Note: This story was dynamically reformatted for online reading convenience.
 
 
   The Man From Eagle Creek
   Chapter Fourteen
   Tom left the church after the preacher told the story about the miracle
in the plains.  He knew the man had to be there that day to describe it so
well.  Almost exactly as his mom and dad had told him the story when he was
just a kid.  Tom loved to hear the story over and over and it made him
proud to hear it this way.
   When he would play in the post yard as a little boy, he ran with his
wings spread, imagining he was flying as the eagles do.  He would sit for
hours on a hill behind the barn searching the sky for eagles.  When he
spotted one he would become excited and run again with arms spread.
   The young boy of Sioux and white man blood would run and screech so loud
it could be heard across the plains as the sounds of the eagles in the sky.
   Today's experience made Tom wonder if he should identify himself to
others.  He just wasn't sure if now was the time.
   He rode on out to the Croom place.  Millie and Danny heard the sound of
his horse and came running to meet him.
   "Tom, we're so glad that you came to see us.  We really like Junior and
Ma does too.
   "He works hard and we're getting ready to plow some of the bottom ground
and plant some crops." Danny was the first to run up to Tom and he was full
of news about the place.
   "Tom, let's go in the house and tell Ma you're here, Junior is way out
in the field over yonder, but he'll be here shortly.
   "He's trying out that old plow he found back there, it had some broken
plow handles on it and he whittled out some new ones." Millie was just as
happy to see Tom and both were excited about working the place now.
   Tom followed the kids in the house and Missus Croom smiled when she saw
Tom standing in the doorway of the kitchen.
   "Tom it sure is good to see you again, come set down and let me get you
something to eat."
   "Well, I didn't really come for a meal but I know I can't turn down a
meal from the best cook in the county."
   "Aw hush your mouth, I know I ain't that good a cook."
   "How's Junior working out Missus Croom, I hope I didn't make a mistake
sending him here, Millie and Danny said he was a hard worker."
   "Tom I tell you, I have to make the boy quit work to come eat, and I
don't know what you told him but he won't even look Millie in the eye."
   "Well, that's good.  Just leave it like that for a while longer Missus
Croom until you know he's worthy of lookin' at Millie."
   "Tom are you telling ma that one day it might be alright for Junior to
talk with me some?  Me and Danny really like him.  He works so hard and he
treats us like grown up folks too," Millie was full of being a girl again.
   "I was just tellin' your ma that if she ever thought he was a good
enough man for you, she might give her blessing for you to maybe go to
church on Sunday with Junior.  Then if you both act like grownups, she may
even smile on you a little more.  Don't go getting big eyed on us."
   "Aww Tom, it ain't like I love the boy, but he sure is a nice one to be
around and Danny and Ma really like him too."
   "Then give it time, you and Junior got some growing up to come yet.  I
reckon that by harvest this fall, your ma and Danny will know how Jr.  fits
in here, don't you?"
   "Yes Tom and thank you too," Millie said as she hugged Tom.
   Junior came up to the barn with the team of horses and put them in the
corral.  He was washing up when Millie ran out to tell him Tom was here. 
Jr.  had seen Tom's horse and knew he was here.  He was afraid to come in
the house at first, then Millie told him all the things Tom had said and
Junior broke out in a smile and had tears in his eyes.
   "You mean he said that one day it would be alright for us to go to
church together Millie?  I ain't ever been to church, but I'd go with you."
   Junior walked in the house behind Millie and jerked his dirty old hat
off as he walked into the room with Missus Croom.  Junior turned to Tom and
stuck out his hand, "Deputy good to see you again."
   "I been hearing some good reports about you Junior seems like you've
found a home, what do you think?" Tom smiled.
   "Deputy I can't ever thank you enough for sending me out here to work
for Missus Croom and her young'uns.  They're just the best people I ever
knowed."
   "Good Junior, you keep up the good work and take care of these good
folks the best you know how."
   Missus Croom cooked up a big Sunday meal and Tom sat down with them to
enjoy the home cooking.
   When Tom left the Croom place he had a real big hankerin' to ride out to
the Canady spread, but decided to ride out tomorrow and not mess up their
Sunday.
   Tom rode back into Newton and got his horse settled in the livery
stable.
   He walked down to the sheriff's office, but the sheriff wasn't there. 
Sam and Bo were both asleep and Tom left the front door open to air the
place out a bit as he walked over to the saloon.
   The Sheriff and the Mayor were sitting at their favorite table having a
drink of whiskey when Tom walked in.  The door was open and he just stood
there for a minute before he said anything.
   Sheriff Keyes looked up and nearly jumped out of his seat, "Dammit Tom
you scared the shit out of me, you need to get some boots so you'll make
some noise when you walk," he laughed and the mayor thought it was funny
that the sheriff had jumped like that.
   "It ain't funny, Hell I just looked up at that door and no one was
there, then I looked back and there he stood."
   "Come over here Tom and have a shot with us," Mayor Dean said.
   "No offense mayor, but I don't drink."
   "Good, keep it that way and you'll live longer."
   "You ride out to Widder Croom's place today Tom?" the sheriff asked.
   "Yes Sir, wanted to check up on them and see how Junior was coming
along. He's only been there a little over a day and has them all excited
about plowing and planting spring crops and putting in a garden."
   "Well that's good for all concerned Tom, you made a man of that boy and
I'm sure they'll be alright out there," the sheriff said.
   "I'll look in on them once in a while when you leave Tom."
   "Thanks sheriff, and it might do you good to drop in there around eatin'
time too, Missus Croom is a really good cook."
   Tom went to the livery stable and got some clean clothes out of his
bedroll and walked over to the hotel and bought himself a hot bath.  He
went to the boarding house and took all his dirty clothes and picked up his
clean ones.  A few more days and he'd ride south again and he wanted to
have a clean change of clothes when he left.
   Tom went back to the stable and played his flute for a while.  The
sounds making the lonely streets of Newton seem even more lonely and alone
as the music drifted lazily through the still air on a Sunday evening about
sundown.  Tom went to bed and slept peaceful until morning.
   He saddled up and rode out to the Canady spread early on Monday, he was
sure they'd heard about Mr.  Roller by now, but he felt obligated to tell
them what happened.  He let his horse pick his own gait, and smiled when
his horse cut off to the right toward the Canady spread without being told.
Tom rode into the yard and over to the barn.  When he slid off his horse,
he saw Runt working on some harness by the tack room.
   "Tom I see you come back, I was wondering if you would after I heard
about what went on in town."
   "Well Runt, I'm not sure what all you heard but I just wanted to come
out and set things straight with Mr.  Canady after Roller drew down on me
and the sheriff like that."
   "Tom, Roller's been loadin' that wagon for a long time and he thought he
was about as bad as they come.  Guess you proved him wrong."
   "I was hoping he'd hold off a few more days, I'd be gone by then, he'd
still be alive if he had."
   "Tom, his kind are gonna get it sooner or later.  He had that itchin'
feelin' to prove how bad he really was.  He thought you bein' an Injun, he
could put you down."
   "You may be right Runt, you knew him better than I did.  Did you ever
see anyone being strange after I left the other day?"
   "No Tom and I was watchin' this bunch like a hawk too, ev'body was just
being who they was."
   "Where can I find Mr.  Canady this morning?"
   "He took a bunch of the wranglers and a couple of wagons over to the
west line to string some more fences.  If you ride out past the corrals and
head due west, you'll come upon'em."
   "Thanks Runt, for being a friend."
   "Injun you make it easy for me to call you friend."
   Tom rode west from the ranch headquarters to find Mr.  Canady.  He
wasn't sure what kind of welcome he would get but it had to be done.  He
rode for what must have been over five miles before he saw two wagons in
the distance.  This was some really good grazing land here and Mr.  Canady
had it split up in short pastures so they could control the grazing.
   Tom saw the fencing crew look over toward him as they saw him ride in.
   "Morning men, where might I find Mr.  Canady?"
   One of the men looked at Tom and spit his tobacco juice then wiped his
lips on his sleeve before he spoke.
   "He rode down toward the south corner of the ranch with his youngest
girl about an hour ago."
   "Thanks."
   "Yup."
   Tom rode south from where the men were, riding at an easy lope.  He
wanted to get this over with, but was in no hurry to get there.
   He saw the two riders by a big marker pole and rode over to them.
   "Morning Mr.  Canady, morning Paleface"
   "Morning Tom, I kinda figured you'd be out today after what happened in
town," Mr.  Canady said as Tom rode up next to them.
   "Morning Injun," Beth said with a straight face.
   "Well, Mr.  Canady I just wanted to tell you in person that I didn't
want this to happen.  I told Sheriff Keyes I wanted to steer clear of
Roller until he cooled off, just to try and keep it from boilin' over."
   "I know Tom, and I sure hate that Roller couldn't let it lie either, he
was a good ranch hand and he knew horses.  He just couldn't help but be a
bully to everyone that would take it.  It was sure to happen sooner or
later, I hate that you had to be involved."
   "Thanks Mr.  Canady I reckon what you just said is what I rode out here
for, I wasn't sure how you would look at me after I'd just killed your
ramrod."
   "Tom you're a Canady friend and you're welcome here any time you ride
this way.  You're a lawman now and you did what you had to do when a man
pulls a gun on your back, we're all thankful that you didn't get hurt in
all the shooting."
   Tom's horse was between Beth and Mr.  Canady's horse as they sat
talking. Beth kept looking at Tom, and it was all she could do to keep from
climbing over on his horse and giving him a big hug as he sat there with
his head down trying to explain how he felt.
   "Tom since you rode all the way out here, I'd like to know what really
happened that night, so I can put it to rest," Mr.  Canady said.
   "Well Mr.  Canady, the sheriff and I were making our rounds and had just
left the livery stable and was walking back toward the middle of town.
   "We'd already had some trouble with a gun hand as he was about to draw
down on a farmer without a gun.  The sheriff told the man not to draw and
he got smart with the sheriff.  I got around where I could face him and
asked him to come on down to the office so we could settle all this.  He
got ugly with his words and faced me.  I asked him one more time not to die
this way.  He drew anyway and I killed him."
   "The sheriff and I were both still jumpy when we left the stable and I
had just told him that I had this feeling there was more to come.  About
that time, somebody called out for the sheriff to watch out behind him.  I
shoved the sheriff to the ground and turned as I went to my knees.  It was
barely light to see, but I saw the man as he fired his handgun, the bullet
went right by my head and I shot him in the shoulder.  He kept coming and I
killed him.  I didn't know who it was, but I had a sick feeling even before
I turned him over."
   "I knew you never meant to kill him Tom, I just wanted you to tell me in
your words.  I talked to the men that were with him and they all told me
that Roller was itching for a fight and that he kept bad mouthing you.  The
last man with him said Roller told him he was gonna go out in the alley and
he'd be right back.  He said the next thing he knew there was gunfire and
when he went out you had killed Roller.  He said there were witnesses that
Roller had drawn his gun at the back of you and the sheriff.  My hired hand
told me you had no choice.
   "Tom, I want to tell you with Beth as my witness, you're my friend and
you're a friend of my family, you're welcome to come here anytime you want.
We all think you're a fine young man.  I want us to put all of this behind
us now and think of better things.  My friends will be getting the letters
I sent, and they'll be here by the middle of the week to accept my
challenge.  They'll bring the fastest horses this side of St.  Louis, I
hope you and I can have some fun with them."
   "Thank you Sir, and thank you Paleface.  A man needs to know he has
friends like you folks.  I'm ready when you are Mr.  Canady and my horse
needs some exercise too," Tom looked from one to the other and smiled.
   "Ride with us back up to where my men are fencing Tom, then Beth can
ride back to the headquarters with you if you like."
   "Yes Sir," Tom smiled and looked at Beth.
   The three rode along at a slow walk of their horses talking about how
they would handle the races when Canady's friends came here.
   Three coyote's ran across in front of them about thirty yards out, Beth
grabbed her rifle and stopped her horse to take a shot.  The three coyote's
were loping along until the .44 slug kicked up dirt right behind them.
   "You want me to get them for you?" Tom asked.
   "Just how would you do that Injun?"
   Tom swung his Henry out of his scabbard and up to his shoulder, the
coyote's were running all out and moving away at an angle from left to
right.  He took aim and led the first one, then fired.  He jacked another
cartridge and fired again.  The second time he fired, the first coyote fell
in a tumbling tangle of legs and tail.  Tom fired again and the second one
fell, then after a few more steps, the third one fell.
   "Damn," Beth said, then looked at her daddy.  "Uh, sorry daddy that just
slipped."
   "I was thinking the same thing, that was some shooting Tom.  You shoot
as well as you ride young man, you've been taught well."
   Tom and Beth were riding side by side in a slow walk back to the
headquarters, they were laughing and going over again, the day at the creek
when they met.
   "Injun tell me how you hit those three coyote's back there, I never can
hit them when they get that far out."
   "Well Paleface, first of all you got to hold your spit for a few minutes
before you shoot, you can't just spit then shoot right away," Tom grinned.
   "Now who's puttin' on a show?"
   "I'll tell you but don't go givin' my secret away.  It's an old Sioux
trick and it works every time."
   "Is it for real or are you just makin' up more of your palaver?"
   "Paleface, you have to draw a bead where the coyote will be when the
bullet gets there, not where he is when you shoot."
   "Injun that sounds like some more of your mouthin' off to me."
   "Just think for a minute Paleface, if you shoot where he is now, you'll
hit where he is now, only he won't be there when the bullet gets there."
   "Now I see what you're saying, shoot in front of him so he will get
there when the bullet does"
   "Yep now you got it, line up and give him a little lead with your rifle,
the farther away he is the more you have to lead.
   "You gotta remember too that your rifle is only gonna shoot so far.  If
he's way out from you, you'll have to raise your barrel up so you don't hit
the ground short of where you are shooting."
   "I think I'll need to practice this new shooting you're telling me
about."
   "Try it a few times, after you get the hang of it you'll be thinning out
the coyote population on the ranch without gettin' all muddy."
   When Dale Canady rode back to where his fencing crew was working, his
top hand walked out a ways and met him.
   "Mr.  Canady I need to ride over there and talk with the deputy for a
bit if it's alright with you, its about the other night in town."
   "All of that's been squared between Tom and me.  No need in stirring it
again Ernie,"
   "Mr.  Canady I really need to talk with him, I know some stuff that
might set him more at ease about the things that led up to the shootin'."
   "Ride on out and catch them Ernie, and get on back soon."
   "Yes Sir Mr.  Canady and I sure do thank you."
   Ernie jumped his horse and took off after Beth and Tom, he could still
see them so he knew he wouldn't be long in overtaking them.
   Tom and his horse heard the rider coming hard before Beth did and he
turned to see who was riding so fast at them.
   Ernie rode right to Tom and asked to speak to him alone.
   "You can talk in front of Miss Beth wrangler, what's this about."
   "Deputy, I need to tell you some things that happened before you shot
Roller, I need to get it off my chest if you'll hear me out."
   "I'm listening."
   "My name is Ernie and I been with Mr.  Canady for over a year now and I
sure like it here.  Roller has been ridin' all of us hard, and me special
hard now for about a month or more.  I took it cause I need this job and I
like it here on the Canady spread.  Well when you came here the other day
to breed your stud to Mr.  Canady's mares, Roller really got riled about it
and started takin' it out on me and the other wranglers.  I thought up a
way to get back at Roller without me being involved.  Now I feel bad that
it happened the way it did cause he got killed.
   "What I did, didn't get him killed but it may have saved your life now
that I think back on it.  You see, it was me that stuck the hay fork in
your bedroll and spit my `backer juice on it.  I knew you wasn't in it, I
checked.  I did that to set him up with you, thinking you'd just dust his
hide for him and settle him down a bit.  When you left that day and no one
knew about it, I was wondering what was gonna happen now.  Then Roller
caused a ruckus when Mr.  Canady was payin' us off, just like he did the
day you took your bath in the tank.
   "On the way to town that night, Roller was madder'n a hornet.  He was
talking about pistol whipping you and taking you down a notch since you
were just a uppity injun.  Me and the other boys tried to settle him down
some, but when he started getting' a belly full of whiskey, he got more
riled up than ever."
   "We all just shy'd away from'im thinking he would cool off.  I was
sitting there when Roller said he was gonna go piss, sorry Miss Elizabeth,
when he said he was gonna go out in the alley.  I sat there for a bit then
I walked out, I knew he didn't sound right when he left the table, it was
me that hollered at the sheriff to look out behind him.  Roller already had
his gun in his hand when I hollered, and if you hadn't been as fast as you
was, he would've killed you both.  I rode out that night and before I got
back to the spread, I knew I couldn't live with what I did without tellin'
you."
   "You spit tobacco juice on him when you rode by didn't you Ernie?"
   "Yup, I did deputy, I almost let that man kill two people and when I
rode by him laying there in the street it just come natural to spit on
him."
   "Ernie, I want to thank you for setting the story straight, you're a
good man and I hope you make a go of it here with Mr.  Canady.  I'll tell
the sheriff but I don't see that you did anything that caused Roller to
hate anymore than he already did, he didn't know you had baited my bedroll
against him.  You ride on back, I'm sure that Miss Beth will talk in your
favor to her dad.  He's a fair man and I'm sure you'll have a job."
   "Thanks deputy for hearing me out and for not holding a grudge."
   "Just mind what you do from now on, you never know what may come back to
slap your face."
   "Thanks again deputy.  Ma'am," Ernie said as he turned to ride back to
the fencing crew.
   "That sure was a strange end to an already strange story wasn't it?"
Beth said.
   "Sure was Paleface, I think you ought to put in some good words for
Ernie, since you heard all he said.  He was just trying to get a man to let
up on ridin' down so hard on the crew and it got all tangled up on him."
   "I will Injun.  If you think good of him, then I know he's a good man.
Now, we don't have much time before we get to the ranch headquarters and I
know you'll be leaving here soon.  I just want to know if I'll see you
again before you leave and will I ever see you after you go away?" Beth
said, after she screwed up the courage to ask.
   "Well, I figure to be leaving Sunday about noon, so that gives us almost
a week.  I'd like to see you again but I didn't ask Mr.  Canady if it was
alright with him."
   "I'll handle my daddy, you just get your rusty injun ass back out to
call on me.  Don't make me hunt you down Injun," Beth said without a smile.
   "Then I reckon I'll be back, maybe you'd go to church with me before I
leave Sunday?"
   "Damn it Injun, you seem to always come up with something to make me
like you more.  What about between now and then, will I see you before
Sunday?"
   "Well unless you run off and hide I'll see you on Wednesday.  But then
it would be me huntin' you down."
   "When you come back this week, will I dress for courting or for riding?"
   "Since I don't have permission to come courtin', you better dress for
ridin' and then dress up real nice and I'll come out and get you early
Sunday for church, that is if you got a buggy we can use."
   "Injun, we got a buggy and I know a long way home too." Beth stopped her
horse and Tom's horse stopped with hers.  Beth leaned way over and kissed
Tom on the cheek.  `I'm gonna marry this Injun one day if he'll have a
Paleface like me for a wife.' she thought to herself.
   "First time in my life I been kissed by a girl."
   "Well I hope you've never been kissed by a boy."
   "NO, but I been kissed by my mom and my horse."
   "Injun, you got me so messed up inside it will take me a lifetime to
untangle the knots in my stomach."
   "Paleface, I got a lot of places I want to see, and I gotta lot of
things I got to do.  I hope you understand what I'm trying to say.  I just
ain't ready to settle down right now.  If I was, you can bet I'd never
leave you.  I got some things hanging over me that I can't even sort out
right now by myself, I need time.  If you'll give me some time, I'll be
back.  I know that's not fair to you, you're seventeen years old and you
want to be in love and be married.  My mom told me all about what girls
like.  If you ever feel like you don't want to wait any more or you find
someone that makes you want to go a different path, then I'll wish you
good."
   "I'll wait for you, as long as I know you'll be back.  Now I want to
know what all your mom told you about what girls like."
   "It was kind of personal and I can't talk about it in front of Paleface
girls," Tom smiled.
   "Injun, one of these days your ass will be mine and I'll show you what
gettin' personal is all about."
   Tom rode on back to town after he and Beth said goodbye at the barn.  He
went directly to the saloon and found Sheriff Keyes.  When he had told all
the story that Ernie had related to him, the sheriff agreed with Tom that
Ernie had done nothing to make Roller act the way he did.
   On Tuesday, late in the evening Ernie rode into town to tell Tom that
Mr. Canady's friends from Omaha were there and they said the men from
Lincoln would be here later on.  Mr.  Canady wanted Tom to come out early
on Wednesday and show the men the big stud horse and get a few wagers up.
   "Tell Mr.  Canady I'll be there about mid morning and we can start
anytime they're ready."
   "Sure will deputy, see you there tomorrow.  Me and the rest of the boys
got some money scraped up we want to put on yer horse, if Mr.  Canady will
let us."
   "I'm sure he will Ernie, he's a fair man."
   The next morning Tom had eaten breakfast and was in the barn gettin'
ready to saddle up and head out to the Canady spread.  He looked up to see
Sheriff Keyes, Mayor Dean, Mr.  Miller, Mr.  Clifton and Bud the barkeep
walking in the door.
   "Morning to all of you," Tom said.
   They all spoke and Sheriff Keyes told Tom that all of them wanted to
ride along out to the Canady spread with him.
   "We got us a good amount of money that we want to place on your horse if
the men from Omaha can cover the bet."
   "Well Mr.  Canady said they had good money, we'll see."
   Sheriff Keyes saddled his horse and Ol' Langley got Mr.  Clifton's big
buggy out and hitched his buggy horse to it.
   The Mayor, Bud, Mr.  Miller and Mr.  Clifton all rode out in the buggy
to see the races.  The Canady horse ranch was in a flurry as all the pure
bred horses were brought out and washed then rubbed down good.  Tom rode in
with the sheriff by his side and the buggy full of the business men from
town.  Dale Canady met the town folks and welcomed them to his ranch.
   "I sure am glad you folks rode out here, I was afraid I wouldn't have
enough money on hand to cover all the bets that we have from the breeders
down south."
   "I'm sure all of us together can cover any and all bets Mr.  Canady,"
Mr. Clifton the banker said with a smile.
   "Tom they brought six horses in all, they got this fancy wagon that they
haul their horses in, pulled by a six horse hitch of fancy draft horses."
   "How're they gonna run the races Mr.  Canady?  All at once or one at a
time?"
   "Tom, I don't know if your horse can run six races, can he?  We may need
to run two races with three of theirs in a race."
   "How ever you want to do it is fine with me, my horse can run six miles
just as easy as he can run one."
   "Tom are you sure, that's a lot of all out running."
   "Tell them to pick out the two fastest horses they have and hold them
back.  We'll run the other four one on one.  Then we'll run one more race
with the other two and my horse."
   "Tom, I guess you know this will make them want to beat you all the
more."
   "Well, then we should make some good money between all of us."
   Mr.  Canady turned to the sheriff and the mayor and told them to take
Mr. Clifton and the others over to the house if they wanted.
   "We just as soon stay close by and see all the action and all the talk."
Mayor Dean told him and all the others nodded agreement.
   After much to do about the pure bred racing horses, they finally brought
them out to the corral behind the barn and the handlers put the stingy
little saddles on them.  There were three little men that wore big legged
breeches and shiny boots that were gonna ride the horses.  Tom looked them
over and figured neither of them would weigh over a hundred and fifty
pounds.  Tom walked around to the back of the barn followed by his horse
and all the men from town.  He took his Henry out of the scabbard and
handed it to Runt, then he raised the skirts on his saddle on each side and
unlaced the strap that held his stirrups on.
   "Tom what are you doing all that for, you never did when you ran Mr. 
Canady's filly?" Runt asked.
   "More for their benefit than mine, I want it to look like I'm lightenin'
my load."
   The horse breeders from the south were all ready and had decided how
they wanted to run their horses.  The handlers brought out a long legged
colt that looked to be close to three years old.  One of the handlers
hoisted the small rider up on his back and the man sat there like a frog.
His stirrups were pulled up so tight on his back he was having to squat
down on the horses back.
   The races for the day were ready to begin.  Tom swung to the back of his
big horse and he could tell his horse was ready.  Tom could feel him
wanting to run.  Runt was once again picked as the starter and walked out
to stand in front of the riders with his flag held high and tight to his
stick.  Everyone was standing out to the side, some of the men had spotting
scopes and all of them were still taking on bets from anyone who wanted to
place them.
   Tom leaned up on the neck of his horse and patted him.  Then said
softly, `IYAGKE IWASTE GLA'.
   Runt dropped the flag and the horses were off, the long legged colt was
running hard but Tom knew he wasn't all out.  Tom had to put his knees to
his horse to keep him from running away from the colt.  When they were near
the turning pole, Tom let the colt take the lead and turn back, then he
nudged his horse to run beside him.  They ran like this over half way back
then Tom let his horse run when the rider started whipping the colt on the
rump.  Tom nudged his horse again and beat the colt to the gate by a
length.
   Runt came over and asked Tom what he had told his horse this time.
   "I told him to run easy." Runt just shook his head and grinned.
   Everyone was whooping and yelling, especially the ones in the crowd that
had bet on Tom.  The breeders from the south had a smug look on their
faces, this was what they wanted to see.  They had measured the injun's
horse now.
   The next young horse was brought out, another colt.  The same race was
ran by Tom and his horse, winning by a length.  Another round of whoops and
cheers from Tom's friends from town as well as the wranglers on the Canady
spread.  Tom looked around and saw the Canady sisters all placing bets with
the men also.  They were enjoying this.  They were all loading up on the
bets now.  The next two races were about the same and Tom won them both by
less than a length, coming in at the last to take the race each time.
   Now the big race of the day.  While the handlers and riders were all
getting the two fastest horses ready to run, all the town folks and the
wranglers were scrapping up all the money they had.  The breeders and their
men were taking all bets.  They knew the injun's big horse had just ran
four miles and the fastest horses in their part of the country were about
to blow him by.
   All the bets were down, everyone was standing as the horses were brought
to the line.  Runt stood there with a funny little smile as he looked them
over and dropped the flag.  The pure bred racers were off like a flash,
long legs stretching to grab more dirt, their heads leaning out in front of
their long strides.  Tom let his horse catch the other two and held him
there, then before they made the turn at the pole they were all dead even.
   The two purebreds took the turn tight and were in front by more than a
length.  Tom knew the riders were saving them for the sprint home and
yelled `IYAYA' and slapped his horse on the neck.  They were off and
running, his horse was all out as he passed the two colts.  The riders were
frantically whipping the young horses in an effort to keep up with the big
Palomino stud.
   On this day, it was not to be, the pure bred horses were beaten by two
lengths by the big Palomino and the injun rider.  The breeders were good
losers and paid all bets, they were more interested in talking to the injun
and making offers for his horse that he couldn't turn down.  Tom smiled and
refused to even talk about selling his horse.
   "You'd do better talkin to him about sellin' me," Tom told them.
   Then the talk turned to breeding him to their mares in Omaha.  Tom
smiled and told them he'd be there within a week and would look them up.
   Runt was the first to meet Tom when his big horse slid to a stop and Tom
slid off easily to the ground.  Runt was grinning wide with his snaggled
teeth shining.
   The next to meet and greet Tom was Beth.  She threw her caution in the
dirt as she ran to leap into his arms.  Tom was embarrassed by this show in
front of her family and all the strangers.  He held her for a second then
with his hands on her waist he held her out in front of him and set her
back on her feet, both of them smiling, with Beth showing him her fistful
of money she'd won.
   Runt told Tom that he'd be glad to rub his horse down and take the
saddle off, if he'd let him.  Tom walked up to his horse, hugged his neck
and whispered in his ear.  Tom walked away as the big horse walked toward
the barn then turned, blowing through his nose and mouth, to see if Runt
was coming with him.  Runt just shook his head and grinned as he followed
the big horse in the barn.
   The Breeders were all staying the night with the Canady's and their men
were being put up in one of the bunkhouses.  The sheriff and the mayor said
their goodbye's and the town folks headed out, counting their money and
laughing at how easy they had all made hundreds of dollars in such a short
time.
   Beth wanted to get away from the crowd with Tom, she ran to her mother
and asked permission to ride across the ranch with Tom.  She told her
mother that Tom was taking her to church then leaving on Sunday, and she
wanted to spend time with him.
   Margaret Canady looked at her youngest daughter and smiled, "Beth follow
your heart Baby, all you can do is let him know how you feel, the rest is
up to him."
   Beth ran back to the barn and told Tom she was ready to ride and was
ready for them to be alone.  She was excited.
   Runt saddled the young filly that Beth had ridden in her race against
Tom the other day.  She and Tom rode out to the south with Runt standing in
the door of the barn grinning his approval.  He really liked this tall
injun.  Tom and Beth rode in silence for a ways then she asked if he'd like
to go back to the creek once more before he had to leave.
   "I'd like that, back where we first met, but let's keep it in the sand
today, that mud smells bad."
   They laughed and rode slow and easy side by side as they enjoyed the
feeling of being alone.  At the creek, Tom slipped the saddles off the
horses and let them graze in the green grass near the creek.  Beth and Tom
walked to the water and she kicked her boots off to wade in the cool water.
   "Lets go for a swim Tom, want to?"
   "Beth we can't do that, we're not man and wife and your daddy would kill
me if he knew."
   "We can too do it, mother told me to follow my heart.  I know we can't
lie together as man and wife, but I want you to hold me to your body and
let me know what it feels like.  I'll be here alone waiting for your return
one day and I want to know this feeling now."
   "I'm not sure of this, but you've taken over my thoughts and made such a
mess of my mind, I can't reason.  Turn your back and I'll get in the water.
You can undress and I'll not look at your body," Tom told her.
   Beth turned her back and in a flash Tom was naked and walking waist deep
into the creek.  He turned his back and Beth slipped her riding breeches
off her slim hips and shucked her blouse.  She threw them to the sand and
ran to jump in the water next to Tom.  She grabbed him and hugged her body
to his, she wrapped her long legs around his waist and her arms around his
neck and kissed him on the lips.  Beth and Tom were in love and their young
bodies were on fire as they stood in the cool waters of the creek.
   Tom broke from the kiss and looked into Beth's eyes.
   "We gotta stop now Paleface, this is not the way I want it to be with
us. I want more from you than this.  I can't tell you all that's in my
heart and I can't make you feel what I feel, but you got to trust me."
   "I know Tom, but I want to hold your body to mine and feel the feelings
of a woman.  I want to know you as a man, my man.  I know there's something
about you that you haven't told me.  I respect your private feelings and
thoughts.  I just want to know more about you as a man and what you want
for the future."
   "Look into my eyes Beth, look deep into me and see my mind.  See what I
see, see my world as I see it.  Look deep and see my soul."
   Beth looked into his eyes, she was overwhelmed by the passion and the
emotions she felt as she looked deep into this man's eyes.  Beth felt as if
they were swirling in the water and it was spinning them up and out above
the surface, up higher and higher she swirled still held by Tom's strong
arms around her waist.  Beth looked deep into his eyes and she felt safe
with him as they were now above the clouds as they kept spinning and
spinning.
   She heard his voice, "Look down Beth, look down at the plains below, see
the earth as the birds see it.  See the earth as the eagles see it.  Come
with me to a land that will one day be our home.  Come with me, I'll show
you where our destiny waits."
   Beth's head felt light and her eyes blurred as they raced across the
sky. She was floating, now she was flying.  Beth was flying as her wings
spread and the air currents pushed her up higher.
   She leaned her head to look down and she saw the rolling hills and the
endless prairie below.  She saw hundreds of Indian teepees spread out near
a creek below.
   She held Tom tight to her body and felt herself become one with him as
he took her to a land where only eagles fly.  She looked again and they
were over rock cliffs and the wind currents were strong.  The wind lifted
them up as if they weighed nothing, then let them drift and soar with the
fast moving currents of air.
   She held tight as she felt Tom take them into a dive, her heart was
pounding in her chest and it felt as if it would leap right up into her
throat.  The earth was coming at them in a rush, she could see the colors
of the flowers, the slopes of the hills where the green grass was so thick
and lush.
   She saw the wild horses and the small buffalo herds, she saw a creek
running through the hills.  She saw the water rippling as it flowed over
the rocks in the creek bed, rushing to somewhere unknown as fast as it
could.  Rushing to meet its destiny somewhere in a river that flowed into
endless rivers.  Beth felt the thrill and the rush of blood as they swooped
up and back into the air currents once more.  She looked down and saw a
young Indian girl place a woven basket in the swift moving waters of the
creek below.
   She felt the need to look closer at the basket, something was compelling
her eyes to look at the small furry animal inside.  Her eyes focused and
she saw a baby's hands reach up to her, she wanted to hold this baby, to
make it safe from harm.  As her heart went out to this baby, she held onto
Tom even tighter.  She willed herself to be closer to the baby, and they
swooped down to the waters surface, then Tom snatched the basket from the
water as the colors of the rainbow exploded in the spray that drifted back
to earth.
   Beth felt light headed again as they soared up higher and higher and
rose above the plains below.  She could now see rock cliffs in the distance
and she knew this was their destination.  This was their place.  As they
swooped in close to the rock cliffs Beth could feel Tom guide her to the
surface and set her gently down on the rocks.  He then placed the basket at
her feet and opened the fur to show her the baby boy inside.  Beth grabbed
him up and held him to her naked breasts.
   She screamed her joy to the heavens and looked over to see Tom smiling
with pride.  Tom carried Beth and the baby to a large nest and lay them
down beside each other, she nursed the baby from her breast and lay him
down to sleep.  Beth and Tom turned to one another and she cried in
happiness and joy as she gave herself to her man.  She had met her destiny.
   Tom carried Beth out of the water and sat down with the naked girl in
his arms, she had fainted as she had looked so deep in his eyes.  Tom had
felt it too, but he was used to the feeling, he knew where he was taking
her.  One day she too will know.
   Tom and Beth never spoke of the vision she had shared with him, it was
something that was to be only between the two of them forever.  They sat
naked on the sandy bank of the creek, she was sitting behind him with her
legs spread.  He sat with his back against her small breasts as she combed
his hair through her fingers.  Beth parted his long hair with her finger
nails and braided it back in the braids she loved on him so much.
   Beth reached around Tom and hugged his body to her.  This was to be her
man, and one day he would return to take her home with him.  She knew that
now, and she understood that he was being called to other places in the
plains just as he was called to be here.
   She moved around to sit on his legs, looking at his broad shoulders,
there across his chest was the shape of an eagle in flight.  Beth gasped as
she looked at this mark on his chest.  She wondered if they really had
flown across the plains to the prairie of The Dakotas.
   They walked into the creek again, this time neither of them tried to
cover up or hide.  They were comfortable being naked together.  Beth looked
at Tom's muscular chest, all across his upper chest, ending at his arms,
was perfect picture of an eagle, as it flew across the plains.  Where did
it come from, what did it mean.
   They rinsed the sand from their bodies and dressed again.  Beth looked
out to where their horses were and saw Tom's big stud mating with her
daddy's young mare, she felt weak in her belly.
   They rode in silence back to the ranch headquarters and Tom said his
goodbyes to her family, he turned to Beth and told her he would see her
Sunday morning.


   
  
The Man From Eagle Creek - Chapter - 14