HOMEWARD BOUND 195 



then all was dark. When I came to, my head 

 was cut and bleeding — just sec the mark on 

 it now — and Billie and the rig was gone. I 

 had been thrown head first against a tree. 

 The Indian had disappeared too. I bathed 

 my head with snow and stopped the bleeding, 

 then I trudged along to White Horse. On 

 the road I found pieces of the cutter and of 

 the harness, and when I got to the stable Bil- 

 lie was there eating as calmly as if nothing 

 had happened, and all he had brought back 

 with him was his collar. Do you wonder 

 now why I would kill him?" 



We resumed our journey some little time 

 afterwards and I overtook the irate miner 

 with his husky dogs. He was carrying a 

 small pack, and, as he had come a consider- 

 able distance when I caught up with him, I 

 asked if he was tired. He acknowledged that 

 he was. 



I then invited him to mount Billie, saying 

 I would walk. The man was impressed by 

 my kindly offer, but he said that it was so 

 long since he had been on horseback that it 

 would make him sore to ride. He was told 

 that Billie was a very easy-going mule, so 

 much so that his gait would remind him of 

 a rocking chair. 



