“You are aware of the houses in Tombstone that men call cribs, are you not?” Lone Wing said guardedly, afraid that his uncle would scold him once he heard the entire story.
But he felt he had no choice but to tell the whole truth. It was a way to prove that Jessie was not lying.
“Ho, all are aware of those evil places,” Thunder Horse said, taken aback that his young nephew should know of such things.
“The girl-woman lives in one of those houses,” Lone Wing said. He saw his uncle’s eyes narrowing, which meant that he was fighting back anger.
But Lone Wing had begun this. He had to finish it.
“And she is not white, chieftain uncle,” he said. “She is Chinese.”
“Lone Wing, I know of those women. They are owned by whites. Are you saying that this Chinese girl-woman is owned by Reginald Vineyard?”
Lone Wing nodded, then said, “She and other women are owned by that evil man, and forced to display themselves in those windows of the cribs. Men watch and choose which one they wish to be with, then pay for some time alone with the woman. This man, who pretends with whites to be godly, is a man who owns women in order to make money with them.”
Thunder Horse was not really surprised to discover that Reginald Vineyard was involved in such immoral practices. He had already proved to be a man who was evil through and through.
But it stunned him to know that his young nephew had mingled with whites and gazed at the women who stood in the windows of the cribs begging for men’s money.
“Why did this girl-woman trust you so much that she told you things that could get her in trouble?” Thunder Horse asked.
“She felt safe confiding in me because I am Indian, a people who are also mistreated by wasichus,” Lone Wing said softly. “I could tell that she was happy to have me to talk with . . . to confide in.”
He swallowed hard and lowered his eyes, then met Thunder Horse’s gaze again. “And who could not look at Lee-Lee? She is so pretty. She is a sweet, soft-spoken person,” he said, his voice breaking. “I . . . I . . . explained to her my own feelings about Reginald Vineyard and how that man had wronged our Sioux people. A sudden bond was made between me and Lee-Lee that day. I hope that somehow we can release her from that place she hates.”
He paused, then said, “Surely Lee-Lee’s need to escape is the true reason she confided in me. But now it has gone much farther than that. I care. She cares. And she is being terribly wronged by that man, as I am certain Jessie was also wronged.”
“And now I have wronged Jessie, too,” Thunder Horse said thickly.
He kneaded his brow as he gazed into the fire. Then he looked over at Lone Wing.
“Nephew, you risked much by talking to the girl-woman called Lee-Lee,” he said sternly. “If Reginald Vineyard had come and seen you with Lee-Lee, it could only have brought trouble to our people.”
“I will be more careful, but please, for now, reconsider your decision to send the white woman away,” Lone Wing pleaded. “Surely Reginald will find her wandering alone and place her in a crib, for he is the sort who would impose terrible punishments on those who cross him. Chieftain uncle, I truly believe that Jessie was telling you the truth about fleeing that man’s house, and why.”
“My nephew, you speak with the voice of a man today. Yes, I will go for Jessie,” Thunder Horse said, rising to his feet. “I will bring her back, but much care must be made to keep Reginald Vineyard from finding out. Also, we must make certain that no white eyes learn she is here. I have promised the white chief in Washington that there will be peace between our people and the white community in exchange for allowing our Fox band to remain in this village until the day of my father’s interment. I do not go back on my promises.”
“What about beautiful, sweet Lee-Lee?” Lone Wing blurted out as he stood beside his uncle.
Thunder Horse placed a gentle hand on his nephew’s bare shoulder. “I do not know what to think about your insistence on saving this Chinese girl-woman, nor your recklessness in meeting and speaking with her. You have a planned future among our people,” he said sternly. “Your future is mapped out for you. There is no place for this girl-woman in it.”
Yet even as Thunder Horse spoke, he wondered if it was truly recklessness on his nephew’s part. Was not pure kindness behind everything Lone Wing did? Was not that the sort of young brave that Thunder Horse had trained him to be?
“Nephew, we must work out one problem at a time,” Thunder Horse said, lowering his hand to his side. “For now, the white woman is in more peril than the Chinese. Hopefully, in time, we can find a way to help Lee-Lee, too.”
Lone Wing gave Thunder Horse a hard embrace, then stepped away from him and gazed up into his eyes. “Chieftain uncle, may I go with you today as you go for the woman?” he asked, his eyes pleading.
“Lone Wing, you have much to study today in order to prepare yourself to be our people’s Historian,” he said. He nodded toward the entrance flap. “Go. Do your duties. I shall do mine.”
Lone Wing nodded, then walked from the tepee with his uncle. He went with Thunder Horse to his corral as he led his horse from it, then watched Thunder Horse ride away at a hard gallop.
He smiled, for he knew that he had accomplished much today. Someday, Lee-Lee would be a part of his people’s lives, for he would not give up on finding a way to bring her to his people’s village.
Although he was a young brave, he had the ideals and thoughts of a warrior . . . of a man.
He also had the feelings of a man for beautiful, sweet Lee-Lee!
Chapter Fifteen