Valchester read on in his deep, sweet voice that seemed to blend harmoniously with the warble of the birds and the myriad sweet voices of nature: "Pleasant was the journey homeward! All the birds sang loud and sweetly Songs of happiness and heart's ease; Sang the blue bird, the Owaissa: 'Happy are you, Hiawatha, Having such a wife to love you!' Sang the robin, the Opechee: 'Happy are you, Minnehaha, Having such a noble husband!' "From the sky the sun benignant Looked upon them through the branches, Saying to them: 'Oh, my children, Love is sunshine, hate is shadow; Life is checkered shade and sunshine; Rule by love, oh, Hiawatha!' "From the sky the moon looked at them, Filled the lodge with mystic splendors, Whispered to them: 'Oh, my children, Day is restless, night is quiet, Man imperious, woman feeble; Half is mine, although I follow, Rule by patience, Laughing Water!'" "It is very beautiful," said Valchester, shutting the book and glancing round quickly, so as to catch the expression on each face, "but I will not read anymore. I see that Walter looks bored, and Miss Earle as if she would rather talk to Miss Meredith about the party last night." "I am dying to ask her if she enjoyed it all," said Violet, piqued that he had read her indifference to poetry, yet carrying it off with cool self-possession; "did you, Lina?" Jaquelina looked up with a start, her dark eyes soft and dreamy. In fancy, she was still following the young brave, Hiawatha, as he bore his bride homeward. "Through interminable forests, Over wide and rushing rivers." "Oh! yes, it was delightful," she said, and a smile chased the momentary dreaminess away. "I enjoyed it all very much, except, perhaps, just at the last." "I should have thought you would have enjoyed that most of all," cried Walter Earle. "Do you know, Miss Meredith, that you are quite a heroine all over the country this morning. Your presence of mind and daring are on every lip. The farmers breathe freely once more. You have not only earned the reward of two hundred dollars, but you have won the admiration and gratitude of all who have heard of it. By to-morrow morning you will find yourself in all the newspapers." "'You will wake up and find yourself famous,'" quoted Violet, laughing. But Jaquelina did not look elated at their words. A shadow seemed to fall over the brightness of the arch, brunette face. She glanced at Ronald Valchester shyly. His face was perfectly non-committal.