cross-legged before the fire, smoking his pipe. The
horse, I may as well mention here, was found the next morning by Henry
Chatillon.

When I awoke again there was a fresh damp smell in the air, a gray
twilight involved the prairie, and above its eastern verge was a streak
of cold red sky. I called to the men, and in a moment a fire was blazing
brightly in the dim morning light, and breakfast was getting ready. We
sat down together on the grass, to the last civilized meal which Raymond
and I were destined to enjoy for some time.

"Now, bring in the horses."

My little mare Pauline was soon standing by the fire. She was a fleet,
hardy, and gentle animal, christened after Paul Dorion, from whom I had
procured her in exchange for Pontiac. She did not look as if equipped
for a morning pleasure ride. In front of the black, high-bowed mountain
saddle, holsters, with heavy pistols, were fastened. A pair of saddle
bags, a blanket tightly rolled, a small parcel of Indian presents tied
up in a buffalo skin, a leather bag of flour, and a smaller one of tea
were all secured behind, and a long trail-rope was wound round her
neck. Raymond had a strong black mule, equipped in a similar manner. We
crammed our powder-horns to the throat, and mounted.

"I will meet you at Fort Laramie on the 1st of August," said I to Shaw.

"That is," replied he, "if we don't meet before that. I think I shall
follow after you in a day or two."

This in fact he attempted, and he would have succeeded if he had not
encountered obstacles against which his resolute spirit was of no avail.
Two days after I left him he sent Delorier to the fort with the cart
and baggage, and set out for the mountains with Henry Chatillon; but a
tremendous thunderstorm had deluged the prairie, and nearly obliterated
not only our trail but that of the Indians themselves. They followed
along the base of the mountains, at a loss in which direction to go.
They encamped there, and in the morning Shaw found himself poisoned by
ivy in such a manner that it was impossible for him to travel. So they
turned back reluctantly toward Fort Laramie. Shaw's limbs were swollen
to double their usual size, and he rode in great pain. They encamped
again within twenty miles of the fort, and reached it early on the
following morning. Shaw lay seriously ill for a week, and remained at
the fort till I rejoined him some time after.

To return to my own story. We shook hands with our friends, rod