Arizona -- Juvenile fiction; Girls -- Juvenile fiction; Guardian and ward -- Juvenile fiction; Ranch life -- Juvenile fiction
Virginia, until that moment had quite forgotten the pack of
wolf-like Indian dogs that guarded the inner entrance of the narrow
canyon. Perhaps it would be unwise for them to ride further unless
they were accompanied by someone who could assure the dogs that they
were friends. But at that very moment the problem was solved for,
silhouetted against the light at the far end of the canyon, there
appeared a slender Indian girl riding on a graceful, wiry pony.
“Good!” exclaimed Virg, “There’s Winona, so now we may ride forward
without fear.”
Babs was so excited at the mere thought of meeting an Indian girl in
an Indian village that the real object of their visit was somewhat
lost to her thought. What would Winona look like she was wondering
as they rode along single file. How queer that such a fine girl as
Virginia Davis should have an Indian maiden as an intimate friend,
and yet, it was true for she herself had heard Virg say how greatly
she admired Winona.
A few moments later, when they had reached the inner entrance to the
fertile bowl-like valley, Babs understood the charm of the Indian
girl who so simply and sincerely had welcomed them to her home.
Later, as Barbara and Margaret were riding side by side following
the other two the impulsive Babs exclaimed, “Oh, Megsy, isn’t she
truly beautiful? How her dark eyes glow and do see those thick shiny
black braids that hang far below her waist. I just know that I am
going to love her, too.”
“She is beautiful,” Margaret agreed, “but I think it is because
there is something truly noble about her face. Virginia has told me
that Winona longed to go away to school but she relinquished her
desire that she might remain here and teach the little Papago
children and help her own people.”
“I wonder what school she would attend. I suppose the girls in Vine
Haven would deem themselves too good to associate with her.”
Margaret laughed gaily. “Too good to associate with a princess?” she
inquired. “For that is what Winona really is; an Indian princess;
the daughter of Chief Grey Hawk.”
“Is she really?” Bab’s eyes were wide and glowing. Then she added,
as she glanced about at the small scattered adobe houses over the
doors of which red peppers were festooned to dry in the sun,
“Margaret, where do you suppose we are going to sleep? In one of
those little huts? They look sort of skeery to me, but maybe that’s
because they are so different from houses with which I am familiar.
I love this place, though. It’s so wild and picturesque; exactly
what one would wish an Indian village to be. Shouldn’t you think so,
Megsy?”
Margaret smiled at her impulsive chattery friend and nodded, “I’m
ever so interested in it too,” she replied. “See yonder, in the
shade of that big thorny cactus, two Indian women are squatted on
the ground weaving baskets. I wish I might buy one. I always adored
the Indian things Betsy Clossen had in our room at school”
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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