p was charming to see, and the
Parkers looked on with amazement. Two Horns, deft, attentive, careful,
anticipated every want. Nothing could be finer than the perfectly
cheerful assistance he rendered the pretty cook. His manner was like
that of an elder brother rather than that of a servant.

"I didn't suppose Indians ever worked around a camp, and especially
with a woman," remarked Parker.

"What you don't know about Indians is still a large volume, Parker,"
retorted Lawson. "If you stay around with this outfit for a few weeks
you'll gather a great deal of information useful for a sculptor of
redmen."

Elsie took Lawson mildly to task for his sharp reply.

Lawson admitted that it made him impatient when a man like Parker opened
his mouth on things he knew nothing about. "You never can tell what your
best friend will do, can you? Parker is decidedly fresh. If he keeps on
he'll become tiresome."

Elsie presumed on her enormous experience of three months on the
reservation, and gave Parker many valuable hints of how to wheedle the
Tetongs in personal contact.

"It seems I'm being schooled," he complained.

"You need it," was Lawson's disconcerting reply.

As night fell, and the fire began to glow in the cool, sweet dark with
increasing power, they all sat round the flame and planned the trip into
the mountains.

"I have some Tetongs up there who are disposed to keep very clear of the
agency. Red Wolf is their head man. You may all go with me and see my
council with him if you like."

"Oh! that will be glorious fun!" cried Elsie.

But Parker asked, a little anxiously, "You think it safe?" which amused
Curtis, and Parker hastened to explain: "You've no idea what a bad
reputation these Tetongs have. Anyhow, I would not feel justified in
taking Mrs. Parker into any danger."

"She is quite safe," replied Curtis. "I will answer for the action of my
wards."

"Well, if you are quite sure!"

"How far away Washington seems now!" remarked Elsie, after a silence. "I
feel as if I had gone back to the very beginning of things."

"It seems the end of things for the Tetongs," replied Lawson. "We forget
that fact sometimes when we are anxious to have them change to our ways.
Barring out a few rudenesses, their old life was a beautiful adaptation
of organism to environment. Isn't that so, Curtis?"

"It certainly had its idyllic side."

"But they must have been worried to death for fear of getting scalped,"
said Parke