Wildcat, Book Two: Dark Fury

By M. C. Hampton

After finally being declared innocent of Richard Adamss murder, Mary Benedict Austin is happy. But her happiness is short lived. What she doesnt know is that her world is about to be turned upside down once again.

Mary Benedict Austin is kidnapped by her husband Mandos mortal enemy, a Shoshone Indian named Kajika. Mary is pregnant, but her kidnapper doesnt know it. After she has been with him for five months, he realizes that she is pregnant. That is where the lies to save herself, her unborn baby, and her family in Albany begin. She convinces Kajika that the baby she is carrying is his and she tells him that she loves him and will never leave him. Kajika believes her because he is in love with her.

Kajika is injured by a protruding stick on a log. His injury allows Mary to escape her bonds of slavery and return to her husband and family.

Almost a year after her escape, Kajika comes back into her life. He arrives in Albany bent on revenge against Mary, who he believes not only stole his heart but also his child. His way of getting revenge is to kill Mando, Marys other children, burn down the town, and leave Mary gravely wounded as she watches him ride away with his child.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Xlibris US
• Release date: Jun 18, 2013
• ISBN: 9781483655062

M. C. Hampton

Maybelle C. Hampton was born in Oklahoma but raised in Phoenix, Arizona. She now calls Los Angeles, California, home where she has lived for over forty years. This is the fourth book she has written under the pseudonym M. C. Hampton (two published). She won second place in a writing contest for a local newspaper, and her poems have been published in a small journal of poems. After completing two years of journalism courses at a community college, her time has been spent raising her five daughters, who are grown, and six of her grandchildren. Since her retirement in 2004, she now has time for her favorite hobbies: traveling, fishing, and writing.

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Wildcat,

Book Two:

Dark Fur

M.C. Hampton

Copyright © 2013 by M.C. Hampton.

All rights reserved. No part of this book may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic or mechanical, including photocopying, recording, or by any information storage and retrieval system, without permission in writing from the copyright owner.

This is a work of fiction. Names, characters, places and incidents either are the product of the author’s imagination or are used fictitiously, and any resemblance to any actual persons, living or dead, events, or locales is entirely coincidental.

Rev. date: 06/14/2013

To order additional copies of this book, contact:

Xlibris Corporation

1-888-795-4274

www.Xlibris.com

[e-mail]

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This book is dedicated with love to my five daughters: Joetta, Debora, Charlotte, Terri and Rhonda.

Prologue

Johnson, who is that lying on the ground over there? I told you not to hurt any of these slaves bad enough to stop them from working, Hawkins said to Mark Johnson.

Johnson ran over to the man on the ground and kicked him. Get up, nigger. Get the fuck up, Johnson said.

Silas Hawkins was lying on his side with his eyes open. He didn’t move as Johnson’s foot caught him in his back. The other slaves had stopped picking cotton. They were watching as the overseer kicked Silas. Who the fuck told you, niggers, to stop working? Turn around and get back to work, Johnson said as he glared at the slaves.

Mary Johnson ran over to her husband and said, Silas, Silas, what’s wrong with yous?

You wrench, get back to work, and the rest of you if you stop again, I’ll tear the hide off you, Johnson said as the slaves returned to their places in the field. Mary stood there looking at Silas not moving. Johnson slapped her across the face and she fell back. Some of the women caught her just as she was about to hit the ground. They led her away from Silas who was still lying in the same place.

Wait a minute, Johnson, stop kicking that man, Hawkins called as he came over to where Silas was lying. He bent down and touched Silas’s head. He liked Silas more than he did anyone on the plantation, black or white. Brock Hawkins and Silas had played together when they were young. Brock wanted brothers and sisters, but he was an only child. Brock remembered when he was six years old, Silas was eight and Brock use to follow him wherever he went. Brock’s mother tried to get her husband to stop him from being around Silas so much but was told that it would do Brock good to have someone his own age to play with, even if it was a slave. Brock had loved Silas so much that he had asked his parents if he could have Silas as his own personal slave but was told no because they didn’t want the dirty little slave living in the house.

Johnson, this man is sick. What’s the meaning of this? Why did you let him come out here today? He is in no condition to be working. Get him back to his shack and have someone take care of him! Hawkins yelled.

Johnson told two white men holding guns to put Silas into the wagon they were sitting on. After they did what they were told, Johnson told one of the slaves to go with them to look after Silas. No one else needs to go, Mr. Hawkins. That slave wouldn’t dare try to run off after the men come back because he knows that I would track him down and kill him. You better hear what I am saying, nigger. Don’t try to get a brain in that fucking head of yours. Tell old Lucy to look after Silas, and I better see you back here. Don’t make me come and look for you, Johnson told the slave that got on the back of the wagon with Silas.

I didn’t know he was sick, sir. I thought he was just trying to get out of working, Johnson told Hawkins, looking scared.

Well, you should have noticed his condition before you brought him here. He is not only one of my best workers. He is also my friend, and I don’t want anything to happen to him, Hawkins said.

The slaves turned around to look at Brock Hawkins when he said that Silas was his friend. They had never heard any white man say that a slave was his friend. Mary’s screams made everyone look in her direction. She started running toward the wagon, which was just turning over when Hawkins and Johnson saw it. The men driving the wagon and the slave in the back with Silas jumped off, but Silas was still in the wagon as it went into the air and landed with its wheels up. Mary was running to the wagon when she tripped and fell. That was all that she remembered before she blacked out.

Four months later, as Mary worked in the fields, she felt the first pain and knew that it would not be long before her baby would be born. She thought about Silas, how he would have loved to be with her now waiting the birth of their child. He died that day when the wagon turned over, and she was left alone. Brock Hawkins had been so outraged with Johnson over Silas’s death that he fired him and did without an overseer for three weeks before he found another one.

Mary fell to the ground, but she knew better than to scream because this overseer was meaner than Johnson. She sat on the ground until the pain eased up. She finally dragged herself up and went over to the overseer who had two women slaves take Mary back to her shack. They helped her out of the wagon and into the shack then turned and started back to the cotton fields.

About twenty minutes later, Mary felt the last pain. Her baby girl fell out on the cot. Mary took care of all of the cutting and cleaning herself. She rested for a few minutes more with the baby in her arms. She then wrapped the baby in an old rag and put it inside a box, which she had found one day after working near the road. The box once contained a present from one of Brock Hawkins’s lady friends. The name on the box was Mary Lakeside. Mary had asked Brock if she could keep the box because she knew that she and Ms. Lakeside had the same name. Brock smiled and told her to keep the box if she wanted it.

Mary loved that box and kept it near her cot where she would look at the words on the box and trace them with her fingers. She felt proud to see her name written down, even though she couldn’t read what it said. Now Mary was talking to her baby as she was getting it ready. Yous all I gots left, honey. Nothing and no ones for me to love but yous. If yous stays here, I knows what they is gonna do. They is gonna sell yous or me, and us won’t be gether nomore. I don’t want yous here. I don’t want yous to be sold. If yous stays here, Lord only knows what theys will do to yous. I feel the Lord is gonna take me soon, and I wants yous away from here fore he does, she said as she kissed her baby lying in the little box. She had to get her baby away from the plantation. But how? Then she suddenly jumped up. Thats the only way, she said to herself.

She would put the baby in the river. Mary started for the door with the box in her arms. The baby was beginning to cry. Mary tried to calm her down, but the baby cried louder. Mary reached the door and looked outside to see if anyone was around. There was no one in sight but old Lucy, and she was too old to worry about what Mary was doing. Mary started to run. She ran for a long time, stopping now and then to catch her breath. Finally, she reached the river. She fell to her knees and opened the lid of the box then took the baby out who was screaming by now.

As she nursed the baby for the last time, she said, "Good-bye, my baby. Yous will be better off up the river. I jest hopes and prays that someone will find yous afore long. I hopes none of them Injuns or animals gets yous and kills yous. I hopes that yous don’t gets drowned in that there water. The Lord will look after yous. He done looked after me all these years. He won’t let nothing happens to yous. I jest knows he won’t.

There is something elses that I wants yous to knows, my little baby. I loves yous and I wills always bes with yous. Yous won’t see me or hears me, but I wills always be nears yous. No ones, my sweet baby, no ones will ever hurt yous. I will always protect yous. Mary took off her blouse, tore it into pieces, and then wrapped the pieces tightly around the baby. She then put the other rags that were already in the box on top of the baby. She put the lid on the box and made little holes on top of it with a stick. She felt herself growing weaker as she put the box in the river. She looked up at the sky and said, God, please look afer her. She then pushed the box as hard as she could on the water. The box bounced once then floated on and on.

Mary crawled away from the river but not far enough that she couldn’t watch the box as it floated. She said good-bye again, and then she began to dig a small grave. She put small sticks and weeds inside the small hole that she had dug and then covered the hole up. She then put a stick at the head of the grave and started back to the plantation. She had only gone a few steps when she fell back upon the grave with one hand on the small mound—she was dead.

The overseer and some men found Mary the next morning after searching for her all night. They looked at the small mound and thought the baby was buried there, just what Mary had prayed everyone would think. The overseer and the men left Mary lying there with what looked like a smile on her face. The men turned and walked away, not even bothering to take the time to dig a grave or cover her up.

The box drifted along the cold and lonely river. It stopped only once, caught by a branch out in the water. The waves rippling through the river made it move again. The box drifted all night and most of the next morning, not stopping until it was plucked out of the water by a young white man trapping beavers.

Montana, the state of vast prairies and spectacular snow-covered mountains. Areas of Montana consists of verdant forests, forest creatures such as bears, sheep, deer, moose, beavers, bison, elks, and a vast variety of birds. Spring is usually a magical time on the wild rivers and lakes. The lakes are filled with bull trout, mountain whitefish, cutthroat trout, bluegill, sturgeons, rainbow trout, lake trout, pike, and bass. But not this spring, this spring the fish is slowed to a standstill by the frigid temperatures left by winter. The unrelenting rain that is falling on Albany, Montana, has transformed the town into a place of life and growth. The arrowleaf balsamroots are coming up and blanketed some of the hills in yellow, all around Albany. The mountaintops still have a fresh blanket of snow on them, with the hills a vibrant green. Albany has just finished its never-ending winter and hasn’t had much of an early spring, but people were stoked to be out amongst the living.

No one is as stoked as Mary Benedict Austin who was officially declared innocent in the murder of her friend and bank manager, Richard Adams. When the note was found lying near the real murderer’s, Wanda Hopper, body, Mary knew that everything was going to be all right. She and her family could start to enjoy their lives together. It has been a year since Wanda Hooper’s death, a year of waiting to be officially declared innocent. Mary had to wait until she received an official notice from the State of Montana, which she felt took a year because she is black. Richard Adams and Wanda Hooper, you see, were white. The wait didn’t bother her because the townspeople that knew her, her friends and family knew she was innocent without a piece of paper.

Now a year later, she is free, happy, and living with her husband, Mando, and their children. She no longer has to worry about the label that she carried around proclaiming her a murderer. As she smiled enjoying her freedom, she has no idea that today would be the beginning of what would be the most tragic time in her life with Mando, her children, the people that she loves, and the entire town of Albany.

Young Eagle, Mando’s brother, and his friends are riding down the streets of Albany toward Mando’s home. The men are dressed in long buckskin leggings with breechcloths, long-sleeved shirts, and breastplates. They look very impressive as they ride, but the white and black people standing outside their homes and businesses didn’t see them that way. To the people of Albany, the young Indian men looked dangerous. Some of the people held guns at their sides as they watched the Indians. Suddenly three men about Young Eagle’s age stood in front of the Indians with their guns pointed at the braves. What the hell are all Indians doing in town? the older of the three young men asked.

Young Eagle looked at the men, but he didn’t answer. He tried to go around the man, but he grabbed the reins of Young Eagle’s horse, stopping it. Let go horse, Young Eagle said as the braves with him pulled out their bows and arrows. The braves were ready to shoot, but Young Eagle said something to them and they put their weapons away. I asked you what you all are doing in town, the man asked again.

Young Eagle dismounted and walked over to the man holding onto the horse. I told you to let horse go,

Look, Indian, either you tell me what you are doing in town, or you turn around and go back the way you came, the man said as he let the horse go and tried to push Young Eagle.

Young Eagle grabbed the man’s arm and threw him to the ground. The other men started for Young Eagle, but one of the braves said with his arrow pointed at the men, You touch Young Eagle, I kill you.

What the hell is going on here? Sheriff Baxter asked as he and his deputies walked up to the men.

The man on the ground jumped up and said, All we wanted to know is why these Indians are in town. They won’t tell us.

I come see brother. I no want trouble. Men stop horse. We do nothing but ride into town, Young Eagle said.

Your brother, you mean Mando? one of the men asked, looking afraid.

Go on, you men, get away from these Indians. If they are not bothering you, leave them alone, the sheriff said as the men hurriedly left. Now you go on and visit your brother. I will be there later. I have a few questions for Mando and Mary, Sheriff Baxter said as Young Eagle rode away.

Young Eagle was upset but thinking about seeing Mathilda, whom he hadn’t seen in months, made him smile.

At the beginning of his relationship with Mathilda, he would come into town at least once or twice a month, but it has been months since he last saw her. He and some of his friends had been hunting buffalo. When he hunted, especially with his friends, it would take them at least two, maybe three, months before they returned. They not only hunted buffalo, but they also enjoyed themselves drinking and having a good time. This was something that they couldn’t do on the reservation or when they hunted with the older Indians.

Even with him being away from Mathilda for months, he knew that he was in love with her, and he hoped that she felt the same way about him. He couldn’t wait to see her, to hold her in his arms, and tell her how much he has missed her. Today he wanted to take Mathilda to the reservation with him. It is time for her to meet his grandfather.

Mathilda felt the same way about Young Eagle. She is in love with him and can’t wait to see him again. Tomorrow is her eighteenth birthday, and neither her Aunt Mary nor Mando would be able to stop her from being alone with Young Eagle. She knew that soon the two of them would be married, and they would be together forever.

As the braves rode, no one in town knew for sure why they were here. Whenever Young Eagle would come to town, there were never more than two Indians with him. However, today there were six, and this made some of the townspeople nervous. It really didn’t matter how many Indians came into town—seeing them always made people nervous. They didn’t want Indians in Albany.

Young Eagle and his friends continued riding and looking around town until Young Eagle saw Lance. Nephew! Young Eagle yelled when he saw the boy playing with another boy.

Uncle! Uncle! Lance yelled when he saw his uncle. Lance’s friend Henry was looking at Young Eagle and the other Indians in awe. He had never been close to Indians before, but he was not afraid—he was excited.

Young Eagle had a smile on his handsome face as he got down from his horse and picked the child up in his arms. How boy doing? Father home? Young Eagle asked Lance.

I’m good, Uncle, but my daddy is not home. Uncle, this is my friend Henry, Lance said when Young Eagle put him down.

Henry, Young Eagle said as he put out his hand to shake.

Hello, Henry said, staring at the hand, too shocked to shake.

Henry, don’t be scared. Shake his hand. He won’t hurt you, Lance said.

I ain’t scared to shake him hand. I just surprise that him wants to shake my hand, Henry said smiling as he shook hands with Young Eagle.

Lance, is mother and girl home? Young Eagle asked.

Mama is home, but Mathilda is at the rooming house, Lance said.

Where rooming house?

Across the street, you go talk to mama. I’ll get Mathilda. If you go to the rooming house looking for her, people there would be scared, Lance said laughing, as he and Henry ran to the rooming house, yelling for Mathilda.

Young Eagle walked to Mary’s house as his friends rode their horses. Once there, Young Eagle told his friends to wait for him as he went to the door. He didn’t knock. He opened the door and went inside. Young Eagle, what are you doing here? Mathilda and I haven’t seen you in months. Were you or your grandfather sick? Mary asked as she kissed his cheek.

Young Eagle held Mary away from him as he looked at her smiling. Everything all right. I been hunting. No have time to come to Albany. I here now. Boy says brother no here. Mary all right, where baby? he asked.

I’m fine, and the baby is sleeping. Come with me, I’ll take you to see her, and I know who you really came to see, Mary said laughing as she led Young Eagle upstairs. They stopped in the nursery where Bess Anne was sleeping, and Young Eagle touched the child tenderly. Baby beautiful like mother and big like father. How old baby now? he asked as he continued touching the child.

She’s one, and yes, she is big like her father. She eats like him also, Mary said as they went out of the room. When they got to the bottom of the stairs, Mathilda walked in smiling.

Young Eagle looked at Mathilda and held his arms out to her. She went into his arms, kissing him as she did. Mathilda all right? he asked as they released each other.

I’m fine, but why haven’t you been to see me before now? she asked.

I hunting buffalo. Come with me to reservation, he told her.

Aunt Mary, is it all right if I go? Mathilda asked.

I don’t know, honey. Maybe you two should talk here in town. I’ll leave you two alone for a while, Mary told them.

But Young Eagle said, Braves wait outside for me. It not safe for them to be there. People get mad when we come to town.

Tell them to come inside, Mary told him.

Five braves outside, too many bring in house, Young Eagle said.

Why did you come to town with so many braves? Is something wrong? Mary asked.

Nothing wrong, Kajika and his warriors on warpath with Piegans. We hear Piegans kill some Shoshones while they hunting buffalo. Grandfather no want me leave reservation alone, Young Eagle said.

Please don’t mention that terrible man. He wouldn’t hurt you, would he? Mary asked.

Grandfather no want me take chance since what happened at reservation. We no see Kajika since we tell him leave village, Young Eagle said.

Then I really don’t think that Mathilda should go with you, Mary said.

No worry, Mathilda be fine. I no let anyone hurt her, Young Eagle said as he smiled at Mathilda.

Please, Aunt Mary, I want to go. I never been to the reservation. I would like to meet Young Eagle’s grandfather and see the reservation, Mathilda said.

Young Eagle, if I let her go, you have to promise that you will bring her home before it gets late. And you have to keep her safe, Mary told him.

Young Eagle no lie. I bring back early and no one hurt her, he said as he grabbed Mathilda’s arm and rushed her outside before Mary changed her mind.

Mary followed him to the door, but once they were outside, they noticed that John Perkins, some of the people from the rooming house, a few white people, and Sheriff Baxter had the braves on their horses surrounded, guns pointing at them. Sheriff Baxter, what is the meaning of this? Take those guns off those men. You know that Young Eagle is Mando’s brother. He and his friends have a right to come here whenever they want to. They are not causing any trouble. You have no right to point guns at them, she told him.

Mary, I told that boy that I had some questions for you and Mando. We are not removing these guns until we get some answers. I know this boy is Mando’s brother, but I want to know why there are so many Indians in town with the boy today. We can’t have this many Indians riding into town whenever they want to, the sheriff asked.

Young Eagle’s grandfather didn’t want him riding to Albany alone. Some other tribes are warring, and Chief White Cloud just wanted to make sure Young Eagle is safe, Mary said.

That’s all we wanted to know. The boy got into it with a young man here in town as he was coming here. Don’t worry, no one was hurt, but I can’t have that happening every time this boy comes to town. Now you get Young Eagle and his friends out of town, and we don’t want so many of them to come back, the sheriff told her.

Mathilda, I know that you are not planning to go anywhere with that Indian. I told you to stay away from him. Now you tell him to let you go, and then you tell him to leave, John said.

John Perkins, I thought we settled this a long time ago. I told you before that you don’t own me. Now you get out of my way and quit trying to tell me what to do, Mathilda said as she walked past him.

I know I don’t own you, but you shouldn’t be going anywhere with him, John said softly.

Mary, are you telling us that you are going to allow this girl to leave with these Indians? Sheriff Baxter asked.

Yes, I am, and it is none of your business, Sheriff, or yours, John. Mathilda go with him, but, Young Eagle, you must do what you promised, Mary said as Young Eagle put Mathilda on the horse, got in front of her, and they rode away.

You are making a big mistake, Mary. No good will come from you always allowing her to see that Indian. One day you will be sorry that you let her be with him, John said as he walked away.

Mary, things between us has been good, but if that boy wants to see the girl and if you want her to be with him, it is your business, but it will have to be someplace else. You have to keep him out of town, especially if he has to come with so many men. As I said, some men stopped them earlier, and there was almost a killing. I got there just in town to stop it. The people of Albany get nervous when they see that many Indians in town. He will have to meet the girl some place else, Sheriff Baxter said as he and everyone left Mary’s gate.

Young Eagle kept his promise—Mathilda came home early, but he didn’t bring her. Santo did. Mathilda was very excited as she told Mary about meeting Chief White Cloud and the other Indians there. But something else had the girl all excited, and she fairly glowed as she talked to Mary. Mathilda said, Aunt Mary, I only had one problem while I was at the reservation. There was a pretty Indian woman named Ayati that kept staring at me and following Young Eagle and me. I think she is older than him, but she is in love with him.

Did you ask Young Eagle about her? Mary asked her.

No, but I know that girl likes him because as me and Santo was leaving, I could tell that she was happy, Mathilda said.

Santo brought you home? Where is he? I would love to see him. Is he out back? Mary asked.

No, he didn’t come into town. He just came as far as the edge of town, and then he turned and left. He said he didn’t want any trouble after Young Eagle told him the way the sheriff and the townspeople were acting earlier, Mathilda told her.

That’s too bad. I’ve got to do something about that. Santo and the Indians should be able to come visit us if they want to, Mary said.

Santo Gray Wolf was on his way back to the reservation. He was about two miles from the Benedicts’ cabin when he noticed an overturned wagon with a dead horse hitched to it. He got off his horse, walked over to the wagon, and then he noticed fang marks on the horse’s throat and hind legs. The horse had been bitten by a snake, possibly a rattlesnake, in both places, and venom from the snake had killed it. Santo looked around, trying to find the driver of the wagon, but he couldn’t. As he mounted his horse, he heard a soft moaning sound. He dismounted and walked a little farther into the woods, and then he saw her.

Emily Sommer, the white schoolteacher, was lying in a heap, moaning. He knew who she was because he had heard Mary mention her one day. He walked over to her, and when she saw him, she began to scream. Please, please no scream. I no hurt you. I want help you, he said. She continued screaming, but Santo walked over to her and picked her up. She began to fight him, hitting him in his face and chest, but he didn’t release her. He held her arms to her side as he put her on his horse and then quickly got on behind her. He wrapped one arm around her to keep her hands at her side as he grabbed the reins with the other hand and started the horse. But he didn’t take her to Albany. He took her to the cabin. When Emily noticed that they were not going toward Albany, she began to scream and fight again. Santo wrapped his arm tightly around her and continued riding as she tried to get away from him.

Once they reached the cabin, he gently took her from the horse, took a rag from a small bag tied to the horse, and then he carried her inside the cabin. Emily was terrified, and when he sat her on the cot and turned from her, she tried to run away but fell. She began to cry as she crawled toward the door. As she crawled, she was begging Santo not to hurt her. He picked her up, sat her back on the cot, and then said, I no hurt you. I help you.

Emily stopped crying and sat perfectly still. She was waiting for the Indian to rape or kill her because she knew that is what Indians do to white women, but this man did neither. He began to gently bandage her arm that was bleeding, and then he tied part of the rag around her swollen ankle. Emily sat quietly and watched him as he took care of her. When he finished, she looked at him and smiled. He smiled back at her and she said, Thank you.

Santo’s heart was beating fast as he looked at her. He knew that he shouldn’t be in the cabin alone with her, and he shouldn’t be touching her. He also knew that he liked her. From the moment he saw her curled up and afraid on the ground, Santo knew that he wanted to protect this woman. Why woman out in woods by self? he asked her.

I went for a ride as I do all the time, but on my way back, something spooked the horse, and he reared up, causing the wagon to tip over, and I fell out as the horse dropped to the ground dead. I was afraid that whatever killed the horse would get me next, so I crawled away from the wagon and prayed that someone would find me before it was too late. How did you know I was there? she asked.

I hear you. I look for person making noise. Snake bite horse, first on leg, and then when horse fall, snake bite again on throat. You lucky snake no bite you, he told her.

Thank you again for helping me, and I’m sorry if I hurt you when you found me. I need to get back to town. My sister will be worried about me. What made you look for me after you heard me moaning? she asked.

I don’t know. I hear you, and you sound sad. I look for you. You no here when I go into town. I was on way back to reservation after bringing girl home. I see wagon turned over. I think someone might be hurt, but I no see anyone. Then I hear you, he said.

I’m Emily Sommer, and you are? she asked.

Me Santo Gray Wolf, Mando’s adopted father.

Mando, Mary’s husband? Then I owe you my life, Santo. Now would you please help me back to town? she asked.

I take you, but not now you need let arm stop bleeding and ankle go down. I take you to town now, white people think I hurt you. I take you when you walk into town by self. We can’t let people see me help you into town, he said as he looked at her. He thought to himself that she was a pretty woman. But he was also thinking to himself that he shouldn’t be seeing her that way. After all, she was a white woman, and he was an Indian.

Emily Sommer was looking at Santo, thinking if he weren’t an Indian, he would be very handsome with his tall lean muscular body and his black friendly eyes that sparkled when he talked to her. Emily and Santo stayed in the cabin for about a half hour, never saying anything to each other, but they never stopped watching each other. Come, I take you Albany, he told her as he carried her out to his horse and put her on it, and then he got on in front of her. As they rode toward Albany, she put her arms tightly around his waist and rested her face close against his back. When she did that, they both felt something happening to them. At the edge of town, Santo helped her down, but he didn’t release her right away. He stood looking at her in his arms. He suddenly released her, pushed her gently away from him, and then jumped on his horse and rode away.

Ms. Sommer, what happened to you, Sheriff Baxter asked as he came out of his office and saw Emily limping into town.

I had an accident. A snake bit my horse, killing it, and I was thrown out of the wagon, which caused me to sprain my ankle and cut my arm. Would you please help me to the doctor’s office? And could you have some men drag my horse away and bury it. Oh yes, one more thing, would you please ask them bring to my wagon back into town for me? I will pay them whatever you think is reasonable for their trouble, she said.

Of course, I will take care of everything for you, but how did you manage to get back into town alone and who bandaged your arm and ankle? the sheriff asked as he helped her into a wagon near his office.

I wasn’t too far away. I walked into town, and I bandaged my arm and ankle myself. I was in a lot of pain as I walked, but I was not going to stay out in the woods waiting for someone to find me. When I am not frightened by snakes, I am perfectly capable of taking care of myself, she lied.

Sheriff Baxter helped her to the white doctor’s office, but he didn’t believe her when she told him that she had bandaged her arm herself. There was no way she could have tied the bandage the way it was tied with one hand. He didn’t mention the bandage again. He just waited with her until the doctor took care of her. When the doctor was finished, the sheriff took her home.

Emily dear, what happened to you? her sister, Florence Marshall, asked as she helped her into the house.

Thank you, Sheriff Baxter, I couldn’t have made it to the doctor’s office or home without your help, Emily told the sheriff. He told her that he would take care of her horse and wagon, and then he left.

Now dear, what did you say happened to you? Florence asked again. A snake bit my horse, killed it, and I was thrown from the wagon and hurt my arm and ankle. I’m fine, Florence, don’t worry about me, Emily told her sister.

Come on dear, I’ll help you to your room. You really must be more careful. What have I told you about riding out in the woods alone? It could have been Indians instead of a snake that caused you harm, Florence said.

Emily smiled when Florence mentioned Indians, she was thinking about Santo Gray Wolf.

Mando had been away from home working in another town for three days, but he was home now and Mary was very happy when she saw him in their daughter’s room. She rushed to him and threw her arms around his neck. Mando, you’re home, and, sweetheart, you promised that would be your last time leaving your family for a while, Mary said.

Mando took her in his arms, kissed her and then his daughter. I’m going to keep that promise, honey, but you and I both know that I can’t just sit around this house. I ain’t use to staying indoors. I have to be outside. I tried to be what you want me to be, Mary, to live the way you want to live, but I can’t. I need to be my own man, and I can’t do that staying here. No, honey, I’m not going to leave you again, but you have to let me be myself. Please don’t try to change me. You do understand what I’m trying to tell you, don’t you? he asked as he kissed her again, and then they walked to Lance’s room where he rubbed his sleeping son’s head before leaving the room.

Once they were downstairs in the kitchen, Mary said, Are you hungry? Would you like something to eat?

No, I’m fine, but, honey, you do understand what I was telling you, don’t you? You have to allow me to leave every now and then. Mary, please don’t try to change me. I’ve been free for a long time, and I don’t want to change the way I was entirely, he told her.

Oh, sweetheart, I’m sorry. I have been so caught up in my new life that I forgot about yours. You’re right I can’t change you, and I never should have tried. Of course I understand what you are saying. I love you, Mando, and I want you to be happy the way I am, but I don’t want to change you. But what should I do? I don’t want you working in another town for days, and I don’t want you to feel like you are chained to this house. But most of all, I don’t want you gone from me. I’m miserable when you are away from me, so tell me what I should do, she said as she kissed him.

The first thing I want you to do is make love to me. I have been gone for days, and each day I thought about you and your body, he said as he picked her up and carried her to their bedroom. As they were making love, he said, Honey, tell me how good this feels and how much you have missed me.

Mando do I have to tell you? You know how good what you are doing to me feels, she moaned.

No you don’t have to tell me, but I want you to. I want to hear you say it. Tell me, sweetheart. Tell me, he said, holding her hands above her head.

It feels so good. God, it feels so good. Oh, Mando, you have no idea what you do to me when we make love. I never want you to stop. Oh, oh don’t stop. Oh, please don’t stop. More, more, she screamed softly as they came together.

He rested for only a few minutes, and then she was on him, and they were into each other again, each of them telling the other how much they missed what they were doing, not stopping until Bess Anne’s crying interrupted them an hour later.

Mary gave Bess Anne her bottle, and then she sat with her until she fell back to sleep. When she finally joined Mando downstairs, he was sitting in one of the chairs in the living room. She was naked underneath her robe, and when she walked over to him, she straddled him. As soon as she sat on him and he felt her naked body, he got an erection. Damn, he said looking at her as he squirmed. She jumped off him laughing, and then she sat in a chair next to him. Honey, don’t do that if you don’t want me to take you back upstairs. Don’t sit on me like that, he said laughing as he tried to push himself down.

Sorry, but you should know how to control that little man, and haven’t you had enough for one day? she asked as she kissed him.

I never get enough of you, Mary, never, he said as he wrapped his arms around her.

Mando, Young Eagle came to town to visit us today with six of his friends. That is a lot more than he usually comes to town with, she told him.

Why? Did he say why he was traveling with so many braves? Mando asked.

"He said there was nothing to worry about, but Kajika and his warriors were warring with the Piegans. Your grandfather didn’t think that Kajika would hurt Young Eagle, but he didn’t want to take any chances. While he and his friends were here, some people from town, including Sheriff Baxter and John Perkins, came over