comes his full moon!"

Somewhat later in the day all the young
people of the great camp were seen to be mov-
ing in one direction. All wore their best attire
and finest ornaments, and even the parti-col-
ored steeds were decorated to the satisfaction
of their beauty-loving riders.

"Ugh, Taluta is making a maidens' feast!
She, the prettiest of all the Unkpapa maid-
ens!" exclaimed one of the young braves.

"She, the handsomest of all our young
women!" repeated another.

Taluta was indeed a handsome maid in the
height and bloom of womanhood, with all that
wonderful freshness and magnetism which was
developed and preserved by the life of the wil-
derness. She had already given five maidens'
feasts, beginning with her fifteenth year, and
her shy and diffident purity was held sacred by
her people.

The maidens' circle was now complete. Be-
hind it the outer circle of old women was equally
picturesque and even more dignified. The
grandmother, not the mother, was regarded as
the natural protector of the young maiden, and