Blood Feather Read Online Free PDF Page B

was blowing his smoke away from them to the west. The two lookouts stared at him, and the larger doe lifted her head up in alert. The first two started to bound off, and he drew his Colt and fired from the hip, hitting the water drinker right behind her left shoulder in mid-bound. She hit the ground in a heap, dead from the quick heart shot. As was the habit of the Lakota, Joshua meditated and communicated with the soul of the animal, thanking her for her sacrifice, and then he prayed and thanked the Lord for the bountiful supply of venison.
    Three days later, Joshua was much stronger and had a solid camp built for himself and Gabe. Gabe was moving around now without as much difficulty, and Joshua had made himself another crutch identical to the first. Miles to the east, at Fort Lyons, Lucky was very concerned and knew something was wrong. So Annabelle was not shocked when the Western Union man came in to hand her the inquiring telegram from Joshua’s boss.
    She sent a reply explaining that she had no idea what the problem might be. Annabelle wanted to cry, so instead she went back to work and kept herself as busy as could be. In 1874, the Denver and Rio Grande Western Railroad had just completed a new line into Cañon City from Pueblo to the east, and Lucky was on that train, having come in from Fort Lyons, farther out east.
    Joshua was so glad that Annabelle had packed him a lot of good substantial food. With the deer he’d shot and her food, he had one major thing in his favor. However, he was far from safe, and so was Gabriel. Joshua could tell he had fever now, and some of his fang bites and claw marks from the grizzly were an angry red and obviously infected. Gabriel had blood oozing from several spots in his wounds, and Strongheart tried his best to keep a fresh poultice on those spots. He was getting weaker by the hour and knew he was in for the fight of his life just to survive, let alone have his horse survive. Neither he nor the horse could begin to think about making it down the mountain over the rocks.
    Over the fire that night, he took paper and pencil from his saddlebags and wrote two letters. One to Lucky and one to Annabelle:
    Lucky,
    Blackjack was murdered with a knife by a very large Lakota, 7 feet tall, very powerful. He was carried up the mountain and his heart was cut out. Bloody eagle feather left on his face. I cremated him. If I am dead, give any money owed and belongings to Annabelle.
    All respect, Joshua
    Annabelle,
    If you are reading this, I am probably dead. I have loved you and wanted to marry you from the moment we met. I held off because your husband was not gone that long. I wanted to be sure you felt the same in your heart. Since meeting you, I have grown more deeply in love and worship everything about you. Please smile when you remember me, but you be a survivor and live on with a grin on your face and song in your heart.
    Your devoted servant forever,
    Joshua
    Joshua finished and titled both letters and placed them in his saddlebag. He felt everything whirling around and wondered where he was as he collapsed at Gabe’s feet in a faint.

3
    Cañon City
    Joshua opened his eyes and blinked against the sunlight. He looked around in a daze. He was in a room with sunlight streaking in the windows, and outside the window in the distance were snowcapped peaks. A nurse walked into the room carrying a basin of water.
    â€œSo, I see, Mr. Strongheart,” she said, nonplussed, “I see you have decided to come back to the land of the living and refrain from such shenanigans as ancestral walks.”
    He was in a total fog.
    Joshua said, “Where am I? What happened?”
    The nurse said, “I am not sure except that you were almost killed by an enormous brute of a grizzly bear, which you killed. You were brought here on a train, closer to St. Peter than the gates outside the Union Pacific Hospital.”
    Strongheart shook his head and tried to make sense of what was