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sleep； for the autumn had continued delightful； and the cove seemed to the
child her home； of which the dugout was a sort of cellar。 Concerning the
stone retreat in the crevice she knew nothing。 Willock did not know why
he kept the secret； since he trusted Lahoma with all his treasures； but the
unreasoning reticence of the man of great loneliness still rested on him。
Some day； he would tellbut not just yet。
〃Lahoma；〃 he said one day； 〃there's a settler over yonder in the
mountains across the south plain。 How'd you like to pay him a visit？〃
〃I don't want anybody but you；〃 said Lahoma promptly。
Willock stood on one leg； rubbing the other meditatively with his
delighted foot。 Not the quiver of a muscle； however； revealed the fact that
her words had flooded his heart with sunshine。 〃Well； honey； that's in
reason。 But I've got to take you with me after books and winter supplies；
and I don't like the idea of traveling alone。 It come to me that I might get
Mr。 Settler to go； too。 Time was not so long ago when Injun bands was
coming and going； and although old Greer is beginning to be sprinkled up
with settlers； here and there； I can't get over the feel of the old times。 They
ain't no sensation as sticks by a man when he's come to be wedged in
between forty…five and fifty； as the feel of the old times。〃
〃Well；〃 said Lahoma earnestly； 〃I wish you'd leave me here when you
go after them books。 I don't want to be with no strangers； I want to just
squat right here and bear myself company。〃
〃That's in reason。 But； honey； while you might be safe enough whilst
bearing the same； I would be plumb crazy worrying about you。 I might not
have good cause for worrying； but worryingit ain't no bird that spreads
its wings and goes north when cold weather comes； worryingit's
independent of causes and seasons。〃
〃If you have got to be stayed with to keep you from worrying； they
ain't nothing more to be said。〃
〃Just so。 That there old settler； I have crossed a few words with him；
and I believe he would do noble to travel with。 He's as gruff and growly as
a grizzly bear if you say a word to him； and if he'll just turn all that temper
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he's vented on me on to any strangers we may run up against on the trail；
he'll do invaluable。〃
〃I'll go catch up the pony；〃 said Lahoma briefly； 〃for I see the thing is
to be did。 This will be the first visit I ever made in my life when I wasn't
drug by the Injuns。〃
〃You mustn't say 'drug；' honey； unless specifying medicines and herbs。
I ain't saying you didn't get it from me； and knowing you do get from me
all I got； is what makes me hone for them books。 You must say 'dragged。'
The Injuns DRAGGED you from one village to another。〃 He paused
meditatively； muttering the word to himself； while Lahoma ran away to
catch the pony。 When she came back； leading it by the mane； he said； 〃I've
been a…weighing that word； Lahoma； and it don't seem to me that 'dragged'
sounds proper。 It don't seem no sort of word to use in a parlor。 What do
you think？ DRAGGED！ How does that strike you？〃
〃I don't like the sound of it； neither；〃 said Lahoma； shaking her head。
〃I think DRUG is softer。 It kinder melts in the ear； and DRAGGED
sticks。〃
〃Well； don't use neither one till I can find out。〃 Presently he was
swinging along across the plain toward the southwestern range while the
girl kept close beside him on the pony。 Their talk was incessant； voicing
the soul of good comradeship； and but for the difference between heavy
bass and fluty soprano； a listener might have supposed himself
overhearing a conversation between two Brick Willocks。
There was nothing about the second range of the Wichita Mountains to
distinguish it from the one farthest toward the northeast except a precipice
at its extremity； rising a sheer three or four hundred feet above the level
plain。 Beyond this lofty termination； the mountain curved inward； leaving
a wide grassy cove open toward the south； and within this half…circle was
the settler's dugout。
The unprotected aspect of that little home was in itself an eloquent
commentary on the wonderful changes that had come about during the last
seventeen years。 The oval tract of one million five hundred thousand acres
lying between Red River and its fork； named Greer County； and claimed
by Texas； was in miniature a reproduction of the early history of America。
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Until 1860 it had not even borne a name； and since then it had possessed
no settled abodes。 Here bands of Indians of various tribes had come and
gone at will； and here the Indians of the Plains； after horrible deeds of
depredation； massacre and reprisal； had found shelter among its mountains。
The country lay at the southwest corner of Indian Territory for which the
Indians had exchanged their lands in other parts of the United States on
the guarantee that the government would 〃forever secure to them and their
heirs the country so exchanged with them。〃
At the close of the Civil War the unhappy Indians long continued in a
state of smoldering animosity； or warlike activity； tribe against tribe； band
against band； they had inherited the rancor and bitterness of the White
Man's war with neither the fruits of victory nor the dignity that attends
honorable defeat。 The reservations that belonged originally to the
Cherokee； Choctaw； Chickasaw； Seminole and Creek tribes； were reduced
in area to make room for new tribes from Kansas； Colorado and other
states； and the Indian wars resulted。 For a time the scalp…knife was
crimsoned； the stake was charred； bands stole in single file over mountains
and among half…dried streams； troups of the regular army were assaulted
by invisible foes； and forts were threatened。 Youths who read romances of
a hundred years ago dealing with the sudden war…cry； the flaming cabin；
the stealthy approach of swarming savages； need have traveled only a few
hundred miles to witness on the open page of life what seemed to them； in
their long…settled states； fables of a dead past。
But though the Indian wars in the Territory had been bloody and
vindictive； they had not been protracted as in the old days。 Around the
country of the red man was drawn closer and more securely； day by day；
the girdle of civilization。 Within its constricting grasp the spirit of
savagery； if not crushed； was at least subdued。 Tribes naked but for their
blankets； unadorned save by the tattoo； found themselves pressed close to
other tribes which； already civilized； had relinquished the chase for
agricultural pursuits。 Primeval men； breathing this quickened atmosphere
of modernity； either grew more sophisticated； or perished like wild flowers
brought too near the heat。 It is true the plains were still unoccupied； but
they had been capturedfor the railroad had come； and the buffalo had
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vanished。
Brick Willock and the man he had come to see were very good types
of the first settlers of the new countryone a highwayman； hiding from his
kind； the other a trapper by occupation； trying to keep ahead of the
pursuing waves of immigration。 It was the first time Lahoma had seen Bill
Atkins； and as she caught sight of him before his dugout； her eyes
brightened with interest。 He was a tall lank man of about sixty…five； with a
huge gray mustache and bushy hair of iron…gray； but without a beard。 The
mustache gave him an effect of exceeding fierceness； and the deeply
wrinkled forehead and square chin added their testimony to his ungracious
disposition。
But Lahoma was not afraid of coyotes； catamounts or mountain…lions；
and she was not afraid of Bill Atkins。 Her eyes brightened at the discovery
that he held in his hand that which Willock had described to her as a book。
〃Does he read？〃； she asked Willock； breathlessly。 〃Does he read；
Brick？〃