e of all. Olive sat often in the tent alone.

One evening Laska had departed earlier than usual to the wigwam of a
neighboring squaw and Olive was huddled up on the dry grass in front of
their fire, trying to keep from freezing. The air was filled with smoke.
The girl looked scornfully at the two beds of straw, covered with coarse
Indian blankets, where she and Indian Laska slept. Before her eyes came
the vision of the splendid living-room at Rainbow Lodge. She could see
the ranch girls and their cousin before the great fire and wondered if
they ever thought of her now. Olive did not know how long a time had
passed since she was stolen.

Sticking out from under Laska's bed was the bundle which she had borne
on her back across the plains. Until this moment she had kept it hidden
from Olive, except during their trip, when she had gotten their food
from it.

Olive was not particularly interested in her discovery. But it occurred
to her that this bag might have something to eat in it, which would aid
her, if she could manage to get away. She drew out the dirty sheepskin
bag and thrust her hand into it, shuddering at the things she touched.
There were some odd bits of soiled clothing and a small package, tied up
in an old, red cotton handkerchief. Olive had seen the package in the
handkerchief before, in Laska's hut in the village. But she had never
been interested to find out what it contained. To-night she cared for
anything that would break the monotony of the long hours ahead of her.

Olive looked cautiously at the tent opening. The place was entirely
still. There was not a sound in the lonely tepee, save the blowing of
the winter winds across the desert. The girl crawled to a spot where the
fire cast its brightest glow. Patiently she worked at the hard knots in
the handkerchief. There was a roll of money in it tied up with a cord.
Olive tossed the money impatiently aside. What use was money to her in
this wild land? Olive had known always that Laska got money from some
unknown source. She always had more than the other Indians in their
village, and Jack had explained to Olive that this money was sent to
Laska for taking care of her. Olive searched for a bit of paper,
something to show from what place or from whom this money came. But
there was no scrap of anything of that sort.

Beside the money, there was a small box in the handkerchief. It was of
delicate, carved wood and smelled very sweet. Olive saw at once that