"O Wenonah!" She fell on the woman's neck and kissed the soft, brown cheek.
"He knew you trusted me, that was the evil of him. And I said to Pani, 'Do not let her go out on the river, lest the god of the Strait put forth his hand and pull her down to the depths and take her to his cave.' And Pani understood."
"Yes, I trust you," said the girl proudly.
"And I have no white blood in my veins."
She went down to the great oak with Pani and they sat shaded from the afternoon sunshine with the lovely river stretching out before them. She did not care for the old story any more, but she leaned against Pani's bosom and patted her hand and said: "No matter what comes, Pani, we shall never part. And I will grow old with you like a good daughter and wait on you and care for you, and cook your meals when you are ill."
Pani looked into the love-lit, shining eyes.
"But I shall be so very, very old," she replied with a soft laugh.