od scrub
with Bristol brick. But then, if you're set on going, you'll go,
'course. I jest wish Bud hadn't 'a' gone home with that Jasper Kemp. He
might 'a' gone along, an' then you'd 'a' had somebody to speak English
to."

"Yes, it would have been nice to have William along," said Margaret;
"but I think I'll be all right. Mrs. Brownleigh wouldn't send anybody
that wasn't nice."

"H'm! I dun'no'! She's an awful crank. She just loves them Injuns, they
say. But I, fer one, draw the line at holdin' 'em in my lap. I don't
b'lieve in mixin' folks up that way. Preach to 'em if you like, but let
'em keep their distance, I say."

Margaret laughed and went off to pick up her things. Rosa stood smiling
and talking to Jed until she saw Margaret and Mrs. Tanner go off
together, the Indians riding slowly along behind.

Rosa waited until the Indians had turned off the road down toward the
Tanners', and then she mounted her own pony and rode swiftly home.

She rushed up to her room and took off her fine apparel, arraying
herself quickly in a plain little gown, and went down to prepare the
provisions. There was none too much time, and she must work rapidly. It
was well for her plans that she was all-powerful with the servants and
could send them about at will to get them out of her way. She invented a
duty for each now that would take them for a few minutes well out of
sight and sound; then she hurried together the provisions in a basket,
making two trips to get them to the shelter where she had told the
Indian he would find the horse tied. She had to make a third trip to
bring the blankets and a few other things she knew would be
indispensable, but the whole outfit was really but carelessly gotten
together, and it was just by chance that some things got in at all.

It was not difficult to find the old cayuse she intended using for a
pack-horse. He was browsing around in the corral, and she soon had a
halter over his head, for she had been quite used to horses from her
babyhood.

She packed the canned things, tinned meats, vegetables, and fruit into a
couple of large sacks, adding some fodder for the horses, a box of
matches, some corn bread, of which there was always plenty on hand in
the house, some salt pork, and a few tin dishes. These she slung pack
fashion over the old horse, fastened the sardine-tin containing the gold
pieces where it would be easily found, tied the horse to a tree, and
retired behind a shelter of sage-b