m around the waist, and tossed him, seemingly with scarcely an
effort, into the water. The other abductor scrambled forward to get out
of his reach. The chief bent for a minute over his daughter, and then
Ruth saw that the girl was free and that she stood up, unhurt. It was all
over so quickly that it left Ruth breathless.

"Miss Ruth! Miss Ruth!" cried the Indian girl. "I am all right. My
father, Chief Totantora, would not let these bad white men carry me away
a captive."

Ruth waved her hand to the younger girl. But she watched the white man
who was swimming for the shore. She was not afraid of him--any more than
the Indian chief was fearful of the other white man perched in the bow of
the motor-boat.

The swimmer reached the bank, caught hold of an overhanging bush, and
dragged himself out of the river. He was a hang-dog looking sort of
fellow, anyway; and in his saturated condition his appearance was not
improved. He lay panting for a minute like an expiring fish, and Ruth
looked down at him perhaps more contemptuously than she realized.

"Well, who you looking at?" he growled at length.

"I suppose I am looking at one of Mr. Horatio Bilby's choice assistants,"
Ruth returned scornfully.

"Huh? What do you know about Bilby?" demanded the fellow, evidently much
surprised.

"I know nothing very good of him, I am sure," the girl of the Red Mill
replied coolly. "And I am quite confident that you are a fit companion
for him."

The fellow sat up and leered at her.

"I ain't such a mighty fine sight just now, I guess," he said. "But there
are worse than me. I didn't know there were any white folks interested in
this business."

"You make a perfectly proper distinction," Ruth told him. "Bilby is not a
white man--not in his business ethics I am sure. I want to warn you that
those Indians have powerful friends and you would do well to have nothing
more to do with them."

"I get you," growled the fellow. "But take it from me; that Injun don't
need no friends. He can take care of himself. He's as strong as a bull."

"And with a temper you would best not ruffle. I do not know what Bilby's
scheme was, or how he got you into it. But take my advice and keep out of
any further association with Bilby in this matter."

"You don't have to warn me and my partner," said the fellow. "We got
enough right now. Is he coming ashore?"

He turned to look at the boat, and then leaped to his feet in some fear.
Totantora, by leani