he
least of it. But, as sure as I am telling you, the departure of my
unknown friend depressed me more than the thought of my possible murder.
The gate barred for the night, I sat and looked into my fire for hours,
thinking wild thoughts, and hugging to my lonely bosom an imaginary
form. The solitude and the sense of loss were awful.

"This was Sunday night. Tuesday morning I received a visit from three or
four mounted men, one of whom was my former naked and hungry _protege_.
He did not now try to conceal his character from me, but said he was
going down to clean out the Chinese camp, and proposed to me to join
him, saying that when Edwards returned with the horses we would pay him
the $400, as agreed by Sam Chong Lung. I was on my guard; but told him I
would have nothing to do with robbing the Chinese; that they were my
friends and customers, and he had better let them alone; after which
answer he went off. That afternoon, Edwards came in with his prisoners
and horses. He was very tired, on account of having traveled at night,
to prevent the rescue of his prisoners by other vagabonds, and to avoid
the Indians.

"You will understand how the presence of the horses increased my peril,
as there was no doubt the scoundrels meant to take them. It wouldn't do
either to let Edwards go on to the Chinese camp; so I persuaded him to
wait another day. We brought the prisoners, bound, inside the fort, and
took care of the horses. I said nothing to Edwards of my suspicions.

"About dusk, my expected visitor came. He appeared to have been
drinking; and, after some mumbling talk, laid down inside the fort, near
the gate. I made the gate fast, driving the big wooden pins home with an
axe; built up a great fire, and sent Edwards to bed in the tent. The
Chinese prisoners were already asleep on the ground. Then I sat down on
the opposite side of the fire, facing the gate, placed my
double-barreled rifle beside me, and mounted guard."

"Had you no arms but your rifle?" asked my husband, anxiously.

"I wanted none other, for we understood each other--my rifle and I."

"What were you looking for; what did you expect? A hand-to-hand
encounter with these men?" was my next inquiry.

"It seemed most likely that he had planned an attack on the fort. If so,
his associates would be waiting outside for a signal. He had intended,
when he laid down close to the gate, to open it to them; but when I
drove the pins in so tight, I caught a gleam f