Swift Horse

Then he grabbed all of the torches from the cave walls and pitched them into the water too.

He turned and gazed behind him at the darkness, laughing at how clever he was to have destroyed all evidence against him, then walked from the cave and made his way across the tiny, slippery ledge.

He hurried to his horse and, laughing into the wind, rode away, his thoughts already on how he would end the woman’s life. And if he discovered that Swift Horse had finally believed her about his being the guilty party, he would have no choice but to also take Swift Horse’s life—and anyone else who pointed an accusing finger at Chief One Eye.

He was too clever for them all.

He started to make a sharp right turn to head in the direction of his village, hoping to avoid everyone until his new scar was invisible, but drew a quick, tight rein when he saw someone at the river, fishing.

“The black man called Abraham,” he said, his lips lifting into a wicked grin.

He sank his heels into the flanks of his steed and rode toward him, stopping when Abraham turned and saw him there. He could tell that Abraham was uneasy from seeing him and wondered if he knew the doubts others had about the sort of person he was.

“Abraham, my friend,” One Eye said, dismounting.

Abraham took an unsteady step away from One Eye, then tripped.

One Eye stood menacingly over him, his one eye filled with pure evil as he stared down at him.

Chapter 33

Beauty is but a vain and doubtful good;

A shining gloss that vadeth suddenly;

A flower that dies when first it ’gins to bud. . . .

—William Shakespeare

Just before reaching their village, Swift Horse looked quickly toward the river. He just now remembered having promised Abraham that he would go fishing with him today. Abraham had voiced his love of catfish.

Since Abraham deserved those special moments that freedom now allowed him, Swift Horse had decided never to let him down. And he had! With the dream so strong on his mind this morning, all else had been forgotten.

He turned to Marsha. “I must go and find Abraham and apologize to him,” he said, drawing a tight rein as his warriors rode onward without him. “I promised that I would go fishing with him today, but in the flurry of needing to get to the cave, I forgot. I had already given Abraham fishing gear, and we were supposed to meet at the river after the morning meal.”

“Do you think he’s there even now waiting on you?” Marsha asked, gazing toward the river but seeing no one there. “I don’t see him.”

“I will ride on down to the river and see if I find him,” Swift Horse answered. “Maybe he is searching even now for a better place to fish.”

“I’ll go with you,” Marsha volunteered. She smiled at Swift Horse. “I’m not quite ready to leave you yet, for I know that when you get home, you will go into council with your warriors.”

“Yes, we must discuss what we will do next if One Eye doesn’t come for the trunk,” Swift Horse said solemnly.

“It is so good to hear you speak so,” Marsha said. “I thought you would never believe that he is the one guilty of these terrible crimes.”

“I still want him to step into a trap of his own doing rather than my going to and accusing him in front of his people,” Swift Horse said, his voice drawn. “His people do not deserve a leader such as he. Some will even find it hard to believe, as I have.”

He turned with a start when Sharp Nose’s son, Four Leaves, came running toward him, carrying a fishing pole.

“I was walking beside the river and found this, and there is fishing equipment spilled where I found it,” Four Leaves said, holding the pole out before him. “My chief, is this pole not yours?”

Swift Horse’s heart skipped a beat when he saw that it was the one that he had given to Abraham.

“Yes, this is mine,” he said, then looked past Four, Leaves. “Take me to where you found it. Did you not see Abraham near where you found it? And you said that you found spilled fishing equipment?”

“I have not seen Abraham at all this morning,” Four Leaves said, shrugging. He pointed to the place where he had found the pole and the equipment, then looked up at Swift Horse again. “Over there. That is where I found the pole. That is where I saw the equipment.”

Swift Horse sank his heels into the flanks of his steed and rode hard toward the river, Marsha close behind him. When they came to where Swift Horse assumed Abraham had been, Swift Horse leaped from his horse, bent to a knee, and studied the footprints in the sand.