by J. T. Edson
Possessed of an inborn perception, Annie had realized she was the one most suitable to try and avert the peril. The days when Brother-To-The-Hawk would have been listened to as a lance carrier, one of the bravest of the brave and with a status considered even higher than a chief, were too long past for him to be able to command the respect required to turn the warriors from their intentions. Although Woman Of Spirit was known to be shrewd, she was not Comanche by birth and could never attain the medicine powers which might have helped her enforce her will. Well liked though the Agent had come to be on account of his fair dealing, he too was not Nemenuh and could have little influence upon the intentions of the braves.
Which meant Should-Be-A-Boy, accepted by every member of the Pahuraix band as Nemenuh and a competent warrior who had already counted coup, alone might be considered suitable to prevent a disastrous course of events!
Nevertheless, in spite of the changes which had been made to her outlook since arriving on the reservation, Annie was unable to overlook the enormity of the action she was contemplating!
The plan envisaged by Should-Be-A-Boy would take her into the regions of medicine which no warrior approached without qualms!
However, the girl could not envisage any other way by which the undesirable state of affairs could be averted!
Fortunately, all that was needed for Annie to try and set her scheme into motion was in the building!
Silently offering a prayer for Ka-Dih to give His blessing to what she was planning, the girl swiftly began to make herself ready for putting her scheme into operation!
~*~
Having stepped forward, one of the leading exponents of the demands for riding after the Mexicans found his words were being ignored. Turning his gaze in the direction where more and more of the crowd were looking, he discovered the reason for the loss of attention.
Walking into the glow thrown by the big fire, Annie Singing Bear would not have gone unnoticed in any society. However, there was a special reason for the way in which the assembled members of the Pahuraix band were looking at her. It went beyond her being clad only in a blue breechclout, her weapon belt and moccasins. Nor, despite the feminine aspects of her physique having developed to a most noticeable degree, was this the reason every male eye was turned her way. Plainly visible between and partially on each of her firm bare breasts was the imprint of a red hand. Silence fell as she raised her arms and turned so everybody present could see the sign she had made on her torso.
‘I am Should-Be-A-Boy!’ the girl announced in ringing tones, following a ritual she had been taught. ‘It was I who found Loves Dancing, but could not deal with the men who ravaged her. Now her blood cries for revenge and puha has come to me from Ka-Dih. He says that I—and I alone—must take it for her. Therefore I, born of Singing Bear and Woman Of Spirit, tawk to Brother-To-The-Hawk, give my solemn oath that I will go after them and will not return until I have repaid them for what they have done!’
Fifteen – I Don’t Want To Kill Him
A startled exclamation burst from Don Ruiz Caraballeda as he stared at the rider on a small blue roan gelding who, having either accidentally or deliberately avoided the guards he had put out to the west, in spite of there being a full moon to assist them in keeping watch, came unannounced into the firelight!
Tall, lean and hard featured, Caraballeda was no better dressed than the vaqueros he hired. Even before the newcomer put in the unannounced appearance, he had been in a far from amiable frame of mind and was seething with a sense of annoyance which had not decreased to any great degree in spite of its original cause having occurred three days earlier. Having just returned from ensuring the trail herd he had brought from his hacienda in Mexico was bedded down and well guarded for the night, regardless of the extra precautions he had taken for its protection having proved unnecessary so far, he was no less worried by the potentially dangerous situation than when it had been forced upon him. Therefore, even if the visitor was only passing by chance and taking an opportunity to obtain a meal, he was far from being in the mood to offer hospitality.
Every instinct possessed by the haciendero warned that the arrival might not be for any such innocent reason!
The supposition did nothing to put Caraballeda in a better frame of mind!
Driving some three thousand head of longhorn cattle from Northern Chihuahua to the gringo railroad in Kansas, which offered a far more lucrative market than anything available in Mexico, was far from being a sinecure even if nothing else was involved. When one had also brought a large sum of counterfeit United States’ dollars over the Rio Bravo xxxix concealed in the chuck and bed wagons, xl to be sold at a very healthy profit to an Americano criminal at the town where the herd would be sold, there was an even greater necessity to avoid attracting unwanted attention.
It was the latter reason, rather than being afraid of coming into conflict with cattlemen living in Texas and objecting to his herd crossing their range, or encroaching upon their market, which had caused Caraballeda to select a route he had considered should keep him clear of such competitors. Unfortunately, because of circumstances which he had not foreseen, his desire to avoid any confrontation which might cause the Americano peace officers to take an interest in him had resulted in the possibility of it happening.
While making preparations for the trail drive and its secondary—albeit potentially more profitable—purpose, Caraballeda was acting as a reluctant host to two of his nephews, Nicasio and Benito Velasquez and a pair of equally dissolute, but just as well connected, companions. They had been sent from Mexico City to save them from the consequences of some unsavory activities. Far from mending their ways, continuing to behave in the irresponsible fashion which had resulted in what they regarded as a banishment, they had been abusing his reluctant hospitality by doing as little work as possible and generally causing disruption around the hacienda. If the matter had been left in his hands, suspecting they would prove even more of a nuisance on the trail, he would have refused their suggestion of accompanying him. However, he had yielded with misgivings when they had elicited the support of their parents and produced requests which were closer to commands under the circumstances, their father having financed the transaction in counterfeit money, that they and the de Ulloa brothers should be taken along.
Because Carabelleda had stayed well away from human habitation as the herd was moved northwards across Texas, the two sets of brothers had no chance to make mischief amongst the white men. Nevertheless, despite knowing of his illegal activities and the necessity to avoid arousing interest in the trail drive, they had finally proved as much of a liability as he had anticipated might be the case.
Claiming they were tired of living on no better diet than the simple provisions carried in the chuck wagon, without having asked for permission from the haciendero, the four young men had left the herd with the stated intention of hunting for some wild animals as a change from beef. It was not until after they had taken their departure that Caraballeda discovered they had bottles of tequila with them. On their return, in addition to all being the worse for drink, Benito Velasquez and Ruben de Ulloa each had four freshly made scratches on their faces. Having had them thrown into a stream to sober them up, the haciendero had been furious when he had compelled them to confess how the injuries had come about.
Normally, having done the same in his youth, Caraballeda would have regarded the molestation of an Indian girl as nothing more than an understandable piece of high-spirited fun. On this occasion, he knew enough about conditions in Texas not to regard it in such a light. Instead, he was all too aware that both his endeavors could have been put in jeopardy.
Although Caraballeda had been informed that most of the Comanche bands were on reservations and were honoring the terms of the treaty signed at Fort Sorrel, memories of their war-like nature were still much too fresh for him to take comfort from having heard the Pahuraix in particular appeared to have settled down and were living in peace. What was more, he realized
that it was not only the Indians in the village of the ravaged girl who he must worry about. Even in the unlikely event that they should restrict themselves to nothing more than reporting the incident to the Agent for the reservation, the matter was far from being over. Moses H. Dillingham had a reputation for taking very good care of his charges and being determined that nothing should be allowed to happen that might cause them to take the warpath. It was common knowledge that when white whiskey peddlers murdered one of Pahuraix braves, to prevent others seeking vengeance, he had caused them to be hunted down and, proving there were people of influence who shared his resolve, there had been more praise than criticism when they were killed by a peace officer while resisting arrest. Therefore, on being informed that a girl had been raped, he could count upon the authorities being just as willing to cooperate in bringing the perpetrators to justice.
If nothing else had been at stake, the haciendero would have been indifferent to the fate of his nephews and their no more likeable companions. However, aware that Nicosia and Benito Velasquez were privy to his illicit secondary business interest, he felt sure they had let the de Ulloa brothers share the secret. The supposition had prevented him from telling them to go home by the shortest route and as quickly as possible. Knowing them, he had been disinclined to allow them out of his sight. It was a considerable distance to the safety they would be offered by crossing the Rio Bravo and he doubted whether they could traverse it, even knowing what was at stake, without making more trouble along the way. Should any of them be arrested before arriving in their native land, from which an internationally accepted convention would prevent them being extradited, he did not doubt they would try to avoid the consequences of their actions by informing the arresting lawmen about the counterfeit money he was transporting.
The period which elapsed since he had learned of the rape had been very worrying for Caraballeda. To make their behavior all the more dangerous, the quartet had ridden ahead of the trail herd in their search for game. While he was not on the reservation, the route he was taking meant his party must travel parallel to its boundary and he had concluded he would not make any great improvement to the situation should he turn westwards instead of continuing north. Furthermore, regardless of the direction they took, there was no chance of putting so much distance between themselves and any pursuers that they could not be caught. There was a limit to how fast a herd could be pushed and it was much lower than the speed at which riders without the encumbrance of the cattle could follow.
Being experienced in all aspects of handling a herd on the trail, Caraballeda had taken every precaution he could think of as soon as he had heard of the quartet’s behavior. Although he would have preferred to avoid giving such an indication of their location, it had been too late to prevent the cook lighting a fire. Instead of having it put out, which would have caused even more smoke no matter how carefully the dousing was done, he had doubled the guard on the cattle and kept sentries posted all around the camp. On moving out the next morning, he had sent his most experienced men to act as scouts ahead, to the rear and on each flank. Not content to rely solely upon them, making use of a pair of powerful field glasses, he had frequently scanned the surrounding terrain.
Either due to the precautions, or because the ravaged girl had not been found, nothing out of the ordinary had happened on the first day. However, even though there had been no sign of human life until the rider had come into view that evening, the haciendero had insisted that care must still be taken. Therefore his mood was not improved by realizing there had been no warning that somebody was coming through the sentries he had posted.
Studying the newcomer, as was everybody else in the camp, Caraballeda felt puzzled.
The clothing was masculine and so was the saddle of Indian origins on the small blue roan gelding. However, despite the loose fit of the cheap dark red cotton shirt tucked into well-worn yellowish-brown nankeen trousers—from the legs of which emerged bare ankles above moccasins—the body was unmistakably that of a young woman. No hair showed from beneath the rounded crown of her somewhat too large wide brimmed black hat, but her darkly bronzed and good-looking features were suggestive of mixed blood. No weapons hung on the plain leather belt around her waist, but there was a Winchester Model of 1866 carbine, its woodwork decorated by patterns made from brass tacks, lying across her knees.
‘How did you get here without my guards seeing you,’ Caraballeda demanded in good English.
‘Twasn’t hard for somebody’s been raised Comanch’,’ the girl replied, bringing the roan to a stop a short distance from the haciendero and remaining in the saddle. ‘But I’m rightly pleasured’s you talk American, ’cause I don’t speak no Mex’. You’ll be the big chief of this here outfit, I’m reckoning?’
‘I am,’ Caraballeda confirmed. ‘Why have you come?’
‘To see you,’ the girl answered. ‘You’re some closer in this way than I expected, so I’m right pleased I heard you and I reckon you’ll be just as pleasured when you hear tell why I’ve come.’
~*~
Taken with the other alterations to her usual appearance Annie Singing Bear had made before she left the cabin, the sight of the red imprint on her bare bosom and her announcement had created a considerable sensation around the council fire!
Even those too young to have ever seen the ritual which Should-Be-A-Boy had enacted were aware of its significance!
However, the girl had not acted on a spur of the moment impulse!
While returning to the village with Loves Dancing on the travois, Annie had known there was going to be serious trouble when it became known what had happened. What was more, having learned enough during her time on the reservation to appreciate the consequences which could arise if any of the other braves undertook to avenge the girl—whose popularity was certain to arouse such a desire—she had decided they might be reduced if she was allowed to do so.
Discussing the idea with her mother and tawk on her arrival, Should-Be-A-Boy had found they were in agreement with her summations. Nor, on Brother-To-The-Hawk having pointed out there would be objections to the solution, had Becky Ingraham allowed thoughts of the danger her daughter would be facing to deter her from trying to help bring about its acceptance. The talk she had with Agent Dillingham had verified the points raised by Annie without disclosing to him what was being contemplated. Therefore, Becky had forced herself to think as paraivo of the late Singing Bear—whose offspring was a Comanche warrior, with all that entailed—rather than a widowed white woman faced with the daunting prospect of her only progeny being committed to going on an exceptionally dangerous mission. Adopting that philosophy, even though she had never heard the term, she had been able to accept that only such desperate measures might prevent the repercussions which were sure to take place should the murdered girl be avenged by the Pahuraix themselves in any other way.
Gaining the approval of her family had been one thing, but the girl had discovered extending it to the rest of the band was less easy!
The warning that there would be opposition given by Brother To The Hawk had been proved valid!
Regardless of her assertion that she was guided by having received medicine puha from Ka-Dih, the girl’s rendition of the vengeance oath had not been allowed to pass unchallenged. However, it had not been considerations of her sex which caused the objections. Everybody present had long since accepted she was a warrior and would soon be worthy of attaining the status of tenhap. Despite having conceded such was the case, members of Loves Dancing’s family had said it was up to them to deal with those responsible for her rape and death. There were several in the crowd who had genuinely considered that, regardless of the ability she displayed, Tuinep’ was still too inexperienced to be able to handle the situation adequately. Some of the younger braves, having hoped to use the incident as an excuse to ride the war trail, had stated a similar reason for disputing her claim.
Having spoken up in behalf of Should-Be-A-Boy, Becky—as was her righ
t as Woman Of Spirit, even though she was born white—and Brother-To-The-Hawk had received influential support. Whether-Talks-To-Birds and the band’s other spiritual advisers had accepted the girl’s claim to divine guidance as valid or not, they too had appreciated how agreeing to her proposal might avert a situation they were equally desirous of avoiding. Being just as perceptive, the other ‘old man’ chiefs had added their weight to the argument in her favor. However, although she was given permission to carry out the wishes of the Great Spirit, it was not unqualified. Instead, she had been allotted no more than five days to carry out the quest and warned that, should she not have completed it by the end of that period, others would be sent to do so.
Should-Be-A-Boy had followed tradition by wearing only the prescribed clothing for swearing the oath of revenge. Furthermore, she was expected to be dressed in the same way when confronting those responsible for her making it. However, she was not restricted to such scanty garb while searching for her quarry. Taking advantage of this, before leaving the village, she had donned attire—including a hat large enough to conceal her warrior’s braided hair inside its crown—which she had hoped would make her less obviously of Indian extraction than her usual clothes if she should be seen outside the boundaries of the reservation.
Riding a three-horse relay, which naturally included her favorite blue roan gelding, the girl had commenced her search at the bushes where she had found Loves Dancing.
As they had made no attempt to conceal the signs of their passing, following the four Mexicans had been easy at first. However, when their tracks had joined and become mingled with numerous others, suggesting they had joined men engaged in driving a herd of cattle north, she had realized her task would be even more difficult than she had envisaged.
Circling the area of the camp where the quartet had gone the previous night, Annie had not found the tracks of their horses—or any others they might have received in exchange—going away from it and she assumed they were travelling with the herd. Riding after the cattle, in spite of the precautions she had taken to avoid being seen, she had made sufficiently good time to catch up late in the afternoon. On coming into sight of them, she had discovered that all the men were Mexicans. However, while they were on the move, the presence of the scouts had prevented her from being able to approach close enough to ascertain whether the four in whom she was interested were there.