the ground of the Mormon encampment. It had been their
halting-place of the night before. The wolves were prowling among the
smouldering fires--whose half-burnt faggots still sent up their wreaths
of filmy smoke.

We now knew the history of the captured waggon and slain teamsters. Our
guide had learnt it from the Utah messenger. The vehicle had belonged
to the Mormons; who, at the time the Arapahoes made their attack, were
only a short distance in the advance. Instead of returning to the
rescue of their unfortunate comrades, their dread of the Indians had
caused them to yield ready obedience to the Napoleonic motto, _sauve qui
peut_: and they had hurried onward without making stop, till night
overtook them in the Robideau Pass. This version enabled me to explain
what had appeared very strange conduct on the part of the escort. The
character of the victims to the Arapaho attack would in some measure
have accounted for the indifference of the dragoons. With the safety of
the Mormons they had no concern; and would be likely enough to leave
them to their fate. But the guide had ascertained that both
gold-diggers and dragoons--disgusted with their saintly _compagnons du
voyage_--had separated from them; and, having gone far ahead, in all
probability knew nothing of the sanguinary scene that had been enacted
in the valley of the Huerfano!

We resolved to pass the night on the ground of the deserted encampment.
By our guide's information--received from the runner--the Mormons were
about thirty miles in advance of us. They were encamped on the banks of
the Rio del Norte, there awaiting the answer of the Utah chief. That
answer we should ourselves deliver on the following day. Having given
the _coyotes_ their _conge_, we proceeded to pitch our buffalo-tents. A
brace of these, borrowed from the friendly Utahs, formed part of the
packing of our mules. One was intended for the use of the
huntress-maiden--the other to give lodgment to the rest of our party.
Not but that all of us--even Marian herself--could have dispensed with
such a shelter. We had another object in thus providing ourselves. It
might be necessary to travel some days in the company of the Saints. In
that case, the tents would serve not only for shelter, but as a place of
_concealment_. The opaque covering of skins would protect us from the
too scrutinising gaze of our fellow-travellers; and in all likelihood
we--the hunters of the party--should st