Uncle Jabez, "that if a gal can fire a gun
like you say she can, there ain't much reason to worry about her. She
can take care of herself with that showman."

"But suppose she should be tempted to do something really desperate!"
cried Ruth. "I hope nothing like that will happen. She is really a
savage by instinct."

"And a pretty one," agreed Jennie, thoughtfully.

"Shucks! Pretty is as pretty does," said Aunt Alvirah. "I didn't s'pose
there was any real wild Injuns left."

"You'd think she was wild," chuckled Jennie, "if you'd seen her draw
bead on that Dakota Joe person."

"All that is not so much to the point," pursued Ruth. "I know that the
girl wants to earn money--not alone for her mere living. She could go
back to the reservation and live very comfortably without working--much.
The Osage Nation is not at all poverty stricken and it holds its
property ill community fashion."

"What makes her travel around in such a foolish way, then?" Aunt Alvirah
asked.

"She wants ready cash. She wants it for a good purpose, too," explained
Ruth thoughtfully. "You see, this girl's father is Chief Totantora, a
leading figure in the Osage Nation. The year before Germany began the
war he was traveling with a Wild West Show in Europe. The show was in
the interior of Germany when war came and the frontiers were closed.

"Once only did Wonota hear from her father. He was then in a detention
camp, for, being a good American, he refused to bow down to Hun gods--"

"I should say he had a right to call himself an American, if anybody
has," said Jennie quickly.

"And he is not the only Indian who proved his loyalty to a Government
that, perhaps, has not always treated the original Americans justly,"
Ruth remarked.

"I dunno," grumbled Uncle Jabez. "Injuns is Injuns. You say yourself
this gal is pretty wild."

"She is independent, at any rate. She wishes to earn enough money to set
afoot a private inquiry for Chief Totantora. For she does not believe he
is dead."

"Well, the poor dear," Aunt Alvirah said, "she'd ought to be helped, I
haven't a doubt."

"Now, now!" exclaimed the miller, suspiciously. "Charity begins at home.
I hope you ain't figgerin' on any foolish waste of money, Niece Ruth."

The latter laughed. "I don't think Wonota would accept charity," she
said. "And I have no intention of offering it to her in any case. But I
should like to help the girl find her father--indeed I should."

"You'd oughtn't to thi