r^ 



And, ifot to antagonise the reader, 

 I will say now that it was very naughty 

 to do what I did, an impolite and un- 

 generous thing to do, on a par with 

 the making up of slumming parties to 

 pry into the secrets of the poor. It 

 was the act of a vandal, and at times — 

 in the gray dawn and on the first day 

 of January — I am sorry about it; but 

 then I should not have had that carved 

 bead armlet, and as that is the tail of 

 my story, I will put it in the mouth 

 and properly begin. 



Nimrod and I went to the United 

 States agency for the Asrapako or 

 Raven Indians in — well, never mind, 

 not such a far cry from the Rockies, 

 unless you are one of those uncomfort- 

 able persons who carry a map of the 

 United States in your mind's eye — be- 

 cause Burfield was there painting Many 



