pyramid. Willock laid his at the foot of the grave. The sun had
set and the warmth of the heated sand was tempered by a fragrant
breeze. Though late in October, he felt as if spring were just
dawning. He took Lahoma's hand, and his heart throbbed to find that
she showed no disposition to draw away.

He looked up with a great sigh of thanksgiving. "Well, God," he
said softly, "here she is--You sure done it!"



CHAPTER VIII
GETTING CIVILIZED


During the two years passed by Brick Willock in dreary solitude,
conditions about him had changed. The hardships of pioneer life
which, fifty years ago, had obtained in the Middle States yet
prevailed, in 1882, in the tract of land claimed by Texas under the
name of Greer County; but the dangers of pioneer life were greatly
lessened. As Lahoma made the acquaintance of the mountain-range,
and explored the plain extending beyond the natural horseshoe,
Willock believed she ran little danger from Indians. He, himself,
had ceased to preserve his unrelaxing watchfulness; after all, it
had been the highwaymen rather than the red men whom he had most
feared--and after two years it did not seem likely that such
volatile men would pre serve the feeling of vengeance.

With the wisdom derived from his experience with wild natures, he
carefully abstained from any attempt to force Lahoma's friendship,