Under a Painted Sky

Sammy jumps from the tree into West’s arms to escape the flames. She wonders whether he noticed, when he caught her, that she is female. West is angry at Cay for putting Sammy in the tree because many stampedes are caused by storms, and on a prairie, a lone tree attracts lightning. A piglet stumbles by and Sammy picks it up and cuddles it inside her shirt. We learn that Andy’s younger brother once had a piglet named Soapy. Four men emerge from the shadow of the burning tree: a redhead, a man called Mr. MacMartin, and his sons, Ian and Angus. The Scottish brothers are ugly and aggressive. When they see the piglet, they use an ethnic slur and accuse Sammy of stealing it. Sammy throws herself between Angus’s boot and the piglet, resulting in a sharp kick to her ribs. The cowboys lasso Ian and Angus and force them to apologize to Sammy and to their father; they make themselves lifelong enemies. The redhead reveals that he is a sheriff.

The sheriff brings Sammy and Andy to his wagon train, which he leads. When they arrive at the camp, they catch sight of the river, Little Blue. The sheriff introduces them to Mrs.