ding his wife and boy good bye, with one
heart-rending look, he turned to face his apparent doom. As Kit
approached the Indians, they began to call out his name. As soon as he
heard this, he aroused himself from the agonizing frame of mind he had
been laboring under after parting with all that was so dear to him,
and as he had thought, for the last time. To his joy, Kit quickly
recognized before him, the familiar faces of some of his Indian
friends. They had come, as they afterwards informed him, to see him
and his helpless charge safely lodged in their home, for they had
become aware that he was exposed to great danger. While the friends
were talking, some of the Indians began to laugh, which caused Carson
to turn his head and look in the direction they were gazing. To his
astonishment and disgust, he saw (the truth was too evident to be
mistaken) that the cowardly Mexican man had, on his leaving, pulled
off from her horse Mrs. Carson and her child, and having mounted the
animal himself, was making good his escape. The Indians wished to keep
up the ruse, pursue, Attempt to overtake and punish the poltroon; but
Kit Carson was too thankful that matters had gone so well; therefore,
he said that he felt that he could excuse such dastardly conduct, and
requested the Indians to let it pass unnoticed. It is hardly necessary
to add that with his faithful body-guard who had come to watch over
him from feelings of earnest respect, gratitude and affectionate
regard, the agent accomplished the remainder of his journey in perfect
safety.

Several years have elapsed, as the reader can easily estimate, since
Kit Carson met, while traveling home from one of his expeditions,
the Mormon delegate to Congress who had first informed him of his
appointment as Indian agent. During this length of time Kit Carson has
retained this office and rendered satisfactory service. The tract of
country over which the Indians roam who are especially connected
with his agency, is about equal in its area, to any one of the larger
States in the American Confederacy. The Indians who are under his
jurisdiction, are large and powerful bands of the Apaches and Utahs;
but, as we have said before, neighboring tribes freely seek his
counsel, aid and protectorate power as they may require it, and they
all, from habit, consider that they have a claim on his services.
To best illustrate this, we have but to cite one instance of which a
thousand similar exist. Two In