S OF THE WILD MAN--
MARCH AND MARY BESIEGED--THE REDSKINS PROCEED TO MAKE THEMSELVES AT HOME
IN THE CAVERN.

There are few things in this world which are not somewhat mysterious, or
that cannot be, by a peculiar combination of circumstances, more or less
invested with mystery; and we hold it to be an unfair and a very paltry
device on the part of an author to seek to mystify his readers by
keeping them in unnecessary ignorance of that which is in itself simple
and commonplace.

Therefore, we beg leave to state that the apparent mystery with which we
concluded the last chapter was not a mystery at all! The loud report
there referred to was caused by a savage discharging his gun, and the
cry that followed was the result of that same savage opening his ugly
mouth and giving vent to a tremendous howl.

That this was a howl of triumph was evident to ears accustomed to the
war-whoop of the redman. That it was destined to be succeeded by an
exclamation of mingled disappointment and surprise was evident, at least
to Mary, who knew the mysteries of the place.

In order to make this plain without further circumlocution, we may as
well inform the reader at once that the Wild Man of the West (perhaps we
should call him Dick, in deference to March Marston's ignorance of his
real character at this time) was not only a subject of terror to the
Indians inhabiting this region of the earth at that particular era in
the world's history, but also a subject of intense curiosity. Hence,
for many years past, it had been an object of ambition, on the part of
the more courageous of the Indian warriors, to trace this terrible
creature to his familiar haunts, and "beard the lion in his den."

Dick soon became fully aware of this, and, _not_ being a mysterious
monster or demon, but a mere mortal (although, doubtless, a singularly
huge and eccentric one), it behoved him to frustrate the amiable
intentions of his savage tormentors. In order to effect this, he first
of all selected, as we have seen, a gloomy, secluded, and almost
inaccessible spot among the Rocky Mountains as his residence, which he
made a point of quitting and returning to only in the dark hours of
night or early morning, as far as was practicable.

Still further to bewilder the savages--against whom he bore no grudge,
and to avoid encountering whom was his chief desire--Dick varied his
costume, appearing sometimes in the dress of a Blackfoot chief, or a
Cree warrior; at