He did not make her suffer for her defeat, and they returned to camp gay as a couple of children. Lawson smiled benevolently, like an aged uncle, while Elsie told him of their climb. Said he: "When you're as old as I am you will wait for wonders to come your way; you will not seek them."
The breakfast was made merry by Jennie, who waged gentle warfare on Parker, whose preconceived ideas of the people resident on an Indian reservation had been shaken.
"Why, you're very decent," he admitted at last.
"They are all like us—nit," replied Jennie. "We're marked 'special.'"
"Couldn't be any more like you, sis," said Curtis.
"You shouldn't say that."
"Well, it needed saying, and no one else seemed ready to do it. If Calvin had been here!"
"Who is Calvin?" asked Mrs. Parker.
"I know!" cried Elsie. "He's one of the handsomest young cowboys you ever saw. If you want to do a cow-puncher, Parker, he's your model."
"I certainly must see him. If I don't do a cowboy or a bucking bronco I'm a failure."