Eli and Corinthia returned late in the evening with the gruesome load on Tessie’s back. There had been much explaining and many tears at the loss of dear Clementine. Corinthia sent for Clem’s husband and also a runner to the Choctaw village for Chief Cayman. Uttu deserved a proper funeral with his people, though Lillianna cursed his spirit to the abyss as a wraith.
Early the following morning, Eli retrieved her mount and Tim"s mule for the return trip to collect Pete and George. “Me, Bertha, and Kim feels real bad about all this, Miss Elzbieta,” Tim said as he saddled her horse. “The girls say they’ll return to the island if that’s what y’all wants.”
“Don’t be ridiculous, Tim,” Eli said. “If that foul woman would kill and curse her own kin, what do you think she’d do to your poor sisters
