To every woman must come sometime the bitter awakening from her dreamworld to the real world in all its sordidness and selfishness.

Annie-Many-Ponies, standing there looking at Ramon--Ramon who laughed at her goodness--knew now what the future that had lain behind the mountains held in store for her.

Not happiness, surely; not the wide ring of gold that would say she was Ramon's wife.

Luis was right.

He had spoken the truth, though she had believed that he lied when he said Ramon would never marry a woman.