"You can't play Jack Stones as well as I," she said, looking saucily
up at him.

"I beat you," was his reply, as he strode forward and sat down
cross legged on the grass.

"I'd like to see you do it! You think you're very smart, don't
you?"

A shadowy smile played around the stern mouth, and the Delaware,
who had studied the simple game long enough to understand it, began
the sport under the observant eyes of his little mistress.

While both were intent on the amusement, Mrs. Ripley came to the
door and stood wonderingly looking at them.

"It does seem as if Indians are human beings like the rest of us,"
was her thought; "but who could resist her gentle ways?"

Up went the single stone in the air, and Omas grabbed the batch
that were lying on the ground, and then caught the first as it came
down.

"That won't do!" called Alice, seizing the brawny hand, which--
sad to say--had been stained with blood as innocent as hers; "you
didn't do that fair!"

"What de matter?" he asked, looking reproachfully into the round
face almost against his own.