AN INDIAN LEGEND. 143 



they prayed for the protection of the Manitto of flowers. A 

 murmur, as of a rushing wind, was their only answer ; but 

 Mo-na-wing filled with troubled happiness by the new feelings 

 which now thrilled her heart, looked in her lover's eyes, and 

 forgot to fear. 



Time passed on ; and at length it was known that Ma-ma- 

 twa, the young hunter, was preparing his lodge for the recep- 

 tion of his bride. Daily were rich presents laid at the door 

 of Mo-na-wing's father — and the value of the gifts offered by 

 Ma-ma-twa attested the bravery of the lover, no less than the 

 value of his love. In the meantime Mo-na-wing, unconscious 

 of the jealous affection of the Manitto, did not fail to visit the 

 dell daily with her lover ; and though the spirit appeared not 

 as he had been wont to do, she attributed this to the presence 

 of another mortal. Her offerings were laid, as usual, upon 

 the grassy knoll ; and she sat for hours beneath the shadow 

 of the sycamore where the Manitto had first shown himself 

 to her dreams ; but she no longer yearned for the visible 

 presence of the spirit. An earthly love had taken possession 

 of her heart ; and the vague tenderness which had mingled in 

 her religious veneration, now found a defined object in her lover. 



But Mo-na-wing was not suffered to escape the usual trials 

 of awakened hearts. There was a beautiful maiden in the 

 camp, whose vain soul sought for empire over all that came 

 near her. She was full of guile ; and the wiliness of her 

 nature aided by her exceeding beauty, gave her almost magical 

 power over the passions of men. She saw Ma-ma-twa and 



