a boaster. At once Black Cat would have broken out in loud tirade on
his friendship for me and contempt for the Sioux, but I cut him short
and moved towards the hill, that overlooked the enemy's territory. A
great cloud of dust whirled up from the northern horizon.

"A tornado the next thing!" I exclaimed with disgust. "The fates are
against me! A fig for my plans!"

I stooped. With ear to the ground I could hear a rumbling clatter as of
a buffalo stampede.

"What is it, my son?" asked the voice of the chief, and I saw that Black
Cat had followed me to the hill.

"Are those buffalo, Black Cat?" and I pointed to the north.

As he peered forward, distinguishing clearly what my civilized eyes
could not see, his face darkened.

"The Sioux!" he muttered with a black look at me. Turning, he would have
hurried away without further protests of friendship, but I kept pace
with him.

"Pooh!" said I, with a lofty contempt, which I was far from feeling.
"Pooh! Black Cat! Who's afraid of the Sioux? Let the women run from the
Sioux!"

He gave me a sidelong glance to penetrate my sincerity and slackened his
flight to the proud gait of a fearless Indian. All the same, alarm was
spread among the lodges, and every woman and child of the Mandanes were
hidden behind barricaded doors. The men mounted quickly and rode out to
gain the vantage ground of the north hill before the enemy's arrival.

Another cross current to my purposes! Fool that I was, to have
dilly-dallied three whole days away like a helpless old squaw wringing
her hands, when I should have dared everything and ridden to Miriam's
rescue! Now, if I had been near the Sioux encampment, when all the
warriors were away, how easily could I have liberated Miriam and her
child!

* * * * *

Always, it is the course we have not followed, which would have led on
to the success we have failed to grasp in our chosen path. So we salve
wounded mistrust of self and still, in spite of manifest proof to the
contrary, retain a magnificent conceit.

I cursed my blunders with a vehemence usually reserved for other men's
errors, and at once decided to make the best of the present, letting
past and future each take care of itself, a course which will save a man
gray hairs over to-morrow and give him a well-provisioned to-day.

Arming myself, I resolved to be among the bargain-makers of the Mandanes
rather than be bargained by the Sioux. Wakening Little