"I don't know what you mean by 'playing with fire,'" she returned, using her hands to sign the words.
He shook his head. "Do not do this. I am a man full grown with manly desires. Know this: I will not stand naked in front of you and remove my breechcloth."
"I did not ask you to do that."
"Yes, you did," he signed. "We are talking all around the matter, and you are testing my endurance. Do not taunt me with the vow I have made to return you to your home with your womanly innocence untouched. I will not break my pledge to you."
"I am not asking you to break it. It is simply your turn, sir. What do you bet now?"
"My moccasins."
"And your breechcloth?"
He shook his head and laughed a little. "Do not think I am too embarrassed to do it," he signed. "I am not. What you do not understand is I want to make love to you. Do you think I do not know what lies beneath the robe you wear? And, if I become naked, what do you think might happen?"
"I'm sure I don't know."
"I am sure you do. Let me say this to you in a way you cannot fail to understand: if we ever marry, then I will stand before you naked. It will not occur before then, if it ever does happen. Now, stop this. Your words keep me from concentrating on the game."
"Do you think I do not know this?"
He laughed and shook his head once more. Bending over, he took his moccasins off his feet and held them up for her to inspect. Then, he signed, "I bet these moccasins, even though they mean very much to me, for they were made for me by my sister's hand."
"No wonder they are so prettily beaded."
"I have two sisters, and the one who makes these is the youngest. She is the best in our tribe at sewing footwear. Many people have asked her to make moccasins for them, and they give her many gifts for her work. Now, be still while I take my turn."
"Yes, sir." She smiled.
He took hold of the bowl and struck it on the ground several times, the pieces jumping up and scooting around the bowl. At last, he let it come to rest.
Laylah counted up his points quickly and easily. "This is a good roll, sir," she signed. "It will be a difficult one for me to beat, for the big crow's claw is standing up. In all, I count seventy-five points. Do you agree?"
He nodded. "And, now it is your turn. If you win this roll, you will take the game and will have in your possession all that I own...even my best buffalo pony and the robe that is around my shoulders."
"But, not your breechcloth?"
He shook his head. "We have already talked about this. Do you take your turn now?"
"But, I did not agree that I can win while you retain your breechcloth."
"It matters not. The breechcloth remains where it is."
"Oh, very well." She grabbed hold of the bowl with perhaps too much vigor.
He grinned at her. "You are not a very good loser."
"I am, too, a good loser. I'm letting you retain your breechcloth, am I not? Now, hush. I'm taking my turn for the win."
He smiled at her, but remained silent. And, Laylah, deciding what she wished her throw to be, struck the bowl on the ground several times, watching as the pieces jumped up and danced within its round surface. With a few more thumps on the ground, she let the bowl lie still and looked within it to count up the points of her throw.
"Oh, my. Do you see what I do?"
"Áa,I do." He glanced up and smiled at her. "The large claw is up, counting twenty-five. All four small claws are red-side up, making sixteen. Three of the plum stones are black-side up, giving you twelve. None of the china are lying blue-side up, so this counts as nothing. But all five trade buttons are up, giving you ten. You only need three points to win."
"And ...?"
"Three of the brass tacks are curved inward, which counts for three. You win, but by only one."
