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〃Does he read？〃； she asked Willock； breathlessly。 〃Does he read；
Brick？〃
Willock surveyed the seated figure gravely。 〃He reads！〃 he responded。
The man looked up； saw Willock and bent over his bookdiscovered
Lahoma on the pony； and looked up again； unwillingly but definitely。 〃You
never told me you had a little girl；〃 he remarked gruffly。
〃You never asked me；〃 said Willock。 〃Get down； Lahoma； and make
yourself at home。〃
The man shut his book。 〃What are you going to do？〃
〃Going to visit you。 Turn the pony loose； Lahoma； he won't go far。〃
〃Haven't you got all that north range to yourself？〃 Bill Atkins asked
begrudgingly。
〃Yap。 How're you making it； Atkins？〃
〃Why； as long as I'm let alone； I'm making it all right。 It's being let
alone that I can't ever accomplish。 When I was a boy I began my travels to
keep out where I could breathe； and I've been crowded out of Missouri and
Kansas and Colorado and Wyoming and California； and now I've come to
the American Desert thinking I could die in peace； but oh； no； not ME！ I
no sooner get settled and made my turf dugout； than here comes a
stranger〃
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〃Name of Brick Willock； if you've forgot；〃 interpolated Willock
genially。 〃I'll just light my pipe； as I reckon there's no objections。 Lahoma
don't care； and you can breathe all right if you keep with the wind from
you。〃
The man turned his back upon Willock； opened his book and read。
Lahoma approached the block of wood that supported him； while
Willock calmly stretched himself out on the grass。 〃Is that a book？〃 she
asked； by way of opening up the conversation。
The man gripped it tighter and moved his lips busily。 As she remained
at his knee； he presently said； 〃Oh； no； it's a hand…organ！〃
Lahoma smiled pityingly。 〃Are you afraid of me； Atkins？〃
The man looked up with open mouth。 〃Not exactly； kid！〃 There was
something in her face that made him lose interest in his book。 He kept
looking at her。
〃Then why don't you tell the truth？ WE won't hurt you。〃
The man opened his mouth and closed it。 Then he said； 〃It's a book。〃
〃Did you ever read it before？〃
〃This is the third time I've read it。〃
〃Seems as it hasn't accomplished no good on you； as you still tell lies。〃
The man rose abruptly； and laid the book on the seat。 His manner was
quite as discouraging as it had been from the start。
〃Honey；〃 interposed Willock； 〃that ain't to say a lie； not a real lie。〃
〃IS it a hand…organ？〃 Lahoma demanded sternly。
〃In a manner of speaking； honey； it is a hand…organ in the sense of
shutting you off from asking questions。 You learn to distinguish the sauces
of speech as you gets older。 Out in the big world； people don't say this or
that according as it is； they steeps their words in a sauce as suits the
digestion。 Don't be so quick to call 'LIES！' till you learns the flavor of a
fellow's meaning； not by his words but by the sauce he steeps 'em in。〃
〃Don't get mad at me；〃 said Lahoma to the trapper。 〃I don't know
nothing； never having captured and branded the thoughts that is caged up
in books。 But I want to be civilized and I am investigating according。〃
The trapper； somewhat conciliated； reseated himself。 He regarded the
girl with greater interest； not without a certain approval。 〃How comes it
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that you aren't civilized； living with such a knowing specimen as your own
father？〃
〃My father's dead。 Brick is my cousin； but I not knowing nothing of
him till he saved my life two years ago and after that； me with the Indians
and him all alone。 Would you like to hear about it？〃
〃I wouldn't bother him； honey； with all that long story；〃 interposed
Willock； suddenly grown restive。
〃Yes； tell me；〃 said the trapper； moving over that she might find room
on the block of wood beside him。
Lahoma seated herself eagerly and looking up into the other's face；
which softened more and more under her fearless gaze； she said：
〃We was crossing the plainsfather； mother and me； in a big wagon。
And men dressed up like Indians； they come whooping and shooting； and
father turns around and drives with all his mightdrives clear to yonder
mountain。 And mother dies； being that sick before； and the jolting too
much for her。 So father takes me on his horse and rides all night； and I all
asleep。 Well； those same men dressed like Indians； they was in a cabin
'way up north； and had put their wigs and feathers off and was gambling
over what they stole from the other wagons。 So father； he sees the light
from the window and rides up with me。 And they takes him for a spy and
says they； in a voice awful fierce； just this way'KILL 'EM BOTH！'〃
The trapper gave a start at the explosiveness of her tone。
Lahoma shouted again； as harshly as she could； 〃'Kill 'em both；' says
they。〃 Then she turned to Willock。 〃Did I put them words in the correct
sauce； Brick？〃
〃You done noble； honey。〃
Lahoma resumed： 〃Now it was in a manner of happening that Brick；
he was riding around to have a look at the country； and when he rides up
to the cabin； why； right outside there was me and father； and two of the
robbers about to kill us。 'What are you devils up to？' says Brick。 'You go to
hell；' says the leading man； 'that's where we're going to send this spy and
his little girl；' says he； 'you go to hell and maybe you'll meet 'em there；' he
says。 And with that he ups and shoots at Brick； the bullet lifting his hat
right off his head and scaring the horse out from under him； so he falls
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right there at the feet of them two robber…men； on his back。 Brick； he
never harmed nobody before in his life； but what was he to do？ He might
of let them kill him； but that would of left father and me in their grip； so he
just grabs the gun out of the leading man's hand； as he hadn't ever carried a
gun in his life his own self； and he shot both them robbers； him still laying
there on his back〃
〃No； honey； I got up about that time。〃
〃Brick； you told me you was still laying there on your back just as you
fell。〃
〃Did I； honey； well； I reckon I was； then； for when I told you about it；
it was more recent。〃
〃It's awful interesting；〃 the trapper remarked dryly。
〃Yes； ain't it！〃 Lahoma glowed。 〃Then father jumped on one horse
with me； and Brick put out on another； and when I woke up； the Indians
were all everywhere； but Brick come here and lived all alone and nearly
died because he didn't have me to comfort him。 So the Indians took me
and they killed father； and for two years I was moved from village to
village till Red Feather brought me to Brick。 And then we found out we
are cousins and he is going to civilize me。 Brick； he remembers about a
cousin of his； Cousin Martha Willock； her sister went driving out to the
Oklahoma country with her husband and little girl and wasn't never heard
of。 I am the little girl； all right； and Brick he's my second cousin。 And
wasn't it lucky Brick was riding around that night； looking at the country；
when they was about to put daylight into me？〃
〃I'd think；〃 remarked the trapper； 〃that he'd take you back to your
Cousin Martha； for men…folks like him and me aren't placed to take care of
women…folks。〃
〃Yes； but he got a letter saying my Cousin Martha and all her family is
done been swept away by a flood of the Mississippi River； and him and
me is all they is left of the Willockses； so we got to stick together。 Besides；
you see； he killed them two robbers； and the rest of the gang is laying for
him； Brick； he feels so dreadful； he never having so much as put a scratch
to a man's face before； for he wouldn't never fight as a boy； his conscience
wouldn't rest if he was in civilization。 He'd go right up to the first
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policeman he met and say； 'I d