Into the Wilderness
Page 233
Dread was heavier than fear, and duller than anger. Elizabeth felt it settle into her stomach with searching fingers as she listened to the story. Two things became clear to her: it had not been a random chain of events that led to Hawkeye's arrest, but a carefully laid plan; and it would not be easily undone or set right. Billy Kirby and Moses Southern and their cohort had somehow managed to lure Hawkeye into a trap that led straight to the mine: either they would have to produce silver to pay their way out of jail, or they would sit in Anna's pantry, leaving the mountain open to exploration and the mine to discovery. Runs-from-Bears could not both protect Lake in the Clouds and keep an eye on the mountain. It was a worthy plan, and far beyond the powers of men like Kirby. Julian was behind it; of that there was no doubt. And if the judge had not taken an active part in be sting Hawkeye, neither had he put a stop to its execution.
There was so much to be angry about that her thoughts collapsed in upon themselves and would not be called to order.
"Billy Kirby came up to the house later with a whole crowd of men to arrest them both. Hawkeye went out on the porch to meet them. Looked Billy straight in the eye and said it was a good thing the new sheriff had come to call, because some thief had snuck in and cut his dogs' leads, and what was the law going to do about it?"
Elizabeth had to suppress a smile in spite of it all. Hawkeye would spit in the devil's eye.
"That's when the real trouble started." Vertical lines appeared on either side of Many-Doves ' mouth, set in a downward curve. "Kirby asked Chingachgook if was he the one who shot the buck out of season, and of course he didn't deny it." She paused, and glanced at the darkening sky. "Chingachgook told Billy that it would have been disrespectful not to take an animal sent by the Great Spirit, one who came so peacefully. And he said he wouldn't be locked up in an O'seronni gaol for taking a gift. Then he just turned his back on those men and walked away."
Before Elizabeth could ask, Many-Doves shook her head. "They didn't shoot him. Moses Southern took his rifle butt to the back of Chingachgook's head and then, when he was down, he pulled his knife."
"I assume Hawkeye was tied up by this time, or Moses would be dead now."
"Moses is dead," said Many-Doves calmly. "Your father shot him."
* * *
They stopped to water the horses and let them graze. Elizabeth sat on the bank and put her bare feet in the cold running water; leaned down to scoop it into her cupped palms to drench her face and neck again and again.
"I think the judge just intended to slow Moses down," Many-Doves said. "But he's never been much of a shot, and that smoothbore of his—well, you've seen it before. A ball took Moses just over the ear. He died straight—away. Another ball hit Chingachgook in the side, passed right through." And after a longer pause in which Elizabeth said nothing: "Nobody blames the judge, not even Martha. He was there to make sure things didn't get out of hand. I guess Moses took him by surprise, and it got away from him."
"You needn't make excuses for my father."
Many-Doves was not unnerved by Elizabeth's anger. "If your father had not stopped Southern, Ghingachgook would have died right there under his knife."
"If my father had stopped the whole undertaking before it started, Chingachgook would be whole and safe."
Many-Doves blinked in surprise. "Do you think that Great—Snake would rather die in front of a fire like an old woman?"
"I don't know what he would want," Elizabeth said bitterly, wiping her face dry with her skirt. "But I do know who has taken that decision out of his hands. My brother's greed has exacted too high a price this time, and he shall have to account for it."
"Your brother was not with the men who came to Lake in the Clouds."
"But he was, he was there. You could not see him, but his spirit was there.He put the smell of silver in their noses, and cut them loose. And he did not care who got run down in the hunt."
Many-Doves chirruped softly to the horses and they raised their heads from grazing. They needed a longer rest, but the women were anxious now to get back to Paradise and see this thing to its end. With the wagon shuddering over the well—worn trail, Many-Doves finally spoke. "It is not greed that rules Julian."
Elizabeth had never before heard Many-Doves use her brother's name; it was an act of intimacy and ownership that surprised almost as much as what was to come.
"A man with no center will try to fill the void that rules him. You call this greed—”
“You surely are not excusing Julian's behavior!"
As if Elizabeth had not interrupted, Many-Doves said: "He is dangerous because he does not know how to help himself, except to take from others what can never do him any good." Many-Doves sent Elizabeth a sliding glance. "Did you know what name my mother gave him?"
"I did not know that you and Falling—Day spoke of my brother at all."
"She calls him Ratkahthos—ahsonthenne'."
Struck silent, Elizabeth let the rhythm of the jostling wagon sway her from side to side. He—Seeks—in—the—Dark.
They rode in silence for the rest of the day, Elizabeth pushing with her feet against the splashboard until her knees ached. They came to Barktown when the sky had turned to bruised purples over the cranberry marshes. From the stores in the wagon they made presents to Sky—Wound—Round, tobacco and dried meat. At his council fire they told the story of Chingachgook, and the path that stood before him. But sleeping that night on a platform under the arched roof of the Kahnyen’keháka long house it was not the old man Elizabeth dreamed of, but her brother as a young boy, singing himself to sleep in the dark.
There was so much to be angry about that her thoughts collapsed in upon themselves and would not be called to order.
"Billy Kirby came up to the house later with a whole crowd of men to arrest them both. Hawkeye went out on the porch to meet them. Looked Billy straight in the eye and said it was a good thing the new sheriff had come to call, because some thief had snuck in and cut his dogs' leads, and what was the law going to do about it?"
Elizabeth had to suppress a smile in spite of it all. Hawkeye would spit in the devil's eye.
"That's when the real trouble started." Vertical lines appeared on either side of Many-Doves ' mouth, set in a downward curve. "Kirby asked Chingachgook if was he the one who shot the buck out of season, and of course he didn't deny it." She paused, and glanced at the darkening sky. "Chingachgook told Billy that it would have been disrespectful not to take an animal sent by the Great Spirit, one who came so peacefully. And he said he wouldn't be locked up in an O'seronni gaol for taking a gift. Then he just turned his back on those men and walked away."
Before Elizabeth could ask, Many-Doves shook her head. "They didn't shoot him. Moses Southern took his rifle butt to the back of Chingachgook's head and then, when he was down, he pulled his knife."
"I assume Hawkeye was tied up by this time, or Moses would be dead now."
"Moses is dead," said Many-Doves calmly. "Your father shot him."
* * *
They stopped to water the horses and let them graze. Elizabeth sat on the bank and put her bare feet in the cold running water; leaned down to scoop it into her cupped palms to drench her face and neck again and again.
"I think the judge just intended to slow Moses down," Many-Doves said. "But he's never been much of a shot, and that smoothbore of his—well, you've seen it before. A ball took Moses just over the ear. He died straight—away. Another ball hit Chingachgook in the side, passed right through." And after a longer pause in which Elizabeth said nothing: "Nobody blames the judge, not even Martha. He was there to make sure things didn't get out of hand. I guess Moses took him by surprise, and it got away from him."
"You needn't make excuses for my father."
Many-Doves was not unnerved by Elizabeth's anger. "If your father had not stopped Southern, Ghingachgook would have died right there under his knife."
"If my father had stopped the whole undertaking before it started, Chingachgook would be whole and safe."
Many-Doves blinked in surprise. "Do you think that Great—Snake would rather die in front of a fire like an old woman?"
"I don't know what he would want," Elizabeth said bitterly, wiping her face dry with her skirt. "But I do know who has taken that decision out of his hands. My brother's greed has exacted too high a price this time, and he shall have to account for it."
"Your brother was not with the men who came to Lake in the Clouds."
"But he was, he was there. You could not see him, but his spirit was there.He put the smell of silver in their noses, and cut them loose. And he did not care who got run down in the hunt."
Many-Doves chirruped softly to the horses and they raised their heads from grazing. They needed a longer rest, but the women were anxious now to get back to Paradise and see this thing to its end. With the wagon shuddering over the well—worn trail, Many-Doves finally spoke. "It is not greed that rules Julian."
Elizabeth had never before heard Many-Doves use her brother's name; it was an act of intimacy and ownership that surprised almost as much as what was to come.
"A man with no center will try to fill the void that rules him. You call this greed—”
“You surely are not excusing Julian's behavior!"
As if Elizabeth had not interrupted, Many-Doves said: "He is dangerous because he does not know how to help himself, except to take from others what can never do him any good." Many-Doves sent Elizabeth a sliding glance. "Did you know what name my mother gave him?"
"I did not know that you and Falling—Day spoke of my brother at all."
"She calls him Ratkahthos—ahsonthenne'."
Struck silent, Elizabeth let the rhythm of the jostling wagon sway her from side to side. He—Seeks—in—the—Dark.
They rode in silence for the rest of the day, Elizabeth pushing with her feet against the splashboard until her knees ached. They came to Barktown when the sky had turned to bruised purples over the cranberry marshes. From the stores in the wagon they made presents to Sky—Wound—Round, tobacco and dried meat. At his council fire they told the story of Chingachgook, and the path that stood before him. But sleeping that night on a platform under the arched roof of the Kahnyen’keháka long house it was not the old man Elizabeth dreamed of, but her brother as a young boy, singing himself to sleep in the dark.
