within her as he was within himself.
It was then that he grabbed her hands and tied them, and he tied herfeet, and he lit a cigarette and stood for a moment, looking at herand laughing a little with his eyes.
Juba's mind was dark, very dark, as dimness after bright sunlight inthe eyes. She spoke to him with her brows, afraid to ask out loud whyhe had done this, though there could be only one reason.
"Thanks," he said, "for all of it." Then, seeing her tears, he said,"Well, really, what did you expect?"
There was a sharp stone beneath her shoulder, and she moved againstit, so that it would cut through her pain. And, feeling the blood warmon her skin her tears stopped, for it was the stone that had hurt her,and not the Man.
"You act," she said with a sneer, "as I would expect a man to act."
"And you," he said, walking off with his heavy steps, "have verykindly acted as I would expect a woman to act."
Thus it was that she opened her veins on the sharp rock. Not out oflove. Not out of sorrow. Not even out of fear. Out of pride.
THE END
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Step IV Page 3