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Good Indian looked in the hammock, but Evadna was not there He went to the little stone bench at the head of the pond, and when he still did not see her he followed the bank around to thein the doorith her arm thrown around her Aunt Phoebe's shoulders in a pretty protective laddened She did not see hieously the three inseparables, Hagar, Viney, and Lucy, squatted at the top of the steps, and she was speaking her rily Good Indian knew that tone of old, and he grinned Also he stopped by the corner of the house, and listened sha very clearly "You're a bad old squaw and you tell lies You ought to be put in jail for talking that way" She pressed her aunt's shoulder affectionately "Don't you mind a word she says, Aunt Phoebe She's just a , and she--oh, I'd like to beat her!"

Hagar shook her head violently, and her voice rose shrill andshort Evadna's futile defiance

"Ka-a-ay bueno, yo'!" Her teeth gnashed together upon the words "I no telluhs All tiebrush All tirow I seeuo tell sheriff hs I tellum--"

"Why didn't you, then, when the sheriff was in Hartley?" Evadna flung at her angrily "Because you know it's a lie That's why"

"Yo' thinkurin was at its malevolent widest Her black eyes sparkled with venoo all tilad word Good Injun ka-a-ay bueno Love Squaw-talk-far-off No love yo' Speakum lies, yo' Makum yo' heap cry all time Makeunificance toward the girl in the doorway

"Don't you listen to her, honey" It was Phoebe's turn to reassure

Good Indian took a step forward, his face white with rage Viney saw hi, and the three sprang up and backed away from his approach

"So you've got to call ar "And even that doesn't satisfy you You--"

Evadna rushed up the steps like a crisp little ind, and caught his arhtly in her two hands

"Grant! We don't believe a word of it You couldn't do a thing like that Don't we KNOW? Don't pay any attention to her We aren't going to It'll hurt her worse than any kind of punish! Too vile for words! Aunt Phoebe and I shouldn't belittle ourselves by even listening to her SHE can't do any harm unless we let it bother us--what she says I know you never could take a hu It's just her nasty, lying tongue saying what her black old heart wishes could be true" She was speaking in a torrent of trepidation lest he break froret She did not knohat he could do, or would do, but the look of his face frightened her