passed Powchutu some water to wet his dry throat and lips. He thanked her, then continued his enlightening tale.
“Just before we reached port on our return voyage that spring, a terrible storm struck and I was thrown against the ship’s hull. My head was bleeding and throbbing like crazy. One of the sailors made his way to me and asked, ‘You hurt, Williams?’ I just stared at him as he kept calling me Paul Williams, and everything in my past started coming back as fast and furious as those waves were crashing over the ship. I realized that damned Frenchy who had shanghaied and sold me had known who I was, or who he believed I was, Alisha Williams’ brother. Lordy, some men are devils! I would have slit his miserable throat if someone hadn’t done it before I could get to him, just like you did to Gordon.”
Gray Eagle nodded as he recalled that momentous trip to kill the man who had set a bounty on his head, a man who had bought and sold bloody Indian souvenirs, as he called scalps, and possessions from brutally butchered warriors. He glanced at his wife and smiled, knowing that confrontation had resulted in them being reunited. She was still as beautiful and desirable as she had been at their first meeting. It did not matter that they were in their sixties, they still made passionate love upon their sleeping mat. He could not imagine life without her; she was his air, his heart, his joy, food for his soul.
Powchutu observed the look and felt the bond which was between them. His heart warmed, and he knew each of them had found the right destiny. If only his cherished wife still lived…
“After we weathered the storm and reached port, I went to see Sarah Anne to tell her I had regained my memory and I had to go rescue my sister Alisha. My gut was crawling with fear; I dared not imagine what Gordon had done to you. When I realized Sarah Anne was carrying our child, I married her, left her my money, asked Tom to watch over her, then headed out after you. With a little snooping around, I realized what had happened. I sneaked to your camp and watched you two for a few days. I could see you were happy and safe, so I returned to New Orleans and my new family. Our daughter was born in late August; we named her Alisha Gaston, since I was using the name my father gave me, Tanner Gaston. By then, I had told Sarah Anne all there was to know about me.”
A hearty laugh came forth as Powchutu remarked, “She knew every mean and bad thing I had done, but loved me anyway. She really changed me over the years, for the better. I had a family to take care of, so I went back to sea to earn a living. It was the only thing I could do in that area. I sailed ten months and stayed home two months of each year, until my son Stede was born in ‘86. My family was the most important thing to me, so I found work in port. I ran a shipping firm until I earned enough to buy it. Stede owns it now,” he divulged proudly.
Powchutu’s eyes became dreamy for a while as he thought about his family, a family he knew he would never see again. “We were real happy and doing good with our business. By 1803, America was annoyed because the Spanish wouldn’t let her ships use their ports; she solved her problem by buying the entire area,called it the Louisiana Purchase. That’s what sent those explorers into this area, the ones you said Bright Arrow traveled with and earned his way home.” That land sale was intriguing to Shalee and Gray Eagle, so Powchutu explained its meaning. “I sailed with the Spanish to help America fight the British in ‘79. But America wasn’t finished with her old enemy. My son Stede went back to war in ‘12 when America and Britain fought for three more years.” Powchutu then explained, at Shalee’s request, the War of 1812 with her motherland before returning to his personal history.
“I was a lucky man to have found Sarah Anne. Stede is thirty-four, but his ship’s his first love. I was hoping he would be
“Just before we reached port on our return voyage that spring, a terrible storm struck and I was thrown against the ship’s hull. My head was bleeding and throbbing like crazy. One of the sailors made his way to me and asked, ‘You hurt, Williams?’ I just stared at him as he kept calling me Paul Williams, and everything in my past started coming back as fast and furious as those waves were crashing over the ship. I realized that damned Frenchy who had shanghaied and sold me had known who I was, or who he believed I was, Alisha Williams’ brother. Lordy, some men are devils! I would have slit his miserable throat if someone hadn’t done it before I could get to him, just like you did to Gordon.”
Gray Eagle nodded as he recalled that momentous trip to kill the man who had set a bounty on his head, a man who had bought and sold bloody Indian souvenirs, as he called scalps, and possessions from brutally butchered warriors. He glanced at his wife and smiled, knowing that confrontation had resulted in them being reunited. She was still as beautiful and desirable as she had been at their first meeting. It did not matter that they were in their sixties, they still made passionate love upon their sleeping mat. He could not imagine life without her; she was his air, his heart, his joy, food for his soul.
Powchutu observed the look and felt the bond which was between them. His heart warmed, and he knew each of them had found the right destiny. If only his cherished wife still lived…
“After we weathered the storm and reached port, I went to see Sarah Anne to tell her I had regained my memory and I had to go rescue my sister Alisha. My gut was crawling with fear; I dared not imagine what Gordon had done to you. When I realized Sarah Anne was carrying our child, I married her, left her my money, asked Tom to watch over her, then headed out after you. With a little snooping around, I realized what had happened. I sneaked to your camp and watched you two for a few days. I could see you were happy and safe, so I returned to New Orleans and my new family. Our daughter was born in late August; we named her Alisha Gaston, since I was using the name my father gave me, Tanner Gaston. By then, I had told Sarah Anne all there was to know about me.”
A hearty laugh came forth as Powchutu remarked, “She knew every mean and bad thing I had done, but loved me anyway. She really changed me over the years, for the better. I had a family to take care of, so I went back to sea to earn a living. It was the only thing I could do in that area. I sailed ten months and stayed home two months of each year, until my son Stede was born in ‘86. My family was the most important thing to me, so I found work in port. I ran a shipping firm until I earned enough to buy it. Stede owns it now,” he divulged proudly.
Powchutu’s eyes became dreamy for a while as he thought about his family, a family he knew he would never see again. “We were real happy and doing good with our business. By 1803, America was annoyed because the Spanish wouldn’t let her ships use their ports; she solved her problem by buying the entire area,called it the Louisiana Purchase. That’s what sent those explorers into this area, the ones you said Bright Arrow traveled with and earned his way home.” That land sale was intriguing to Shalee and Gray Eagle, so Powchutu explained its meaning. “I sailed with the Spanish to help America fight the British in ‘79. But America wasn’t finished with her old enemy. My son Stede went back to war in ‘12 when America and Britain fought for three more years.” Powchutu then explained, at Shalee’s request, the War of 1812 with her motherland before returning to his personal history.
“I was a lucky man to have found Sarah Anne. Stede is thirty-four, but his ship’s his first love. I was hoping he would be
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