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"Eaten breakfast, yit?" he asked.

Mary solemnly shook her head. "The last of the meat is for you."

"Fer me? What about you?"

"Ma and I had ours, yesterday."

"What about today?" asked Josiah, cleaning his flintlock while keeping an eye on Mary's brave features. "What are you going to do fer food?"

Mary quietly stared at his rifle, as though he were holding the answer.

"I'll be going hunting after I eat," said Josiah. "I'd be willing to part with some of my breakfast, though. Reckon you'll help me finish off that meat?"

Nodding eagerly, Mary's face broke into a smile for the first time that morning.

After laying aside his flintlock to divide up the last of the food, Josiah watched Mary bow her head to pray.

"Would you do yer praying out loud?" he asked.

Without asking why, Mary did as requested. In simple, childlike words, Mary thanked God for their breakfast. She offered no railing accusations as to why there was no more food, but sincerely thanked God for the small bit of meat her pa had given her to eat.

After hearing Mary's prayer, Josiah bit into his breakfast. Chuckling, he shook his head. "I was just recollecting what I said about God or me being the first to bring back meat. Reckon He put me in my place."

Mary smiled.

The shadow of a certain Blackfoot woman was visible in Mary's smile, and Josiah felt resentment welling inside his heart. Cruelty had come too easily in the past, and it frightened Josiah how strongly it tempted him even now.

"Did you..." Josiah hesitated. "Did you hear any of what yer ma and I said last night?"

Mary shook her head, "no."

"I apologized to yer ma fer being unfaithful."

"Is that why she slept in your bed, and not mine?"

Josiah nodded. "It is. I also did some repenting before God, and now I reckon I need to make things right with you."

Mary listened intently. It was clear she understood something big was happening.

"It ain't been easy fer me to take a strong liking to you. Yer the spiting image of yer ma-- the one that borned you-- and I don't have a lot of fond memories of her. Truth is, I look back at what I done with her, and I... I don't like myself." Josiah hesitated, wondering how much he should tell Mary. Would Emma be angry with him for using words like "seduced" and "adultery" to a five-year old?

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