A Promised Heart (Book Four of the Dream Catcher Series)

by Rita Hestand

  She smiled at him.

  "We might even have to leave the camp, after we marry and find a place of our own." He said. "But we will marry first. That I promise you. In the eyes of the creator we are one, as it should be."

  "Will that bother you, that they don't accept me or my children?"

  "No, the only thing that would bother me is if they are mean to you or the children. If they are, we will leave." He said strongly.

  She nodded. "Whatever you ask of me, I will do."

  "You are a good woman." He smiled. "Just remember, not to smile at me so much."

  "No, I'm not a good woman, I'm your woman!"

  "Yes, you are!" His gaze flew over her as he spoke.

  "And they," he stared down at Jane Ann, "Are mine too!"

  "Yes!" She smiled with prayer on her lips. "They are."

  Chapter Thirteen

  They traveled for miles along the north Texas prairie, passing a few farms, and a vast prairie. They did not stop at the farms, as Hawk didn't want to risk having to tell the people why he was with a white woman. They avoided towns and farms. Along the way, Hawk pulled several ears of corn from a stranger's field and tucked them into his shirt.

  "What's that for, it ain't enough for a meal?" Matthew observed.

  "It isn't for us to eat…" Hawk told him.

  When they passed pecan or oak trees, he gathered the nuts and tucked them inside his shirt. "What's all that for, Hawk?" Matthew wanted to know.

  "To catch a wild animal." Hawk informed him.

  "Oh…" Matthew smiled.

  Only two days into their journey, they came across three white men on the trail. Hawk did not hide but he whispered to Eve, "Let me handle it."

  She nodded.

  "Well now, what do we have here?" The three asked looking from Hawk to Eve with questions on their faces.

  The youngest one pulled his gun on them. "What are you doin' with the white woman and kids?" His voice was accusing.

  Hawk came up to them without hesitation. "I am taking them to Kansas through the Indian Territories."

  "Now why would an Indian be doing that?" The young one laughed.

  "I am a scout for Colonel Mackenzie of Fort Concho. This is Mrs. Dawson; I’m taking her to her relatives in Kansas." Hawk explained. "Colonel Mackenzie can't spare a troop to take her; he figured I'd have better luck getting her through anyway."

  "Mackenzie's Raiders?" The big fella asked.

  "That's right, you've heard of him?" Hawk asked.

  "Everybody's heard of Mackenzie I reckon. He's killin' all the redskins this side of the border. They are supposed to be on reservations."

  "This is true."

  "Why did he send an Indian to escort a white woman?" The other one chimed in.

  Hawk sized them up and shook his head as though they should have realized it. "Because I can get her through the Indian Territory without getting killed…for one."

  The young one holstered his gun. "That makes sense. They'd massacre a troop of blue coats fast. Why is she going to Kansas, she someone important?"

  Hawk shrugged, "Her husband is dead, and she has no other kin. The Comanche burned down her place not long ago. Her and her girl child was nearly killed."

  "Son, this Indian done you any harm?" The big one asked.

  "No sir," Matthew spoke up quickly.

  "He messed with your Ma?" The young fella asked.

  "No," Matthew seemed to study them and added. "He's the Colonel's best scout."

  "Well, it sure would be nice to have some coffee and a meal, can you spare some food, ma'am?" The big fella asked getting off his horse and coming straight up to Eve.

  "Of course, can we make camp here, Hawk?" Eve asked not even looking straight at Hawk.

  He nodded.

  Eve got down and took Jane Ann down, and then Hawk began to gather firewood. The young one followed him.

  "There should be game about, rabbit…or deer if we are lucky." Hawk told him. "Want to help me get something for supper?"

  "Sure, why not. My names Corey Phelps, Badger is the big guy and the other one is Smitty. We're headin' to Fort Worth."

  Hawk glanced at him, "Fort Worth, huh?"

  As Hawk saw a couple of rabbits, he motioned for the young man to be quiet. He took out a slingshot and killed the first one, the other ran. Hawk chased him and got the other one. "Say you use that sling good."

  "It is quieter, and we don't want to alert any renegade Indians that we are traveling through."

  "That's pretty smart. Does the white woman trust you?" He asked Hawk.

  "Yes."

  "Why? I mean, you're an Indian too."

  "Because I rescued her from the Comanche." Hawk looked at him now. "We will need more than two rabbits for this many." He motioned for him to follow.

  There was a feral hog running about the dense mesquite, a small tributary ran off the Red River giving water to many wild animals, making the area flourish with vegetation and game.

  "Wild hogs…" Hawk whispered.

  "They are mean…."

  "Yes, but mostly they are fast. But they are very good eating, especially the females. I got some dried corn here," he produced from inside his shirt." I'll lay it out, you get one side, and I'll get on the other. Don't fire your gun; I will kill her with my bow. They won't be staying long, and if they get after you, climb one of those scrub oaks if you can. We don't want the biggest ones, those are males, we want the female, and they are tastier."

  Corey did as he said as Hawk laid out the corn, stripping the cob of several and laying it out on the ground He also had some nuts, he spread it on the ground so it was easy to see.

  Hawk made a strange sound, and the hogs came running. He motioned for Corey to be careful. Cory tried to grab one, but it got away, Hawk saw the female eating and hit her in the side. She fell helpless.

  The male ran off at a speed faster than a horse.

  "Wow, did you see how fast he was going?" Corey looked at Hawk.

  "Yes, we wouldn't have gotten her, but she was eating…"

  Hawk picked the dead animal up and carried him into camp.

  Eve was pleased with the meat. "Oh good, I was wondering what I might cook for everyone, I have potatoes, and biscuit makings, but no meat."

  Hawk didn't smile at her, merely handed the meat to her and walked on. Eve realized she couldn't be her real friendly herself, so she prepared the meat over a spit and cooked it.

  "Corey said you were headed for Fort Worth, what is there?" Hawk asked.

  "Corey ain't been to no big towns before. We are from just across the Red and decided we'd make a trip to Fort Worth to show him the sights."

  Hawk knew that the sights meant saloons and the wild carrying on in towns. Figuring them for regular cowboys, he wasn't too worried as long as he remembered not to look at Eve too often.

  Everyone ate well that night and the cowboys seemed pleased. "I can see now why Mackenzie picked you to take the lady. You can provide food and protection."

  "That's the idea, yes." Hawk smiled at them.

  "Ma'am I'm sorry about your husband. "Corey came to sit beside her.

  "Thank you." Eve didn't mention that his death was some time ago. Matthew was looking at Hawk's slingshot.

  Hawk showed him how it worked and told him that when he needed to sneak up on a small animal it was effective enough to kill the animal and not alert people.

  "Can I make one of those?"

  "Making one isn't hard, but knowing how to use it can be. I will fashion you one." Hawk told him. "Mine is made from buffalo hide, and then you use a big rock, as big as you can handle without hurting yourself or someone else and depending on what size animal you are aiming at."

  Smitty didn't talk much, but he had a guitar and he brought it out and played it for Eve.

  He played a lovely ballad and sang the song. Eve listened and smiled. "That's beautiful. Music is a real luxury, hadn't heard anything like that in a very long time."

  "Did y
ou and your husband live out on the prairie?"

  "Yes, it was just a small clearing with a ridge above it, made kind of like a valley below. We built a home there, when my folks died on the wagon train west. We never went any further."

  "I got an Uncle that went to California to try his luck in the gold fields."

  "Did he strike it rich?" Eve asked.

  "Not that we know of, he got killed. Someone jumped his claim."

  "Oh, that's terrible." Eve cried.

  "You fellas live in Indian Territory?"

  "Naw…we travel a lot. Corey, he was from Kansas, I'm from West Texas and Smitty he lives close to Fort Worth." Badger told them.

  "How'd you get a name like Badger?" Matthew asked.

  "Cause when I was a kid, I was the runt of the family, had seven brothers and they were always funnin' me. So I fought 'em. They finally started callin' me Badger, cause if they cornered me, I came out fightin'." Badger laughed.

  Hawk sat with the men, and kept his distance from Eve, he didn't even look at her. He didn't want them thinking he was watching her. Eve seemed to understand.

  The next day though the men took off for Fort Worth, waving at them and taking enough fatback to make a few meals with.

  "Well, that wasn't so bad. You really thought fast, didn't you?" Eve looked at Hawk.

  "Yes, and we will use that story as often as we can." He smiled at her. She tiptoed to kiss his cheek. "I missed doing that." she smiled shyly.

  Matthew and Jane Ann laughed.

  Chapter Fourteen

  At the Red, Hawk directed them toward an old gentleman's place where he stopped. It was a large cabin hidden in a small covey. It overlooked the Red and a ferry was anchored at the shore.

  "Jinx?" Hawk called to the cabin.

  An old man with a scruffy beard came out. "Who's out there?"

  "It's me, Jinx, Hawk."

  Well I'll be. Who you got there with you Hawk?" the old man asked as he opened his door to them.

  "This is Eve Dawson and her children, Matthew and Jane Ann." Hawk introduced them.

  "Well now, I'm pleased as puddin' to make your acquaintance." Jinx smiled a toothless smile at them.

  The cabin had a huge kitchen with a long table and another room that was big. There was little furniture about except in the kitchen.

  "What a big table?" Eve admired it.

  "Yeah, I get people wantin' to go up river and I gotta feed 'em before they go. The other room is for pallets and such so they can rest before they leave. It's kinda like a stagecoach station, ain't it?" He glanced at her.

  "Yes, it is. It's so nice and clean."

  "Gotta keep it clean for the guests." He smiled. He saw the look Eve gave Hawk and he suspicioned something between them but he didn't say a word in front of her.

  "Land sakes, I ain't seen you in a coon's age, boy. What have you been up to?"

  "Staying alive, mostly." Hawk smiled.

  "Come on in here and sit yourselves down. I got beans and taters with a little cornbread. Help yourself folks." He offered.

  Eve helped him heat the food and she dished out small servings to the kids, then Hawk, and the old man, then herself. He had a pot coffee on so they all had a little. Matthew had just started drinking coffee; it kept him a alert.

  "I got some buttermilk in that jug over there, if she likes it."

  "Oh that's wonderful, thank you." Eve cried and reached for the jug.

  "I'm so glad you came by. It's been a while." Jinx said, something in his voice clued Eve to the fact that this old man held Hawk in high regard.

  "I'm sorry, Jinx. We just came from Ft. Concho, headed up to Indian Territory."

  Jinx looked at all of them but he didn't say a word, just a small little worry wrinkle in his forehead spoke for him.

  He was a happy old fella and the kids enjoyed some of his tall tales.

  When Eve and the kids walked outside the old man eyed Hawk, his gaze piercing with intensity. "Now what are you up to Hawk?"

  "We're going to live with my people, Jinx. We love each other…" Hawk admitted staring at the old man.

  "Love each other? Are you crazy Hawk? She's white and you ain't. How's that gonna work?" There was a grisly edge to his voice, as though warning Hawk.

  "It will work there. But that's about the only place it will."

  "She loves you that much?" His mind congested with conflicting fears and foreboding, he studied Hawk carefully. "Enough to live with a tribe?"

  "She does."

  Jinx shook his head unable to come to grips with the trouble he knew was ahead of them. "You're gonna have pure hell, boy, and you know it."

  "Not something I can control Jinx." Hawk stared at him now. "I love her. And I will not give her up."

  Jinx studied him a minute. "Well I reckon you do son. I wish you well, you know that. But you're gonna have some hard times. You probably already figured that out too. Them Indians ain't gonna be any happier about havin' her, as the white would havin' you. And you know they ain't too happy with you up there. In fact, the more I think on it, I don't think you should go there. It's just my opinion, but I don't think it would be wise, and it would waste your time, not to mention make you mad in the end. Now, I heard tell there was some Shoshone by the Red on the other side, that you might consider talkin' to. They might perform the ceremony for you, but I wouldn't recommend going to your tribe just yet. Last time I seen any of your bunch, they were beaten down, and angry. They live on the reservation, but they are angry because of it. They're plumb starvin'. You'll just be in for more troubles and I hate to see that. You certainly can't expect her to live on a reservation, she don't deserve that."

  Hawk was quiet a moment, considering all that Jinx had said. "I will consider that and possibly talk to them. Are they close?"

  "Yeah, about twenty miles over the Red. It's something to consider. Shoshone is peaceable there. The ones on the reservations have given up a lot and they aren't happy about it. Your folks included. The buffalo is all but gone now. Mackenzie and Sherman have seen to that. That was something your people depended on. Most of the Indians depended on the buffalo. The only things they can do when they leave the reservation are killing and stealing. They even tried farming for a while, but there's no way to water crops and it just don't rain enough."

  "I know that. Perhaps you are right; perhaps we should talk to these Shoshone and see. Then if things get bad, we'll move on, live out in the sticks somewhere."

  "I'm proud you think enough of her to marry her Hawk!" He made a clucking sound. "I reckon you could get lost somewhere easy enough. Up on Sandy Ridge Creek, people says it's haunted, no one goes there. That might be a good place, if things get too hard for you. There's streams up there and you could grow a patch or two."

  "I thought of that too. You will not tell anyone?"

  "No…not a soul. She must be awful special." Jinx eyed him now.

  "She is… I have loved her for two years now, but only from afar. Then the Comanche's got hold of her and her daughter. Her son and I tracked her, and rescued her. To save her, I had to make her mine, but I loved her and now even more. She wants to have my children Jinx. She loves me that much."

  He nodded and smiled. "Then God bless you son."

  "Thank you Jinx. Can you ferry us across late tonight?"

  "Shore…I can do that. We'll wait till late though, no one will see." Jinx promised.

  "Again I thank you. You have been a true friend to me, for so long."

  "And you've been almost like a son to me. When I look at you, I see a man, not an Indian."

  Hawk smiled. "That is why I care for you like a father, Jinx. We have been through much together. You are family."

  "Them kids hers?"

  "Yes…"

  "Where's their Pa?"

  "Buried, two years ago." Hawk told him.

  Jinx studied on that a moment, then put his hand on Hawk's shoulder. "Better get some rest then, we'll leave about midnight." Jinx told him.

&n
bsp; Hawk winked and walked outside.

  The kids were playing in the front of the house. Eve was sitting on the banks of the river, watching the water.

  He came to sit beside her. She was very quiet.

  "I take it he's an old friend?" She finally glanced at him.

  "More like a father than a friend. He'll ferry us over late tonight. You and the kids need to rest."

  "And you?"

  "I'll watch over you!" He smiled.

  He put his arm around her and she leaned into him. Leaning her head on his big strong shoulders, she sighed. "The river is so peaceful," she said in a soft voice. "It calms me. I think I needed this calm."

  "Yes, it moves along the same path every day, the same. You must rest now…But first, I must tell you what Jinx said. He thought maybe we'd have more luck getting married by a Shoshone tribe that's camped on the other side of the Red. Shoshone are a good people, they believe in family. They have many in the blue coat army, too. I probably know some of them."

  "Oh Hawk, that's wonderful. Would we go on to your people then?"

  He shook his head, "No, my people are struggling and they are not happy. But first we need to talk to the Shoshone, they might can tell us more where we should go."

  "That's perfect. I will go where you go." She smiled.

  "Good, then we will go to the Shoshone camp…"

  She nodded. She gathered the children and they went inside.

  "Got some beds in the other room, make yourself comfortable." Jinx told her when she and the kids came inside.

  Eve went up to Jinx and kissed his cheek. He turned a bright red, "Now what's that for, missy?"

  "For being so good to Hawk." She smiled.

  "He's a good man…" Jinx winked at her. "And I know he's in love with you."

  "He told you?"

  "Yes. Don't worry, it'll be our secret." He smiled.

  "I love him dearly…" She sighed as she lay down.

  "Then whatever you do, stick together." the old man smiled. "Because only your love and courage will save you from all who want to persecute you."

  "He's taking your advice; we're going to the Shoshone camp."

  "Good."

  He went outside where Hawk was staring out at the prairie.