uld be deemed admirable as an exponent of her character. And here she
was constantly contrasted with a woman who had no fault, no foible, who
was generous, whole-souled, splendid, and beautiful, already with a
strong hold on his affections, close to him, the widow of his cousin who
was always the friend of his heart. And so sweet she was, so unconscious
of any thought of rivalry! That night she came late to Lillian's room to
say good-night once more, to counsel hope, and urge an effort to sleep.
Even when she seemed gone at last, she opened the door again to blow a
kiss and smile anew. When the door had closed finally Lillian, standing
near the mirror, could but note the difference. She was ghastly in her
gay and modish attire, for she had instantly laid aside her mourning for
the death of the boy, as an affront to her faith that he still lived. The
sharp tooth of suspense had eaten into her capacities of endurance; her
hopes preyed upon her in their keen, fictitious exaltations; the
alternations of despair brought her to the brink of the grave. She was
reduced almost to a shadow; she would go about the affair--she would
entertain no other--with a sort of jerking, spasmodic activity as unlike
muscular energy as if she were an automaton. She had no rest in her
sleep, and would scream and cry out in weird accents at intervals, and
dream such dreams! She would blanch when questioned, and close her lips
fast, and never a word escaped them of what these visions of terror might
be.

XI.

How the mother-heart would have rejoiced could Lillian have divined that
her child was well and happy, though affectionate in new ties while she
languished in his absence! Archie had begun to adore the old Indian
fortune-teller who cuddled and coddled him in loving delight. She lived
for a time in grievous fear of his departure, but when no news came of
the men who had placed him there, and the date fixed for their return
passed without event, she began to gloat on the possibility of desertion.
She tried all her ancient savage spells and methods of forecast--many
strange jugglings with terrapin shells and white beads and pointed sticks
and the aspect of the decoction of magic herbs. With fervor, she gave
herself also to her pagan invocations to those spirits of Zootheism and
personified elements of Nature, so real even to the modern Cherokee,
esteemed so potent in the ordering of human affairs. Suddenl