A thought came to her that made a shudder course through her veins. “The Navaho hate the railroad,” she said, stopping in midstep as she walked toward her darkroom. She paled. “Lord, don’t let it be Sage or any of his people. Haven’t they had enough to contend with without the law breathing down their necks?”
Shaking off the dread, she hurried and packed up her supplies, grabbed up her one last tripod, and stepped outside into a beautiful dawn. Only one thing scarred the loveliness of the morning: the stench that came with the black smoke from the train proved to Stephanie the extent of the fire.
“It might be a whole train,” she whispered as she secured her supplies on the back of her pack mule. Having been too tired to remove the saddle from her horse the previous evening, it was readily available for her. She ignored Adam as he arrived in a mad run from his private car, slipping his shirt on as he rushed toward her.
“Wait up, sis,” Adam shouted as Stephanie wheeled her horse around and started riding away. “Damn it, Stephanie, now is not the time to stay angry at me. We need to investigate this together!”
He stumbled into his own saddle and was soon riding at Stephanie’s side. “Sis, I’m sorry for what I did,” he said. “But I did it for you. You deserve someone better than Runner. Back home, in Wichita, you can have your choice of men. Men of means, Stephanie. Not a man who’ll be playing Indian for the rest of his life.”
Up to this point, Stephanie had stubbornly ignored him. But his last statement burned into her very soul.
She turned angry eyes toward Adam. But still she didn’t say anything to him. He deserved nothing from her. His apologies meant nothing to her now. The only way they might would be if he would go and tell Runner that he had lied.
But she knew Adam well enough to realize that he would never humble himself in such a manner. He had only apologized to her because of what he wanted from her. He would never give up on her, it seemed.
She sank her heels into the flanks of her horse and rode on away from Adam, her thoughts centered now only on the devastation that lay ahead of her. She was close enough to be able to see that a whole train had been involved in the explosion. The train was still ablaze, pressed together like logs on a fire.
One thing that made her sigh with relief was that the train had been placed at the end of the line, just outside of Gallup, until its usual run the next day. This time of morning, not even an engineer would have been in the train. At least whoever had placed what surely had been dynamite beneath it had made sure to spare human lives.
Again her thoughts flashed to Sage, and the rage he felt toward railroads. She shook her head, to clear it of such thoughts. She did not want to think that Sage was responsible.
Another thought dug deeply into her heart: Runner.
He could be a good candidate for this if a judge had anything to say about it after an investigation. If it became common knowledge about Runner’s hatred of Adam, and why, he could be accused of having a good reason for blowing up the train.
“Oh, no,” she whispered, as she thought of something else. “There were many witnesses at the ‘Big Tent’ who saw Runner mixed up in a brawl. That could be held against him.”
Not wanting to think about Runner in this manner, not wanting to give herself cause to think it might have been his own vengeful act this morning, she centered her thoughts on taking photographs of the wreckage to take back to Wichita. She would guard them with her life, so that no judge or sheriff could get hold of them. She would take her photographs and hurry back to the train. She would develop, then hide them.
Adam drew a tight rein alongside her. They dismounted at the same time. And although Stephanie didn’t want him anywhere near her, she said nothing when he set the tripod up for her, then stood back as she attached her camera to it and began taking photographs.
She tried to ignore the throngs of people who were rushing from Gallup on foot, and on horseback, to see the wrecked train. She could feel them gathering around her and Adam, and behind them.
Through the black billows of smoke, she could see them on the other side of the train.
She would take only a couple more pictures, then she would flee with them to the privacy of her car.
“It took many sticks of dynamite to do this much damage,” Adam said, his voice loud enough to carry far through the milling crowd. He looked around himself and smiled smugly, glad for the audience.
He clasped his hands behind him as he again studied the wreckage from this distance. “I wonder how the damn Indians got their hands on dynamite?” he asked in a half shout.
He looked guardedly over at Stephanie as she cast him an angry stare, glad when she returned to taking pictures.
“Of course they were stolen from the storage shed where the work gangs leave their equipment every night,” he said much more loudly when he realized that several people had edged closer, not only to watch Stephanie, but to listen to what he was saying, as he skillfully planted the blame on someone other than himself and his cohorts.
He kneaded his chin. “I wonder which Indian did it?” he said, seeing the sheriff elbowing his way through the crowd toward him. “Was it Runner? Sage? Naw. I’m sure it was Sage’s rebellious son, Thunder Hawk. This could make him look like some sort of damn hero to his people. It could place another feather in his hat.”
Stephanie had heard enough. She turned to Adam. “Will you shut up?” she said, her eyes flaring angrily. “How can you hate the Navaho so much? Until we came to Arizona, you spoke kindly of them. Runner was your dearest friend. Now you condemn him? You condemn his brother?”
When she caught sight of the sheriff coming closer, her insides froze. Then she placed a hand on Adam’s arm. “Help me load up my supplies,” she whispered harshly. “Adam, hurry. Help me. I don’t want the sheriff confiscating my plates.”
Disgruntled, Adam assisted her. Just as she rode away, she felt a sick feeling rushing through her, for she was still close enough to hear Adam condemn Thunder Hawk. She was relieved when the sheriff just as quickly said he needed more proof, for she knew that Adam had none.
Inhaling a deep breath, she rode in a hard gallop away from the wreckage. She had gotten enough photographs of the wreckage, and knew that the Santa Fe would be grateful to have them, since they would soon begin their own investigation.
Yet she felt nothing but empty inside. The feeling of triumph, of importance, was no longer there. She felt as though everything important to her had been stripped from her life.
Without Runner, nothing else mattered.
Thunder Hawk sat back and watched Sky Dancer serving the morning meal to his mother and father, smiling proudly up at her as she handed him a platter of fried mush. Before he had even been awake she had been up, grinding meal and placing coffee on the stove for breakfast. She had said that it was not only to surprise him, to show herself worthy of being called wife, but also to surprise his parents by having them share the first breakfast of her and Thunder Hawk’s marriage with them, by a way of thanking them for the generous gift of their hogan for the wedding night.
Runner and Pure Blossom had also been invited. Pure Blossom was not feeling well, so had declined the generous offer. Runner also declined.
“You truly didn’t have to do this,” Leonida said, smiling over at Sky Dancer as the young woman sat down beside Thunder Hawk on a plush, white sheepskin that had been spread before the fireplace. “Sky Dancer, to have prepared so much food you surely had to be up before dawn.”
“It was most enjoyable preparing a surprise for my new in-laws,” Sky Dancer said, beaming.
“It was sweet,” Leonida said. “Thank you, darling.”
“Sky Dancer, the food is very good,” Thunder Hawk said, taking a large bite of sage cheese that had been melted, cut, and toasted to resemble fallen leaves. “Your mother taught you well the skills of cooking.”
“Uke-he, thank you, husband,” Sky Dancer said, bashfully lowering her eyes. Not yet feeling comfortable i
n her new surroundings, especially in Sage’s company, she only toyed with the food on her plate. She hoped that once she and Thunder Hawk got settled in their own hogan, and enough days had passed for Sage to think over his son’s choice of women for a wife, he would learn to accept her. She had done nothing to earn his solemn silence.
Feeling Sky Dancer’s uneasiness, Thunder Hawk cast his father a troubled half glance. He frowned when he saw that Sage was still as solemn now as he had been yesterday after hearing about Thunder Hawk’s marriage to Sky Dancer. His father’s acceptance was far more important than his mother’s.
“Sage?” Leonida said, reaching a hand to her husband’s arm. “Darling? Don’t you think the food was well prepared? Isn’t Thunder Hawk lucky to have married someone with such skills in cooking? You know how he loves to eat.”
Sage took another bite of bread, then set his plate aside on the sheepskin beside him. He looked over at Thunder Hawk. He had waited long enough to remind him what must be done this morning, and every morning, until his education was finished.
“Thunder Hawk, you must leave for school soon this morning,” Sage finally said. “Three days have passed since you were there. You will have to work twice as hard now to catch up on what you did not learn those days you were gone to win yourself a wife.”
Leonida flinched and almost dropped her spoon when Thunder Hawk rose quickly to his feet, his plate tumbling from his lap and landing in a splat on the sheepskin. “School?” he said, gazing disbelievingly down at his father. “I did not plan to go to school today, or ever again. My duty now is to my wife. Not to books!”
Sage rose slowly to his feet, then stood over Thunder Hawk and placed his hands to his son’s shoulders. “My son, your wife has nothing to do with this,” he said. “It was your father’s decision long ago that you would continue your schooling to the end. I do not waver in my decision now.”
“I am married now,” Thunder Hawk said, trying not to overstep that boundary of obedience. “I am a man.” He gave a visible shudder. “Only children attend school.”
“Yes, you are a man,” Sage said softly. “But you will be a better man once you have finished your education.” He eased his hands from Thunder Hawk’s shoulders and gestured toward the door. “If you leave now, you will have time to reach the school before the last bell rings.”
Thunder Hawk’s eyes widened. He knew that any further argument would get him nowhere, and he did not want to look any more foolish in front of his wife than he already did. It was incredible to him that his ploy had not worked, that having a wife meant nothing at all to his father.
He shifted his gaze down at Sky Dancer, knowing from the bottom of his heart that he did not regret having married her. Although the marriage was planned to be one of convenience, it was more than that to him now. Sky Dancer was the world to him.
Sky Dancer smiled softly up at Thunder Hawk, then moved to her feet and took his hands. “My husband, there is something I would like to ask you,” she murmured.
“What is it?” Thunder Hawk said, searching her eyes, seeing so much love for him in their depths.
“You will be leaving for school soon?” Sky Dancer said, her eyes wide as she gazed into Thunder Hawk’s.
“Seems I will,” Thunder Hawk said, his voice showing how disgruntled he was.
“Take me with you,” Sky Dancer said in a rush of words. “My father would never allow me to go. He kept me from those sorts of opportunities. He kept me too often to myself. He did not trust allowing me to leave the village, ever, without escorts. I have dreamed often of being in school, learning from books. Please Thunder Hawk? Take me with you? We can learn together.”
There was a sudden hushed silence in the hogan.
Then Thunder Hawk laughed absently, then happily. He could not believe the turns of events. Suddenly—oh, so suddenly—he saw a true reason for going to school: his wife. Through her eyes, he saw the importance of schooling. And it would be a wonderful thing learning together!
Thunder Hawk smiled at Sky Dancer. “You will go to school today with your husband,” he said. He smiled over at his father, and then at his mother as she came to Sage’s side and locked an arm through his, her smile warm, serene, and beautiful.
“I will go and see that two horses are readied for travel,” Sage said, his eyes dancing.
After he left, Leonida gave Thunder Hawk a hug.
Then Leonida took Sky Dancer into her embrace. “You have worked a miracle here this morning with my son,” she whispered to Sky Dancer. “And you have just as quickly won the heart of my husband.”
Sky Dancer returned the embrace, finding it wonderful to finally feel accepted. And she was finally going to get to attend school! Marrying Thunder Hawk may have been the best thing that she had ever done in her life.
Sky Dancer and Thunder Hawk rode away from the village, laughing and chatting merrily about the upcoming day’s events. Thunder Hawk was already explaining the normal day’s routine in the schoolhouse. He was anxious to share something with his wife that she had wanted for so long. He did not think once more on how much he had hated schooling. Everything was different now that she would be sharing it with him.
They rode on and on, sending their horses into occasional hard gallops, then easing them back into slower trots so that they could talk again.
Then a strained silence fell between them as they saw many horsemen quickly approaching, the sun reflecting off the barrels of their rifles. They did not have time to even wonder much about these white men who came and drew tight rein in a circle around Thunder Hawk and Sky Dancer.
“Who are you?” Thunder Hawk asked guardedly, knowing not to reach for his sheathed rifle. “What do you want? Let us pass. My wife and I are on our way to school. We do not wish to be late.”
“You ain’t attendin’ school today, Injun,” one of the men said. “You’re under arrest.”
Sky Dancer blanched.
Thunder Hawk’s mouth went dry.
“Arrested?” Thunder Hawk asked. “What for? What are you accusing me of?” He looked from man to man, now figuring they were a posse. He recognized one man, and then another from Fort Defiance. He had seen them ride with posses for the fort before.
But they had always been after renegades, or white criminals. Thunder Hawk did not see how he fit into either of those categories, and then his gut twisted when he suddenly remembered the fifteen stolen horses that he had used for his bride price.
He also recalled having heard that Damon Stout had lodged a complaint at the fort because of the missing horses. And not only the fifteen that he had stolen, also the others that were stolen when his father led them in the night raid.
One of the men reached over and handcuffed Thunder Hawk’s wrists. “What are you guilty of, Injun? Let me see now,” he said, his pockmarked face leaning into Thunder Hawk’s. “There’s horse thieving, and then sabotaging the train. It took some guts for you to steal that much dynamite to blow up the train last night.”
“Train?” Thunder Hawk said, raising an eyebrow. “Dynamite? I know nothing about it. Nothing.”
“And so you’re now guilty of lyin’, too,” the man said, shrugging.
Sky Dancer edged her horse closer to Thunder Hawk’s. “They cannot take you away,” she said, sobbing. “Please tell me they are not taking you away.”
When Thunder Hawk turned his eyes to her, he found that it was hard to find the words that were required to make her accept that this was happening. He did not understand it, himself, much less know a way to make her see the logic of it. Except that he was Navaho. It was easy for the white man always to cast blame on the Navaho.
“Pretty lady, just you be on your way back to your home,” one of the posse said as he slapped her horse’s rump. “Or else you’ll find yourself in the same trouble as your husband.”
The man scratched his chin. “When did you take a wife, Thunder Hawk?” he asked. “I thought you were just a mere schoolboy.”
It was taking all of the strength that Thunder Hawk could muster up not to lash back at these men, but he knew that he would only make things worse, and his wrists were secured with handcuffs.
Then a thought flashed through his mind. Proof! He had absolute proof that he was not anywhere near the train last night.
“You said a train was blown up last night?” he asked guardedly, just to be sure.
“Yep, and you did one hell of a job,” one of the men said. “It’s still smolderin’.”
“Then you cannot arrest me for the crime,” Thunder Hawk said, lifting his chin proudly. “I was with Sky Dancer all night.”
When the man had slapped the rump of Sky Dancer’s horse, she had only ridden a few feet and then had drawn rein again, looking wistfully back at her husband.
One of the men leaned his face into Thunder Hawk’s. “Do you think we’d take the word of a Navaho squaw?” he said in a low hiss. “Or any Navaho, for that matter? Your whole damn tribe could come and speak up for you and we’d tell ’em to get back to their hogans, where they belonged.”
Sky Dancer broke into body-wracking sobs. Thunder Hawk stared at her, feeling utterly helpless and very much humiliated.
“Well, what are we waiting for?” the leader of the posse said. He wheeled his horse around and headed in the direction of Fort Defiance. “We’ll take him to the fort. He’ll be in the holding cell there a few days, and then he’ll be transferred to the larger jail in Gallup. Soon we’ll have us a hanging.”
One of the men grabbed Thunder Hawk’s reins and yanked them, forcing Thunder Hawk’s horse to follow the commands of someone other than his master.
Thunder Hawk looked over his shoulder at Sky Dancer. “I am sorry,” he cried. “Go home, Sky Dancer. Tell my parents what has happened. Stay with them until this is cleared up.”
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