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“What’s the matter, Mommy?” Webb asked

“Nothing, dear,” she lied “Let’s go back to the cabin, shall we?”

The silence at the supper table that night was so heavy it nearly suffocated Lorna Benteen had barely said one word to the boys, and less than that to her The food was tasteless She ended up pushing it around on her plate without eating it

After the table was cleared, Benteen spread his paperwork on it and turned up the lamp It seemed impossible, but the tension increased Lorna put the boys to bed earlier than usual, but a day of hard play had the to be done, but Lorna couldn’t tolerate the thought of sitting in the chair near Benteen to share the light of his lamp

Sleep was the farthest thing froan undressing for bed At least the cloth ht serve as a barrier to block out the tension that filled the rest of the cabin

Her dress was lying across the top of the trunk As Lorna stepped out of her long slip, the curtain was yanked back She stiffened at the cold look on Benteen’s face

“What do you think you’re doing?” he demanded

“I’ to bed” She tossed the slip on top of the plain calico dress

“And do what? Dreaed

Lorna was startled by his question “Did you hear him say that?” She blurted out the question because she hadn’t thought he had come outside in time to overhear their conversation

“It was just a guess” His lips were pulled back to show the even

rohite teeth ground together “But an accurate one”

“Not really, since it was Bull who—”

“‘Bull,’ is it?” He seized on her familiarity “Not ‘Mr Giles’ anymore”

“Stop it, Benteen,” she protested irritably, and half-turned, not wishing to continue this eument