share now and let him get some rest and sleep. 'Tana die! I
can't think it. But I care ten times more for Dan, just because of his
devotion to her. I wonder what he would think if he knew why I wanted her
to go to school, or how much she was in my mind every hour I was gone. I
felt like telling him just now, but better not--not yet. He thinks she is
only a little child yet. Dear old Dan!"

He entered the cabin and spoke to Harris, whom he had not seen before, and
who looked with pleasure at him, though, as ever, speechless and moveless,
but for that nod of his head and the bright, quick glance of his eyes.

From him he went again to 'Tana; but she lay still and pale, with closed
eyes and no longer muttering.

"There ain't a blessed thing you can do, Mr. Max," said Mrs. Huzzard, in a
wheezing whisper; "but if there is, you may be sure I'll let you know and
glad to do it. Lavina says she's going to help me to a rest; and you must
help Dan Overton, for slept he has not, and I know it, these eight nights
since I've been here. And if that ain't enough to kill a man!"

"Sure enough. But now that I am here, we will not have any night watches
on his part," decided Lyster. "Between Miss Slocum and myself I think we
can manage to do some very creditable nursing."

"I am willing to do my best," said Miss Lavina, with a shrinking glance
toward Flap-Jacks, who just slouched past with a bucket of water; "but I
must confess I do feel a timidity in the presence of these sly-looking
Indians. And if at night I can only be sure none of them are very close, I
may be able to watch this poor girl instead of watching for them with
their tomahawks."

"Never fear while I am detailed as guard," answered Lyster, reassuringly.
"They will reach you only over my dead body."

"Oh, but--" and the timid one arose as if for instant flight, but was held
by Mrs. Huzzard.

"Now, now!" she said reprovingly to the young fellow, "it's noways
good-natured of you to make us more scared of the dirty things than we are
naturally. But, Lavina, I'll go bail that he never yet has seen a dead
body of their killing since he came in the country. Lord knows, they don't
look as if they would kill a sheep, though they might steal them fast
enough. It ain't from Dan Overton that you ever learned to scare women,
Mr. Max; you wouldn't catch him at such tricks."

"Now I beg that whatever you do, Mrs. Huzzard, you will not compare me to
that personage," objected Lyste