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Page 35
"A man has been asking for you, Miss Fielding" he said. "He--he seems a
peculiar individual--"
Ruth described Dakota Joe Fenbrook and the clerk admitted that he was
the man. "A rather rude person," he said.
"So rude that we do not wish to see him," Ruth told the clerk. "Please
keep him away from us. He is annoying, and if he attempts to interfere
with me, I will call a policeman."
"Oh, we could allow nothing like that," the clerk hastened to say. "No
disturbance would be countenanced by the management of the hotel," and
he shook his head. "We will keep him away from you, Miss Fielding."
"Thank you," said Ruth, and followed her friends into the elevator. She
felt that they were free of Dakota Joe until morning at least She
assured Wonota that she need not worry.
"That bad man may hurt you. I am not afraid," declared the Indian girl.
"If I only had him out on the Osage Reservation, I would know what to do
to with him."
But she did not explain what treatment she would accord Dokota Joe if
she were at home.
It was only seven o'clock when Jim Hooley called on the telephone and
told Ruth that, following instructions from Mr. Hammond, he had
gathered the company together and that the special car standing in the
railroad yard outside Chicago would be picked up by the nine-thirty
western bound Continental. The girls had scarcely time to dress and
drive to the point of departure. There was some "scrabbling," as Jennie
expressed it, to dress, get their possessions together, and get away
from the hotel.
"Didn't see Dakota Joe anywhere about, did you?" Helen asked, as their
taxi-cab-left the hotel entrance.
"For goodness' sake! he would not have hung about the hotel all night,
would he?" demanded Jennie.
"Mr. Hammond seems to be afraid of the man" pursued Helen. "Or we would
not be running away like this."
Ruth smiled. "I guess," she said, "that Mr. Hammond is hurrying us on
for a different reason. You must remember that he has this company on
salary and that the longer we delay on the way to the Hubbell Ranch the
more money it is costing him while the company is idle."
It was proved, however, that the picture producer had a good reason for
wishing to get out of Dakota Joe's neighborhood. When the four girls in
the taxicab rolled up to the gate of the railroad yard and got out with
their bags, Dakota Joe himself popped out of hiding. With him a
broad-hatted man in a blue suit.
"Hey!" ejaculated the showman, standing directly in Ruth's path. "I got
you now where I want you. That Hammond man won't help me, and I told him
the trouble I'm in jest because he got that Injun gal away from me. I
see her! That's the gal--"
"What do you want of me, Mr. Fenbrook?" demanded Ruth, bravely, and
gesturing Wonota to remain behind her. "I have no idea why you should
hound me in this way."
"I ain't houndin' you."
"I should like to know what you call it then!" the girl of the Red Mill
demanded indignantly.
She was quick to grasp the chance of engaging Fenbrook in an argument
that would enable Wonota and the two other girls to slip out of the
other door of the taxicab and reach the yard gate. She flashed a look
over her shoulder that Helen Cameron understood. She and Jennie and
Wonota alighted from the other side of the cab.
"I got an officer here," stammered Dakota Joe. "He's a marshal. That
Injun gal's got to be taken before the United States District Court.
She's got to show cause why she shouldn't come back to my show and fill
out the time of her contract."
"She finished her contract with you, and you know it, Fenbrook,"
declared Ruth, turning to pay the driver of the cab.
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