Eat  Carson  had  by  this  time  become  quite  a  power
in  the  vast  region  that  he  had  so  often  roved.  Men  of
his  stamp  get  talked  about  in  the  lofty  tepe,  or  the
rude  log-hut,  niuch  as  the  iron-clad  wanderers  of  the
middle  ages  had  their  deeds  of  dauntless  prowess
chaunted  of  by  troubadours  in  hall  and  camp.  Near-
ly all  men  instinctively  admire  a  brave  man,  but
when  a  man  is  at  once  valiant  in  battle  and  gentle  in
camp  he  is  doubly  admired.  Such  a  man  was  Kit
Carson,  a  kind  of  backwoods  Bayard,  "  without  fear
and  without  reproach."

He  naturally  acquired  great  influence  over  his  fel-


24  ADVENTUEES  OF  KIT  CABSON.
