by Janette Oke
Silver Star dared to look at me, her face still anxious, yet hope shining in her eyes.
We reached the berry patch and all set to work filling our containers. The berries were small and scarce because of our lack of summer rains, yet they tasted delicious and were a real treat after our days on a limited diet. I sneaked a few every now and then as I picked. The others did, too—I could tell by the blue stains on tongues and teeth.
There would be no way to make a pie or can what was left over, but we would enjoy them fresh and perhaps even have a few left to dry in the sun.
We cleaned the patch before we left it, though we had not even filled our containers. We would need to do more scouting in the area to look for additional patches if we wanted further picking.
We silently started for home, walking single file or two-by-two. Again Silver Star walked at my side, but she offered no conversation as we walked and, respecting her silence, I did not talk either.
Nanawana, the youngest wife of the chief, walked just ahead of us, her sleeping son strapped to her back. I couldn’t help but watch the child as she walked.
What a darling baby! my heart cried. His black hair and eyes, his pudgy, dimpled cheeks, his tightly clenched fist near his mouth just in case he needed something to suck on reminded me of Samuel.
A tear came unbidden, and Silver Star saw me wipe it away. She looked at the baby, his little head nodding with each step of his mother, and I knew she understood my empty arms.
I was glad when we reached the village and I again was too busy to think about anything other than the tasks at hand.
The days did not change much. Our biggest task was to keep everyone fed. My little garden was nearly depleted. There would be nothing to store for our winter use.
Without admitting it to one another, we soon began to watch the southeastern horizon for a glimpse of the returning men. If we were to have decent homes constructed before the winter set in, we must begin immediately. Every day counted.
Wynn said nothing to me of his concern, but I saw his eyes shift often to the southeast. I knew he was willing the return of those he had sent out.
About sunset of the twelfth day, we had just finished washing the dishes for the last time after our evening meal. A shout went up from someone in the camp.
All eyes quickly lifted toward the southeast where three horses appeared, the riders answering with upraised hands. Three—but there should have been four! I quickly stole a glance at Silver Star. Her head was lowered, concealing her face. I knew she was quite aware that one of the men was missing.
How could he? I accused LaMeche silently, knowing that Silver Star’s heart would be broken. How could he do this to her?
But when the three reached the village and were greeted by the villagers circling around them, it was not LaMeche who was missing. He pushed his way through the crowd and approached our campfire.
I smiled my welcome, more relieved than I dared show, and looked around for Silver Star. She was not there. Sometime during the commotion, she had slipped quietly away.
I saw LaMeche glancing around as well, and I guessed that he, too, was looking for her, though he did not ask. Instead, he picked up a cup and asked for some coffee.
“There is still hot soup, too,” I informed him. He welcomed a bowl and sat down at the fire.
“How was your trip?” I asked.
“Good to be home,” was his answer.
I knew his report would be given in full to Wynn, so I did not ask further questions.
“It is good to have you home,” I said instead.
He sipped slowly from the steaming cup. “Things have gone well?” he asked.
“Yes,” I said with some hesitation, thinking of the days of rain and the difficulties of wet clothes and blankets. “As well as one could hope.”
Wynn joined us then, and LaMeche stood to his feet, extending a hand. Then he reached into his pocket and produced a bulky envelope. Wynn accepted it, sat down on a log, and slit open the envelope to review the contents. He was silent as he read. When he folded the official letter and returned it to the envelope, I could stand it no longer.
“Well?” I questioned.
“The supplies will be coming just as soon as they can get them through,” he said with some relief. “They will also send in some men to help with the rebuilding.”
I heaved a big sigh. It was such a weight off our shoulders to know that there would be help coming to furnish the villagers with adequate shelters before the coming of winter.
“How was your trip?” Wynn asked LaMeche.
LaMeche just hunched his shoulders.
I thought he was going to refuse to talk about it, but he surprised me. When he had finished his soup, refilled his coffee cup, rolled himself a cigarette, and settled back on his log with his back to a tree, he began to tell all about his trip out, the braves he traveled with, the people he met, where they stayed, the reaction of the three young men to the things they saw. Then he told of the “fire water” that the three braves had somehow obtained, how they managed to drink themselves into a stupor that eventually ended up in a fight resulting in one of the braves being locked behind bars for a two-month period.
Try as he might to reason and barter, LaMeche was not able to get the young man released from jail. At last he gave up and was forced to return home without him.
I knew the young man by appearance only, but he was cocky and swaggering even around the camp. It was not hard for me to picture him getting himself into trouble when he reached a place where he was not closely supervised.
“Why did the chief send him?” I asked Wynn later when we were alone. Wynn shook his head.
“Perhaps he thought he needed a lesson—I don’t know.”
“Have you talked to the chief?” I asked.
“LaMeche went to report to him. If the chief wants me, he will send for me.”
Wynn was right. In a few minutes the chief’s son came asking Wynn’s presence at his fire.
I stirred up the coals and added a few more sticks to our own fire, still wondering about Silver Star.
I did not wonder for long. She was soon back, her eyes heavy. I was about to break the news about LaMeche’s return, but she spoke first.
“Silver Star might need to leave your campfire,” she said solemnly.
“What do you mean?” I asked quickly.
“Grey Wolf leaves me gifts.”
My head jerked up. Leaving gifts was the way that an Indian man proposed to a desired maiden.
But Grey Wolf? He was loud and cantankerous. He already had one wife and was known to beat her with a good deal of regularity. I held my breath, not knowing what to say.
It was clear from Silver Star’s face that she did not like the idea. And then I realized that Silver Star did care about the trader and had been hoping LaMeche might make his move before Grey Wolf would demand his answer.
“But—but—I stammered, ”can’t you wait?”
“He says he has waited long enough. He looks at me with anger in his eyes.”
“Can’t you just say no?”
Silver Star lifted herself from her squatting position, her eyes met mine and she spoke softly, yet forcefully. “I am widow, with two small children. I am burden to village people. If someone wish to marry me and care for my needs, it is my duty to accept.”
“But—but Grey Wolf ?” I said, hating the thought. Silver Star lowered her eyes again and squatted down by the fire. Her head and slim shoulders drooped in resignation. She made a pitiful picture. I was reaching to place a hand on her shoulder when a voice behind us spoke forcefully, cutting the stillness of the dark night.
“Never,” he spat out, and a curse followed. “Never would I let him take you.”
It was LaMeche. He had returned in time to hear at least a part of our conversation. Silver Star gave a startled gasp and involuntarily her hand went out toward LaMeche, but she quickly recovered her poise and dropped her gaze and let her hand fall.
S
ilence fell and seemed to linger. No one was doing or saying anything. Why didn’t LaMeche continue? He just stood there, looking angry and upset, his eyes still on the trembling Silver Star.
I took a breath and moved back a step. I wanted to shake them both. I wanted to make them talk to each other.
“And how can she stop him?” I dared ask rather pointedly.
LaMeche did not look at me. His eyes were still full of Silver Star. They softened, and she glanced up at him, with love and hope in her gem-black eyes.
“By her accept my gifts,” he said gently, and Silver Star lowered her flashing eyes again. Then she was gone, slipping away quietly into the darkness of the night.
I looked at LaMeche. He nodded at me, his face still serious, and then he, too, was swallowed up by the darkness of the night.
When I reached our fire the next morning Silver Star was already there, stirring the boiling pot with flushed cheeks. I wasn’t sure if the new flush was due to the heat or to whatever was causing the sparkle in her eyes.
She was wearing a new skirt as well—one with bright colors that circled the fullness, standing out among all of the worn, faded skirts worn by the rest of us. She had a silver chain with turquoise stones about her neck, glistening in the morning sun.
I asked no questions, though I suppose that keeping silent right then was one of the hardest things I had ever done in all my life. It was obvious that someone had “gifted” Silver Star and that she had indeed accepted what he had given. I was nearly sure I knew the giver.
I did not wait long for confirmation. LaMeche and Wynn soon came for the morning meal. I saw Wynn’s questioning eyes fall on the attractive young widow, and then I quickly switched my glance to LaMeche. He attempted to be very casual as he took his place, but I saw him look at Silver Star and his face relaxed. He smiled slightly, and then their eyes met and a promise passed between them. I knew our settlement would soon be celebrating a wedding.
As I passed by Silver Star to get the steaming pot from the open-fire spit, I reached out to give her hand a little squeeze. She understood my message and returned the pressure slightly. I had wet eyes as I served the men their morning coffee.
TWENTY-FOUR
Change
“Elizabeth, do you have a few minutes?”
Wynn’s voice made me turn from spreading the few newly washed clothes on the low-hanging bushes. I looked at him, nodded my head, and smiled.
“What is it?” I asked.
“I thought we might take a walk away from the camp and talk for a few minutes,” he invited.
I was puzzled. Wynn usually did not ask me to forsake my morning tasks, just to talk.
“Certainly,” I responded, sensing that something would be different about this talk. I felt a little knot of apprehension within me, but I tried not to let it show.
We were joined by Kip who spotted us heading down the path that led around the lake. I put a hand out to stroke his heavy coat. He had not been washed or brushed for several days, and he was dirty and matted like most of the village dogs. He was in good spirits, though. Life in the rough seemed to agree with him.
I decided I would not question Wynn until he was ready to speak. Instead, I chatted about Silver Star and LaMeche, sharing with Wynn that they would be married just as soon as LeMeche could build a permanent shelter.
Wynn smiled, knowing how pleased I was about the coming wedding.
We walked to a small knoll overlooking the lake, and Wynn indicated that we should sit down on the grass-covered bank. I lowered myself to the ground and hoped he would not make me wait much longer.
“Is something wrong?” I asked, unable to stand it a minute more when Wynn appeared to be settling himself in for a few moments of silence.
“No. Nothing is wrong,” he said quickly, turning to me. “I’m sorry if I alarmed you.”
I breathed more easily.
“I just wanted to discuss with you the letter I got from head-quarters. I haven’t had opportunity, with all that keeps you busy.” He reached over and took my hand. “Don’t you think that you could slow down a bit now?” he asked me.
“I’m fine,” I assured him. “I like being busy. It makes the days go faster.”
Wynn smiled but was silent again.
“But what about your letter?” I quizzed him.
“They have new orders for us.”
“New? What do you mean?” I asked, my face lifting quickly to study Wynn’s eyes.
“They don’t want us to stay here for the winter.”
“I don’t understand—”
“They feel they will not be able to get a proper building up for us in time for winter.”
“But you said they were coming soon to build,” I reminded him.
“Yes, they are. But the native people must be provided for first. They have no other place to go.”
It was becoming more and more confusing to me. I shook my head to clear the fog. Wynn’s grip on my hand tightened.
“Let me start at the beginning,” he said.
I nodded my head in assent and he began.
“The Force has promised not only to send in the required materials, but also to send in some government-paid men to build new cabins for the people of the village. They also will send in a man to take my place for the winter months. He will be single and will be quite able to spend the entire winter in tight quarters.”
I couldn’t help but smile, remembering the cabin where Wynn and I had spent the past winter. How could one have “tighter quarters” than that? I wondered. But Wynn was continuing.
“He will carry on the law enforcement necessary while the village is being rebuilt.
“They have also taken my suggestion of compensating LaMeche to some measure,” he explained. “The trading post will be the first building to be constructed because of its importance to everyone. They plan to partition off a very small room in the trading post for the officer to use as a sleeping quarter. This later will be turned back over to the trader, or used as a temporary lock-up room if LaMeche and the Force reach an agreement. Just like we had at Beaver River.”
I remembered the little room in the McLains’ store. It had been the place where Crazy Mary had been kept until her untimely death.
“When everyone else has been properly sheltered, they will turn their attention to building a new cabin for the Mountie.”
“Then we can come back?” I quickly cut in. I suddenly realized how much I wanted to stay now that things had changed with the villagers.
“They didn’t state that for sure,” Wynn said honestly. “They did say that it would be considered.”
That didn’t sound too promising as far as I was concerned. I chafed under such hedging, but I said nothing to Wynn. There was little that he could do about it.
“When do we go?” I asked, with little enthusiasm.
“We are to go back with the wagons that bring in the supplies.”
That would not be long then. We expected the wagons and supplies in any day now.
“And where are we to go?” I asked. Then with sudden hope-fulness, I continued, “Can we go back to Beaver River?”
Wynn smiled but shook his head. “I’m sorry, but no Beaver River. It would have been nice, though, wouldn’t it?”
“Oh, yes,” I said, sighing. ”
“We are to go to Athabasca Landing.”
“To do what?”
“I will work in the office there, supervising the two younger men who will be on patrol in the area. You will ... I guess you can just be a ... lady of leisure.”
“I don’t think I will like that,” I said soberly.
“Who knows,” said Wynn, in an effort to cheer me, “maybe you will learn to like it.”
I stubbornly shook my head. I could not see myself enjoying having nothing to do but make the beds and cook the meals. It would be as bad as the last winter when I had nothing to do and nowhere to go. I had hated it. It had been all that I could do to keep my outloo
k cheerful so that I wouldn’t be a drag on Wynn.
“It will be quite different there than it is here at the village,” Wynn went on, knowing where my thoughts were leading me. “It is already a fair-sized settlement. You will find many new neighbors—both white and Indian. It will give you a nice break from roughing it.”
I still wasn’t sure I was going to like the new arrangement, but I knew Wynn needed my support. When I thought about it, I wasn’t sure if Wynn would welcome the new life either. He wasn’t particularly fond of paper work, yet he would be stuck with it for the winter while younger men did the patrolling and contacted the Indians. I tried to look a bit more enthusiastic and turned to Wynn with a slow smile.
“Guess we can stand it for a few months,” I said, and he pulled me close.
Kip came bounding up to us and nearly pushed me over with his exuberance. I laughed and fought my way upright again, shoving Kip away and playfully rubbing his ear.
“Take it easy,” I told him, “we won’t go without you—” then I looked quickly at Wynn, my concern in my voice, “will we?”
“We’ll take Kip,” Wynn assured me.
“What about the rest of the team?” I asked him, hoping that
Wynn would not be asked to give up his well-trained dog team.
“I plan to take them.”
“You are still short two or three dogs, aren’t you?” I reminded him.
“That’s one of my reasons for taking them. I hope that soon I will have a batch of Revva’s pups old enough to start training.”
I was excited about seeing Revva’s litter when it first arrived. I wanted to help train them right from puppyhood onward. I knew that was the way Wynn preferred to train his dogs. Living in Athabasca, I was sure I would have lots of spare time to help him.
I stood to my feet and looked out over the little lake. In the distance I could hear the calls of the children in the camp. A loon cried—a lonely, wilderness-sounding cry. I knew I would miss it.
“What did LaMeche say?” I asked Wynn.
Wynn stood beside me, his arm around my waist. “About what?” he asked me.
“About all this?”
“I haven’t talked to him—and I don’t expect that they told him anything about it when they gave him the letter with the new orders.”
