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your own kith and kin。〃
She looked at him repellently through her streaming tears。 〃Big hair！〃
she cried。 〃Big hair！〃
〃And must I cut it off？ I'll make my head as smooth as yonder bald…
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headed mountain…peak if it'll keep you from crying。 Course you ain't seen
nobody with whiskers amongst them Indians； but THEY ain't your people。
Your people is white； they are like me； they grows hair。 But I'll shave and
paint myself red； and hunt for feathers； if that's what you want。〃
Her sobbing grew less violent。 Despite his ferocious aspect； no fear
could remain in her heart at sight of that distressed countenance； at sound
of those conciliatory tones。 Willock； observing that the tempest was
abating； continued in his most appealing manner：
〃I'm going to do whatever you say； honey； and you're going to be the
queen of the cove。 Ain't you never been lonesome amongst all them red
devils？ Ain't you missed your poor mammy as died crossing the plains？ It
was me that buried her。 Ain't you never knowed how it felt to want to lay
your head on somebody's shoulder and slip your little arms about his neck；
and go to sleep like an angel whatever was happening around？ I guess SO！
Well； that's me； too。 Here I've been for two long year； never seeing nothing
but wild animals or prowling savages till the last few months when a
settler comes to them mountains seven mile to the southwest。 Looked like
I'd die； sometimes； just having myself to entertain。〃
〃You lonesome； too？〃 said the girl； looking up incredulously。 She drew
a step nearer； a wistful light in her dark eyes。
The man stretched out his arms and dropped them to his side； heavily。
〃Like that；〃 he cried〃just emptiness！〃
〃I stay；〃 she said simply。 〃All time； want my own people； all time； Red
Feather say some day take me to white peoplewant to go； all time。 But
Red Feather never tell me 'BIG HAIR。' Didn't know what it was I was
looking fornever thought it would be something like you。〃
〃But you ain't afraid now； are you； little one？〃
She shook her head； and drawing nearer； seated herself on the ground
before the dugout。 〃You LOOK Big Hair；〃 she explained sedately； 〃but
your speech is talk of weak squaw。〃
Somewhat disconcerted by these words； Willock sat down opposite her；
and resumed his pipe as if to assert his sex。 〃I seem weak to you；〃 he
explained； 〃because I love you； child； and want to make friends with you。
But let me meet a big manwell； you'd see； then！〃 He looked so ferocious
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as he uttered these words； that she started up like a frightened quail；
grasping her blanket about her。
〃No； no； honey；〃 he cooed abjectly； 〃I wouldn't hurt a fly。 Me； I was
always a byword amongst my pards。 They'd say； 'There goes Brick
Willock； what never harmed nobody。' When they kept me in at school I
never clumb out the window； and it was me got all the prize cards at
Sunday…school。 How comes it； honey； that you ain't forgot to talk like
civilized beings？〃
〃Red Feather； him always put me with squaw that know Englishthat
been to school on the reservation。 Never let me learn talk like the Indians。
Him always say some day take me to my own people。 But never said 'BIG
HAIR。'〃
〃Did he tell you your mother died two years ago？〃
〃Yesfather； him dead； too。 Both died in the plains。 Father was shot by
robbers。 Mother was left in big wagonyou bury her near this mountain。〃
〃Oh； ho！ So your father was killed at the same time your mother was；
eh？〃
〃Yes。〃
〃Wellall right。 And now you got nobody but me to look after you
but you don't need no more； as long as I'm able to be up and about；
nothing is going to hurt you。 Just you tell me what you want； and it'll be
did。〃
〃Want to be ALL like white people； want to be just like mother。〃
〃Well； I'll teach you as fur up as I've been myself。 Your style of talk
ain't correct； but it was the best Red Feather could do by you。 Him and you
lay down your words like stepping…stones for your thoughts to step over；
but just listen at me； how smooth and fine… textured my language is； with
no breaks or crevices from the beginning of my periods to where my voice
steps down to start on a lower ledge。 That's the way white people talks； not
that they got more to say than Injuns； but they fills in； and embodies
everything； like filling up cabin…walls with mud。 I'll take you by the hand
right from where Red Feather left you； and carry you up the heights。〃
She examined him dubiously： 〃You know how？〃
〃I ain't no bell…wether in the paths of learning； honey； but Red Feather
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is some miles behind me。 What's your name？〃
〃Lahoma。〃
〃Born that way； or Injunized？〃
〃Father before he died； him all time want to go settle in the Oklahoma
countrysettle on a claim with mother。 They go there two timesthree
but soldiers all time make them go back to Kansas。 So me； I was born and
they named me Oklahomabut all time they call me Lahoma。 That I must
be called； Lahoma because that father and mother all time call me。
Lahoma； that my name。〃 She inquired anxiously； 〃You call me Lahoma？〃
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