Good Indian

oregathered, waiting for the ringing tattoo upon the iron triangle just outside the back door which would be the supper summons. "They're too la

don't need the Injuns. As long as she knows they're hanging aroun

wonder if we couldn't!" Clark l

quare himself with her for what happened

ck," Jack interposed mildly. "I kinda like the kid sometimes. Yesterday, when I

s on the man who betrays us!" growled W

by heels and shoulders, and with a brief, pan

" Wally declaimed approvingly, drawing up his legs

ie if he stays to supper-and, uh course, he will. If mamma don't get next and change his place, it'll be fun to watch her; watch

this family," Wally observed meditatively. "There's a whole lot

him ironically, "that she's go

arantined, old-timer; that's liable to be catching." Wally snorted

t this point in the conversation that she tiptoed out again, her hands doubled into tight little fi

slowly down from her favorite nook at the head of the pond,

hange Peppajee around," Donny implored, in a whisper; and the g

ble by the Portuguese girl, Marie, and the sugar-bowl was going after, when she settled herself an

sugar-bowl from Grant and the butter from Peppajee, and went composedly about the business of eating her supper. She seemed perfectly at ease; too perfectly at ease, decided Grant, who had an instinct

er, buttered generously a hot biscuit, and reached for the honey. "No brave no more-kay bueno. All time ketchum whisky, get drunk all same likum hog. Heap lazy. No hunt no more, no fight. Lay all time in sun, sleep. No sun come, lay all time in wikiup. Agent, him givum flour, givum meat, g

azy all time. Me no likum. Agent one time givum plenty flour, plenty meat, plenty tea. Huh. Them damn' folks no eatum. All time playum cards, drinkum whisky. All time otha fella ketchum flour, ketc

should do that," she mu

he sympathy of a mere female were not worthy his notice. "Them grub all gone, them Inj

grub. Sun up there"-his finger indicated the zenith-"eatum some more. Sun go 'way, eatum some more. Then sleepum all time my wikiup. Bimeby, mebbyso my flour all gone, my meat me

, yo' no givum me money, no givum hoss, no givum notting. Me damn' mad all time yo'. Yo' go damn' quick!'" Peppajee held out his cup for m

fore in her life had she heard the epithet unprintable, and she stared fixedly at t

ver his white beard. The boys puffed their cheeks with the laughter they would, if possible

tly. "Heap kay bueno. White man no tellum where white woman

imes before had he said them before Phoebe Hart, and she had pass

. This girl no hear; no likum hear. You sabe? You no make shame for this girl." He gla

ranch?" Peppajee retorted sourly. "Me

nto the discussion, cl

"We kinda consider that men's talk. I reckon Vadnie'll overlook it this

, lifted a corner of his blanket, and drew it slowly across

ubdued table sounds. Evadna's eyes filled slowly until she finally pushed back her chair and h

lf hour of tears, when someone came from the house, stood for a min

mood to remember any promises about being a nice, gentle little thing. The figure came cl

, in what was almost a command.

not want to talk t to you?" Still

lend me your ears, and be silent that ye may hear.' The boys wil

vadna hinted ungraciously. "Nothing else

s outlet, and where was a rude seat hidden away in a clump

to tell you so. I'm not making any bid for your favor-I don't know that I want it. I don't care much about girls, one way or the other. But, for all I've got the n

at smoking beside her, the tiny glow l

making a practice of doing the same thing. I hadn't heard about the dead tarantula on your pillow, or the rattler coiled up on the porch, or any of those innocent lit

e considered ironical. "I suppose I ought to say

way. It won't matter to me-girls never did concern me much, one way or the other. I

upon my

able to give you a hint beforehand. I'm willing to do that-my sympathies are always with the under dog, anyway, and they're five to one. But that needn't mean that I'm-that

than I like you. I can see that. We're to be as decent as possible to ea

e way or the other." He seemed rather fond of that statement, he repeated it so often." The life I live doesn't call for girls. Put that's neither here nor there. What I wanted to say was, that I won't bo

it has always been 'The woman, she tempted me.' You're perfectly ho

" he corrected blandly. "The woman in

en something I ought to say, Mr. Imsen. I must th

I had to take a fall out of old Peppajee, just on principle. I don't get along ver

ddenly from the bench. "It wasn

irmatively. "Just a chance I couldn't aff

left him, running swiftly through the warm

turning to the house. When he finally did get upon his feet, he stretched his arms high abov

sed. "I see right now where a fellow about my size and complexion had better watch out.