Chapter 6

Jonas was shaken awake by his elder son. Peter’s face looked anxious.

“Frank’s gone, Pa,” he said.

“What do you mean gone?” asked Jonas, trying to command full wakefulness to come to him.

“His bed wasn’t slept in and his horse is gone. His trail leads toward the old Johansen place,” explained Peter.

“Shit!” roared Jonas. “Doesn’t anybody around here do what I tell them to any more?” He rose and began dressing immediately.

Less than thirty minutes later three men rode away from the Circle C ranch house, headed toward the last place they’d seen a flock of sheep.

Bobby was nervous. He had no idea what fighting for Sarah meant. He had no idea what kind of weapons would be involved, or what constituted winning the fight. But he knew he couldn’t go back and face anyone in his family if he failed to try to get the girl back. Molly weighed heavily on his mind too. If he lost the fight, what did that mean for her? Would they try to claim her too? He needed more information badly, but was afraid to ask for it. He didn’t want to appear stupid.

He was relieved beyond measure when Man Who Runs Like A Deer smiled and said that, as the challenger, Bobby got to choose the weapons for the combat. Bobby knew that one of the two young men who was with Man Who Runs Like A Deer must be the boy he’d have to fight. Both looked strong and savage to him. He knew he couldn’t fight with a knife, or tomahawk or anything like that, and he didn’t want to suggest guns either.

Instead he took a chance and offered to wrestle for the girl. He and his father wrestled every so often, and Xian Bai had delighted in doing the same thing, winning hands down by using things he had learned in China. Over time Bobby had learned some of what Xian Bai did during those wrestling matches, and he hoped that might give him some advantage.

The young Indian smiled widely and accepted. When he looked at Bobby he saw a thin, pale white boy. He was sure he could break this boy in half.

Both boys took their shirts off as a crowd formed to watch the entertainment. Soon there was a large circle of Indians, primarily men, but with some women and older children mixed in.

The crowd only grew as the battle started.

Bobby figured out almost immediately that his definition of “wrestling” and that of Sees Long Distance were very different. He tried to grapple with the Indian boy and take him down.

Sees Long Distance tried to punch, kick and gouge. His fingernail left a long stripe of bleeding skin from the corner of Bobby’s eye to just below his ear with that first attempt, and Bobby barely avoided losing his eye. As he backpedaled away, the boy’s moccasin covered foot came up and lashed between his legs.

Bobby felt like he was going to throw up as paralysis hit him and he fell flat on his back. Sees Long Distance stood and watched, smiling as Bobby lay there and rolled to one side, drawing his legs up to ease the pain.

Man Who Runs Like A Deer came over to Bobby. “Is it over so quickly?” he asked. “If you do not get up it is done.”

Bobby groaned and rolled to his hands and knees. The pain was less now. He hadn’t been kicked quite as hard as he had thought. He started to stand and saw the boy running at him, grinning widely.

Bobby let his left leg collapse and he fell sideways, as if that leg was broken. Then he rolled quickly toward the running brave. Sees Long Distance tripped and went sprawling. He was up before Bobby, and wasn’t grinning any more. Several men in the circle were laughing.

The two youths circled, and the Indian boy darted in to lash out with his foot again. Bobby saw it coming and turned sideways, putting his hand under the boy’s ankle as it streaked by Bobby’s chest. He helped the ankle keep going up long after the Indian boy would have stopped it, and Sees Long Distance flopped hard onto his back. There was an explosive burst of air from his lungs and he lay stunned. Bobby stood and waited to see what would happen.

The boy got to his feet, smiling again. This was a feral grin, though, as the boy decided that this was a worthy opponent after all, and that it would bring him honor to beat this white boy into submission. He decided to count coup on the boy by slapping him. He jumped to his feet and circled warily, trying to find an opening. He kept his arm at his side, not wanting to telegraph what he was going to do.

There! The white boy’s arms were too wide. He stepped forward and his arm streaked forward, hand open and cupped.

If he hit the boy hard enough it might break his eardrum and he could finish this quickly.

Instead he watched in amazement as his hand missed the boy’s face completely, and kept going, dragging his body forward. He felt something hit his shins, and he was falling face down into the dirt. He wasn’t hurt, but he heard more laughter and he saw red.

As he got up he saw Dove woman, the wife of Racing Boar in front of him. She was smiling ... laughing at him. Her cooking knife was at her belt. In a rage he snatched at it and pulled it free, turning back to the white boy who had shamed him. With a scream he ran at Bobby, the knife weaving low in his hand, aiming for the soft belly of his opponent.

Bobby saw the knife and knew he could be in trouble. He timed his movements with the Indian boy’s rushing stride and fell down backwards as the boy reached him. Putting his feet in Sees Long Distance’s stomach, Bobby let the boy’s weight carry him forward as Bobby straightened his legs, pushing hard. Sees Long Distance flew high into the air, toward the edge of the crowd, which parted for him like magic. The crowd there was only two people deep, because behind them ... was Man Who Runs Like A Deer’s cooking fire.

The tumbling youth landed on top of the meat rack on his back, and crushed it. His arms were outstretched and he had no purchase. He screamed as red hot coals burned into the flesh of his back and tried to roll to one side. That put his shoulder and upper arm into the coals and he screamed again. He could not believe the agony of the pain that ate at his back and arm, or the amazing coolness of the packed dirt that his chest rolled onto.

Three women acted instantly. Two held clay jars of water in their arms as they watched. They had been getting ready to cook when the excitement drew them away from their fires. Both of them threw their water on the burned boy’s back, where blisters were already forming. Another ducked into a teepee and brought water, also dumping it on the boy. He tried to get up, but was seized by four men and carried to the stream, where he was submerged in the water. He was yelling that he wanted to go back and fight, and was told to be quiet.

Bobby, of course, was not aware that the fight was over. He was on his feet, horrified at what had happened. He looked at the people in the circle, some of whom were staring at him. One older man stalked toward him, his face stern. Bobby didn’t know what to do, but this man’s hair was white with age, and Bobby knew he could not bring himself to strike a man so old. He stood and waited, his fists balled up.

The old man approached as if he had nothing to fear from this young white eyes. He stopped in front of Bobby and stared into his eyes. He said something Bobby couldn’t understand, and then reached out to slam one old hand down on top of Bobby’s right shoulder.

“Ah yeh tah ha,” he screeched. Bobby tensed.

The crowd roared, and the old man smiled, tapping Bobby on his shoulder several more times, but much less strongly. Bobby turned to see people smiling and laughing. He looked at Man Who Runs Like A Deer, who was also smiling. Bobby went to him.

“A good win,” said the Indian. “You fought well, even when Sees Long Distance disgraced himself.”

“I won?” asked Bobby.

“When Sees Long Distance lost honor by taking a weapon, he gave you the battle. You fought well and have much honor with the people,” said the man.

Bobby was suddenly tackled from behind and arms came around him, slim white hands sliding across his sweaty chest.

“I thought you’d be killed,” came Molly’s soft, almost whining voice in his ear.

Bobby had tensed when he first felt her hit his body. His brain had identified that there was no threat, but now it was trying to deal with her hands sliding across his nipples, gripping his flesh as her soft breasts pressed into his back. The woman’s hair tickled his shoulder and he was amazed at how good it felt to be hugged in this way.

Instinct told him to turn and tell the woman that he’d won ... that her daughter could be recovered now. He did so, not realizing that she would not move back from him. Her turned inside her arms, and saw wide, tear-filled blue eyes staring into his from only inches away.

“I won,” he said, amazement in his voice.

“You were wonderful,” said Molly, her voice husky. “I was so worried. I didn’t know what to do.”

Bobby had the strongest urge to put his arms around this woman.

He felt himself stiffen in his pants, and was instantly ashamed. He pushed at her waist, and turned back to Man Who Runs Like A Deer.

“I want my woman now,” he said.

The big Indian laughed. “You cannot satisfy two women at once, and this woman looks like she needs to be satisfied now.”

He chuckled. “But I will get your other woman and bring her to you.” He slapped Bobby on his shoulder, like the old man had. “Yes, it was a good fight.”

Bobby and Molly stood nervously beside each other as the crowd began to break up. Several members of the tribe pulled Sees Long Distance out of the water and he began limping back toward Bobby. There was a scowl on his face as he approached, pushing at the hands that held his arms. He teetered a little bit, and Bobby could see that he was clenching his jaws at the pain, but he limped up to Bobby and faced him.

The boy let out a string of words that Bobby couldn’t understand, and he looked at the boy blankly. A woman stepped forward and in a soft hesitant voice said in remarkably good English, “He says he feels shame for his dishonor and begs that you give him an honorable death.”

Bobby rocked back on his heels and thought furiously. Then he said to the woman: “Tell him that battle brings out many emotions, some not good, and which cause us to do things we would not otherwise do. My people do not kill brave men who do foolish things. My people try to learn from their mistakes. Tell him it would dishonor me to take his life.”

The woman turned and spoke to the boy, who scowled more, but then began to relax as the woman went on and on. Finally he said something to the woman and, with a look at Bobby, turned and limped off.

Bobby looked at the woman expectantly. Her skin darkened and she couldn’t meet his eyes.

“I told him what you said, and that white people are strange and different, and don’t know how to live sometimes ... that they have strange ideas. I did not mean to dishonor you, but I want him for my man, and I did not want him to die. He said you are welcome to the white tiger woman. He says she is too much trouble anyway. I am happy to see her leave his lodge.”

Bobby stared at her. “Your English is very good,” he said, for lack of anything else to say.

“I went to the white man’s school for a little while,” she said, now able to look at him. “Your ways are too strange for me though, and I came back here to be with the people.”

Molly gasped and Bobby looked to see a white girl being led toward them. She was snarling and pulling at the men who escorted her, one of whom was Man Who Runs Like A Deer, and he was laughing as she slapped at his hands. She was dressed in a worn and faded buckskin dress, and was barefoot. With a start Bobby realized it was beginning to get dark.

When Sarah saw Bobby, and then her mother, she let out a hysterical screech and pulled violently away from her escort, running toward them. She slammed into Molly, crying with great wracking sobs of relief.

Molly exulted in the feel of her live and apparently well daughter in her arms. But her adult mind still hummed in her skull. She knew they were not safe yet. These people thought Sarah was one of Bobby’s wives, and that deception needed to be continued. She put her lips next to her sobbing daughter’s ear and whispered urgently.

“This man is named Bobby. He fought for you and saved you. You must greet him as if you love him.

Now! Sarah, you must hug him as if you love him now!”

Molly pushed her daughter away from her and towards Bobby, who stood, eyes wide and mouth open. Sarah, hearing her mother’s commands, reacted in several ways. She didn’t want to leave her mother’s protective arms, but her brain processed what Molly told her. Part of her brain rebelled at the notion of treating a stranger ... any stranger ... as if she loved him. And she wasn’t enthralled with men at the moment either. But her mother’s urgent commands penetrated and, without looking at the man, she turned and grasped him tightly, burying her face in his neck. His strong arms went around her and she felt his hands on her back as he rocked backwards, compensating for her frenzied hug.

“It’s okay,” he said into her ear. “It’s going to be okay”

His voice soothed her and she slumped, exhausted, letting him hold her up to some degree. That pulled her against him even more as he held her tightly to keep her buckling knees from letting her fall to the ground.

Molly moved to put her arms around both of the teens. She thought of it as a protective gesture in one sense, but she wanted to touch them both too. Her relationship with Bobby, in the space of a short thirty minutes, had altered radically. It was almost too much to contemplate. Over time, she would think about what had happened, and would think about it rationally. But for now she responded with pure emotion.

Bobby felt the girl stiffen her knees and somehow knew it was time to let her go. He moved his hands from her back to her waist and tried to look through the tangled blond hair that wreathed her dirty face.

“You need to be strong just a little longer,” he said, his face inches from hers. “They think you’re my wife and we can leave in a while. Just be strong a little longer, all right? Everything’s going to be all right.”

“All right” she sniffed. She turned back to her mother and hugged her again.

Man Who Runs Like A Deer was still standing near them. Bobby turned to him.

“We can leave now, yes?” he asked, butterflies in his stomach.

“Father Sun is fading from the sky,” said the Indian. “We will find a lodge for you and your women to sleep in tonight. When Father Sun returns then you can take your women and go.” It was more of a pronouncement than suggestion, and Bobby didn’t know whether to argue or not.

Molly turned her head. “This is a good thing husband. The night will be cold.”

Bobby looked at her in astonishment, but she just stared at him over her daughter’s blond hair, her eyes piercing his. He remembered the night before in a jarring mixture of biting cold, and a warm female body pressed to his back. It would be cold, and the girl was probably in no condition to travel.

“All right then,” said Bobby, nervously.

As things turned out, Swallow Tail, the Indian girl who had spoken English to them, was chosen to host the “visitors”, since she slept in a lodge with only her grandmother. Her grandmother turned out to be the toothless woman who had examined Molly earlier, and whose fingers seemed oblivious to heat. Swallow Tail led them to a teepee and lifted the flap for them. Inside was dark, but there was a small fire in the fire pit in the center of the floor which gave off some light. Swallow Tail’s grandmother followed them into the structure and there was some animated conversation between her and her daughter as a bed was made for Bobby and his wives.

It soon became clear to Molly, Bobby and Sarah, who had stopped crying now, and was taking everything in with wide eyes, that there was to be one bed for all three of them to sleep in.

Swallow Tail turned from making up the bed and spoke.

“This is my Grandmother. She is called Birthing Woman among the people. She says she will stay here with you tonight. I am going to go tend Sees Long Distance’s wounds. You have done me a great service by giving me this opportunity to soothe him. He has not paid attention to me because I lived with the white man. Perhaps tonight I can change that.” She grinned.

She turned to leave and then paused. “My grandmother says you are not performing your husbandly duties well.” Her face was completely straight as she looked at Molly. “She says this woman’s belly is empty of life, and that it is your fault.

She has offered our best furs and will help you so you can remedy that problem tonight.”

Bobby’s mouth fell open, but still Swallow Tail went on.

“She says she remembers what my grandfather was like after battle, and she will burn the herbs that increase fertility so that you may have a son to remind you of this victory.”

Then, as if that had been the most normal thing in the world to say, she ducked through the flap of the wigwam and disappeared into the night.

Frank Collins was disgusted. He’d lost the trail. He couldn’t believe that he could lose the trail of five horses, but he had. At first he thought he’d pick it up in a few hundred yards, but when he hadn’t, he had to backtrack. From there he fanned out, but still couldn’t find any sign. He heard the measured clip-clop of a walking horse and stood up from where he’d been bent over, trying to find something in the dust. He put his hand on one of his pearl handled revolvers and then almost groaned as Enid rode around a rock on her piebald mare. He groaned again as he realized how good she looked on a horse.

“Hi there, Mister Cowboy,” she said gaily, waving at him.

“Can’t you leave me alone?” he whined.

“I can’t help it if you’re on the trail I want to go along,” she said smugly. “Actually, though, you’re not on the trail. I saw where you went wrong about a quarter mile back. The trail you want is over there.” She waved one hand off to the north.

“You’re just a girl. You don’t know anything about tracking,” he said gruffly. She sat up in the saddle and stretched. He saw two bumps on the front of her smooth leather shirt and felt his penis lurch in his pants. Damn, but she was pretty.

“Oh,” she said airily. “I suppose you’re right. But, then again, I don’t need to know how to trail anybody. I already know where they’re going.”

Frank’s jaw dropped. “What are you talking about?” he asked.

“There’s only one place they could be going, and that’s to our summer camp up in the high meadows. There isn’t anyplace else to go up here ... is there?” Her words posed a question, but her tone of voice indicated she was disgusted with him for being so stupid.

“Why didn’t you tell me that two hours ago?” he ranted.

“Why, mister big strong cowboy, because I’m just a girl, and don’t know nothing at all,” she simpered. Then she smiled.

“Besides ... you didn’t ask me.” She kneed her horse and, just like a cow pony, it turned without the reins being touched.