Chapter 3

The knock on Alkini's cabin door was soft but insistent. Thaddeus often knocked like that, careful not to draw attention to his arrival. Alkini opened the door and fell back as the visitor entered her cabin. Mingo caught her as she lost her balance, his free arm across her back to steady her. Alkini recovered and flung her arms around Mingo's neck, hugging him close as she buried her face against his shoulder. Tears spilled down her cheeks unheeded. He pushed her farther into the cabin as he leaned his gun against the door frame. Behind him Daniel and Tsiya entered the cabin and softly closed the door.

Mingo let Alkini cry for several minutes before he pulled away from her. He murmured softly into her ear, his warm breath stirring the strands that had escaped from the ribbon that bound her hair. She stepped away from him, brushing the tears from her face in embarrassment. Daniel nodded to her and Tsiya hugged her tightly.

After a quick meal and an entire potful of tea, the two men listened as Alkini explained all that had occurred in the past several months. Tsiya stretched out near the hearth and fell into an exhausted sleep. As Mingo watched her face, he saw a secret hidden deep in her dark eyes. He was alert to her spirit as Daniel could not be. When her tale ended the three sat silently for several minutes. Then Mingo rose.

"Daniel, it is late. Let's bed down here tonight. I'll stay on the porch. You pick a spot nearby that affords you a good vantage point in case we have visitors." Daniel saw the look in Mingo's eyes and understood that he wanted to talk to Alkini alone. So he nodded his goodnight to Alkini, gathered his belongings and walked into the night.

As Daniel's tall frame exited Alkini's door she walked silently into Mingo's warm embrace. Again the tears streamed down her face. Mingo held her strongly and let her fear and uncertainty pour out into the silent cabin. When she stopped crying she gently pushed away from his arms and beckoned him to her bed.

Mingo's eyes widened at her gesture but he did not follow her. Understanding his reluctance, Alkini softly approached and whispered, "To talk, Mingo. Only to talk. I do not wish to waken Tsiya. He is only a boy and he has traveled many, many miles at my bidding."

Mingo's face registered his discomfort at his misunderstanding and Alkini smiled for the first time since his arrival. She took his hand and pulled him to sit beside her. Without any preliminary she told him about her greatest concern: the safety of her two babies. At her disclosure Mingo's eyes widened again, this time in surprise. Though Alkini searched carefully, she could find no judgment in his large dark eyes.

She closed her own eyes in relief and gratitude for his accepting heart intensified. She leaned unashamedly against his strong body and felt his muscular arm encircle her shoulders. Together they lay back onto her soft bed. She pulled the yellow coverlid over their bodies weary with the stress of the day. And in the span of only a few minutes they were both asleep, wrapped in each other's arms.

In the morning Alkini showed Daniel and Mingo the copy of the water rights and title to her cabin. She explained about the destruction of the original, the terrorism perpetrated against her Cherokee people, and the cowed inactivity of the Libertyville townsfolk. Blushing in shame, she told the two men that Roark Logan was somewhere nearby and had the active support of a dozen settlers who had renamed the community Logan's Fort. Mingo thanked Alkini for the information and beckoned Daniel outside. The two men sat in the shade of the nearby trees and discussed what Alkini had just told them.

Both men had experience in dealing with men who were vicious, greedy, cruel and manipulative. From Simon Gore to the Girtys they had met and defeated such men. But never before had they faced a man with quite the level of cold malevolence possessed by Roark Logan.

"I see no other way than to kill Roark Logan, Daniel. Without him the others, leaderless, will probably retreat without so much as a blow struck." Mingo's expressive face was sober and indicated the level of distress that he was feeling. Daniel nodded in agreement.

"I'm sorry Mingo, but if you remember I told you that when you came back from here more'n a year ago."

"I know, Daniel. But I could not kill him in front of Alkini. That would have been a horror that I did not wish to inflict upon her. She had suffered enough already."

Daniel saw the protective look in his friend's eyes and smiled. There was no other man in Daniel's acquaintance that possessed a more tender and understanding heart. Daniel's one fear was that Mingo's great heart would betray him into death. His own protective feelings pushed forward and Daniel determined to help Mingo, whether he wanted that help or not. Rising to his full height, Daniel stretched and spoke to Mingo's bowed head.

"Well, my friend, how do you wish to go about ridding the world of this fellow? You must know that he's already determined to kill you."

Mingo raised his dark eyes to his friend. Daniel was surprised at the frown. "I will do it honorably, Daniel. There can be no other way for me."

Daniel blushed at Mingo's implied criticism. "I didn't mean to suggest anythin' else, my friend. I know you'd never kill in cold blood or shoot an enemy in the back." At his words both men unconsciously remembered Mingo's shot that killed his own half-brother. Mingo had approached the murderous man from behind as he attempted to crush Daniel with the large stone held in his hands. The action haunted Mingo, though it could not have been any other way.

Sighing heavily, Mingo rose and walked back into Alkini's cabin. The pretty young woman had prepared a breakfast of fresh biscuits and sausage gravy. Mingo called Daniel and the two men and young Tsiya ate the delicious meal, Mingo savoring what he believed could be his last meal on earth. Beside him Daniel was determined to prevent that very thing.

"He's at Alkini's cabin, Logan. I saw him myself. He's got a really tall man with him that seems to be his friend. And there's a Injun boy too."

Roark Logan's handsome face was flushed in hate and his light blue eyes sparkled with his determination to end his enemy's life as brutally as possible. At the thought that his murderous plans were finally coming to fruition his hands tingled in pleasure. A small humorless smile lifted his thin lips. The men around him saw the expression and three exchanged glances of caution. They had seen Logan's expression before on the night that he killed Craw Greene. The level of cold violence exhibited by the tall man before them had given them nightmares for weeks after. Though brutal men themselves they shivered with remembered horror.

"Bring him here to me. Beat him to weaken him. Then I will finish him, slowly." The pale face showed no trace of his Indian blood. But the thirst to torture betrayed all the vengeance that his Indian race was noted for. The men around him hesitated, and Roark Logan's eyes focused as he indicated his choice for the task.

"You, Haskins, take Brunnel and Thompson. You three grab him and soften him up. Take you time and enjoy it. Remember that his actions cheated you out of your rightful place in Logan's Fort. Take your revenge slowly. As I will take mine." The three men looked at each other and grinned. They turned as one and left the dark recesses of the cave. Behind them Roark Logan prepared to welcome Mingo to his final hours on earth.

Inside Alkini's cabin Daniel and Mingo laid their own plans. Alkini told them the supposed location of Logan's cave and Tsiya offered to take them there. Mingo shook his head and the Cherokee youth raised himself proudly to his full height. Mingo smiled at the boy's insistence and relented. "Alright Tsiya, you can lead us to the cave. But then you must go. I will not endanger your life, son. Understand?"

Tsiya nodded reluctantly. "I can fight."

Mingo's smile widened. "I know that you can fight, Tsiya. I have no doubt. But there are many ways to fight, and a wise man knows when each time comes. It is time for you to fight by helping your sister. You have done that, and done it well. There is much pride in your effort, Tsiya." Mingo placed his warm hand on the youth's slender shoulder and looked into his bright eyes.

Tsiya raised his head proudly and accepted the man's praise. He understood why his sister held this man in such high esteem. Suddenly his mother's years of teaching fell away as he knew in his heart that a Cherokee was not inferior in any way to a white man. The freeing thought released his heart as a restricting crust would break from a seedling tree. Alkini saw her brother's release and smiled through her sparkling tears. Mingo had done for Tsiya what he had done for her. Her gratitude burst from her heart and she acknowledged her love for this honorable, understanding man. Fear followed closely. She trailed Mingo onto the porch and grasped his arm fiercely.

"Mingo, do not go. Let us leave Libertyville. Together we can make a life somewhere else. Maybe in Boonesborough. Please, Mingo, don't face Roark Logan."

Mingo's dark eyes stared down into Alkini's. A frown darkened his handsome face. Alkini saw the expression and shrank. But she still kept his arm in her tight grasp. A few feet away Daniel stood waiting. Mingo pulled Alkini's hand from his arm and held it tightly.

"Alkini, I know that you are afraid. You have lived with fear so long that you have forgotten anything else. It is no way to live. You can exist like this, yes. But not live. You asked for my help. Why, Alkini? So that you could run away? Face your fear, little one. I am here to help you.

Only then can you be free. Only then can the dream of Libertyville come to pass. Only then can you be the woman that the Creator intended." His dark eyes relayed his strength and Alkini felt it flow into her own heart. Her own courage returned and she drew a deep breath and stepped back. He squeezed her hand and released it slowly. Then he strode toward Daniel Boone and the two of them followed Tsiya into the forest and were gone.