Honoré Willsie

“ Lydia by now had wiped the blood from her face.
"Billy," cried Levine, "could you run the car and the two women down the road while Amos and I help the Agent get order here? The worst seems to be over, for some reason."
"Billy got Charlie Jackson to call the Indians in," said Lydia.
"Good work!" exclaimed Amos. "Are you both all right?"
"Yes," answered Lydia. "Go on! Billy'll take care of us."
"I'll wait for you at the willows, a mile below Last Chance," said Billy.
"Land," said Lizzie, as the car swung through the hurrying whites, to the road. ”

“ In the laughter that followed, Levine started the car homeward.
During the trip, the story was told of Lydia's mishap, Billy and Lydia interpolating each other in the telling. Amos shook hands with Billy silently when they had finished and Levine turned round from the wheel to say,
"I'll not forget this night's work, Bill."
They reached home at daylight. The Celebration made table talk and newspaper space for several days. No real attempt was made to punish the Indians. For once, the whites, moved by a sense of tardy and inadequate justice, withheld their hands. ”

“ I don't know but what I'd better get you folks home."
"Shucks," said Amos, "I wouldn't let the Indians think they could scare us. What could they do, poor sickly devils, anyhow?"
"That's right," said Billy. "There's nothing can happen. I don't think Charlie Jackson would stand for any violence."
"I don't know about that," Levine spoke thoughtfully. "He's left Doc Fulton and is living on the reservation again. They always revert."
"Listen! Listen!" cried Lydia. ”

“ Oh, Billy, the poor, poor things!" exclaimed Lydia.
Billy nodded. "It's all wrong."
The noise of hawkers began again, but something had gone out of the celebration. The Indians stood about in groups, talking, Charlie and Chief Wolf the center always of the largest group.
Amos and John joined Billy and Lydia at the machine. "The war dancing begins at sundown," said Levine. "I told the Indian Agent 'twas a risk to let them go on, after this episode. But he laughs at me. I don't like the look of things, though."
"They aren't armed?" asked Amos. ”

“ John drove the car himself and ordered Lydia in beside him. The rest packed into the tonneau with the baskets. It seemed as if all Lake City were headed for the reservation, for Levine's automobile was one of a huge line of vehicles of every type moving north as rapidly as the muddy road and the character of the motive power would permit. As they neared the reservation, about eleven, they began to overtake parties of young men who had walked the twenty miles. ”

“ The shouting of the mob, the beating of the drum was receding toward the road. The flag snapped in the night wind.
Billy put his face closer to Charlie's. The muscles of his jaw knotted and his hands clenched and unclenched. ”

“ When the enemy enters the abiding place, the dweller is doomed. But I place the curse of the Indian Spirit on you and the land you are stealing. Some day it will be done to you as you have done to us. Some day—"
Levine stepped forward. "Jackson, take that Indian away," he commanded.
An angry murmur came from the Indians in the audience. A murmur that as Levine laid hold of old Wolf's arm, grew to strange calls. There was a surging movement toward the platform. Billy jumped on a box that he had found for a seat for Lydia.
"Charlie!" he roared, "Charlie! ”