"Oh, Eagle Heart, please don't ask this of me. You know I cannot. I am still engaged to another man. You know this. You have even told me you cannot marry me unless I end it by throwing him away. I have not done this."
"If you come with me, he will understand it is ended. It is as good as throwing him away."
He watched her closely as she bit her lip. And, as he looked at her lips, he recalled again the sweetness of her breath and how soft her lips had felt against his own. The desire to touch her was almost more than he could tolerate.
Yet, he would endure the physical pain and ignore the urge to take her in his arms and hold her. He had given his word to her to keep her innocent. He would not cross that line unless she agreed to cross it.
"And, what would we do about my family?" she was signing. "My mother? My father? My sister? I would never see them again. And, what if your people do not accept me? Would you then have to divorce me and bring me back? Or would we have to live in the wilderness, away from everybody? And, if we had to live away from others and if we had children, who would our children's companions be?"
He didn't speak at once. He tried to find his tongue. He couldn’t, for the loss he was experiencing, even while she stood before him, was almost more than he could bear. Indeed, when he might have answered her back, he did not speak at all. She had taken his breath away again, but this time in a different way.
He signed, "I do not know the answers to your questions. But, I understand you cannot marry me." He paused. Then, in sign, asked, "And now, are you ready to go?"
She hesitated until, at last, she responded in the same language of gestures, "I am." She looked away from him.
"Follow me," he said simply with his hands as he turned away and, bending, scooted out of their shelter. Soon, she joined him in front of their little abode, and he watched her as she gazed outward and toward the creek which was now overflowing its banks. There was still snow on the ground, making the world appear white, but here and there the green grass surrounding the creek peeked through the ice that covered it. Soon, their tiny shelter would give way to the flooding waters.
He had already brought their ponies to stand in front of the tiny lodging, and he watched as she reached out toward her gray quarter horse, petting its neck. He asked in English, "You...mount pony...wish it?"
"Thank you for asking, Eagle Heart," she answered in English. "But, I do not want to ride. It might be hard for me to do, considering my arm. But, I have my cane, and I think I can manage to walk all the way to the fort. Besides, I believe I need the exercise."
He nodded and handed the reins of her mount to her as he asked, again in sign, "Do you want to lead her?"
"Áa,I do. Mr. Eagle Heart, I see you have tied the robe I was wearing to my pony. But, it is yours, not mine. Are you meaning to give it to me?"
"I am," he signed. "It is no longer mine. It is yours to keep. Perhaps when you look at it, you might think of me."
He watched her carefully as a tear came to her eye. She bit her lip.
He didn’t mention that his blanket now contained her scent, also, and he would not be able to wear it without thinking of her and perhaps experiencing again the feeling of his loss.
He signed, "I cannot keep it because every time I would see it, I would think of you."
"Iniiyi'taki,I am grateful for this gift."
He smiled as he listened to her speaking a little of his language. Then, he signed, "It is good you should have it. We will now leave and will set our path out of the coulee by the north entrance, because it will be an easier climb for us. It is a little farther from the fort, but it will be less difficult for you."
And, with little more to be said, he set a slow pace toward the northern section of the coulee.
Soon, they stood upon the broad prairie, and, turning, he set their pace to the south toward the fort. They didn't speak to one another. There was little to say that hadn't already been said. And, for days now, they had known the moment would come when they would have to part. It wouldn't be easy for him, and he suspected it might be the same for her. But, it had to be done.
Soon, he saw a party of riders in the distance. They were coming toward them. Although they were still a good distance away, Eagle Heart’s eyesight was good enough to pick out her father from the rest; he was in the lead. Curly Mustache, the man she was to marry, was probably with them, also. At present, they all looked like tiny dots on the horizon, but soon, he would have to confront them.
What would be his welcome? Would they greet him heartily for saving this woman's life? Or would they wonder what he had done with her and to her in all these days? Would they want to kill him for what they believed might have happened between them?
Astutely, he realized it would be the latter, and he steeled himself to face what might be the white man's anger, instead of his gratitude.
Looking over his shoulder, he signed to Steals-my-breath, "They come."
"Where? I don't see anyone."
He pointed.
"I still don't see them."
He shrugged. "Let us continue our path toward them. You will come to behold them soon enough."
It took little time for the two parties to meet, for the white traders had set their horses to running toward them. Soon, Eagle Heart was able to distinguish more faces, and he was glad to notice Gray Falcon was riding amongst the white men. If there were to be a fight this day, Gray Falcon would help to even up the odds.
