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Snow Bird's eyes widened. She did not know what to say. So, she stood up and moved away. Even though she now wore the white woman's clothes, it was obvious she was Indian, just from the tone of her skin. She could not hide that.
Margaret came to her rescue quickly. "She belongs here, son, she won't hurt you. She ain't been north in ages. She's not part of the bunch that hurt you."
"Won't hurt me, why she looks like some we seen up there." He remarked. "Get her away from me. I don't want her filthy hands on me."
Matt had come insi
de and had been listening to the ruckus. Gauging their reactions to Snow Bird, he knew he had to get control of their fears now.
"Hold on there, I don't think you understand, she's my wife." Matt declared boldly. "And she's in a family way, so I'd appreciate you not being so callus with your words. She's an Indian, that's true enough, but she's my wife, and she means you no harm."
"Wife! You're a squaw man?" The young man spat at him.
Matt's head jerked up at that remark, then he slowly nodded. "I reckon I am."
"You're married to a stinkin' injun?" The man who had been doing most of the talking stared at Matt long and hard.
"I guess some would say that's the way of it. Yes, she's my wife. There's been no problems here, because of her. She's a long way from where you were. She had nothing to do with what happened to you."
"That yor baby she's carryin'?" The man picked up his gun and leveled it.
Matt sighed heavily before answering. "It is." Matt stared into his eyes. He didn't flinch or back off. He stood his ground.
"What are you doin' here, then."
Ferg was behind Matt and came bustling through the crowd. "They are with us. Both of them."
Coon, Raz, Colby and Doolin came to stand beside Ferg. Their expressions were serious, none of them cracked a smile.
"You let an Injun stay here?" The young man said. "I don't believe it."
"She's my wife, where I go, she goes." Matt told him. "Be still and let her doctor you."
"I will not," the young man said and tried to get up, only to fall back against the floor again. "I don't want her filthy hands on me."
"Who are you folks?" Ferg asked, his face still not friendly.
"Trappers by nature, but we were on our way to Oregon country, name's Tal Weaver, that there on the floor, the kid, he's Joe Bucks, that one the woman is working on is Daw Jackson, and this one, who's trying not to show his hurts is Hank Dobbs. We've traveled some distance and wanted to get out of their reaches. We knew about this Sutton Place, so we came here. It was a long hard trip and I'm give out, taking care of them. We've fought Indians, wolves, and mother nature and we're flat give out. We weathered a hell of a storm a few days ago that about wiped us out. I wasn't sure we'd make it here, but I had to try."
"We can certainly understand that. We've got plenty of food, and we can help your wounded." Matt eyed them suspiciously. "As long as you are here, you'll have to tolerate her, because she's my wife and she stays with me. Anyone lays a hand on her, they'll answer to me."
"And me," Cried Ferg.
"And me," Coon came forward.
Raz stared at the young man, "And me.
"Goes for me too," Doolin frowned.
Colby pushed them all aside and added, "That goes double for me."
None of them seemed grateful for patching them up. The young man eyed them all, "What kind of a man would stand up for a squaw?"
"You're in no position to argue young man." Margaret admonished him.
Matt saw pure hatred in their eyes when they looked at Snow Bird. "Hating her won't bring your kin back. She had no part of it. So, let it lie friend."
"You've come a long way…" Margaret frowned at them now. "Best you keep quiet and let us doctor you. And around here, you don't start no trouble as you'll be tossed out of here on your ear if you do. This is a shelter, built for people who need it. No one has the right to judge here. This isn't the place or the time for it, son. Like I said, you've come a long way…."
