Good Indian

ly in front and kicking up a gray cloud of dust which enveloped the squaws behind them but could not choke to silence their shri

lotch of color, and yelled a wordless greeting; him had old Hagar carried lovingly upon her broad shoulders with her own papoose when he was

y, if they don't go to the house right away, you go and tell mum th

dy know where Vadnie is? If we could spring 'em on her and make her beli

w a good stiff load, all right!" Clark grinned at the memory. "I've got to see Grant first, when he gets back, and put him wise to the rep he's got

observation on the fence. "They'll go to the house first thing to gabble-there's old Hagar waddli

ettled down talking to mum, they're good for an hour-she's churning, Don-you hide in the rocks by t

his very life depended upon reaching it unseen. The group of Indians

a tame showing on the warpath, however much they might lend themselves to the spirit of the joke. He did not quite know how he was going to manage it, but he was hopeful sti

gnity of their blankets, to the top rail of the corral, and roosted ther

lodded on to where the house stood hidden away in its nest of cool green. For a space they stood outside the fence, peering warily into the shade, instinctively c

ad hips, waddled to the gate, pulled it open with self-conscious assurance, and led the way soft-footedly a

ned Phoebe of their presence. She had lived too long in the West to seem startled when she suddenly discovered herself w

cy? Heap glad to see you. Bueno

d or drink. Three brown hands were eagerly outstretched-though it was the hand of Hagar which grasped first the big tin cup. They not

squatted at the top of the stone steps, watching Phoebe ma

k hair away from her moonlike face, and began talking in a sof

ime come along," she announced. "Stop all time corral, talk

hich had brought her so soon to the ranch-the news whi

r sloe black eyes fixed unwaveringly upon Phoebe's face to see if the

ough sagebrush-dog all time cry, no can get away-me thinkum kill that dog. Squaws cry-Viney cry-Good Injun"-Hagar paused here for greater effect-"makum horse all tim

Indian, you call Grant. Grant bueno. Heap bueno all time. No drunk, no yell, no shoot, mebbyso"-she hesitated, knowing well th

gument was an old one between Hagar and Phoebe, though the grievance of Hagar

, mebbyso Clark, mebbyso Donny all time bueno." Doubt was in her voice when she praised those last two, however, because of their continual teasing. Sh

mma and old Hagar are scrappin' over Good Injun again," and tol

orgot to keep within the li

ter than I like Wally, is all ails you, Hagar. You're jealous of Grant, and you always have been, ever since his father left him with me. I hope my h

no drunk, no yell, no catchum you dog, no

pidly up and down. Viney, with a sid

Hagar a liar in all things. "Me thinkum no drunk. Mebbyso ketchum dog-dog kay bueno, mebbyso me killing. Good I

her thin face growing sullen under the upbraiding she received in her native tongue. Phoeb

s alone betraying the curiosity they felt. Off somewhere at the head of the tiny pond, hidden away in the jungle of gree

lained, stopping the soft

r forgot her petulance, and be

o heap sad; no got father, no got mother-all time got nobody. Kay bueno. That girl send one letter, say all time got nobody. Me want one girl. Me send one letter, tell that girl come, be all time my girl. Five days ago, that girl co

o' ketchum one girl, mebbyso yo' no

stened to assure her, and added with a hint

ced and antagonistic. "Good Injun kay

girl?" Viney in

lt a trifle chilled by their lack of enthusiasm. She

a measure of jealousy as well. Not many whites received them with frank friendship as did the Hart family, a

d from the Harts. The friends of the Harts, however, must prove their friendship before they could hope for better than an imperturbable neutrality. So they would not pretend to be glad. Hagar was right-perhaps the girl was no g

she yielded, speaking soft

d, in mellow crescendo: "Oh, Va-ad-N

Phoebe," answe

aited. They heard her feet crunching softly in the gravel that bordered the pond, but not a head turned that way; for all the sign of life they gave, the three might have been mere effigies of women. They

hoebe's eyes besought the girl to be calm. "They're all old friends of min

ith joy at her unmistakable terror when she held out a

caught the girl's hand and gripped it tightly for a moment

s Vi

d glance, kept her hands hidden in the folds of

s Lu

d up, pressed her hand gently, and her glance

to-day, honey-and do brace up!" P

r out of her eyes, and grunting a command to the others. With visible reluctance Lucy and Vi

ot. "Wild Indians-I thought the boys were just teasin

han you are," Phoebe

en they go-you just look, and they're gone! That old fat one-did you see how she look

two months when I was sick, and Viney stayed with me day and night and pulled me through. Lucy I've known since she was a papoose. Great grief, child! Didn't you hear me say they're old

t, flying black hair, the squalling of a female voice, and the harsh laughter of the man who carried the disturbance, kicking and clawing, in his arms. F

you old she-wildcat. Quit your biting, will you? By all

lessly down them, and came to a stop in the corner by the door. Evadna had taken refuge there; and he pressed h

you I'm drunk, Mother Hart-didn't you, you old beldam? You say you heap sorry you all time tellum lie. You say: 'Good Injun, him all time heap buen

agar might be short of breath, but her spirit was unconq

he meant to make good his threat-and it woul

I knew it all the time. I told Hagar so. What do you care what she says abou

ightly toward Phoebe. "You'd be tired of it yourself if she threw it into you like she does into me, Mother Hart. It's got so I can't ride past this old hag in the trail but she gives me the bad eye, and mumbles into

tellum big lie, me all time heap drunk. You kay bueno. All time me tellum Mother Hart, tellum boys, tellum Viney, Lucy, tellum Charl

eway before I for

ny means. Scrambling up, she shook her witch locks from her face, wrapped herself in her dingy blanket, and scuttled away, muttering maledictions under her breath. The watching group turned and foll

a fool thing to do; but when Donny told me wha

nt! You're squeezing Vadnie to death, just about! Great grief,

d began to stammer an apology; but she did not wait to hear a word of it. For an instant she stared into his face, and then, like a rabbit released from its paralysis of dread, she darted past

be?" he asked, feeling in hi

GRANT! She'll think you're ready to murder everybody on the ranc

rant objected, drawing a mat

best; and, instead of that, here you

ut who is th

death, and then you call her timid. I know she thought there was go

e back, laughi

off the ranch, as near as I could make out her jabbering. And she won't do your washing any more, mum-she said so. You're kay bueno yourself, because you take Good Indian's part. We're all kay bueno-all but me. She wanted me to quit the bunch and go live in

on't beat me to it. He was up at the store, and when I went out to get my horse, he tried to take a leg off me. I kicked him in the nose and he came at me aga

ht away before he spoiled. That's all there was to it. Well, Keno did sink his head and pitch around camp a little, but not to amount

the buttermilk in three rapturous swallows

Hart, who was that Chri

er." Wally straightened up with a fresh ch

l right. First the squaws-and, poor girl, I made her shake h

osed, with some sarcasm. "I smashed her flat between me and the wall, and I scared the daylights

ere ain't one of you that's made friends with her yet, or tried to, even. You've played jokes on her, and told her things to scare her-and my grief! I was hoping she'd have a softening influence on you, and make gentlemen of you. And far

ny better-but Grant's EDUCATED." Wally grinne

ngels that look as if they'd been s

the life out of her, I don't doubt but what, in six months or

and was just letting a war-whoop outa me, she'd look at me-the way she did look." He snorted in contemptuous amusement, and gave a little

rts," Phoebe flung after him indignantl