The Heart of the Desert (Kut-Le of the Desert)Morrow, Honoré
General
The Heart of the Desert (Kut-Le of the Desert)
Morrow, Honoré
Indians of North America -- West (U.S.) -- Fiction; Love stories; Western stories
"We can rig up a dressing-room of blankets in no time," he went on,
putting a bundle into Rhoda's hands.
Rhoda stood holding the bundle in silence while all hands set to
rigging up her dressing-room. She felt suddenly cool-headed and
resourceful. Her mind was forced away from her own sorrow to the
solution of another heavy problem. In the little blanket tent she
unrolled the bundle and smiled tenderly at the evidence of Katherine's
thoughtfulness. There were underwear, handkerchiefs, toilet articles
and Katherine's own pretty corduroy divided skirt and Norfolk jacket
with a little blouse and Ascot scarf.
Rhoda took off her buckskins and tattered blue shirt slowly, with lips
that would quiver. This was the last, the very last of Kut-le! She
dressed herself in Katherine's clothes, then folded up the buckskins
and shirt. She would keep them, always! When she came out from the
tent she stepped awkwardly, for the skirts bothered her, and Jack,
waiting nearby, smiled at her. At another time Rhoda would have joined
in his amusement, but now she asked soberly:
"Which horse is for me?"
"Rhoda!" cried DeWitt, "I really wouldn't know you! I thought I never
could want you anything but ethereal, but--Jack! Isn't she wonderful!"
Jack grinned. Rhoda, tanned and oval-cheeked, and straight of back and
shoulder, was not to be compared with the invalid Rhoda.
"Gee!" he said. "Wait till Katherine sees her!"
Rhoda shrugged her shoulders.
"My pleasure in all that is swallowed up by this savage obsession of
yours."
John DeWitt led out Rhoda's pony.
"You don't understand, dear," he said. "You can't doubt my heavenly
joy at having you safe. But the outrage of it all-- That Apache
devil!"
"I do understand, John," answered Rhoda wearily. "Don't try to explain
again. I know just how you all feel. Only, I will not have Kut-le
killed."
"Rhoda," said DeWitt hoarsely, "I shall kill him as I would a yellow
dog!"
Rhoda turned away. The line of march was quickly formed. Porter led.
Carlos closed the rear. DeWitt and Newman rode on either side of
Rhoda. They were not long in reaching the trail down the canon wall.
Here they paused, for the rough ascent was impossible for the horses.
The men looked questioningly at Rhoda but she volunteered no
information. She believed that Kut-le had left the camp at the top
long since. If for any reason he had delayed his going, she knew that
he had watched every movement in the white camp and could protect
himself easily.
"We can leave Carlos with the horses," said Porter, "while we climb up
and see where the trail leads."
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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