PHANTOM FALLS. 147 



deserted her eyes and .agility her limbs. With the 

 leaves of autumn she faded, and one September 

 night she launched her canoe and left her father's 

 camp. When last seen, she was directing her 

 course toward this point. It is possible that, 

 caught in the sweep of the rapids, she was swept 

 down, or else, broken in spirit by the continued ab- 

 sence of her lover, and weary of a life, every day of 

 which brought only a new and bitterer disappoint- 

 ment, she purposely paddled out into the current, 

 and sought, through the white foam and mist of 

 the rapids, a meeting with him who was, as she 

 beheved, no longer on earth.' And they say," con- 

 tinued John, "that tlirice each year, about this 

 time in June, there comes up out of the rapids a 

 canoe, which leaves, as it glides, no wake, urged by 

 a noiseless paddle, and in it a figure sits, clothed in 

 raiment whiter than the mist." 



"Well, John," I said, after a slight pause, "is 

 that all ? Do you believe the story ? Did you ever 

 see her ? " 



" Mr. Murray," said John, solemnly, " I do be- 

 lieve the story ; and I have seen her." 



" What ! " I exclaimed, now thoroughly interest- 

 ed ; " do you say that you have seen her, John ? 

 When, and how ? Tell me all about it." 



" It was just fifteen years ago this moon," con- 

 tinued he, " and I was returning from a trip doAvn 

 the Black Eiver country, when, late in the evening. 



