dugout than with them in a palace on Lake Michigan. But it's all
a matter of getting Lahoma out into the big world, and you gave me
a terrible jolt, scaring me that after all we'd made a mistake, and
they was just of your plain every-day cloth."

Wilfred moved uneasily. "Has Lahoma made their acquaintance, then?"

"It looks like it, don't it?"

"What looks like it?" Wilfred asked with sudden sharpness.

"Why, her going off, with 'em to spend the winter in high life."

"That's why I was so glad to see you," Bill explained, "her being
gone, and us so lonesome. That's why I'd like to have you stay with
us a long time--until she comes back, if it suits you."

"But I thought.... But I came here to see Lahoma," cried Wilfred,
unable to conceal his disappointment. "I thought as I came up the
road that I saw her half-opening the cabin-door."

"That was Red Feather taking a peep at you. He's the Indian that
brought Lahoma to Willock, as a child. He comes, about once a year,
to see us, but this time he was a little too late for Lahoma. Yes,
she's gone East--they're all putting up in Kansas City just now; on
their way to Chicago."

"Son," said Willock, puffing steadily at his pipe, "why did you want
to see Lahoma?"