the middle
of the river.'

"But again that would be bragging," was her puzzled afterthought. "Just
like Jesus is not helping me one bit, for very fast I went and bought
the brown shoes and stockings after I had prayed to stop being vain.
And the teachers looked so sorry, and I was ashamed to tell the white
mother. Everything I say and do is vain and bragging, and I cannot
think hard enough to help it. My tongue bragged about Dolly and
Lucinda's hair ribbons to the little girls, and my feet bragged about
the issue shoes, I stuck them out so far. And when the girls made fun
of me I did not pull the shoes back, for I wanted them to think I was
not scared, but sorry. I was truly trying to try hard, but I was trying
the wrong way. Now my pencil will be bragging if it tells Hannah
Straight Tree I have drowned the things."

Cordelia sat in troubled thought while the pink and golden colors of the
sunset faded from the sky above the bluffs and the wind sighed through
the hollow.

"The white mother says it is not right to even waste a pin, and many
nice things that have cost much money would be wasted if I drowned them.
I shall look at them and think again what I can do."

She drew the contents from the bag and spread them on her lap. First
she gave attention to the little blue dress she had helped to make at
the expense of many play hours.

[Illustration: She drew the contents from her bag and spread them on
her lap.]

"Emma Two Bears made the waist so nice and said she would not take one
thing for pay, but I made her take a shell necklace that was very
pretty; but I did not care for it myself, it was so Indian-minded. Emma
is so generous. I wish I could be generous. If I should give the blue
dress to Dolly, and the black shoes and stockings, just like I should be
some generous. What if I should truly do it?" with a sudden interest in
her tone. "She would look as pretty as the little schoolgirls then, and
she could motion Jack Frost, and Hannah and the others could not say
Susie did not need the red dress and the brown shoes and stockings. I
am 'most sure Jessie Turning Heart will help me make the red dress, if I
bring the playroom wood for her, till we change work next month. She
hates to bring wood, for her foot gets cold, and then the sore bunch
pinches her much worse. She is very fast and stylish making dresses,
and she feather-stitches; and she says she is not cross at me. She said
one time she like