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He sat down next to her, and though Millie opened her eyes, she didn’t glance his way, aze on the paper, she continued drawing a scene of three wo a deer hide

As badly as she knehat had to be done, the energy it would take was currently beyond her Perhaps if she ignored hio away A smile almost touched her lips at the absurdity of that Seth was not a nored, nor one ould leave a wo in the middle of the prairie by herself, no matter who she was and how much he despised her

She flinched and the pencil shot across the page

“I didn’t mean to disturb you,” he said

“You didn’t” She set the pencil on top of the paper resting on her lap, and shifted slightly toto do “This one wasn’t turning out like I wanted”

“I think it’s very good”

Unable to accept praise of any kind right now, she frowned Mrs Ketchuood wife didn’t ask questions, but Millie was as far froood wife as could be

Gesturing toward the tepees, she asked, “Why’d they set up their homes here? They weren’t here yesterday” She stopped shy of adding, “when you took ht noould spoil the memory, and someday she’d want it to be pure, so she could smile when it came to mind

“Per-Cuton with rass to twirl between his fingers

She still hadn’t looked his way, couldn’t, but hearing his voice, and seeing his hands out the corner of her eye, had her heart thudding again “Why?”

“To make sure the needs of his people are heard”

“I thought that hy you’re going”

He tossed aside the grass “It is, but others have gone before s haven’t improved He has no reason to believe they will this time, either”

The distress in Seth’s voice had co inside her No e hiood person who cared deeply about the Indians and his duties to oversee their welfare

“Will you let hio?” she asked

“I haven’t decided yet”

“Are you still planning on going soon?”

“Yes Before the end of the month”