But this was not the kind of argument to use with a young woman whose blood is up.

“Don’t you recognize anything but orders?” she cried.  “Inspector Egerton is hundreds of miles away by this time.  Are you going to wait for his orders before you act?”

Plaskett’s position was not an enviable one.  “When anything new comes up I have to act for myself,” he explained stiffly.  “The story about this girl is not new.  During the past week I have examined every principal man in the tribe and many of the women.

“I have not found any clue to the existence of such a person.  Moreover, every man has testified in unmistakable signs that Ambrose Doane was not only at large while he was with them, but that he directed all their movements.”

“They have been told that by saying this they can save themselves,” said Colina.

“Possibly,” said Plaskett, “but I cannot believe that among so many there is not one who would betray himself.”

For half an hour they had it out, back and forth, without making any progress.  Plaskett used all of a man’s arguments to persuade her to return to Enterprise.

Colina, seeing that she was getting nowhere, finally feigned to submit.  She obtained his permission to go among the Indians by herself in the hope that they might tell her something they were afraid to tell the police.

Accompanied by Cora she went from teepee to teepee.  The Kakisas showed themselves awed by her condescension, but still they were uncommunicative.

She was Gaviller’s daughter.  The place of honor by the fire was made for her, tea hastily warmed up, and doubtful Indian delicacies produced.  But she learned nothing.

At any mention of the names Ambrose Doane or Nesis a subtle, walled look crept into their eyes, and they became unaccountably stupid.

She was about to give up this line of inquiry when, at a little distance from the nearest teepee, she came upon a girl engaged in dressing a moose-hide stretched upon a great frame.  There were no other Indians near.  Colina resolved upon a last attempt.

CHAPTER XXXVII.

MARYA.

Colina drew near the girl, pausing as if casually interested in her work.  She was a fat girl, with a peculiarly good-humored expression, and evinced no awe at Colina’s approach, but unaffected delight.

Colina obeyed an inward suggestion, sent Cora back to the Grampierres, and sat down beside Marya, determined to take plenty of time to establish friendly relations.

This was not difficult.  The plump, copper-skinned maiden was overjoyed by the opportunity to examine anything so wonderful as a white girl at close range.

No part of Colina’s person or attire escaped her scrutiny.  Marya stroked her with a soft crooning.  The fastidious Colina bore it, smiling.  At the throat of her waist Colina was wearing a topaz-pin, to which the Indian girl’s eyes ever returned, dazzled.