Peppajee did not seem to hear.
"Sheriff say that, too. Sheriff found the gun."
"Mebbyso sheriff mans heap damfool. Mebbyso heap smart. No
sabe."
Good Indian studied him silently. Reticence was not a general
characteristic of Peppajee; it seemed to indicate a thorough
understanding of the whole affair. He wondered if Rachel had
told her uncle the truth.
"Where's Rachel?" he asked suddenly, the words following
involuntarily his thought.
Peppajee sucked hard upon his pipe, took it away from his mouth,
and knocked out the ashes upon a pole of the wikiup frame.
"Yo' no speakum Rachel no more," he said gravely. "Yo' ketchum
'Vadnah; no ketchum otha squaw. Bad medicine come. Heap much
troubles come. Me no likeum. My heart heap bad."
"I'm Rachel's friend, Peppajee." Good Indian spoke softly so
that others might not hear. "I sabe what Rachel do. Rachel good
girl. I don't want to bring trouble. I want to help."
Peppajee snorted.
"Yo' make heap bad heart for Rachel," he said sourly.
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