both, and gave to each the attributes best
suited to the station it was to occupy; and when those attributes are
exhibited as they were to-night, it would anger the Great Spirit to
believe they were not bestowed upon a creature, because that creature
was not a man."

"It is a truth well known to those who have spent the greater part of
their lives in the forest as I have, that the scene we have witnessed
to-night, is not of rare occurrence. This is the third time that I have
had to save myself by stratagem from panthers in my life," said the
trapper.

The next morning they again bent their course towards the north-east;
and as the day began to wane, the lofty peaks of a range of mountains
loomed up before them directly in their path.

"What can that mean," said the trapper, calling the attention of the
others to them. "It cannot be the Wahsatch mountains, for we went
through them; besides, they ought to be nearly a hundred miles behind
us. And they are not the Medicine Bow Mountains, for I am familiar with
them, and these are quite unlike them."

"Oh! uncle, it cannot be we have been travelling the wrong direction,
and are quite lost," said Jane, anxiously.

"I hardly know myself," he replied, with some trepidation. "I was sure
we came south and west when carried away, and then of course the
opposite direction is north-east, and we have, as near as I could tell,
been travelling that direction. Yet," he added, musingly, "I ought to
know the ground, but I do not recall one feature of it as familiar.
What do you think about these mountains?" he asked of the chief, who
stood moodily apart gazing upon the distant range with a troubled look.

"It is time Whirlwind visited the hunting grounds of the Great Spirit,
for he is no longer a chief to lead his warriors to victory, but is a
child that cannot find his way to his village through the forest,"
returned the chief.

"Then we are lost! I feared it! Oh! we shall never see home again!"
said Jane, weeping.

"Why, child! there is none of your mother about you," said the trapper.
"When she was not more than half your age she and I wandered off into
the forest, got lost, and saw no human face for fourteen days, and
during that time, although we had to eat leaves, berries and roots, she
never shed a tear; but if she saw I was getting sad, she would begin
some funny story that was sure to get us laughing. But there are no
more girls like your mother was; they are all down