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Her chin was quivering when Mary finally lifted her head to look at her “Oh, Lorna …” her voice wavered “My pa’s chickens back home have a better life than I do”
It was a combination of heat, thirst, frayed nerves, and exhaustion that worked on Lorna Mary’s rehing and couldn’t stop It was so true Any far with her, until both of the at the saon wheel’s spokes when they could no longer support themselves
Rusty eyed theonewhat to do But it was an eainst the spokes and stared at her friend
“Mary, I wish you weren’t leaving us e reach Dodge City,” she murmured soberly “I would never have made it this far without you When I think how far we have to travel yet to get to Montana, I don’t know if I canbearable”
“You can,” Mary insisted, but there was a longing in her eyes, too
“Why don’t you and Ely coerly “It’s new country You and Ely could homestead some land near Benteen and me Then we could see each other once in a while”
“We planned to go to Ioway” But Lorna could see Mary avering
“Would you think about it?” Lorna urged
“I’ll think about it” But Mary added a warning to her agree”
“Let’s drink to that” Lorna lifted the cup in a toast, took a sip of the water, and offered it to Mary
Mary’s sip turned into a s Reh her face “I’ve drank nearly all of your water I’ll give you some of mine”
“No” Lorna refused with a slanced at the a in the cup Mary returned to her “There’s enough here for s I can’t let them die now”
She used the wagon wheel to help pull herself upright Even though she was still hot, tired, thirsty, and a little weak, she felt a little better inside It was a constant surprise to discover how th to go on when she thought she couldn’t, the will to survive and still be able to find soh about Lorna walked to the far side of the wagon, where she’d tucked the cuttings under the seat
When Benteen rode into caon, but there wasn’t any sign of Lorna He dis horse to the wheel of the chuck wagon After he’d poured hiain for her, then wandered over to Mary
“How are you holding up?” he asked with a gentle look of concern