"I do so hope Mr. Van can persuade
them to be friendly with you," said
Marie. "I know he and Charlie will
be perfectly safe. But it will be hard
to talk them out of their strange dis
like to you. When will you start, Reg-
gie?"
"Early tomorrow morning, if the cap
tain has no objections."
"The sooner the better," agreed
Hardy.
"I'll go and remove my council cos-
tume," said Vandervyn, smiling at his
irreproachable frock coat.
Marie and her father rose with him.
Hardy bowed out the girl and returned
to his desk. He was deep in the midst
of a report on the tribe when, half an
hour later, Vandervyn returned to the
office in his riding togs.
"Charlie may not come back this
afternoon," he remarked. "I thought
I might ride down and tell him about
the trip. I could fetch your mare for
you."
"Very well. I shall be obliged," re
plied Hardy, and he returned to his
study of the report.
Vandervyn rode down along the far
side of the stream, keeping the thick
ets as much as possible between him
self and the Dupont house. He did
not recross the creek until he was op
posite Redbear's home. He found the
cabin door closed. But at a slicht
movement of the window curtains h
i haca vent UP to beckon wl*h a lordly
gesture. Then* ra a *nort pause*
Then the door opened a scant inch.
"Hello I" he said. "Where's your
brother?"
"He hashas gone to tell the po
lice families."
"On the agent's mare," guessed Van
dervyn.
"Pleasehe didn't mean any harm
please don't tell on him."
"That depends," replied Vandervyn.
