gauging his
right to independence by the amount of his bank account."

Mr. Haydon shrugged his shoulders, and tapped his foot with the
gold-headed umbrella he carried.

"Oh, yes. I suppose it seems very fine in young minds and a young country,
to cultivate an indifference to wealth; but to older minds and
civilization it grows to be a necessity. Is that object over there also
one of the solid men of the community?"

It was Akkomi he had reference to, and the serene manner with which the
old fellow glanced over them, and nonchalantly smoked his pipe in the
doorway, did give him the appearance of a fixture about the camp, and
puzzled Lyster somewhat, for he had never before met the ancient chief.

He nodded his head, however, saying "How?" in friendly greeting, and the
Indian returned the civility in the same way, but gave slight attention to
the speaker. All the attention of his little black eyes was given to the
stranger, who did not address him, and whose gaze was somewhat critical
and altogether contemptuous.

Then Mrs. Huzzard, without waiting for them to reach the door, hurried out
to greet Lyster.

"I'm as glad as any woman can be to see you back again," she said
heartily, "though it's more than I hoped for so soon, and--Yes, the doctor
says she's a little better, thank God! And your name has been on her lips
more than once--poor dear!--since she has been flighty, and all the
thanks I feel to you for bringing Lavina right along I can never tell you;
for it seems a month since I saw a woman last. I just can't count the
squaw! And do you want to come in and look at our poor little girl now?
She won't know you; but if you wish--"

"May I?" asked Lyster, gratefully. Then he turned to the stranger.

"Your daughter back home is about the same age," he remarked. "Will you
come in?"

"Oh, certainly," answered Mr. Haydon, rather willing to go anywhere away
from the very annoying old redskin of the pipe and the very--very
scrutinizing eyes.

The doctor and Overton had passed into the room where Harris was, and Mrs.
Huzzard halted at the door with her cousin, so that the two men approached
the bed alone. The dark form of Akkomi had slipped in after them like a
shadow, but a very alert one, for his head was craned forward that his
eyes might lose never an expression of the fine stranger's face.

'Tana's eyes were closed, but her lips moved voicelessly. The light was
dim in the little room, and Lyster bent over to