Tales of Alvin Maker - 02 - Red Prophet by Orson Scott Card

Author:Orson Scott Card
Language: eng
Format: mobi
Tags: Fantasy
ISBN: 9780812524260
Publisher: Macmillan
Published: 1988-07-15T18:12:26+00:00

The dozen riders set on their way south first thing the next morning. They left from the commons, which was crowded with wagons as more and more families from outlying farms came in to town to put up with close-in friends and kinfolk. But Al Miller wasn’t there to see them off. Yesterday his words set them all in motion, but that was all the leadership they’d get from him. He didn’t want to be in charge. He just wanted his boys back.

In the church, Armor-of-God sat on the front pew, despondent. “We’re making the most terrible mistake,” he said to Reverend Thrower.

“That’s what men do,” said Thrower, “when they make their decisions without the help of the Lord.”

“It wasn’t Ta-Kumsaw, I know it. Nor the Prophet either.”

“He’s no Prophet, not of God, anyway,” said Thrower.

“He’s no killer, either,” said Armor. “Maybe Tack was right, maybe somehow Ta-Kumsaw’s got something to do with this. But I know one thing. Ta-Kumsaw’s no killer. Even when he was a young man, during General Wayne’s war, there was a bunch of Reds all set to burn a bunch of captives to death, the way they did in those days—Chippy-Wa, I think they were. And along comes Ta-Kumsaw, all by himself, just this one lone Shaw-Nee, and he makes them stop. We want the White man to respect us, to treat us as a nation, he says to them. White man won’t respect us if we act like this! We got to be civilized. No scalps, no torture, no burning, no killing captives. That’s what he says to them. He’s stuck to that ever since. He kills in battle, yes, but in all his raids down south he didn’t kill one soul, do you realize that? If Ta-Kumsaw’s got them boys, then they’re as safe as if their mama had them home in bed.”

Thrower sighed. “I suppose you know these Reds better than I do.”

“I know them better than anybody.” He laughed bitterly. “So they call me a Red-lover and don’t listen to a word I say. Now they’re calling for that whisky-dealing tyrant from Carthage City to come up here and take over. No matter what he does he’ll be a hero. They’ll make him governor for real, then. Heck, they’ll probably make him President, if Wobbish ever joins the U.S.A.”

“I don’t know this Harrison. He can’t be the devil you make him out to be.”

Armor laughed. “Sometimes, Reverend, I think you are as trusting as a little child.”

“Which is how the Lord told us to be. Armor-of-God, be patient. All things will work out as the Lord intends.”

Armor buried his face in his hands. “I sure hope so, Reverend. I sure do. But I keep thinking about Measure, as good a man as you can hope to find, and that boy Alvin, that sweet-faced boy, and how much store his papa sets by him, and—“

Thrower’s face went grim. “Alvin Junior,” he muttered. “Who would have imagined that the Lord would do his work through the hands of heathens?”

“What are you talking about?” asked Armor.

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