abyrinth of meaningless and silly words. When in the
latter condition which was not observable until just before the party
broke up, he conceived the unlucky idea of urging upon Little Wolf a
glass of his favorite drink. "Permit me," said he, stepping, or rather
swaggering up to where the lady stood, "to--to--," and suddenly
appearing to notice the extreme pallor that overspread her
countenance, he stammered, "to bring the blushes to those cheeks."

It was enough. The heart at once threw its crimson mantle upon her
face, but alas! it was dyed in shame. Poor Little Wolf had no words at
command. There, before her, stood the man in whom, a few hours before
she had felt so much pride and confidence. Her heart's best feelings
had gone out to him, and here was her idol horribly defaced, and he
knew it not. He even held invitingly towards her the instrument that
had done the mischief, and, while the cup still shook in his trembling
hand, he began to wonder at her silence.

She once or twice moved her lips, as if to speak, but the words died
away. She was not faint or weak, but was for the moment paralyzed.
When the quick reaction came, on fire with indignation she acted with
characteristic energy and decision, and all heard the crash of the
goblet, as with one rapid sweep of her little hand she dashed it to
the floor, and fled from the room.

Did she forgive him? She said in her heart she would not.

CHAPTER XVI.

PAINFUL RECOLLECTIONS--THE LAST BOAT OF THE SEASON--RUFFLED
PLUMES--RECONCILIATION.

When Little Wolf awoke the next morning, her mind instantly reverted
to the painful subject, that had banished sleep from her eyes the
greater part of the night, and, as the shameful scene came up again
vividly before her, she buried her face in her pillow and groaned
aloud. While thus indulging afresh her grief and mortification, she
was aroused by a sound which turned her thoughts in another
direction. She started up eagerly and threw open the window which
commanded an extended view of the river, and, in the distance, she
could just discern through the fast falling snow, a brave little
steamer, as if by magic ploughing its way up through snow and ice.

Little Wolf hung out of the window half in fear lest the welcome
vision should vanish; but it kept steadily onward, drawing nearer and
nearer to its destination, and soon she had the satisfaction of seeing
it safely moored, and, by the active discharge of frei