, and His command to forgive, he has
put down his desire to revenge his wrongs in blood, and goes
on his way, labouring and enduring in silence. May God be
gracious to whomsoever aids this least one among us."

Here the letter ended, but underneath was the signature--so fingered,
however, that Dallas could spell out only the word "David"--and a
blurred postscript which said:

"I have christened him Charles, and taught him English, but
since his punishment he has never----"

The remainder of the paper was illegible.

When Dallas gave it back to the Indian, he wrapped it up carefully and
returned it to his bosom. Then he gathered up the scattered chips,
lifted his double load to his shoulders, drew his sombre blanket close
about him, and shambled slowly away.

"Poor thing!" said Dallas, in compassion.

He stopped to look back.

"Good-by," she said as he went on; "good-by."

When he reached the river-bank, he turned again. The frost-blighted
cottonwoods that bordered the Missouri were behind him, gleaming as
yellowly as if, during the short, hot summer, their leafy branches had
caught and imprisoned all the sunshine. Against that belt of brilliant
colour stood out his spare, burdened frame.

Watching, she saw his gaunt face slowly relax in a friendly grin.

CHAPTER IV

MISUNDERSTANDINGS

Snow fell on the very heels of the cavalry. Scarcely were the Indians
safe in the stockade and the troopers once more in barracks, when some
first flakes, like down plucked by the wind from the breasts of the
southward-hastening wild-fowl, came floating out of the sky. Soon the
long sumach leaves on the coulee edge were drooping under a crystalline
weight, the black plowed strip was blending with the unplowed prairie,
and the shock head of the cottonwood shack was donning a spotless
night-cap. And so heavy and ceaseless was the downfall that, at
supper-time, the sweet trumpet notes of "retreat" were wafted out from
Brannon across a covered plain.

When morning dawned, the heavens were cloudless, and the laggard sun, as
it rose, shone with blinding glory upon peaceful miles. Nowhere was a
sign of wallow, path or road, and the coulee yawned, white-lipped. Even
the Missouri was not unchanged. For, away to the northwest, there had
been a mighty rainstorm, and the murky river tumbled by in waves that
were angry and swollen.

Since his early boyhood, the section-boss had not known snow. Bef