University of Virginia Library

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3. CHAPTER III.

At the hour when Joe had his adventure with the mysterious
Pete, beyond the enclosure, the same dog was the subject of remark
in the house. The children had been taken to their chamber
by Biddy Rafferty, the nurse, and the rest of the family were assembled
in the best furnished apartment in the second story, before
a cheerful fire of purest anthracite coal, which abounded in the
cliffs round the valley.

“He is not an Indian dog,” said La-u-na, who, by dint of application
after her union with William, had mastered the English language.

“I think not,” said William. “Were you close to him?”

“I was,” said Mary. “La-u-na and I were returning from the
great cave when we first saw him. He was playing with Joe's
Pete, who had followed us. When I called, he wagged his tail, as
did the other, and it was impossible to know which was Joe's dog,
for they were similar in color and size.”

“It is very strange!” said Roughgrove.

“Certainly there can be no other white people in this vicinity,”
said Glenn.

“Nor Indians, either,” said William. “This valley is so situated
that white men can never find it, unless it be by accident; and,
so far, I have not been able to discover any recent traces of Indians.
I don't think any have been at the cave since spring. But it is
visited by them periodically, for there is a spirit within it, or supposed
to be, to whom they make yearly offerings. Do you not construe
the paintings so, La-u-na?”

“Oh, yes. When I was a little girl they used to take me to a
cave in our country, and leave bread and dried meat for one of the
guardian spirits. But it was not so large a cave as this.”

“This cannot be the same one,” said William.

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“Oh, no!” said La-u-na. “It was not so far away. But my
father and the prophet always put marks on the walls of the cave,
like those we saw to-day.”

“The little dog was fat, too,” said Mary. “Perhaps he lives on
the food kept there for the spirit.”

“Perhaps he's the spirit, Mary,” said Glenn, smiling. “Joe
will solve the mystery. I think, however, it is a stray dog which
belonged to the trappers. Or his owner may have perished in the
wilderness. We shall find out more about him soon. Did he go in
the cave?”

“No,” said La-u-na;” he swam the brook, and chambered up
through a narrow chasm to the summit of the cliff, where we saw
him last. He looked down at us from under a stunted cedar, and
wagged his tail in friendly adieu.”

“To-morrow,” said Glenn, “we shall begin our explorations
round the valley and in the woods. No doubt we shall make many
interesting discoveries, and I think I will have use for my crucibles
in the winter. I have no doubt there is gold in the hills, from the
volcanic deposits everywhere.”

“I fear there is!” said Roughgrove with a sigh; “and if so,
and the fact should become known, our happy valley will ultimately
become the scene of many changes, and of a mercenary and sinful
population. But God's will be done! And it may be his will to
people this interminable waste with the teeming millions of Europe,
else why these deposits of treasure?”

“We can keep the secret,” said Glenn. “Sneak is the only one
who would be disposed to make a fortune by such discoveries, and
you know I have bound him by contract to sell everything he makes
or finds, to me. He cannot abandon us, at least for many years, as
no one would think of traversing the desert alone. But there are
other objects of interest. I have already found salt springs, sulphur,
and saltpetre—besides the extraordinary fields of mica, and
precious stones. Then the soil and climate! It is remarkable how
late the vegetation remains green, and how rapidly our buckwheat
has grown! I should not be surprised if two crops of corn could
be produced here. It is now late in November, and there has been

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“I never tasted better grapes,” said Mary, “than we found on
the banks near the smoking stream.”

“Yes, we have a smoking stream, too,” said Glenn, “pouring
out of the rocks near the cave. I tested it with the thermometer,
Mary, and ascertained that it will boil our eggs.”

“But the grapes, Charles!” continued Mary. “There were
blue ones and white ones, the largest I ever saw, growing wild
—and the most delicious. Then the haws—the plums—the persimmons—the
largest I ever beheld!”

“And the flowers!” said La-u-na; “they were brighter and
more abundant, William, than those I brought you on the banks of
the “Mad Missouri.” This is the “Happy Valley.”

“I thank God for it!” said William. “And, among the other
delights, I have discovered speckled trout in the stream; and I
know Glenn has a store of fishing tackle.”

“But before you catch the fish,” said Mary, “you must fulfill
your promise to little Juliet.”

“I will try,” said William. He had promised to capture an antelope
for her. “But it may be a long time before I succeed. And
little Charley reminds me every day of my promise to catch him a
colt or pony. Undoubtedly, from the indications, great numbers of
wild horses and buffaloes come hither at certain seasons; but at
what season, or rather at what time the season changes in this peculiar
region, none of us can have any other means of ascertaining
than to wait and see. I find trees, and bushes, and vines here,
that I never beheld before.”

“And the most beautiful, and the most gigantic specimens of the
cacti!” said Glenn.

“To-morrow will reveal more,” said Roughgrove. He then produced
his book; and after prayers, the families dispersed to their
various chambers.