reme cold and the loneliness
affected my spirits, and I suffered from depression.

I had no woman to talk to, for Mrs. Corliss, who was the only other
officer's wife at the post, was confined to the house by the most
delicate health, and her mind was wholly absorbed by the care of her
young infant. There were no nurses to be had in that desolate corner of
the earth.

One day, a dreadful looking man appeared at the door, a person such as
one never sees except on the outskirts of civilization, and I wondered
what business brought him. He wore a long, black, greasy frock coat,
a tall hat, and had the face of a sneak. He wanted the Chinaman's
poll-tax, he said.

"But," I suggested, "I never heard of collecting taxes in a Government
post; soldiers and officers do not pay taxes."

"That may be," he replied, "but your Chinaman is not a soldier, and I am
going to have his tax before I leave this house."

"So, ho," I thought; "a threat!" and the soldier's blood rose in me.

I was alone; Jack was miles away up North. Hoo Chack appeared in the
hall; he had evidently heard the man's last remark. "Now," I said, "this
Chinaman is in my employ, and he shall not pay any tax, until I find out
if he be exempt or not."

The evil-looking man approached the Chinaman. Hoo Chack grew a shade
paler. I fancied he had a knife under his white shirt; in fact, he felt
around for it. I said, "Hoo Chack, go away, I will talk to this man."

I opened the front door. "Come with me" (to the tax-collector); "we will
ask the commanding officer about this matter." My heart was really in my
mouth, but I returned the man's steady and dogged gaze, and he followed
me to Captain Corliss' quarters. I explained the matter to the Captain,
and left the man to his mercy. "Why didn't you call the Sergeant of the
Guard, and have the man slapped into the guard-house?" said Jack, when
I told him about it afterwards. "The man had no business around here; he
was trying to browbeat you into giving him a dollar, I suppose."

The country above us was full of desperadoes from Boise and Silver City,
and I was afraid to be left alone so much at night; so I begged Captain
Corliss to let me have a soldier to sleep in my quarters. He sent me old
Needham. So I installed old Needham in my guest chamber with his loaded
rifle. Now old Needham was but a wisp of a man; long years of service
had broken down his health; he was all wizened up and feeble; but he
was a soldier; I fe