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Show TV Listings, May 2, 1985 Page 8g the tears streaming across my cheeks into her long black hair. I didnt want to let her go my first and only love, my wife, the woman who was going to be the mother of my children, the girl who had preferred to give up her life, rather than hinder me with her blindness. time, Chapter 46 this time I was shivering, too. We worked our way around to the cavelike area where the beavers had been so we could huddle side by side and share each others warmth. When I wrapped my arms around Red Leaf, I was surprised at how cold she was. In her weakened condition, her body was simply not able to genBy ; erate enough energy to keep her warm in the beaver den. I held her close and whispered words of affection and promise in her ear. Her only response was to gently squeeze my arm as she continued to shiver. She seemed delirious with the cold. That, combined with the shivering, seemed to prevent her from whispering coherently. I would have given anything for a warm buffalo robe and a bowl of elk stew for her. While I was holding her close trying to warm her and stop the shivering, she suddenly began to cough, a deep raspy bark. Holding my hand over her mouth, I tried to muffle the cough in an effort to prevent the sound from e carrying beyond the lodge to the camp. After what seemed like hours, the coughing and shivering stopped. But still she didn't seem any warmer. Never before or since have I experienced such a long night. Twice I fell asleep, but only for brief periods. The first time, I was awakened suddenly by splashing and a scream as Red Leaf in delirium writhed out from under my relaxed grasp and accidently slipped into the icy water leading to the exit tunnel. As I helped her out of the water and back into my arms, I realized that her situation was desperate, that her life was in the balance. And there was nothing I could do to help. The hardest events of my life flashed in my mind - the death of my parents, the Missouri mob beating me at Gallatin, running from Boggs dogs, the fall of Far West, the exploding river boat, my battle with the killer water-coole- Chapter 45 dark when we heard some splashing in the outside pond. Suddenly the stick and mud roof of the lodge began to creak and crunch as an Indian climbed on top. He began shouting something to his companions on shore. They shouted back. It was almost drew my knife. If that Indian had the courage to swim into the dark underwater tunnel in search of an enemy, I would be ready for him. I didnt think he would try to dig in from the top. The maze of sticks and mud would be impossible to dig through. My suspicions were confirmed when the Indian plunged into the water and began working his way around the outside of the lodge, feeling for the underwater entrance. I was ready with my knife, and knew I had the advantage. But I also knew that in fighting off or killing this Indian I would be giving away our hiding place, and we would be trapped with little hope of escape. The Indian had already entered the tunnel and was wiggling towards us, when a new idea suddenly entered my mind - an idea that might maintain our secrecy. After slipping the knife back in its sheath, I reached forward and grabbed one of the beavers by its front paw and, before it had a chance to bite, I jerked it forward and shoved it into the watery opening. The second beaver followed close behind, thinking to swim to freedom in the outside pond, unaware of the Indian wiggling into the entrance. I dont know who was surprised most, the Indian or the beavers, but when the beavers attempted to come back into the lodge, I slapped them on the noses, heading them back in the direction of the Indian, who by this time was scrambling backwards to get out of the entrance. Soon all was quiet. The Indian and the beavers were gone. And the Indian didnt come back, apparently concluding that we couldnt possibly be hiding in the same lodge with those two fiesty beavers. Soon it was dark, and to our grave I ' disappointment, the Indians made camp in the natural clearing at the edge of the pond. We could hear the occasional sound of their voices and see faint flickerings from their fire through the ventilation holes in our thatched ceiling. d Com-manch- grizzly, cutting the horse in half to save Neuwafe, galloping over the bank into the raging waters of the Green River and disappearing into the black gorge, standing on the slopes of Mt. Timpanogus watching the Com-manc- es burning my wickiup and carry off Red Leaf. None of those experiences were half as hard as holding Red Leaf in my arms, feeling the strength and life ebb from her young body and not being able to help. Sick from the cold, choked with emotion, and desperate with the frustration of not being able to do enough to help Red Leaf, I dozed the second time into a restless sleep - not a normal kind of sleep, but only a brief escape from the overpowering misery of our situation. From this second sleep, the awak- - an increasing ening was gradual awareness from a state of halfconsciousness, a growing awareness that Red Leaf was too cold, too still. When I fully awakened, she was dead. I continued to hold her for a long , When the first rays of began filtering through the grey dawn the tangle of sticks and mud, I slipped into the water and wiggled out of the beaver lodge into the open water, coming up . with the lodge between me and the had gently tucked Red Leafs body into the nook where the two beavers had huddled. I planned to come back and bury her Commanches. I after the Commanches were gone. Emotionally spent from the longest of nights, all I wanted was to get away and lose myself in the vast wilderness. There was nothing left. No love, no hate. Not even a desire for revenge on the Commanches. Only a subconscious instinct for survival. Peeking around the lodge, it ap-- . peared three of the Commanches were still wrapped in their blankets, while the fourth was huddled over a new fire trying to coach it to life. Beyond the Commanche campfire, their four horses and the roan stallion, still limping, were grazing quietly in the meadow. Moving very slowly so as not to make ripples on the surface of the pond, I pushed towards the opposite bank, keeping the lodge between me and the fire builder. Crouching at the edge of the pond, I watched the dian past the edge of the lodge until he turned his back on me, then worked my way carefully downstream, trying to keep as much cover as possible between me and the red men. I held perfectly still whenever the Indian was facing my direction. I was only a few yards past the beaver dam when the other three Indians crawled out of their blankets and gathered around the fire. I dropped down behind the dam, out of their vision. I realized I was too late getting started. The camouflage of darkness was rapidly disappearing, and there was not enough cover for good hiding. My instincts wanted me to survive. Emotionally, I didnt care if I survived or not. Maybe it wouldnt be so bad joining Red Leaf in the happy hunting ground, or wherever else she might be. I didnt feel anything, not even fear. peeked over the top of the dam, deciding not to make my next move until I knew what the Commanches were going to do. I expected they might be preparing to get on their horses to go in search of Red Leaf and me. Instead, they were engaged in vigorous discussion as they looked at the beaver lodge. A moment earlier, there was nothing left in me, emotionally. But as I watched the four Commanches as they plotted an assault on Red Leafs resting place, the hair began to rise on my neck. I remembered Red Leafs scream as she slipped from my arms into the icy water. Apparently the Commanches had heard that scream, too, and were planning to find out the true contents of the beaver lodge. They probably thought I was still in there, too. I . Dropping their bows and arrows on the ground the four warriors, began wilcutting stout spears from dead on the lows. After sharpening points new weapons, the Commanches ed into the cold water, shoved their spears in front of them, then swam to the lodge. All of them climbed on top, none daring to enter the underwater entrance. While two of the braves stood poised above the underwater opening, waiting to spear whatever emerged from the lodge, the other two climbed to the top of the lodge and began working the pointed ends of their poles down through the tangle of sticks and mud. In my mind's eye I could see Red Leafs lifeless body lying quietly on the floor of the beaver lodge. They couldnt hurt her anymore. Still, I didn't like the thought of those crude spears puncturing her body. I also realized now would be a good time for me to sneak away, while the attention of the Commanches was on the beaver lodge. . ' But the thought of those crude spears breaking through the ceiling of the lodge and sinking into Red Leaf was more than I could stand. Besides, I realized it was just a matter of time until they got to her, either through the entrance or by making a hole in the roof. I could only guess how they would mutilate the body. Certainly they would scalp her, steal her dress, jab her with the spears in their frustration at not catching me. Remembering the bows and arrows that had been left behind on the shore, I crawled towards the meadow side of the pond, keeping out of sight by staying below the top of the dam. Upon leaving the protection of the dam, I slithered on my belly through the tall grass along the edge of the pond. There were a few times when the Commanches could have seen me had they looked towards shore, but they were so intent on shoving the spears into the lodge that they probably wouldnt have noticed me had I stood up and walked towards their bows. I was flat on my belly, almost to the bows and arrows, when the Commanches suddenly cried out with a united whoop. I scrambled towards the bows and arrows, thinking they had spotted me. To my surprise, they hadnt seen me, not even when I lunged forward. As I notched the first arrow, they were excitedly examining the point on one of the spears, the blood that had inspired them to shout a moment earlier. Before they had a chance to try for more blood, I let the first arrow fly, striking one of the warriors square in the side, just below the armpit. I had the second arrow notched and drawn before the other three Commanches realized what was happening and began scampering to get the lodge between them and me. The first Indian fell forward into the pond and thrashed around for a few moments in the reddening water before going under. The second arrow hit one of the warriors in the hip just as he dove out of sight behind the blood-streake- d lodge. By the time I notched the third ar- row, the Indians were out of sight on the far side of the lodge. -- |