Wild Thunder

have set fire to his friend’s lodge.

No, he could no longer condemn Strong Wolf for having taken the law into his own hands, by burning the one outbuilding at Jeremiah Bryant’s ranch or setting the horses free. The horses had been rounded up. Not one had been lost to Jeremiah except for those who had been killed during the raid on Strong Wolf and his warriors.

Yet Jeremiah would not set aside his anger for Strong Wolf having done what he did to the bunkhouse.

But that didn’t mean that Patrick had to keep Strong Wolf locked up like a common, ordinary thief. Everything that Hannah had said now hit him like a cold splash of water in the face. Too many things came to mind: his times with Strong Wolf, their camaraderie, Strong Wolf’s utter kindness toward mankind.

“I’ve been wrong,” he said, placing the articles back inside the bag.

Hannah’s heart skipped a beat. She was almost afraid to breathe, fearing that her next breath and heartbeat would turn the colonel back to being stubborn, whereas she had heard him just say that he had been wrong!

She gave Proud Heart a flickering smile, then turned eager eyes back to Patrick and waited to see what he might say next. She crossed her fingers behind her, hoping that he would say all of the right things.

“Yes, I’ve been wrong about a lot of things in my lifetime,” he acknowledged, handing the bag back toward Hannah.

Her fingers trembled as she took it.

“And, by damn, I was wrong to arrest Strong Wolf,” he admitted, moving quickly up from his chair. “The good he has done outweighs the bad.” He gazed at the braves’ scars and swallowed hard. “It is with much regret that I couldn’t have stopped that from happening to those braves.”

He gazed over at Hannah, apology in his eyes. “But I can’t be everywhere all of the time, watching those white men who still see Indians as savages and something to mock and sometimes . . . kill . . .” he stammered. He walked from behind his desk. He stood before Hannah. “Come with me. Let us set Strong Wolf free.”

Tears of joy, of gratitude, splashed into Hannah’s eyes. She wanted to fling herself into Patrick’s arms, but refrained from doing it. She would never forget that he had made Strong Wolf stay one whole night behind bars. That was a sin in itself.

“Thank you,” she uttered, swallowing hard.

Proud Heart came to her and hugged her, then they followed the colonel from his cabin.

The Potawatomis warriors following behind, they all walked across the sun-drenched courtyard until they reached the guardhouse.

Only Hannah and Proud Heart were allowed inside the guardhouse. And when Hannah saw Strong Wolf behind the bars, clutching them, everything within her felt that deep hurting pain of remorse over him having been treated so badly.

She ran to the bars and twined her fingers through his. “Darling,” she whispered, their eyes touching, as though they were a caress. “I’m so sorry. I wish I had known last night. I . . . would . . . have come then.”

Proud Heart stepped up to the cell. “My friend, you are to be released,” he announced, reaching through the bars to grasp a friendly hand onto Strong Wolf’s shoulder. “And you have Hannah to thank. Her words have set you free.”

Strong Wolf gazed still into Hannah’s eyes. “My woman spoke in my behalf?” he marveled.

“I said what I felt,” Hannah said, tears streaming down her cheeks. “I told the truth. Patrick listened. But he had forgotten for a while that he was a friend.”

“And so let’s get it done,” Patrick said as he stepped up beside Hannah with a thick ring of keys.

Hannah stepped aside and watched Patrick place the key in the lock, her pulse anxiously racing for the moment that Strong Wolf could step from behind those bars. She felt proud and relieved that she had been able to talk sense into the colonel. If she hadn’t been able to, some judge could have set down a sentencing of hanging.

Now no judge would be required. Colonel Deshong had become judge and jury the moment he had placed the key into the lock that would release Strong Wolf to freedom.

The door creaked open. Strong Wolf stepped from the cell and grabbed Hannah into his arms. He held her close, his heart hammering like claps of thunder within his chest. “Thank you,” he whispered as he placed his lips against Hannah’s ear. “My woman, I will never forget what you did today. Never.”

“Patrick could have ignored me,” Hannah said, stepping softly away from him as he embraced Proud Heart long and hard.

Hannah turned smiling eyes over at Colonel Deshong. “Thank you. I’ll be forever grateful.”

Patrick nodded, then went to Strong Wolf and reached out a hand of friendship. “I apologize for having wrongly incarcerated you,” he professed. “Can we place it behind us and move forward into a future of newfound trusts and friendships?”

Strong Wolf’s spine stiffened, then he slowly reached his hand out and clasped his fingers around the colonel’s hand. “Trust and friendship,” he said, seeing a sudden relief rush into Patrick’s eyes.

“From today forth, never again shall I be so quick to judge any one,” Patrick declared. “I am truly sorry, Strong Wolf.”

“I have one request,” Strong Wolf said, easing his hand to his side.