way, took his horse, fusil, and sundries, and set up for himself.

For a long time he was unsuspected, and, indeed, if he had been, he
cared very little about it. He went from tribe to tribe, living an
indolent life, which suited his taste perfectly; and as he was very
necessary to the Indians as an interpreter during their bartering
transactions with the Whites, he was allowed to do just as he pleased.
He was, however, fond of shifting from tribe to tribe, and the traders
seeing him now with the Pawnies or the Comanches, now with the Crows or
the Tonquewas, gave him the surname of "Turn-over," which name, making a
somersault, became Over-turn, and, by corruption, Overton.

By this time everybody had discovered that Overton was a great
scoundrel, but as he was useful, the English company from Canada
employed him, paying him very high wages. But his employers having
discovered that he was almost always tipsy, and not at all backward in
appropriating to himself that to which he had no right, dismissed him
from their service, and Overton returned to his former life. By-and-bye,
some Yankees made him proposals, which he accepted; what was the nature
of them no one can exactly say, but everybody may well fancy, knowing
that nothing is considered more praiseworthy than cheating the Indians
in their transactions with them, through the agency of some rascally
interpreter, who, of course, receives his _tantum quantum_ of the
profits of his treachery. For some time the employers and employed
agreed amazingly well, and as nothing is cheaper than military titles in
the United States, the half-breed became Colonel Overton, with boots and
spurs, a laced coat, and a long sword. Cunning as were the Yankees,
Overton was still more so; cheating them as he had cheated the Indians.
The holy alliance was broken up; he then retired to the mountains,
protected by the Mexican government, and commenced a system of general