thing as a bed was not to be seen, but many large untanned bear and
buffalo hides lay piled in a corner. I drew a fine timepiece from my
breast, and told the woman that it was late, and that I was fatigued.
She had espied my watch, the richness of which seemed to operate upon
her feelings with electric quickness. She told me that there was plenty
of venison and jerked buffalo meat, and that on removing the ashes I
should find a cake. But my watch had struck her fancy, and her curiosity
had to be gratified by an immediate sight of it. I took off the gold
chain that secured it, from around my neck, and presented it to her. She
was all ecstasy, spoke of its beauty, asked me its value, and put the
chain round her brawny neck, saying how happy the possession of such a
watch should make her. Thoughtless, and as I fancied myself, in so
retired a spot, secure, I paid little attention to her talk or her
movements. I helped my dog to a good supper of venison, and was not long
in satisfying the demands of my own appetite.

The Indian rose from his seat, as if in extreme suffering. He passed me
and repassed me several times, and once pinched me on the side so
violently that the pain nearly brought forth an exclamation of anger. I
looked at him. His eye met mine; but his look was so forbidding that it
struck a chill into the more nervous part of my system. He again seated
himself, drew his butcher-knife from its greasy scabbard, examined its
edge, as I would do that of a razor suspected dull, replaced it, and
again taking his tomahawk from his back, filled the pipe of it with
tobacco, and sent me expressive glances whenever our hostess chanced to
have her back towards us.

Never until that moment had my senses been awakened to the danger which
I now suspected to be about me. I returned glance for glance to my
companion, and rested well assured that whatever enemies I might have,
he was not of their number.

I asked the woman for my watch, wound it up, and under pretense of
wishing to see how the weather might probably be on the morrow, took up
my gun, and walked out of the cabin. I slipped a ball into each barrel,
scraped the edges of my flints, renewed the primings, and returning to
the hut, gave a favorable account of my observations. I took a few
bear-skins, made a pallet of them, and calling my faithful dog to my
side, lay down, with my gun close to my body, and in a few minutes was
to all appearance fast asleep.

A short t