bout to repeat her
inquiry. A plaintive flute-like sound was heard at intervals, floating
on the balmy and almost motionless air down the green-fringed vale. At
times it resembled the mournful plaint of the lonely dove, and then
died away like the last notes of the expiring swan.

Before many minutes elapsed another sound of quite a different
character saluted their ears. This was a rustling among the bushes,
heard indistinctly at first, while the object was far up the valley,
but as it approached with fearful rapidity, the rushing noise became
tremendous, and a few moments after, when the trembling sumachs parted
in view, they beheld Joe! He dashed through the briers interspersed
among the undergrowth, and plunged through the winding brook that
occasionally crossed his path, as if all surrounding obstacles and
obstructions were contemptible in comparison with the danger behind!
Leaping over intervening rocks, and flying through dense clusters of
young trees that ever and anon threatened to impede his progress, he
at length reached the spot where the little group still remained
seated. Without hat or coat, and panting so violently that he was
unable to explain distinctly the cause of his alarm, poor Joe threw
himself down on the earth in the most distressed and pitiable
condition.

"What have you seen? What is the cause of this affright?" asked Glenn.

"I--oh--they--coming!" cried Joe, incoherently.

"What is coming?" continued Glenn.

"I--Indians!" exclaimed he, springing up and rushing into the house.

"They are friendly Indians, then," said Mary; "because the hostile
ones never come upon us at this season of the year."

"So I have been told," said Glenn; "but even the sight of a friendly
Indian would scare Joe."

"It is La-u-na!" said William, still attentively listening.

"What is _La-u-na_?" interrogated Mary, again.

"The _Trembling Fawn_!" repeated William, with emphasis, in a
mysterious and abstracted manner. Presently he stood up and intently
regarded the dim path over-shadowed by the luxuriant foliage that Joe
had so recently traversed, and an animated smile played upon his lips,
and dark, clear eyes sparkled with a thrill of ecstasy.

A slight female form, emerged from the dark green thicket, and glided
more like a spirit of the air than a human being towards the wondering
group. Her light steps produced no sound. In each hand she held a rich
bouquet of fresh wild flowers, and leaves and blossoms