JASPER AND BLACK FEATHER RODE into the clan village. The people came out and gathered around them while they put their horses in the corral and unsaddled them. The village sat on the shore of a lake the clan called Sky Water because it was almost always the color of the sky no matter what the weather. Twenty-one family lodges dotted the area between the lake and the trees. Behind the lodges several women looked up from tending neat rows of maize, potatoes, onion and watermelon. The warm scent of rosemary and thyme filled the air.
“As the sisters told us, Indian Jack is dead,” Black Feather announced. “Fire Hawk buried him according to our custom.”
Murmurs rippled through the group and Jasper noticed faces showing sadness and appreciation.
A woman came forward. She was thin, her face lined with a long life. Her long white hair fell down her back. Jasper bent down and she put her arms around his neck, pressing her cheek against his.
“Hello, Rain Water.”
“My Son, it is good to see you.”
“And very good to see you, my Mother.”
“Come to our lodge so I can feed you. You look too skinny. Does your white wife not give you enough to eat?”
“Now, Mother, you know she’s a good woman.”
“Maybe, but she is not a clan woman. You could have done better.”
“I’ll tell her you said so.”
A slight smile curved Rain Water’s lips. “I think you keep this to yourself. I am old and cannot fight her fire.”
As they walked through the village others came and greeted Jasper. Men grasped his forearm with respect and women touched or hugged him. When they reached the lodge he stooped to enter and took his place as the second son.
Rain Water was the widow of the former chief and Black Feather was next in line to be chief of the clan, after Walks With Bears. The lodge she shared with her son and his family was large. Black Feather had two sisters and they came with their families so it was a gathering of many, including Black Feather’s wife and their two sons.
They all sat in a large circle passing around a meal of venison, rabbit, black beans and maize bread, all seasoned with natural herbs. This was Jasper’s kind of meal. He wished he could eat more, but out of respect he politely ate a much smaller portion than he normally did.
Jasper loved his Indian family and the life they had so willingly taught him. A light hearted mood prevailed because of his return but a tinge of sadness colored the conversation. Jasper considered how the clan openly discussed the connection of all living things to one another, while it was rarely a thought in the daily life of so called civilized folks. The loss of one member was a loss to the heart of the whole tribe. Jasper missed that connection in his other world.
When the meal was finished Black Feather motioned for Jasper to follow and led him to another lodge.
“The men who killed Jack and Soft Rain are in there. Talk to them and hear their story so you can tell it when you return to your other home.”
Jasper nodded and entered the lodge.
“Well, lookee here,” one of the men sneered. “If it ain’t the injun lover hisself.”
Jasper let his eyes get used to the low light of the single torch and looked at each of the three men. They lay naked, their hands and feet bound with buckskin straps.
“You goin’ to shoot us, Jasper Lee?” Jasper recognized Eldon Samson, a known bad man.
“I can pretty much guarantee you’ll come to wish I had.”
“Go to hell, Lee.”
“What’s goin’ to happen to us?” A younger man asked. Even in the dim light Jasper could see the fear in his eyes.
“It’s not up to me. The clan elders will decide whether or not you wronged the clan and if so, the women you violated will tell the elders what they want as punishment.”
“Are they goin’ to kill us?”
“That ain’t what you need to worry about. What you need to worry about is how long it will take you to die.”
The young man swallowed hard. “Mr. Lee…”
“Shut up, kid!” Samson yelled.
Jasper stepped over to Samson and yanked his head back with a fistful of hair. “Shut your mouth or I’ll cut your tongue out right here.”
Samson glared at Jasper.
Jasper let go and Samson’s head thumped against the lodge floor. “Go ahead kid. What do you have to say?”
“My folks live in Kentville. Frank and Mary Albright are their names. Could you get a message to them that I’m sorry I brought them so much hurt and embarrassment?“ Tears welled in the young man’s eyes. ”They’re good folks and don’t deserve what I’ve done to them.”
“What’s your name?”
“Larry...well, Lawrence.”
“All right, Lawrence. I’ll find your folks.”
“What about you?” Jasper asked the last man.
“My name’s Jess Gestas. I done what I done and that’s that.”
“Suit yourself.”
“Ain’t you goin’ to ask me, Lee?” Samson asked mockingly.
“I know who and what you are. Do you feel like a man for raping and murdering a helpless young girl? For killin’ my kin?“
“Those fools were your kin?”
“My Pa and my brothers.”
“Ya don’t say! Yeah, it felt good when I put that bullet hole in your old man’s head and your brother’s face.”
Jasper’s teeth clenched as his hand touched the grip of this right pistol.
“C’mon Jasper, you know you wanna kill me.”
Jasper’s hand dropped from his gun and he knelt down close to Samson’s face. “Before too long, Samson, you’re goin’ to be beggin’ me to shoot you.”
Samson spit in Jasper’s face but Jasper didn’t miss the fear in the man’s eyes.
Jasper wiped off the spit and looked at Samson’s leg. “It looks like someone sliced you up a bit.”
“One of your brothers did that to him, Mr. Lee.”
“Shut your goddamn mouth, kid!”
“That would’ve been Caleb.” Jasper’s fingers rubbed against his holster and he had to force himself not to draw. “He always was feisty.”
“Yeah, well he died just like the rest of your family, Lee.”
Jasper walked to the lodge opening and half turned. “They died quicker than you will, Samson.”
Deep concern weighed heavy on Dr. Amos Scoville. Nancy Norton didn’t show up for her appointment which was not like her. Newly pregnant with her first child, she was very conscientious about following the doctor’s advice. The doctor had asked old Tom Rogers, a retired peace officer, to ride out to the Norton place and check on things. Tom returned…alone.
Amos stepped out to his porch. “What’d you find out, Tom?”
“Something ain’t right, Doc. The place is closed up and there’s a notice on the door sayin’ that scoundrel Cornell Norris bought the Norton’s out and they went back east.”
“That’s preposterous! The Nortons would never sell. That ranch was their life!”
“Easy, Doc, you’re preachin’ to the choir.”
Amos deflated, tears rimming his eyes. “Tom, please come inside. I have a great favor to ask of you.”
Amos sat down at his desk, wrote a message, sealed it in an envelope, and handed it to Tom.
“You know whatever goes through the telegraph here is reported to Norris and his cronies.”
“That’s a fact.”
“I’m asking you to ride to Lowell Town and send this message by telegraph there. I fear the Nortons have been murdered. The law can’t be trusted here and something needs to be done.”
“But who can you trust to do something about it?”
“My former commanding officer when I was a regimental surgeon.”
“Who’s that?”
“Ulysses S. Grant.”
“Jumpin’ Jehoshaphat, Doc! I didn’t know you know’d the president!”
“Well I do, Tom.”
Tom took the envelope. “This ol’ broken down peace officer can’t move very fast, but my horse, Shooter, can. We’ll ride like the wind.”
“Thank you, Tom.”