296 IN THE OLD WEST 



dint of eye, and of nameless acts of elaborate co- 

 quetry, with which the sex so universally bait their 

 traps, whether in the salons of Belgravia or the 

 rancherias of New Mexico, contrived to make con- 

 siderable havoc in the heart of our mountaineer; 

 and when once Dolores saw she had made an im- 

 pression, she followed up her advantage with all 

 the arts the most civilized of her sex could use when 

 fishing for a husband. 



La Bonte, however, was too old a hunter to be 

 easily caught; and before committing himself, he 

 sought the advice of his tried companion, Killbuck. 

 Taking him to a retired spot without the village, 

 he drew out his pipe and charged it — seated him- 

 self cross-legged on the ground, and with Indian 

 gravity, composed himself for a " talk." 



" Ho, Killbuck ! " he began, touching the ground 

 with the bowl of his pipe, and then turning the 

 stem upwards for medicine — " Hyar's a child feels 

 squamptious-like, and, nigh upon gone beaver, he 

 is — Wagh ! " 



" Wagh ! " exclaimed Killbuck, all attention. 



" Old boss," continued the other, " thar's no use 

 caching anyhow what a nigger feels — so hyar's 

 to put out. You're good for beaver I know; at 

 deer or buffler, or darned Red Injun either, you're 

 some. Now that's a fact. OfF-hand, or with a 

 rest, you make 'em come. You knows the sign of 

 Injuns slick — Blackfoot or Sioux, Pawnee or 

 Bumtwood, Teton, Rapaho, Shian, or Shoshon^e, 



