entire trip.

All day long the blizzard blew. It was a novel situation, and how I
should have enjoyed it had I only possessed that greatest of all
blessings--a good conscience! As it was, I was in misery, and could find
no peace, not even in my wife's smiles and evident content to be
anywhere with me.

I saw that the cattle were well cared for and that the men had both food
and wine. Then my servant skirmished around and decapitated sundry
chickens he found. So we had roast chicken three times a day, and as I
had a case of brandy in my luggage, we did not suffer. Nunn roasted the
chickens, made the punch, got the Spanish men and women to dance for our
entertainment, and made himself generally of service. About midnight the
storm broke up, and to my great satisfaction the stars came out. That
night I slept in the same room with the women, with a sheet hung between
us.

At 5 o'clock I had all hands up and breakfast under way. I ordered the
drivers and hangers on to have the teams hitched up and ready at
daylight. They all ate breakfast heartily enough, but were not zealous
about starting out. They made all sorts of pretexts and excuses to avoid
leaving their comfortable quarters. Certainly the road was not an
inviting prospect, there being quite eighteen inches of snow, but I was
determined to start one way or the other, either south with the party or
north alone. After long argument they, thinking they had me at their
mercy, refused to hitch up the cattle to make the attempt. I at once
paid and dismissed them all. Determining to set out immediately alone
for the French frontier, carrying only a small bag slung over my
shoulder, and concealing the bonds and paper money on my person, I would
leave the greater part of the gold in charge of my wife. I knew Nunn
would be a trusty guard to her.

I had not given her any intimation of my purpose, but got my bag ready,
and, secreting about me the bonds and paper money, I took my wife into a
room, and, first telling her she must be very brave, explained my plan,
pointing out I must not miss the Saturday steamer. She should follow on
the next, and I would leave her $20,000. But she pleaded to go with me,
said she would be no encumbrance, would ride mule-back to the railway,
no matter how far away. I then called Nunn and told him I should leave
him in charge of the baggage, and that we were going to set out at once.
I praised his fidelity, and informed him I would make him a pre