"Good-bye," they answered, one by one. Nothing further was said till they had crossed the road. Then one of the roughest-looking of the whole gang turned and said: "Fellers, that promise goes. We got to keep that mob from goin' to war while these girls are here. Ain't that right?" "That's right!" "Say, fellers, I'll tell you a job that would suit me--" "Hain't got any work into it if it does." "What is it?" "I'd like to be detailed to guard these 'queens' from monkeys like you." The others fell upon this reckless one with their hats and gloves till he broke into a run, and all disappeared down the road in a cloud of dust. XXI IN STORMY COUNCILS Meanwhile the sentinels on the hills missed little of the movement in the valley. They quivered with rage as the horsemen dismounted and entered the agent's house, for that seemed a defeat for their friend; but when the strangers remounted and rode away all were reassured, and Two Horns said, "I will go down and see what it all means." One by one the principal native employes reappeared. Crane's Voice came out of the barn, where he had lain with his eyes to a crack in the wall, and Peter Big-Voice and Robert Wolf stepped cautiously into view from behind the slaughter-pen. Old Mary, the cook, suddenly blocked the kitchen door-way, and, with tremulous lips, asked: "Cowboys gone?" "Yes, all gone," replied Jennie, much amused. "Good, good," replied the old woman. "Where have you been, Mary?" Her white teeth shone out in a sudden smile. "Ice-house--heap cold." "What did you go in there for?" "Cowboy no good--mebbe so shoot." "They won't hurt you," said Jennie, gently. "Go to work again. The Captain will take care of you." "Little Father no got gun--cowboy heap gun." "Little Father don't need gun now; you are all right," Jennie said, and the old woman went to her work again, though nervously alert to every sound. From nowhere in particular, two sharp-eyed lads sauntered up the road to play under the office window, so that if any loud word should be spoken the tribe might know of it. Jennie and Elsie discussed the situation while sitting at the library window with a view of the agency front door. "I can't for the life of me take a serious view of this episode," said Jennie. "These cowboys wouldn't be so foolish as to fire a first shot. They are like big, country school-boys." "The Parkers!" cried Elsie, suddenly. "Where are the Parkers?" Jennie gasped. "True enough! I had forgotten all about them. I don't believe they have got back from their ride." "They will be scared blue. We must send for them." "I'll have Crane's Voice go at once," said Jennie. "I will go with him." "Don't do that--not without letting the Captain know. How far is it?" "Just over the hill--not more than five miles."