Tom Marshall bowed to Mary Lee. The Indian looked intently and eagerly at the two girls, then his face cleared, for he now knew which was Mary Lee.
In the same instant the girl recognized Tom Marshall. She came toward him impetuously and with welcoming hand. So excited was she, she failed to pay much attention to his companion.
"Why, this is a surprise! I'm glad to see you. So glad you came. This is Miss Saunders, Mr. Marshall, and Letty, this is Mr. Tom Marshall. You've heard me speak of him, haven't you?"
"Indeed, I have. Won't you both sit down?" Letty invited, not forgetting, in her excitement, the need for hospitality and her duties as hostess. "Mother will be here in a moment," she added.
While Letty had been speaking, Mary Lee had turned, for the first time really aware of the presence of Tom Marshall's friend. For a brief second the man's intent gaze disturbed her. Only for a second, however, then came the consciousness of having met the man before. But she could not place him in her mind.
"This is Mr. Lee, my partner," interrupted Tom Marshall, observing the two.
"Mr. Lee?" Mary Lee questioned, with a swift intake of her breath as dawning realization came. "Mr. Lee?" she repeated. Then a sudden glad light came into her eyes. "Why, it's Jim Lee, my Jim! Letty, he's Indian Jim!" And the girl rushed into his arms not knowing whether to laugh or cry and doing both.
"There, there, little girl, it's all right. Jim's here and Jim will take care of you."
"Jim, I never thought I was going to see you again. And I've missed you all the time, all the time."
Letty watched her friend with great wonderment. The usually calm and collected Mary Lee was in a state of great excitement—a thing so unusual as to be worth observing.