ountry around
them. The trees being shorn of their foliage, gave them an
uninterrupted view of the broad valley, with its barrier of hills, and
peak rising above peak, until they towered up and seemed almost to
pierce the sky.

"I do not think it would be safe for us to cross this mountain," said
the trapper. "Our homes, I do not think, are in that direction. We must
have been deceived in our course."

"Yonder," said the chief, pointing down the valley, "are the hunting
grounds of the Arapahoes. Far away, over a broad prairie, four days'
journey, the warriors of Whirlwind follow another chief to battle, and
listen to him in council, as they were wont to their lost chief, whose
death song they have sung amidst the wail of the squaws. Yet Whirlwind
does not grieve. He has found another squaw, fleeter than the antelope,
more graceful than the fawn, whose voice is like the singing birds, and
face fairer than imagery of the spirit land. Let my brother go to his
home, but Whirlwind's home is where the antelope is, he will live and
die with her."

"Pshaw! chief. You will be as much the chief of your people when you
return as ever. Probably they have supposed you dead and elected
another chief; still, according to your customs, if you return, the
authority would be by universal acclamation, given back into your
hands. As for that other little matter, why the child is too young to
talk of it. Our first great object is to find our way out of this
scrape, and the rest will then come natural enough."

"Whirlwind will hunt the deer and beaver here: this is his home; he is
not a child, but a warrior, and can wait for the antelope," said the
chief in a tone of decision not to be mistaken.

"I can tell you, chief," said Howe, "we will find our way out, and
bring the whole family here. This place will exactly suit Jane's
father, and then you know she would be so much more contented if they
were here?" he added.

The chief regarded the speaker with an inquiring glance for a moment,
then said: "Whirlwind is not to be played with. When the antelope says
she will go with him, he will take her, if she is hemmed in with
arrows."

"Whirlwind, I will be plain with you," said Howe, "for I know you are
noble, generous, and brave. Jane is not my child, and is not mine to
dispose of; but as she has no other guardian here, I will protect her
until once more restored to her family. You must wait until then, and
if her family consent, and sh