Had Brother Wright, she asked, heard of that rumour about the Cherokees? And did he think there was any danger of their leaving their Reservation and going on the war-path? Brother Wright, who had a poor opinion of Indians, and a worse one of the way in which the white men had treated them, thought on the whole that the rumour might be considered false. This comforted Aunt Ruby, to whom the word “Injun” suggested torture and death and all sorts of horrors. She remained comforted until she remembered that other rumour—about the raid of border ruffians from out of Missouri. Brother Wright thought it highly probable that this rumour might prove to be true. Missouri men had raided Kansas more than once, and it was possible they might do so again at any moment. With conversation such as this they came to the end of the daylight and the beginning of the trees around Cotton Wood Creek about the same time. “I shall be glad when we are safe over this ford and out of the dark wood beyond,” said Brother Wright, trying to urge his horses along, but he had a heavy load of timber and coal and some iron bars for smith-work. “Ain’t it near here that those people over beyond Jacksonville got robbed?” asked Aunt Ruby, nervously peering about in the gloom with her weak old eyes. At this moment some distant creature made a shrill scream or howl. “Oh! what was that,” exclaimed Aunt Ruby nervously. “That was a prairie wolf, I guess,” answered Brother Wright quietly. Silence followed, except for the creaking of the waggon, the straining of the horses at their traces, and an occasional clang made by one of the bars of iron which was not sufficiently wedged up with hay. “If those Missouri border ruffians came to Perfection City, do you reckon our principles would save us from being robbed?” asked Aunt Ruby. “Most everybody knows as we are non-resistants.” “I don’t think our principles would stand in the way of a Missouri man. More likely they would take advantage of them. They are mean cusses, and are used to riding rough-shod over principles and rights. It is a recognised thing everywhere that women and children are non-resistants, yet that does not save ’em from being raided and robbed by border ruffians.” “And you think they would rob us, peaceful folks as ha’n’t no arms nor nothin’?” asked Aunt Ruby anxiously. “I guess they would try,” replied Brother Wright. “Then I think as we oughter reconsider our principles a mite,” said Aunt Ruby. “For if we are robbed and killed by folks as can’t un’erstan’ the higher life, we shan’t be able to teach the world nothin’. An’ what’s the good o’ principles when you’re dead an’ gone an’ undergroun’?” “That is so,” assented Brother Wright. “I didn’t never think on’t in this light afore,” said Aunt Ruby. “It ’pears to me as how we should meet together an’ try an’ settle some way as how we can keep our principles an’ yet live on the prairie.” “I guess you’ve pretty nearly said the truth,” said Brother Wright.