Chapter Thirty-Six

As expected, a shot had been fired after which the soldiers were quickly subdued with no more gunshots. Two arrows took down the man who fired. It was not the Washoe's intention to kill, only to weaken. The arrows when into the man's arm and thigh. After that an arrow was in the face of each of the remaining soldiers.

When the Washoe arrived with their prisoners in the encampment, Micah had already pulled Billy's blanket from his saddlebag. If Cheron was anywhere close, she would see it.

Their chief, Chu'o, motioned for two of his braves to take hold of the horses while two others forced Adam and Micah to their knees. "Why have you come here?"

Adam looked warily at Micah before he addressed the chief. "A long time ago my father, Ben Cartwright, gave your people refuge on our land. Now I have come in friendship; that which we shared long ago. We seek Cheron."

Adam and Micah both noticed the turn of the chief's head, his eyes looking somewhere behind them.

"And what of these men?" the chief said, indicating the soldiers.

"We did not come with them," explained Adam. "They stopped us where you found them."

"Cher'on!" the chief called out.

In another moment, a tall, slender woman with a distinguished bearing glided into the center of the village and stood next to the chief, her posture straight, shoulders back, chin slightly raised. She now saw the blanket, and a faint frown and furrow appeared only briefly. She regained her composure and stood silently.

Speaking quietly, the chief asked, "Do you know these white men?"

Closing her eyes, she swallowed. "I know the one with the blanket, Chu'o; my son's blanket. He would only be here because something has happened to my son."

"You have not spoken of your son since we left the village by the lake. Why do you fear for him now?"

She turned swiftly, looking into the chief's eyes, straining to maintain her composure. "He is my son. I left him with people who would take care of him because I could not."

Micah slowly stood, forcing himself up against the hands that were pushing him down. "Cheron, Shiloh sent us with this," he said, holding out the blanket, "so you would know we speak the truth. She wishes to see you."

"Then why is she not here?"

"She is…unable to travel."

"And what of this man who says he is Ben Cartwright's son?" asked Chu'o.

"He is Shiloh's husband. She carries his child. That is why she couldn't come."

When Adam tried to stand, an arrow was pushed against the skin of his neck. The chief nodded, and the brave holding the arrow stepped away, allowing Adam to rise. "Cheron, Shiloh believes she should be the one to tell you what you already know. We're prepared to leave your people in peace. Shiloh requests that you come to the Ponderosa."

Looking now into Adam's eyes, Cheron couldn't hold back the tear that escaped. "His body is there?"

"Yes. With Shiloh."

She held her head high and looked beyond them, addressing the chief. "I will speak to these men."

Chu'o's nostrils flared and a deep, angry frown appeared on his face. He jerked his arm toward his men, and then pointed to Adam and Micah. "Tie them." Looking back at Cheron, he jerked his head toward a wiki-up. She followed him obediently and both disappeared through the opening of the lodge.

Once their hands were tied behind their back, Adam and Micah were once again shoved to the ground. Adam tilted his head toward Micah. "Have we gotten Cheron exiled?" Micah shrugged. He didn't see the man standing next to him draw his arm back and punch Adam in the face.

"You will not speak!"

Feeling blood trickle down his cheek, Adam furrowed his brow and glared up at the man who glared back and walked away.

"Cartwright!"

Adam closed his eyes and sighed when he heard the yelled whisper.

The Indian who had dealt Adam a blow, turned back and approached the Lieutenant, drawing his knife out of the sheath at his waist and kneeling behind the officer. "You are without sight, white man?" Moving the blade of the knife against the Lieutenant's neck, he slowly pressed the edge into the skin until blood dripped down. The officer closed his eyes and bit his lip. "Cartwright. You defend these murderers?"

"If he wanted to kill you, you and all of your men would be dead." The Indian quickly stood up and went back to Adam, pulling him up to his feet. He stood so close, glaring into Adam's eyes that Adam could feel the brave's breath in his face. "Your chief won't be happy," said Adam, holding the man's gaze without flinching.

"Do'a!"

The Indian slightly backed away at the sound of the chief's voice. "Bring them."

After pushing Adam toward the wiki-up, he jerked Micah to his feet and pushed him as well, causing Micah to stumble to his knees. Adam spun around ready to defend him, even with his hands bound behind his back.

"Do'a!" said Cheron sharply. "You will not harm these men."

Micah pushed himself up and followed Adam into the wiki-up. The chief looked in one last time before he stormed away.

"I have food and drink for you," said Cheron as she untied them. "Please sit with me at the fire and share a meal."

Silence reigned while Cheron prepared three bowls of sliced meat, cut roots and tubers and the leaves of numerous plants that had been cooking over the fire. She passed bowls to Adam and Micah and took one for herself. Micah and Cheron spoke while Adam sat quietly, listening. "How is your father?"

"He died almost two years ago. Shiloh was away at school…back east. She came home to take over the ranch."

"What of you?"

"I was dead."

Cheron stopped eating and raised her eyebrows.

"I hadn't been at home since Shiloh was nine. I left, and she was told I was dead. I live at the ranch now. Shiloh lives on the Ponderosa."

Turning to Adam, Cheron said, "I remember you. You are the eldest of Ben Cartwright's sons. You left also."

Adam had been enjoying the meal Cheron had prepared, but he noticed the light fading through the opening of the wiki-up, and a sudden urgency consumed him. "Cheron, can I tell Shiloh you'll come?"

"It will be difficult to leave. I am medicine woman to my people. And I am wife of Chu'o. There are not many who remember why I left. Chu'o does." She placed her bowl next to the fire, looking toward the opening. "I have a son and daughter. You have met Do'a, my son."

Raising a finger to the cut just below his left eye, Adam snorted. "We've met."

"How is Shiloh?"

"She's happy," said Micah. "She'll have her child in the spring. She sings, and she trains horses like Dad did."

Cheron smiled as she looked almost absently into the fire. "She was not happy after her mother died. It is good that she learned many things. It is good that she carries on her father's work."

"Will you come?" asked Micah. "It's important to Shiloh to tell you about Billy."

Standing, Cheron looked ahead of her, unwilling or unable to say she would go. "If I am not there in four days time, I will not come."

Both men stood with her, Adam stepping toward the opening and looking out, and Micah facing Cheron. "What should we do about Billy?"

The face that had been almost expressionless slowly filled with pain, her mouth turned in a deep frown, her eyes growing dark under the deep lines of her brow. "Will you allow him to rest on your land…at the place of our cabin…next to his father? Will you give him the same burial?"

"Of course."

Adam had been watching as Do'a paced back and forth in front of the soldiers. "Cheron, once we're gone, what will happen to them?"

She joined Adam looking across the clearing where the soldiers sat on the ground shivering. We will show them our way of life. We will show them why we stay at the river. They are not the first to come. They will not be the last."

"And what if they don't listen?"

"Son of Ben Cartwright, my people wish to live in peace. If the soldiers leave peacefully, we will allow them to leave. If they fight, we will protect our home."

"Cheron, you must know that more will come…in greater numbers until there aren't enough of you left to fight."

Grasping his arm and squeezing, she looked into his eyes. "Would you do less to defend the Ponderosa?"

Adam smiled, dropping his gaze and nodding. He looked back up. "Probably not."

"Do'a," she called, leaning out of the wiki-up. "Bring their horses."

Before Micah stepped out of the wiki-up, he stopped. "Don't you want to know what happened?"

"If I come, I will know. If I do not come, I do not want the visions that will come if I do not send his spirit to the sky."

Micah nodded and left the wiki-up. As both men mounted and turned to leave, the Lieutenant shouted, "Cartwright, you're just leaving us here?"

Turning in his saddle with his hand resting on Sport's rump, Adam answered, "If you and your men behave yourselves, you'll be fine. You have a unique opportunity here, Lieutenant. I'd listen to what they have to say if I were you."