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among them strong men who could have overpowered dozens of Indians。
But what could I do？
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〃Then I had a thought。 'Let him live； Red Feather；' I said； 'but strip him
of all his ill…gotten property。 Turn him loose in the world without a penny；
it'll be punishment enough。 You can't bring back your daughter by killing
him； but you can make him give up all he has in return for stealing the
money from your tribe。'
〃I don't know why I thought of that； and I don't know why it made
instant appeal to Red Feather's mind。 I saw at once that he was going to
consent。 All he said was； 'Talk to him' But I knew what he meant。
〃So I crossed the room and looked down at the man。 'Mr。 Gledware；' I
said； 'are you willing to give up all your possessions in order to save your
life？'
〃'Oh； yes；' he gasped。 'A thousand times； yes！ God bless you； Lahoma！'
〃'You will deed all your property away from you？ And surrender all
that you own； money； bonds； stocks and so forth？'
〃'My God； yes； yes！' he wailed。 'Save meonly save me； Lahoma！'
〃I looked at Red Feather。 'Shall he make it all over to you？'
Red Feather shook his head。 'Me not want his money。 Let him give all
to Red Flower； the daughter him not see since he stole our money and
desert his wife。'
〃'Yes； yes； yes；' moaned Mr。 Gledware； 'I'll give everything to herI'll
make over everything to her in the morning； so help me Godif you spare
my life； she shall have everything。'
〃All this time Red Feather had never moved his knee from the man's
breast。 Now he rose and pointed toward the East。 'The morning will come；'
he said solemnly。 'If you keep your wordwell！ If you try fool Red
Featherif you keep back one piece of money； one clod of earth' He
wheeled about so suddenly with his drawn knife that I thought he was
plunging it into the man's heart。 It shot down like lightning； but stopped
short just before the edge of the blade touched the miserable coward。
〃Mr。 Gledware sobbed and gasped and choked； swearing that he would
keep his word； and assuring us that； if he broke it； death would be too
good for him。 But what he will do when he thinks him…self safethat's
another thing！ I know his life is as secure as mine； if he is true to his
promise。 But if he breaks itwell； we know Red Feather！ Do you think Mr。
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Gledware will keep his word？ Or will he wait to see whether or not Red
Kimball rids him of the Indian？ I believe he'll be afraid to wait。 But as
soon as he's calm； it will be like death for him to give up all he owns。 That
will mean giving up Annabel； too。
〃It hasn't been an hour since I came back to my room。 When Red
Feather slipped away； the only thing I asked Mr。 Gledware was my
mother's maiden name； and the place where her people lived。 I'm going to
leave here in the morning。 I'm coming back where there's room enough to
turn around in； and air enough to breathe； where men speak the truth
because they don't care who's who； and shoot quick and straight when they
have to。 I'm coming back where money's mighty scarce and love's as free
and boundless as Heaven； where good books are few and true hearts are
many。 Yes； I'm coming back to the West； and if the winds don't blow all
the sand away； under the sand I expect to be buried。 But I want to live until
I'm buried。 People have made the big world as it is；well they are
welcome to it； but God has made the cove as it is； and it's for Me and
Brick and Bill。
〃Good night。
〃Lahoma。
〃Just the three of us： just Me and Brick and Bill： ONE…TWO…THREE！
There's oceans of room out in the big world for everything and everybody。
But in the cove； there's room just for
〃Me
〃And Brick
〃And Bill。〃
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CHAPTER XIX
LIKE LOVERS
On reaching Chickasha； Wilfred Compton telegraphed to Kansas City
asking his brother if Lahoma was still at Mr。 Gledware's house in the
country。 In the course of a few hours the reply came that she had already
started home to Greer County； Texas。 After reading the message； Wilfred
haunted the station； not willing to let even the most unpromising freight
train escape observation。
Everything that came down the track on this last reach of the railroad
into Southwest Oklahoma； was crowded with people； cattle； household
furniture； stores of hardware； groceries； dry…goodsall that man requires
for his physical well…being。 The town itself was swarming with eager
jostling throngs bound for many diverse points； and friends of a day
shouted hearty good…bys； or exchanged good…natured badinage； as they
separated to meet no more。
Men on horseback leading heavily laden pack…horses； covered wagons
from which peeped women and children half…reclining upon bedding； their
eyes filled with grave wonder at a world so unlike their homes in the East
or Northpyramids of undressed lumber fastened somehow upon four
wheels and surmounted in precarious fashion by sprawling men whose
faces and garments suggested Broadway； New York and Leadville；
ColoradoWilfred gazed upon the unending panorama。 In those corded
tents he saw the pioneer family already in possession of the new land； in
the stacks of pine boards he beheld houses already sending up the smoke
of peace and prosperity from their chimneys； and in the men and women
who streamed by； their faces alight with hope； their bodies ready for the
grapple with drought； flood； cyclone； famine； he saw the guaranty of a
young and dominant state。
Strangers greeted one another with easy comrade…ship。 Sometimes it
was just； 〃Hello； neighbor！〃and if a warning were shouted across the
street to one endangered by the current of swelling life； it might be
〃Look out there； brother！〃 The sense of kinship tingled in the air； opening
men's hearts and supplying aid to weaker