She was almost stunned with grief, and only her indignation kept her up.
As she was about to give way to a fit of weeping she beheld an Indian coming at a gallop up the trail to the house.
"It is a Cheyenne, one of the Indian police," she said, quickly, and she watched the redskin horseman approach and heard him call out to some one on the piazza:
"Me Owl Eyes, Cheyenne soldier. Come from white Captain Carey, good man, with letter for pale-face cattle man."
"From Captain Carey he says he comes. I will at once write a letter, and give it to him to carry back," cried Jennie, and seating herself at her table, she hastily penned the epistle which the reader knows Lieutenant Carey had received.
Slipping out of the cabin, she met the Indian courier at the creek, and handed him the letter.
"You will give this to Captain Carey, Owl Eyes?" she said.
"Oh, yes, me glad to give him talking paper from pretty squaw," was the gallant response of the Cheyenne soldier, and he set off on his return, Mrs. Bernard having given him a haversack full of provisions.
Then Jennie returned to the house, determined to have an interview with Mrs. Bernard.
She found the woman, whom she had dearly loved as a mother, busy in her household duties.