To the River's End by William W. Johnstone

Author:William W. Johnstone
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Kensington Books
Published: 2021-06-22T00:00:00+00:00

Chapter 13

“It has been too long,” Two Toes said to Crazy Wolf. “It is beginning to snow harder and soon it will become too dark to see anything. Still, Bloody Hand waits here. If Wounded Horse has not caught up with Crooked Foot by now, then the woman must have drowned in the river as you said.” The young Blackfoot warrior obviously wanted Crazy Wolf to convince Bloody Hand to forget the woman, get off this riverbank, and find a ravine or some place to try to stay warm that night. Then start for home in the morning while their horses could still make it through the snow.

“I have already spoken with Bloody Hand on the matter of the woman,” Crazy Wolf said. “I think he will surely see the folly in searching for her.” He didn’t have to try to talk to him again, however, for Bloody Hand called to him first.

“Crazy Wolf,” Bloody Hand said as he suddenly left the campfire and marched over to join them. “I must find our warriors. Something is not right. If they could not find the woman’s trail, we will have to search for her in the morning. Two Toes, you and Yellow Rock come with me. Crazy Wolf, you must stay here and keep the fire burning strong. I’ll take the younger men to help me find Wounded Horse.”

“As you wish,” Crazy Wolf replied and stood back while the three men climbed on their horses and started up the stream. Bloody Hand led his search party along the frozen stream while the other warriors gathered around Crazy Wolf and watched them until they disappeared from sight. Only then did one of them question the war chief’s sense of priorities.

“I have fear that this Crow woman has cast a spell over Bloody Hand,” Walks His Horse complained. “Two Toes is right, the woman is dead. She needed warm clothes to survive in this cold. If she is not in the river, then she is most likely lying dead in the snow. Some of us have decided to start back to our village in the morning whether he has found the woman or not. We don’t want to offend Bloody Hand. Maybe he will listen to you.”

Crazy Wolf nodded his head thoughtfully. “We will see what the other warriors found. Maybe he will decide she is gone and decide to leave this place. But I will tell you this, if he stays, then I will go back to the village with you.” His decision seemed to reassure the other warriors.

* * *

The snow was already covering the tracks of Wounded Horse and Crooked Foot, with only an occasional spotting of a print where one of the men they followed had slipped or stepped in a hole. Bloody Hand made no attempt to hide his irritation with the weather, but eventually he was forced to give in to the solid white expanse before them. He turned to give the signal to halt brief seconds

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