and tethering his horses, at
once set about helping his wife to erect the small tepee which they
carried for convenience in traveling.

When it became quite dark, the hunter's dogs set up a great barking
and growling. "Look out and see what the dogs are barking at," said the
hunter to his wife. She looked out through the door and then drew back
saying: "There is the figure of a woman advancing from the direction of
the girl's scaffold." "I expect it is the dead girl; let her come,
and don't act as if you were afraid," said the hunter. Soon they heard
footsteps advancing and the steps ceased at the door. Looking down at
the lower part of the door the hunter noticed a pair of small moccasins,
and knowing that it was the visitor, said: "Whoever you are, come in and
have something to eat."

At this invitation the figure came slowly in and sat down by the door
with head covered and with a fine robe drawn tightly over the face. The
woman dished up a fine supper and placing it before the visitor, said:
"Eat, my friend, you must be hungry." The figure never moved, nor
would it uncover to eat. "Let us turn our back towards the door and our
visitor may eat the food," said the hunter. So his wife turned her back
towards the visitor and made herself very busy cleaning the small pieces
of meat that were hanging to the back sinews of the deer which had been
killed. (This the Indians use as thread.) The hunter, filling his pipe,
turned away and smoked in silence. Finally the dish was pushed back to
the woman, who took it and after washing it, put it away. The figure
still sat at the door, not a sound coming from it, neither was it
breathing. The hunter at last said: "Are you the girl that was placed
upon that scaffold two years ago?" It bowed its head two or three times
in assent. "Are you going to sleep here tonight; if you are, my wife
will make down a bed for you." The figure shook its head. "Are you going
to come again tomorrow night to us?" It nodded assent.

For three nights in succession the figure visited the hunter's camp. The
third night the hunter noticed that the figure was breathing. He saw one
of the hands protruding from the robe. The skin was perfectly black and
was stuck fast to the bones of the hand. On seeing this the hunter arose
and going over to his medicine sack which hung on a pole, took down the
sack and, opening it, took out some roots and mixing them with skunk oil
and vermillion, said to the figure:

"