Grit by Ron Schwab

Author:Ron Schwab [Schwab, Ron]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Uplands Press

23

Grit watched as Jessie’s twin disappeared through the tipi opening. A fascinating creature. She did well enough with her English after so many years of disuse, and he suspected she was more fluent than she was letting on. She seemed to get her message across when she chose. She probably figured she might pick up a bit of useful information if he and Jessie thought she was not understanding their conversation.

The twin bond had survived, and it was interesting to observe the two interact with the common mannerisms and communication patterns that only an outsider would notice. The teacher in him said the pair offered an interesting study in human behavior, a science that was in its infancy. He had read a treatise by a German named Wilhelm Wundt on the subject. Twins reunited after years of separation. Language recall. The persistence of personality. A book was buried there if he lived to write it.

Jessie interrupted his reverie when she took his hand. “So, are you going to share the conversation you had with my sister? Sit down and spit it out, please.”

Grit joined her on the robe. “Your sister can have a strange sense of humor. I suspect it was her idea to feed us the bugs.”

“I think we can assume that. It’s strange, as I look back. Folks thought they were seeing double when they saw us side by side. In many ways we were one person, and sometimes we talked to each other without speaking. Does that make sense?”

“You read each other’s minds.”

“I guess. I remember one time I thought we should get the horses and go riding. Jen said she did not want to go riding, and I had not even spoken my thought. Mother might ask me a question, but Jen would jump in and answer it with precisely the same words I would have used if I had been faster on the draw. She had an annoying habit of speaking for me. I was more reserved and tended to just let her do it. She always said what I would have said and the way I would have stated it anyway. I was forced to speak for myself after the Comanche raided that day and changed our lives. Do you ever wonder what life would have been like if one event had not sent you in a different direction?”

“Often. But I know I can’t change it.”

“I know what you are going to say: You can only react.”

“You are a good pupil.”

“Now, what about Franny Whitman?”

“Medicine Fox said Franny belongs to Striking Snake. He led the war party that attacked the family. He carries her mother’s blonde scalp on his lance.”

“How awful. The poor girl has to see that every day.”

“And Striking Snake knows we killed some of the warriors in the rear guard. He insists we must pay for that. We would have never made it to the village if they had not seen your face.”

“Did you tell her we have gold to ransom the girl?”

“The gold was with our saddlebags.

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