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She now recalled the blast!
Shortly afterward, it was as though a black veil had been drawn over her eyes when she had been knocked into unconsciousness.
“Your brother played the role of a friend and then the role of one who speaks with two tongues,” Strong Wolf said, confusing Hannah even worse by how he explained his feelings.
Then it came to her.
The dam!
Strong Wolf surely thought that Chuck had gone back on his word and had allowed the dam to stay in place across the stream, after all.
“If you are speaking of the dam, you are wrong to accuse my brother of being responsible for it having not been removed,” Hannah said, pleading at him with her eyes. “It’s apparent to me that his foreman blatantly ignored his orders.”
She flinched when he tightened his grip on her wrist, paining her.
“And why should I believe you?” he grumbled. “You can lie as easily as your brother. Do you not share the same blood in your veins? You could share the same ease at lying!”
“My brother and I are both honest people,” Hannah said, firming her chin. “Neither of us make a habit of lying, especially about something like this. It was obvious to me yesterday when you and Chuck were together that he deeply admires and respects you. I could tell that you felt the same about him. He would do nothing to jeopardize the friendship. I am sure that you wouldn’t, either.”
She paused, then said—“You wouldn’t, would you?” she breathed guardedly across her lips.
“I have often been forced to place friendships behind me,” Strong Wolf said, then released her wrist. “Always my people’s welfare comes before anyone else’s.”
Hannah rubbed her wrists. She gazed at him questionably, not knowing if she had gained ground with him, or if he still wished not to believe her or Chuck.
She then looked from side to side and asked, “Where’s my horse?”
“The blast of dynamite frightened it away,” Strong Wolf said, torn with what to believe. He wished to think that this woman whose very nearness made his heart do strange flip-flops could be trusted.
Yet he could not allow a woman to be the cause of his defenses weakening. Many Potawatomis people were responsible for him keeping his sense of logic. They had to remain the main focus in his life. He could not allow himself to trust too easily, even when it was a woman he wished to be free to love.
“Using dynamite was an irresponsible thing to do,” Hannah suddenly snapped, placing her fists on her hips. “Not only could I have been killed, but also you.” She moved her fingers to the lump on her brow. “I’m lucky this bump is all I have to show for your . . . your . . . negligence.”
“I warned your brother about the dam,” Strong Wolf said stiffly. “He did not listen. I chose the quickest way possible to rid the land of it.”
“I still say that was the wrong way to handle the situation,” Hannah said, then glared at him. “And I told you that my brother isn’t responsible for the dam not having been removed. Why can’t you believe me? Tiny was supposed to remove it. He didn’t.”
“If what you say is true, then your brother must find a way to make sure that what he commands done from now on, is done,” Strong Wolf said.
“Then you believe me?” Hannah asked, her eyes wavering into his.
“Perhaps a little,” Strong Wolf said, folding his arms across his chest.
“Either you do, or you don’t,” Hannah said, frustrated.
He said nothing back to her.
“Well, I know one thing for certain,” Hannah said, turning to walk away. “I’m going to find my horse. I’m going home. I’m tired of bantering with you. I don’t know how else I can convince you that my brother is innocent of that which you accuse him.”
Strong Wolf watched her walk away for a moment, then something came to him so quickly: a plan that he felt was necessary. He did not have the time to think it through before he went and grabbed her by a wrist again, stopping her.
Their eyes met in silent combat, and he was reminded of so long ago, when it was the practice of the Potawatomis to take captives. Despite the momentary terror of such abduction, victims—especially women—were generally welcomed as new members of the community to which they were taken, sometimes hundreds of miles away.
Most captives accepted their new roles, replacing the tribe members who had been lost to disease, nature, or battle.
But this was now, and this was a white woman. This was a spirited, stubborn white woman. She would not accept such fate as easily.
“You are not going anywhere until I am ready to allow it,” he said thickly, their eyes in silent combat again as she stared in disbelief at him.
