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these years。 He turned her face up to him。 〃I love you； Kaneha；〃 he said。
Her eyes were dark and filled with tears。 〃I love you； my husband。〃
And for the first time； he kissed her on the mouth。
4
IT WAS ABOUT TWO O'CLOCK on a Saturday afternoon three summers later when Max stood on a wagon in the yard back of Olsen's Livery Stable； pitching hay up into the open loft over his head。 He was naked above his buckskin breeches and his body was burnt a coppery black by the blazing sun that hung overhead。 The muscles rippled easily in his back as he forked the hay up from the wagon。
The three men came riding into the yard and pulled their horses up near the wagon。 They did not dismount but sat there； looking at him。
Max did not interrupt his work and after a moment； one of them spoke。 〃Hey； Injun；〃 he said。 〃Where is the Sand boy？〃
Max threw another forkful into the loft。 Then he sank the pitchfork into the hay and looked down at them。 〃I'm Max Sand；〃 he said easily； resting on the fork handle。
The men exchanged meaningful looks。 〃We're lookin' fer yer pappy；〃 the man who had spoken before said。
Max stared at them without answering。 His blue eyes were dark and unreadable。
〃We were over at the stage line but the place was closed。 There was a sign there that said your pappy hauled freight。〃
〃That's right；〃 Max said。 〃But this is Saturday afternoon an' he's gone home。〃
One of the others pushed forward。 〃We got a wagonload of freight we got to get over to Virginia City；〃 he said。 〃We're in a hurry。 We'd like to talk to him。〃
Max picked up the pitchfork again。 He tossed another forkful of hay into the loft。 〃I'll tell him when I get home to…night。〃
〃We cain't wait that long；〃 the first man said。 〃We want to make the deal and get on out of here tonight。 How do we find your place？〃
Max looked at them curiously。 They didn't look like settlers or miners or the usual run of people that had freight for his father to haul。 They looked more like gunmen or drifters； the way they sat there with their guns tied low on their legs； their hats shading their faces。
〃I'll be th'ough here in a couple of hours；〃 Max said。 〃I'll take you out there。〃
〃I said we was in a hurry； boy。 Your pappy won't like it none if he hears we gave our load to somebody else。〃
Max shrugged his shoulders。 〃Follow the north road out about twenty miles。〃
Without another word the three turned their horses around and began to ride out of the yard。 Their voices floated back on the lazy breeze。
〃Yuh'd think with all the dough ol' Sand's got buried； he'd do better than bein' a squaw man；〃 one of them said。
Max heard the others laugh as he angrily pitched hay up into the loft。
It was Kaneha who heard them first。 Her ears were turned to the road every Saturday afternoon for it was then that Max came home from school。 She went to the door and opened it。 〃Three men e；〃 she said； looking out。
Sam got up from the table and walked behind her and looked out。 〃Yeah；〃 he said； 〃I wonder what they want。〃
Kaneha had a premonition of danger。 〃Bolt the door and do not let them enter；〃 she said。 〃They ride silently like Apache on the warpath； not open like honest men。〃
Sam laughed。 〃You're just not used to seein' people；〃 he said。 〃They're probably jus' lookin' for the way to town。〃
〃They e from the direction of town；〃 Kaneha said。 But it was too late。 He was already outside the door。
〃Howdy；〃 he called as they pulled their horses up in front of the cabin。
〃You Sam Sand？〃 the one in the lead asked。
Sam nodded。 〃That's me。 Whut kin I do for you gents？〃
〃We got a load we want hauled up to Virginia City；〃 the man said。 He took off his hat and wiped his face on his sleeve。 〃It's pow'ful hot today。〃
〃It shore is；〃 Sam nodded。 〃e on inside and cool off a bit while we talk about it。〃
The men dismounted and Sam walked into the cabin。
〃Fetch a bottle of whisky；〃 he said to Kaneha。 He turned back to the men。 〃Set yourself down。 What kind'a freight yuh got？〃
〃Gold。〃
〃Gold？〃 Sam asked。 〃They ain't enough gold out heah to haul in a wagon。〃
〃That ain't what we hear；〃 one of the men said。 Suddenly there were guns in their hands。 〃We hear you got enough gold buried out heah to fill up a wagon。〃
Sam stared at them for a moment； then he laughed。 〃Put your guns away； gents；〃 he said。 〃Yuh don' believe that crazy yarn； do yuh？〃
The first man came slowly toward him。 His arm flashed and the gun whipped across Sam's face。 Sam fell backward against the wall。 He stared up at the man incredulously。
〃Yuh'll tell us where it is befo' we through；〃 the man said tightly。
The air in the cabin was almost unbearably hot。 The three men had drawn off into a corner and were whispering among themselves。 Occasionally they would glance across the room at their captives。
Sam hung limply； tied to the support post in the center of the cabin。 His head sagged down on his naked chest and the blood dropped down his face； matting on the graying red hair of his beard and chest。 His eyes were swollen and almost closed； his nose broken and squashed against his cheek。
Kaneha was tied in a chair。 Her eyes were fixed unblinkingly on her husband。 She strained to turn her head to hear what the men were saying behind her but she could not move； she was bound too tightly。
〃Mebbe he ain't really got the gold；〃 one of the men whispered。
〃He's got it all right；〃 the first one said。 〃He's jus' tough。 Yuh don' know them ol' buffalo hunters like I do。〃
〃Well； you ain't never goin' to make him talk the way yuh're goin'；〃 the short man said。 〃He's gonna die first。〃
〃He'll talk；〃 the first man answered。 He went to the stove and took a burning coal from it with a pair of fire tongs。 He walked back to Sam and pulled his head back against the post by his hair。 He held the tongs in front of Sam's face。 〃Wheah's the gold？〃
Sam's eyes were open。 His voice was a husky croak。 〃They ain't none。 For God's sake wouldn't I tell yuh if they was？〃
The man pressed the burning coal against Sam's neck and shoulder。 Sam screamed in pain。 〃They ain't no gold！〃 His head fell sideways。 The man withdrew the burning coal and the blood welled up beneath the scorched flesh and ran down his chest and arm。
The man picked up a bottle of whisky from the table and took a swig from it。 〃Th'ow some water on him；〃 he said。 〃If'n he won't talk for hisself； mebbe he'll talk for his squaw。〃
The youngest man picked up a pail and threw water over Sam。 Sam shook his head and opened his eyes。 He stared at them。
The oldest man put the bottle down and walked over to Kaneha。 He took a hunting knife from his belt。 The other men's eyes followed him。 He cut the rope that bound her to the chair。 〃On yer feet；〃 he said harshly。
Silently Kaneha rose。 The man's knife moved quickly behind her and her shift fell to the floor。 She stood there naked before them。 The youngest man licked his lips。 He reached for the whisky and took a drink； his eyes never leaving her。
Holding Kaneha by the hair； his knife to her back； the oldest man pushed her over toward Sam。 They stopped in front of him。
〃It's been fifteen years since I skinned an Injun； squaw man；〃 he said。 〃But I ain't fergot how。〃 He moved swiftly around in front of her； his knife moving lightly up and down her skin。
A faint thin line of blood appeared where the knife had traced from under her chin down her throat through the valley between her breasts across her stomach and ing to a stop in the foliage of her pubis。
Sam began to cry； his own pain forgotten； his body wracked with bitter sobs。 〃Leave her be；〃 he pleaded。 〃Please leave her be。 They ain't no gold。〃
Kaneha reached out her hand。 She touched her husband's face gently。 〃I am not afraid； my husband；〃 she said in Kiowa。 〃The spirits will return evil to those who bring it。〃
Sam's face fell forward； the tears running down from his eyes across his bearded and bleeding cheeks。 〃I am sorry； my dear one；〃 he said in Kiowa。
〃Tie her hands to the legs of that table；〃 the older man manded。
It was done quickly and he knelt over her； his knife poised at her throat。 He looked back up toward Sam。 〃The gold？〃 he asked。
Sam shook his