Our subject was the red man, and he bitterly denounced the way in which our Government dealt with such a grave subject. It was, he said, continually patting them on the back, and buying a temporary truce. This, he believed, made the Indians actually think that a power which had only to plant its heel firmly upon them and crush them out of existence, actually feared their strength. "Greater liars, more unblushing thieves, as well as more reckless murderers," he continued, never existed. And these were the men whom Uncle Sam protected against his own children, whenever the blue-coats appeared upon the frontier. Nor can I affirm but that he is, in the main, right. It is only by terrible punishment for their crimes, the whites are able to keep the red-skins within anything like reasonable bounds. My knowledge of them, up to this time, vouched for the necessity of such retaliation. In no case which I have yet recounted had the settlers commenced an Indian war, if these struggles are entitled to such a name. When we struck, the blow was called for, by gross outrage or bloodier murder. Since I had met and known them, I had encountered no red-skin who had dealt squarely with me, except the father of Clo-ke-ta and Old Spotted Tail. And, possibly, of all the tribes I had yet any acquaintance with, the Pah-utes possessed the fewest virtues and the most thorough vices. George Laithrop's opinion of the Indian, founded in a great measure upon their character, was, in a fuller or lesser degree, shared by all who had ever been brought in contact with them. CHAPTER XIII. A LITTLE COMPASSION--WHITE FOLLY AND RED TREACHERY--A SQUEAK FOR LIFE--MAKING TRACKS--FEMALE SOCIETY--A TASTE OF WESTERN CIVILIZATION--DEFERRING A HONEY-MOON--THE ARMY OFFICER--TRAILING AND SPOTTING--A CHANCE TO LOOK AT A LITTLE INDIAN FIGHTING--WRATHFUL AND RIGHTEOUS BUNCOMBE--FORCED TO BEND ONE'S HEAD--MIRTH EVEN AT THE POINT OF DEATH. We had not to wait long for the red-skins to attempt carrying out their late threats. On this occasion, we also had a good example afforded us of their gratitude, and keen sense of obligation for kindness. About ten o'clock on the following day, I discovered some thirty-five or forty of them descending the side of the mountain near the Ranch, on their ponies. Tom Harvey was at the moment standing by me. He recognized an Indian at their head whom he had almost, as he himself expressed it, raised. He had lived with Tom for several years, and on one occasion, had saved Tom's life. Naturally enough, old love for the lad, who was now barely eighteen years of age, moved Harvey's bowels strongly with compassion. Being, as my readers already know, a largely fat man, his compassion for the young Pah-ute was as oilily large and full-sized. To state matters briefly, he wished to save him, and applied to me for permission to go out and warn him to leave. "If I grant it, you must keep your tongue still, upon our being here."