by B. M. Bower
CHAPTER XXII. A BIT OF PAPER
Good Indian came out upon the rim-rock, looked down upon the ranchbeneath him, and knew, by various little movements about the place, thatbreakfast was not yet ready. Gene was carrying two pails of milk to thehouse, and Wally and Jack were watering the horses that had been stabledovernight. He was on the point of shouting down to them when his armwas caught tightly from behind. He wheeled about and confronted Rachel.Clothed all in dull gray she was, like a savage young Quakeress. Eventhe red ribbons were gone from her hair, which was covered by the grayblanket wrapped tightly around her slim body. She drew him back from therim of the bluff.
"You no shout," she murmured gravely. "No lettum see you here. Yougo quick. Ketchum you cayuse, go to ranch. You no tellum you be thisplace."
Good Indian stood still, and looked at her. She stood with herarms folded in her blanket, regarding him with a certain yearningsteadfastness.
"You all time think why," she said, shrewdly reading his thoughts, "I notake shame. I glad." She flushed, and looked away to the far side of theSnake. "Bad mans no more try for shoot you, mebbyso. I heap--"
Good Indian reached out, and caught her by both shoulders.
"Rachel--if you did that, don't tell me about it. Don't tell meanything. I don't ask you--I don't want to know." He spoke rapidly, inthe grip of his first impulse to shield her from what she had done.But he felt her begin to tremble under his fingers, and he stopped assuddenly as he had begun.
"You no glad? You think shame for me? You think I--all time--very--bad!"Tragedy was in her voice, and in her great, dark eyes. Good Indiangulped.
"No, Rachel. I don't think that. I want to help you out of this, if Ican, and I meant that if you didn't tell me anything about it, why--Iwouldn't know anything about it. You sabe."
"I sabe." Her lips curved into a pathetic little smile. "I sabe you knowall what I do. You know for why, me thinkum. You think shame. I no takeshame. I do for you no get kill-dead. All time Man-that-coughs try forshootum you. All time I try for--" She broke off to stare questioninglyup into his face. "I no tell, you no like for tell," she said quietly."All same, you go. You ketchum you hoss, you go ranch. I think sheriffmans mebbyso come pretty quick. No find out you be here. I no like yoube here this time."
Good Indian turned, yielding to the pleading of her eyes. The heart ofhim ached dully with the weight of what she had done, and with an uneasycomprehension of her reason for doing it. He walked as quickly as therough ground would permit, along the bluff toward the grade; and she,with the instinctive deference to the male which is the heritage ofprimitive woman, followed soft-footedly two paces behind him. Once wherethe way was clear he stopped, and waited for her to come alongside, butRachel stopped and waited also, her eyes hungrily searching his facewith the look a dog has for his master. Good Indian read the meaning ofthat look, and went on, and turned no more toward her until he reachedhis horse.
"You'd better go on to camp, and stay there, Rachel," he said, ascasually as he could. "No trouble will come to you." He hesitated,biting his lip and plucking absently the tangles from the forelock ofhis horse. "You sabe grateful?" he asked finally. And when she gave aquick little nod, he went on: "Well, I'm grateful to you. You did whata man would do for his friend. I sabe. I'm heap grateful, and I'll notforget it. All time I'll be your friend. Good--by." He mounted, and rodeaway. He felt, just then, that it was the kindest thing he could do.
He looked back once, just as he was turning into the grade road. She wasstanding, her arms folded in her gray blanket, where he had left her.His fingers tightened involuntarily the reins, so that Keno stopped andeyed his master inquiringly. But there was nothing that he might say toher. It was not words that she wanted. He swung his heels against Keno'sflanks, and rode home.
Evadna rallied him upon his moodiness at breakfast, pouted a littlebecause he remained preoccupied under her teasing, and later was deeplyoffended because he would not tell her where he had been, or what wasworrying him.