"Yes--I take her."

"Good!" The Indian smoked serenely.

"Where'd you find her?"

"Not been lost. Her safe all time. Sometime in one village--here,
then there, two, three--move her about. Safe all time. I never
forget. There she is. You take her?"

"I said so, didn't I? Where's her daddy?"

The Indian said nothing, only smoked, his eyes fixed on space.

Willock raised his voice. "Must I ask HER where he is?"

"Her not know. Her not seen him one, two year. She say him dead."

"Oh, he's dead, is he?"

"Him safe, too." He looked at the sun. "Long trail before me. Then I
leave her. I go, now."

"Not much you don't go! Not THIS minute. Where is that girl's daddy?"

No answer.

"If he's safe, why hasn't she been with him all this time?"

"Me big chief."

"Oh, yes, I judge you are. But that's nothing to me. I'm big chief,
too. I own this corner of the universe--and I want to know about that
girl's daddy."

"Him great man."

"Well--go ahead; tell the rest of it."

"Him settle among my tribe; him never leave our country. 'Big country,
fat country, very rich. Him change name--everything; him one of us.
Marry my daughter. THAT girl not his daughter--daughter of dead woman.
Keep her away from him all time, so him never see white man, white
woman, white child, forget white people, be good Indian. The girl make
him think of dead woman. When a man marry again, not good to remember
dead woman. Him think girl dead, but no care, no worry, no sad. SHE
never his daughter--dead woman's daughter. All his path is white, no
more blue. Him very glad, every day--my daughter his wife. She keep
scalp-knife from his head. My braves capture--they dance about fire,
she say 'No.' She marry him. Their path is white; the sky over them
is white."

He rose, straight as an arrow, and turned his grim face toward the
horse.

"I see. And you don't want to tell me where he is, because you want
him to forget he is a white man?"

"Him always live with my people; him marry my daughter."

"Tell me this; is he far away?"

"Very far. Many days. You never find him. You stay here, keep girl,
and me and my people your friends. You come after him--not your
friends!"

"Why, bless your heart, I never want to see that man again; your
daughter is welcome to him, but I'm afraid she's got a bad bargain.
This girl's just as I'd have her--unencumbered. I'm AWFUL glad you
come, pardner! Whenever you happen