her all her robes with which she had been enveloped.  She did his bidding, and then he carefully deposited the burden he bore in the place she had just occupied.  A portion of the object becoming unwrapped, Mary discovered it to be a huge mass of snow, resembling in some respects a human form, and the Indian’s stratagem was at once apparent to her.  Relinquishing herself to his guidance, she was led noiselessly through the bushes about a hundred paces distant from the fire, to a large fallen tree that had yielded to some furious storm, when her conductor paused.  He pointed to a spot where a curve caused the huge trunk to rise about a foot from the surface of the snow, under which was a round hole cut through the drifted snow down to the earth, and in which were deposited several buffalo robes, and so arranged that a person could repose within, without coming in contact with the frozen element around.  Mary looked down, and then at her companion to ascertain his intentions.  He spoke to her in a low tone, enough of which she comprehended to understand that he desired her to descend into the pit without delay.  She obeyed, and when he had carefully folded the robes and divers furs about her body, he stepped a few paces to one side, and gently lifting up a round lid of snow-crust, placed it over the aperture.  It had been so smoothly cut, and fitted with such precision when replaced, that no one would have been able to discover that an incision had been made.  He then bid Mary a “dud by” in bad English, and set off on a run in a northern direction for the purpose of joining the whites.

With the first light of morning, the war-party sprang to their feet, and hastily despatching a slight repast, they set out on their journey with renewed animation and increased rapidity.  Before starting, the chief called to Mary, and again offered some food; but no reply being returned, or motion discovered under the robe which he imagined enveloped her, he supposed she was sleeping, and directed the party to select the most even route when they emerged in the prairie, that she might as much as possible enjoy her repose.

The Indian who had planned and executed the escape of Mary, with the well-devised cunning for which the race is proverbial, had told his companions that he would rise before day and pursue the same direction in advance of them, and endeavor to kill a deer for their next night’s meal.  Thus his absence created no suspicion, and the party continued their precipitate retreat.

But, about noon, after casting many glances back at the supposed form of the captive reclining peacefully in the snow-canoe, the chief, with much excitement, betrayed by his looks, which seemed to be mingled with an apprehension that she was dead, abruptly ordered the party to halt.  He sprang to the canoe, and convulsively tearing away the skins, discovered only the roll of snow!  He at first compressed his lips in momentary rage, and then burst into a fit of irrepressible laughter.  But the rest raved and stamped, and uttered direful imprecations and threats of vengeance.  Immediately they were aware of the treachery of the absent Indian, and resolved with one voice that his blood should be an atonement for the act.