222 CRUISINGS IX THE CASCADES 



man to adopt a life so uncivilized as the one lie was 

 living. 



"Frank," lie finally said, "I have no wish to 

 question you on a subject that you may not wish to 

 speak on, yet I have observed many traits in you 

 that are not found in other men of your calling. I 

 am of the opinion that you have been bred in a very 

 different sphere of life from this in which you now 

 live. If you have no objection, I should like to 

 know what motive prompted you to adopt this wild 

 life." 



He bit his lip and hesitated. Finally, after some 

 moments, he said: 



"Well, I'll tell you how it came about, and I'll 

 make the story brief. It is similar to that of many 

 another scout, in general, but different in detail, 

 perhaps, from any of them. I was born and bred in 

 an Eastern city, and was being educated for the 

 ministry. My father failed in business and I was 

 compelled to leave school. He gathered what little 

 was left of his shattered fortune, and with his family 

 emigrated to the far West. There he engaged in 

 farming on what was then the frontier, but before 

 we Lad been there six months we were awkened one 

 morning at daylight by the yells of savage Indians, 

 and, looking out, beheld them all around us. They 

 were Comanches. 



" Our house was burned. My father was toma- 

 hawked and scalped before our eyes, and my mother, 

 my sister (who was older than I), and myself were 

 carried into captivity. I was fortunate enough to 

 escape. I returned and organized a pursuing party, 

 but our efforts were fruitless, and a few months 



