heart. It had often been the topic of their
conversation; and many a smile, half crimsoning into a blush, had
Ronayne called up to the brow of his young wife, while playfully
adverting to the equal right to invest her with the marriage ring,
which he had so eagerly manifested on the evening of their union.
And, if he had shown a humor on that occasion which displeased or
hurt the Indian it was not from any unworthy jealousy of the act
he had sought to perform, but because he was ashamed of his own
awkwardness, exhibited on such an occasion and in presence of his
bride. Since that night Wau-nan-gee had disappeared, and both by
the husband and wife had his absence been deeply regretted, for
they both loved the youth, not only for the services he had rendered,
but the interest his gentleness of deportment and retiring modesty
had inspired.

If, therefore, he changed color at the remark of Mrs. Headley, it
was not because a guilty passion was hinted at as influencing the
boy, or because, even if it did, that he much heeded it, but because
he thought it was meant to suggest that the danger would come from
the tenderness of her who had inspired it. For the moment he felt
mortified at the possibility of such an idea being entertained,
and, had Mrs. Headley made the remark she did, except In his own
ear, Ronayne would have expressed himself accordingly.

"He cannot love her too well," was his reply; "oh, no, that is my
chief hope. Think you that I should be calm as I am, did I not,
now that I know he is returned, feel assured that his strong yet
pure attachment for her will cause him to head a strong band for
her rescue? I am better now--I am determined to be better; for at
the first dawn I will go forth and seek Wau-nan-gee. We shall not
be five hours away; and, long before the council assembles, we
shall again, I am confident, be re-united. Ah, what a long night
until then! would that it were dawn!"

"That were of no use," returned Mrs. Headley, gravely and aloud.
"I know that th