“But how? you have not told me—”
“True, cavallero! I have yet to answer number three. Bueno! As I said, it was near the Big Timbers, where she got into the hands of the Arapahoes. There was only a small band of the robbers, with Red-Hand at their head. He wanted to play the brute with her. She kept him off with her rifle, and a big dog you have seen. Red-Hand became angry, and had her strapped to a tree—where the monsters threatened to shoot their arrows into her body. Whether they intended to kill her, or only to terrify the poor girl, is not known; but if the former was their design, they were hindered from putting it into execution. Just at that moment, Don José came upon the ground with a party of trappers from the rendezvous on Cuerno Verde. They were strong enough to beat off the red-skinned ravishers and save the Americana. That is how she was taken from the Rapahoes.”
“A brave deed! But how did she chance to be there? Since Bent’s Port was abandoned, there is no white settlement near the Big Timbers.”
“Ah! señor! that is the strangest part of the whole story. It was told me by Don José himself, while we were compañeros on a trapping expedition—just after he had saved the girl. Carrambo!—a strange tale!”
“Have you any objection to tell it to me? I feel a singular interest in this young girl.”
“Sin duda! Of many a mountain-man, the same might be said; and many an Indian too. Hum! cavallero! you would not be flesh and blood, if you didn’t.”
“Not that, I assure you. My interest in her springs from a different source. I have other reasons for inquiring into her history.”
“You shall have it, then, cavallero—at least so much as I know of it myself: for it is reasonable to suppose that Don José did not tell me all he knew. This much: the niña was with a caravan that had come from one of your western states. It was a caravan of Mormons. You have heard of the Mormons, I suppose—those hereticos who have made settlements here beyond?”
“I have.”
“Well—one of these Mormons was the husband of the girl, or rather ought to have been—since they were married just at starting. It appears that the young woman was against the marriage—for she loved some one more to her choice—but her father had forced her to it; and some quarrel happening just at the time with the favourite lover, she had consented—from pique, sin duda—to accept the Mormon.”