Part 2 (1/2)

”You ought to see the one he did for h for a bracelet almost, and the little ball smaller than a pea The links are all carved on the outside, and there is a sort of rose on the end of this cage thing, and Lee painted it all up pink and green where it ought to be like that

”He knows all about a car too This week he has been going over dad's car and the S, and they run like grease”

Frank fiddled with the chain He had nothing to say On account of his Indian blood, his silent ways and mischievous nature, Lee had always filled him with interest He could tell wonderful stories too of his own ti behind hirandfather

Lee's grandfather knew a great s that he never did tell, but once in awhile he illing to open his close-set oldcoat, and a white shi+rt, but never a collar A wide black, soft-brimmed hat was set squarely on his coal black hair Under the hat, sht braids close to each ear They were alound with bright colored worsted Grandfather Lee, the old chieftain, liked bright colors, so he usually had red and yellow on his braids They hung nearly to his waist, down in front, over each coat lapel S in his ears, and under his eyes and across each cheek bone was a faint streak of yellow paint

His Indian naht, and he lived about a hundred iven him by the Government He had lived there quite contentedly for round when he had to But now everything was changed Oklahoiven up her treasure, the hidden millions that lay under her sandy stretches Oil derricks rose thickly everywhere, and Bird that Flies by Night found that all he had to do was to sit on his back porch and look at the derrick that had been raised over the well dug where his three pigs used to root Two hundred dollars a day that as bringing to the old Bird and, as Lee said, was ”still going strong”

”And here _I_ arimly, ”enlisted for three years!”

Lee's father was an Indian of a later day He had gone through an eastern college and had been in business in a small tohen the oil excitement broke out He went into oil at once, and was far down in the oil fields, Lee did not knohere

As a boy, Lee hied by his e-bred father, and had led a restless, roainning of the hen he had enlisted in the hope of being sent across where the danger lay

But like ht in one of the war's backwaters, and had been stationed at Fort Sill

Sauntering up to the quarters, the boys found Lee staringclean and glistening in the bright sunlight

”She knocks,” he said, knitting his fierce black brows ”Allover that car, and I can't find that knock”

The boys came close and listened

”I don't hear any knock,” said Frank

They all listened

”Don't you hear it now?” said Lee, speeding the engine

”See,” said Bill, partly to please Lee

They all listened closely

Lee coine ”I have it, I think,” he exclaimed triumphantly as he took out a small piece of the machinery

Frank motioned Bill one side, and they wandered around the end of the building

”Don't you feel sort of afraid to let Lee tinker with your car?” he asked with a show of carelessness

”Not a bit! Dad says he is a born mechanic and he trusts him with all the care of his car If dad thinks he can fix that, why, I guess it is safe to let hi he wants to do with the S”

”Do you ever let anybody else drive the S?” asked Frank ”I wouldn'tit some day if you don't care”

Bill looked embarrassed

”I would let you take her in a minute,” He said, ”but dad made me promise that I would never loan the S to anyone It is not that he wantsshould happen, if the car should be broken, or if there should be an accident and some other boy hurt, I would sort of feel that it was my fault”