United States or Malaysia ? Vote for the TOP Country of the Week !
"You and Molly and all of them think I'm just a parasite," she muttered. "You don't have to do anything for me! Just let me drop anywhere and die!" Kut-le looked at her strangely. Without comment, he picked her up. There was a sternly tender look on his face that never had been there before. He did not carry her dispassionately today, but very gently.
He stared from Kut-le to Rhoda, and Rhoda smiled at him. His last defense was down. "I'll be there, thanks!" he said. "There is a side trail that we can take my horses down," said Kut-le. They all were silent as Kut-le led the way down the side trail and by a circuitous path to the monastery. He made his way up through a rude, grass-grown path to a cloistered front that was in fairly good repair.
For the first time it occurred to her that instead of following the Indians so stupidly she ought to watch her chance and at the first opportunity make a wild dash off into the darkness. Kut-le was so sure of her weakness and cowardice that she felt that he would be taken completely by surprise and she might elude him.
"Go back to your own kind and I will go on, alone. Don't stop to talk any more. Go now!" Rhoda turned and looked at Cesca squatting by the horses, at Molly hovering near by with anxious eyes. Never to make the dawn camp, again never to hear Molly humming over the stew-pot! Suddenly Rhoda felt that if she could have Molly with her she would not be so utterly separated from Kut-le.
She ate in silence, while Kut-le watched her with unspeakable longing in his eyes. The room was almost dark when the simple meal was finished. Marie brightened the fire and smoothed Rhoda's blankets. "Kut-le go now," said the Pueblo woman. "You rest. In morning, Marie bring white squaw some clothes." Rhoda was glad to pillow her head on her arm but it was long before she slept.
You will be caught and lynched before the day is passed." Kut-le smiled. "Pshaw! Three Apaches can outwit a hundred white men on the trail!" Rhoda caught her breath. "Oh, Kut-le, how could you do this thing! How could you! I am disgraced forever! Let me go, Kut-le! Let me go! I'll not even ask you for a horse. Just let me go by myself!" "You are better off with me.
"They will take those to the 'killing place' and break them that the dead owner may have them afterward," explained Kut-le softly. "It always makes me think of a verse in the Bible. I can't recall the words exactly though." Rhoda glanced up into the dark face with a look of appreciation.
Kut-le went on, mercilessly. Rhoda winced. "I wish," said Kut-le huskily, "you never will know how I wish that you had come to me freely, feeling that the sacrifice was worth while!" Rhoda looked at him wonderingly. After all the weeks of iron determination, was the young giant weakening, was his great heart failing him! "I had thought," he went on, "that you were big enough to stand the test.
At first they were fairly walking over each other. But the ranchers had to go back to their work and the curious got tired. Most of those that are left are down along the Mexican border. They thought of course that Kut-le would get off American territory as soon as he could. Must we keep such a pace, Rhoda girl? You will be half dead before we can reach the camp!" Rhoda smiled.
The moment which she had so dreaded had arrived, and she found herself, after all her planning, utterly unprepared to meet it save with hackneyed phrases. It seemed a long time that Kut-le stood staring away from her. At last Rhoda could bear the silence no longer. She ran to him and put her trembling hand on his arm. He turned his stern young face to her and her heart failed her. "O Kut-le!
Word Of The Day