Part 13 (1/2)

”What of it?” said Gladys, ”Let's go anyway. Everybody's asleep.

They'll never know the difference.”

Sahwah looked at her with an expression of horror. ”It doesn't matter whether any one knows it or not,” she said stiffly. ”It isn't a custom of the Winnebagos to go boating in rest hour.”

”It doesn't seem to be a custom of the Winnebagos to do anything they want to,” said Gladys sneeringly. ”You girls let Miss Kent lead you around by the nose as if you were six years old! It's a pity if girls as old as we are have to take a nap after dinner like babies. I for one won't stand for it. I don't want to lie down for an hour every afternoon and I'm not going to do it, so there! If you had any spirit you'd rebel, too. But you haven't.

You're just like wax in her hands. If she told you to go bed at four o'clock in the afternoon and stay there, you'd do it! I dare you to slip out and go for a boat ride with me now, I dare you! I dare you!”

Sahwah's hair nearly stood on end with fury at this attack on her beloved Nyoda. ”Dare all you like,” she said in a choking voice, ”I'll not break a camp rule to please you.”

”Very well, then, don't,” said Gladys, ”and see if I care. If you would rather abide by silly old rules than have a good time it's your loss, not mine. I wouldn't be such a baby.” She went back to her bed and lay down with the air of a martyr. Every few seconds she would look over at Sahwah and p.r.o.nounce the word ”baby” in a taunting tone.

Sahwah closed her eyes resolutely and pretended not to hear her.

She was filled from head to foot with contempt for Gladys.

Sahwah was heedless and hot-tempered and undiplomatic, but in matters where honor was concerned she was true blue. All her admiration for Gladys vanished when she tried to lead her into dishonor. As she lay there thinking over her attempts to win Gladys's friends.h.i.+p she saw clearly how Gladys had been working her all this time, getting her to wait on her hand and foot and in return treating her in a patronizing manner as if she were an inferior being from whom such service was no more than due. Her rage rose at the very thought of Gladys. ”Catch me doing anything for her again!” she muttered to herself.

She lay very still with her eyes closed for a long time, feigning sleep. After a while a stealthy rustle from Gladys's bed caught her ear. She opened one eye slightly and then opened both very wide in surprise. Gladys was in the act of drawing a box of candy from under her blankets. Opening it, she proceeded to eat one piece after another. Sahwah was so astonished that she could not repress an exclamation.

Gladys looked in her direction. ”Have a piece of candy?” she said mockingly, holding out the box, ”or are you afraid to do that too?”

Sahwah disregarded the taunt. ”Where did you get that candy?”

she asked sternly.

”I bought it down in the village, Miss Simplicity,” answered Gladys.

”Did you know that we weren't to buy candy and eat it between meals, or didn't you?” continued Sahwah.

”Certainly, I knew it was against the rules,” said Gladys, ”but I don't intend to have any one dictate to me whether or not I shall eat candy. I've eaten candy all my life and it's never hurt me.

If I can't eat it openly I'll eat it on the sly, but I will eat it!”

”Didn't it occur to you that it's dishonest to do things on the sly like that?” said Sahwah in a husky voice. If she had held Gladys in contempt before there was no name for what she thought of her now.

”Who says it's dishonest to break silly rules?” said Gladys, putting another piece into her mouth. ”Such rules were made to be broken.”

”What would Nyoda say?” asked Sahwah.

”I don't care what she says,” said Gladys recklessly.

”I thought you admired her so much,” said Sahwah, remembering how Gladys was constantly fawning on Nyoda.

”I do admire her, more than any of you,” said Gladys loftily, ”but that's no sign she can order me around. Go and tell her if you like, old busybody!”

”Tell her what?” asked Nyoda, appearing in the door of the tent.

”That I buy candy in the village and keep it in my bed to eat during rest hour!” said Gladys brazenly.

Nyoda opened her eyes very wide. ”That you do what?” she asked.

Gladys held up the box. Nyoda said nothing, but merely looked at her, and before the expression in her eyes Gladys wilted and was covered with confusion.

”I don't care, I want some candy,” she said, looking ready to burst into tears.