No Eye Can See Read Online Free Page B

the others told him, Mazy somehow wove the women together and brought them this far without taking away their independence. That was no easy task. He'd seen a few officers in the war succeed at it, but a whole lot more fail.
    “Routine has a way of getting changed out on the trail,” Seth said. “Figured that'd be a truth you of all people would know by now.”
    “Doesn't mean I don't long for consuming certainty—for something more than that the desert'll be hot and dry. And that Tipton and her mother will clash.”
    Seth laughed. “Suppose so,” he said. “Even so, one routine we doneed to follow is to break camp earlier, try to get on the trail while it's yet cool. It's a distance between the watering holes. There'll be a couple of days of just plain hot and sand that could bog us down. Once we edge around the desert toward Black Rock, there's a cut, at High Rock, and a spring before we start the next desert stretch. Maybe we could take a day there, just for those routine things you women seem to need. Have you talked with Zilah this morning?” Seth said then.
    “I imagine she's helping Suzanne, although I haven't checked.”
    Seth removed his hat and ran his hands through the thickness of hair. He needed a haircut. It would have to wait until he reached Shasta City. “Seems to be acting strangely,” he said. “Told me her name wasn't Zilah, that it was Chou-Jou or something. Acted like she didn't know who Sister Esther was.”
    Mazy's green eyes grew larger. “What happened to your hand?”
    “Strangest thing,” Seth said. He put his hat on, then turned his hand to look at the back of his palm. “Don't think it broke the skin. She scratched at me.”
    “Zilah did? You weren't wearing gloves?” Mazy reached for his hand, clasped it firm in both hands, her thumb tracing along the welts. Good hands, she had. Strong. He looked at her face but couldn't catch her gaze, she was so focused on his wound.
    A tamed antelope dragging a leash bounded out from behind Mazy and her mother's tent. Elizabeth Mueller shouted and laughed after it.
    Mazy dropped his hand. “We'd better get Mother to take a look at that,” she said. “Wouldn't want it infected.” She waved toward her mother who signaled “in a minute.” Mazy turned back to Seth. “Maybe Zilah misunderstood something you said. I could ask Naomi or Mei-Ling to translate. Their English is better. Or maybe she's just tired, wants to get where we're going to be for a time, wake up with the same view more than two days in a row. I understand how all this newness wears at a soul.”
    Seth shook his head, fingered the red welts. “More than that,” hesaid. “She looked… I've seen that look somewhere before. Can't place it exactly, but I remember it wasn't good.”
    “Not…cholera.” Mazy whispered the word.
    “No,” he said. “Not that.” Seth coughed. He had to remember what these women had been through, not dwell on the troubles, but not forget them either. “Got to finish hitching up.” He pulled on his silk neckerchief. “See if you can hustle along your lady friends. You surely don't need to pretty yourself more.”
    “If you're going to tell tall tales about how well a woman looks when she knows the truth, your credibility's bound to be brought into question. Not good for a new leader. I'd best go check on Zilah,” she said, dropping her eyes. She turned and walked in her broad stride, away.
    Seth nodded. He liked this woman. He liked her a lot. But he hoped her strength didn't grow from a rigid streak.

    Suzanne slipped out of the wagon, as the dog, Pig, brushed at her knee. She felt for the leather harness, put it on the dog's back, then held the handle that stuck up stiffly. She'd dressed herself just fine. Now for the boys. “Clayton?” she called out. “Clayton? Where are you?”
    “It's me, Mazy,” the woman said, “approaching on your left.” Suzanne smelled fragrant soap.
    “Have you seen Clayton or Zilah?”
    “Neither