Good Indian

fact that he was neither very good, nor an Indian-nor in any sense "dead"-men called Grant Imsen "Good Indian" to his face; and if he resented the title, his resentment was

race of blue eyes and fair skin, the Indians repudiated relationship with him, a

se he stood thus between the two races of men, his exact social status a subject always open to argument, not even the fact that he was looked upon by the Harts as one of the family, with his own bed always ready for him in a corner

th twelve years behind him, in his hands a dirty canvas bag of gold coin so heavy he could scarce lift it, which stoo

ord John before that X, and the word Imsen after; above, a word which he explained was "his," and below the word "mark." John Imsen had stared down suspiciously at the words, and he had not felt quite easy in his mind until the bag of gold coins was actually in his keeping. Also, h

er 'n that, by God!" he had sworn, a

ith nothing left to him save an hour or so of labored breath and a few muttered sentences, he did not forget that vow. He cal

hands-against a gatlin' gun. They coulda cheated me-whole thing-on paper-I wouldn't know-luck-just luck they didn't. So you take it-and git the boy schoolin'. Costs money-I know that-git him all it'll buy. Send him-where they keep-the best. Don't yuh let up-n'e

ngs not mentioned in the curriculums of the schools she sent him to-and when the bag was reported by Phoebe to

m through a preparatory school and into the second year of a college; and the only result apparent was speech a shade less slipshod than that of hi

behind him, and so absolutely sleepy that it seemed likely to sink into the sage-clothed earth under the weight of its own dullness. Even the whi

f the little store and stared sourly at Pete Hamilton, who was apathetically ope

fingered indecisively the br

gainst the shelves behind him and sig

ropped the hat, hitched his blanket over his shoulde

x upon the shelf behind him, and then evidently decid

mumbled languidly. "Want

ay like this. You'd give Saunders something to do beside lie in the shade and tell what kind of a man he used to be before his lun

, but they didn't throw it off

eat Sahara. Ice! Pete, do you know what I'd like to d

f you're going down to the ranch," he added, by way of changin

y, Pete. I rode up here prepared to get sinfully jagged-and here I've got to go on a still hunt for

A fellow that's rode thirty or forty miles to get here, on a day l

store, where Pete was fumbling behind the rampart of crude pigeon

e manner of feeling perfectly at home there. She was rather tall, rather strong and capable lo

pression he's an undertaker's assistant, and is headed for the graveyard when he takes fifteen out. He'll get the can, first he knows-and he'll put in a month or two wondering why. I could make bette

novel, or chocolates, or gum, or-ANYTHING to kill time? I'd even enjoy c

f retirement behind the pigeonholes, a

of solitary? I've known men to put in hull winters alone, up in

from three solid hours of it. What I really do want

rted Bride'-you can have it soon's

g in plenty two hours from now; but my heavens above, those tw

mdrops, and

ly. "I wish you weren't so old, and hadn't quite so many chins, Pete," she complained

tive about all those chins, and the

rnment and tact. "This is Miss Georgie Howard, the new operator." He twinkled his little eyes at her maliciously. "Say,

ment, while she nodded negligently as an acknowledgment to the introducti

on so hot a day. "Well, you said you wanted to

raight past the girl,

iliarity. An ignoramus of your particular class ought to confine his repartee to unqualified affirmation or the negative monosyllable." Whereupon he pulled his hat more firmly upon his head, hunched his shoulders

sly. "'You're mentally incapable of recognizing the line of demarcation between legitimate persiflage and objectionable f

ngs were happening-and, since Miss Georgie was dying of dullness, she hailed

elf to the blanketed buck inside. The dog awoke with a yelp, saw that it was a stranger who had perpetrated the outrage, and straightway fastened

e loop, and, while the dog was circling warily and watching for another chan

te, but who did little except lie in the shade, reading novels or gossiping, awoke then, and, h

ritter like that-you oughta be ashamed-ab

e?" Grant la

rs became vehement, and paid the

you, too-just to have a pair of you. Yelping, snapping curs,

e Indian, his arms folded in his blanket, stood upon the porch watching ca

isn't old

r-b'long-um Viney.

bueno squaw-heap likum Viney. No likum dog, though. Dog all time come along me." He glanced up, passed over the fact that Miss Geor

d lie down somewhere." He turned in the saddle and looked down at the dog, clawing and fighting the rope which held him fast just back of the shoulder-blades. "Come along, doggie-NICE do

which had for long been known locally as "the Indian Camp," because of Wolfbelly's predilection for the spot. Without warning save for the b

the very wikiup of old Hagar, who hated the rider of old. In the first breathing spell he loosed the dog, which skulked, limping, into the first sheltered spot he found, and laid him down to lic

rtum-all time him Hartley, all time him try hard bite me. Sleeping Turtle tell me him Viney dog. He likum Viney, me no kill

to be Indian. It means "no", and thus the "Kay bueno" so often used by them means literally "no good," and is a term of reproach On the other hand, "heap bueno" is "very good," their enthusi

its disposal, he wheeled and started off in the direction of the trail which led down the bluff to the Hart ranch. When he rea

West, it seemed hardly worthwhile to ride away before its arrival. Also, Pete intimated that there was a good chance of prevailing upon the dinin