, 1864-02-06

crossing the room, lIaola extended hel
hand with ohe Of the two brieht-coloret
baskets she had brought, smilingly saying
in her broken English:
"See, White Daisy"-the name she hat
given her new friend-"me build baske
for pick blackberries in. Come. Through
the wood, on the hillside, 'em bushes stoor
with their burden. Laola touch not one til
White Daisy 60 gil her basket, too"
"But Edwin" replied the young mother
accepting the pretty gift with an expression
Of pleasure, His father is away-ther.
is no one to carry him. Let us not 60 ber
rying before tomorrow"
"We 60 today" said Laola, earnestly
standing before the little looking-glass and
twining q vine with dark glossy leaves and
scarlet berries in her flowing hair. "Tht
day after this il will rain. Winoowis say
SO when he come home from his traps with
the black bear skin this morning. Rain
pick berries with wet fingers and spoil al
the ripest on the ground. We wait not
Come. Me carry little one as the river car
ries bubble on its surface"
She was quickly prepared, and left the
house, accompanied by Laola, who carried
the baskets, while the mother took the babe
in her own embrace. The Indian girl
overjoyed ut the success Of her little enter
prise; ran oh before like leaping brook
often returning to her companion with some
wild fantasy Of speech, or 10 touch the
babe with her caressing fingers.
They entered the woods stately and som.
bre, the midday sun only penetrating here
and there, scattering golden coins along the
way. To Elinor there appeared neither
path nor sign, only the wilderness Of tall
old trees, and underground in places SC
dense she could hardly have made her way
through it but for the help Of her Guide
who parted the interlacing boughs and held
them back, shadowy and rustling, to afford
her passage.
The babe slept and lay heavily on her
bosom, till the mother grew faint with her
burden then she was fain to resign him
I.aOla still went before, bearing Eddie care
fully in her arms, the other silently follow
ing in her footsteps. As they proceeded
and Elinor began to feel they must be neal
the end Of their walk, shc twice or thrice
looked behind, fancying she heard foot
fall on the leaves; but no living thing ap'
peared, save q partridge brood feeding on
the pale woOd-sOrrel, or q gray squirrel
darting up tree-trunk.
"Look" she cried, suddenly, grasping
the young guides shoulder and pointing 70
their rear, for again had the seeming sound
Of footsteps attracted her attention, and as
she looked she thought she detected among
the shadows darker shade, as OF some crea'
ture following upon their track and creep
ing stealthily away TO escape observation
Laola, however, saw nothing, and the object
whatever it was, had disappeared.
May be deer" the girl suggested, and
smiling as she brushed Ay from the baby
forehead, moved on without thought Of
fear.
Not SO with Mrs. Benning. The ghOstly
terrors which had pfemonished her Of q
tragedy in which they were shortly to cul.
inmate, began to assume tangible shaps.
She would have given worlds to be back in
the cabin she had left an hour before; still
she staggered forward with white, shut lipt
and q sick, throbbing heart. Could she but
place her babe In its fathers arms, beyond
the danger, she would submit peaceiuily q
her unknown fate. She had known that
savage beasts prowled in the forest; Laola
had told Of the hear hOf father had killed