friend of many years' standing, who
lived nearer the fort.

This excellent woman was an old resident of the frontier. After she had
heard my story, she related some of her own Indian experiences. When she
first settled in her present home, there was no fort to which she could
flee from Indian molestation, and she was often compelled to rely upon
her wits to extricate her from dangerous situations. The story that
especially impressed me was the following:

"One evening when I was alone," said Mrs. McDonald, "I became conscious
that eyes were peering at me from the darkness outside my window. Flight
was impossible, and my husband would not likely reach home for an
hour or more. What should I do? A happy thought came to me. You know,
perhaps, that Indians, for some reason, have a strange fear of a drunken
woman, and will not molest one. I took from a closet a bottle filled
with a dark-colored liquid, poured out a glassful and drank it. In a few
minutes I repeated the dose, and then seemingly it began to take effect.
I would try to walk across the room, staggering and nearly falling. I
became uproariously 'happy.' I flung my arms above my head, lurched from
side to side, sang a maudlin song, and laughed loudly and foolishly.
The stratagem succeeded. One by one the shadowy faces at the window
disappeared, and by the time my husband and the men returned there was
not an Indian in the neighborhood. I became sober immediately. Molasses
and water is not a very intoxicating beverage."

I plucked up courage to return to the ranch that evening, and shortly
afterward the hunting-party rode up. When I related the story of my
fright, Mr. Bent complimented me upon what he was pleased to call my
courage.

"You are your brother's own sister," said he. "We'll make you banker
again."

"Thank you, but I do not believe you will," said I. "I have had all the
experience I wish for in the banking business in this Indian country."

Upon another occasion Indians were approaching the fort from the farther
side, but as we were not regarded as in danger, no warning was sent to
us. The troops sallied out after the redskins, and the cunning warriors
described a circle. To hide their trail they set fire to the prairie,
and the hills about us were soon ablaze. The flames spread swiftly,
and the smoke rolled upon us in suffocating volume. We retreated to the
river, and managed to exist by dashing water upon our faces. Here we
were found by soldier