it; then picked up her child, slipped it into the folds of her blanket,
so that it hung safely on her back, its black eyes peeping out over her
shoulders, took a bundle of mats from under the seat of her canoe, and
stepped on shore.

As she came, with light firm steps, up the bank, not exactly approaching
them, but turning to the house-door, the party under the trees
separated; the gentlemen, attracted by the lightness and beauty of the
canoe, went down to the water's edge to look at it more closely. Bella
wanted to see the papoose, and perhaps to bargain with its mother for
some of her work; Mrs. Bellairs and Lucia remained alone, when the
former, turning to say something to her companion, was surprised to see
her pale, trembling, and looking ready to faint.

"My dear child," she cried in alarm, "what is the matter, you are ill?"

"Not ill, only stupid. Don't mind me. I shall be quite right again in a
minute." But her breath came in gasps, and her very lips were white.

"Will you come in? Can you walk?"

"No, no; it is nothing." By a strong effort she recovered herself a
little, and smiled. "Could anything be so absurd?"

"What was it? I can't understand."

"That poor woman. Is not it strange the sight of an Indian or a squaw
always throws me into a kind of panic. I am horribly frightened, and I
don't know why."