vocabulary in trying to describe the "Injuns," her own feeling of
protest against them, and Mrs. Brownleigh's foolishness in making so
much of them; and then she bustled in to the old pine desk in the
dining-room and produced the letter that had started Margaret off as
soon as commencement was over.

Gardley took the letter eagerly, as though it were something to connect
him with Margaret, and read it through carefully to make sure just how
matters stood. He had looked troubled when Mrs. Tanner told how tired
Margaret was, and how worried she seemed about her school and glad to
get away from it all; and he agreed that the trip was probably a good
thing.

"I wish Bud could have gone along, though," he said, thoughtfully, as he
turned away from the door. "I don't like her to go with just Indians,
though I suppose it is all right. You say he had his wife and child
along? Of course Mrs. Brownleigh wouldn't send anybody that wasn't
perfectly all right. Well, I suppose the trip will be a rest for her.
I'm sorry I didn't get home a few days sooner. I might have looked out
for her myself."

He rode away from the Tanners', promising to return later with a gift he
had brought for Bud that he wanted to present himself, and Mrs. Tanner
bustled back to her work again.

"Well, I'm glad he's got home, anyway," she remarked, aloud, to herself
as she hung her dish-cloth tidily over the upturned dish-pan and took up
her broom. "I 'ain't felt noways easy 'bout her sence she left, though I
do suppose there ain't any sense to it. But I'm _glad he's back_!"

Meantime Gardley was riding toward Rogers's ranch, meditating whether he
should venture to follow the expedition and enjoy at least the return
trip with Margaret, or whether he ought to remain patiently until she
came back and go to work at once. There was nothing really important
demanding his attention immediately, for Rogers had arranged to keep the
present overseer of affairs until he was ready to undertake the work. He
was on his way now to report on a small business matter which he had
been attending to in New York for Rogers. When that was over he would be
free to do as he pleased for a few days more if he liked, and the
temptation was great to go at once to Margaret.

As he stood waiting beside his horse in front of the house while the
servant went to call Rogers, he looked about with delight on the beauty
of the day. How glad he was to be back in Arizona again! Was it the