Puttin’ hands to my face, I felt the hot skin under my palms. It was terribly embarrassin’, but I had no idea what to say! I could only think to keep movin’. Startin’ the mare I kept my eyes down but Ranse caught the reins before the horse took two steps.

“If you have something to say,” he was lookin’ right at me. “I have two good ears and nothing but time,”

“No…no there ain’t nothin’ on my mind, nothin’ a’tall!” I protested, but he only shook his head slowly, smilin’.

“If you say so, ma’am, but I can’t say you’re convincing.” Releasin’ the reins we started again, my eyes glued to the saddle horn.

We did not speak until we stopped for the night, our camp nestled up against the steep slope of a mountain face, about a stone’s throw from a babblin’ stream. Ranse gestured up toward the night sky that framed the hard knob of a mountain ridge.

“See that bit of white there, running down the face of the slope?” I nodded yes. “That’s a waterfall.”

“It looks like snow,” even in the dark I could see the white streak against the granite.

“It’s the highest waterfall in these parts. Some say an old Washoe Indian wept so much after the death of his wife that his tears became a river. There were so many that they flowed over the edge of the falls, and have never stopped falling.” His expression was hidden by the brim of his hat. “You ever seen this part of the country, Miss Lilli?”

“Judd didn’t come this way much,” I admitted. “We was mostly about Mexico an’ Texas.”

“You don’t know what you’re missing,” he commented softly, and inwardly I had to agree with him. Deserts were somethin’ to behold, but this mountain country had me speechless.

After we took off their saddles an’ rubbed them down, Ranse strapped grain feed bags over the horse’s muzzles. It was a reward for the hard day’s travel. Whilst he started a fire, I set out the makin’s for coffee an’ the skillet for bacon an’ canned beans. A pouch of dried fruit made me gasp in delight. Apricots! Clutchin’ them tightly I looked at Ranse an’ found him watchin’ me with a faint smile.

“Figured you could do with a few pleasures on this trip.”

“I never woulda thought, much obliged!”

“Have a couple, supper won’t be ready for a minute,” he encouraged me.

I happily sat back an’ dug out one of the juicy sweet dried fruits, poppin’ it into my mouth, savorin’ the mild sweetness on my tongue. All the times we kids would be outside in the summer sun after chores was finished, sharin’ a bag of these, formed in my mind. Joss an’ I loved them especially, an’ he would smile at me with those large green eyes of his every time he popped a sweet treat into his mouth. The last time I’d had apricots was the summer before the Indians came.

“Would you be willing to share?” I opened my eyes to find Ranse lookin’ at me. “You make those seem mighty tasty,”

Ashamed of myself, I instantly held out the pouch.

“Beggin’ yer pardon, I forget myself,” in my haste my thick accent was obvious. I was accustomed to seein’ the look of distaste on folk’s faces, but Ranse never turned a hair every time I opened my mouth. It set my mind at ease.

We munched the dried fruit in silence as he tended our supper. From time to time he’d glance at me an’ when our eyes met he’d smile faintly, but look away. When the coffee was ready he poured it into cups while I served up the plates. Takin’ our respective positions across the flames from one another, I folded my legs to make a platform for my plate.

Ranse balanced his in one hand, eatin’ quickly with the other. I took note he was careful to sit back from the flames, barely within the circle of light. He also never stared into the flames, as I liked to. Judd had tol’ me men often did that to keep their eyes sharp an’ adjusted to the darkness around us. Crickets was chirpin’ loud but I was gettin’ fidgety with our silence. It was not the comfortable quiet between companions, but the odd soundless interaction between strangers.

“Can I ask you somethin’?”

“You can ask,” was his response. Though not encouragin’, I took heart an’ leaned forward a little.

“Poke said somethin’,” I hesitated, unsure, an’ looked over at Ranse. His Apache-like features were blank, an’ I could not read what he was thinkin’.

“What did he say, Miss Lilli?” the honey was gone from his tone.

“He said I…what I mean is,” I didn’t know what to say, an’ began to feel even more uncomfortable for bringin’ it up. It was my reputation, right? Hadn’t Poke said Ranse wouldn’t hurt me?

“Must not have been too bad, you came along anyway,” it was smooth, but I could hear an edge in his tone that made me shiver a bit. Steelin’ myself, I met his eyes.

“I have to get to Blue Water, an’ you’re the only way I have.”

“Then, seeing as you have little choice, what does it matter what Poke said to you? You’re here now.”

I didn’t figure he was irritated but decided to drop it anyways.

“I reckon so,”

Guilt was ridin’ me heavy for pryin’ so I searched for somethin’ else to say, anythin’ else. My eyes drifted over to the horses. That mare now, she surely was a grand creature, so I indicated her with a nod of my head.

“She’s a fine lookin’ mare,” I offered. “I ain’t never seen the like since Pa’s horses.”

Ranse smiled then, small but friendly.

“I picked her up about a year ago from a Cherokee brave. He wanted the extra rifles I had, and I was sorely in need of a fresh horse. We swapped right there and I’ve never regretted it.”

“What do you call her?” I wanted to know.

“Iu’we’tsi. It means grace in Cherokee.”

“Iu’we’tsi,” I repeated, liking the sound of it. “Grace, it’s near perfect.” Gettin’ up, I went to the horses an’ took off the grain bags. They could graze the grass if they wanted. Pattin’ her neck, I moved further from the camp toward the trees.

Once away from the fire I was not anxious to go back. I was embarrassed for mentionin’ what Poke said. Ma an’ Pa had raised me better than to judge a man by what other folks thought of him. I looked up at the vastness of the sky, always awed by the sparklin’ stars above me, the endless sea of ‘em, like a reflection on flat water.

The air was crisp an’ away from the flames it made my cheeks tingle with cold. Around me was the thick smell of redwood bark an’ fragrant pine leaves crushed by the horse’s hooves. In the far distance, I could hear the dull roar of the fall as it plummeted down the rock face to its base.

Nights like this made me feel alive, every nerve heightened, reachin’ for every sound, every smell. I wondered if this is what primal woman felt like standin’ lookin’ up at the same vast night sky I was.

“It’d be best not to linger in the dark.” Ranse had come to stand just behind me, an’ I jumped. Puttin’ a hand to my heart, I half-laughed, startled.

“I’m just lookin’,” When I gestured to the starry sky he tilted his head back.

I couldn’t help but notice the strong cut of his chin, the thick muscles in his neck disappearin’ under the soft cloth of his bandana. He was taller than I by a good bit, but I was still a girl, not quite seventeen yet, but all at once I felt a woman, standin’ close to her man in the dark. It was silly, an’ ridiculous, but I couldn’t shake the feelin’ an’ it only grew stronger inside me.

Ranse seemed to sense it an’ shifted to look down into my eyes. Breath froze in my throat. Our eyes locked an’ I could almost feel the pumpin’ of his heart, seemin’ to match mine beat for beat. For a moment, a brief instant in time, I thought he would move toward me. Instead, he inhaled sharply an’ turned on his heel, stalkin’ away.

“Don’t stay long,” it came out a low growl, as though he’d been irritated by me. “It gets dangerous in the dark this far from the fire.”

I couldn’t explain the crushin’ feelin’ of rejection I felt, but it brought tears to my eyes. Hastily wipin’ them away I followed him back to the small camp.

The next day found us headin’ in an easterly direction, anglin’ a little more northward than I thought was right, but I held my tongue. Who really knew the way to Blue Water, Ranse or me? I knew the answer an’ followed the half-breed where he led us. The country was wild an’ vast, jagged teeth of exposed rock an’ granite reachin’ up towards the sky. Tall forests of evergreen trees were everywhere, coverin’ the slopes as far as I could see.

My guide musta sensed I was a little nervous about our course because on our third day of travel he reined in the stallion an’ turned to look at me over his shoulder. Meetin’ my eyes with a faint smile, he waited for me to come even with him.

“We’re not going to make it to Big Sky country before spring at any rate, and you really should see this while you have the chance.” His breath misted out from his lips as he spoke.

“See what?” I was a little skeptical but he only grinned at me, kneein’ the stallion forward.

I let the mare follow him up a steep ridge an’ as we crested it my breath caught, mouth fallin’ open. I couldn’t believe my eyes! I’d never seen the like! Ranse just looked at me, seemin’ pleased at my open wonder. In the sunlight, the lake shimmered with five different colors, distinct lines markin’ the change in water depths.

Nearest the shoreline was a yellowish-brown, then a bright turquoise stretch that ended abruptly with a line of deep blue. The middle of the lake was darker indigo, then faded into what looked like plum, an’ I instinctively knew that was the deepest waters.

“This is Tahoe.” He told me simply.

“It’s so big!” I exclaimed.

It sounded foolish to my ears but I couldn’t help it. Never in all my days had I seen anythin’ even remotely close to this beauty. Like a vast sheet of water, it stretched out before us, all the way to mountains in the distance. Though cold the sun was shinin’ brightly, the water sparklin’ like a rare gem. The beauty of it made my throat tight.

“Where’d it come from?” I asked, eyes wide. Ranse shrugged.

“I can’t tell you what the white men say, but the Washoe have a legend they tell about it.” He leaned on the saddle horn, usin’ a free hand to gesture with. “Long, long ago, before the white man came here, a good Indian lived in the meadow here. Though he was good, he was constantly annoyed by an Evil Spirit who always interfered with everything he tried to do. Finally, the good Indian decided that he must move away and get over into the valley of California. Whenever he tried to escape, though, the Evil One was always managed to stop him in some way or another.

“Seeing his trouble, the Good Spirit came to the man’s aid, giving him a leafy branch which had certain magic qualities. With it, he was now ready to start his journey. If he saw the Evil One coming he was to drop a bit of the branch, and water would immediately spring up. The Evil One could not cross water. Being delayed by going around gave the Indian time to escape.

“The Indian made his way well along to where the shore of the lake is now. Looking back, he saw the Evil One in the distance, coming in such a way that his heart was filled with great fear. In his terror, he tried to pluck a leaf but it snapped off and he dropped almost his whole branch. To his delight and relief the waters began to rise and soon "Tahoe"-Big Water, lay between him and his enemy.

“Thinking himself safe, he free-heartedly hurried on his way up the canyon, but when he reached the spot where the head of Fallen Leaf Lake lies, he turned to reassure himself. Away off the Evil One was still advancing. A new terror filled his soul. In his hand there remained of his magic branch only one little twig with a single leaf on it.

“Plucking the leaf, he threw it down and watched it fall waveringly through the air. As it touched earth the waters again began to rise and "Doolagoga"-Fallen Leaf - sprang into being and on its surface floated the little leaf, as many leaves now float in the fall of the year.

“Turning, he sped up the ravine, dropping bits of his twig as fear directed him. In his wake, Lily, Grass, and Heather lakes came up to guard his way. At last, he was over the crest of the mountain and found himself safe in the long-wished-for Valley of California. The Evil One did not bother him again.”

“Do you believe that Ranse?” I was full of curiosity an’ wonder. He regarded me silently for a moment, his black eyes expressionless.

“I can’t say it’s not true…but I don’t tend to believe in spirits, good or bad. Men make their own demons, and run from their own ghosts.”

“Do you?”

Abruptly turnin’ from me he started the appaloosa down the slope, leavin’ me no choice but to follow. We rode in silence down to the shore an’ I stepped from the saddle, wantin’ to explore a bit. I couldn’t help but dip my hands into the water lappin’ at the sand on the shore. With a gasp I jerked them out again, pricklin’ needles bitin’ into my flesh. It was cold! Ranse only smiled an’ shook his head at me.

Bitin’ my bottom lip, I tucked my fingers under my arms to warm them. Steppin’ from the saddle, Ranse walked along the shore with me, just lettin’ me soak it all in. It was overwhelmin’, everythin’ new and nothin’ like I’d ever seen before. Only when the clouds started to roll in, the sun droppin’ behind the western horizon, did he insist we find a place to camp for the night.