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After the camp in the canyon was built, many of them, including Henderson, developed unsuspected families and Jim became godfather to several namesakes. After the road was finished, however, old Suma-theek had to take his braves back to the Apache country. They did not like the work in the tunnel, and it was several years before Jim saw his old friend again.

But he was not to have this last call alone. Old Suma-theek was sitting on the edge of the crater, his fine face turned hawklike toward the distance. Jim nodded to his friend, then sat down in his favorite spot where, far across the canyon, he could see the flag, rippling before the office. After a time, the old Indian came over to sit beside him.

"Only a few of the best of us here." "You'll stay where you are," roared a big Irishman. "Rush 'em, boys! Rush 'em! They don't dare to shoot!" Old Suma-theek absent-mindedly sighted his gun in the direction of the last remark. "Get a ladder! Get on top of the station. Altogether, boys!" Fighting through the mob, half a dozen men suddenly ranged themselves with the Indians.

Then he stopped the machine at the bridge to let Suma-theek out. In a moment the machine was climbing the mesa on the road to Cabillo. Jim always thrilled to his first view of Cabillo as he swung down into the valley. It is a little town lying on a desert plain three thousand feet above the sea. Flood or drought or utter loneliness had not prevailed to keep men from settling there.

This was what had put the new strain into Jim's face, the new pleading into his voice. "How shall I help him," she moaned. "You no tell him, you sabez," repeated Suma-theek. "He want you think he Boss here long as he can. All men's like that with their squaw." "I won't tell him," promised Pen. "But what shall I do?" She clasped and unclasped her fingers, then she sprang to her feet. "I know!

Then he shouted to the crowd, "Let the lady out!" Jim and Suma-theek stood well above most of the mob. Jim was unarmed and the crowd knew it. But even had any man there been inclined to prevent Pen's exit he would rather have done so under a cocked gun than under the look in Jim's white face as he watched Pen's progress through the crowd. The men gave back respectfully.

But Jim had not hungered and thirsted for eight years in starry solitudes with one memory and one dream to keep his heart alive, to relinquish the dream without a fight. "Penelope," he said, "you don't know me." Pen smiled. "I know you to the last hair in that brown thatch of yours, Still Jim." Then she turned to Iron Skull, who was eager to have her talk to old Suma-theek.

Tell him to bring on his 'armed guards." Pen was startled. "Sara, what have you done?" Sara laughed. "If you and Jim don't know, I'm not the proper one to tell you! One of your gentleman friends is outside, evidently waiting for you." Pen looked out. Old Suma-theek was standing on the trail, arms folded, watching the tent patiently.

You whites make no law except to break it. Love it have no law except to make tribe live. Great Spirit, he must think she bad when she might have good babies for her tribe, she stay with that bad cripple. Huh?" "You don't understand, Suma-theek. There is always the matter of honor for a white man."

The two reached the Elephant's top without conversation and sat for perhaps half an hour, smoking and mute. This was quite an ordinary procedure with them. Finally Suma-theek said, "Why you make 'em this dam?" "So that corn and cattle and horses will increase in the valley," replied Jim. The Indian grunted. "Much talk! Why you make 'em?" "It's my job; the kind of work I like."