“You had better. I don’t know where you were last night and I don’t care, but no more women. You have to promise me that. I’ll make allowances this time, because I wasn’t here. The way you were raised, I suppose it’s possible you really didn’t know how upset I would be when I found you with Kitty. But no more. If it happens again, I’ll leave and I won’t look back.”

“Yes, ma’am.”

“For everything else, you’re going to have to wait and be patient with me. A thing like this, losing the baby, it’s going to take me a very long time to get over it. We have plenty of work to do if we’re going to save this farm. The rest of it will come if you just give me time.”

Emaline went to bed while it was still light outside. She lay awake a long while, listening to the crickets, watching the evening dark settle over the little house. When at last she fell asleep, she slipped into a long , soaring dream. The great Lakota warrior who was her Burning Man led the way over the endless snow, his hair rising to the heavens in coils of fire.