The girl's heart rebelled why must
she lose all her friends because of
this man's unwelcome love?
"Can you not be a friend to both?"
she asked, sadly.
The man gave a grunt of dissent.
Lavender touched his sleeve "I am
glad you are Mr. Winslow's friend,"
she said, "but if you are mine, you
must be also his," and she pointed in
the direction the Spaniard had taken.
She could not fathom the meaning
in his eyes When he demanded: "Will
the white maiden go as the dark
stranger said?"
"Go where?"
"To the white man's house with iron
finger which they say points to the
Blessed Islands."
She started guiltily with a violent
blush. Then he had heard what Gon
zaga had said had heard him ask her
to go with him to the church—to marry
him. Owatoga had heard, and—anfl
he would tell Winslow! A sudden
shame quite overcame her what would
Winslow think? Would .. her heart
seem a light thing to be so lightly
won? Or, worse still, would he think
her wicked, unmaidenly, to give her
hand without it? But she rallied as
quickly after all, what did it mat
ter? Gonzaga, at least, loved her, had
boldly avowed it, had pledged the best
return. Must she risk her duty for the
sake of another's opinion? And that
other—he whose loves were many
what right had he—at the thought her
heart was ice.
Owatoga repeated his question: "You
will go to the house of the Great Spirit
with him?"
Hard and cold her voice sounded:
"Perhaps, I—I have not decided."
"Owatoga will be there, too," was
the reply, accompanied by a myste
rious smile, and without further word,
the Indian disappeared in the forest.
To be Continued.
