There was much talk and excitement in Deacon Wilder's
family, when it was known that in a little more than
three months' time a young maiden would come among
them, who would be at once daughter, sister and mistress.
From Jake, the negroes had received most of their information,
and verily George himself would scarcely have
recognized Marian in the description given of her by his
servant. So many beauties and excellences were attributed
to her, that the negroes were all on the qui vive to
see this paragon.

Charlie, too, was delighted, and when next day he as
usual met Orianna in the woods, he led her to a mossy
bank, and then communicated to her the glad tidings.
When he repeated to her the name of his future sister-in-law,
he was greatly surprised at seeing Orianna start
quickly to her feet, while a wild light flashed from her

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large black eye. Soon reseating himself, she said, calmly,
“What is it, Charlie?” What is the name of the white
lady?”

“Marian,—Marian Gorton,” repeated Charlie. “Do
you not think it a pretty name?”

Orianna did not answer, but sat with her small, delicate
hands pressed tightly over her forehead. For a moment
Charlie looked at her in wonder; then taking both her
hands in his, he said, gently, “Don't feel so, Orianna. I
shall love you just as well, even if I do have a sister
Marian.”

Orianna's only answer was, “Say her name again,
Charlie.”

He did so, and then Orianna repeated, “Marian,—Marian,—
what is it? Oh, what is it? Marian;—it sounds
to Orianna like music heard years and years ago.”

“Perhaps it was a dream,” suggested Charlie.

“It must have been,” answered Orianna, “but a pleasant
dream, fair as the young moon or the summer flowers.
But tell me more, Charlie.”

“I will do so,” said he, “but I am afraid you will forget
your lesson.”

He had been in the habit of taking to the woods some
one of his reading books, and in this way he had unconsciously
awakened in Orianna a desire for learning. For
some time past a part of each day had been spent in
teaching her the alphabet. It was an interesting sight,
that dark, handsome girl, and the fair, pale boy,—he in
the capacity of a patient teacher, and she the ambitious
scholar.

On the afternoon of the day of which we are speaking,
they were, as usual, employed in their daily occupation.
The excitement of the occasion heightened the rich glow
on Orianna's cheek, while the wreath of white wild

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flowers, which Charlie had woven and placed among her shining
black hair, gave her the appearance of some dark
queen of the forest. The lesson was nearly completed,
and Charlie was overjoyed to find that his pupil knew every
letter, both great and small, when they were startled
by the sound of a footstep, and in a moment Robert
Hunting, who had accompanied George Wilder home
from Lexington, stood before them.

Swiftly as a deer Orianna bounded away, while Charlie,
in evident confusion, attempted to secrete his book, and
Robert burst into a loud laugh, saying, “Well done,
Charlie! So you 've turned schoolmaster, and chosen a
novel pupil, upon my word. But who is she? If she
be a native, she is handsomer far than half the white
girls!”

“She is Orianna,” said Charlie, “the daughter of a
chieftain, and I love her, too.

“Nobility, hey?” said Robert laughing. “Better
yet. But what made her run so? Did she think I was
the evil one? Can't you call her back?”

“She won't come,” answered Charlie, “she don't like
you, and I can't make her.”

“So you have been saying a word in my favor, have
you?” said Robert, a little sareastically. “Greatly
obliged to you, Master Charlie. But I prefer doing my
own pleading.”

“I didn't mean you,” said Charlie, a little indignantly.
“She don't know that there is such a thing as you. I
meant all the white folks.”

“Oh, you did,” answered Robert, looking wistfully in
the direction where Orianna had disappeared.

At that moment there was the report of a rifle, and a
ball passed between him and Charlie and lodged in a tree
a few feet distant.

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“Soho,” exclaimed Robert, “was n't content with
sending an arrow at my heart, but must hurl a bullet at
my head.”

Charlie was confounded. He never for a moment
doubted that Orianna had sent the ball, and a fearful distrust
of her filled his heart. A week went by, and still
he neglected to take his accustomed walk, although he
noticed that Robert went daily in his stead.

At length one morning Robert came to him and said,
“Orianna bade me tell you that each day, 'neath the
buckeye tree, she's watched for you in vain.”

Charlie's eyes opened wide with astonishment, as he
exclaimed, “Orianna? Where have you seen Orianna?”

“Where should I see her, pray, but in the woods?”
answered Robert. “We have spent the last five days
together, there, and I have taken your place as teacher.”

Here we may as well explain what the reader is doubtless
anxious to know. The bullet which passed between
Robert and Charlie was not sent by the hand of Orianna,
but by the vicious Wahlaga, whose curiosity had been
roused as to what led Orianna so frequently to the woods.
On that day he had followed and discovered her, just at
the moment when Robert appeared before her. The
jealous savage, thinking that he looked upon his rival,
made ready his gun, when Orianna, suddenly coming
upon him, threw aside his arm, thus changing the course
of the ball, while at the same time, she led the excited
Indian away, and at length succeeded in convincing him
that never before had she seen Robert, nor did she even
know who he was.

The next morning Orianna was overjoyed to learn that
Wahlaga was about leaving home, to be absent an indefinite
length of time. Her happiness, however, was soon
clouded by some expressions which he let fall, and from

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which she gathered that her father had promised to give
her in marriage as soon as he should return. “It shall
never be; no, never,” said the determined girl, as, immediately
after his departure, she took the narrow footpath
to the woods of Glen's Creek.

Throughout all the morning she waited in vain for Charlie,
although she several times saw Robert at a distance,
and felt sure that he was looking for her. She knew that
she had saved his life, and this created in her a desire to
see him again. Accordingly, when that afternoon they
once more came suddenly face to face, she did not run,
but eagerly asked after her young companion. Robert
knew well how to play his part, and in a few moments
Orianna's shyness had vanished, and she was answering,
with ready obedience, all the questions asked her by the
handsome stranger. Ere they parted, Robert had learned
that to her he owed his life, and as a token of his gratitude
he placed upon her slender finger a plain gold ring.
He did not ask her to meet him again, next day, but he
well knew she would, for she, who knew no evil, thought
no evil.

As Robert had said, he took Charlie's place as teacher;
but, ah me! the lessons thus taught and received were
of a far different nature from the alphabet in Charlie's
picture-book. Many a time, ere that week went by, the
simple Indian girl, in the solitude of night, knelt by the
streamlet which ran by her father's door, and prayed the
Great Spirit to forgive her for the love which she bore
the white man, the enemy of her people;—and he?—why,
he scarce knew himself what his thoughts and intentions
were. He looked upon Orianna as a simple-minded, innocent
child; and while he took peculiar delight in studying
her character, he resolved that neither in word nor

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deed would he harm the gentle girl who each day came
so timidly to his side.

Day after day was his stay at Glen's Creek protracted,
and yet he would not acknowledge that he was even
interested in her within whose heart a passion had
been awakened, never more to slumber. The day on
which he spoke to Charlie of Orianna, was the last which
he would spend at Glen's Creek, and as he did not wish
to be alone when he bade her adieu, he asked Charlie to
accompany him. Oh, how bright was the smile with
which the maiden greeted them at first, and how full of
despair was the expression of her face when told by Robert
that he must leave her. Not a word did she speak,
but closely to her heart she pressed the little Charlie, as
if fearful lest he, too, should go.

“Farewell, Orianna,” said Robert. “When the nuts
are brown upon the trees, look for me, for I shall come
again.”

A moment more, and he was gone,—gone with poor
Orianna's heart, and left her nothing in return. Covering
her face with her hands, she wept so long and bitterly,
that Charlie at last wound his arms around her neck, and
wept, too, although he knew not for what. This token
of sympathy aroused her, and after a moment she said,
“Leave me now, Charlie; Orianna would be alone.”
He arose to obey, when she added, “Don't tell them,—
don't tell him what you have seen.”

He promised secrecy, and Orianna was left alone. The
forest was dark with the shadows of coming night ere
she arose, and then the heart which she bore back to the
wigwam by Grassy Spring was sadder than any she had
ever before carried across the threshold of her home.
The next day Charlie noticed a certain listlessness about
his pupil, which he had never observed before; and

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though her eye wandered over the printed page, her
thoughts were evidently away. At last a happy thought
struck him, and drawing closely to her, he whispered, “I
think Robert will be pleased if you learn to read.”

He had touched the right chord,—no other incentive
was needed,—and from that day her improvement was as
rapid as the most ambitious teacher could wish. Frequently
she would ask Charlie concerning Marian, requesting
him to repeat her name; then she would fall into
a fit of musing, saying, “When heard I that name? and
where was it? — oh, where?”

Yes, Orianna, Where was it?