ad before so many people.

The August moon was in the full. It was a golden night. In a semi-circle
behind her crowded her friends from the houseboat party. They formed an
Indian tableau in the background, and David stood near her at the front
of the stage.

"And in rapture Hiawatha
Cried aloud, 'It is Mondamin!'"

read Madge, with a shy glance at the young Hiawatha standing beside her.

At this moment there crept up on the platform an old woman, so old that
the audience stared at one another in amazement. They believed that the
strange visitor was a part of the performance. David and Madge knew
better. David's face turned white as chalk, but Madge's voice never
faltered as she went on with the reading:

"'Yes, the friend of man, Mondamin!
Then he called to old Nokomis'."

The old woman's presence was explained to at least those of the audience
who were familiar with the story of Hiawatha. The ancient gypsy woman
who had appeared on the stage among the young people so unexpectedly was
"old Nokomis," Hiawatha's grandmother, one of the principal characters
in Longfellow's poem.

The moment that Madge finished her recitation David Brewster
disappeared. But the old gypsy went about among the Prestons' guests,
keeping their attention engaged by telling their fortunes.

The gypsy woman was not the only mysterious visitor at the famous corn
feast. Madge and Lillian were dancing with two young country boys when
two Indian braves unexpectedly appeared in the midst of the guests. They
had on extremely handsome Indian costumes and their faces were
completely covered with Indian masks. They spoke in strange, guttural
voices, so that no one could guess who they were.

Madge and Lillian tried in vain to escape them. Wherever the girls went
the Indian chiefs followed them.

As the evening progressed Madge grew very tired. The apparition of the
old woman, whom she had seen before on the day when she was held a
prisoner in the woods, had made her nervous. She longed to ask Phil if
she also recalled the face of the old woman.

"Miss Jenny Ann," Madge kept a tight hold on Phil's hand, "Phyllis and I
are a little tired. We are going away by ourselves to rest. You and Miss
Betsey won't be frightened about us?" Madge gave her chaperon a
repentant hug and Miss Jenny Ann smiled at her. The little captain had
promised never to wander off again without saying where she was going.

The fires where the corn had bee