was not foreign to Victoria's ears: the Indian woman hunting her spoke in the same manner.
"Glad to hear it, boys," Cora said. "Come on over to the table and we'll have us a little pow-wow. Bob, keep an eye on the rest of the place for a spell, would you?"
Robert nodded absently as the two men walked toward Victoria's table. They stopped short of sitting down, but that was fine with her. She offered them another smile, inwardly screaming at Cora to hurry up and join them. The two men didn't exactly frighten her, but their unreadable faces made her uneasy.
Thumping boots announced Cora's approach. "Go on and have a seat, boys," she said, claiming a chair next to Victoria. The men exchanged glances again, and the one who had spoken to them nodded. Their chairs skidded across the floorboards as they sat.
"You boys got names?" Cora asked. "It don't feel right just calling you boys all the time."
The first man nodded. "I am Naalnish. He is Ata'halne."
"Fine names, if you ask me." Cora grinned at them.
"I reckon you already know who I am. This here's Vicky Dawes."
Victoria was about to correct her, but before she had a chance, Naalnish spoke to his companion in their native tongue. Victoria listened, fascinated. The words flowing out of him sounded like the bubbling of a small river. The man called Ata'halne nodded and said something in reply.
"What does this name 'Vicky' mean?" Naalnish asked, looking at Victoria.
"My name is Victoria," she said. "My parents named me for Queen Victoria - that's our queen where I'm from - and I never gave it much thought. I suppose it has something to do with victory and being victorious."
Naalnish said something to Ata'halne, and the other nodded. "It is a strong name. Your parents chose well," Naalnish said.
"Thank you," Victoria said.
"You got meanings for your names, too, right?" Cora asked. "All you Indians do, I hear."
Naalnish nodded. "Yes. In your tongue, my name means 'He Works'. His name means 'He Interrupts'."
Cora laughed. "He sure ain't living up to his name today. I don't think he's said a word but to you. Did you all name him that as a joke?"
"No," Naalnish said. "He does not know your language and so does not speak to you."
"Fair enough." Cora placed both hands on the table. "So, are you and him ready to help us out?" Naalnish nodded again, so she continued. "Well, as it turns out, Vicky here got herself into a bind with one of your folk, and she ain't quite sure how to go about getting out of it."
"She has been injured by one of our people, or she has injured one of our people?"
"Not injured, exactly. At least, not hurt or nothing. See, a lady Indian took her from her hotel room here in town, carried her out to an old ranch west of here, and gave her quite a scare. Then, when Vicky and I rode out to that same ranch, this here lady killed our horses and left us in the middle of the desert to starve or die of sunstroke."
Strange words flowed between the two men. Cora folded across her chest and waited. Victoria listened to them speak, hoping to catch any hint of meaning or emotion, but she soon gave up. Though their words were at once as graceful and earthy as the mesas in the desert, she couldn't make any sense of them. The Indians seemed intent on their conversation; they spoke for several minutes, occasionally glancing at the two women.
Naalnish suddenly turned back to them. "What reason would one of our people have to do these things?"
"I ain't rightly sure, myself," Cora replied. "Vicky didn't go picking any fights, if that what you mean. She was minding her own business when she got snatched up."
"That is not good," Naalnish said. "Our people do not wish to fight with yours." His dark eyes fixed on Victoria with startling intensity. "You did not give her reason?"
"No," Victoria said. "I had never seen her before she kidnapped me. I'm sure of it."
Naalnish relayed her words to Ata'halne. The other man replied with something that made both of them laugh. Victoria shot a glance at Cora, not sure what to make of their laughter, but the hunter's eyes remained on their companions.
"Why do you come to us with this?" Naalnish asked. "Surely your laws can deal with this woman. You do not need our help."
"Well, this woman ain't exactly normal," Cora said.