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Authors: Wanda E. Brunstetter
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returned to the cabin and learned about this. Would he have objections? Jim Breck could be a harsh man at times, but surely he wouldn’t throw the injured woman out.
“I do what I can for her,” Mary said. “You come back in a few days, alright?”
Buck nodded. “I sure will, but I’d like to stick around for a while. I wanna find out who she is and what happened to the rest of her party, ’cause I don’t think she would’ve been traveling alone.” He glanced around the cabin. “Where’s Jim? I didn’t see his horse in the lean-to.”
“He out checkin’ traps. Left early mornin’. You stay if you want. I need tend to woman.”
“I’ll sit at the kitchen table while you do that, and then I’ll go as soon as I know whether she’s gonna live or not.”
Mary gave a nod, and as soon as Buck left the room, she turned back to the bed. She hoped the pale-faced woman didn’t die because it would be kind of nice to have someone other than Jim and his faithful dog, Thunder, to talk to for a change.
Feeling a chill in the room, Buck picked up two pieces of wood lying on the floor and tossed them into the stove. Even though it was nearly summertime, it could still get cold here in the mountains, and since the injured woman in the next room had felt cold when he’d picked her up, he figured some heat might help take the chill out of her bones.
“Sure hope she lives,” Buck murmured, closing the door on the stove and going back to the table. If anyone could help the white woman get well, it would be Mary. He thought about how she had come to be Jim’s wife. Jim and Buck had both been at the Green River Rendezvous last year. While they were there, some Blackfeet showed up, wanting to trade a young Nez Percé woman for blankets and guns. Buck didn’t know why, but for some reason they’d singled Jim out, and he’d ended up with a wife. There was some preacher man at the Rendezvous who said he and his party were heading to Oregon Territory to begin a mission work. After witnessing the trade between the Blackfeet and Jim, the preacher insisted that Jim marry the Indian woman, and said he’d be glad to perform the ceremony. Said it wouldn’t be right for him to take her if he didn’t make it legal. Jim had said no at first, but then for some reason, he’d changed his mind. It had never made much sense to Buck, because Jim had told him some time ago that he’d been married once and would never tie the knot again. Buck thought about that day and Mary’s frightened expression as she was turned over to Jim and forced to become his wife. He remembered seeing the same fearful look on his mother’s face the last time he’d seen her.
Since Buck spoke the Nez Percé language, he’d tried talking to Mary, but she would barely look at him and refused to say a word. Since that day, Buck had gotten to know her a little better, and small talk had become more comfortable to her. He had learned that Mary’s real name was Yellow Bird, and that a group of Blackfoot Indians had stolen her from her people one night two years ago. For the last year she’d been living as Jim’s wife in the mountains. Mary still spoke very little to Buck, and during his frequent visits, he’d noticed that her eyes remained sad. Early on, he’d suggested that Jim look for her people, but the answer had been a firm no. Now that Mary was heavy with child, Buck figured it was best for her to remain with Jim. After all, Jim was the baby’s father.
Mary reminds me of my mother
, Buck thought.
She has the same dark eyes and gentle spirit and is always willing to help someone in need. For all the good my mother’s sweet spirit did her
, he fumed.
She should have fought back
.
As Buck sat at the table, he felt the heat from the fire burning steadily in the woodstove. Even though his buckskin pants and shirt kept him warm enough, he was chilled after the exertion of bringing the injured woman inside, so the fire’s warmth was
“I do what I can for her,” Mary said. “You come back in a few days, alright?”
Buck nodded. “I sure will, but I’d like to stick around for a while. I wanna find out who she is and what happened to the rest of her party, ’cause I don’t think she would’ve been traveling alone.” He glanced around the cabin. “Where’s Jim? I didn’t see his horse in the lean-to.”
“He out checkin’ traps. Left early mornin’. You stay if you want. I need tend to woman.”
“I’ll sit at the kitchen table while you do that, and then I’ll go as soon as I know whether she’s gonna live or not.”
Mary gave a nod, and as soon as Buck left the room, she turned back to the bed. She hoped the pale-faced woman didn’t die because it would be kind of nice to have someone other than Jim and his faithful dog, Thunder, to talk to for a change.
Feeling a chill in the room, Buck picked up two pieces of wood lying on the floor and tossed them into the stove. Even though it was nearly summertime, it could still get cold here in the mountains, and since the injured woman in the next room had felt cold when he’d picked her up, he figured some heat might help take the chill out of her bones.
“Sure hope she lives,” Buck murmured, closing the door on the stove and going back to the table. If anyone could help the white woman get well, it would be Mary. He thought about how she had come to be Jim’s wife. Jim and Buck had both been at the Green River Rendezvous last year. While they were there, some Blackfeet showed up, wanting to trade a young Nez Percé woman for blankets and guns. Buck didn’t know why, but for some reason they’d singled Jim out, and he’d ended up with a wife. There was some preacher man at the Rendezvous who said he and his party were heading to Oregon Territory to begin a mission work. After witnessing the trade between the Blackfeet and Jim, the preacher insisted that Jim marry the Indian woman, and said he’d be glad to perform the ceremony. Said it wouldn’t be right for him to take her if he didn’t make it legal. Jim had said no at first, but then for some reason, he’d changed his mind. It had never made much sense to Buck, because Jim had told him some time ago that he’d been married once and would never tie the knot again. Buck thought about that day and Mary’s frightened expression as she was turned over to Jim and forced to become his wife. He remembered seeing the same fearful look on his mother’s face the last time he’d seen her.
Since Buck spoke the Nez Percé language, he’d tried talking to Mary, but she would barely look at him and refused to say a word. Since that day, Buck had gotten to know her a little better, and small talk had become more comfortable to her. He had learned that Mary’s real name was Yellow Bird, and that a group of Blackfoot Indians had stolen her from her people one night two years ago. For the last year she’d been living as Jim’s wife in the mountains. Mary still spoke very little to Buck, and during his frequent visits, he’d noticed that her eyes remained sad. Early on, he’d suggested that Jim look for her people, but the answer had been a firm no. Now that Mary was heavy with child, Buck figured it was best for her to remain with Jim. After all, Jim was the baby’s father.
Mary reminds me of my mother
, Buck thought.
She has the same dark eyes and gentle spirit and is always willing to help someone in need. For all the good my mother’s sweet spirit did her
, he fumed.
She should have fought back
.
As Buck sat at the table, he felt the heat from the fire burning steadily in the woodstove. Even though his buckskin pants and shirt kept him warm enough, he was chilled after the exertion of bringing the injured woman inside, so the fire’s warmth was
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