Jubal half rose out of his chair as the judge took the button. The crowd was again in an uproar, and while the judge pounded again for quiet, another man rose. “Sir, may I speak?”
The judge studied the button, then looked over at the man who had risen. “Only if you have something to say that will contribute to this case.”
The man glanced at an enraged Jubal, then stepped forward. “I am Private James Johnston, sir. I was the first man in the corn crib after Jubal. I’m the one who called out to him.”
“And?”
Johnston glanced at Jubal and swallowed, then looked back at the judge. “Well, sir, they loaded the body up to bring it here to the fort for burial, and that’s when I noticed Sergeant Desmond had lost a button off his jacket. I, uh, I said something to him about it, and he looked down to see it was gone. He looked real upset, said he’d better go back into the corn crib to find it, but then Black Hawk, he rode out toward us and somebody shouted “There he is!’ and we all hightailed it after Black Hawk. I don’t remember any more about the button. All I know is, it was missing when the sergeant came out of the corn crib.”
Jubal was beet red again, looking ready to kill.
“And Black Hawk did ride toward you and the other men as though nothing was wrong?”
“Yes, sir. Before he had a chance to say anything, everybody started shooting at him, and he turned and rode off.” The private glanced at Black Hawk. “I, uh, I have to say, when we caught him and said Seth had been murdered, Black Hawk really did look surprised, like he didn’t know anything about it. I think Lieutenant Hart can verify that. I had the feeling that he really didn’t know.”
“Thank you, Private.” The judge looked over at Jubal. “Do you carry a knife in your boot, Sergeant?”
Jubal looked around defensively. “Yes, sir.”
“Will you please stand up?”
Jubal obeyed, and the judge looked him over. “I can see that you keep the knife hidden, which means Miss Bridges here would not know what color the knife handle is unless you pulled it out. Will you please show us your knife?”
People whispered, and Katy backed away, terror in her eyes. Evelyn realized that not one person there would believe either she or Lucille were lying. The fear in their eyes was too real. Jubal started to reach down toward his boot, but then he suddenly drew his handgun from its holster at his waist. People screamed as he raced over and grabbed Katy, holding the gun against her head.
“Katy!” Lucille cried, rising.
“All I want is a horse,” Jubal shouted. “I’m taking Katy with me until I know I’m far enough away that no one can catch up with me!”
“Sergeant, for God’s sake—” The words came from Colonel Gere.
“Get me a horse,” Jubal interrupted, “or I swear, I’ll blow this little bitch’s brains out!”
Evelyn felt sick at the terror in poor Katy’s eyes. What a fool Jubal Desmond was! He might have been able to talk his way out of the murder, since there was no one’s word but Katy’s. He might have been reprimanded only for what he did to the girls, and for being involved in the whiskey smuggling. But he had openly and foolishly given away his own guilt by what he was doing now. She wanted Black Hawk’s freedom, but not at the cost of poor Katy’s life.
“Get him a horse,” the colonel ordered.
Jubal was so engrossed in watching the other soldiers because of their weapons that he had failed to keep Black Hawk in sight. An awful dread gripped Evelyn when she noticed Black Hawk quietly slink out of his chair and move around behind the judge, who apparently realized what Black Hawk had in mind and did nothing to stop him. Black Hawk moved closer behind Jubal, while at the same time Jubal backed up farther with Katy, who was breathing in whimpers from terror. A stunned audience sat frozen while one soldier ran outside to get a horse. All of them could see Black Hawk behind Jubal, but no one shouted any warning. By now their sentiments had fallen in favor of Black Hawk and of the terribly abused daughters of Seth Bridges.
“Let her go, Jubal Desmond,” Black Hawk spoke up behind him.
Jubal whirled at the words, and Black Hawk took advantage of his surprise by grasping his gun arm and pushing upward. Jubal let go of Katy, and she ran to Lucille while Black Hawk wrestled Jubal to the floor. He put a knee into Jubal’s chest, pressing the breath out of him, while at the same time he bent Jubal’s gun hand back painfully. Jubal grabbed at him unsuccessfully with his free hand, but finally he had no strength left. He dropped his pistol, and Black Hawk grabbed his other arm, pressing both wrists over his head, watching Jubal begin to turn blue from lack of air.
“It is done, Jubal Desmond!” he seethed. “You will die, and I will gladly watch the man who murdered my wife and daughter hang!” He moved off of Jubal, who rolled to his knees making choking sounds as he gasped for breath. Men surrounded Jubal and led him away. The room was in an uproar, the judge pounding his gavel, people talking to Private Johnston and Colonel Gere, Katy and Lucille hugging each other. Black Hawk walked up to Evelyn, reached out and touched her face gently.
“I will have order in this room!” the judge shouted.
Finally everyone quieted, and the judge ordered Black Hawk to face him. “Sir, do you have a Christian name?”
“I have never taken one,” Black Hawk answered. He looked back at Evelyn. “Until now.” He faced the judge again. “I wish to be called James Hawk.”
The judge nodded, looking at Agent McLaughlin. “Let it be so recorded.” He turned his gaze back to Black Hawk. “James Hawk, it is my decision that you have been wrongfully accused of murder, and you are hereby set free.” He looked at Colonel Gere. “Hold Sergeant Desmond in the fort jail while I review the things I have heard and seen here today, Colonel. I will give my verdict tomorrow on what should be done with him.” His eyes moved to Katy and Lucille. “As for you girls, I want to commend you for your courage and honesty. I hope the people who live on and near this reservation will understand the awful situation under which you have lived the past several years with a man who obviously adopted you only to have free help and to abuse you in a most despicable way. What you have done today took tremendous courage, and you deserve the respect and support of everyone here.” He again turned to Colonel Gere. “Colonel, I want you to go to the Bridges farm and cut open those bags of feed and see if there is whiskey inside. I have no doubt the girls were telling the truth. I want all that whiskey destroyed.”
“Yes, sir.”
The judge pounded his gavel. “This hearing is closed.”
Evelyn embraced Black Hawk and wept. He moved one arm around her, while with his other hand he reached out and touched Katy’s hair. “You are as strong and brave as any Sioux warrior,” he told her. “Forever you will hold a place of honor in my heart.”
Katy blinked back tears. “Will you tell Many Birds how sorry we are? We would like to go and see her, to still be friends. Maybe it would help her to know what Seth did to Lucy, to know she’s not the only one. I want her to be happy again. I… I saved her stick doll for her.”
Black Hawk nodded. “I will tell her.”
The room began to clear, Indians and whites alike gossiping and shaking their heads. Black Hawk grasped Evelyn’s arms, looking down at her tear-stained face. “And you… such courage you have, to stand before everyone and admit your love for an Indian man. The things you said helped upset Jubal Desmond so that he lost control of himself and gave himself away. You are a smart woman, Wenonah, brave woman. I have never loved you more.”
Evelyn took one of his hands and kissed it. “We can make it work, Black Hawk. We know that now. Night Hunter’s vision was right, but I wasn’t the white woman who ultimately ended up helping you. It was Katy.”
He smiled sadly. “It was you who gave her the courage.” He pressed the palm of his hand to the side of her face, rubbing at her tears with his thumb. “I wish to see my son. But first there is something I must do. I must ride away alone and pray. I
feel weak from no air and no sun. I wish to go into the hills and touch Grandmother Earth, to feel the sun on my skin, to give thanks to Wakantanka for giving me my freedom. I wish to bathe myself and cleanse myself of the stench of that cell by going into the sweat lodge.”
She nodded. “I understand. I will also give thanks, and I know we will be praying to the same God Black Hawk.”
He studied the beautiful blue eyes that set fire to his loins. “Perhaps you are right after all. If it is so, then by our union the circle will be complete. Be ready to marry me when I return, Wenonah.”
She smiled through her tears. “I have been ready to marry you since I first saw you in my dreams.”
He leaned down and kissed the top of her head then left her. Evelyn heard a soldier tell him he would get his horse for him. Evelyn noticed with secret joy that the soldier showed an air of great respect for Black Hawk. She looked at Katy and Lucille, hugged them both. “Everything is going to be all right now, girls. Let’s go home and tell Beverly and Little Fox.”
It took several minutes for them to walk out to the wagon in which Reverend Phillips had brought them. People kept stopping them, Indian and white alike, praising Lucille and Katy for their courage, asking how they could help the girls. Young Private Johnston seemed to appear from nowhere and helped Lucille climb into the back of the wagon.
“I never did like Seth Bridges,” he told her, “or Sergeant Desmond. You don’t know it, Miss Bridges, but the night of that dance, I watched you all night. I couldn’t understand why your pa let you go with somebody so much older than yourself.”
Lucille looked away, her face red with embarrassment.
“Hey, it’s okay, Lucille. May I call you Lucille?”
She cast him a sidelong look, surprised at his attention. “I suppose.”
“There’s another dance coming in about a month, a little fling to break up the boredom of winter, if weather permits. Will you go with me?”
She pulled her coat tighter around her neck. “Maybe. I have a lot of things to think about, Private Johnston. I just want to concentrate on school and just… I don’t know… just be normal and happy, I guess.”
“Sure, I understand. I’ll call on you, if that’s okay.”
Lucille wondered how having one man touch her, could be so ugly and horrifying, and yet the attentions of another could make her feel pretty and special. “I guess so. I live with Miss Gibbons.”
Johnston nodded and tipped his hat. “Thank you, Lucille. I’ll be paying you a visit.”
While they talked, Reverend Phillips took hold of Evelyn’s hands. “I’m happy for you, Evelyn,” he said, calling her by her first name because of her intimate friendship with his wife. “I have tried to talk you out of your love for Black Hawk, but now I realize just how deep that love is. You have taught me so much about tolerance and acceptance.”
Evelyn watched him with tear-filled eyes. “We have all learned a lot since coming here six months ago,” she answered.
As Phillips helped her climb up into the wagon seat, she noticed someone ride off in the distance at a hard gallop. She recognized Black Hawk’s horse. Her heart soared with joy for him. He was free now, more free than he had been in a long time. She knew he rode his spotted horse at a gallop so that he could feel the wind in his face. He was charging toward the distant hills with the bright sun on his shoulders, snow flying from beneath his horse’s hooves. It was a very cold day, but he wore no jacket, and she knew it was because he wanted to feel the cold. He wanted to feel everything… and when he was ready, he would come back to her, and she would be Mrs. James Hawk. She closed her eyes and thanked God for her answered prayers.
A light wind blew snow in whispered rushes across the ground. Evelyn huddled closer under her fur coat. It had been a week since the hearing, and she had not seen Black Hawk. Jubal Desmond had been sentenced to hang, had been sent to Fort Leavenworth for the execution. The judge and Agent McLaughlin feared too much unrest among the Sioux if the hanging were to take place at Standing Rock. The girls seemed happier, and Little Fox, relieved over his father’s release, was again doing better in school. Evelyn had sent for her father, who would bring Black Hawk’s money; more important, she had sent for him so that he could be present when she wed Black Hawk in a Christian ceremony, wearing the beautiful bleached doeskin dress with the tiny pieces of tin tied to each tassel that made wearing it a mystical, musical event.
She could not wait to feel Black Hawk’s arms around her again, to share her bed with him again, this time knowing they were both truly free to admit to their love. Their visions, and those of Night Hunter, were now a reality. There was only one last vision that must be realized to make the circle complete, and now she knew why Black Hawk had sent a messenger to bring her out here to the rolling hills west of the reservation. She was left standing here alone, the wind rippling the fur of her coat, the snow whispering to her of love and joy and new life to come.
She could see him now, riding toward her on a spotted horse, his long hair blowing in the wind. She could see the rippling chest muscles of the handsome Appaloosa as it ran, and as man and horse drew closer, a chill moved through her that did not come from the cold air. It came from the incredible reality of this moment. Here was her vision. Here was what she had dreamed, the vision that had compelled her to come here, where she had found a most satisfying, sensual love, where she knew she belonged and would stay forever.
He came closer, and she knew this was as important to Black Hawk as it was to her—one last vision to be fulfilled. She smiled, reaching out for him, and when he was near enough, he leaned down and grasped her arm, swinging her up onto his horse in front of him as though she weighed nothing.
Evelyn laughed, for he had not disappeared like in the dream. This was real. This was what it had all been leading to. He slowed his horse then. “My Wenonah,” he said softly, dropping the reins and wrapping his arms around her. His horse slowed to an amble, and she turned and met his mouth in a long, delicious kiss, her fur hood falling away to reveal honey-colored hair that was brushed out long and loose for her lover. The arms that held her were strong again, and there was a bright happiness in his dark eyes.
“Now it is complete,” he told her when he left her mouth and moved his lips to nuzzle at her neck.
“No, there is one more thing,” she told him, resting her head on his strong shoulder and breathing in the familiar, masculine scent of him. “A child of both bloods will make it complete, Black Hawk, and I am carrying that child.” She had not told anyone. She had wanted to wait until after the hearing, wait until he had gone off alone to find his strength and faith again, but she had known since just after Black Hawk’s arrest that she was pregnant.
He moved a big hand to her belly, rubbing it gently. “This is true? You are sure that you carry my child?”
“I am sure. My father will be here soon, and then we can marry.”
He smiled, moving his hand to the side of her face, studying her beauty. “I am a happy man, but I do not want to wait until after we are married to be one with my Wenonah again. Come with me. I still have a camp in Eagle Canyon, by the creek. We will build a fire inside the tipi, but we will not really need it. The heat of our love will keep us warm. Tell me you will come there with me.”
She snuggled against him. “I was hoping you would want to go there. Beverly is watching the children. I told her not to worry if I didn’t come back tonight.”
He grinned. “You knew.”
She studied his handsome face. “Of course I knew.” She leaned up and kissed him lightly. “I love you, Black Hawk, now more than ever.”
He grinned. “And I love my white woman who has an Indian heart.”
He held her close as he guided his horse back toward Eagle Canyon. Evelyn gloried in the feel of his heart beating close to hers, the glory of love, and the life growing inside her. And she knew she would sleep well tonight and for many nights to come. She would be i
n Black Hawk’s arms, and the dream would no longer haunt her.
More from Rosanne Bittner
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