Noble's Way Read Free

Horse said. He produced a clay pipe and packed it with brown material from a buckskin pouch.
    One of the woman brought a smoking stick to light the bowl. Spotted Horse drew hard on the mouth piece, then let a small stream of smoke out of his lips. He handed it stem first to Noble. The strong smoke scorched Noble’s throat and he stifled a cough as he handed the pipe back. Spotted Horse gave the pipe to Barge who drew deeply before handing it to Rivers.
    â€œTomorrow. We will show you the fort,” Spotted Horse promised.
    Fort? What did the Osage mean? Reluctant to take another puff of their pipe, yet not wanting to insult them, Noble accepted the totem with a bland face.
    When he returned to eat his supper, Fleta quizzed him about the peace pipe.
    â€œSome kind of rotten weeds,” he said under his breath. “They really like it. Kept passing it around. ” He glanced at the setting sun before he cut up the thick browned slabs of meat. They were a day further away from Arkansas and Izer Goodman. Thank goodness.
    â€œLuke’s terribly interested in the Osage.” Fleta cast a look at the boy, poised at the edge of the panniers watching the Indians.
    â€œHe’ll be all right. The Indians say there is place west of here for us to winter in ... a fort with a house.”
    â€œIs the house habitable?”
    Noble smiled at her and shook his head. “You know as much as I do. They want to winter near us. They’ll do the work for some of the game I shoot.”
    Fleta grimaced. “Work? The women will do it. Besides I’m not sure I want to live by Indians. You know about them because you’ve been allover the west. But I’ve never seen any like these with feathers in their hair and beads.”
    â€œThat’s their way. Don’t worry.”
    Fleta didn’t look up from her food. Noble knew she did not agree with his plan.
    â€œLet’s look before we pass our judgment. I’m anxious to find a place to stay. It’s late December and any day winter could close in on us.”
    Fleta blinked at something causing Noble to twist quickly around, nearly spilling his dish. He saw the woman leading the horse toward them.
    â€œWhat is she doing?” Fleta asked, puzzled by Mannah’s approach. When she looked back, Noble seemed occupied with his plate again.
    â€œWhat is she bringing us?”
    â€œYour furs for half the buffalo.” He smiled in amusement.
    â€œOh.” If Noble had planned to have Indians around all winter, she would have to get used to their strange customs. She shuddered recalling their consumption of the raw liver.
    Noble graciously accepted the horse’s lead rope. The skins in the packs probably represented a good portion of the Osage’s wealth. So far the Osage were true to their promises.
    Dawn came. The light snow Noble had expected for a week frosted the tall grass. Weary and stiff from sitting up under a blanket, he’d only caught brief snatches of sleep to be on guard. Gratefully, he accepted Fleta’s tea and oats. The sharp tea helped to revive him.
    Spotted Horse came and squatted on the other side of the fire. “We need to go fast. Wind turns, there will be much snow. We need to camp at this place.”
    Noble did not question the Indian’s weather forecast. He hoped this new place would not be too tumbledown to protect his family. “We’ll be ready to travel soon,” he promised the man.
    The Osage nodded, pulled his blanket tighter, and went back to his own camp.
    Fleta felt the larger flakes melt on her cheeks as she rode. The world seemed to have closed in. She could barely see the Osage women walking beside their travois laden horses. Twisting occasionally she watched her excited son on the pack horse. He was testing the snow in his open palm. His eyes were alive with excitement that escaped her. The Indians obviously fascinated Luke.
    Ahead, she could see Noble, his coat speckled