Savage Conquest (54 page)

When Blazing Star suggested Reis would not have
knowingly brought his wife into danger, Bloody
Arrow contended that the two white-eyes had
assumed they would be safe because of Amanda's
claim to be the granddaughter of Sun Cloud. He
declared that Amanda probably had been ordered to
sneak away during the talks but had not been given
the chance before her capture.

When Bloody Arrow feared his vengeful arguments were failing, he sneered, "Sun Cloud's eyes are blinded by love for the child of his child. The eyes of
Blazing Star are clouded by lust for the white girl's
sister who came here as Tamaha. I tell them to think
and vote with the head, not loin or heart."

Blazing Star stiffened and glared at the insolent
warrior. "I do not deny I have love and desire for
Tamaha, but it would not prevent me from voting
against this white man and woman if I believed them
guilty. I do not. Let me go to the wooden teepee of
Tamaha and speak with her. Let me see who lies and
who speaks truth. A man can die on any sun or moon,
but he should die in guilt, not innocence."

"How can we trust Blazing Star to return with the
truth he finds? I will go," Bloody Arrow announced.
"I claim the right to prove the guilt or innocence of
my family. Tamaha and her sister are of Sun Cloud's
bloodline, as I am. It is my right."

"Do you think us fools, Bloody Arrow?" Sun
Cloud shrieked in unnatural anger and agitation.
"Your hatred of Tamaha shines as brightly as Wi. I
feel shame that you are of my blood. I choose Blazing
Star to seek the truth. Who challenges me? Who votes
for the child of my blood to be slain and for the death
of her mate?"

The ceremonial lodge was deathly silent after
Bloody Arrow stated coldly, "I do. I will prove the
three white-eyes are guilty."

Crazy Horse's unfathomable gaze went from one
man to the next. In a resolute tone, he stated, "We
will take the vote. All warriors will accept it or leave
our camp and tribe. Do you wish them to go free? Do you say they are innocent? Do we seek the truth?"

In each man's hand were two painted sticks, one
black and one white. The pure white was an
affirmative vote; the deathly black was negative. As it
came to each man's turn, he tossed in the stick which
revealed his vote. Blazing Star and Sun Cloud could
not watch as the pile grew larger ...

The Oglala Sioux warrior keenly observed the
cabin near the edge of the bluecoat settlement. Soon,
the fates of many would be sealed; soon, he would be
free of the past. There was no sign of the half-blooded
scout or Tamaha, but there was one dark-haired
witness who knew the truth! The warrior waited
impatiently until all signs of movement ceased.
Then, he daringly headed for the cabin to see what
the white cousin knew ...

In the Oglala camp, Amanda nestled as closely as
possible to the powerful frame of her husband, whose
chest and feet were bare. After the council meeting,
Reis had been cut free and imprisoned in Sun
Cloud's teepee with his wife. Though this could be
their last night together, there was no way they could
have a loving farewell, for the hands and ankles of
both were bound securely to prevent escape. All they
could do was snuggle close to each other and share intoxicating kisses.

Suddenly Reis rolled to his back and lifted his bent
knees. He wiggled and struggled, grunting and
breathing heavily with his exertions. Amanda
watched silently, as it was obvious what he was
trying to do. At last, he was successful and knelt
before her with extended arms beckoning her into his
confining embrace. She worked her way to her knees
and slid between those muscular bands of warm
flesh. He smiled radiantly at her, lowering his bound
arms to encircle her in them.

He sealed his mouth over hers, and as his fingers
interlocked with hers behind her back, they savored
this contact of bodies and spirits. Reis guided her
carefully to the buffalo mat. They lay on their sides,
kissing and nuzzling each other.

He murmured earnestly and tenderly, "I love you,
Mandy, and I would give everything I own to have
you one last time."

She leaned her tawny head away from his hard,
smooth shoulders, and smiling at him, she replied,
"So would I, Reis. I love you so much. Don't blame
yourself for this. I'd rather be here with you, even if
it's to die together. I couldn't live without you."

Reis's dark blue eyes sparkled with moisture, and
he cleared his lumpy throat to speak. "I could never
watch you die, my love. If we must end this way, I
pray they show mercy with you but take me first. You
see, I'm a selfish coward after all."

A gaze as soft and light as baby blue cotton fused
with his. "I wish I could slip my arms around you, but I doubt I'm that limber," she teased, both
attempting to lighten the dismal mood and ease the
anguish of the other.

"One day, I'll teach you," he promised with a
playful grin.

"I hope so," she responded, forcing a cheerful
smile. "Reis, do you think he will tell the truth when
he returns? What will he do with Randy? What if he
captures her and brings her back to die with us?"

"He was ordered to seek the truth, Mandy.
Warriors are famous for their obedience and honor,"
he reminded her.

"But are honor and honesty the same in this
affair?" she deliberated worriedly, rubbing her lips
over his furry chest. "What if the truth doesn't suit
his purposes? How do you suppose Custer found out
about the meeting?" she inquired gravely.

"I wish 1 knew, love. Even if Randy dropped a clue
with Sheen today, the timing would be wrong.
Custer knew last night or early this morning. But
who told him, and why? There's something else,
love," he hinted ominously, dreading to mention it.

"What?" she asked, sensing his alarm and reluctance.

"Why didn't Sheen ride out with the others?
Blazing Star said the man who rode at Custer's side
was missing today," Reis revealed.

"I don't follow your insinuation," she murmured.
"Maybe he was left in charge of the fort or other
men."

"If Custer knows you and I are involved in this parlay, I wonder what he's done with Randy and
Luke. On a patrol this important, something urgent
kept Brody at the camp. By now, Custer knows we're
missing, but does he suspect why? I'd bet my scalp
he's reading those false reports right this minute," he
surmised astutely.

"If they arrested Luke and Randy, they wouldn't
harm them without proof, would they?" she fretted at
this distressing news. "And they couldn't possibly
have any firm evidence against any of us. Besides,
you're working for the President. He'll protect us, if
we get out of this."

In the vanishing light, Reis observed the unfamiliar shadows in her eyes. He questioned them.
Tears began to ease down into her tawny curls.
"Randy and I have always been close, Reis. There's
some kind of mystical bond between us. She's in
terrible danger. I sense such a chill and blackness. It's
like she's..." Amanda shuddered violently, unable
to say, in a grave.

Tom Fletcher angrily paced the dirt floor of his
cell. He had demanded his release; he had demanded
to go scouting for the facts to exonerate him. He had
demanded to be shown any evidence against him.
None of his demands had a favorable effect on Custer.
It was past midnight, and he was still imprisoned. But
he had left food and water with Miranda and she was
not severely injured. There was no danger of her
dying within two or three days. Surely he would be free by then. Besides Miranda, only Bloody Arrow
knew the truth about their daring plot; and neither
would ever reveal it. Tom intended to slay the
antagonistic Indian as soon as he was free. Then he
would take Miranda to another place and begin a
new life. At least he had earned one reward from this
devastated plot! No one would locate her, for the cave
was in an area no one ever visited.

Tom exhaled in vexation as he leaned the back of
his head against the window bars. He could not even
trick a sentry into giving him freedom, for Custer had
not placed one at the stone brig. It seemed Custer had
felt no Indian would dare sneak into this settlement
with him in command, certainly not to free a halfbreed scout!

In the flicker of an eye, a bronze hand closed over
Tom's mouth and forced his head backward. A sharp
blade slid smoothly and swiftly across his neck. As if
to make certain the scout was dead, the intruder
forcefully drove the shiny weapon directly into the
scout's heart, then twisted it viciously. Before
releasing the body to let it sink into the dust of the
cell, Bloody Arrow wiped his knife clean upon his
victim's clothes and hair. He grinned satanically as
he tossed a red and black feather into the brig, then
sneaked away. There was one other person to silence
tonight .. .

In the cabin not far away, Lucas was pacing
frantically, unable to sleep. When he responded to the light tapping at the door, he was astonished to
find a warrior standing there. The man introduced
himself as Blazing Star and asked to enter and speak
with him. Assuming the warrior had either news of
or a message from Amanda and Reis, Lucas stepped
aside and motioned for him to enter. Lucas hurriedly
locked the door and turned to speak with the Indian
who had once saved his life, whose face now
exhibited a pattern of color designs, as if he were
painted for war ...

Far away, Miranda pushed herself to her feet, her
buttocks aching from her last attempt to reach the
hole at the top of the cave. It looked just large enough
for her to wiggle through to the outside. But her first
attempt had failed, sending her crashing to the hard
ground, straining one wrist and bruising her bottom.

Her hands and arms were scratched, and her dress
was muddy. But she did not curse the mud, for it
made the surface she was trying to overcome sticky,
sticky enough to aid her treacherous climb. She
caught her breath and sipped more water. Tears
rolled down her grimy face, for her escape might
come too late for those she loved.

She had recalled two occasions at the plantation
when a similar situation had existed. Once, a worker
had fallen into an abandoned well whose wooden
covering had rotted and given way. Another time, a
worker had fallen into a well containing several feet
of water. Both times, the men had not used ropes or help to climb out; they had eased up the sides by
pressing their backs to one side and their feet on the
other. Inch by inch, they had wiggled to the top and
climbed out. She had heard both tales. But could she
do the same?

Concluding she would have more agility and
control if her feet were bare, she removed her stiff
boots and cast them aside. She had previously
removed her petticoats; now, she twisted her skirt
hem and tucked it into her bloomers to free her legs.
She pressed her back to one wall and lifted one foot
against the opposite side then cautiously placed the
other foot just below the first one. Seesawing her
shoulder blades, she flattened her palms to the semihard surface near her buttocks. She warned herself
not to rush her movements this time.

She worked upward a short distance, then rested.
She held her body stiff, bracing herself between the
two surfaces. As she neared the top, she feared she
would not succeed this time either. Her injured wrist
was throbbing as much as her head. Her thigh and
calf muscles were cramping; her knees and ankles
were quivering. If she fell from this height, she could
be hurt badly. She had to make it! She had to get out
before Tom returned, or before he never returned.

Her feet were growing numb from the damp chill
and lack of circulation. Miranda was positive her
shoulders were getting raw. Her hands were bleeding
from tiny cuts and broken nails. She knew she was
weakening. She wanted to sob hysterically from
exhaustion, pain, and fear. She fiercely overcame that rash urge.

The chestnut haired beauty prayed for one final
burst of energy as she prepared to seize the edges of
the hole above her. As she gripped them, she
cautioned herself not to become careless. She struggled frantically to pull her upper torso into the night
air. Her vision began to blur precariously, and her
arms trembled ominously. She was so dose to
victory. But if she passed out now, she could drop
back into that entombing chamber. Sobbing, she
pushed and shoved desperately to free herself.
Gradually everything went black as Miranda went
limp.. .

Near Fort Sully in a quiet cabin filled with rising
tension, Lucas questioned the warrior with penetrating eyes. "Where are Mandy and Reis? What
happened out there? Why haven't they come home?
Why the hell did you kill Major Sheen and kidnap
Randy this afternoon? Where'd you take her, and
why didn't you bring her back tonight?"

"You ask many questions; your words make no
sense," Blazing Star ventured curiously. "Why do
you ask if I killed the bluecoat and took this Randy
captive?" His ebony eyes glanced around for his love.
He was bewildered when she did not appear. "Where
is Tamaha, Miranda?"