Wolf Mountain Moon by Terry C. Johnston Read Free Book Online Page B

General—Johnny Bruguier here is trusted by Sitting Bull. Trusted enough that he was the old warhorse’s own interpreter. Isn’t that right, sir?”
    â€œYes—so what are you driving at?” he snapped impatiently.
    Kelly continued. “Because of his important status to Sitting Bull and the rest of the hostiles, I imagine it would not be an easy thing for someone like Johnny to turn his back on all that and come over to the army side … would it, Johnny?”
    For a moment the cramped cabin grew quiet. Then, still clearly bristling at the officers’ doubt of him, Bruguier stiffly responded, “No, not easy to help the soldiers.”
    â€œA man might even feel he was committing suicide if he became a turncoat like you’re asking him, General.”
    â€œWhat’s your point?” Baldwin demanded.
    Kelly looked directly at Miles, saying, “I figure there’s where you can make things right by Bruguier if he betrays Sitting Bull.”
    â€œHow can this soldier chief make things right by me?” the half-breed challenged suddenly, his eyes haughty. “The army does not have enough money to make me turn my back on Sitting Bull. A man the Lakota called the Grabber did that before * —and his life is worth nothing now. One day soon, I hear, his scalp will hang from a Lakota lodgepole.”
    â€œBut I doubt you’ll ever see that scalp hanging from some warrior’s lodgepole, Johnny,” Kelly said confidently.
    â€œWhy you so sure?”
    â€œYou’ll be dead—hanged at the end of a white man’s rope.”
    Luther watched the half-breed swallow hard, as if he might be imagining the fierce struggle to breathe as he danced at the end of a hangman’s noose. Then some of the fire smoldering in Bruguier’s eyes faded.
    Kelly continued. “General, if you could help Johnny here clear up his murder charge with the civil authorities … I bet he’d have a reason to come over and see your side of things.”
    Kelly watched the light come on behind the colonel’s eyes. With Crook and Terry bumbling and bungling things north and south, it was evident Miles had himself a clear shot at getting something done to end the Sioux War, and thereby earn his general’s star. If helping a half-breed turn his back on his mother’s people would assure him that star, Kelly had a good suspicion that Nelson Miles would likely jump at the chance.
    â€œWhat would you say to that, Bruguier?” Miles asked. “When we brought you in here a few minutes ago, you babbled that you didn’t kill that man in cold blood. You said itwasn’t your fault. So tell me: if I help you get this matter straightened out—will you help me with the Sioux?”
    The half-breed’s eyes widened, then narrowed. “You say you make it so I’m a wanted man no more?”
    Miles straightened, running a hand down the brass eagle buttons on the front of his tunic. “Yes—that’s my pledge to you. I’ll do all I can to make sure an innocent man does not get himself hanged.”
    Bruguier slowly turned on his heel, parting the officers as he stepped to the window, where he gazed at the wind-driven snow. After a minute he turned to Kelly, as if he might trust only him. “The soldier chief here—he can take the white man’s rope off my neck?”
    Kelly glanced at Miles. The colonel barely nodded.
    Luther asked, “Can you see that Sitting Bull surrenders at the Tongue River post?”
    â€œYes. I think I can do that,” Johnny replied, putting a hand at his collar, fingertips laid across his throat. “There aren’t many left with him now—chiefs and warriors. Will the Bear Coat help me?”
    Without waiting for Miles to answer, Luther said, “Yes, The Bear Coat will see to it there is no rope waiting for you.”
    In those next two days Johnny Bruguier began to pay for having that