Lonely Dove
was devastated by the departure of Lorena, who could hardly, with reason, have been expected to stay in one room over a saloon all her life. “I would have taken her to San Francisco,” Xavier said. “I would have given her money, bought her clothes.” “In my opinion the woman made a poor bargain,” Augustus said. “I seen her not an hour ago, trying to cook over a dern smoky fire. But then we don’t look at life like women do, Wanz. They don’t always appreciate convenience.” Xavier shrugged. Gus often talked about women, but he had never listened and didn’t intend to start. It wouldn’t bring Lorena back, or make him feel less hopeless. It had seemed a miracle, the day she walked in the door, with