Free Slocum 421 by Jake Logan Page B

son, and they said I murdered him. I was being rushed off to federal prison without a trial. My men freed me and so now I am a fugitive.”
    â€œOh, the government men, they have ways, don’t they?”
    â€œLike sending you and your people to another land.” Slocum shook his head.
    Soon men starting coming inside, and some came over to sit on the floor. On the outer ring women were seated, some nursing babies. Others were enforcing a “sit down and be silent” rule on their tagalongs.
    â€œThis man is my friend, Slocum,” Three Bear told the group. “He and I have hunted and we have fought together many times. Once a war party of Sioux were trailing us. There were maybe two handfuls of them yipping and screaming on our tail. He said for us to ride up this steep hill and we could face them off. I didn’t believe him. He had two rifles—a buffalo gun and a Sharps .50-caliber, and he used the Sharps first. He told me to save my ammunition, that they were too far away for my gun. We were on our bellies watching them come toward us. A warrior with his face painted black, who had been shouting at them to hurry and kill us. Slocum took aim and shot the war leader off his horse.
    â€œThen he reloaded as they milled and made some dust. The chief came out screaming next, and Slocum sent him to where all good Sioux go. Two of their leaders gone, they picked their dead up and one showed us his ass. The dumbest one in the tribe. Slocum shot him too. They rode away without him.”
    The men were laughing.
    â€œHe is good man. The women say they have time to have a feast tonight. Warm enough we can build a big fire outside to celebrate my friend’s visit.”
    A cheer went up, and everyone shook Slocum’s hand.
    Finally he spoke to his friend. “I am going to rest for a while. I will be there when the drums begin.”
    â€œMuch dancing. Have big time. We need to laugh more anyway.”
    â€œGood. I will come and laugh with you.”
    They hugged, and Slocum went to Swan and his horses. He soon learned they were farther away than he had thought she’d go, and finally, over the next rise he spotted the gray hobbled and the mule as well. She’d even unsaddled the stock and set his panniers off to the side.
    He found her under some walnut trees in the sunshine, for warmth, sitting cross-legged on his bedroll. He dropped down beside her and stretched out.
    â€œYou didn’t have to do all that.”
    â€œI said I’d care for them.”
    â€œYou did good.” On his belly he chewed on a long grass stem. “You have any children?”
    â€œThey both died. They took sick and then died. I was very sad.”
    â€œI keep asking you questions that hurt your heart, don’t I?”
    She shook her head and put her black braids over her shoulders. “I am enjoying talking to you. You are different than most white men.”
    â€œHow is that?”
    â€œYou don’t talk in broken English to me. You don’t suggest I am a whore who needs you.”
    â€œWhat if I did?”
    â€œI would think you were teasing me.” She laughed. “I know why Three Bear likes you.”
    â€œWhy is that?”
    â€œYou talk to him like he is your brother. What will you do in the Brakes?”
    â€œMaybe live for a while. See, I have a price on my head, and men will come looking for me in time. But every day I can just be a man and live in peace, I am grateful for.”
    â€œYou look like a man in peace today.” She stood and began to take the deerskin dress off over her head, exposing her brown legs, then the black pubic area, her flat belly, and the pear-shaped breasts, as he rose on his knees to help her.
    â€œMay we get under the covers? There is no scent of another woman in them.”
    He pulled off his boots while she laid her dress on the panniers. She was a neatly made tall woman. He let her get under the blankets and then