y _father_?"

"He is not your father."

"No!" exclaimed the maid, turning pale.

"I will tell thee all, Mary." And Glenn related the story of the
maiden's birth. "Now, Mary," he continued, "thou knowest thine own
history. Thou art of a noble race, according to the rules of men--nay,
thy blood is royal--if thou wouldst retract thy plighted faith (I
should have told thee this before,) speak, and thy will shall be
done!"

"Oh! Charles! I am thine, THINE ONLY, were I born an angel!" she
cried, throwing herself into his arms. At this juncture a violent
rustling was heard in the bushes not far distant, and the next moment
Joe's voice rang out.

"Oh me! Oh St. Peter! Oh murder! murder! murder!" cried he. Instantly
all the party were collected round him. He lay in a small open space
on the grass, with his basket bottom upward at his side, and all the
berries scattered on the ground.

"What is the matter?" asked Glenn.

"Oh, I'm snake-bitten! I'm a dead man! I'm dying!" cried he,
piteously.

"That's a fib," said Sneak, "bekaise a dead man can't be a dying."

"Let me see," said William, stooping down to examine the place on
which Joe's hands were convulsively pressed. With some difficulty he
pulled them away, and tearing down the stocking, actually saw a small
bleeding puncture over the ankle bone!

"What kind of a snake was it?" asked Glenn in alarm. "A rattlesnake--Oh!"

"Did you _see_ it?" continued Glenn, knowing Joe's foible, though it
was apparent he suffered from some kind of a wound.

"I heard it rattle. Oh, my goodness! I'm going fast! I'm turning
blind!"

La-u-na told him to run to the house and cover the wound with salt,
and remain quiet till Sneak could obtain some plantain leaves from the
prairie. Joe sprang up and rushed down the hill. Sneak set out in
quest of the antidote, and the rest directed their steps homeward.

When they reached Roughgrove's house, they found Joe lying in the
middle of the floor on his back, and groaning most dolefully. He had
applied the salt to the wound as directed, and covered it and his
whole leg so plentifully with bandages that the latter seemed to be as
thick as his body.

"How do you feel now, Joe?" asked Glenn.

"I'm a dead man!" said he.

La-u-na told him not to be alarmed, and assured him there was no
danger.

"But I'll die before Sneak can get back!"

"Your voice is too strong to fear that," said William; "but do you
suffer much pain?"

"Oh, I'm in a