woman shook her head. "The child shall not leave my wigwam!"
she declared, obstinately.

"Listen to me!" commanded Miss Stuart, quietly. Ruth and Barbara stood
near her, trembling with excitement. "We mean no harm to your little
girl. Naki will explain matters to you. But she must be properly looked
after. You are too old to attend to her, and your wigwam is not a fit
place. You declare your Eunice shall not go away from you even for a
little time." Miss Sallie spoke slowly and impressively. "If you do not
allow the child to go away, now, for a short time, so that the doctor can
make her well for you, she will leave you forever!"

But still the Indian woman muttered: "My child shall not leave my wigwam.
Indians have no need for white men's doctors."

"You are alone, aren't you?" inquired Miss Stuart, gently. "Are not you
and your grandchild the last of your race? Perhaps, if you had allowed
it, the doctors might have kept other members of your family for you."

The Indian woman shivered. Miss Stuart had touched some chord in her
memory. She raised her black eyes to Miss Sallie and spoke mournfully.
"You are right!" she asserted. "My grandchild and I are the last of a
great race. I am very old and I am now afraid. Let your white medicine
man make my Eunice well again. But I must follow where the child goes.
Down in the village they will steal her from me."

"Why, who would wish to steal her from you?" inquired Miss Stuart.

The old woman mumbled. "An enemy came to my door but yesterday." Then a
look of cunning crossed her face. She spoke childishly. "The lady is
wise!" she declared. "Who could wish to steal a poor little Indian girl?
Who in all this world has a claim on her but her poor old grandmother?
Enough has been said. An Indian does not like too much talk. The child
and I will go down into the valley to ask the service of the white
doctor. Naki is my friend. I will do as he says. An Indian can keep a
secret. Naki has long known that my child and I lived on this hilltop,
but he has not betrayed us. He has not even told his own wife. An Indian
can keep a secret." The old woman rocked back and forth as though well
pleased with herself.

"Keep whatever secrets you will!" Miss Sallie replied. "It is enough that
you will permit the child to have proper care."

"Girls!" Miss Stuart spoke from the depth of the largest chair in the
living room of their log cabin. It was nearly dusk and she was worn out
from her lo