Blood Feather by Don Bendell Read Free Book Online Page B

thinking about us.”
    Annabelle said, “I don’t need to, Joshua Strongheart. I love you and want to be your wife. Your biological father and you both have claw scars from grizzly bears. What are the odds of something like that happening? You survived the most horrendous bullet wounds I have ever seen after your gunfight in Florence, and that was after surviving your wounds in the stagecoach holdup. I have thought about what you said myself, but I decided you have been wounded enough for ten men, let alone one. I think the odds must be in your favor by now. I think it should be my decision if I want to spend my life nursing you back to health. In the meantime, I will be here waiting for you to make up your mind.”
    He reached up and touched her cheek softly, and kissed her lightly on the lips.
    Joshua said, “You are an incredible woman, my darling.”
    She opened the back door, saying, “You wait right here, sir. I’m making you a pack of food for your saddlebags.”
    She disappeared, then emerged seconds later with a steaming cup of hot coffee, gave him a quick kiss, and went back inside, while he sat on a chopping block and sipped the coffee.

4
    Lakota Land
    After a March special election earlier in the year, the citizens had agreed to funding a railroad spur from Pueblo into Cañon City. The long-anticipated Denver and Rio Grande Western Railroad spur was completed in July, and now just a few months later, Joshua Strongheart loaded Gabe onto a livestock freight car and found his seat on the train. He was first heading east thirty miles to Pueblo and then north through Denver.
    Joshua thought about how much the West was transitioning into modern times as he trotted Gabe into his father’s tribal circle just a few days later.
    He was immediately greeted by several smiling faces, people he did not see often enough, who he knew as uncles, aunts, and cousins. He was taken to a teepee and fed, so he could rest from his trip and talking could begin tomorrow after a night’s sleep.
    The next day Strongheart shared a pipe with the tribal chief
Mato Conze
, “Angry Bear.” They spoke in Lakota.
    Angry Bear puffed on the pipe and, using his palm, tried to sweep the smoke over his face.
    He passed the pipe to Joshua and said, “We heard about you counting coup and killing the mighty bear. Did he write on your flesh with his claws?”
    Joshua grinned and stood, removing his shirt. He still had fresh claw scars and bite marks. Angry Bear took note of the many bullet scars, too.
    Joshua replaced his shirt and sat again, cross-legged as was custom. They smoked some more and talked about many things.
    Angry Bear said, “It is not polite to speak of the dead, but your father also bore scars of the mighty bear. This I think is a sign from the Great Mystery. The one who came before you was my friend. He was a great warrior and a member of the Strongheart society.”
    Joshua said, “It is good for me to hear these things. Nobody will speak of my father, so I have always wondered about him.”
    â€œWhat your heart has spoken to you about him,” Angry Bear said, “is true.”
    Strongheart grinned. It was time to speak to Angry Bear about why he’d come.
    â€œYou are a wise elder,” Strongheart said. “You have heard of Quanah Parker of the Comanche?”
    Angry Bear puffed and nodded.
    Joshua went on, “The Great Father in Washington wants me to parlay, to smoke the pipe with him.”
    Angry Bear grinned. “Quanah Parker, like you, is a man with two hearts, one red, one white. The Great Father is wise. He thinks you can talk with this Comanche because you and he will know each other’s heart.”
    â€œYes, this is true,” the Pinkerton said. “Do you think he will meet with me?”
    Angry Bear puffed thoughtfully and blew the smoke skyward. He passed the pipe to Joshua.
    â€œYou have a leg and arm which are broken.