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"Were they punished?"
"They were caught, a year or so later, and hung, by the real bluecoats."
"Was she…very pretty?" Katherine asked her eyes searching his out.
"Yes," he answered. Then he looked at her. "Why have you not married and had children?"
"We came from Missouri," she reflected. "I was fourteen when we left. There were a couple of boys I liked there, but we left and I never saw them again. After that, we moved a lot till we landed out here. My father was so proud of his station. He took pleasure in building it. But there was little other pleasure; the land was hard and unbendable. We could barely grow a garden. The well nearly dried up twice."
"And your mother?"
"She followed him, determined to be happy anywhere we went." She recalled with a whimsical smile.
"Then they were very happy together…?"
"I'd like to think they were…yes."
"Then Katherine, do not grieve for them any longer. They are with their maker and happy. It is you who should learn to live now," Chase insisted.
Katherine saw no future. "Don't you mean, learn to survive?"
"Do you know this man who follows us well?" Chase asked his attention going to the ridge.
"No." Katherine glanced once, but not again. She knew nothing. "My Pa knew him. I think he came from Missouri too. They talked a lot, but not around us women folk." Katherine explained trying to remember something that could help. "I wasn't sure why. Pa never invited him or his Indian wife in the house. They always spoke on the porch and never around us."
"Do you know what he wants from you?" Chase kept at her.
"No."
Chase seemed to study her a long while. "Blood vengeance, some kind of revenge?"
"Not that I know of. I've barely spoken to the man but a few times. It was my father that knew him, not I," she answered with a frown. "Josh thinks he might just be seeing after us since our folks died."
"You must know your enemies Katherine, in order to defeat them." Chase whispered, coming closer and looking into her eyes.
"You think…he's an enemy?" Katherine asked, studying him for a long moment. She felt uneasy that she was so comfortable with this breed.
"Does a friend stalk?" Chase smirked.
"I guess not…." She sounded surprised.
Chase began to smile as he looked at her. It was the first smile he had used in a long time and it came so naturally to him. "You are such an innocent." He spoke the words softly to her.
His words embarrassed her a little. She bowed her head and he brought it up to meet his gaze. "Never be ashamed of it, little one. I suppose the Creator has sent me to you, to watch over you and take care of you."
"The…Creator?" Katherine questioned, noting the way she quivered at his slightest touch.
"God." he acknowledged firmly. "You believe in God?"
"Is the Creator and God and Moneto one and the same, in your religion?" she asked curiously.
"They are similar yes. Perhaps not the same. In Shawnee, the Great Spirit is an old gray haired woman with brown eyes, a dog and a grandson named Cloudy Boy. The Great Spirit throws a net out to all who do good and earn favor, she brings them to heaven. The rest suffer a great consequence. The Shawnee live by a golden rule, much like your people. The rule says: "Do not kill or injure your neighbor, for it is not him that you injure, you injure yourself. But do good to him, therefore add to his days of happiness as you add to your own. Do not wrong or hate your neighbor, for it is not him that you wrong, you wrong yourself. But love him, for Moneto loves him also as he loves you." He smiled slowly at her.
"'Love thy neighbor.' It is the same in the white man's golden rule, only not many live by it."
"In some ways, the Shawnee and the whites are alike."
"But…Your God is a woman?" she asked in awe.
