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LAHOMA
〃Don't you wish the Indians built their villages closer to the trail？ Ugh！
Hadn't we better burrow a storm…cellar in the sand？ I feel awfully high up
in the air。〃 〃Poor Lahoma！〃
〃Believe I'll walk with you； Wilfred； I'm turning to a lady…icicle。〃
〃Do！ I know it would warm you upa little。〃 His teeth showed an
inclination to chatter。 〃ComeI'll help you down。 Can you find my arm？〃
At that moment the horse gave a violent lunge； then came to a
standstill； quivering and snorting with fright。 Wilfred's groping arm found
the saddle empty。
〃I didn't have to climb down；〃 announced her uncertain voice from a
distance。 It came seemingly from the level of the plain。
〃You've fallenyou are hurt！〃 he exclaimed； but he could not go to her
because the horse refused to budge from the spot and he dared not loosen
his hold。
〃Well； I'm a little warmer； anyway！〃 Her voice approached slowly。
〃That was quick exercise； I didn't know I was going to do it till I was
down。 Lit on my feet； anyhow。 Why don't you come to meet me？〃
〃This miserable beast won't move a foot。 Come and hold him； Lahoma；
while I examine in front； to find out what's scared him。〃
〃All right。 Where are you？ Can you find my hand？〃
〃Can't I！〃 retorted Wilfred； clasping it in a tight grasp。
〃Gracious； how wet we are！〃 she panted； 〃and blown about。 And
frozen。〃
〃And scolded；〃 he added plaintively。
〃But； Wilfred； it never entered my mind that l was the little girl。 Would
I have brought up the subject if I'd known the truth？ I never would。 That's
why I felt you took advantage 。。。 a man ought to bring up that subject
himself even if I AM a girl out West and〃
〃But Lahoma〃
〃And not another word do I want you to say about it。 EVER。 At least；
tonight。 PLEASE； Wilfred！ So I can think about it。 I'll hold the horseyou
go on and find out what's the matter。
〃Besides； you saidyou KNOW you said； when we were strolling
thatthat I didn't understand such matters。 And that you'd tell me when it
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LAHOMA
was TIME。。。。〃
〃It's time now； Lahoma； time for you to be somebody's sweetheart
and you saidyou KNOW you said； when we were strollingthat I'd fill
the bill for you。〃
〃But I brought up the subject myself； and I mean to close it； right short
off； for it's a man's subject。 Oh； how trembly this horse is！〃
〃But； Lahoma！〃
〃Well； what is it？〃
〃I just wanted to say your name。〃 He started away。 〃It sounds good to
me。〃
〃Yes； it stands for Oklahoma。〃
〃It stands for much more than that！〃 he called。
〃Yes；〃 she persisted in misunderstanding him； 〃something big and
grand。〃
〃Not so big；〃 he cried； now at some distance； but what there's room for
more than Brick and Bill in the cove！〃
If she answered； the wind drowned her words。 With extended arms he
groped along the trail with exceeding caution。 Suddenly his foot touched
an object which on examination proved to be a human body； a gaping
wound in its breast。
〃Found anything？〃 called Lahoma； her voice shivering。
He rose quickly and almost stumbled over another object。 It was a
second body； stiffened in death。
〃I'll be there in a minute；〃 he called； his voice grave and steady。 After a
brief pause he added〃I've found one of the horsesit's dead。〃
〃Oh； oh！〃 she exclaimed。 〃They've driven it to death。〃
Wilfred had found a bullet hole behind its ear； but he said nothing。
Suddenly the horse held by Lahoma gave a plunge； broke away and
went galloping back over the trail they had traversed； pursued by
Lahoma's cry of dismay。 〃I couldn't hold him；〃 she gasped。 〃He lifted me
clear off the ground。。。。〃
Wilfred was also dismayed； but he preserved an accent of calm as he
felt his way toward her； uttering encouragement for which their condition
offered no foundation。 But his forced cheerfulness suddenly changed to
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LAHOMA
real congratulation when his extended hand struck against an upright
wheel。
〃Lahoma； here's the stage…coach。 It's standing just as we saw it last；
except for the horses。〃
〃The stage…coach！〃 she marveled； coming toward him。 〃Oh； Wilfred； I
see now what's happened。 One of the horses dropped dead； and Red
Kimball and his men jumped on the other three。。。。 But I wonder what
became of the driver？〃
〃Get inside！〃 he ordered。 〃Thank God； we've found SOMETHING that
we can get inside of。 That'll shelter us till morning； anyway； and then we
can determine what's to be done。〃
Once in the coach； they were safe from the wind which howled above
and around them； rattling the small windows and making the springs creak。
There was no help for the discomfort of soaking garments； but Wilfred
lighted a reserve lantern and placed it in a corner； while thick leather
cushions and stage…blankets offered some prospect of rest。
As no plans could be formed until morning revealed their real plight；
they agreed that all conversation should be foregone in order to recuperate
from the hardships of the day for the trials of tomorrow。 Lahoma soon fell
asleep after her exhausting journey of a day and half a night since leaving
the train at Chickasha。
For hours Wilfred sat opposite； staring at her worn face； pathetic in its
youthful roundness from which the bloom had vanished； wondering at her
grace； beauty； helplessness and perfect faith in him。 That faith revealed in
every line of the form lying along the seat； and spoke from the
unconscious face from which the brown hair was outspread to dry。
How oddly her voice had sounded； how strange had been its accent
when she said； 〃It never entered my mind that _I_ was the little girl！〃 Had
she been sorry for the thought to come？ Did she think less of him because
he had not remained true to Annabel？ Would it not have been far better to
wait until reaching their destination before hinting of love？ Even while
perplexed over these problems； and while charmed by that appealing face
with the softly parted lips； by the figure that stirred in the rhythm of
slumber； other thoughts； other objects weighed upon himthe two dead
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men； the dead horse just outside。 One of those men might be Red Kimball；
other bodies might lie there which he had failed to discover。 Had the stage
been attacked by Indians； or by white desperadoes who found shelter in
the Kiowa country？ In either case； might not the enemy be hovering about
the trail； possibly waiting to descend on the coach？
Armed and watchful； Wilfred waited through the hours。 When no
longer able to bear the uncertainty； he crept from the stage with the lantern；
and examined the recent scene of a furious struggle。 There were only two
slainthe driver and one of Red Kimball's companions。 Either Kimball
and his other comrade had escaped； or had been captured。 If any of the
attacking party had fallen； the bodies had been borne away。 Blood…stains
indicated that more than two had been shot。 From that ghastly sight it was
a relief to find himself once more enclosed by the coach walls with
Lahoma so peacefully sleeping。
Once he fell into a doze from which he was startled by the impression
that soft noises； not of wind or rain； were creeping over the earth。 He sat
erect with the confused fancy that wolves were slinking among the wheels；
were glaring up at the windows； were dragging away the corpses。 The
sudden movement of his hand as it grasped his pistol awoke Lahoma。
She opened her eyes wide； but did not lift her cheek from the arm that
lay along the cushion。 〃There you are；〃 she said； 〃just as I was dreaming。〃
He pretended not to be uneasy； but his ears strained to catch the
meaning of th