CHAPTER V
TROUBLE IN PROSPECT
Ruth Fielding wished that Mr. Hammond was within reach; but she knew hewas already on his way to the Thousand Islands, for which she herselfexpected to start the next day with Wonota and her father. She had notheard much about this Bilby; but what she had learned--together with whatshe now saw of him--impressed her not at all in his favor.
In any event she was not willing to accept either Horatio Bilby or hisdeclaration at face value. And she was glad to see that the hardheadedold miller was not much impressed by the man, either.
"I don't know much about this business, Mister," said Uncle Jabez, withmuch calmness. "But it strikes me that you'd better see the girl'sfather."
"What girl's father?" demanded the visitor, and now he seemed surprised.
"Wonota's. Chief Totantora is the name he goes by. It strikes me that heought to have a deal more to say about the girl than any Governmentdepartment."
"Why, he's nothing but a blanket Injun!" ejaculated Bilby, with disgust.
"Mebbe so," rejoined Uncle Jabez. "But his wearing a blanket (though Inever see him with it on; he wears pants and a shirt when he comes here)don't figger none at all. He still remains the girl's father."
"I guess you don't know, Pop, that these Injuns are all wards of UncleSam."
"Mebbe so," again observed the miller. "And I have sometimes thought thatUncle Sam ain't always been any too good to his red relations. However,that isn't to the point. The girl's here. She's sort of in my care whileshe is here. Unless Chief Totantora shows up and asks to have her handedover to you, I calkerlate you won't get her."
"See here, my man!" exclaimed Bilby, at once becoming blusterous, "you'llget into trouble with the Government if you interfere with me."
"That doesn't scare me none," was the prompt reply of Jabez Potter."Right now the Government of the United States don't look so important tome as our local constable. I guess to get possession of the girl you willhave to bring an officer with you to certify to all this you say you are.Until you do, I might as well tell you, first as last, that you ain't gota chance--not a chance!--to even see Wonota."
Mr. Bilby grew even redder in the face than nature seemed to haveintended him to be. And his little greenish-gray eyes sparkled angrily.
"You'll get into trouble, old man," he threatened.
"Don't you let that bother you none," rejoined the miller. "I've had somuch trouble in my life that I'm sort of used to it, as you might say.Now, if that is all you got to offer, you might as well get back intothat go-cart of yours and drive on."
Mr. Potter turned on his heel and went back into the mill, beckoning toRuth to come with him. She did so--for a little way at least; but shesoon stopped to peer out and watch the man, Bilby.
When they were, as he thought, out of hearing, he gave vent to severalgrunts, kicked a pebble across the road, and scowled ferociously. He saidsomething about "these rubes are smarter than they used to be." He seemedconvinced that he could do nothing further in the matter he had comeupon. Not at this time, it was quite plain.
He turned and climbed into the roadster. But he did not drive back towardCheslow; instead he went up the river road, and Ruth Fielding rememberedthat Wonota's father was stopping at the country inn which was only threeor four miles up that road.
"But nothing can happen because of that, of course," the girl thought, asshe entered the passage that led to the farmhouse from the mill. "Wonotais perfectly safe here, and surely Totantora can take care of himselfwith that little fat man, or with anybody else!"
She entered the kitchen expecting to find the Indian girl at work withAunt Alvirah in the old woman's sunny corner of the great room. The oldwoman was alone, however.
"Where is Wonota?" Ruth asked.
Before Aunt Alvirah could reply an automobile siren echoed outside of thehouse. Aunt Alvirah was smiling and waving at somebody and Ruth hurriedto the window to look out.
"Here's Helen come for you, my pretty, in that beautiful big car ofhers," said Aunt Alvirah. "Isn't it fine to be rich?"
"Wait till I make a few more pictures, Aunty, and we'll have a car too.If Uncle Jabez won't buy one, I've made up my mind to get a car if it'sonly to take you to drive once in a while."
"It wouldn't hurt Jabez Potter to buy a car," declared the old woman."She's coming in Ruthie. Oh, my back! and oh, my bones!" she murmured, asshe got up to receive the visitor.
Helen swept into the house gaily. She always had a kiss for the littleold woman who thought her, next to Ruth, the finest girl who ever lived.
"You're always a sight for anyone to look on with pleasure, HelenCameron," said Aunt Alvirah. "And you're mighty smart in that long coatand cap."
"And do you put on your coat and bonnet, Aunty," cried Helen, patting herwrinkled cheek. "I've come to take you for a spin. And Ruth, too."
"There's Wonota," suggested Ruth.
"Of course. The princess shall join us," Helen cried merrily. "Where isshe? Tell her to leave her everlasting beadwork long enough to ride inthe white man's motor-car."
"I suppose," said Ruth, starting for the stairway, "Wonota must be up inher own room."
"No, no!" Aunt Alvirah called from her bedroom, to which she had hobbledfor her cloak and bonnet. "I was just about to tell you, my pretty.Wonota has gone out."
"Where did she go?" and Ruth suddenly turned back, and with surprise ifnot exactly with a feeling of alarm.
"She said she would walk up the road to see her father. She is quite fondof her father, I believe," added Aunt Alvirah, coming back with her wrapand bonnet. "Of course, Indians have family feelings, if they do seem tohide 'em so well."
"I am sorry she went out alone," murmured Ruth.
"Pooh! she isn't a child. And she'll not lose her way, that's sure,"laughed Helen. "Anyway, we'll overtake her and give her a ride. ChiefTotantora, too, if he will deign to step into the white man's car."
Ruth said no more. But after the visit of Bilby to the mill she could nothelp but feel some little anxiety. She remembered that Dakota Joe, inwhose show Wonota had once worked, had tried his best to make trouble forher and Mr. Hammond because of the Osage maiden; and this Bilby wasplainly a much shrewder person than the Westerner had been.
She and Helen aided Aunt Alvirah out to the car. It was a heavy, sevenpassenger machine; but Helen could drive it as well as Tom himself.
"And Tommy-boy," she explained as she tucked the robe about Aunt Alvirahbefore following Ruth into the front seat, "went to town to-day withfather."
"I hope he will really get down to work now," said Ruth softly, as Helenbegan to manipulate the levers.
"Pooh!" exclaimed Helen carelessly. "Work was made for slaves. And Tomhad a hard time over in France. I tell dad he ought not to expectTommy-boy to really work for a long, long time to come."
"Do you think that is right, Helen?" admonished her chum. "Idleness wasnever good for anybody."
"It isn't as though Tom was poor. He hasn't got to toil and delve in anold office--"
"You know it isn't that," cried Ruth warmly. "But he should make good useof his time. And your father needs him. He ought to be idle now, notTom."
"Grandmother Grunt!" laughed Helen. "You're twice as old as Aunt Alvirahright now."
"After what we have been through--after what the world has been throughfor five years--we all ought to be at work," said Ruth rather severely."And Tom is no exception."
"Why, I never knew you to be hard on Tommy-boy before!" pouted Tom'ssister.
"Perhaps I never had occasion to be hard on him before," Ruth answered."He is only one of many. Especially many of those who were over there inFrance. They seem to be so unsettled and--and so careless for thefuture."
"Regular female Simon Legree, you are, Ruthie Fielding."
"But when Tom first came back he was as eager as he could be to get tobusiness and to begin a business career. And lately, it seems to me, he'shad an awful slump in his ambition. I never saw the like."
"Oh, bother!" muttered Helen, and started the car.
The car shot ahead, and in five minutes they passed the country inn, butsaw nothing of either Wonota or the Indian chief. In a cove below theriver bank, however, Ruth caught a glimpse of a small motor-boat with twomen in it. And backed into a wood's path near the highway was a smallmotor-car.
Was it the smart roadster Mr. Horatio Bilby had driven to the Red Mill?Ruth could not be sure. But she did not enjoy the ride with Helen andAunt Alvirah very much for thinking of the possibility of its being Mr.Bilby's car so close to the inn where Chief Totantora was stopping.