The Red River Half-Breed

t through; but the warmth of her body had hollowed out a cave around her, in the roof of which her breath had maintained an aperture. But, cruelly eno

into the more than ever wintry landscape. All the breakage of the sledge

lieved in her terror the spectre of the Indian Chief, but which we know as the se

where a rivulet was beginning to run. The cool draught was delicious. She then set to reviving herself with a das

here they travelled as well to avoid leaving traces as to be free of step. The mountains

r town dress, they were not to be taken for genuine trappers by anyone less new to this region than our heroine. They were what is called hide hunters, or skin scalp

spect of a confirmed rogue, sly, base, and wicked. They were all armed to the teeth, and their arms were a great deal better kept than th

than these representatives of her race. Nevertheless, she named herself

'n me a deal of cramp; but see what it are to be young and spry! She's 'mazingly lovely!" he exclaimed again in an audible aside to his fellows, amused at his playing the gallant. "I hain't seen no sech since I was an inch high and an hour old! It almost tempts a lone hunter not

tain of some

olls. But I am chief of the scouts; yes, that's my rank. However, it's a considerable show of whit

exchanged a

Was that your singing I heard in

t on my guard thar was some singing out of Quarry Dick, because they had sneaked

like church

ss than a thousand ton, over an' above the band you mentioned. This is a hard season for the redskin, and he's come up here to warm him

what reassured. "At least, I see, y

inning again, "And, individooally, our friends is in o

te of my poor father, and the brave men he eng

way, we'll put you on a pony-there's no possibility of your little feet gitting over th

prefer

's got a foot like an army cartridge box lid;

with your opinions, unless you want to appreciate the beaut

ntent to ogle the girl in silence, "he is to know that 'Niobraska Pete' is t

har' do 'ee think you are? Haven't we better things to do than go popping pistols off when the rocks swarm with redskins who have made a raise?" and, as the pair continued to glower at each other, their hands on their weapons, he went on: "Must I knock you both down to l'arn you manners? Don't you see we must cage this frig

not with apprehension," s

eyes, and she sees we are all rogu

thar be any blame flying about, it must fall on the captain. When we hand the young lady over to the executive, I shall w

id Sol Garrod; "if ever we are put in the wrong

meantime, them's the two wust-eddicated brutes

ong as the soil was bare and stony. They soon had to traverse one of those narrow vales between a couple of rocky "divides," which are commonly halved themselves by a more or less broad ribbon of water, and wh

ol feeling; but we have been trotting along a leetle too smoot

t our coffee and corn cake

t let's have one of yo

ranquilly; "it's my turn. I'll bring

n never costs too much, and it's a wise man that

eining in, after starting. "Do you railly think

at, you cannot poke the bus

ession; but he must have been encouraged, for he pushed his horse onwards and down,

id Pete, with a mocking glance at hi

n empty basket," replied the chief scout, with a dubious

with pine, and gradually climbed to a fair height. The adventurer rode more and more hesitatingly, looking about him on each hand, and as well behind as before, his rifle ready to fire. But the complete calmness of the untrodden wind trap mocked his fears. The gorge

lkali water in his whisky. Deuce take me if I have seen anything to make a flying squirrel chatter! We

eathers, which arose in the thicket. Instantly a rude rope of bark fibre was cast over the horseman's head, and he was pulled, half strangled, out of the saddle, and dashed on the ground in the partly thawed mud and snow. This done, a man leaped at the horse, and secured it before it could turn away; when, no doubt, it would have explode

h this region. The love for woodcraft had enlisted him under the rich Scotchman's

r taste at the outset; and what immediately en

ad seized an excellent mome