326 IN THE OLD WEST 



he pas not care a dam for les sauvages, pe gar. 

 He shoot do centare avec his carabine, and ride 

 de cheval comme one Comanche. He trap heap 

 castor (what you call beevare), and get plenty 

 dollare — mais he open hand vare wide — and got 

 none too. Den, he hont vid de Blackfoot and avec 

 de Cheyenne, and all round de montaignes he hont 

 dam sight." 



*' But, Antoine, what became of him at last.'' 

 and why did he not come home, when he made so 

 many dollars ? " asked poor Mary. 



" Enfant de garce, mais pourquoi he com home? 

 Pe gar, de montaigne-man, he love de montaigne 

 and de prairie more better dan he love de grandes 

 villes — meme de St. Louis ou de Montreal. 

 Wagh ! La Bonte, well, he one montaigne-man, 

 wagh ! He love de bufFaloe and de chevreaux plus 

 que de bceuf and de mouton, maybe. Mais on dit 

 dat he have autre raison — dat de gal he lofe in 

 Missouri not lofe him, and for dis he not go back. 

 Mais now he go ondare, m'on dit. He vas go to 

 de Californe, maybe to steal de hose and de mule 

 — pe gar, and de Espagnols rub him out, and take 

 his hair, so he mort." 



" But are you sure of this ,'' " she asked, trem- 

 bling with grief. 



"Ah, now, j'ne suis pas sur; mais I tink you 

 know dis La Bonte. Enfant de garce, maybe you 

 de gal in Missouri he lofe, and not lofe him. Pe 

 gar ! 'fant de garce ! fort beau gar9on dis La 



