(girl) had made a mistake. And to a man who measured everything by
worldly icties this was sound argument, for the only big thing about
Peter was his avoirdupois--barring his heart, of course. In the heat of
his argument Johnny determined to deprive Peter of his sacred property.
And among the Indians this is not nearly so hazardous or hopeless or
criminal an undertaking as it may seem through an Anglo-Saxon
microscope. Although a wife is considerable of an asset to a white man,
she is not so to an Indian; and it may be to his advantage that he is
more or less philosophical about it. The cultus Indian was at Lillooet
when this skookum tumtum (good thought) occurred to him. He was cutting
fire-wood with some of the Statlemulth (Lillooet Indians) in an effort
to heal the wound in his left chest which had been left gaping since his
recent defeat in battle. He went back to Spence's Bridge as fast as his
seventy-five dollar cayuse, his sixty dollar saddle, his five dollar
bridle and his two and a half quirt could carry him, and presented
himself to his kith and kin. The old man gave him a warm hand-shake.
They killed some fatted chickens and had the biggest time that the
rancherie had ever known. Peter and his schmamch (wife) were there and
old acquaintances were renewed. Johnny's strong suit with his ancient
flame was his personal icties; and when Peter was otherwise engaged he
asked the girl to elope with him to Kamloops or Lillooet. The next day
was Sunday and Peter was going out with others on a cayuse hunt which
had been planned some time before. He invited Johnny because it would
not be safe to leave him in possession of the fort, and in charge of
such a valuable, though fickle, asset; for a great number of the Indian
women are fickle.

But Cultus Johnny declined the invitation. He was tired, and wanted to
rest. Besides, he had a bridle to finish which he was plaiting from the
leather cut from the legs of an old pair of cow-boy boots which he had