The First Mountain Man Read Online Free PDF Page A

Indians,” Edmond observed.
    â€œOh, I do. You can’t blame them for fighting the whites. Hell, this is their land. It’s been theirs for only God knows how long. Thousands of years, probably. If they’d let me, I’d never strike a hostile blow against any of them.”
    He thought about that for a moment. “Well, exceptin’ maybe them goddamn Pawnees.”
    When they made camp that afternoon, Preacher figured they were within a half day’s ride of the Shoshone. As soon as they crossed it, he’d cut south, down toward Togwotee Pass. He sure wasn’t going to attempt to take them across the Snake and over the middle part of the Tetons. At least he hoped he wouldn’t have to.
    While they had been resting back at the ambush site, two horses had wandered back into camp, anxious for human closeness. Preacher had rigged up frames and they were used for pack horses. He’d found enough canvas that hadn’t been burned to use as shelters for the pilgrims. While it wasn’t any fancy Eastern hotel, it did offer a small creature comfort.
    â€œIt’s a great, vast, lonesome place, isn’t it?” Melody asked, sitting close to the fire as the sun sank past the towering mountains.
    â€œIt’s big, all right,” Preacher told her. “But lonesome? Well, I never dwelled on that too much, though some folks do call it the High Lonesome. I’ve knowed men who’ve gone crazy out here, sure enough. And a lot more men who gave up and headed back to towns and people and such. Takes a special breed to make it out here. I knowed one old boy who lost his horse and was afoot during the winter. He fought him a puma to the death. We found ’em both come the spring. Both of them froze stiff to a tree. He had his hand on that big cat’s head, like he was sayin’ ’It’s all right. No hard feelin’s. We both was just doin’ what come natural.”’
    â€œDid you bury him.”
    â€œNot right then. Ground was too hard. We come back about a month later and put them both together in a cave and sealed it shut.”
    â€œThat was a nice gesture,” Penelope said.
    Preacher looked at her. “I reckon. Howsomever, we didn’t have much choice in the matter. They was both still froze together. It’ve took an axe to get them apart.”
    * * *
    By noon of the next day, Preacher knew they were being followed. Problem was, he didn’t think they were Injuns. If they were renegade white men, they could turn out to be worse than Injuns. The mountains weren’t exactly overflowing with renegade white men, but there were enough of them to cause trouble every now and then. They’d knock trappers in the head, or even shoot them for their pelts or for food or their boots or coats, for that matter. And, he thought, trying to cheer himself up, it could be a party of government surveyors or explorers.
    But he couldn’t quite make himself believe that.
    He figured they were renegades after the women. Two beautiful white women could make even a good man go bad. Especially men who hadn’t even seen an ugly white woman in years.
    When he called a break and the women stepped behind some bushes to do their business, Preacher got Richard and Edmond close.
    â€œWe’re bein’ followed,” he told them. “I don’t think it’s Injuns, and it ain’t the Army—I’m sure of that. They’d have seen ’way back that we’re not a hostile party and they’d have closed with us. Any good scout would have seen the sign that women leave and they’d be mighty curious. I think we got us some renegades on our trail and I think they’re after the women. So keep your powder dry and be ready to fight and fight quick. ’Cause when they come, they’ll do it one of two ways, they’ll either come real sudden like, or they’ll hail the camp and get in amongst us. That’s what