fight."

Grant nodded silently. It would seem that Peppajee understood, even
though his speech was halting. At that moment much of the unfounded
prejudice, which had been for a few days set aside because of bigger
things, died within him. He had disliked Peppajee as a pompous egotist
among his kind. His latent antagonism against all Indians because they
were unwelcomely his blood relatives had crystallized here and there
against; certain individuals of the tribe. Old Hagar he hated coldly.
Peppajee's staginess irritated him. In his youthful arrogance he had not
troubled to see the real man of mettle under that dingy green blanket.
Now he looked at Peppajee with a startled sense that he had never known
him at all, and that Peppajee was not only a grimy Indian--he was also a
man.

"Me no sabe one thing. One otha thing me sabe. Yo' no b'lieve Baumberga
one frien'. Him all same snake. Them mens come, Baumberga tellum come
all time. All time him try for foolum Peaceful. Yo' look out. Yo' no
sleepum mo'. All time yo' watchum."

"I come here," said Good Indian; "I think you mebbyso hear talk, you
tell me. My heart heap sad, I let this trouble come. I want to kill
that trouble. Mebbyso make my friends laugh, be heap glad those men no
stealum ranch. You hear talk, mebbyso you tell me now."

Peppajee smoked imperturbably what time his dignity demanded. At length
he took the pipe from his mouth, stretched out his arm toward Hartley,
and spoke in his sonorous tone, calculated to add weight to his words.

"Yo' go speakum Squaw-talk-far-off," he commanded. "All time makum
talk--talk--" He drummed with his fingers upon his left forearm.
"Mebbyso heap sabe. Heap sabe Baumberga kay bueno. He thinkum sabe
stealum ranch. All time heap talk come Man-that-coughs, come all same
Baumberga. Heap smart, dat squaw." A smile laid its faint light upon
his grim old lips, and was gone. "Thinkum yo' heap bueno, dat squaw. All
time glad for talkum yo'. Yo' go."

Good Indian stood up, his head bent to avoid scraping his hat against
the sloping roof of the wikiup.

"You no hear more talk all time you watch?" he asked, passing over Miss
Georgie's possible aid or interest in the affair.

"Much talkum--no can hear. All time them damn' Baumberga shut door--no
talkum loud. All time Baumberga walkum in dark. Walkum where apples
grow, walkum grass, walkum all dat ranch all time. All time me heap
watchum. Snake come, bitum foot--no can watchum mo'. Dat