DUNFORD'S FARM TO MARQUETTE 311 



time reminded me of the major's dandy firing-irons, and I 

 had no doubt that these rogues had also interviewed this 

 poor tramp. A very few inquiries put it beyond doubt 

 that this was the case ; and six-shooters, bowie-knife, and 

 the few cents in possession of this wretched fellow had 

 all been taken from him by these heartless thieves. 



" But, major, you used to boast that you had twelve 

 lives in your belt (referring to the twelve charges of his 

 two weapons), how came it then that you permitted only 

 three men to despoil you ? " I could not help asking. 



" That's all very well ; but with two fellows holding 

 you behind and raising , and another in front spit- 

 ting blue sulphur down your throat, there ain't much 

 chance for fancy shooting, I can tell you," continued the 

 poor major, blubbering afresh. " I had a hard job to 

 save my skin. They kicked me till I could scarcely 

 stand, and then strapped me to a tree and left me, and 

 there I was for eight or nine hours, till a couple of 

 travelling farriers came by and released me." 



Host Sam Rankin seemed to have but little sympathy 

 with the sufferer ; but the poor man had, no doubt, not 

 only been robbed of the very little he possessed, but sub- 

 jected to brutal usage, and was much unnerved. He had 

 been begging his way from door to door, but without the 

 moral support of his shining six-shooters, he had found 

 that but a poor business. However, he plucked up a 

 little energy when the cold pork and pumpkin-pie were 

 put on the board ; and after he and I had spent a very 

 uncomfortable night, sitting hi corners near the stove, he 

 forestalled me, and, without saying a word, neatly curried 

 the mare, harnessed her to the cart, and brought her 

 round to the door, a kindness which I took as partaking 

 strongly of the broad hint. 



We had a better breakfast than supper, for a young 

 woman, Sam's wife, appeared from the inner apartment, 

 where we had heard her all night long coughing and 

 trying to comfort a sick child whose restless whining, 



