I used to live with her and take care of her after my father's
death. Then I married and thought I was fairly fixed down for life, but
one night when I chanced to be out looking after my traps, a war-party
o' Injuns attacked the village and killed every soul in it. At least so
it was said at the time, but afterwards I met a lad who had escaped, an'
he told me that he had seen my mother and wife killed, but that a few of
the men escaped as well as him."

The trapper's voice deepened as he spoke, and he paused.

"Was it long ago?" asked Will, in a tone of sympathy.

"Ten years now," answered Ben, sadly--"though it seems to me but
yesterday. For many a day after that I tried to find the trail o' the
Redskins that did it, but never succeeded, thank God. If I had, it
would only have ended in the spillin' of more blood, without any good
comin' of it. It is long now since I left off thirstin' for revenge,
but I suppose I'll never cease wishin' that--that--well, well, God's
will be done," he added, as if rousing himself out of a sad reverie,
"I'm not used to speak about this, but somehow whenever I meet with
white men _o' the right sort_ in the plains or mountains, I always feel
a kind o' longin' to let my tongue wag raither too free. However, as I
was goin' to say, I've been a wanderer since then, goin' where I think I
can be o' use to myself or others; and so, as you don't appear to be
overly knowin' about the trail across the mountains, I'll go with 'ee a
bit o' the way an' pint it out, if you have no objections."

"No objections!" echoed Will; "I'll be delighted to have your company,
and would be only too glad if you could go all the way."

"Who knows but I might be willin' to go if I was asked," said the
trapper, with a slight approach to a smile.

"Are you in earnest?" asked Will Big Ben not only admitted that he was
in earnest, but said that he was quite ready to start at once, if they
would only consent to diverge from their route about thirty miles to a
small outpost belonging to the fur-traders, where he had deposited a lot
of peltries, which he wished to convert into supplies for the journey.
This was readily agreed to, and, accordingly, next day about noon, they
came in sight of Rocky Mountain Fort--so-called because of its being
situated in a somewhat wild glen, near the verge of one of the eastern
spurs of the Rocky Mountains.

While the fort was still far distant, though in sight, Larry O'Hale
utter