Gold Raven (66 page)

"That's right, if you know what's best for you, you'll leave. Nigger
lovin
^’
white trash ain't welcome here. Not here it ain't... you bes'
head on back to Webster Fields for that."

As the party continued on their trip... all three men were solemn
and silent. Not shocked by it, but depressed. Each fantasized how
they would have loved to have dealt with Kevin Dobbs if their
circumstances had been different, because none were willing to
jeopardize the safety of Mike's family.

As for Esteban, once again, he got a taste of the real world and
what it meant being a black man in it, or — a white man who treated
any black man as an equal. Their objectives remained their primary
focus, they were out to find Hope; therefore, they made it to Fort
Jacques, arranging to speak with the sergeant, only to learn that the
small party of women never made it to them.

"My daughter? I need to know if she was among the other women and children. Her name is Hope, very attractive young girl of eighteen
now, she has hip length, golden hair, her eyes-..."

"Mr. Webster please. All I know for sure is what I've already told
you. Only Hercog can tell you if she was among the women prisoners
or not and unfortunately, he is home with his family recuperating
from his ordeal."

"My God man, I need to know more than that! I have to find my
daughter!" Manny roared in frustration.

"Sir, if yelling helps, so be it. All I can tell you is what I have."

Manny's head went into his hands, as Mike asked. "Can you at
least tell us where to find this Corp. Wilcox or Hercog?"

The Sergeant shook his head unsure. "I don't know if they want
to be bothered at this time-..."

"Good god man — what is wrong with you? We're talking about a
young woman's life! I would be nothing less than grateful to him for
any information he could give. All I want to know is how I might find her, that's all." Manny looked up to fire off.

Kramer sat staring at the desperate father before him. His son and their Negro by his side, both now silent and waiting, exhaling, he
relented.

"Both men are originally from the North. Wilcox can be found in
Boston, and Hercog lives in New York. He would be the stronger of
the two to visit since you're heading for that destination anyway.”

“
Here's where he's staying at his mother's address." He said, handing Manny the paper with the address on it.

"Thank you Sgt. Kramer. You don't know how much this means
to me."

"I wish you luck in search of your daughter, I really do."

All three left the office hopeful, though disappointed that they did
not have more definite news. In addition to that, to get the facts, they
must leave the territory and head way back up North and maybe
come back again. Little did they care about the distance they would
have to travel, if it meant getting Hope back, they would make the
trip to find her.

Riding again, Mike stated out loud the conclusion Manny had
already drawn. "Chief Red Crow — has our Hope. I would bet my life
on it. I can feel it in my gut. When we reach New York, and find this
Hercog, he'll tell us what I've been telling you all along."

"Yes son...I'm certain he will as well. But know this; Chief Red
Crow is Josephine O'Brien's son. If he has her, then Josey is with her
as well. Like it or not, she will be safe with them."

"With goddamn Indians! When they're being attacked and
hunted down like dogs! Killed simply because, they are Indians! They are not safe, h
ow in the world is she safe with them!?"

Manny rode quietly, saying nothing more because there was
nothing he could say, nothing he could do.

"Well I can tell you now, when I get my hands on him, I have
every intention of breaking his red neck!"

Manny gave the action thought, as he reviewed the look on Red
Crow's face in his mind. Of course, he had her. There was no doubt
about it. Once confirmed, the next move would be to find his village; with that on his mind, they rode onward, next stop, South Carolina.

Chapter Twenty-Six

Latter, September,
1828

"Hope! Now Hope, calm down."

"I will not calm down! How can you as chief allow such brutal behavior from one of your braves?"

"Lower your voice before someone hears you!"

"I don't care if someone does, the idea that she would even let
him do such a thing to her!"

Red Crow shook his head with a sigh. His Gold Raven had turned
out to be quite the handful. As planned and discussed, they made the
trip to Lake Charles. Hope seeing what he had already known, that no
one would be there. He had cut his hair and switched over to more
acceptable attire in hopes of them traveling without mishap. Once
they arrived at the mansion, they found a way inside to discover
evidence that everyone had indeed returned safe and sound, including
Mike. His map, that he always used, was there, and changes had been
made to the place since their first visit. She and Red Crow stayed a while, enjoying the respite from the tribe and his duties. Hope had
broken down in tears from missing her brother's return, but her
husband was there to comfort her.

He once again promised her he
would take her in search of them after the meeting of the tribes, which he was obligated to attend in October.

Their time there was
truly glorious for them both. It was in that period together that they grew truly
closer; with Red Crow able to forget his deception even though it had
been that which sent them out in the first place.

They were very pleased when they realized how well they traveled
together. Each on their own mounts and stopping only at the very
dark of night to rest, make love and then be back out before dawn. They
hunted together, prepared their game, cooked and made love again.
They repeated this routine daily. Each felt there could be no couple as
compatible.

The pleasure they had found while away was set aside now that
they were back at his village.

Hope was trying
to settle herself into what would be her niche
among his people, when the present situation came to her attention.

"Hope, you must understand that the way of my people, is to
leave each to his own way of running his affairs. Just because I am
chief-..,"

"That's right! You are the chief and she is a human being with
feelings, just as he has feelings. As his chief, you should speak to him
about the way he treats her. The way all of your braves treat their
wives and this nonsense of having more than one! I will warn you
now, and you had better take what I say seriously, one of me is plenty enough for you!"

"No argument from me on that." He muttered low, standing
before her, blocking her way from leaving their dwelling. She stood
looking up at him, her expression belligerent with her arms crossed
over her breasts.

"Well? Are you going to call a meeting? Or whatever it is that you
do?!"

"No, I am not. Because what they do within their dwelling, with
their wife or wives is none of my business. Just as it is none of yours,
now you will cease this putting your little nose into it."

"He beat her! The big ugly bully! He beat her up!"

"Hope!"

"Her eye is black and blue, barely able to open!"

"Hope!"

"She should kick him where it counts!"

"What did I say?"

"I'd love to kick him where it counts — and much more! The
vermin!"

"You promise me right here, right now — that you will stay out of
things that do not concern you. Otherwise, I will be forced to tie you
up and keep you inside. If she wants to, she can divorce him and
leave, but she has not done so, she remains his wife."

"With, two others!" She spat distastefully.

"All three allow it, now please, be a good wife and leave it
alone, promise me."

Hope jutted her jaw stubbornly, a scowling look from narrowed eyes
was all he received.

"Hope."

"I promise! I don't like it, but - I'll - not interfere."

"Good girl, now give me a kiss."

She looked up at him and the grin on his face made her smile.
Comfortable in their relationship, she put her arms around his neck to
hug him. "Oh Red Crow, why am I so lucky to have you as my
husband?" She kissed his lips.

"So, you consider yourself lucky, hm?"

"Yes, I do. And you, do you consider yourself lucky?"

"No, I consider myself blessed. Now, I have a few things to take
care of, and I will be going to catch us some fish as well for our
supper. If you wish, you are now free to visit with mother, or old
Cobenche. Please, stay clear of matters that might stir these
people, okay. No mischief either." Red Crow implored.

"What mischief have you known me to get into?"

"Echm." He cleared his throat. "Must I remind you of the
mother cougar I was forced to kill because you tampered and played with her cubs."

"That's not fair, you know I didn't mean any harm, and I brought the cubs back with us didn't I, which the children enjoy playing with."

"Until they must be chased off once they begin raiding the hen
houses."

"Well it hasn't happened yet." She defended.

"Oh but they grow fast and their hunger will override all other things learned. And then, there's the mountain goat that almost killed
you when you tried to capture it to bring back for fresh milk and to
make goats cheese. If I hadn't been near to hear you screaming from
that ledge before it gave way...I shiver still just thinking about it"

"My
other mother Anna got milk from them, and made cheese
for us, and I just wanted to do the same. How was I supposed to
know it was a he goat and not a she? It's not my fault his horns fell
off."

"The male goat has a goatee."

"Doesn't the female as well?"

"Hope! Stay out of trouble and stay away from Janelle."

"Just as long as she stays away from Butterfly and me, I never liked her in my brother's camp. She's one that should have been left
to wonder on her own. She's always jealous of someone. I didn't like what she said to Butterfly, is it my fault when I pushed her, a cactus just happened to be behind her?"

"You should have ignored her comment and walked away, you
and Butterfly."

"Hmph! My brother says you walk away from people like her and
you'll soon find a knife in your back. It's best to let them know how
far they can go with you from the very beginning, that way later-..."

"Hope!"

"Okay, okay, I promise you won't hear a peep out of me all day."
She then flexed her brows feeling frisky. "But oh when tonight
comes." He chuckled hugging her close.

"Is that a promise?" He kissed her lips.

"Yes, yes and yes."

Happy and contented, Hope
decided to visit with Gray Wolf’s wife,
Rain-dance. She liked her, when together they roamed the village
freely neglecting their duties, enjoying the fact that they could do so
and get away with it, when many others could not. Rain-dance was just
as fortunate as she was, because her husband, Gray Wolf, was very
much like Red Crow in the way that he treated his wife; kind, loving
and needing only one. Upon reaching her, Hope found her saddened by the fact that Gray Wolf had captured a huge bear and was holding
it staked outside of the village where he would later kill and skin it for
it's fur as well the meat, which Rain-dance disapproved of and had told
him so.

She was an animal lover and hated the eating of meat, when
vegetables, fruits and berries were plenty enough to live off of. Gray
Wolf, unfortunately was a meat eater, something she found difficult getting used to. She and Hope walked together through the village to
view the poor creature. Both carrying sweet bread coated with honey that Rain-dance had prepared to give it as if granting the animal its last
pleasure before its appointment with the fate her husband had planned
for him. When they reached the area where the beast was tethered, a
small crowd had gathered to have a look at him, some having never seen a live bear before. Gray Wolf stood just out of its reach, proudly posing before all as he spun the tale of how he had captured it.