Authors: Mike Blakely

Come Sundown (8 page)

BOOK: Come Sundown

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This settled the matter for the time being, and the whiskey trading went on. As I made my deals, the women began to return to their lodges and their cook fires to prepare food for the feast.

I knew from previous experience how many cups of whiskey each barrel contained. Allowing a few cups for spillage, I sold all the liquor within a couple of hours, bartering the last cups one at a time to young warriors who had no families and just wanted to swap a hide or something for a cup of the intoxicating brew. I remembered what each man owed me. My memory has always been perfect. Besides, the Comanches were habitually honest in trade deals, and no man would attempt to cheat me. I would collect my earnings in a day or two, when the ill effects of the firewater had worn off.

By the time the whiskey was all traded, the good smells of food filled the air. Buffalo tongue and hump meat roasted on sticks suspended above the coals. Delicacies such as boiled calf stomach and broiled liver graced almost every fire. Women threw buffalo bones in the embers, then cracked them open with rocks to scrape out the melted marrow. The wives who had traded for iron skillets fried strips of venison in bear fat.

“You will come and eat at my lodge,” Kills Something said. “My wife makes plenty of food.”

“Gracias,”
I said. I walked with Kills Something to his lodge and his wife handed me a piece of rawhide to use as a plate. On this she heaped a thick stew made of buffalo meat, seasoned with wild onion, salt, peppers, and some herbs she had collected. Kills Something gave me a spoon fashioned from the horn of a buffalo. Before we ate, he offered a morsel of the food to the sky, then buried it in a small hole he gouged in the ground with a digging stick. Now that he had made offerings of thanks to Father Sun and Mother Earth, we could dig in.

I hadn't eaten much on my long ride from William's new fort, so I devoured the plate of stew and asked for more. I ate until I thought I would burst. With my hunger satisfied, all I
could think of was my empty lodge and my missing wife. I felt guilty for some reason, though it was she who had run off. Certainly some of it must have been my fault. I had failed her as a husband somehow.

Perhaps my guilt stemmed from the fact that I knew I never should have taken Hidden Water as a wife in the first place. Kills Something had talked me into it. He had wanted us to be brothers-in-law so that he could assure a safe source of trade goods once he became chief. It was a marriage of commerce, not love. I admit that I had been attracted to Hidden Water from the moment I saw her. Few men would not. But did I ever love her? I had tried, but at best I could only hope that I would someday learn to love her. Now that hope was gone, and I was filled with a sense of failure that I dared not express to any of my Comanche friends. Comanches did not accept failure.

I knew what I had to do. I must follow Hidden Water. I would speak to her. If she wanted to stay with her new lover, I would have to exact some kind of payment from him, or challenge him to battle. If she wanted to come back with me, I would take her, but I doubted I could do this without fighting the warrior she had run away with. If she did come back to Shaved Head's village, I would be expected to thrash her soundly with a stick in front of the entire village to punish her for her disrespect. Some warriors might even insist that I cut off the end of her nose. None of this appealed to me.

Kills Something must have known what was on my mind. “My sister brings shame to our village,” he said. “I wanted to go after her when she left, but Shaved Head and Burnt Belly agreed that you should be the one to go.”

“It is my problem.”

“She is my sister. I will go with you. Sleep this night, then we will go.”

I nodded, then rose and walked away. The feasting was about over. The drinking would soon start. I didn't like watching an Indian camp in the throes of drunkeness, for fights would break out and blood would spill. Some men would abuse their women. The usual Comanche dignity would transmogrify into something bizarre and ugly. And this was my fault, for I had brought
the whiskey. Yet the elders had asked for it, and had I not brought it, some other whiskey trader would have brought four times the amount of alcohol, and totally impoverished the village.

I avoided my empty lodge and went to catch a fresh horse, leaving Major to rest and graze in the valley. I rode downstream, out of earshot of the drunken debauchery that was about to erupt in camp. I would roll myself in a buffalo robe and catch a few hours of long-overdue sleep. I welcomed the prospect. It was better than worrying about my runaway wife.

Eight

I
woke to the crisp winter smells of fresh air and forest mulch. I heard wind whispering through bare branches. For January, the morning felt warm. I opened my eyes. The valley seemed peaceful. Then I remembered Hidden Water and wished I could go back to sleep.

I rose, gathered my weapons, and rolled my robe. When I arrived at the village, I found a boy tending my herd of horses near the camp. This herd did not include all the ponies I had acquired in trade for whiskey, for I had yet to choose them. I reasoned that Kills Something had told this boy to gather my ponies so that I could pick the ones I wanted to ride southward. I also found a large pile of well-tanned buffalo hides stacked near my lodge, in addition to a few other things I had traded for, including a new pair of mocassins, a deerskin shirt, and the raw hide of an elk that was good for patching things.

Kills Something was waiting at my lodge, his pony staked beside him. He rose to his feet when he saw me.
“Tsuh?”
he said. The word meant “yes,” but here he was asking me if I was ready.

“I must move these hides and other things into my lodge before we leave.”

“I will tell my wife and her sisters to do it. Catch your horse.”

“I need to eat.”

“I have food for two days packed in a bag.”

I sighed, and looked around the beautiful valley. I kicked off my old, worn mocassins and tried on the new ones I had traded for a cup of whiskey. They fit perfectly. I took off the soiled deerskin shirt I had been wearing for days and days, and put on the new, soft, golden one with remarkably long fringes on the sleeves. This had cost me two cups of whiskey. I took my war bridle and went to choose a horse from my herd. I also picked a couple of extra mounts so I would be assured a fresh horse every day on the trip.

In less than two hours after my waking, I was mounted and crossing the Canadian River to begin my search for my runaway wife. I had my brother-in-law and friend, Kills Something, by my side and I knew he would ride through hell with me before he would desert me. Now that I was riding, moving, and taking action, the task did not seem so ominous.

Worry is the greatest natural waste of time known to humankind. If a problem can be solved by taking action, then there is no need to worry. If a problem cannot be solved, then all the worry in the world will not help. Perhaps you know this from your own life, your own experiences. Think back to the things that have worried you in the past. Did the worry help? No. Did you take action and solve the problem? Good. Did you find the problem hopelessly unsolvable? That's too bad, but your worrying did not accomplish anything.

Simplistic? Yes. I admit that I was still wasting my time with worry as I rode south with Kills Something. I'm as human as you. But at least I was looking my reason for worry right in its ugly face and saying to it, figuratively if not out loud, “I am coming to do battle with you.”

THE NOKONIS RANGED south of the Quahadis, about five days' ride for Comanche horsemen, who could easily cover thirty miles in a day. We expected to find them along the Wichita River. As we rode, a thought began to creep into my mind. I actually wanted to get rid of Hidden Water. I realized that I was not in love with Hidden Water and never would be. I
just wanted out of my Comanche marriage. The question was how to make that happen while still retaining my prestige as an Indian trader and an adopted Quahadi Comanche. I reasoned that my best bet would be to ride into that Nokoni camp all full of indignation, and demand payment for my stolen bride. If my bravado worked, I would ride away with my spoils and go on about my business as a wilderness Indian trader.

The variable that concerned me was the unknown nature of Hidden Water's new husband. How fierce of a warrior was he? Hopefully, he would have enough sand in his craw to insist on keeping his new prize so that I wouldn't have to take her back. But would he pay me for her with horses and hides, or would he want to fight? If he intended to make a show of killing me to win Hidden Water and bolster his own reputation, then I was in trouble. I would either get wounded or killed in the duel, or I would kill or wound Hidden Water's new husband, perhaps angering the Nokonis while winning back a woman I didn't even want. This was going to be tricky.

Kills Something and I rode southward until we happened upon a pair of Nokoni Comanche travelers riding north to our camp to trade for whiskey. They had four extra horses with them, for which I traded four cups of whiskey, which was about all I had left. I told them the whiskey was in the lodge with the fallen wind flap back at the Quahadi camp. They insisted that I take possession of my horses then and there, lest any of them go lame, run off, get stolen, or die, thus depriving them of a cup. They told us where to find the camp we sought, and ensured us that the beautiful Hidden Water was there.

We followed their directions and found Hidden Water's new village camped at the confluence of the North Wichita and the South Wichita. Over a hundred lodges stood among the river bottom timber, and meat was hung everywhere on curing racks. Hides of deer and buffalo were plentiful, and the Nokonis seemed busy and happy. I remember thinking that it was a shame that I couldn't just leave them alone. However, I knew I had better put on my fighting face and prepare to bluff Hidden Water's new husband out of a few mounts or something, however ridiculous that seemedâtrading a wife for horses.

We rode into this camp a little after noon, and I began to shout.

“Aho!”
I said. “Listen! I am looking for a woman that ran away from me. She is called Hidden Water. I am Plenty Man, of the Quahadis! Tell the man who stole my wife that he must come here and face me now!”

We had ridden right into the camp with our herd of spare horses, and couldn't have caused more of a stir had we thrown a rock into a hornet's nest. Boys and girls began running everywhere to spread the news of our arrival, while men and women began to gather around us, anxious to witness what would happen between me and Hidden Water's new husband.

I continued to talk loud and posture about on my mount for what seemed like a very long time. Finally, I sensed the approach of my rival. The crowd of Nokonis parted and he walked into the circle of people surrounding me and Kills Something, and the horses we had brought with us. He carried a shield and a lance. He was big for a Comanche, and that made him easily bigger than me. I figured he was about my age, but he had seen more battle than me and had the scars and the glare in his eyes to prove it. Rarely had I seen a more athletic Comanche fighting man. One look told me that this warrior feared nothing, least of all me.

“I am Plenty Man, of the Quahadis,” I said, my voice cracking. “You have taken my wife. Who are you?”

“I am called Bear Tooth,” he said, without raising his voice. “Who rides with you?”

“My brother-in-law.” I glanced at Kills Something and saw him glaring. I wished I could have looked as formidable.

Bear Tooth tossed his head like a horse. “What do you want here?”

I knew what I was supposed to say. I wanted payment for my stolen bride, or I wanted battle. But I just could not get my mouth to speak it. “I have ridden a long way,” I said, stalling. “I will not leave here until I am satisfied.”

Bear Tooth tucked his lance under his arm, angling the point toward me with menace. “What do you want?” he repeated.

“I want â¦ I will tell you what I want â¦” About this time, I knew my plan to try bluffing Bear Tooth out of some payment for Hidden Water was probably about to get me lanced to death, so I acted on a sudden and desperate whim. “I want to
give you these horses!” I announced, gesturing toward the six spare mounts in my remuda.

“Horses?” he growled.

“Yes, take these horses, my friend. I want you to have them. You have made me very happy!”

The people began to murmur around us, and I glanced at Kills Something to see the confused glare he shot toward me.

“You came to fight for the woman,
tsuh
?”

“Fight?” I threw my head back in maniacal laughter. “Who would fight for a woman that lazy? I came to
thank
you. That woman is so worthless that she does not know how to drive a stake pin by herself. Her hand does not fit the strap of a water bag. She cannot start a fire without stealing an ember from her neighbors!”

An old woman began to laugh. “It is true!” she said. “That is the laziest girl I ever saw. She will not carry more than four sticks of wood in her arms.”

Voices rose around us as the people chuckled, or questioned one another in confusion.

This only seemed to annoy Bear Tooth. “Enough talk,” he said. “You have come a long way. You must want a fight.”

“I will fight the man who tries to make me take that lazy woman back.”

“She is not lazy when I tell her what to do!” he answered, jabbing his lance toward me.

“That is the same thing I thought at first, but give her time. She will get plenty lazy.”

“She already is!” the old woman yelled. “Those Quahadi girls are the laziest I have ever seen.”

“Don't judge our Quahadi women by Hidden Water's laziness,” I said. “We have others who make good wives.”

“Wait!” Bear Tooth said, shaking his shield. “Did you come to fight for the woman, or to demand a price for her?”

I sighed and rolled my eyes at the aggravation of having to explain it all again. “I came to give you a gift of thanks for taking her away. I have brought you these horses.”

Now Bear Tooth's own people began to laugh at him. Some of his fellow warriors jeered. One said, “Take the horses, brother, your woman needs them to carry her wood.” Another
said, “Tell Plenty Man six horses is not enough to make up for your taking such a lazy woman.”

“I have my
own
horses!” Bear Tooth said.

“You shall have more!” I said.

About this time, I noticed that Chief Peta Nocona had pushed through the crowd of people to listen to the confrontation.

“It is
you
who should want to take horses from
me,
” Bear Tooth said. “Are you not ashamed that your woman has run away with me?”

“Ashamed?” I laughed straight up at the sky. “I am only ashamed that I did not get rid of her sooner. Please, take the horses, my friend.”

“No,
you
will take horses from
me.
The woman is not lazy, and you will either take six horses, or we will fight!”

“Six horses?” I said. “No, I could not. I came here to give
you
horses. But I can see you are a proud warrior and able to get your own horses, so take only four horses from me, my friend, because I respect your pride.”

“I will not take any horses from you. You will take eight from me, for the woman is a good woman, and the most beautiful woman in this camp.”

“A hot meal is a beautiful thing, too,” I said, “but you will not being seeing much of that. She doesn't know how to cook!”

The old Nokoni woman howled with laughter, and many of the others joined her.

“You will take the eight horses, or feel the point of my lance,” Bear Tooth said.

“I can see you are a warrior with much medicine, so I will keep all but three of my own horses, even though I brought them all to you to show my thanks. But I could not take eight horses for the woman. That would make my heart feel bad.”

“I do not care how your heart feels. You will take eight horses, or you will fight.”

“Such a woman does not call for a fight, my friend. You will see soon enough that I speak the truth. So, please take just two horses from me. This does not begin to show my thanks to you.”

Now Hidden Water herself arrived. I spotted her near the old
woman who had spoken so harshly of her. She did not seem the least bit ashamed to show herself in front of me. In fact, she seemed amused by the confrontation, though she hadn't yet heard Bear Tooth and me arguing over who was going to pay whom. I must admit that her beauty made my breath catch in my throat, but she had caused me a lot of trouble by running off with Bear Tooth, and I felt no desire for her.

“I will not take horses from you,” Bear Tooth said, flabbergasted at my whole attitude. “I do not need your thanks for anything. You should be demanding horses of me. You should have the courage to challenge me to a fight!”

“My courage and my medicine are strong,” I said. “Especially since I got rid of that lazy woman. That is why I want to thank you with a gift of horses. Please take at least one!”

Now Hidden Water caught on to my ploy, and I saw the fury consume her lovely face. “You skunk!” she shouted at me.

“You see how disrespectful she is!” I laughed. “I am so happy she is no longer my wife.”

Hidden Water stalked across the circle of people to confront Bear Tooth. “Tell him he must demand payment for me. Many horses! Or he must fight!”

BOOK: Come Sundown

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