She examined him dubiously: "You know how?"

"I ain't no bell-wether in the paths of learning, honey, but Red
Feather 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 country--settle on a claim with mother. They go there two
times--three--but soldiers all time make them go back to Kansas.
So me, I was born and they named me Oklahoma--but 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 you--all 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 you--that 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