"I'd just as soon he refrained," Ruel said dryly.
Li Sung had come within range of the elephant. He lifted the rifle and sighted down the barrel. The elephant did not move.
The moon came from behind the clouds and lit both the clearing and Danor's face with pale clarity.
"Wait!" Jane grabbed Li Sung's arm. "There's something—"
"Let me go." Li Sung tried to shake her off.
"No, not yet. I see something . . ." She ran ahead of him toward the elephant.
"Jane!" Ruel called.
"He's not going to hurt me. Can't you see . . ." She stopped only a dozen yards from the elephant, making sure she was in Li Sung's line of fire. "Don't shoot him, Li Sung."
"Get out of my way, Jane."
"Come here," Jane called, her stare never leaving Danor. She had been right, the moonlight revealed something damp and shimmering on the elephant's face.
"So he can try to trample me again?"
Ruel reached her side. "Dammit, Jane, do you want to get killed? Why the hell do you—"
"Shh!" She pointed to a shadowy bulk on the ground to the left of Danor. "I think he's . . . isn't that . . ."
"Another elephant." Ruel moved cautiously forward, keeping a wary eye on Danor. "Stay behind me. I'll take a look."
Danor lifted his trunk and trumpeted again, this time in warning.
Ruel stopped in his tracks. "I don't believe I'll go any farther. He doesn't appear to like me."
"He doesn't like anyone in this world." Li Sung limped toward them, the rifle cradled in readiness in the crook of his arm. "And if you'll step out of the way, I'll send him out of it."
"He's not going to hurt anyone," Jane said. "I think he's only protecting— Can't you see? He's weeping, Li Sung."
"Nonsense."
"You're not even looking at him. I tell you, he's mourning." Jane pointed to the fallen elephant. "We've got to see if there's anything we can do to help."
"After I kill Danor, we'll look at the other elephant."
"Stop it!" Jane said in exasperation. "You don't have to kill him now."
"Necessity doesn't always coincide with desire." He lifted the rifle.
Jane started toward the elephant. "I said no."
Danor shifted back and forth, turning on her threateningly.
Ruel reached out and grabbed her arm. "He doesn't like you either. How ungrateful when you're the only one determined to save him."
An explosive sound came from Li Sung as he moved ahead of them toward the elephant. "I knew I should not have let you come with me. Must you be shown how vicious he is?" He strode toward the elephant, the rifle in readiness. "Come after me now, elephant."
Danor stood unmoving, his stare on Li Sung. Another tear rolled down his leathery face before he slowly lowered his trunk to the head of the fallen elephant and began tugging as if trying to lift the beast to its feet.
Li Sung stopped in back of the fallen elephant, staring in frustration and challenge at Danor across the animal's body.
"Is the elephant dead?" Jane called.
Li Sung glanced down at the elephant. "I don't know." He reached out and touched the leathery hide. "Warm. Perhaps not."
"Then why was Danor trumpeting?" Jane edged closer. "Is it a female?"
"Yes."
"Then she must be his mate."
"Possibly." Li Sung scowled. "And now I suppose you're feeling so soft-hearted toward him you're going to let him tear up the rest of the railroad to assuage his grief."
"I didn't say that. But we have to help her if we can. We can't let—" She stopped as Danor's head lifted and he fixed his gaze on her. "You'll have to see if there's anything we can do. He's not going to let anyone but you near him."
"Which shows how stupid he is. He does not know an enemy when he sees one." Li Sung moved around the fallen elephant. "The female is dead. Her eyes are open and—" He stopped in midsentence.
"What is it?" Jane called.
"A baby."
"What?"
"You heard me." Li Sung took another step closer, his gaze on something obscured by the female's bulk. "It's a baby elephant."
"Alive?" Ruel asked.
Li Sung nodded. "He's trying to nurse."
"How old?"
"How do I know?" Li Sung asked testily. "A few days, I suppose."
"I want to see him," Jane said.
"Of course you do. Another helpless creature for you to cosset," Li Sung said caustically. "This is not a stray puppy, Jane."
"I want to see him," Jane repeated. "Danor seems to accept you. Come back and take Ruel's and my hands and lead us to the female."
"Then I could not hold the rifle."
"You won't need the rifle," Jane said in exasperation. "Look at him. It's enough to break your heart."
"I'll carry the rifle," Ruel said. "You'd better do as she says, Li Sung. She's going to go over there anyway."
Li Sung moved toward them. "I know." He surrendered the rifle to Ruel, clasped both of their hands, and led them toward the elephants. "Now he'll probably trample all of us into the rest of these bones."
"Hush, Li Sung." Jane tensed as Danor lifted his head and stared at the three of them. No anger, she saw only overwhelming sadness, resignation . . . and acceptance.
Then the elephant lowered his head and resumed poking and prodding his fallen mate, urging her to rise to her feet.
"I think it's going to be all right." Jane moved around the female's body.
The baby elephant was lying with his legs outspread, nuzzling his mother's teat.
Jane felt the tears sting her eyes. "Poor baby."
"No!" Li Sung said sharply. "No, Jane."
"We can't let him die."
"We can't save him. He needs milk to survive and his mother is dead. Who is going to nurse him?" Li Sung's gaze went to the bones of the graveyard. "One of those?"
"If we can get him back to the herd, maybe one of the females will adopt him."
"The herd could be a hundred miles to the east."
"Then we'd better start right away."
"And how are we going to find the herd?"
Jane gestured to Danor.
"You think he's going to lead us to the herd like a horse going back to his stable?"
"Dilam said he had superior intelligence." Her brows knitted thoughtfully. "It could be that's why he tore up the tracks."
"He tore up the tracks because it pleased him to do so."
She shook her head. "Maybe he wanted us to follow him. Perhaps he knew he couldn't save his mate but he wanted to give the baby a chance. We've got to give him that chance."
"No," Li Sung said flatly.
"Yes," Ruel said.
Li Sung swung to face him. "You agree with this madness?"
"She wants it done." Ruel shrugged. "So we do it."
Jane looked at him in surprise.
He smiled as he studied her face. "I told you I'd work on it," he said softly. "I have to start somewhere."
She tore her gaze away from him. "Li Sung, you'll have to get the baby away from the mother. I'm not sure Danor would let us do it." She started back across the graveyard. "I'll go back to camp and pack up. Ruel, you stay with Li Sung. He may need help."
"Yes, ma'am," Ruel said meekly.