Read Online The Peacemaker by Chelley Kitzmiller - Free Book Online Page A
Authors: Chelley Kitzmiller
Tags: Fiction, Romance, Historical, Paranormal, Western, American, supernatural, Wild, Arizona, camp, Warriors, West, wind, Southwest, Indian, Territory, of, The, Grant, massacre, Apache, Tuscon, Cochise, Old, Native
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their rifles at the ready. She heard him shout at an orderly to find Captain Nolan and bring him to the parade ground on the double.
Curious, Indy went back outside and stood directly in front of her door where she had an unobstructed view of the parade ground and Shatto.
Shatto hadn't seen her, and even if he had, she doubted he would bother to take a second look. He probably thought of her as some namby-pamby, high-minded white woman who got frightened at the least little thing. Prudence would be more to his liking, she thought. Besides being tall and slender as a reed, Prudence exemplified the frontier spirit. She was so absorbed in her thoughts that she failed to notice Prudence had come up beside her.
"What is it? What's going on?"
Indy gave a start. When she saw who it was she blanched even as she breathed a sigh of relief. "You caught me off guard," she accused. She took Pru's arm and pulled her back against the door. "I'm not sure what's going on, but Shatto and his band just rode in and it appears they have prisoners."
Captain Nolan came out of his quarters, moving slowly and cautiously. He kept his left arm close to his side as he made his way toward the colonel.
"Captain Nolan," said the colonel. His voice carried to where Pru and Indy stood. "You speak Apache. I want you to find out what they're doing here."
"This is Shatto, Colonel," the captain offered as if it would make a difference.
It did make a difference. The colonel's demeanor changed to a so-this-is-the-infamous-Shatto look.
Nolan began speaking in that same guttural language Indy had heard before. There were a lot of hard d's and double vowels making it a harsh-sounding language with none of the flow of the European languages.
As he spoke, Shatto yanked up on the dead Indian's cartridge belt, lifted him off the pinto's withers, and let him drop to the ground at his horse's hooves. His reply to Nolan's question was short, his voice deep and resonant just as Indy remembered.
"What did he say?" the colonel asked impatiently.
Not taking his eyes off Shatto, Nolan translated. "He says these are some of Chie's warriors—part of the band who attacked the mail detachment. He says he has brought them to you to punish as you see fit."
The colonel's expression became suspicious. Scowling, he asked, "What does he want in return?"
Though she couldn't understand a word, Indy listened intently as the captain related the question and Shatto replied.
"He says he wants you to know that not all Apaches want to fight and kill the bluecoats. He says that Chie is an enemy to bluecoats and Apaches alike—that he makes much trouble."
"So these are Chie's bucks." The colonel moved off to the side to have a better look. "Sergeant Moseley, untie those prisoners and take them to the guardhouse and take this body away and have it buried. Outside the camp's cemetery," he added pointedly.
"Yes, sir," said Moseley, saluting.
Shatto said something else to the captain who nodded but didn't translate.
Loudly, Prudence sucked in her breath and squeezed Indy's arm. "He's something of a puzzle, isn't he?"
Indy swung her head around. "What do you mean?"
"They say that he's been given a special power that protects him against his enemies."
"Surely you don't believe in Indian superstition. He's just a man." Indy had guessed Prudence to be several years her elder, but looking at her now, with her face flushed a becoming pink and her china-blue eyes bright with excitement, she looked like a schoolgirl—a very smitten schoolgirl.
Prudence smiled, her smooth cheeks dimpling prettily. "Yes, isn't he though? A rather magnificent man, don't you think?" She dipped her head and looked at Indy from beneath her dark, spidery lashes. "Look at him, Indy. How many Apaches have you seen who look like that? For that matter how many white men have you seen who look like that?"
"I— Well—"
"My point exactly. I'll tell you what, Shatto can attack me anytime and I won't so much as
Curious, Indy went back outside and stood directly in front of her door where she had an unobstructed view of the parade ground and Shatto.
Shatto hadn't seen her, and even if he had, she doubted he would bother to take a second look. He probably thought of her as some namby-pamby, high-minded white woman who got frightened at the least little thing. Prudence would be more to his liking, she thought. Besides being tall and slender as a reed, Prudence exemplified the frontier spirit. She was so absorbed in her thoughts that she failed to notice Prudence had come up beside her.
"What is it? What's going on?"
Indy gave a start. When she saw who it was she blanched even as she breathed a sigh of relief. "You caught me off guard," she accused. She took Pru's arm and pulled her back against the door. "I'm not sure what's going on, but Shatto and his band just rode in and it appears they have prisoners."
Captain Nolan came out of his quarters, moving slowly and cautiously. He kept his left arm close to his side as he made his way toward the colonel.
"Captain Nolan," said the colonel. His voice carried to where Pru and Indy stood. "You speak Apache. I want you to find out what they're doing here."
"This is Shatto, Colonel," the captain offered as if it would make a difference.
It did make a difference. The colonel's demeanor changed to a so-this-is-the-infamous-Shatto look.
Nolan began speaking in that same guttural language Indy had heard before. There were a lot of hard d's and double vowels making it a harsh-sounding language with none of the flow of the European languages.
As he spoke, Shatto yanked up on the dead Indian's cartridge belt, lifted him off the pinto's withers, and let him drop to the ground at his horse's hooves. His reply to Nolan's question was short, his voice deep and resonant just as Indy remembered.
"What did he say?" the colonel asked impatiently.
Not taking his eyes off Shatto, Nolan translated. "He says these are some of Chie's warriors—part of the band who attacked the mail detachment. He says he has brought them to you to punish as you see fit."
The colonel's expression became suspicious. Scowling, he asked, "What does he want in return?"
Though she couldn't understand a word, Indy listened intently as the captain related the question and Shatto replied.
"He says he wants you to know that not all Apaches want to fight and kill the bluecoats. He says that Chie is an enemy to bluecoats and Apaches alike—that he makes much trouble."
"So these are Chie's bucks." The colonel moved off to the side to have a better look. "Sergeant Moseley, untie those prisoners and take them to the guardhouse and take this body away and have it buried. Outside the camp's cemetery," he added pointedly.
"Yes, sir," said Moseley, saluting.
Shatto said something else to the captain who nodded but didn't translate.
Loudly, Prudence sucked in her breath and squeezed Indy's arm. "He's something of a puzzle, isn't he?"
Indy swung her head around. "What do you mean?"
"They say that he's been given a special power that protects him against his enemies."
"Surely you don't believe in Indian superstition. He's just a man." Indy had guessed Prudence to be several years her elder, but looking at her now, with her face flushed a becoming pink and her china-blue eyes bright with excitement, she looked like a schoolgirl—a very smitten schoolgirl.
Prudence smiled, her smooth cheeks dimpling prettily. "Yes, isn't he though? A rather magnificent man, don't you think?" She dipped her head and looked at Indy from beneath her dark, spidery lashes. "Look at him, Indy. How many Apaches have you seen who look like that? For that matter how many white men have you seen who look like that?"
"I— Well—"
"My point exactly. I'll tell you what, Shatto can attack me anytime and I won't so much as
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