LIFE IN THE FAR WEST. 163 



and her spouse Ned Wooton, remained behind at Roubi- 

 deau's fort and rendezvous on the Uintah, which our band 

 had passed on the other side of the mountains, \vhence they 

 proceeded with a party to Taos in New Mexico, and re- 

 sided there for some years, blessed with a fine family, &c. 

 &c. &c., as the novels end. 



As soon as the animals were fat and strong, they were 

 taken down the Arkansa to Bent's Indian trading -fort, 

 about sixty miles below the mouth of Fontaine-qui-bout. 

 Here a ready sale was found for them, mules being at that 

 time in great demand on the frontier of the United States, 

 and every season the Bents carried across the plains to 

 Independence a considerable number collected in the 

 Indian country, and in the upper settlements of New 

 Mexico. While the mountaineers were descending the 

 Arkansa a little incident occurred, and some of the party 

 very unexpectedly encountered an old friend. Killbuck 

 and La Bonte, who were generally companeros, were" riding 

 some distance ahead of the cavallada, passing at the time 

 the mouth of the Huerfano or Orphan Creek, w^hen, at a 

 long distance before them, they saw the figure of a horse- 

 man, followed by two loose animals, descending the bluff 

 into the timbered bottom of the river. Judging the 

 stranger to be Indian, they spurred their horses and 

 galloped in pursuit, but the figure ahead suddenly dis- 

 appeared. However, they quickly followed the track, 

 which was plain enough in the sandy bottom, that of a 

 horse and two mules. Killbuck scrutinised the " sign," 

 and puzzled over it a considerable time ; and at last 

 exclaimed " Wagh ! this sign's as plain as mon beaver 

 to me ; look at that hos-track, boy ; did ye ever see that 

 afore ? " 



" Well, I have ! " answered La Bonte, peering down at 

 it : " that ar shuffle-toe seems handy to me now, I tell 

 you." 



" The man as used to ride that hos is long gone under, 

 but the hos, darn the old crittur, is old Bill Williams's, I'll 

 swar by hook." 



" Well, it ain't nothin' else," continued La Bonte, satisfy- 



