A coyote wailed, the sound sending a shiver up Loretta's spine. She cocked an ear, listening.
"I hope that's what it sounds like and not an Injun," Mrs. Cortwell whispered.
"It's likely a coyote," Mrs. Spangler replied. "Look at that there moon, would ya? Of course, it's a good moon for killin', too. A Comanche moon, my man calls it."
The fire popped, and Mrs. Shaney leaped. "Lawzy, my nerves is frayed."
The coyote yipped again, his cry trailing skyward, mournful and lonely. Loretta stood up, her heartbeat quickening.
"What is it?" Mrs. Spangler cried.
Mrs. Cortwell pressed a hand to her throat. "Oh, Lord. It Injuns!" She jumped to her feet. "Matthew! Matthew Cortwell, where'd you git off to? There's Injuns out there!"
"They won't hurt you," Loretta said softly. "Just stay calm, Mrs. Cortwell."
"It's fine for you to say, you Comanche slut!"
Loretta spun on her heel and left the fire. Alerted by Mrs. Cortwell's cries, Uncle Henry came out from the buckboard and intercepted her. "Don't even think it, Loretta Jane."
"That's Hunter out there, Uncle Henry."
"You don't know that. You wanna part with you hair, girl?" He seized her arm. "Not only that, but you gotta think about us and how it looks."
Several other men gathered around. Loretta glanced at their taut faces, feeling trapped. She heard the coyote again. "I'm going. He's out there calling me, and I'm going.
"I hope that's what it sounds like and not an Injun," Mrs. Cortwell whispered.
"It's likely a coyote," Mrs. Spangler replied. "Look at that there moon, would ya? Of course, it's a good moon for killin', too. A Comanche moon, my man calls it."
The fire popped, and Mrs. Shaney leaped. "Lawzy, my nerves is frayed."
The coyote yipped again, his cry trailing skyward, mournful and lonely. Loretta stood up, her heartbeat quickening.
"What is it?" Mrs. Spangler cried.
Mrs. Cortwell pressed a hand to her throat. "Oh, Lord. It Injuns!" She jumped to her feet. "Matthew! Matthew Cortwell, where'd you git off to? There's Injuns out there!"
"They won't hurt you," Loretta said softly. "Just stay calm, Mrs. Cortwell."
"It's fine for you to say, you Comanche slut!"
Loretta spun on her heel and left the fire. Alerted by Mrs. Cortwell's cries, Uncle Henry came out from the buckboard and intercepted her. "Don't even think it, Loretta Jane."
"That's Hunter out there, Uncle Henry."
"You don't know that. You wanna part with you hair, girl?" He seized her arm. "Not only that, but you gotta think about us and how it looks."
Several other men gathered around. Loretta glanced at their taut faces, feeling trapped. She heard the coyote again. "I'm going. He's out there calling me, and I'm going.
( Catherine Anderson )
[ Comanche Moon ]
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