Saving Susannah Jones by Carolyn Twede Frank

Author:Carolyn Twede Frank
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Covenant Communications, Inc.
Published: 2018-12-13T00:00:00+00:00

Chapter 14

Susannah held on to Joseph as she watched two braves leave an Indian village and ride out toward them. Her pa never had anything good to say about Indians and had instilled fear in Susannah toward them. Willow Tree’s tender nursing skills and Running Bear’s genuine concern for Susannah’s illness had wiped away years of her pa’s prejudice, but she was still nervous. Those two Indians riding at top speed were definitely not Willow Tree or Running Bear.

“Don’t worry.” Joseph patted her hands as they wrapped around his arm. “They send two braves out for everyone who enters their village. “Let me do the talking.”

Susannah nodded. There’d be no argument from her. She pushed farther up against Joseph.

“Halt!” one of the braves cried out as they drew closer.

Joseph pulled up on the reins and stopped his horse. “It is I, Golden Bear—or Joe, as some know me by.” He rubbed his bare chin. “I have shaved my hair.”

“Ah, Joe! Welcome,” said the same brave. “Why come all this way in wagon?”

“I have brought the squaw who is to be my wife. I wish for your chief to seal our union.” Joseph wrapped his arm around Susannah and gave her a squeeze.

“Very good! I go tell Chief Buckskin Charlie why you here. And our squaws. They prepare feast.” The brave and his companion turned their horses around.

“And tell my good friend Running Bear I am here,” Joseph hollered as the braves galloped away. He flicked the reins and got the wagon moving again.

“Oh, Joseph, a feast?” Susannah grabbed his arm again but this time to beg. “Don’t let your Indian friends make a fuss over us—waste all that precious food on us.” She didn’t deserve any kind of feast for a marriage that wasn’t real.

“If I were to turn down their hospitality, they would be offended.” Joseph raised his eyebrows, eliminating that perpetual furrow and giving his face a charming yet mischievous look that melted Susannah’s fears. “You wouldn’t want them to break out the war paint, now would you?”

She shook her head and chuckled.

Multiple wickiups and the triangle tips of a few teepees came into better view. Narrow fields of emerging corn lay on the perimeter of the village. A squaw with a baby in a cradleboard strapped to her back worked seemingly effortlessly in a patch of soil next to a field that held new corn seedlings. Susannah wondered if the woman was planting even more corn. Wondered what it would be like to plant her garden with a babe strapped to her back. If it were her, that added load would be no burden either, but a pleasure.

At the edge of the village Joseph stopped the wagon again as an Indian brave ran out from between two wickiups to meet him. Susannah recognized him as Running Bear. The spark in his eyes as he spotted Joseph brought her a measure of calm.

“Joe!” Running Bear held out his hands.

Joseph jumped down from the wagon and embraced his friend. “Running Bear.

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