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Page 44
* * * * *
"Nobody seems to know," he wrote. "It is all on the knees of the
gods--and a badgered War Department. But perhaps I shall be with you,
dear Ruth, before long."
* * * * *
Ruth did not show her letter to her girl friends. Jennie had received no
news from Henri, and this disaster troubled her more than her bruised
flesh. She went around with a sober face for at least an hour--which was
a long time for Jennie Stone to be morose.
William, the driver who had handled the emigrant wagon the day before,
came along as the men were saddling the ponies for the ride out to the
ranch. He had an open letter in his hand that he had evidently just
received.
"Say!" he drawled, "didn't I hear something about you taking this Injun
gal away from Dakota Joe's show? Ain't that so, Miss Fielding?"
"Her contract with that man ran out and Mr. Hammond hired her," Ruth
explained.
"And that left the show flat in Chicago?" pursued William.
"It was in Chicago the last we saw of it," agreed Ruth. "But Wonota had
left Dakota Joe's employ long before that--while the show was in New
England."
"Wal, I don't know how that is," said William. "I got a letter from a
friend of mine that's been ridin' with Dakota Joe. He says the show's
done busted and Joe lays it to his losing this Injun gal. Joe's a mighty
mean man. He threatens to come out here and bust up this whole company,"
and William grinned.
"You want to tell Mr. Hammond that," said Ruth, shortly.
"I did," chuckled William. "But he don't seem impressed none. However,
Miss Fielding, I want to say that Dakota Joe has done some mighty mean
tricks in his day. Everybody knows him around here--yes, ma'am! If he
comes here, better keep your eyes open."
CHAPTER XVII
THE PROLOGUE IS FINISHED
"We must do something very nice for Wonota," Helen Cameron said
seriously. "She has twice within a few hours come to our succor. I feel
that we might all three have been seriously injured had she not turned
the mules yesterday, and frightened off those mad horses on the trail
last evening."
"'Seriously injured,' forsooth!" grumbled Jennie Stone. "What do you
mean? Didn't I show you my bruises? I was seriously injured as it was!
But I admit I feel grateful--heartily grateful--to our Indian princess.
I might have suffered broken bones in addition to bruised flesh."
"We could not reward her," Ruth Fielding said decidedly. "I would not
hurt her feelings for the world."
"We can do something nice for her, without labeling it a reward, I
should hope," Helen Cameron replied. "I know what I would like to do."
"What is that?" asked Jennie, quickly.
"You remember when they dressed Wonota up in that evening frock there in
New York? To take the ballroom picture, I mean?"
"Indeed, yes!" cried Jennie Stone. And she looked too sweet for
anything."
"She is a pretty girl," agreed Ruth.
"I saw her preening before the mirror," said Helen, smiling. "That she
is an Indian girl doesn't make her different from the other daughters of
Eve."
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