to learn, he
surpassed the younger pupils by his industry. He attended the day
school, in the day time or in the evening, quite regularly during the
winter, and became a help to the missionary in translating parts of
Scripture into the Gros-Ventre language.

He wore his long hair braided behind, and banged and plastered with clay
in front so that it stood upright, and he dressed in blanket, breech
clout, leggings and moccasins, and the lower joints of several of his
fingers were cut off in accordance with the Indian custom of mutilating
themselves at the burial of a friend. His first appearance to a new
teacher who came the following spring caused her no little trepidation,
but she soon learned to prize him as her best pupil, and the next year
the influence of God's word upon him was seen by his saying, after
recounting some of his Gros-Ventre religious fables, in which his belief
had been shaken; "I have been coming to school now more than a year.
Since reading these books about God and angels I cannot sleep at night,
but have had dreams. I think some harm will come to me. I am poor and
cannot help myself, but I pray God to keep me from harm, and I want to
trust him."

From that time on, we hoped he would take a decided stand for Christ. As
yet, none among his people had been converted. A few passages of the
Bible and a few words of song had been given to the Gros-Ventres in
their own tongue, and every Sabbath there were attentive Indian
listeners, but would there ever be a Gros-Ventre convert? "The Bear's
Tooth" continued to come to us, and learned to understand quite fully
the requirements of our faith. He became a trusted helper in charge of
the mission cattle and the milking, working regularly as few Indians
would do at Berthold, and he soon had stock of his own in which he took
great pleasure. He read the Bible on Sabbath afternoons with one who was
soon called to her reward; it was almost her last prayer that he might
be saved. He came in spite of dissuasions, jeers, and even persecutions
from his people, and yet he took no stand for Christ. Three years after,
there were Indian inquirers, and he helped to explain to them the
demands of Christ, but they all felt that "the way was too hard for
them" and "went away sorrowful."

Some of the young people who had been taken away to school and removed
from the opposition of their people had confessed Christ, but there were
none to face it here and say that they love