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Matt made a face. "I see." That could be a problem, Matt decided.
"Despite this, you will still take me home?"
"Yes. If that's where you want to go."
"You are very brave. I did not expect that."
"Or stupid one." He chuckled.
"If you take me home, I will tell my husband that you mean no harm." She explained. "If he will listen."
"Yeah well, if you can do that before he shoots me, that would be good."
Had they reached some mutual ground? He hoped so. He didn't want to fight her all the way.
"Will he listen?"
"I do not know. I have much to tell him about the white man, and he will not want to hear some of it. White people took our land, pushed us upon reservations where we cannot grow food, or even hunt without problems. He hates all whites."
She saw the disdain in his eyes and shook her head. "You do not understand the Indians. Do you?"
"No, I guess I don't. I mean I realize we fought, and we won, and we did put the Indians on a reservation, where they didn't want to go?" He questioned with a smile. "But in all wars, one must lose. When you start a war, you must accept that. Our country warred with each other, and we lost a lot in the south and the north. When it was over, people were still angry. I guess it takes a lot of time to get over the hate."
"You are right. But I fear my people will never get over it. We are not a forgiving kind of people. I only know my husband will not like you."
Matt shrugged realizing quickly that the battle between the white and the red might never be completely over. "Better get some rest, we'll leave at first light. By the way, where do I find this tribe?"
"Our home is near the Powder River Basin," she responded eagerly with the information.
"Powder River, huh. Okay, it will take some time with only one horse to get you there, but we will get there." He assured her.
She stared at him in thought. "Winter is coming on, the first snow in the mountains will come soon," she nodded, and made her bed after she cleaned the dish.
"Yeah, there's already a chill in the air."
She lay down on the opposite side of the fire and stared at him.
"I'm sorry about Jake…" He rasped. "Not all white men are bad."
"I am used to the white man. I have a small knife, and I would have used it." She told him now with a slight smile.
"Oh God, I'm glad you didn't." He raised up a bit from his blanket.
"Why? He is not a good man. Even you must not like him."
"That doesn't matter. We don't need a murder following our shadows. Do we? If one of us had killed Jake, Toby would be after us for sure. This way, he might figure it isn't worth the time."
"It is of no importance to me, it is self-defense." She told him. "Do you not imagine that others at the lodge tried the same thing."
"Did you kill them?" He frowned at her.
"No. I did not kill." She told him, but suddenly she hung her head as though she had a sad thought. Matt watched her. She was a curious little thing, and so beautiful. He wished he could forget that part, but he just couldn't.
"I'm glad to hear that."
"You are much like your father," She asked him curiously.
"No, I wouldn't beat my kids. I might spank them with my hand, but I'd never beat them I never cause them scars or bruises."
