She went first to all the outer rooms, and unlocked every one of
the outraged doors which, unless in the uproar and excitement of
racing, laughing boys pursuing one another all over the place
with much slamming and good-natured threats of various sorts, had
never before barred the way of any man, be he red or white, came
he at noon or at midnight.

Evadna's door was barricaded, as Phoebe discovered when she
turned the knob and attempted to walk in. She gave the door an
indignant push, and heard a muffled shriek within, as if Evadna's
head was buried under her pillow.

"My grief! A body'd think you expected to be killed and eaten,"
she called out unsympathetically. "You open this door! Vadnie
Ramsey. This is a nice way to act with my own boys, in my own
house! A body'd think--"

There was the sound of something heavy being dragged laboriously
away from tho barricaded door; and in a minute a vividly blue eye
appeared at a narrow crack.

"Oh, I don't see how you dare to L-LIVE in such a place, Aunt
Phoebe!" she cried tearfully, opening the door a bit wider.
"Those Indians--and that awful man--"

"That was only Grant, honey. Let me in. There's a few things I
want to say to you, Vadnie. You promised to help me teach my
boys to be gentle--it's all they lack, and it takes gentle women,
honey--"