“I hope you are all right,” she began, wishing that she did not always appear so cold and reserved before her mother’s best beloved friend, and that she could show the extent of the admiration and affection she felt for her.
“You are very good, ‘Little Princess,’ to think of me,” Polly said more lovingly than she usually spoke to any of the girls except Peggy and Gerry. “But I seem to be hoarse as a crow from the sand in my throat. Sit here beside me for a moment, won’t you? After a little we must all go back to bed. Ellen has gone to hunt up a blanket or something for me. Are you cold?”
Bettina shook her head “No,” but she sat down close to Polly, wishing that she could take her hand, or do one of the pretty things with her that came so easily to Gerry Williams or any of the girls even without the claim that she had upon her mother’s old friend.
A moment later she and Mrs. Burton were both laughing, in spite of the strangeness and discomfort of their situation.
Marie had found her mistress.
“We will go back to ceevelization today, nes pas. The West it is too terreeble. It will be ze death of madame.”
Marie was shaking her hands and rolling her eyes. Even in the semi-darkness one could guess her expression from the tones of her voice. “But for Meester Simpson, I should have been killed.”
“Oh, not so bad as that, Mam’selle,” Mr. Simpson added, for he had followed to see that all was well. “I’ll go now, Mrs. Burton, and see that the sleeping tents are steady, so that you may have a little rest tonight.”
“And you’ll find some wraps for the girls, please, Marie?” Polly added, knowing that the wisest way to quiet Marie’s excited nerves was to give her an occupation.
She then closed her eyes, it seemed to be for only two or three moments, but opened them in time to see the Indian, who had warned them earlier in the evening of the approach of the storm, coming toward her for the second time as she supposed. She had been foolish, perhaps, not to have heeded his information, but they could have done nothing, except perhaps to start out for the Gardener ranch. And more than possibly they would not have arrived in time. Then, as nothing had really happened of consequence, they must have had the long ride in vain. However, Mrs. Burton felt that she owed the Indian youth an apology for her careless disregard of his good intention.