Elsie had already busied herself at the charcoal brazier. After a time, when her pots were simmering, she came to cuddle up in the window beside Lennon.
"My goodness, but hasn't it been an awful nice day, Jack," she sighed in heartfelt contentment. "Mena is—is the best sister in all the whole world. But it's doubly nice to have a brother like you. Isn't it, just?"
She snuggled her head against Lennon's right shoulder. He reached across and stroked her silky hair without looking away from the valley.
"I am glad you like me, Blossom. You know, Carmena brought me to help her get you away from this place."
"Me—and Dad, Jack. Don't forget Dad. Mena never does. And Dad won't ever give up the Hole, 'cause he said so. That's why Mena shot your burro to make you fight Cochise."
Lennon chuckled.
"Carmena came along after the Apache shot my burro."
"Oh, but that's the joke," tittered the girl, in her turn. "Mena was the 'Pache. She shot your hat off and your burro to see how you'd behave, and when you didn't scare, she rode 'round to make you come with her."
The enlarged version struck Lennon as just so much the more preposterous.
"To be sure," he made mock agreement. "Only, by the way, what was the point of the joke?"