It was impossible for him to eat.

Only twice that day did he drink from his flask of water.
And Marette had made this journey! He kept telling himself that.

It was the secret way in and out of their hidden world, a region accursed by devils, a forbidden country to both Indian and white man.

It was hard for him to believe that she had come this way, that she had drunk in the air that was filling his own lungs, nauseating him a dozen times to the point of sickness.

He worked desperately.