44 A SURPRISE. 



benign but at the same time determined aspect, 

 and marched up with measured tread towards the 

 ambuscade, the dogs in advance, like two heralds, 

 vociferously proclaiming my approach. 



The rifle of the stranger remained directed to- 

 wards me, the figure never altering its position, and 

 the black eyes looking straight into mine. Though 

 they were mild yet they said, ' If you harbour guile, 

 beware ! ' Not being an apt linguist I hesitated how 

 to open conversation, for the long snake-like optics 

 bespoke plainly that the person before me was an 

 Indian. Having been lately in China, my first salu- 

 tation was 'Chin-chin!' ' Comment vous portez-vous?' 

 my second : mother-English for the time being quite 

 forgotten. It is usual to forget our native dialect 

 when we address foreigners. At length the figure 

 stepped from its concealment, exclaiming at the same 

 moment, in shrill, high-pitched accents, 



' How you do V 



The speaker I looked at could I be mistaken ? 

 no, certainly not! was a woman. 



'A what V I hear the reader exclaim. 



A woman a squaw I repeat, and, as squaws 

 run, not a bad-looking one, although sufficiently aged 

 to be beyond mark of mouth, for where teeth should 

 have been visible there were none. Her manner 

 was timid, but not distrustful. Broken English, 

 interspersed with an occasional word of French, 

 she spoke fluently. We directed our steps to the 

 camp, when, having reached the fire, we halted. As 



