villainy toward me. Well, it's all over now. Though you cruelly beat
and left him disfigured for life, he will live, and you are saved
from murder, thank God! When I learned of your departure I yearned
to follow. Then I met a preacher who spoke of having intended to go
West with a Mr. Wells, of the Moravian Mission. I immediately said I
would go in his place, and here I am. I'm fortunate in that I have
found both him and you."

"I'm sorry I didn't kill Jewett; I certainly meant to. Anyway,
there's some comfort in knowing I left my mark on him. He was a
sneaking, cold-blooded fellow, with his white hair and pale face,
and always fawning round the girls. I hated him, and gave it to him
good." Joe spoke musingly and complacently as though it was a
trivial thing to compass the killing of a man.

"Well, Jim, you're here now, and there's no help for it. We'll go
along with this Moravian preacher and his nieces. If you haven't any
great regrets for the past, why, all may be well yet. I can see that
the border is the place for me. But now, Jim, for once in your life
take a word of advice from me. We're out on the frontier, where
every man looks after himself. Your being a minister won't protect
you here where every man wears a knife and a tomahawk, and where
most of them are desperadoes. Cut out that soft voice and most of
your gentle ways, and be a little more like your brother. Be as kind
as you like, and preach all you want to; but when some of these
buckskin-legged frontiermen try to walk all over you, as they will,
take your own part in a way you have never taken it before. I had my
lesson the first few days out with that wagon-train. It was a case
of four fights; but I'm all right now."