Page:A Lady's Life in the Rocky Mountains (1879).djvu/319

 He was obliged to return before I could get off, and as he commended me to Mr. Nugent's care, the two men shook hands kindly.

Rich spoils of beavers' skins were lying on the cabin floor, and the trapper took the finest, a mouse-coloured kitten beaver's skin, and presented it to me. I hired his beautiful Arab mare, whose springy step and long easy stride was a relief after Birdie's short sturdy gait. We had a very pleasant ride, and I seldom had to walk. We took neither of the trails, but cut right through the forest to a place where, through an opening in the foothills, the plains stretched to the horizon covered with snow, the surface of which, having melted and frozen, reflected as water would the pure blue of the sky, presenting a complete optical illusion. It required my knowledge of fact to assure me that I was not looking at the ocean. "Jim" shortened the way by repeating a great deal of poetry, and by earnest, reasonable conversation, so that I was quite surprised when it grew dark. He told me that he never lay down to sleep