Mary Lee the Red Cross Girl Page 6

  The anxious mother was waiting for them.

  "Is the child any better?" the doctor asked.

  "He hasn't seemed to be in pain but he has a high temperature,"answered Mrs. Richardson.

  "Well, it isn't anything serious or it would have been apparent bynow. So we needn't worry. Mary Lee will give the child this laxativeand if he isn't normal in two hours, please let me know. You needn'tsend for the specialist now. If you had sent for him earlier, youwould have saved some worry, for he probably would have realized thatit wasn't serious where I simply made sure."

  "Well, I'd much rather have you make sure than have anyone make aquick guess," answered Mrs. Richardson, much relieved.

  In the meantime, thanks to Mary Lee's soothing and practiced touch,the child had perceptibly calmed and the doctor found his temperaturealready nearer normal.

  Mrs. Richardson thanked Mary Lee for her help as they left.

  "Of course," said Dr. Payson, as he took the girl to her home in hiscar, "every mother should worry; but a child of poor parents wouldhardly get so much attention."

  And then Dr. Payson changed the subject and questioned Mary Lee as tothe Red Cross work her group was doing.

  CHAPTER XIV

  MARY LEE MEETS AN OLD FRIEND

  While plans were being forwarded for the Red Cross Group's effectiveaid, two of our friends--Tom Marshall and Indian Jim--were on theirway to New York City. The latter intended to enlist in the army assoon as he had paid a visit to Mary Lee.

  It was fun for Tom Marshall to draw comparisons between their presentmode of traveling and that of his previous journey which had been madepartly on foot and partly on freight trains. It made the comforts ofthe Pullman in which they were now riding, seem ideal.

  As they were speeding along, the conversation turned to Jim Lee'sintention of enlisting.

  "I shall enlist, too," Tom remarked, "but I have no desire to servelonger than the war."

  Lee, however, argued against his doing so. He dwelt upon theadvisability of his holding off for a time.

  "One of us will be sufficient for the present, partner. It is yourduty to stay behind and negotiate the possible sale of our mine. Ishould feel uneasy if I thought provision had not been made for itssafety and the income turned over to Mary Lee."

  "Very well," his partner replied. "When we get to the city I shallcall upon some people, who will, in all probability, be interested andsee if I cannot dispose of it at a fair figure. I guess an immediatesale is the best thing even if we do have to sacrifice a few thousanddollars."

  "I think so," the Indian agreed. "At any rate, I shall be satisfiedwith your judgment in the matter."

  Two hours later they reached their destination. Tom Marshall hadreceived Mary Lee's address in one of her letters and although he hadnot told her who his partner was, he had given her some idea of thegood fortune their mine had brought them.

  The two men made their way to a hotel. They had purchased some cityclothes at the time they entered the States on their return fromMexico. Now they secured some more ready made and fashionable suitsand it would have been difficult to recognize in the trim, well garbedfigures, the rough and unkempt prospectors of little more than a monthbefore. Each one of them took great pride in appearing at his bestbefore Mary Lee.

  Tom Marshall recollected that Mary Lee had written him of herafternoon position with Dr. Payson so the two men decided not to calluntil evening. To Tom, accustomed to his partner's moods and feelings,it was apparent that despite his dispassionate and stolid expression,he was burning with eagerness to see the girl who represented all hisearthly ties. And Marshall, himself, was anxious to see his youngfriend, to be able to thank her again, in person, for her kindness ata time when he needed such kindness and help.

  The hour for calling came at last and the two men started for Letty'shome.

  A butler opened the door and they asked to see Miss Mary Lee. Theywere ushered into the drawing room.

  Two girls entered the room a few minutes later.

  Tom Marshall bowed to Mary Lee. The Indian looked intently and eagerlyat the two girls, then his face cleared, for he now knew which wasMary Lee.

  In the same instant the girl recognized Tom Marshall. She came towardhim impetuously and with welcoming hand. So excited was she, shefailed to pay much attention to his companion.

  "Why, this is a surprise! I'm glad to see you. So glad you came. Thisis Miss Saunders, Mr. Marshall, and Letty, this is Mr. Tom Marshall.You've heard me speak of him, haven't you?"

  "Indeed, I have. Won't you both sit down?" Letty invited, notforgetting, in her excitement, the need for hospitality and her dutiesas hostess. "Mother will be here in a moment," she added.

  While Letty had been speaking, Mary Lee had turned, for the firsttime really aware of the presence of Tom Marshall's friend. For abrief second the man's intent gaze disturbed her. Only for a second,however, then came the consciousness of having met the man before. Butshe could not place him in her mind.

  "This is Mr. Lee, my partner," interrupted Tom Marshall, observing thetwo.

  "Mr. Lee?" Mary Lee questioned, with a swift intake of her breath asdawning realization came. "Mr. Lee?" she repeated. Then a sudden gladlight came into her eyes. "Why, it's Jim Lee, my Jim! Letty, he'sIndian Jim!" And the girl rushed into his arms not knowing whether tolaugh or cry and doing both.

  "There, there, little girl, it's all right. Jim's here and Jim willtake care of you."

  "Jim, I never thought I was going to see you again. And I've missedyou all the time, all the time."

  Letty watched her friend with great wonderment. The usually calm andcollected Mary Lee was in a state of great excitement--a thing sounusual as to be worth observing.

  Mrs. Saunders came into the room at that moment and the two men wereintroduced by the excited Mary Lee who made a haven of that goodwoman's kindly arms. Mrs. Saunders was a devoted, indulgent mother.She had developed a great affection for the motherless Mary Lee. Shewas also a woman of quick and unusually good judgment. She liked thelooks of these two men, which fact was not at all strange for theyboth showed in open countenance, the honesty and cleanliness ofoutdoor and right living.

  Mrs. Saunders made them feel thoroughly at home. She knew the story ofMary Lee and so understood who Jim Lee was. She very naturallyrealized how delighted the girl must feel at Jim Lee's coming.

  For two hours they sat and talked over things, bringing up to thepresent moment the important events in Mary Lee's life as well asthose of interest in Jim Lee's.

  The two men then departed, promising to come again. Without Mary Lee'sknowledge, they had arranged with Mrs. Saunders for a meeting withMr. Saunders the following morning. That gentleman had not returnedhome up to the moment they were leaving.

  CHAPTER XV

  MARY LEE'S LEGACY

  "You see, Mr. Saunders, it isn't a question of our wanting any money,"said Tom Marshall. "Mr. Lee is anxious to make safe provision for MaryLee out of the net proceeds of his share of the mine. As for my share,I can wait until such time as the buyers are ready to turn over theproceeds."

  "The ore is there, all right, but the mine needs capital." Jim Lee wasnow speaking. "We want to turn it over to the right hands, that isall. That will benefit us most."

  Mr. Saunders was a banker. As a business proposition, he was keenlyinterested. He very naturally took some precautions, asked manyquestions, but he seemed fairly well convinced at the end.

  "I shall be able to arrange a meeting for you and probably find a waythat will be best for all concerned, if you will both call again thisafternoon."

  The end of the day found the whole matter closed up. A company wasformed in which the two partners received a one-third share. If themine proved of great value, they were each to receive $100,000 inaddition. Jim Lee's share, by an extra provision, was to be paid outin income to Mary Lee. He also made provision with Mr. Saunders toturn over $15,000 of his available cash to the girl. It was finallydecided that Tom Marshall was not to enlist but
to stay and manage themine.

  That night the two men again called at the Saunders home. Indian Jimtold Mary Lee of his intention to enlist. The girl did not try todissuade him.

  Then he went into the details, very simply, of what he wanted to dowith his money. The girl listened quietly. To her, Jim representedfamily--so closely allied had he been to it--so much was he connectedwith all her recollections of it.

  "I don't know what to say, Jim," she remarked. "To tell you I don'tthink you should turn over that money to me is needless, almost. Letus put it this way: whatever money there is, I shall gladly count asif it were partly my own; but for you to turn it over entirely to me,isn't fair. Let it be for both of us."

  The Indian smiled at her with great affection. He made no answer. Hedid not tell her he had already made every provision. Instead, he toldher how much she meant to him, what a big debt he had owed her father."This," he said, "is but a small way of repaying it."

  A few days later Jim was enrolled in the cavalry. His application hadbeen quickly approved--men like him were needed. But until he joinedhis company the two men and Mary Lee, when she was free, and Letty,too, spent many happy hours together. Tom Marshall's time was alsowell spent and plans for proper equipment were being hurried for animmediate start on the mine. Mr. Saunders was a quick, able worker andhe obtained results immediately.

  "Won't it be fine," said Letty one holiday morning, "for you to haveall this money! You won't have to work any longer at Dr. Payson's,will you?"

  But Mary Lee laughed.

  "Of course, I'll not give up my work," she asserted. "I'm learninglots. Furthermore, I want to become a nurse and Dr. Payson agrees thatit is the best kind of training to begin as I have."

  "But don't you find it awfully hard to give up your afternoons--infact, all your time, to work and study?" asked the less serious-mindedgirl.

  "Letty, dear, I do get so much fun out of my work at Dr. Payson's.It's delightful--and wouldn't you call it recreation to be able to dothe things our Red Cross Group is doing? It is such a wonderfulopportunity."

  "I suppose it is," the other girl answered uncertainly. "Hello,there's the mail man," she added as from the window she saw him turnin at their house. "I wonder if he has any mail for you and me?"

  Almost at the same moment Ruth was ushered into the room. She sawLetty go through the mail and pick out two letters. One, Letty gave toMary Lee, the other, she quickly opened.

  "Well!" Letty exclaimed after reading her letter, "it certainly istime."

  "Won't we be glad to see her?" added Mary Lee, as she finished herletter.

  Ruth was all excitement. "Is Aunt Madge coming home?" she askedeagerly.

  "Mrs. Anderson, if you please, young lady," Letty answeredreprovingly.

  "Wonder if I have a letter home, too," commented Ruth.

  "I suppose you have, dear," replied Mary Lee assuringly.

  "I have news for you, Ruth. May I tell her, Mary Lee?"

  The girl nodded her assent. These two girls were her best friends. Sheknew how glad Ruth would be because of her good fortune.

  Letty told Ruth about the money that Jim Lee had turned over for MaryLee's use. Ruth's eyes opened with wonder and pleasure.

  "Isn't that fine! I'm so glad, Mary Lee, dear."

  "When does Jim Lee join the army?" she asked.

  "I guess the day after tomorrow. He's coming here tonight."

  "I wonder if we cannot get him to tell us an Indian story when hecomes," remarked Letty.

  "He may," Mary Lee replied. "Will you come over tonight, Ruth?" sheasked.

  "Yes, come to dinner," added Letty.

  Ruth agreed.

  "When does Mrs. Anderson come home, Mary Lee?" she asked as shestarted to go.

  "Next Saturday afternoon. Isn't that fine, for I am free on thatafternoon and can go with you and meet her," was the reply. "Bob iscoming home with them, too."

  "I didn't know he was with them," Ruth said in surprise.

  "Yes, he's been there for a week. It is but a short distance from hisschool, so he went over."

  "Be sure to come tonight," Letty reminded the departing girl. "We'llhear a good story if Mr. Lee will tell it."

  "I won't forget," replied Ruth.

  CHAPTER XVI

  A MASTER STORY TELLER

  Jim Lee and Tom Marshall were prompt in their expected call, and theyfound Mary Lee and Letty as well as Ruth waiting to receive them.

  It was the kind of an evening that is usually associated with themonth of March. The rain was coming down in a steady downpour, therewas a chill to the wind; altogether it was a night in which folkswelcomed the warmth of an open grate fire.

  Letty, all excitement, brought up the subject of a story--a story suchas only Jim Lee could tell--of the Indian of long ago.

  "I'm afraid," remarked the Indian, "that the kind of stories I used totell Mary Lee would be considered entirely too youthful by you youngladies."

  "But we'd like to hear one, I'm sure we would," replied Ruth.

  "Yes, Jim do tell us one. I know we will enjoy it."

  "Very well," was the answer. "I see there's no escape and so I hadbetter make the best of it.

  "Long, long ago, in the land you now know as Colorado, there lived astrong tribe--the Wah-hi-tis--well known for their ability in war.Their name was used by the squaws of the other tribes to frighten thelittle papooses who were wont to whimper.

  "When I say it was long, long ago, I do not mean a hundred, or twohundred, or five hundred years ago. I speak of thousands of yearsbefore the white man came from across the big waters--the white manwho has forced out, who has swallowed up the Indian so that we arebecoming like the buffalo, a rarity.

  "There came a chief, Black Eagle, descendant from many chiefs. He waswise and great and his strength was like that of the buffalo and hisswiftness like that of the eagle. With an iron hand he ruled, but hewas ever kind and considerate except when anger or rage overcame him.Then none was more cruel, more terrible.

  "Wise men of many tribes came to visit him and it is said that greatgifts were sent to him from the distant lands of Mexico; even from thesmall seas, they sent him offerings, for it was known that hisfriendship was a blessing and his enmity a thing of which to be wary.

  "Proud were the young bucks who served under Black Eagle. In theirsojourns they had but to exclaim with fine disdain, 'I am aWah-hi-ti!' and they were immediately offered hospitality andfriendship.

  "Black Eagle had two wives. Swift Bear, his father, had mated him toSwift Water, daughter of a neighboring chief. But then came LaughingEyes, young and beautiful, and her--Black Eagle loved at sight. Andsince it was permitted that chiefs have more than one mate, BlackEagle took Laughing Eyes unto himself.

  "Swift Water, his first wife, felt the black rage of hate andenvy--and who could blame her? But Black Eagle had already givenproof of his terrible outbursts of wrath and she dared not object.She suffered silently.

  "Thus, many years passed. Swift Water gave Black Eagle a son, but onlyafter Laughing Eyes had given birth to a beautiful babe, also a son,who had been named Natawara. Swift Water's son was named Black Fox.

  "Both sons grew to sturdy manhood and gradually even Swift Water andLaughing Eyes learned to know each other. Some of the bitterness leftthe heart of Swift Water. Yet, her life was sad because Natawara wasto succeed as chief instead of her own son, Black Fox.

  "But sturdy though both sons were, there was a strange differencebetween the two. Could these both be sons of the same father? BlackFox from early youth loved the tales of combat, liked to hear of thevictories of his illustrious fathers; and he would dream of the daywhen he too would go out and say, 'I am a Wah-hi-ti, a son of BlackEagle.'

  "Natawara, however, was different. He loved to hear the wise men tellof the long ago, and yet it was not of combats that he sought tohear. Often he would look to the far west and say:

  "'I would travel far. Over the many mountains I would roam; for theGreat Spirit gives us but a short time a
nd there is much to see.'

  "'He will be a great man, a great chief,' said the wise men. But intheir hearts was a dark doubt which they dared not voice, for theanger of Black Eagle was a thing of dread. And wherefore should theybe the bearers of bad news?

  "For Natawara had laughed at combats. 'Wherefore shall I kill?' saidhe. 'I would rather, far rather, seek the things of the world thandeath.'

  "'A coward's speech,' the wise men whispered, one to the other. Butword of their whisperings came to Black Fox. Then he showed some ofthe anger of his father.

  "'No coward is Natawara. Who says so? I shall hear and the vengeanceof Black Fox is not light.'

  "But the whispering grew. It came even to the ears of the Black Eaglewho was then on an expedition to the far Wyoming.

  DARK AND SAVAGE WAS THE FACE OF THE BLACK EAGLE]

  "Fearful was his rage and black scorn was in his heart. He whowhispered would feel the might and strength of the chief of theWah-hi-ti.

  "'And as for you, you witch,' he said to the old squaw who had tauntedhim after his men had razed the camp of the Cheyennes, 'you shall die!A fearful death you shall die, for lies are the things you say. NoWah-hi-ti is a coward, no Wah-hi-ti dare say of Natawara that he is acoward, for Natawara is the son of a chief; he is to be a chief and hewould kill.'

  "So he returned. And the squaws who came to meet the returningwarriors, even the braves who had been left at home, drew away, fordark and savage and fearful was the face of the Black Eagle.