they knew besides that I was not long in the army.

During that winter I received many a wild turkey and other nice things
for the table, from the men of the company. I learned to know and to
thoroughly respect the enlisted man of the American army.

And now into the varied kaleidoscope of my army life stepped the Indian
Agent. And of all unkempt, unshorn, disagreeable-looking personages who
had ever stepped foot into our quarters, this was the worst.

"Heaven save us from a Government which appoints such men as that to
watch over and deal with Indians," cried I, as he left the house. "Is it
possible that his position here demands social recognition?" I added.

"Hush!" said the second lieutenant of K company. "It's the Interior
Department that appoints the Indian Agents, and besides," he added,
"it's not good taste on your part, Martha, to abuse the Government which
gives us our bread and butter."

"Well, you can say what you like, and preach policy all you wish, no
Government on earth can compel me to associate with such men as those!"
With that assertion, I left the room, to prevent farther argument.

And I will here add that in my experience on the frontier, which
extended over a long period, it was never my good fortune to meet with
an Indian Agent who impressed me as being the right sort of a man to
deal with those children of nature, for Indians are like children, and
their intuitions are keen. They know and appreciate honesty and fair
dealing, and they know a gentleman when they meet one.

The winter came on apace, but the weather was mild and pleasant. One
day some officers came in and said we must go over to the "Ravine" that
evening, where the Indians were going to have a rare sort of a dance.

There was no one to say to me: "Do not go," and, as we welcomed any
little excitement which would relieve the monotony of our lives, we cast
aside all doubts of the advisability of my going. So, after dinner, we
joined the others, and sallied forth into the darkness of an Arizona
night. We crossed the large parade-ground, and picked our way over a
rough and pathless country, lighted only by the stars above.

Arriving at the edge of the ravine, what a scene was before us! We
looked down into a natural amphitheatre, in which blazed great fires;
hordes of wild Apaches darted about, while others sat on logs beating
their tomtoms.

I was afraid, and held back, but the rest of the party descended into
the ravine, an