“Why did he steal the Indian maidens?” she asked, wonderingly.
Genie evolved a question now and then that Adam found difficult to answer. She had the simplicity of an Indian, and the inevitableness, and a like ignorance of the so-called civilization of the white people.
“Well, I suppose Taquitch fell in love with the Indian maidens,” replied Adam, slowly.
“Fell in love. What’s that?”
“Didn’t your mother ever tell you why she married your father?”
“No.”
“Why do you think she married him?”
“I suppose they wanted to be together—to work—and go places, like they came West when they were sick. To help each other.”
“Exactly. Well, Genie, they wanted to be together because they loved each other. They married because they fell in love with each other. Didn’t you ever have Indians camp here, and learn from them?”
“Oh yes, different tribes have been here. But I didn’t see any Indians falling in love. If a chief wanted a wife he took any maiden or squaw he wanted. Some chiefs had lots of wives. And if a brave wanted a wife he bought her.”