rattling sound in the leaves struck her, and she called out, laughing "If it were not so late in the fall, Ralph, I should think there was a locust singing in the leaves." That moment Ben, who had tied his boat, came scrambling up the hill. He took his place by Ralph upon a shelf of the rock, and began to sniff the air with his flat, pug nose, like a watch-dog scenting an enemy. The noise which interested Lina was still now, and he only heard her observation about the locust. "Ain't there a strong smell of old honey about here, Mister Ralph ?" he said, looking anxiously around; 66 something between the scent of an old bee-hive and a wasp's nest?" "Lina!" cried Ralph, in a low voice, "Lina!" "In one moment," cried the girl, laughing wilfully; "wait till I get those leaves drifting across the rock there." The gipsey bonnet had fallen on one side; her hands were full of red leaves, and she was smiling saucily. This unconsciousness of danger was horrible. The young man shrunk and quivered through all his frame. "Lina, step aside to the right--dear Lina, I entreat, I insist!" His voice was deep and husky, scarcely more than a whisper, and yet full of command. Lina looked back, and her smiling lips grew white with astonishment. Ralph stood above her, pale as marble; his hand grasping the rock was uplifted, his "Not | fierce, distended eyes looked wildly beyond her. Wild with nameless dread the young girl stepped backward, "There is a singular scent I fancy, Ben," answered the young man, following Lina with his eyes. disagreeable, though!" "Do you begin to guess what it means?" inquired following his glance with her eyes. Her breath was Ben, anxiously. "Not at all," answered Ralph, waving his hand and smiling upon Lina, who held up a branch of richly shaded leaves she had just taken from a maple bough, laughing gaily as the main branch swept rustling back to its place. "Not at all, Ben; it may be the frostbitten fern-leaves-they sometimes give out a delicious odor. Everything in the woods takes a pleasant scent at this season of the year, I believe." Lina, who was restless as a bird, changed her position again, and the movement was followed by another quick, hissing sound from a neighboring rock. "So that is Miss Lina's idea of a locust, is it," muttered Ben, looking sharply around. If that's a locust, Mister Ralph, the animal has got a tremenjus cold, for he's hoarse-yes, hoarse as a rattlesnake-do you hear, Mister Ralph? Hoarse as a rattle-snake!" checked-she could not scream. The glittering eyes of the rattlesnake, though turned upon another, held her motionless. A prickly sensation pierced her lips through and through, as the snake loosened his coils and changed his position so abruptly, that his back glittered in the sunshine, like a mass of jewels rapidly disturbed, making her blind and dizzy with the poisonous glow. Still she moved backward like a statue recoiling from its base. "Now," whispered Ben, now give it to him." A crash-a spring-and like a fiery lance the rattlesnake shot by her, striking her garments as he went, and, falling short of his enemy, coiled himself for a new spring. Ralph's hand was uplifted as the fragment of rock had left it; and there, within a few feet, lay the rattlesnake eager for a new onset, and quivering through all Ben was intensely excited, and looked eagerly around, its folds. searching for danger. "Look!" he whispered, after a moment; "the sunshine on the red leaves dazzles the eyesight-but look stiddy on the rock there, where the green moss is fluttered over with them red leaves-don't you see the moss kinder a stirrin'?" The ice broke from Lina's voice. She uttered a wild cry, stooped quick as lightning, seized a fragment of rock,-dashed it with both hands upon the rattlesnake, and, rushing by, threw herself before Ralph. Her eyes turned with horror upon the work she had done. แ Step behind me-behind me, Lina," cried the young man, attempting to force her away. Ralph looked, and there, about six feet from Lina, "Oh, have mercy! have mercy! he is alive yet!" he saw what seemed at first a mass of gorgeous foliage, she shrieked, as writhing and convulsed, the rattlesnake quivering upon the green moss, for a glow of warm sun-drew his glittering folds out from beneath the stone, shine fell athwart it and dazzled his eyes for the and wound himself up, coil after coil, more venomous moment. But anxiety cleared his vision, and he saw than ever. that the glowing mass was a serpent drawn from a cleft of the rock by the warm sun. Disturbed by Lina's approach, he was that instant coiling itself up for a spring. His head was erect, his tongue quivered like a thread of flame, and two horrible fangs, crooked and venomous, shot out on each side his open jaws. In the centre of the coil, and just behind the head, which vibrated to and fro with horrible eagerness, the rattles kept in languid play, as if tired of warning her. Ralph, pale as death and trembling all over, stooped down and seized a fragment of rock; but Lina was too near, he dared not hurl it. The young girl enticed by the floating leaves which the sun struck so brightly around the serpent, had her foot poised to spring forward. But she threw her arms around him, and with her eyes turned back upon the glittering horror, strove with all her frail strength to push him backward out of danger. The brave generosity of this attempt might have destroyed them both; but, just as the rattlesnake was prepared to lance out again, Ben, who had torn a branch from an ash tree overhead, rushed fearlessly down and struck at him with the host of light twigs that were yet covered with delicate maize-colored leaves. This act increased Lina's terror, for the blows which Ben gave were so light that a baby would have laughed at them. "Don't be skeer'd, nor nothing," shouted Ben, gently belaboring his enemy with the ash bough, "I've got the pizen sarpent under, just look this way and you'll find him tame as a rabbit. Lord! how the critter does hate the smell of ash leaves! Now do look, Miss Lina!" Lina clung trembling to Ralph, but turned her eyes with breathless dread toward the rattlesnake. "Come close by-just get a good look at him—the stiffening is out of his back-bone now, I tell you!" cried Ben triumphantly. "See him a trying to poke his head under the moss just at the sight of a yaller ash leafain't he a coward, now ain't he?" "What is it what does it mean?" inquired Ralph, re-assured now that Lina was out of danger-"did the stone wound him ?" "The stone!" repeated Ben scornfully,—“ a round stone covered over with moss like a pin cushion! Why, if this ere rattlesnake could laugh as well as bite, he'd have a good haw-haw over Miss Lina's way of fighting snakes. It takes something to kill them, I tell you. But I've got him-he knows me. Look at him now!" Ralph moved a step forward and looked down upon the rattlesnake, towards which Ben was pointing with his ash branch, as unconcerned as if it had been an earth worm. The rattlesnake had loosened all his folds, and lay prone upon his back striving to burrow his head beneath the leaves and moss, evidently without the power to escape or show fight. "Wonderful, isn't it !" said Ben, eyeing his prostrate foe with grim complacency; "now I should just like to know what there is in the natur of this ere ash limb that wilts his pizen down so? Why, he's harmless as a garter snake. Come down and see for yourself, Mister Ralph." "You should have crushed him-ground him to powder," said the young man, fierce with anxiety, "for he has poisoned all the sweet life in her veins. She is dying, Ben, she is dying!" Ben threw down the ash branch and plunged one hand into a pocket in search of his tobacco box. With great deliberation he rolled up a quantity of the weed and deposited it under one cheek, before he attempted to answer either the pleading looks or passionate language of the youth. "Mister Ralph, it's plain as a marlin-spike, you ain't used to snakes and wimmen. In that partiklar your edecation's been shamefully neglected. Never kill a rattlesnake arter he's shut in his fangs and turns on his back for mercy-its sneakin' business. Never think a woman is dead till the sexton sends in his bill. Snakes and feminine wimmen is hard to kill. Now any landshark, as has his eyes out of his heart, could see that. Miss Lina's only took a faintin' turn, that comes after a skeer like hers, axactly as sleep stills a tired baby. Just give her here now, I'll take her down to the river, throw a cap full of water in her face, and she'll be bright as a new dollar long before we get across." The look of relief that came to the face of Ralph Harrington was like a flash of sunshine. A grateful smile lighted his eyes, but instead of resigning Lina to the stout arms held out by Ben Benson, he gathered her close to his bosom, saying in a proud voice, “Why, Ben, I want no help to carry Lina," he bore her down the hill, looking now and then upon her face so tenderly, that Ben, who was eyeing him all the way with sidelong glances, made a hideous face to himself, as if to capitulate with his dignity for wanting to smile at anything so childish. "Sit down there," said Ben, pointing to the stern of his boat, "sit down there, Mister Ralph, and kinder ease her down to the seat; your face is hot as fire a "No, no!" pleaded Lina, faint and trembling, for the reaction of the recent terror was upon her, and she grew sick now that the danger-was over. "I am ill-carrying her. Now I'll fill my hat with water and give blind-Ralph-Ralph!" She spoke his name in faint murmurs, her head fell forward and her eyes closed. Ralph thought she was dying. He remembered that the rattlesnake had touched her in his first spring, and took the faintness as the working of his venom in her veins. He called out in the agony of this thought, her a souse that'll bring the red to her mouth in a jiffy." "No, no," said Ralph, arresting Ben as he stooped to fill his little glazed hat, "don't throw it, hold your cap here, Ben, and I'll sprinkle her face. How pale it is! How like a dear lifeless angel she looks?" Ben stooped to the water, and Ralph trembling and flushed, bent over the pale beautiful face on his bosom, "Ben! Ben! she is dying she is dead-he struck closer, closer, till his lips drew the blood back to hers, her!" and her eyelids began to quiver like shadows on a white rose. Ben gave the rattlesnake a vigorous lash, which turned him on his back again, and sprang up the rocks. "Have you killed him? Is he dead? Oh, Ben, he has struck her on her arm or hand, perhaps! Look, look-see if you can find the wound!" Ben gave a hasty glance at the white face lying upon Ralph's shoulder, and uttered a smothered humph, and with this emphatic expression he turned to watch the common enemy. The snake had turned slowly over upon the moss and was slinking away through a crevice in the rocks. Ben uttered a mellow chuckling laugh as his rattles disappeared. Ben had slowly risen from the water with the glazed hat dripping between his two great hands; but when he saw Ralph's position, the good fellow ducked downward again, and made a terrible splashing in the river, as he dipped the brimming hat a second time, while that grotesque suppression of a smile convulsed his hard features again. It was wonderful how long it took Ben to fill his hat this time. One would have thought him fishing for pearls in the depths of the river, he was so fastidious in finding the exact current best calculated to restore "Did you see him, the sneak? Did you see him steal a young lady from faintness. When he did arise, everyoff?" he said, looking at Ralph. thing about the young people was, to use his nautical expression, ship-shape and above-board. The color was stealing back to Lina's face, like blushes from the first flowering of apple blossoms, and a brightness stole from beneath her half-closed eyelids, that had something softer and deeper than mere life in it. "It is not necessary, Ben; she is better, I think," said the young man, looking half-timidly into the boatman's face. "Don't you think she looks beautiI mean, don't you think she looks better, a great deal better, Ben ?" Again, that grotesque expression seized upon Ben's features; and, setting down his hat, as if it had been a wash-bowl, he took Lina's straw gipsy from the bottom of the boat, where it had fallen, and began to shake out the ribbons with great energy. "She grows pale-I'm afraid she is losing ground again, Ben," said Ralph, as the color wavered to and fro on the fair cheek beneath his gaze. "Shall I fill the hat again?" answered Ben, demurely. "It kinder seems to be the filling on it that brings her round easiest?" 66 No, you're very kind, but I'll sprinkle her forehead --she has been so frightened, you know, I dare say she thought the snake had bitten-had bitten one of us, Ben! That is right, hold the hat this way." Ben dropped on his knees in the bottom of the boat, crushing down a whole forest of Lina's wild flowers, and held up the hat reverently between his hands. Ralph put back the masses of brown hair from Lina's face, and began to bathe it gently, almost holding his breath, as if she were a babe he was afraid of waking. "Isn't she a dear, generous creature?" he said, at last, with a burst of admiration. It took a fright like this, to prove how precious she was to us all!” Instantly, a cloud of crimson swept over Lina's face and bosom, and with it came an illumination of the features, that made the young man tremble beneath her light weight. "Lina, dear Lina !" he whispered. She arose from his arms, crimson again to the temples, and sat down in silence, her eyes downcast, her lips trembling, as if a great effort kept her from bursting into tears. Ralph saw this, and his face clouded. "What have I done? Are you angry with me, Lina?" he whispered, as Ben pushed the boat off and gathered up his oars. Her maidenly intuition was aroused now. She shrunk from his glance, blushing and in silence. "Will you not speak to me, Lina?" "What can I say, Ralph ?" "That you love me." A little coquettish smile stole over her mouth. "We have said that to each other from the cradle up." "No, never before, never with this depth of meaning-my heart is broken up, Lina; there is nothing left of it but a flood of tender love-you are no longer my sister, but my idol; I worship you, Lina!" "Again Lina lifted her eyes, so blue, so flooded with gentle gratitude; but she did not speak, for Ben was resting on his oars, while the boat crept silently down the current. "Why don't you steer for home?" asked Ralph, impatient of Ben's eyes. “I see that ere old respectable gentleman on the bank, a looking this way, so I thought we'd lie to and refit more particularly about the upper story. If Miss Lina there'll just shake them ere curls back a trifle, and tie on her bonnet; and if you, Mister Ralph, could just manage to look t'other way and take an observation of the scenery, perhaps we should make out to pass with a clear bill and without too much overhaulin'." "You are right," said Ralph after a moment, looking anxiously toward the shore, where the stately figure of old Mr. Harrington was distinctly visible; "my father is a great stickler for proprieties. Here is your hat, Lina-let me fold this scarf about you." As Ralph spoke, the flush left his face, and a look of fatigue crept over Lina. Ben still rested on his oars. He was determined to give the old gentleman ample opportunity to continue his walk inland, before the young people were submitted to his scrutiny. As they lingered floating upon the waters, a tiny boat shot from beneath a cliff below them, and was propelled swiftly down the river. In it was a female rendered conspicuous by a scarlet shawl, and in the still life around them, this boat became an object of interest. It was only for a moment, the young people were too deeply occupied with their own feelings to dwell upon even this picturesque adjunct to a scene which was now flooded gorgeously with the sunset. Ben, however, became restless and anxious. Without a word he seized his oars, and pushed directly for the cove in which his boat was usually moored. Ralph and Lina went homewards with a reluctance never experienced before. A sense of concealment oppressed them. An indefinite ter "Angry! No, I cannot tell. What has happened to ror of meeting their friends, rendered their steps slow us, Ralph ?" "Don't you remember, Lina?" "Remember?-yes-now. Oh, it was horrible!" "I, Lina, I shall always remember it with more pleasure than pain." She lifted her eyes with a timid, questioning glance. The young man drew close to her, and as Ben dashed his oars in the water, thus drowning his voice to all but her, whispered "Because it has told me in my heart of hearts how entirely I love you, Lira." upon the green sward. As they drew towards the house, Ralph paused. Speak to me, Lina, my heart is heavy without the sound of your voice: say you love me, or shall I be miserable with suspense?". The young girl listened with a saddened and downcast look. A heaviness had fallen upon her with the first sight of old Mr. Harrington on the bank. True he had gone now, but his shadow seemed upon her still. "Will you not speak to me, Lina? Will you not relieve this suspense by one little word ?" She lifted her head gently, but with modest pride. "You know that I love you, Ralph." "But not as you have done. I am not content with a simple household affection. Say that you love me, body and soul, faults and virtues, even as I love you." Lina drew herself up, and a smile, sad but full of sweetness-half presentiment, half faith-beamed on her face. "Your soul may search mine to its depths and find only itself there. I do love you, Ralph, even as you love me!" Her answer was almost solemn in its dignity; for the moment that fair young girl looked and spoke like a priestess. Ralph Harrington reached out his hand, taking hers in its grasp. As they passed the iron gate that separated the lawn from the shore, Ben, who had seated himself in the boat, arose suddenly, and pushed his little craft into the river again. His weather-beaten face was turned anxiously down the stream. He seized the oars, and urging his boat into the current, pulled stoutly, as if some important object had suddenly seized upon him. "Where can she be a going to? What on earth is she after? Has the old rascal broke out at last? Has she give way? But I'll overhaul her! Pull away, Ben Benson, pull away, you old rascal! What bisness had you with them ere youngsters, and she in trouble! Pull away, or I'll break every bone in your body, Ben Benson!" Thus muttering and reviling himself, Ben was soon out of sight, burying himself, as it seemed, in the Why are you so pale? Why tremble so violently?" dull purple of the night as it crept over the Hudne said, moving towards the house. son. (To be continued.) "I do not know," answered Lina, "but it seems as if the breath of that rattlesnake were around us yet." "You are sad-your nerves have been dreadfully shaken-but to-morrow, Lina, all will be bright again." tleman, who has made such additions as entitle him to a legal copyright Lina smiled faintly. "Oh, yes, all must be bright to-morrow." In order to secure "LOST JEWELS" from unauthorized publication in England, the manuscript has been submitted to an English gen in England. As its Editor, consequently, he has entered it at Stationers' Hall, London, before publication here. THE FALLS OF MINNEHAHA. THE falls of Minnehaha, or Laughing Water, now rendered classical by Longfellow in his great Epic Indian poem of Hiawatha, are situated in the vicinity of Fort Snelling, Minnesota. The rivers of Minnesota are filled with picturesque rapids and small falls, many of them distinguished for their wild and romantic surroundings. The most noted among them, perhaps, is this fall of "Laughing Water." It is now fast becoming the resort of tourists, and its fame, spread by Longfellow the world over, will necessarily always make it an object of especial interest to the traveller. One natural peculiarity it possesses is deserving of mention. The visitor is enabled by a ledge of rocks to pass behind the falls, where he finds a recess beneath the bed of the river extending back nearly fifty feet. Standing in this recess and looking out through the water at a time when the sun is shining upon it, an effect is produced transcendently beautiful. The feathery, leaping, laugh ing water is laced and interlaced with rainbows. A thousand hues seem blending and playing upon the surface. The waters are dyed in colors. A more beautiful sight can scarcely be found. After viewing these prismatic effects the tourist can pass around and out from behind the fall at the opposite side from which he |