“‘What does he have to say?’

“‘Humph!’ grunted Harman.  ’I offered to buy him off, but he threatened to serve me up with dumplings and wear my scalp in his belt.  Such insolence!  Alicia wouldn’t speak to me for a week.’

“‘You made a mistake there,’ said I.  ’Running Elk is a Sioux.  As for Alicia, she’s thoroughly spoiled.  She’s never been denied any single thing in all her life, and she has your disposition.  It’s a difficult situation.’

“‘Difficult!  It’s scandalous—­hideous!’

“‘How old is Alicia?’

“’Nineteen.  Oh, I’ve worn out that argument!  She says she’ll wait.  You know she has her own money, from her mother.’

“‘Does Running Elk come to your house?’

“At this my old friend roared so fiercely that I hastened to say:  ’I’ll see the boy at once.  I have more influence with him than anybody else.’

“’I hope you can show him how impossible, how criminal, it is to ruin my girl’s life.’  Harman said this seriously.  ’Yes, and mine, too, for that matter.  Suppose the yellow newspapers got hold of this!’ He shuddered.  ’Doc, I love that girl so well that I’d kill her with my own hands rather than see her disgraced, ridiculed—­’

“‘Tut, tut!’ said I.  ‘That’s pride—­just plain, selfish pride.’

“’I don’t care a damn what it is, I’d do it.  I earned my way in the world, but she’s got blue blood in her and she was born to a position; she goes everywhere.  When she comes out she’ll be able to marry into the best circles in America.  She could marry a duke, if she wanted to.  I’d buy her one if she said the word.  Naturally, I can’t stand for this dirty, low-browed Injun.’

“‘He’s not dirty,’ I declared, ’and he’s not as low-browed as some foreigner you’d be glad to pick out for her.’

“‘Well, he’s an Injun,’ retorted Harman, ’and that’s enough.  We’ve both seen ’em tried; they all drop back where they started from.  You know that as well as I do.’

“‘I don’t know it,’ said I, thinking of my theories.  ’I’ve been using him to make an experiment, but—­the experiment has gotten away from me.  I dare say you’re right.  I wanted him to meet and to know white girls, but I didn’t want him to marry one—­certainly not a girl like Alicia.  No, we must put a stop to this affair.  I’ll see him right away.’

“‘To-morrow is Thanksgiving,’ said Henry.  ’Wait over and go up with us and see the football game.’

“‘Are you going?’

“Harman grimaced.  ’Alicia made me promise.  I’d rather take her than let her go with friends—­there’s no telling what she might do.’

“‘Why let her go at all?’ I objected.

“The old fellow laughed mirthlessly.  ’Why let her?  Running Elk plays full-back!  How stop her?  We’ll pick you up at your hotel in the morning and drive you up in the car.  It’s the big game of the year.  You’ll probably enjoy it.  I won’t!’