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murmured the question aloud until Rusty spoke up

“Nearly everyone here has ridden out to see the elephant,” he said “He’s come close to shakin’ hands with Death s shohen one of their kind , but they know about living, too”

Rusty walked aithout waiting to see if she understood his explanation Mary paused by the graves and laid a bouquet of wildflowers on each of them, and bowed her head in a silent prayer

The floould die The elements and the animais that roamed the wild country would soon knock down the crosses, and the grass would cover the graves Lorna turned and ran to the wagon at the bottohtness of his jahen she turned and fled

Resolutely Benteen went after her, prepared for another emotional display over the death of the tboys There were tears in her eyes when he reached the wagon, but deterhtly drawn features

“Lorna”

“You needn’t worry I’on seat and began searching frantically for soround

“What are you doing?” Benteen frowned

“I’s froraves so they’ll always have a ed him to object

The gestureout”

12

With Texas and the Red River behind theh the Indian territory This section of the Chisholm Trail between the Red River and the Cimarron had been notorious for the raids on cattle herds by Indians and white renegades alike in the early years of the trail’s history Although the risk of an attack had lessened, the men kept a sharp eye out for trouble just the same With the deaths of Andy and Jonesy, the drive was shorthanded, which meant extra duty for everyone

A week into the Indian nation, Lorna ashing dishes fro to show its effects She had lost weight, taking the girlish plumpness from her cheeks In spite of the bonnet she wore most of the day, her complexion had lost its olden brown Her hands were chapped and rough froh in alkali Soon, she doubted if her own nize her

It was a small consolation that Mary’s dresses were loose around her waist, too But Lorna noticed that her sisterly friend appeared to be weathering it better than she was With a sigh, she turned back to the wreck pan, washed another dish, and handed it to Mary to dry

There was a vague awareness that soh her blood A half-naked Indian was standing by the chuck wagon, his face and chest s stories Sue Ellen had told her about white wo to her mind She dropped the half-washed plate into the water and screamed