by Rita Hestand
Just the sound of his voice made Wilma frown at him.
"Yes." Mrs. Granger cried now, wiping her eyes. "We became friends, Joe. She told me everything. The poor girl was being forced to marry a man she didn't like to save her family's farm. We'd talked about it. She seemed resigned to it last night, as though she'd finally accepted her fate."
Joe's face screwed up in a bigger frown now. "How do you know she wasn't lying? What a story that is!"
"I just do. Besides, who could invent a story like that. Please trust me. She wasn't lying. Her heart was broken that she couldn't finish her schooling. But…she made up her mind, she was going through with it, no matter what, and I did try to talk her out of it."
Joe went to Mrs. Granger's side, he tried to console her, knowing she believed this girl, but having doubts of the story himself. He patted her on the back as he held her in his arms. "All right, Mrs. Granger. I'll go look for her. But I've got to see if there are any prints first."
"Prints?"
"Footprints…" Joe told her as he released her and went to look around the rocking chair.
What he found startled him. "Damn!"
"What's wrong?" Mrs. Granger asked.
"Indian tracks…"
"Indians?"
"Yeah, look there, moccasins, and there, smaller ones. They took her."
"Why would they take her? Are we at war with them?"
"Not that I know of, no. But they surely did take her. Look see if you can find A.J., I'm gonna follow these tracks. And don't be telling anyone else about the Indians. We don't want to start an uprising before there is one."
Mrs. Granger nodded. "Oh, I hope she's all right."
Joe frowned again.
~*~
"I can help, if you let me." Millie told the brave who stood watch over her. "You don't speak English do you? No, I didn't think so." She was talking to herself. The Indian looked irritated. What was it about her that irritated men? She'd love to know. She wished someone would just tell her what she was doing so wrong.
The Indian stood rock still, his eyes going over her thoroughly. A slow burning smile spread over his face.
It was like talking to a rock, they didn't understand a word she uttered. How was she ever going to get out of this?
They hung her roped hands on a pole and she had to practically tiptoe to keep from burning her hands on the rope. Her feet ached, her hands hurt, and she was so miserable. She had to stand that way for several hours in the hot sun.
She saw the people gathering around the old chief as he sat in pain. The medicine man had done his dance, said his prayers and administers several strokes of his spear at the old chief, but he remained in pain.
Millie knew she could help him, if they would let her.
That's when Joe Modoc walked into the village, bold as brass and right up to her. "Are you all right?"
It was like he was asking about the weather; he was so nonchalant.
"Y-yes," she managed, "as long as my feet hold out, that is…" She said.
He glanced down at her barefeet and smiled, she was standing on her toes.
The brave that had watched her came to stand in front of him. Joe made some sign language and tried to bargain for Millie. The Indians didn't seem in a bargaining mood.
Millie tried to get his attention. He glanced at her once but ignored her attempts to get him over to her.
She frowned, "You're stubborn as a mule!" She nearly screamed.
He marched over to her. "Look lady, I'm trying to negotiate with these people. You making monkey signs isn't helping."
Millie bit her lip to keep from screaming. But willing herself to calm down she shot him an impudent glance. "I'm trying to tell you something if you'd listen, just once."
He started to walk off, then in frustration he came back to her, "What? What the hell is it lady?"
His words were like a slap in the face and she flushed bright red. "I'm sure you don't believe me…but I can help the chief if they'll let me."
He looked at her and then the chief.
"Are you sure?"
"Yes…I'm very sure." she let her frustration die on her lips. This man had total disregard for her. She should be used to it by now, but since she wasn't trying to prove anything she thought someone might believe her.
Joe made a sign to the brave that seemed in charge at the moment.
He came back to her side, "They'll let you try. But I should warn you, if you don't succeed they'll probably kill us both."
"Have a little faith!" She smiled at him.
He took his knife and cut her loose. When she almost fell to the ground he caught her in his arms and she stared for a long moment. She lost her breath staring into those dark indigo eyes of his.
She stood up, adjusted her clothes and walked over to the chief, the Indians all backed up to let her through.
She walked over to him and sat down right in front of him. She looked up at Joe. "Tell him to open his mouth wide."
Joe made the signs and the old chief opened his mouth.
She poked and he nearly jumped. She nodded, "Yes I know it hurts." Just as she feared, it was an impacted wisdom tooth. She guessed as much when she saw his swollen jaw. She knew it could be very painful and that these people obviously knew nothing of these kinds of problems.
She glanced around her. "I don't have my bag with me, but I'll need a small knife, some string and a needle, a sewing needle."
He nodded.
He brought back a small knife, a string and a needle that was rather large. She grimaced but decided she could still use it. "Is that the smallest needle you have?"
"Well I…just a minute." He left and came back a few minutes later. "I carry this in my bag for sewing on buttons from time to time."
"That'll do nicely." She grinned.
"Anything else?"
"Some whiskey would be good about now."
Joe looked at her strangely.
"He needs to swallow some whiskey to dull the pain. He's got an impacted wisdom tooth. I'll have to remove it."
Joe nodded, he went to his own saddle bag and brought out a small flask, then finding the needle he'd stuck into the leather of the bag, he brought it to her.
She smiled, "Thanks. That's much better."
"What is impacted?"
"An impacted wisdom tooth. I'll have to cut it out and sew it up. He can't keep it, because it would continue to give him pain. An impacted tooth will try to break out, but can't and so it goes back in, and it will keep doing that until you have it pulled or the tooth itself rots. He'll be fine in a day or two." She assured him.
"But you're not one of those dentists are you?"
"No, but this requires surgery, which I'm very good at." She informed him without looking at him. This was one thing she knew…medicine.
"I'll need some light, so I can see inside his mouth."
Joe made a miniature torch and held it for her as she worked on the old chief. He watched her work. She sewed it in a neat little line and glanced at her handiwork. "That should do it."
When she was through, she held up the tooth for all to see. They were gasping. She mopped his forehead.
"He'll be fine…" She assured Joe.
"I never saw anyone sew anyone up so fast." Joe shook his head.
"I excelled in sewing in my class." She smiled. "Now can we go?"
"Not until the old man is on his feet, might be a day or two, I guess." Joe told her.
She slumped and sighed with resignation.
"As long as they don't tie me up, I’m fine with that." She told him.
He shot her an incredible glance, one that went all over her. "You aren't afraid of these people?"
"Not particularly. If they wanted to kill me, I suppose they would have already gotten to that. They don't seem hostile. They haven't really hurt me. I didn't enjoy being tied to the poll, but I managed."
"Most women would have been petrified. The fact that they are Indian doesn't scare you?"
>
"Why should it. They are just people too."
She looked at him now, all of him, and something akin to awareness swept through her. Startled, she looked away quickly. That had never happened before but he looked different out here in the wilds, so commanding a presence. And he was the only man with a lot of clothes on, she almost laughed.
They were invited for supper, some kind of corn mush. She nibbled.
Joe saw her and shook his head with censure. "It's disrespectful not to eat their food."
"Oh, I'm sorry," She managed a bite and one of the old squaws smiled at her. Despite the fact that it was tasteless, she managed a big smile for them. This was basically what they fed to babies, and now she had a profound respect for their displeasure.
"You learn fast." Joe leaned over to tell her with a snicker.
"I'm not fond of being a prisoner." She chuckled good-naturedly.
"You did really good back there. How did you know what was wrong?"
"His jaw was swollen, and his body seemed fine, it had to be teeth or ears one. Usually you pull on the ears, so it had to be his teeth or tonsils."
"Process of elimination, huh?" He chuckled.
"Something like that. Say, why did they send you to find me? I know you wouldn't have wanted to come on your own."
"Oh, why's that?" He asked with a sarcastic smile.
"Your displeasure with me, is quite evident."
"Pure curiosity would have brought me here. Besides, I am the scout. No one else knows sign language any better than me. I knew it was Indians as I saw the prints. Funny though, now that I think of it, only one Indian print. But I'm wondering why they took you and no one else. That didn't make much sense. Still doesn't."
"They didn't explain it to me, either." She said nibbling again and trying to look as though she enjoyed the food.
"Maybe I should find out." Joe said getting up and putting his bowl down.
"Can't we just walk out of here, nice and peaceful like?" She asked.
"No…we can't. Now you just hold still." He left and when he came back a few minutes later, his face was a mask.
"Well…aren't you gonna tell me what they said?"
"It's complicated." He frowned, tilting his head, narrowing his gaze and he stared at her for a full minute before saying any more.
"This doesn't sound good." Millie sighed. "And by the look on your face, it isn't good news."
"Well, I doubt you'll like the news. The chief's son, the brave that was holding you, picked you for his wife." Joe said, his voice barely concealing his amusement. "He's been following the train for a while, watching you. When you went to sleep in Mrs. Granger's chair, he found his opportunity to grab you and bring you here. Had he done it any other way, it might have meant war, but this way, it's only one person missing from a train."
"And you think that's amusing?" She firmed her lips at him.
"It's highly unusual, as it could have caused an all out war. And he certainly took a big chance for you."
"Well, I hope you had the good sense to tell him that I'm spoken for…" She took another bite of her food, nearly gagging.
Joe rolled his eyes with exasperation. "Matt Hudson, huh?"
"That's right." She answered, looking away from him now. Still not looking at him she asked. "How'd you know about him?"
"Mrs. Granger."
"Oh."
A tear slipped down the corner of her eye and she flicked it away before Joe Modoc saw it. "Well, you staying for the wedding?" She finally turned her head and faced him. "I must be some catch for them to go to this trouble. So…where ever did they see me, in the first place?"
"Darned if I know, but that yellow hair of yours must have attracted him. Or it could have been the way you stowed yourself on board. Maybe they thought you overly clever."
He tipped her chin up to the light to stare into her dark brown eyes. "You got two choices I suppose; a man you can't stand or a man you don't know."
His touch electrified. Her eyes grew big and another tear formed, but didn't fall. "Your wrong…I've got no choice. I never have had. If I marry this chief's son, do I have to stay here?"
"That would be expected, yeah! Even you should know you typically stay with your husband."
He would never know how devastating it was. Two men wanted to marry her, both would force her to do things she would not like. Both would not love her, as she wanted to be loved. Both she cared nothing for. And absolutely no choices were available. She held the bottled up tears at bay, at the hopelessness of her life. This was not the time to feel sorry for herself. She'd promised Wilma not to throw pity parties for herself. She had to bone up.
She started to walk away from him, she didn't like his answers nor her choices. Still, she held her head high, her shoulders back and walked with dignity away from him. But he pulled her back by the arm to face him. "You got one other choice. Only one. But you won't like it any better."
"The Indian?" She let the tear fall.
"No….me!" His face held a mask of emotions and she wasn't exactly sure how to take him. Was he serious? Or joking?
Her eyes were huge now, her throat went dry, her hands sweat and she stared at him with such question. "You! Some choice. You hate me! I'm your Matt Hudson. Don't you think I know that? You've made it plain enough."
He started to argue the point but instead he stared into her eyes. "Look…" he firmed his lips as though he were fighting with a mountain lion. "I tell them your mine, they'll make us marry and then we can leave. Understand? It's the simplest way to solve this. The only way. You marry the Indian, you will have to stay here the rest of your life and live with people you don't understand. You marry this Matt Hudson, whoever he is, and you're giving your life away anyway. You marry me…nothing changes."
"Why…" she gasped. "Why would you do such a thing for someone you don't like?"
He almost laughed, "It's not like we'd be married by a preacher. Probably wouldn't hold up in a white man's court of law. Besides, Arapaho believe that what you give, you receive a thousand times over."
"Really, they believe that? That's almost like the bible itself, do unto others." She seemed so relieved. His eyes sharpened on her. "Then it wouldn't be for real? Is that what you're telling me."
"That's the general idea. Not exactly." He frowned although he seemed terribly quiet for the moment. "In the white man's world, it wouldn't count much. I wouldn't hold you to it. In fact, we could forget it ever happened. I'm sure that would be the best solution."
"So…why are you frowning. If it's not for real." She smiled.
He kind of shook his head, in a strange way, "Because you are so overjoyed at marrying me, I guess."
She burst out laughing despite the situation, and he grinned.
His grin was alarmingly brilliant. She couldn't help but stare. The man was handsome when he wasn't frowning at her.
"Come on, let's tell them…" he took her arm.
Chapter Six
"Promise me one thing," She said as they laid the blue blankets on their shoulders. The Shaman was busy blessing the land around them, then the people. Everyone wore colorful clothes and there was music too, a flute played in the distance.
"What's that?" He asked, glancing at her.
"Don't you dare tell anyone we did this."
"That's a promise I can keep." Amused by her sense of humor he quirked a rare smile at her.
She stared uncontrollably at him. She wished he wouldn't do that. His smile was so absorbing.
"What's wrong?" He sobered quickly.
"You're smiling…" she murmured.
"Must mean I'm human after all, huh?" his smile began to fade.
"You should do it more often, Mr. Modoc, it becomes you."
"Becomes me?" this time the smile was sarcastic.
It was as short ceremony, there was an Indian blessing and things she didn't understand, as they took the blue blankets from them and the Shaman draped a white blanket over them both signifying the u
nity of their marriage. Bringing them closer together, Millie felt strange being this close to a man that barely tolerated her. After all, he was doing this to save her neck and his job. But perhaps it was good practice for when she really married Matt Hudson.
There was a great celebration afterwards, and much food. There was dancing and merriment, to celebrate their marriage.
An Eagle circled above them, and all stared up at him. The Shaman said something to Joe, but he didn't tell her what he said. She wondered.
"It's an eagle?" She stared now too.
"Yes, I saw."
Millie sat mystified by the whole thing. "This is kind of nice. Isn't it?" She remarked feeling the euphoria it created. "This might sound a little strange but I've never been in a wedding or around one."
"Never?"
"Never!"
He watched the dancers and nodded, "Yeah…This is pretty nice. The ceremony was one of great meaning, and the eagle that circled above us, is believed to cause much good luck."
"That's why everyone was so impressed with the eagle, well, I have to admit, I haven't seen one that close up myself." She smiled. "I guess you are used to these sort of celebrations by the Indians. I mean you probably witnessed many of them for yourself."
"Never been to a wedding before, especially my own." He almost chuckled as his lazy gaze flitted over her. But his gaze was thorough stopping at every interesting point of her.
"Mrs. Granger said you'd been married and had a child. So I'm sure this means little to you…"
He cleared his throat. "Well…I guess I can tell you. Sometimes you say things to shut people up."
"You lied?" She shrieked with a giggle. "I can't believe it. I heard you talking about it, I was suckered into it too. I believed every word, the way you were talking. The sadness in your voice."
"I thought if it was sad enough, she'd respect it and leave me alone about marrying some girl on the train."
"You mean she tries to marry you off?" She turned her nose to the air.
"Mrs. Granger is a sweet lady, I love her, but she is a busybody for unmarried people. Probably because she really has been married three times." He glanced at her smiling face, "She says you're going to the Territory to marry this Hudson fella. Is that true?"