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Show r r i TV Listings, April 18, 198S 8 Page The big Indian walked over to the post. With hands on hips, feet apart, he began saying something to the woman on the ground. We couldn't hear what he was saying, and probably couldnt have understood the words, anyway. Soon Brown Wolf and I found the route Ike and had driven the horses along after stealing them. As we hurwondered what we could ried along, do to free Red Leaf if we found her, or what we would do if we didn't find her in the village. I I Chapter 43 reIn the darkness of the night moved the medicine bag from my neck and fingered the contents, j a I ways liked to feel the smooth weight of the gold nugget. It wasnt much good to me now. I would gladly have tradded it for a good hound that could follow the trail even after the rain. I would have gladly spent it for rifle, powder and lead. As felt the sharp end of the beaver I tooth, remembered the numerous beaver dams and lodges scattered along the little stream we had been I following. One lodge in particular seemed to stick in my mind. We had come upon it just at dark, and with the storm and wind, it was hard to remember detail, but remembered being surprised at seeing a lodge so large. It was almost twice as big as any had ever seen before. wondered if a lot of beaver were living inside, or perhaps just a big beaver, a king of beavers. If Beaver George were still alive, he would delight in this stream with so many lodges and dams. As I rubbed the little bundle of horse hair between my fingers, remembered the Commanche village on the bank of the Green River, the one at the upstream end of the big meadow surrounded by natural boundaries. The thrill of stealing so many horses had been intoxicating. It suddenly occurred to me that Red Leaf and her captors might be heading for that same village. The familiarity of the neighboring bluffs and hills indicated that we were headed in that general direction. It made sense that the Commanches, in an effort to get their horses back, would be the ones to attack my camp, steal my horses, and carry off my wife. The next morning our worst fears were realized. The tracks we had been following had been completely washed away by the storm. told Brown Wolf about the familiar surroundings and how suspected we were heading in the direction of the Commanche village where Ike and I had stolen the horses. Brown Wolf agreed with me that we should continue towards the Green River and check out the village by the big meadow. As we mounted our horses in the early dawn, an alarmed beaver slapped his tail on the surface of a nearby pond and disappeared below the surface as he swam towards the entrance of the huge beaver lodge. I I I I I I At first light the next morning, we were hiding in the rocks overlooking , the Commanche village. Many horses were grazing in the protected meadow. The grass was taller now, and the river calmer. The first smoke of morning cookfires was coming from several of the tepees. Several women were stirring up an outdoor cookfire, but it appeared the men and children were all inside the tepees. Suddenly Brown Wolf's arm shot forward, pointing to a tepee at the far side of the camp. There was smoke coming from the tepee, but there was of movement. Then saw the . no sign curled-uform, on the ground about 20 feet in front of the tepee, near a stout post. It was still, but as looked closer, the form took human dimensions a small person, a woman or girl in a buckskin dress curled up sideways on the ground, knees almost touching the chin, long black hair covering the side of the face. figured she was probably tied to the post with a rawhide lash, a common method of confinement for Indian slaves. We couldnt be sure it was Red Leaf, so we watched and waited. If it was her, we could probably sneak into camp under the cover of darkness and cut her free. I couldnt see any dogs near the tepee. The curled-uform still hadn't moved when the sun began shining over the eastern hills. It seemed like we had been waiting forever, and if it turned out to be Red Leaf, didn't know if could wait around until dark to go to her rescue. On the other hand, maybe it wasnt Red Leaf. Perhaps just another slave child to be taken south and traded to the Mexicans for horses. Our attention was suddenly diverted from the slave woman as the flap of the tepee was thrown back and the I p I I p I I biggest Indian I had ever seen stepped out into the morning sun- shine. He looked even bigger when he flexed his arms above his head to stretch. At the sight of the Indian, the adrenalin began surging through my veins. I remembered the huge moccasin tracks we had been following. If this was the Indian that had made the big tracks, then the still form on the ground had to be Red well-muscle- d Leaf. There was a knot in my throat. The hair on the back of the neck was bristling. I glanced over at Brown Wolf. The intensity of his grimace was almost scary as if his stare alone was powerful enough to consume the village. His lower lip was quivering, and there was perspiration on his brow. The girl on the ground responded to the big Indian by getting to her hands and knees and crawliang away. With her long hair hanging over her face, and as far away as we were, it was impossible to tell if she was Red Leaf. Without warning, the big Indian kicked the girl in the side, sending her sprawling through the air, finally jerking to a halt at the end of the leash that connected one of her wrists to the stout pole. Before she could scramble to her feet, he kicked her again, then abruptly turned around and walked back to his tepee. turned to Brown Wolf to discuss what we should do, thinking perhaps we shouldnt wait until nightfall to execute our rescue. Brown Wolf was already on his feet and loping back towards the horses. followed. wished Brown Wolf was more talkative, but on the other hand, I appreciated his decisiveness. He moved with the confidence of a man who knew exactly what he was doing. To my surprise. Brown Wolf mounted the bay mare, while indicating for me to get on the stronger and faster roan stallion. As we rode quickly, at a slow trot towards the village, Brown Wolf explained his plan. And the only reason he did that was so would know what to do. He didnt care if I proved or not. He knew what he was going to do, and expected me to go I I I I along. At first was angry at his assumed leadership, his unwillingness to consult with me. After all, Red Leaf was my wife, not his. But as he explained his plan, swallowed my pride, realizing that what he said made sense, and just might work. Besides, I couldn't think of anything better. He said that when we came in sight of the village he would gallop straight for the captive woman until he was close enough to see her face. If it was not Red Leaf, he would turn around I I and race back. The Commanches would certainly take chase, but since we hadn't done any harm, they probably wouldnt follow us very far. If the captured woman was indeed Red Leaf, Brown Wolf would yell his loudest war cry as he galloped through the camp and into the big meadow, shooting arrows at any who got in his way. He said the Commanches would come after him, knowing he was cornered in the meadow. While he was playing cat and mouse with his pursuers, hopefully drawing the attention of the entire village, I was to ride quickly to Red Leaf, cut her free, pull her up behind me, and take her away. Once he saw that Red Leaf and were free, he would desert his horse, climb up into the cliffs, and hopefully outrun the Commanches in a foot race across the plain. Brown Wolf was a strong runner, the fastest in the Ute village. Once he reached the plain, he would probably be able to outrun them.' The big question was if he would get that far. figured Brown Wolf would probably be captured or killed, that the chances of him getting away from the Commanches would be slim once he I I allowed himself to be cornered in the meadow. felt bad that had resented his bold leadership, but didnt say anything. Brown Wolf wasn't the kind of person one could just apologize to. did, however, tell him about the river, how after passing through the gorge at the bottom of the meadow it became shallow at the mouth of a little valley, where one could ride a horse to the plain above. suggested that he might want to do as Ike and I had done and make his escape in the river. He didnt say anything, but knew he would remember. As soon as the tepees were in sight, Brown Wolf drew an arrow from his quiver, notched it on the string of his bow, then urged his mare into a fast gallop towards the big Indians tepee. reined the roan stallion behind a juniper tree and watched through a break in the branches. Brown Wolf didn't veer to the right or left, nor did he slow down until he reached the woman. Apparently he called to her, because she began to get to her feet to face him. That's when he let out a shrill war cry. The woman was Red Leaf. The big Indian charged out of the tepee just as brown Wolf urged his mare towards the meadow. Upon seeing the big Indian, Brown Wolf reined the galloping mare straight for the big fellow, forcing him to back away in surprise. Dropping his reins to the horses neck, Brown Wolf drew the bowstring back to his chin and let the arrow fly at range as his galloping horse brushed past the big Indian. As Brown Wolf galloped into the meadow, the big Indian stumbled about like a drunken man, the shaft of Brown Wolfs arrow protruding from one side of his chest. When he finally fell to the ground, Brown Wolf had pulled the bay mare to a halt just out of arrow range and was shouting insults to the startled Commanches who were scrambling from their tepees. Soon four or five Commanches had mounted their ponies and were heading after Brown Wolf. Villagers were gathering at the edge of the big meadow to watch the chase. I eased the roan stallion out from behind the juniper tree and into an easy gallop towards Red Leaf. After covering more than half of the distance, still none of the Commanches had noticed me. So far, so good. All could see were the backs of heads as they watched the chase in the meadow. Brown Wolf had sunk an arrow into one of the pursuers, and they had retreated a short distance to wait for reinforcements. A dozen more riders and runners were charging to the rescue. Brown Wolf was shouting insults at them as if he intended to kill them I I I I I I point-blan- k I all. Red Leaf was sitting on the ground, knees to her chest, head down as I rode up. had expected that she would be waiting for me, on her feet, open arms, ready for me to cut her free, then pull her up behind me without having to dismount. Instead, she just sat on the ground, burying her head in her knees. I would have liked to call out to her, telling her to get to her feet, but I thought the sound of my voice might draw the attention of the Commanches. When was finally close enough to speak quietly, so only she could hear, called her name. She didn't respond. I I I |