William, the driver who had handled the emigrant wagon the day before, came along as the men were saddling the ponies for the ride out to the ranch.  He had an open letter in his hand that he had evidently just received.

“Say!” he drawled, “didn’t I hear something about you taking this Injun gal away from Dakota Joe’s show?  Ain’t that so, Miss Fielding?”

“Her contract with that man ran out and Mr. Hammond hired her,” Ruth explained.

“And that left the show flat in Chicago?” pursued William.

“It was in Chicago the last we saw of it,” agreed Ruth.  “But Wonota had left Dakota Joe’s employ long before that—­while the show was in New England.”

“Wal, I don’t know how that is,” said William.  “I got a letter from a friend of mine that’s been ridin’ with Dakota Joe.  He says the show’s done busted and Joe lays it to his losing this Injun gal.  Joe’s a mighty mean man.  He threatens to come out here and bust up this whole company,” and William grinned.

“You want to tell Mr. Hammond that,” said Ruth, shortly.

“I did,” chuckled William.  “But he don’t seem impressed none.  However, Miss Fielding, I want to say that Dakota Joe has done some mighty mean tricks in his day.  Everybody knows him around here—­yes, ma’am!  If he comes here, better keep your eyes open.”

CHAPTER XVII

THE PROLOGUE IS FINISHED

“We must do something very nice for Wonota,” Helen Cameron said seriously.  “She has twice within a few hours come to our succor.  I feel that we might all three have been seriously injured had she not turned the mules yesterday, and frightened off those mad horses on the trail last evening.”

“‘Seriously injured,’ forsooth!” grumbled Jennie Stone.  “What do you mean?  Didn’t I show you my bruises?  I was seriously injured as it was!  But I admit I feel grateful—­heartily grateful—­to our Indian princess.  I might have suffered broken bones in addition to bruised flesh.”

“We could not reward her,” Ruth Fielding said decidedly.  “I would not hurt her feelings for the world.”

“We can do something nice for her, without labeling it a reward, I should hope,” Helen Cameron replied.  “I know what I would like to do.”

“What is that?” asked Jennie, quickly.

“You remember when they dressed Wonota up in that evening frock there in New York?  To take the ballroom picture, I mean?”

“Indeed, yes!” cried Jennie Stone.  And she looked too sweet for anything.”

“She is a pretty girl,” agreed Ruth.

“I saw her preening before the mirror,” said Helen, smiling.  “That she is an Indian girl doesn’t make her different from the other daughters of Eve.”

“Somebody has said that the fashion-chasing women must be daughters of Lilith,” put in Jennie.

“Never mind.  Wonota likes pretty frocks.  You could see that easily enough.  And although some of the Osage girls may follow the fashions in the mail order catalogs, I believe Wonota has been brought up very simply.  ‘Old-fashioned,’ you may say.”