Red Prophet: The Tales of Alvin Maker, Volume II Read Online Free PDF

might not realize it was a joke. He might think Ta-Kumsaw actually believed it. But no, Harrison knew he and Ta-Kumsaw was lying to each other; and it came into Hooch’s mind that when both parties are lying and they both know the other party’s lying, it comes powerful close to being the same as telling the truth.
    What was really hilarious was that Jackson actually
did
believe all this stuff. “That’s right,” said the Tennizy lawyer. “Rule of law is what separates civilized men from savages. Red men just aren’t advanced enough yet, and if you aren’t willing to be subject to White man’s law, you’ll just have to make way.”
    For the first time, Ta-Kumsaw looked one of them in the eye. He stared coldly at Jackson and said, “These men are liars. They know what is true, but they say it is not true. You are not a liar. You believe what you say.”
    Jackson nodded gravely. He looked so vain and upright and godly that Hooch couldn’t resist it, he hottened up the chair under Jackson just a little, just enough that Jackson had to wiggle his butt. That took off a few layers of dignity. But Jackson still kept his airs. “I believe what I say because I tell the truth.”
    “You say what you believe. But still it is not true. What is your name?”
    “Andrew Jackson.”
    Ta-Kumsaw nodded. “Hickory.”
    Jackson looked downright surprised and pleased that Ta-Kumsaw had heard of him. “Some folks call me that.” Hooch hottened up his chair a little more.
    “Blue Jacket says, Hickory is a good man.”
    Jackson still had no idea why his chair was so uncomfortable, but it was too much for him. He popped right up, stepped away from the chair, kind of shaking his legs with each step to cool himself off. But still he kept talking with all the dignity in the world. “I’m glad Blue Jacket feels that way. He’s chief of the Shaw-Nee down in Tennizy country, isn’t he?”
    “Sometimes,” said Ta-Kumsaw.
    “What do you mean sometimes?” said Harrison, “Either he’s a chief or he isn’t.”
    “When he talks straight, he is chief,” said Ta-Kumsaw.
    “Well, I’m glad to know he trusts me,” said Jackson. But his smile was a little wan, because Hooch was busy hotting up the floor under his feet, and unless old Hickory could fly, he wasn’t going to be able to get away from
that
. Hooch didn’t plan to torment him long. Just until hesaw Jackson take a couple of little hops, and then try to explain why he was dancing right there in front of a young Shaw-Nee warrior and Governor William Henry Harrison.
    Hooch’s little game got spoiled, though, cause at that very moment, Lolla-Wossiky toppled forward and rolled out from under the table. He had an idiotic grin on his face, and his eyes were closed. “Blue Jacket!” he cried. Hooch took note that drink had finally slurred his speech. “Hickory!” shouted the one-eyed Red.
    “You are my enemy,” said Ta-Kumsaw, ignoring his brother.
    “You’re wrong,” said Harrison. “I’m your friend. Your enemy is up north of here, in the town of Vigor Church. Your enemy is that renegade Armor-of-God Weaver.”
    “Armor-of-God Weaver sells no whisky to Reds.”
    “Neither do I,” said Harrison. “But he’s the one making maps of all the country west of the Wobbish. So he can parcel it up and sell it after he’s killed all the Reds.”
    Ta-Kumsaw paid no attention to Harrison’s attempt to turn him against his rival to the north. “I come to warn you,” said Ta-Kumsaw.
    “Warn me?” said Harrison. “You, a Shaw-Nee who doesn’t speak for anybody, you
warn
me, right here in my stockade, with a hundred soldiers ready to shoot you down if I say the word?”
    “Keep the treaty,” said Ta-Kumsaw.
    “We
do
keep the treaty! It’s you who always break the treaties!”
    “Keep the treaty,” said Ta-Kumsaw.
    “Or what?” asked Jackson.
    “Or every Red west of the mountains will come together and cut you to pieces.”
    Harrison leaned back his head and