“Aim-sa loves both,” she said at last.
There was a long, deathly silence. The brooding solitude of the wild was never more pronounced than at that moment.
Then Ralph looked into the face of his brother, and Nick returned his gaze.
“You hear?” said Ralph. “She is an Injun, I guess, an’ don’t know no better. Maybe we’d best settle it for her.”
“That’s so.”
Ralph threw off his buckskin shirt. Nick removed his heavy clothing.
“Stand aside, woman,” said Ralph. “Ye’ll wait by, an’ your man’ll claim ye.”
“Knives?” said Nick, through his clenched teeth.
“Knives.”
And then again silence reigned.