The child had entirely forgotten herself, and her Laurel friends would have been astonished to see her thus taking the lead and calmly laying down the law to strange men, both white and red.
When she returned from her interview, bringing with her the “boss’s” promise that the woman and child should not be required to appear for three days, or longer if necessary, supper was served, and she gravely accepted her share of the bread and ham and a thick cup filled with steaming coffee. They ate and drank, sitting upon upturned boxes and still talking—talking in soft elisions of home and the free winds and open skies—home and the childhood scenes that seemed already so far away.
It was dark now; eight o’clock, and the evening performance had begun. Stella learned that the last train for Laurel would leave in an hour, but she had no escort, not even to the station. Everybody was in the show-tent except Blue Earth, and she could not leave the baby. Besides, she knew even less than did our little girl of the mazes of the city streets. She must soon set out alone to inquire her way; and with the thought, for the first time that day, she felt a thrill of something like fear.
Suddenly a familiar face, atop of a tall, boyish figure, appeared around a pile of boxes. It was Ethan, who fairly beamed with relief when he caught sight of her, though he only said:
“Well, little girl, are you about ready to go home?”
“Oh, yes!” she cried, springing eagerly to her feet. “Oh, have you really been waiting for me all this time, Ethan? How kind of you!” and her puzzled eyes rested for a moment upon his mussed linen suit, and then flitted over the strong features, somewhat sharpened by worry and fatigue.
But Ethan did not explain, and Stella was slowly, very slowly, emerging from her dream. There were few words exchanged between the two, as they made their way through back streets to the railway station, after an undemonstrative farewell between the two girls who, in everything but the common heritage of race, were so very far apart.
Once Ethan asked her if she had had any supper; and again, rather anxiously, it seemed, whether she had money enough for her ticket.
“Oh, yes!” she said at once, handing him her little purse with the ticket and two or three dollars in silver.