THE SICK BOY 131 



with such violence into his right eye as to destroy it 

 forever. 



" Feeling hungry, I inquired what sort of fare I might 

 expect. Such a thing as a bed was not to be seen, but 

 many large untanned bear and buffalo hides lay piled in 

 a corner. I drew a timepiece from my pocket and told 

 the woman that it was late and that I was fatigued. She 

 espied my watch, the richness of which seemed to operate 

 on her feelings with electric quickness. She told me there 

 was plenty of venison and jerked buffalo meat, and that 

 on removing the ashes I should find a cake. But my watch 

 had struck her fancy, and her curiosity had to be gratified 

 by an immediate sight of it. I took off the gold chain, 

 which secured it around my neck, and presented it to her. 

 She was all ecstasy, spoke of its beauty, asked me its value, 

 and put the chain around her brawny neck, saying how 

 happy the possession of such a watch would make her. 

 Thoughtless, and, as I fancied myself, in so retired a spot, 

 secure, I paid little attention to her talk or her move- 

 ments. I helped my dog to a good supper of venison, and 

 was not long in satisfying the demands of my own appetite. 



" The Indian rose from his seat as if in extreme suffer- 

 ing. He passed and repassed me several times, and once 

 pinched me on the side so violently that the pain nearly 

 brought forth an exclamation of anger. I looked at him, his 

 eye met mine, but his look was so forbidding that it struck 

 a chill into the more nervous part of my system. He again 



