Part 20 (1/2)

”Most certainly not Why should we be? We know that they are in a better world, and their memories are dear to us It is very sweet sometimes to talk of them”

”But the Willamettes never talk of their dead, for fear they may hear their na back? Ah, ifand pray for it!”

Cecil began to talk to her about the love and goodness of God If he could only see her sheltered in the Divine compassion, he could trust her to slip from him into the unknown darkness of her future She listened earnestly

”Your words are good,” she said in her quaint phraseology; ”and if trouble coain I shall remember them But I alance sent through hiet,” he said, forcing himself to be calm, ”that you are soon to leave your home and become the wife of Snoqualmie”

Wallulah raised her hand as if to ward off a blow, her features quivering with pain She tried to reply, but for an instant the words faltered on her lips He saw it, and a fierce delight leaped up in his heart ”She does not love hiht; and then he thrust the thought down in indignant self-reproach

”I do not care for Snoqualht I did, but--”

She hesitated, the quick color flushed her face; for the first tiether, aware of why she had changed

For an instant Cecil felt as if he must speak; but the consequences rose before him while the words were almost on his lips If he spoke and won her love, Multnoe with Snoqualmie just the saive her to Cecil, the result would be a bloody ith Snoqualht Cecil He rose to his feet; his one iht out the battle with hi?” she said, rising also ”So back,” and she looked at hi, torn by conflicting e what to do

”If you do not come back, I shall die,” she said simply

As they stood thus, her flute slipped froers and fell upon the floor He picked it up and gave it to her, partly through the born instinct of the gentleman, which no fah the tendency in ti any little thing

She took it, lifted it to her lips, and, still looking at hiht, artless as the song of a wood-bird, was infinitely sorrowful and full of longing Her very life see Cecil understood the plea, and the tears rushed unbidden into his eyes All his heart went out to her in pitying tenderness and love; and yet he dared not trust himself to speak

”Promise to come back,” said the music, while her dark eyes ht, my all; do not leave me to perish in the dark I shall die without you, I shall die, I shall die!”

Could anythrough all his sensitive and ardent nature to the hty and resistless love?

”I will come back,” he said, and parted from her; he dared not trust hi was not so abrupt as to prevent his seeing the swift breaking-forth of light upon theso beautiful to him and so dear

CHAPTER VI

THE TWILIGHT TALE

That eve I spoke those words again, And then she hearkened what I said

DANTE ROSSETTI

The next day the Indians had a great hunt A circle of e tract of forest on the western side of the Willa, and beating of bushes, the circle closed upon the gahty serpent