Sunset Ranch: A Story of a Boy's Adventures in the West — page 161: what you’re looking at

Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.

Taking French Leave. 149 Cuthbert shook his head in dismay at the task of guessing the truth. He knew a better way. Night was creeping on, the shades of darkness had already started to cover the earth, and in a short time he could carry out his little design with- out fear of discovery. This was nothing more nor less than to steal a march upon his adopted father the big chief, and listen to some of his interesting conversation with Caleb Cross. Cuthbert had been an apt scholar while among the Indians, and was able to do himself proud upon this occasion, when so much depended upon his success. The shadows were friendly and screened him from observation, so that, after much squirming after the manner of a snake, he was enabled to get close up behind the tepee of the chief. From within came the low murmur of conversa- tion, as Standing Elk and his guest chatted to- gether, while the squaw outside prepared the even- ing meal. Cuthbert’s hearing was fairly good under ordi- nary conditions, but it was rendered extraordinarily acute by the circumstances surrounding him just then. His reward came speedily enough, and in the nature of a staggering surprise. To Caleb Cross, then, he owed the fact of his being a prisoner in the Sioux camp. That worthy, believing the stories floating about among the cowboys of Kelly’s ranch concerning the wealth which belonged to Cuthbert in Virginia and New York, had conceived the idea of making him a prisoner among the Indians and holding him there an indefinite time pending a healthy ransom. It was simply disgusting—a miserable money- comiclooks C©