“MacKenzie surveyed the nearly finished quilt. "What's the name of this pattern, Mrs. King?" he asked."Princess Feather," Jesse answered.Taking LisBeth's hand in his own, MacKenzie asked, "Would it be presumptuous of me to ask if you had planned to add this quilt to LisBeth's hope chest?"Jesse looked up at the couple and grinned. "I could be persuaded to do that. But only if I was assured that her future husband was a man worthy of sharing such a gift.”

“She told everything as quickly as she could, stringing sentences together the way she had when she was a little girl. By the end of the tale,she found herself defending her mother,angry at the world that made it necessary for her to explain.Impulsively, she grabbed a curry comb and began to brush Red Star's coat vigorously.She brushed for a long time,and tears began to blur her vision.She tried to resign herself to what seemed to be happening.Then a hand covered hers and squeezed affectionately. Mac took the curry comb away,and bent to kiss the back of her hand."So,Miss King,will you do me the honor of accompanying me to the social next Friday evening at the Congregational Church?"Miss King embarrassed herself by saying yes! so loudly that the dozing horse in the stall next to Red Star jumped and kicked the side of his stall in fright.The two young people laughed, and MacKenzie lifted LisBeth into the air and swung her around in his arms.Sick with apprehension,Jesse had been unable to remain alone for long.She returned to the kitchen to help Augustus with meal preparations, praying earnestly for LisBeth and MacKenzie while she worked.When the two young people burst through the kitchen door together,their happy smiles told the older women all they needed to know.LisBeth was sobered when she saw her Mother. "Mother,I..."Jesse held up a hand to stop her. "It's all right,LisBeth. I'm glad everything turned out.I've been praying for you both.""Mother,all four of us know about Papa. Would you tell me a story about him while we make supper?"The culprit never came forward, but at some time that evening, the first book-burning in the State of Nebraska took place. Francis Day's Memoirs of the Savage West found its way into Augusta's cook stove.”

“We'll make leadplant tea instead of coffe.Just tell them it's imported." Jesse whispered."Mama,you taught me never to lie," LisBeth chided."Well,it is imported-from the prairie!”

“What is this strange touch?"With a start, Jesse realized that Rides the Wind had awakened. He lay watching her closely.Feeling shy she pulled the buffalo robe up under her chin, answering softly, "My people say 'kiss.'""And who gives this 'kiss'?""Parents to children, husband to wife.""Show me." As he said it he leaned toward her. Jesse obediently placed a kiss upon the wind-hardened cheek.He kept his face near hers and the dark eyes searched hers.Then a knowing smile curled up the edges of his mouth. "When Marcus Whitman met with Running Bear and the traders,Rides the Wind was there.I saw many things.I saw this touch you call 'kiss' between man and woman.It was not here," he tapped his cheek, "but here." His finger indicated his mouth.Jesse felt her face flush and wondered if the early morning light revealed her embarrassment. She assented, "Yes,for some it is so.""Did Jesse King and Homer King touch in this ay?"Jesse looked hard into the searching eyes.They returned her stare with honest interest. "My people do not speak of these things."Rides the Wind was quiet for a moment, pondering her response. "If the white man speaks not of what is here," he laid a hand flat upon the tawny chest, "he must be very sad.”

“Jesse slipped her arm beneath his head and clutched him to her.Her body began rocking slowly, and as she did so Rides the Wind lay still again. His chest rose,the nostrils flared,and with great effort,he whispered through clenched teeth, "I will come for you." Jesse wanted to cry out,to stop the words, to hold back his farewell.But she sat clutching him to her,rocking. "I will ask the Father.And I will come for you.”

“You are my friend, Prairie Flower. If I tell you what is in my heart, will you promise never to tell?"Prairie Flower laid a hand on Jesse's shoulder, pulling it away quickly when her friend flinched in pain. "I will not betray my friend."Taking a deep breath, Jesse lifted her head. "When Rides the Wing comes near to me, my heart sings.But I do not believe that he cares for me.I am clumsy in all of the things a Lakota woman must know.I cannot speak his language without many childish mistakes. And..." Jesse reached up to lay her hand on her short hair, "I am nothing to look at.I am not..."Prairie Flower grew angry. "I have told you he cares for you.Can you not see it?"Jesse shook her head.Prairie Flower spoke the unspeakable. "Then,if you cannot see that he cares for you in what he does,you must see it in what he has not done. You have been in his tepee. Dancing Waters has been gone many moons.""Stop!" Jesse demanded. "Stop it! I..just don't say any more!" She leaped up and ran out of the tepee-and into Rides the Wind, who was returning from the river where he had gone to draw water.Jesse knocked the water skins from both of his hands. Water spilled out and she fumbled an apology then bent stiffly to pick up the skins, wincing with the effort."I will do it, Walks the Fire." His voice was tender as he bent and took the skins from her.Jesse protested, "It is the wife's job." She blushed, realizing that she had used a wrong word-the word for wife, instead of the word for woman.Rides the Wind interrupted before she could correct herself. "Walks the Fire is not the wife of Rides the Wind."Jesse blushed and remained quiet. A hand reached for hers and Rides the Wind said, "Come, sit." He helped her sit down just outside the door of the tepee. The village women took note as he went inside and brought out a buffalo robe. Sitting by Jesse,he placed the robe on the ground and began to talk."I will tell you how it is with the Lakota. When a man wishes to take a wife..." he described Lakota courtship. As he talked, Jesse realiced that all that Prairie Flower had said seemed to be true.He had,indeed, done nearly everything involved in the courtship ritual.Still, she told herself, there is a perfectly good explanation for everything he has done.Rides the Wind continued describing the wedding feast. Jesse continued to reason with herself as he spoke. Then she realized the voice had stopped and he had repeated a question."How is it among the whites?How does a man gain a wife?"Embarrassed,Jesse described the sparsest of courtships, the simplest wedding.Rides the Wind listened attentively. When she had finished, he said, "There is one thing the Lakota brave who wishes a wife does that I have not described." Pulling Jesse to her feet, he continued, "One evening, as he walks with his woman..." He reached out to pick up the buffalo robe.He was aware that the village women were watching carefully."He spreads out his arms..." Rides the Wind spread his arms,opening the buffalo robe to its full length, "and wraps it about his woman," Rides the Wind turned toward Jesse and reached around her, "so that they are both inside the buffalo robe." He looked down at Jesse, trying to read her expression.When he saw nothing in the gray eyes, he abruptly dropped his arms."But it is hot today and your wounds have not healed.I have said enough.You see how it is with the Lakota."When Jesse still said nothing, he continued, "You spoke of a celebration with a min-is-ter.It is a word I do not know.What is this min-is-ter?""A man who belives in the Bible and teaches his people about God from the Bible.""What if there is no minister and a man and a woman wish to be married?"Jesse grew more uncomfortable. "I suppose they would wait until a minister came.”

“Among the people, it is the custom for a new wife to make moccasins for the husband's mother. When the mother accepts the gift, she welcomes the new wife into the family."Jesse blushed at the message her innocent gift had sent to the old woman. Rides the Wind watched Jesse carefully as he concluded, "My mother accepts the gift you have given. She says that she welcomes you as my wife."His dark eyes met hers briefly, but then he picked up Two Mothers and said, "My son and I will say good night to Sun, now.”