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She leaned forward； hands upon knees； in breathless anxiety。
〃You bet your life I will； Lahoma！〃
〃Then me stay all time with youall time。 And you teach me talk right；
and dress right； and be like mother and my white people？ You teach me all
that？〃
〃That's the program。 I'm going to civilize youthat means to make you
like white folks。 It's going to take time； but the mountains is full of time。〃
〃You 'civilize' me right now？ You begin today？〃 She started up and
stood erect with arms folded； evidently waiting for treatment。
〃The process will be going on all the while you're associating with me；
honey。 That chief； Red Featherhe has a daughter； hasn't he？〃
〃No； him say no girl； no boy。〃 She spoke with confidence。
〃I see。 And your father's dead too； eh？〃 Evidently Red Feather had
thoroughly convinced her of the truth of these pretenses。
〃Bothmother； father。 Nobody but me。〃 She knelt down at his side； her
face troubled。 〃If I had just one！〃
〃Can you remember either of them？〃
〃Oh； yes； yesand Red Feather； him talk about them； talk； talk； always
say me be white with the white people some day。 This is the day。 You
make me like mother was。 You civilize mebegin！〃 She regarded him with
dignified attention； her little hands locked about her blanket where it lay
folded below her knees。 The cloud had vanished from her face and her
eyes sparkled with expectancy。
〃I ain't got the tools yet； honey。 They's no breaking up and enriching
land that ain't never bore nothing but buffalo…grass； without I have picks
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and spades and plows and harrers。 I got to get my tools； to begin。〃
She stiffened herself。 〃You needn't be afraid I'll cry。 I WANT you to
hurt me； if that the way。〃
〃It ain't like a pain in the stomach； Lahoma。 All I gets for you will be
some books。 Them is the tools I'm going to operate with。〃
〃Books？ What are books？〃
〃Books？〃 Willock rubbed his bushy head in desperation。 〃Books？ Why；
they is just thoughts that somebody has ketched and put in a cage where
they can't get away。 You go and look at them thoughts somebody capable
has give rise to； and when you finds them as has never ranged in your own
brain； you captures 'em； puts your brand on 'em； and serves 'em out in your
own herd。 You see； Lahoma； what you think in your own brain ain't of no
service； for YOU don't know nothing。 If you want to be civilized； you got
to lasso other people's thoughtspeople as has went to and fro and has
learned lifeand you got to dehorn them ideas； and tame 'em。〃
Lahoma examined him with new interest。 〃Are YOU civilized？〃 Her
countenance fell。
〃Not to no wide extent； but I can ford toler'ble deep streams that would
drown you； honey。 Just put confidence in me； and when I get over my
head； I'll holler for help。 I judge I can put five good years' work on you
without exhausting my stores。 I can read amongst the small words pretty
peartthe young calves； so to sayand lots of them big steers in three or
four syllables；I can sort o' guess at their road…brands from the company
I've saw 'em traveling with； in times past。 And I can write my own name；
and yours too； I reckon。Lahoma Gledwareyes； I'm toler'ble well versed
on a capital 'G'you just make a gap with a flying tail to it。〃
〃My name NOT Lahoma Gledware；〃 she interposed in some severity。
〃My name； Lahoma Willock。 Beautiful namelovely； like flower
Willock； call me Lahoma Willocklike song of little stream。 Gledware；
hardrough。〃
Brick Willock stared at her in amazement。 〃Where'd you get that
from？〃
〃My name Lahoma WillockRed Feather tell me。〃
He smoked in silence； puffing rapidly。 Then〃My name is Brick
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Willock。 How came you to be named Lahoma Willock？〃
Lahoma suggested thoughtfully〃All white people named Willock？〃
〃There's a few；〃 Willock shook his head； 〃with less agreeable names。
But after all； I'm glad you have my name。 Yesthe more I think on it； the
more pleased I get。 I reckon we're sort of kinfolks； anyhow。 Well； honey；
this is enough talk about being civilized； now let's make the first move on
the way。 You want to see your mother's grave； and lay some of these wild
flowers on it。 That's a part of being civilized； caring for graves is。 It's just
savages as forgets the past and consequently never learns nothing。 Come
along。 Them moccasins will do famous until I can get you shoes from the
settlements。 It's seventy mile to Vernon； Texas； and none too easy miles。
But I got a pony the first time I ventured to Doan's store； and it'll carry you；
if I have to walk at your side。 We'll make a festibul march of that journey；
and lay in clothes as a girl should wear； and books to last through the
winter。〃
Willock rose and explained that they must cross the mountain。 As they
traversed it； he reminded her that she had not gathered any of the flowers
that were scattered under sheltering boulders。
〃Why？〃 asked Lahoma； showing that her neglect to do so was
intentional。
〃Well； honey； don't you love and honor that mother that bore so much
pain and trouble for you； traveling with you in her arms to the Oklahoma
country； trying to make a home for you up there in the wilderness； and at
last dying from the hardships of the plains。 Ain't she worth a few flowers。〃
〃She dead。 She not see flowers； not smell flowers； not know。〃
Willock said nothing； but the next time they came to a clump of
blossoms he made a nosegay。 Lahoma watched him with a face as calm
and unemotional as that of Red Feather； himself。 She held her back with
the erect grace and moved her limbs with the swift ease of those among
whom she had passed the last two years。 In delightful harmony with this
air of wildness was the rich and delicate beauty of her sun…browned face；
and the golden glow of her silken brown hair。 Willock's heart yearned
toward her as only the heart of one destined to profound loneliness can
yearn toward the exquisite grace and unconscious charm of a child； but to
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the degree that he felt this attraction； he held himself firmly aloof；
knowing that wild animals are frightened when kindness beams without its
veil。