Almost as if Deek Tanner read his thoughts, the scout grumbled, “Remember, if it ain’t there, the little slut will really get it.” He pressed the point of the knife against her skin and she cried out.
“All right.” Bear’s broad shoulders slumped in defeat. “It’s in Rocky Canyon, near Tolo Lake.” Very quickly, he described how to find the Nez Perce gold he and his brother had hidden for Chief Joseph.
“Sounds reasonable,” Deek grunted and let the girl fall to the floor. She lay there, sobbing. Deek wiped his knife blade on her shift and stuck it back in his scabbard. “One of us stays,” he said to Billy, “the other rides out there to look.”
“How do we decide who goes and who stays?” Billy said.
“It don’t make me no never-mind.” Deek shrugged. “I got a coin; want me to flip it? Head goes?”
It was evident to Bear that neither of the two villains trusted the other.
Billy nodded. “All right.”
“I’ll take heads,” Deek said and flipped the coin. It rang as it hit the floor. The only other sound was the humiliated girl sobbing.
Bear watched the two lean over the coin.
“Heads,” Deek said and picked it up, put it in his pocket. “I’ll go. Lieutenant, you keep our little slut warm till I get back, you hear now?”
“Wait a minute,” Billy protested. “How do I know you’ll come back?”
The big scout grinned. “Why, Billy, don’t you trust me?”
“About as far as I can throw a horse!”
“Tsk! Tsk!” Deek shook his head. “I’ll come back because I don’t want you bringin’ the whole army after me.”
“The Injun may not have told the truth,” Billy said.
Deek scowled and looked at Bear across the sprawled, sobbing girl. “If he didn’t, I’m going to cut that girl in pieces a little at a time when I get back.”
“I told you the truth,” Bear said quickly. He couldn’t stand to see them hurt her anymore; she was so pathetically defenseless. He had betrayed Chief Joseph’s trust to protect a drunken whore; a girl without honor. If only he could escape from this cell, he would stop Deek from finding the treasure.
Deek said, “Well, time’s awastin’, I’ll be on my way. I know that area, Billy, so I’ll find it if it’s there.”
“It’s there,” Bear said.
“Oh, Bear,” Rainbow sobbed, “why did you tell? Why? I could have stood the pain.”
He didn’t even answer; he was a little angry with her. If she had done what she should do, she would be safe among their people now, looking after her child. Who knew if the old grandmother and Willow could take care of him?
Deek paused in the door. “I’ll be back in a few days,” he promised and disappeared into the night.
Billy stared after him.
Bear chuckled without humor. “You don’t really think he’ll come back, do you?”
“Shut up!” Billy yelled. “I’ve heard enough out of you! Come on, Rainbow, I’ll buy you a drink for your help.” He grabbed her arm and yanked her to her feet. “You might as well pleasure me the rest of the night.”
Bear protested. “I thought you were going to let her go if I told?”
“I lied!” Billy grinned. “While you’re sitting in that cell all night, Injun, think about me doing the exact same thing to that Willow when the army finally recaptures the tribe.”
Billy dragged her away protesting as Bear raged and slammed against the bars of his cell. Billy dragged her outside and toward his quarters. Watching the scout mistreat and humiliate the slight, drunken girl had whetted Billy’s appetite. That’s the way he liked to make love. He pictured Willow at his mercy and got excited just thinking about it. No, he didn’t think Bear had told the truth. Why would a man give away the secret to a fortune just to protect a woman, especially a drunken slut like this one? At least Deek was now off on a wild-goose chase. Tomorrow night, Billy would torture the pair again and see if Bear told him a different story. Sooner or later, he would kill them both and say they were trying to escape. He would have to kill Deek Tanner, too, so no one else would know about the gold. Billy certainly had no intention of sharing it with that ignorant white trash scout.
Deek Tanner mounted up and rode out through the hot night toward Rocky Canyon. He had a feeling the big Injun might have told the truth to save that gal. Deek spat tobacco juice as he reached to pull out that two-headed coin and grinned as he turned it over in his grimy fingers. Lieutenant Warton was such an idiot. If Deek found that treasure, he wasn’t about to return to the fort.
He grinned as he rode, wondering how long that young officer might wait before it dawned on him that he’d been duped. On the other hand, if he didn’t find the treasure, Deek had lost nothing but time. He’d go back and torture both those Injuns until Bear told him the truth. Deek nudged his horse into a lope. There were several days of riding ahead of him, but he didn’t mind; except that he’d have to cross a river to get there. The river was running high and swift and cold right now; but that was okay, too. Deek had lived among the Blackfoot; he could always survive in the wilderness. He almost wished now he’d brought Rainbow along to warm his blankets every night, then shook his head. A woman would slow him down and with gold, he could buy any woman he wanted.
Gold. Once again, Deek closed his eyes and pictured finding that treasure. He imagined how it would feel to run his hands through it. He could almost become aroused just thinking about touching it; gold did that to a man. He saw himself filling his pockets; owning so much he could barely walk under the load. Oh, yes, Deek would like that! He would never have to labor for some stupid young officer again. Deek intended to be rich!
It was a long night, Bear thought, pacing his cell. He had told Deek the truth; would the scout be successful? Bear didn’t regret it, except that if Deek found the gold, he and the young officer no longer had any reason to keep Bear alive. Warton had even told him he’d taken over Bear’s stallion, War Paint, and was using sharp spurs on the rebellious Appaloosa, determined to break its spirit.
The lieutenant didn’t show up the next day until dark, and he brought Rainbow with him. She seemed so ashamed, she wouldn’t look at Bear.
Bear swore. “You bastard, that’s no way to treat a woman! What did you do to her?”
Billy brushed the lock of curly hair out of his eyes. “I enjoyed her, that’s what women are for. I’ll do the same thing with Willow when I get her.”
Rainbow said, “Bear, he’s just tormenting you.”
“Shut up!” the officer snarled. “You’re sure no credit to your people; what have you ever done except play the whore and try to drink the saloons dry?”
She didn’t answer, because there was no answer. She looked at Bear, feeling tears overflowing, knowing the lieutenant was right. She had never done anything for the good of her people. If the two white men found the gold, they would kill Bear; there wouldn’t be any reason to keep him alive.
Now she smiled up at the bluecoat. “Why don’t we go have some fun? Wait until you hear from Deek before you try to get more information from the warrior?”
Bear looked at her in dismay. “Why, you are a worthless slut! Have you no concern for your people?”
She forced herself to shrug. “After last night, I’ve decided I’d be better off looking after myself!”
Billy grinned. “Now there’s a smart girl.”
Bear watched them leave together. Maybe he had had too much faith in Rainbow, expecting that she might try to escape and carry word to the Nez Perce that Deek knew the whereabouts of the gold. Yet, just like his brother, he had thought that there was some small bit of character still in her.
It was not far from morning with a bored sentry occasionally checking his cell, when Bear saw Rainbow stick her head around the corner.
“Rainbow! I thought you and the lieutenant—”
“Shh!” She held a warning finger to her lips. “He’s drunk and asleep. I’m going to try to get you out of here.”
Bear saw the dim light flash on the knife under her skirt. “No,” he protested, “don’t take the chance, I—”
“Who goes there?” the sentry shouted and Bear froze at the sound of his boots.
Terror crossed Rainbow’s pretty features. “Get out of here,” Bear urged.
Rainbow shook her head and smiled. She had come here to free Bear and she intended to do it, even if it cost her her life. While she had behaved like a drunken white whore the last few months, deep in her heart, she was Nez Perce and she must regain her honor.
The guard came up and grabbed her arm. “Now, girlie, just what do you think you’re up to?”
She knew this private with the missing tooth, she had slept with him before. “Hey, Joe, it’s just me; I got a thirst and I got to thinking about you being here alone.”
She watched Joe grin, glance toward the cell. Bear had lain down on his hard bunk and appeared to be asleep. The keys to the cell hung from Joe’s belt.
She smiled up at him. “What about it?”
He grinned. “Maybe later; this ain’t the place or time. Besides, I’d be in big trouble if you was found here.”
She pressed her breasts against him. “Now, Joe, who’d tell if we just messed around a little and the Injun’s asleep.”
“Rainbow,” Joe said, “how can you be such a shameless slut?”
“Just a talent for it, I suppose,” Rainbow purred and slipped her arms around the white man’s neck, rubbed her breasts against his chest. “I have all sorts of skills, Joe, things no woman has ever done to you. You ever . . . ?” she whispered in his ear.
“I-no, never like that,” he said. She felt his breath quicken against her ear.
“Believe me,” she promised with a smile, “you’d like it.”
“Now you’re talking, honey.” The soldier leaned his rifle against the wall, put his hand down the front of her shift, and squeezed her breasts.
She forced herself not to recoil in disgust. Rainbow was cold sober now, for the first time in months. She saw herself as she was; a worthless drunk who was no credit to her family or her people. Her little boy would hang his head under taunts of his mother’s shame. She must get those keys for Bear.
Even as she looked up at the guard, she pressed against him so that he took a step backward to keep his balance. “Don’t be so eager, honey.” He grinned. “We got plenty of time.”
She smiled, reaching down to touch and stroke him. His manhood was swelling and his breath quickened. Rainbow pressed against him again. “I don’t know if I can wait.”
She had pressed him into taking another step backward and that put him almost within Bear’s reach. Bear had grown quiet and moved to the bars as if he realized suddenly what she was doing.
Should she stab the guard or try to get the keys off his belt, hand them to Bear? Whatever she did, she wouldn’t get a second chance. She kissed him long and lingering, putting her tongue in his mouth, rubbing her breasts against his chest. With a groan, he pulled her into his arms. “You hot little slut, I’ll be off duty in a couple of hours; then we’ll really get down to business!”
She pressed him a little farther back, but he was too aroused by her wanton body to realize that he took another step backward. It was close enough. Bear’s big hands snaked out through the bars, grabbed the man by the throat, holding him against the bars, throttling him.
He must not be allowed to scream out for help. Rainbow’s heart pounded hard as she attempted to pull away from the struggling man who hung onto her, his breath rattling in his throat as Bear choked him. He was holding her so that she couldn’t stab him.
“The keys!” Bear whispered hoarsely. “Rainbow, get the keys!”
She reached for them but the guard was thrashing about, fighting for his very life as he hung onto her and tried to take the knife from her hand. The struggle among the three of them continued for what seemed an eternity, the only sounds, the man thrashing and choking, struggling to break free.
Abruptly, the desperate guard twisted the knife from her hand. Too late, Rainbow tried to pull away, but he brought it back and stabbed her. She felt the cold steel plunge deep in her side, but even in her agony, she bit her lip until it bled and did not cry out. She must not bring more guards running. She staggered backward even as the soldier went limp, fell to the floor, dead.
“Rainbow?” Bear put his face against the bars. “Are you all right? What happened?”
She tried to stay on her feet, but her legs were collapsing under her. The stone of the floor felt cold and hard against her face.
“Rainbow? Are you hurt? Can you get the keys?”
She managed to turn her face to look around. The guard lay in a blue heap like a bundle of discarded rags. She looked up at Bear’s anxious face, tried to speak, failed. Her insides felt as if they’d had molten fire poured in them. Very slowly, she reached to touch where the knife was buried to its hilt, held her hand up and stared at the warm, scarlet stain on her fingers almost as if she could not comprehend what it was.
Bear gasped. “Rainbow, oh, Rainbow!”
“The keys,” she gasped, “on his belt.”
Bear reached through the bars but the guard lay too far from the prisoner’s reach. She must get the keys and free Bear. It was so near and yet so far across the floor to the body. She couldn’t do it; she must do it.
Rainbow began to crawl across the floor an inch at a time, leaving a wet, scarlet trail. Every movement was agony and her sight was blurred. All she wanted to do was lie here and let the light fade out slowly like the sun setting gradually across lavender and gray horizons. No one could expect any more than that from her; to die with as little pain as possible.
She stared up at Bear’s anxious face and paused. He was watching her as if he did not know what to say. With one hesitant, shaking hand, she reached to take the keys from the body.
She attempted to stand; couldn’t. She looked from the keys to Bear.
“Toss it to me,” he whispered.
She tried, but she was weak. It sounded as loud as a cannon, the metal clattering against the iron bars of the cell as she tossed it. Bear grabbed for it, but he missed and it fell back on the stone floor and bounced out of his reach. She struggled to pick the keys up again and looked at him. Her vision was blurring except for a bright light that seemed to be coming at her down a long tunnel. Funny, it was more brilliant than a lantern and it was drawing her like a moth to a warm glow.
“Rainbow,” Bear whispered, “please try; please....”
It wasn’t fair. She was in agony and she was dying, she knew that, but she felt no panic, only the terrible urgency of helping Bear before the bright light went out forever in her mind. She knew that if the soldiers came and found the dead man, they would execute Bear; put a rope around his neck and hang him like a dog, jerking and gasping on a string. She couldn’t let them do that.
Her hand closed over the keys again. How far was it? It might as well be across the length of the Lolo Trail, she couldn’t raise herself an inch off the floor. Yet she looked up at Bear’s face, saw the terrible need there and knew she must do it somehow. It took time to pull herself into a sitting position and the warm red blood ran down her side and soaked her clothes as she did so. Even the bright light was fading now. The only sound was her own agonized breathing as she struggled up. For a moment, she was not certain she had the strength to put the key in the lock, turn it.
She used her last bit of energy, was only dimly aware of the sound of the key turning. Then Bear swung the door wide, bent to catch her as she fell. “Oh, Rainbow, I’m sorry.”
She managed to smile at him. “I—Tell them ... tell them I was brave and did honor by my people,” she whispered. “Kuse timine, go with a good heart, great warrior . . . Taz alago....”
Gently, he kissed her cheek. “Taz alago, goodbye, brave Nez Perce girl.” Bear held her close a long moment, listening to her breathing more and more shallow. Abruptly, she smiled and died in his arms.
>
What had she seen in that last moment? Her dead warrior husband coming for her? “I will tell them, Rainbow,” he promised softly, blinking back the sudden moisture in his eyes. “I will tell them.”
Very gently, he lay her on the stone floor. There was nothing more he could do for her. He took the guard’s rifle that leaned against the wall, but Bear could not bring himself to touch the knife sticking in her side.
Now he slipped from the stockade into the darkness, remembering that the lieutenant had said he had Bear’s stallion, War Paint, pastured somewhere close. Should he go after Deek or ride to join his people? It would take many days of hard travel to find the Nez Perce, but waiting for him would be his loyal brother and his beloved Willow. With renewed hope, Bear sneaked through the darkness. He was free!
Twenty-one
Deek Tanner reined in and stared at the raging water, then glanced up at the hot summer sun. Yep, all he had to do now was swim his horse across the river, find that treasure’s hiding place in Rocky Canyon.
He grinned as he nudged his horse into the current. That stupid Billy might think Deek was going to return, but if he found that gold, Deek intended to hit the road for some high-on-the-hog living; maybe San Francisco or Chicago. He certainly didn’t intend to return and share with that green young officer.
Damn, the water was high and the current strong. Deek felt the swift water pulling at his legs as his horse swam. For just an instant, he wondered if he should have come alone? If he got in trouble here, there was no one to help him. Then Deek shook his head and urged his mount deeper. He didn’t trust anyone and he didn’t want to share the gold. Besides, Deek was a survivor ever since he’d come out of that wagon train massacre as a boy and been raised by Injuns. He’d be okay. It seemed like a long way across the river with it running at flood stage from the ice melting high in the mountains, but the horse swam well. Maybe he should have waited a few weeks until the river level dropped.
Song Of The Warrior Page 27