It took several minutes to waken old Bryant Cavendish. When he was fully awake and growling his complaints at being roused, the Lone Ranger sat beside him on the bed. "Get fully awake, Cavendish," he said.
Bryant squinted in the light that came from the windows. "Hurts my eyes," he complained in a somewhat sleepy voice.
The masked man crossed the room and drew the heavy draperies together, cutting out most of the light and making the room quite dim. "Better?"
"I heard your voice before," Bryant said. "Who are yuh?"
"We rode from Red Oak together last night, Cavendish. I was with you in a cave until this morning—don't you remember?"
"I seem tuh. How long I been sleepin'?"
"Only about half an hour. I'll get you a drink of water. You've got to get wide-awake and listen to me!"
"I've listened aplenty. I'm done with it. Now get the hell out of here, an' lemme alone. Where is Penelope?"
The masked man poured water from the pitcher and held it to the old man's lips while he explained, "Penelope is in Red Oak. She went there this morning with the children. My friend, the Indian, went with her."
Bryant drank half the water, then pushed the cup aside. He rubbed his eyes, then studied the masked man, squinting slightly. "I reckon," he said, "I remember things now. So damn much has happened in the past couple o' days I can't somehow keep things straight."