"Among you is a sort of madman, who wears blue spectacles and a white wig, and who amuses himself--for what purpose I cannot tell--with making a provision of herbs and stones, instead of trying, like a brave hunter, to trap a beaver, or knock over a deer." "I know the man you speak of; he, as you suppose, forms part of our troop; he is a very learned physician." "I know he is; he told me so himself. He often comes this way. We are very good friends. By means of a powder, which he persuaded me to take, he completely checked a fever which had tormented me two months, and of which I could not get rid." "Indeed! I am happy to hear of such a result." "I should like to do something for you, to show my gratitude for that service." "I thank you, my friend, but I cannot see anything in which you can be useful to me, unless it be in showing me the beavers." The trapper shook his head. "Perhaps in something else," he said, "and that much sooner than you may fancy. Listen to me attentively, señorita. I am but a poor man; but here in the prairie, we know many things that God reveals to us, because we live face to face with Him. I will give you a piece of good advice. That man who serves you as a guide is an arrant scoundrel, and is known as such throughout all the prairies of the West. I am very much deceived if he will not lead you into some ambush. There is no lack here of plenty of rogues with whom he may lay plans to destroy you, or least, rob you." "Are you sure of what you say?" the girl exclaimed, terrified at words which coincided so strangely with what Loyal Heart had said to her. "I am as sure as a man can be who affirms a thing of which he has no proof; that is to say, after the antecedents of the Babbler everything of the sort must be expected from him. Believe me, if he has not already betrayed you, it will not be long before he will." "Good God! I will go and warn my uncle." "Beware of doing that! that would ruin all! The people with whom your guide will soon be in collusion, if he be not so already, are numerous, determined, and thoroughly acquainted with the prairie." "What is to be done, then?" the young lady asked in great alarm. "Nothing. Wait; and, without appearing to do so, carefully watch all your guide's proceedings." "But----" "You must be sure," the trapper interrupted, "that if I lead you to mistrust him, it is not with a view of deserting you when the moment comes for requiring my help." "Oh! I believe that." "Well, then, this is what you must do: as soon as you are certain that your guide has betrayed you, send your old mad doctor to me,--you can trust him, can you not?" "Entirely!" "Very well. Then, as I have said, you must send him to me, charging him only to say this to me. 'Black Elk'--I am Black Elk." "I know you are; you told us so." "That is right. He will say to me, 'Black Elk, the hour is come,' and nothing else. Shall you remember these words?"