asked.
“You know very well. You are doing more to help our people than any warrior since Long Hair. You are to the Apsaalooke as Grizzly Killer is to the Shoshones.”
Chases Rabbits thought it should be as Grizzly Killer’s wife, Winona, was to her people, but he let it pass and gloried in the compliment. “I do what I can.”
“You will be one of the great ones. Everyone says so.”
It had long been Chases Rabbits’s secret dream to be just that, but he didn’t reply.
“The woman who takes you for her husband will be envied above all others.”
Among the Crows, it was the custom for a man who married to move into the lodge of his wife’s mother. Chases Rabbits was not overly fond of Raven On The Ground’s mother; she complained too much, about everything. But he would not have to talk to her. Another Crow custom was that once a man married into a family, he never spoke to his mother-in-law again, and she was never to speak to him.
“I would not say no were you to ask me,” Raven On The Ground said.
Chases Rabbits felt a flutter in his chest. There it was, out in the open. “You could not be a wife and be away working for the whites.”
“No,” Raven On The Ground conceded. “My place would be in my lodge with my husband. But I will not work for the whites long. Only enough time for a new blanket and a few other things I want.”
“We will talk of marriage more then,” Chases Rabbits said, hardly able to believe his wonderful fortune.
“I see a happy life for us. You will be high in the council and we will have many horses and dogs.”
Chases Rabbits almost bit his tongue to keep from responding. The Crows had more dogs than any other tribe. It wasn’t unusual for a warrior to have several. He didn’t own a single one. He would never say so, but he didn’t like them. He didn’t like how they smelled, didn’t like how they panted and barked and sniffed and scratched themselves. And he really didn’t like it when a dog licked him. Dogslobber made his stomach churn. Suddenly he was aware that the love of his life was still talking to him.
“…saw great promise in you that the others did not. You are a friend of Grizzly Killer, and he is thought highly of by all the tribes.”
“Not all.” Chases Rabbits could think of a few who would like nothing better than to count coup on Nate.
Ahead, the mercantile and the outbuildings rose out of the basin like squat fingers thrust at the sky.
Chases Rabbits sat straighter. He was conscious of the gazes of Crows already there, and of men and women from other tribes who had likewise come to trade. All were from friendly tribes, so there was no danger. He rode to the hitch rail, but it was full, so he reined to the side and slid down. No sooner had his feet touched the ground than Geist was there, pumping his hand. Behind him were Petrie and the man with the gray hair and floppy hat.
“Chases Rabbits! You came just like you said you would. And you’ve brought four beauties with you.”
Chases Rabbits introduced the women. He didn’t mention that Raven On The Ground was his sweetheart. These were whites, after all, and while he liked them, his personal life was none of their affair.
“Ladies, I am right pleased to meet you,” Geist said. “Tell them for me, will you?”
Chases Rabbits complied.
“Say that we will make their stay here well worth their while. Tomorrow I will explain exactly what it is they’re to do, and until then they’re free to roam around and look at all the merchandise.”
“You need me stay to speak your words?” Chases Rabbits asked.
“That’s not necessary,” Geist said. He indicatedthe gray-haired man with the floppy hat. “Dryfus here knows sign language.”
This was news to Chases Rabbits. He had the impression they did not know much about Indian ways. “Where him learn?”
“He was a trapper once,” Geist explained. “I take it your squaws can use sign?”
“Raven On The Ground good at finger
“You know very well. You are doing more to help our people than any warrior since Long Hair. You are to the Apsaalooke as Grizzly Killer is to the Shoshones.”
Chases Rabbits thought it should be as Grizzly Killer’s wife, Winona, was to her people, but he let it pass and gloried in the compliment. “I do what I can.”
“You will be one of the great ones. Everyone says so.”
It had long been Chases Rabbits’s secret dream to be just that, but he didn’t reply.
“The woman who takes you for her husband will be envied above all others.”
Among the Crows, it was the custom for a man who married to move into the lodge of his wife’s mother. Chases Rabbits was not overly fond of Raven On The Ground’s mother; she complained too much, about everything. But he would not have to talk to her. Another Crow custom was that once a man married into a family, he never spoke to his mother-in-law again, and she was never to speak to him.
“I would not say no were you to ask me,” Raven On The Ground said.
Chases Rabbits felt a flutter in his chest. There it was, out in the open. “You could not be a wife and be away working for the whites.”
“No,” Raven On The Ground conceded. “My place would be in my lodge with my husband. But I will not work for the whites long. Only enough time for a new blanket and a few other things I want.”
“We will talk of marriage more then,” Chases Rabbits said, hardly able to believe his wonderful fortune.
“I see a happy life for us. You will be high in the council and we will have many horses and dogs.”
Chases Rabbits almost bit his tongue to keep from responding. The Crows had more dogs than any other tribe. It wasn’t unusual for a warrior to have several. He didn’t own a single one. He would never say so, but he didn’t like them. He didn’t like how they smelled, didn’t like how they panted and barked and sniffed and scratched themselves. And he really didn’t like it when a dog licked him. Dogslobber made his stomach churn. Suddenly he was aware that the love of his life was still talking to him.
“…saw great promise in you that the others did not. You are a friend of Grizzly Killer, and he is thought highly of by all the tribes.”
“Not all.” Chases Rabbits could think of a few who would like nothing better than to count coup on Nate.
Ahead, the mercantile and the outbuildings rose out of the basin like squat fingers thrust at the sky.
Chases Rabbits sat straighter. He was conscious of the gazes of Crows already there, and of men and women from other tribes who had likewise come to trade. All were from friendly tribes, so there was no danger. He rode to the hitch rail, but it was full, so he reined to the side and slid down. No sooner had his feet touched the ground than Geist was there, pumping his hand. Behind him were Petrie and the man with the gray hair and floppy hat.
“Chases Rabbits! You came just like you said you would. And you’ve brought four beauties with you.”
Chases Rabbits introduced the women. He didn’t mention that Raven On The Ground was his sweetheart. These were whites, after all, and while he liked them, his personal life was none of their affair.
“Ladies, I am right pleased to meet you,” Geist said. “Tell them for me, will you?”
Chases Rabbits complied.
“Say that we will make their stay here well worth their while. Tomorrow I will explain exactly what it is they’re to do, and until then they’re free to roam around and look at all the merchandise.”
“You need me stay to speak your words?” Chases Rabbits asked.
“That’s not necessary,” Geist said. He indicatedthe gray-haired man with the floppy hat. “Dryfus here knows sign language.”
This was news to Chases Rabbits. He had the impression they did not know much about Indian ways. “Where him learn?”
“He was a trapper once,” Geist explained. “I take it your squaws can use sign?”
“Raven On The Ground good at finger
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