llow me," said Whitewing to Little Tim, as he turned like the rest to
obey the orders of the old chief.

"Ay, it's time to be lookin' after her," said Tim, with something like a
wink of one eye, but the Indian was too much occupied with his own
thoughts to observe the act or appreciate the allusion. He strode
swiftly through the camp.

"Well, well," soliloquised the trapper as he followed, "I niver did
expect to see Whitewing in this state o' mind. He's or'narily sitch a
cool, unexcitable man. Ah! women, you've much to answer for!"

Having thus apostrophised the sex, he hurried on in silence, leaving his
horse to the care of a youth, who also took charge of Whitewing's steed.

Close to the outskirts of the camp stood a wigwam somewhat apart from
the rest. It belonged to Whitewing. Only two women were in it at the
time the young Indian chief approached. One was a good-looking young
girl, whose most striking feature was her large, earnest-looking, dark
eyes. The other was a wrinkled old woman, who might have been any age
between fifty and a hundred, for a life of exposure and hardship,
coupled with a somewhat delicate constitution, had dried her up to such
an extent that, when asleep, she might easily have passed for an
Egyptian mummy. One redeeming point in the poor old thing was the fact
that all the deep wrinkles in her weather-worn and wigwam-smoked visage
ran in the lines of kindliness. Her loving character was clearly
stamped upon her mahogany countenance, so that he who ran might easily
read.

With the characteristic reserve of the red man, Whitewing merely gave
the two women a slight look of recognition, which was returned with
equal quietness by the young woman, but with a marked rippling of the
wrinkles on the part of the old. There still remained a touch of
anxiety caused by the recent fight on both countenances. It was
dispelled, however, by a few words from Whitewing, who directed the
younger woman to prepare for instant flight. She acted with prompt,
unquestioning obedience, and at the same time the Indian went to work to
pack up his goods with all speech. Of course Tim lent efficient aid to
tie up the packs and prepare them for slinging on horse and dog.

"I say, Whitewing," whispered Tim, touching the chief with his elbow,
and glancing at the young woman with approval--for Tim, who was an
affectionate fellow and anxious about his friend's welfare, rejoiced to
observe that the girl was ob