pointed in the direction of the high land diner, "and if we were not within a toward the north.

few

paces of Kaya, I don't think the For an instant the woman bowed her presence of two white men would prehead in humility over the open palms vent his giving a war-whoop that would of the hands she extended towards him. make this old wood ring again.” She then turned hastily away, and was During their absence it was evident followed by the grave warrior and the the squaw had unpacked the mule, two friends toward the Kaya.

for their blankets were arranged in As they went on, Gardiner explained a half-circle to the right and left of the scene to his companion. The the mountaineer. A small fire burned warrior informed the woman, in the in front of him. The woman stepped language of signs, that twenty mounted hastily forward and filled his pipe, braves, of the Crow tribe, are now which she placed by his side, and then sweeping the high country north in sat down at some distance behind him. pursuit of the Blackfeet. You know, The Crow warrior advanced without Kaya's squaw is a woman of the Crows. speaking, and placed himself upon the Her brother is their most celebrated blankets to the right of Kaya. Makchief. I think some runner must have ing a graceful gesture to the friends, carried to a party of the tribe intelli- he invited them to the place of honor gence of the approach of the Blackfeet beside him. When they were seated, to the camp of Kaya. The Crows bave the pipe was lighted by Kaya, and not reached them, though, or we should silently passed along the circle to Garhave heard the reports of the guys. diner, who, taking a few whiffs, handed Ah! there goes one now. But look! it to Wilson, who sat at his left, and look at the Crow! mark the expression nearest the Indian. It thus passed of his face ! he holds up his head like on to the half-breed, who smoked and a Canada bare at the first cry of the laid it down. bounds!”

The warrior now rose with great The Indian had paused at the sound quickness, and sprung into the centre of the gun, and, disregarding the look of the circle. He extended his right of solicitation with which the woman arm toward the south, as if beckoning endeavored to arrest his attention, to some distant object; then, pointing stood before them upon a high hussock the fore-finger of the same hand to the of the swamp, as if turned into an image earth, he stamped energetically. He of stone.

then said a few words, with great earn“By heaven !” cried the impetuous estness, in the Indian tongue, and sudWilson," he is eight feet high.' denly leaving the circle, returned with

“Yes," replied the more sedate Gar- the wife of Kaya, whom he led forward by the arm, and leaving her standing, and let some other brave lead his fierce with her head bent down in front of the band into the presence of the enemy!" little audience, struck his breast forcibly “But look at Kaya-he has sunk with his open hand, made a deep, tri- back, exhausted, yet his eyes follow umphal - toned ejaculation, and sat the retiring form of his wife with a down.

look of solicitude and affection which Suddenly, and as if by effort, she he did not venture to betray in the presraised her head, drew herself up, and, ence of her brother !" with the dignity of a warrior, looked At this moment, the distant sound of with calm, unblenching eyes, full in the the galloping of horses was heard. It faces of the friends, and then turned approached the thicket—then the scalpthem as steadily upon the Kaya and whoop, given by a dozen voices with the attentive Indian.

thrilling vehemence, was answered by The half-breed immediately arose and the Kaya with frightful intonations, came forward. He placed himself by the which rang through the recesses of the side of the squaw, and took hold of her copse, and were flung back as by an hand, as if to reassure her. Looking echo from the woods towards the south. proudly around him, and then fixing his Then the jarring, jumping bounds of the gaze upon the warrior, he said, in Eng Indian horse, reined suddenly up from lish : "Where this running water which full speed, shook the earth; then, through moistens our feet is no longer broken the rustling bushes, the wild Indians of by the dams of the beaver, a canoe lies the plains came crowding around the hid in the bushes, and there the only camp-fire. child of the Kaya holds up bis little hands to the setting sun; but he does not laugh, and ask for it for a plaything; he knows that his mother has followed it away, and he is afraid that her eyes have gazed upon it so long that they are dazzled, and will not find her boy again. All to-day he has not tasted food, but he is the child of a warrior, and has not cried out; but the night is now come, and the mountain wolves will steal down into tho meadows. It is time for a squaw of the Crows to remember, what the scent of a wolf mnight teach her never to forget.”

Pausing for a moment, he turned to the attentive brave, and, making signs with his hands, still continued his remarks in English:

“The eyes of an eagle are so sharp, that they see further than to-day or toinorrow. The great chief of the Crows can find the scalp of a Blackfoot in every month of the year, but he will not raise up another Grizzly to fight for his children, if the son of his sister should starve upon the bottom-lands."

Gardiner clasped the hand of his companion, and said: “That is really, then, the Black Eagle! The most cele- “ You need not stand up," whispered brated chief of all the northern tribes Gardiner, but shake hands with every running about these meadows without one of them. Don't omit or neglect a a horse, and now gone, at last, to hunt single man, old or young; by this day's up a papoose! Wilson, this is a great work you have a key to every warrior's adventure. If you wish to study In- heart among them." dian character, keep your eyes open on “Here must be more smoking and such circumstances as these. Why, talking, though Kaya is faint with loss the mighty warrior has turned scout; of blood, and we need a good warm meal

66

over."

most confoundedly. I declare I have " What are words," he said.

. The eaten a pound of this pemmican, but I heart of a white man is not like the am still hungry."

crop of a pigeon, that a girl of the Crows I agree with you there," said Wilson.

may cut open and find seeds that do “I would like some coffee from our stores, not grow on the northern prairies. The if only to wash it down. But, as to Kaya, Great Spirit made men alike in one he is bardly a dying man, if that fright- thing, if he bas given a different color ful long yell of his may be taken for a to their skins. They all like to look symptom."

upon a brave man, and to see a woman “ Hush !" replied Gardiner, “there whose light is the face of the warrior come the Indians; now let us be silent and she has chosen. But white men and sober, and these formalities will soon be Indians do not look apart to-day ; for

Each warrior now walked round here is one who is neither a white man the inside of the circle, shaking hands nor an Indian, but who has shown how with Kaya and his friends, and then much good there must be in both of sitting down in the group as befitted them, when from both of them the Great his rank-the older or more celebrated Spirit could form man like the braves taking the front line. The Kaya.” He then turned away from the pipe was filled by the balf-breed, circle, and after being absent a few molighted and passed from hand to hand. ments returned with a variety of small When it had made the circuit of the

Indian presents.

These he placed beparty, Kaya stood up and advanced to fore the old chief. While Kaya was the front. · My friends are very wel- interpreting his address to the Indians, come," he said in English. " When Gardiner and his companion, assisted a wounded buffalo cannot keep up with by one of the young warriors, made arthe herd, the wolves soon gnaw off his rangements for preparing an evening hamstrings; but a Grizzly is not a

meal.

It consisted of pemmican, ren. buffalo, though the wolves of the north dered more inviting to both Indian and did not find it out until they followed European by the addition of flour and him into the bush.” He then repeated a supply of coffee from the stores of the same words in the Indian tongue, the friends. This was served out too, and thus alternately expressing himself, to the new-comers, and the ceremony he continued : “ They have made work of the meeting having thus been broken, for the women of the Crows. It is the Indians soon fell into groups. better to camp in bushes when so many Their guards were thrown out for the twigs are wanted for scalp-hoops. My night, dry wood was brought to the brothers bave looked upon a Grizzly so fire, the horses provided for, and, many times, that he need not tell them thoroughly wearied by the eventful that he cannot eat berries without mak- day, Wilson soon slept soundly and ing red stains on his hide and his paws." peacefully on the blankets, where GarPointing with a gesture of contempt diner still sat wakeful by the fire beat the blood upon his clothing, Kaya side him. sat down.

Later in the night he perfected the A white-headed chief rose and came arrangements for their departure in the forward. He looked steadfastly at the morning, and as he again threw himself white companions of the half-breed, on his blankets by the side of his comand said : “When a man is old, it is no rade, said, “Well, my wild boy, you can wonder if he be famous. His life is like a start as early or as late as you choose long winding trail, that leads up a high to-morrow, and as for me I'm like the mountain : many lodge-poles may have • Three Elks,' my heart is easy, so I been drawn over it, until it is rubbed dou't care which way we turn." white, and may be seen a great way

“Who is the Three Elks ?'” replied off. But when a young man is famous, Wilson. his life must have been like an open “A long story that I will tell you at trail in green woods. It is white and is another time," rejoined Gardiner. “I bright, because there has been a shining mean that having led the Kaya away blaze cut on every tree.”

from his family, and exposed him and He sat down, and the eyes of the grave them to such great danger, I have aidcircle were turned on Gardiner, who ed in uniting them again. The squaw stepped forward without hesitation, and is happier than a queen; for now she is uddressed them.

Kaya, saving bis

66

wound, is better off than before ; for shall hear the story of the Three that diamond of his soul-his affection Elks' when we return to the fort." for his wife-is now polished by his ad- The two young men, so unceremoni. niration of her genius and courage. ously introduced to 'our readers, had To-morrow night, barring tired horses, come up the river Missouri on the boat and a day of such wild adventure as of the American Fur Company, which would turn the head of your European is annually sent to their fort at the tourist, we shall again be where we were mouth of the Yellow Stone. Gardiner, two days since and ready for a fresh who had spent many years of his life in start across the mountains."

the wild interior of the American conti" But tell me the story of the · Three nent, had first encountered Wilson in a Elks,”

,!" said Wilson, “I have been city of the south. A mutual attachment asleep, and am now fresh and just ready grew up between them, and, with that for a story."

reckless spirit of adventure so peculiar “ Thank you,” rejoined his graver to the citizens of the United States. companion, " but I must say, as the they bad undertaken to cross the great Napoleon did to the old nobility Rocky Mountains together, from the of France, neither is my blood of head-waters of the Missouri to the dish-water.' I, too. must sleep, and you frontier settlements of Oregon.

Two years,

men of his age. There is little vanity
in recording the declaration, for I ain
no longer what I was.
made up of twenty-four months teem-
ing with the chances and changes of
Yankee life, have wholly altered mat-
ters. That my faculties are unim-

paired. I have humbly to thank ProviT was dence. That my character is still as on a good as ever, I hold to be especially bright due to the home lessons and example morn- of two persons of honest hearts and ing of clean bands, whom, probably, you never the

heard of. But in almost every other

month particular, save character and capacity, of July, 1854, that your humble ser- things have changed with me. Fortune vant, Tom Fairfax, counselor at law, is essentially impaired. Health is brohaving a week or two of leisure to ken. Good looks are gone. Profes. throw away on health and relaxation, sional prospects are ruined forever. after a winter of hard professional work, The strong voice, which once filled spadetermined to take a trip to Lake cious court-rooms without an effort, can George. Most eventful to me was the now, at times, scarcely be heard across hour in which I took my seat in the a narrow study. The limbs, which, only long train rushing through the town of two summers ago, carried me so nimbly

-, on its way northward. A civil up Round-top and Beacon, are shrunkspoken friend has lately told me, that at en, shriveled, crippled. Yes, I am a that time Tom Fairfax was considered cripple-a crawling, crutched cripple a clever fellow enough, in easy circum- for life, they tell me. There are evil stances, good-looking, of sound health, spells and malign influences at work unimpeachable character, and as fair to-day just as they were in the time professional prospects as most young of Sycorax and Archimago. If you