After all, hadn't the Creator shown him, via the image of Maximillian, where the lie was within the document? And, if none of these showed any difference, there was only one other possibility: there was another paper.
But, of late, Red Fox was feeling more and more pressed upon, as though he were in a race against time. After all, the priest, who had been summoned by József Fehér to witness the signing of these papers, was due to arrive at the Fehér ranch sometime within the Moon of Flowers, or as the white man called it, the month of July. Also, in this same moon was the yearly Medicine Lodge Ceremony, a grand event wherein the people would pay tribute to the Creator.
Red Fox was expected to be at this ceremony. He, medicine man for the tribe's ponies and other animals, could not disregard this responsibility. And, although the observance, itself, took little more than four days, there was much preparation that had to go into it—preparation that often required more than a few days to accomplish.
There was nothing to be done about it, though, except to work diligently so as to discover this lie and expose it as quickly as he could. To this end, Red Fox realized he needed access to the Fehér homestead in order to discover where this man, Maximillian, had hidden the document containing the lie. He would need to become the man's shadow, tracking the Easterner without detection. He would be required to study the man, his habits, his haunts and learn the man's weaknesses.
And so, Red Fox sought out József Fehér.
"Father of Poka'aki and Otahko'sstss, I have seen the boys you hire from Fort Benton to watch your horses, and they do not care for them well. I see these boys are often not alert to the dangers around them and that they often sleep when there might be enemies about. Nor do they brush and groom the ponies. After your ponies were almost stolen from you several nights ago, it is important to have a man watch over them who will ensure they are well cared for; a man who is alert to the environment."
Red Fox was well aware of the subtle anger in Fehér's eyes when the man replied, "And, I suppose you know just the person who should care for my herd?"
"I do," answered Red Fox. "You are looking at the man."
Fehér scowled at him with a raised eyebrow. Then, he said, "I don't think so. I believe—I know—you are looking to steal my daughter."
Red Fox answered at once. "It is true your daughter and I love each other. But, whether I wish to take her from you or not is not the reason I come to you with this offer. I love these horses. I have talked to them, and I used to brush them daily. I looked after their welfare for many years before trouble came between you and me. I see now these animals do not look well. Their coats lack luster and color. This means they are not being properly brushed after being ridden. Many have untreated wounds and bite marks, also untreated. I see one mare who has been bred too often. I saw a mare with a foal whose ribs are showing. She will die if left on her own. Your animals need to be let out of their fencing to find better pasture, and when they have better pasture, they need to be looked after well so they are not stolen from you by your enemies. It is true that I love your daughter and wish to see her often. But, this is not the reason I am asking to watch over your horses. I will care for them and bring them back to health."
Fehér shook his head, then stared at him with disbelief.
"I will show you this which I have said to you, if you disbelieve me. I am only concerned that you have not, yourself, seen this neglect before now."
Fehér took his hat from his head and whacked it on his thigh. "You are right. I had noticed some of the conditions you speak of, but, since I cannot watch them myself, I have had to rely on boys from Fort Benton. So I guess this means"—Fehér looked at him and squinted—"you're hired."
Red Fox signed his agreement and took up his position within the pony herd, going from one horse to the other, brushing them, taking burrs from their coats and opening the gates to lead them all to better pasture.
Red Fox hadn't lied to József Fehér. He had, instead, left unsaid his real reason for volunteering to attend to the homestead's pony herd: he wished to study this man, Maximillian, and discover the secret papers. They existed. He must find them. And, since the family always included him to partake in the evening meal, Red Fox had much opportunity to accomplish his study of this man, Maximillian.
And so, it came to be that, not only did the homestead's pony herd benefit from Red Fox's care of them, he was able to watch and observe this yellow-bellied man as often as possible. Gaining the help of some of the boys from Fort Benton to watch the herd when he was studying Maximillian, Red Fox was able to discover patterns in the man's life, including Maximillian's interactions with others. He became the man's shadow when in the household, watching him even when the man was alone. Red Fox took note of the man's blind spots and, in doing so, witnessed the man lusting after his own comfort, always putting himself first before others, even those of his lover.
Although there were Indians who did the same, they were few. Most Indians—even in enemy tribes—thought first of thetribe's welfare, as it must be. For, without the tribe, a man's ability to survive against the elements, as well as against his enemies, was almost nil. Next was a warrior's family, both his own and his woman's. And, lastly, a man provided for his own comfort.
Red Fox could only conclude that this fellow from the city of New York was not a good man. And, from this, he supposed that, like an enemy, Maximillian would steal from others what he could not, himself, obtain by his own efforts.
And so, Red Fox came to understand there was something the man wanted from Poka'aki's family besides a title. But, what was it?
He did not hate the man, since hatred was bad medicine, indeed. But, he also did not like the self-absorption he witnessed in the man. There were too many examples of Maximillian's mindset to be counted, but Red Fox had looked with a sharp eye at the Easterner's inconsiderate treatment of Poka'aki.
However, it went further. He had watched as the man bragged to others of his importance in his occupation while at the same time speaking in a bad way of others who took pride in their own doings and jobs. And, all this Red Fox had seen without too much difficulty.
From his careful observation of this man, Red Fox now knew the man's weak spot: he held no respect for the dignity or life of others. Indeed, Red Fox became convinced this man intended to ruin Poka'aki's family while at the same time gaining advantage to himself.
And so, over the next few days, he stalked the man, using the invisibility knack of the trained scout.He now was able to watch the man in his own quarters, having found a hidden position atop the solid canopy above the man's bed.
And, then it happened.
Within the passing of only seven trips of the sun across the blue, it was on the eighth night when Red Fox watched as the man was making his way to his room. It was rare for Maxmillian to use his own quarters for sleeping; generally the man spent his evening hours with his mistress. But, on this night, he kept to his own quarters.
Having obtained a position of invisibility earlier in the evening using the canopy above the man's bed, Red Fox watched as the man opened a drawer in a small chest of drawers alongside the bed. Reaching in, the man pulled out a key from a place in the far back left corner.
Straightening up, Maximillian then paced across the room to another wooden bureau; whereupon, he opened the second drawer down from the top of the chest. From this drawer, Maximillian reached into the far back right corner and pulled out a metal box. He then opened this box with the key he had obtained from the first chest of drawers. In amazement, Red Fox looked on as this Easterner extracted another, second key.
With this new key, the man trod across the room to the special place where white people were known to keep their clothing, a wooden structure Red Fox had heard referred to as an "armoire." Beneath the clothing and hidden by long coats and pants, Maximillian extracted yet another metal box. This he opened with the second key, and, once opened, there was another metal box within it. He opened this box with the same, second key and from this the Easterner extracted yet another, third key.
Leaving that particular container on the floor of the armoire, the man paced toward the bed, and, coming down onto bended knees, he reached beneath it to pull out yet another metal case. This one was slightly different from the others; it was slender, longer and wider. And, from this particular case, the man pulled out two sheets of parchment paper.
Then, this sly Easterner glanced over the papers carefully, and as though he were appeased, he smiled, although there was little joy in the gesture.
