Chapter 8

"Larr-Bee!!!" Wrapped in only the blanket, wet hair streaming down her back, Shining Tears charged full blast into Chris. Her arms wrapped around his chest, her face found the protection of his side. She shivered violently as she shrank from the buckskin clad man in the yard. "Larr-Bee?"

"Sh-h-h-h. He ain’t gonna hurt you. He didn’t know you were in there."

"Larr-Bee!" She inched even further behind him, trembling and leaving a trail of water down his shirt, then down his back. Her long, thick hair plastered itself around him everywhere.

Vin just stood there, stammering like an idiot..."Ma’am....ma’am....I’m sorry....Didn’t mean to.....CHRIS!, why didn’t you tell me it was a lady friend. Ah, hell!!"

The more the man talked, the more the woman held to Chris. "Vin, shut up..sit down....your yammering is scaring her. Just sit down and get quiet. I swear...I can’t hardly pull ten words from you when a woman’s anywhere near you."

Vin sat. He watched in amazement as Chris held and gentled the girl in much the same way he would soothe a skittish filly. Low words, gentle touches, a raise of her chin until she looked into his eyes. Then there was a soft smile and a pleasant laugh. How long he held her, Vin ceased to wonder. The sight of the hardened gunslinger, the "bad element" of Four Corners, holding this small beautiful young woman so tenderly rendered the hunter so quiet and still, everyone else forgot he was there.

At last, Chris simply opened the cabin door again and gently pushed her inside. He again touched her face and stroked her hair. Then he closed the door firmly behind her. Vin noticed just how small she was, how tiny compared to the tall man, how young, how beautiful, how pregnant.

PREGNANT!!!? The spell was broken.

"Chris? Chris....Pard...just exactly who is she...how old is she...and Pard, how long have YOU known HER?"

"HELL, VIN!!!" He turned bright red...as much in anger as embarrassment. "She’s a girl! Came here last night. Shoot, I think she said she was fifteen...And I sure as HELL haven’t know her THAT long....not NEAR long enough for that!"

"Way she was hugging ya...Way you were holding her...I just..."

"Got a DAMN DIRTY MIND! You’re the one who scared her...why didn’t you do something about it?"

"Cause she obviously only got eyes for you!"

"That’s cause I was the only one she knew was around until you broke down the door! Hell, Vin!" He stopped to took a deep breath. They both looked at each other and then they started to grin.

"Who you reckon she is, Chris?"

"Hell if I know. Says her name is Shining Tears....so I guess she’s Shining Tears. Said fifteen winters...that IS fifteen years old isn’t it?"

"Yeah, would think."

"Only once in a while." He smiled at his friend again. "Must be Apache. She mentioned Mangus and Bright Eagle. Mangus..that’s Apache...least wasn’t that the name of that brave we met a couple of years ago. Figured Bright Eagle must be too."

"Chris, if she’s Apache....it ain’t by birth, Pard." Vin remembered the wonderful hair and eyes he had glimpsed... and other parts too.

"I figured that much out, Vin. That’s not Apache hair, and she sure hasn’t got Apache eyes....gray-green...I don’t know which...sort of change with the light and depends on how riled up or spooked she gets."

"You get to know her this well, this fast?"

"Vin...." His eyes turned sharp and threatening again.

"Sorry, Pard."

"Shoot...she’s a woman, Vin. A young one, but a woman. There’ll be more to her as I get to know her, but the surface part has just been woman to the bone. Known enough women to recognize that when I see it."

"Well, since I’ve done scared the daylight out of her, guess I’ll head back to town."

"Yeah....leave me the mess to clean up!"

"Well what else can I do?" Words were getting sharp again.

"Stick around. Help me try to coax her out...see if it is Apache she knows. At least you know some of that."

"Guess I can try...but if she asks you to shoot me to prove that you love her...you will remember that you ain’t know her THAT long...right?"

"I’ll try to remember."

----------

Chapter 9

Vin sat and watched until after dark, rebuilding the fire. Chris finally didn’t have to drag her out, but she came out holding on to him as if she expected the other one to try to scalp her.

To Chris’ displeasure, once he got her outside, Vin didn’t even try to make contact. He just looked into the dirt at his feet and ignored her.

"You trying to be rude, or just doing it naturally?"

"Ain’t insulting her. If she’s Apache raised, she’ll be real insulted if I look her over like I was a stud after a mare. I expect she’s a little worried about you, too."

"Me? What did I do?"

"Drug her out here to face me again. Her "man" would have at least given me a shiner to prove he cared."

"You sort of forgot that part, I notice. And I didn’t drag her anywhere!" The edge on his words to Vin made her hang back.

"Chris, you ought to just let her sit down somewhere so’s she can watch me from a distance...not have to look at me direct. Why don’t you offer it to her, stay close by her a while, so she feels protected. After all....you are her man."

"I’m her what?"

"At least for now....at least until her real man comes to kill you."

"What? Why would he kill me?"

"You don’t think she got in that condition alone, do you? And she probably ain’t his wife...at least not his first wife...she’s too young."

"Hell...this is just getting better and better."

"With that skin, those eyes, that hair....shoot, he probably paid six, maybe seven prime ponies for her. He owns her, Chris, and if she was mine, I’d be huntin’ her....wouldn’t you?"

"Probably....if I had any idea where she went."

"He knows...or he’s said something sometime that gives him a good idea...and Chris, she’s carrying his seed. Just for you having her now....he’ll kill you for sure."

"Ah, hell."

"Now, just go on and settle her like I told ya. When she decides I’m not trash, she’ll let ya know. Then you can introduce us. And Chris...I wouldn’t suggest you make her real mad."

Putting himself between the girl and Vin, Chris gently led her out to the edge of the corral to the spot she had enjoyed before, bringing along her chair. He moved not far away, into the corral itself, and picked up his lariat to began work with a fine-boned dapple gray mare. It was a close match for his friend Buck Wilmington’s stallion, Butternut. He had taken on the task of finishing off some of her training for his friend.

Chris walked up to the mare and talking gently to her began to walk toward Shining Tears. The mare nickered and followed close behind. Chris put a hand gently on the horse’s neck, holding to her mane, and led her up to the girl. "Want to touch?" He reached for the girl’s hand, and pulled it easily out to touch the animal’s silky hide.

Shining Tears stroked the horse and cooed to her softly. The mare responded to the softness of her voice and, as she did for Chris, reached out to nuzzle her hand. "Gonna be a special horse, don’t you think?"

"I think yes." She smiled at the man and saw him back away, the horse following with him.

At the center of the corral, he made a motion and the mare stopped, watching him for any command he would give. He walked away from her a short distance, and still with his back turned, he tapped the ground with his lariat and raised his arms high. As he anticipated, she reared and thrashed with her hooves. He turned to her, talking low, "Easy, girl. Good girl, beautiful. Whoa, now." She came to his hand, nickering nervously, but stilled at his touch. He snapped the long rope to her halter and began to coax her in ever larger and faster circles. She moved smoothly, grandly, her head raised, her mane and tail floating as she moved at his signals.

"Anything I can do to help here, Chris?" Vin walked quietly to the other side of the corral. He made certain the woman could see him, hear the way the two men talked.

"No...thanks, Vin. I’m not going to work this one much today. But you might just get a lead on the black for me."

"Pard, you do want me to live to meet her, don’t ya?" The man’s grin was only part in jest.

"He ain’t that tough, Vin. Just don’t try to jump up on him. Just work him a little. He knows you well enough. I don’t think he’s tried to stomp you in, oh, maybe six months."

"Sure hope you’re right."

"So do I....I’d sure miss ya." Chris laughed and grinned as the hunter eased into the corral toward the black, rope in hand.

The gelding watched the man approach,, standing quiet but with ears laid back against his skull. Vin studied the one white spot on the animals face, knowing it indicated absolutely no predictability in the beast. He reached out to fasten the lead to the halter.

The black butted him, hard. He yanked away, throwing his head, pawing the ground, blowing hard into the dirt. Vin tried again, and as the lead met the halter, he signaled for the gelding to rise. The gelding stood obstinately still, snorting at him again. Vin gave the signal to move left...the gelding moved right...and it snorted again.

"This is one miserable cuss, Chris." He said it. Later he swore the brute heard it, because the gelding charged, teeth bared, ears back, straight at him.

Chris stepped between the black and his friend. "WHOA!" The gelding obeyed, backing a few steps, but shook his head, seeming to scold Chris for this unwelcome person in his domain. "Whoa, boy. Whoa, son. Easy. It’s okay." The horse nickered, accepting the authority and soothing tone of the voice.

"Why’s that black hellion hate me so dang much, Chris? Hell....he let me ride him one time, but most times, he’s just as soon stomp me in the dirt."

"Oh, he likes you okay. You’re not dead yet. He just wants a little respect... and his pound of flesh. Him and me got sort of a mutual understanding....but not much more than that....bites or kicks my backside as often as he gets a chance. He only let you ride him that time cause he agreed it was important. Can you imagine what that devil would have been if he was left a stud?"

They stood there talking, friendly, easy, having a good time...until a sudden intake of breath and a small squeal alerted them. The black charged, screaming, straight at them, sending Vin flying into the dirt. He whirled and stared at Chris, stomping the ground, daring him to do something about it.

"HELL, CHRIS!! GET THAT CUSS AWAY FROM ME!" Vin scrambled for the gate as the black charged again.

"WHOA!"

Vin heard the girl say something loud...shaking her head...stamping her foot...obviously chiding Chris for the animal’s attack. Chris stood under the gelding’s flashing hooves and simple said "WHOA, SON! BACK OFF! I SAID WHOA!!!"

The horse retreated, still snorting in disapproval.

From the side of the corral, Chris noticed that she was standing there...hands on her hips, still chattering at him furiously. She pointed from the horse to Vin, from Vin to the horse, from them both to Chris. She stamped her foot at Chris, then headed back to the cabin, where she entered and very forcefully slammed the door.

"Well, I guess that says it, Pard." Vin was all grins, obviously knowing exactly what she had said.

"Just says EXACTLY WHAT? What made her that mad....and at me?"

"She sure knows Apache." Vin laughed. "Told you off real quick like."

"She’s about the only one who’d dare."

"Maybe. She says you’re a miserable horse hand if you can’t control your own beast. Said you ought to control that black hellion better than that, and you’re a snake for putting me in harm’s way like that. Says she’s plum embarrassed to know you. Putting it simple, she’s riled at ya."

"If that ain’t a woman! When ain’t one of ‘em riled at me?"

"Good part is, she respects ya."

"Oh, she does? I’m real, real glad!"

"Ah, she’s just yammerin’ at ya. Horse scared her some."

"How long’s she gonna hide out in there this time?"

"You best go get her."

"Ah, hell...I got work to do. Took me near an hour to get her out of there last time."

"Don’t matter. And it don’t matter how ornery she sounds, you best bring her out quick this time. Don’t let her say no more than once, or she’s apt to think your weak...and then you got REAL trouble."

"You telling me I got to try to tame her?"

"Well, you’re good with horses....but you’re damn sure not going to tame an Apache woman. Just sweet-talk her, Chris....just cozy up to her like before... just make her remember you’re her man."

"HELL, VIN!"

"Ain’t that hard to do when they want it to be true."

"I’d rather get bit by the black."

It took more than a few minutes, but he got her out in short order. "Come on! He ain’t gonna hurt you. He’s my friend. I wouldn’t let nothing, including my horse, hurt him. His name is Vin."

"V---v---n?"

"VIN! Vin Tanner!" He insisted that she get it right.

"Vin Tan-ner."

"Good." His smile brought hers readily enough. But then he gave her a little shove forward into the yard. The smile turned into an intense frown.

"Ma’am," Vin looked up at her, tipped his hat, and quickly looked away. The girl smiled at him coyly. The ice was definitely broken, until Chris glared at him and then at her. She gasped a little and backed a little distance from Vin, lowering her eyes.

"What’d you go do that for?"

"I’m her man. If I’m her man, she ain’t supposed to be eying you."

Vin laughed, then made a few signs, she broke into a wonderful smile and nodded. Then she said, "Apache....home. Mangus...home."

"Ah, hell, Chris...she’s Mangus’ woman all right."

"Well, damn...how’d she manage, of all the places in creation, to wind up at my cabin door?"

"Don’t rightly know, but that sure ought to be trouble enough! See if she’ll tell us anything else."

Chris looked at the girl like she was worthless. He spoke sharply, "Shining Tears!"

She hiccupped, turned pale, and looked like a frightened rabbit, "Larr-Bee?" In her tribe, it was unusual, but she could get slapped or beaten for displeasing her man.

"YOU TALK WITH VIN. ANSWER EVERYTHING HE ASKS YOU!!" He was loud, but he made no move toward her. She felt safe.

Her chin came up, her eyes flashed at the tone of his voice. Vin laughed, "She sure ain’t somebody’s beat down dog, Pard. Mangus may not come huntin’ this little she-cat at all. She just may be all yours, package and all."

"Don’t you go tell me that. I think I’d rather run the gauntlet again, or just fight Mangus one-on-one."

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Chapter 10

They build the fire in the stove up again that evening, after Chris cleaned up all the water, and with Vin’s help emptied the tub. She sat and watched them, quizzical, as if she would laugh again. Then she walked out of the cabin toward the creek.

"Think she’ll maybe leave for good?"

"Not on your life. You see how she watches you...looks at you."

"Why does she look at me like that? Looked at me like that when I cooked the dinner."

"Bet THAT confused the hell out of her."

"Why? What so unusual about dinner?"

"Her tribe...probably the men hunt, the women cook. That way in lots of tribes out here. Just what else did she do there, Pard?"

"Laughed when I fixed the tub, kissed and hugged me this morning when I gave her that tiny bar of soap."

"You realize you were courting her....courting her real strong."

"Was NOT courting her. She’s a kid!"

"Marriageable...over thirteen. You doing woman’s work for her, giving her what was a real expensive gift...a white man’s gift...She might even chose you over Mangus if and when he shows up...that is if you live long enough to give her a chance to decide."

"All because of a bath and soap? Hell. Didn’t cost me nothing!"

"She know that?"

"Guess not."

"Sort of love at first soap, Pard." Vin was having a great time watching the man change colors so rapidly.

He stopped smiling when Chris glared at him and only said, "Ah, hell!!!"

She came back from the creek, observing the men as she came. They were leaning against the cabin posts, smoking new cheroots, blowing smoke rings for fun. Her twitter of a laugh let them know she was there.

"What now? I’ve courted her, insulted her....what next?"

"See how much she’ll talk."

"Wish I understood her...be more fun that way."

"Fat chance." Vin laughed.

"Hell, she’s a woman...ain’t much chance I’d understand her to begin with...even if she spoke English."

"You didn’t ask her about that?"

"No. You’d think she’d answer in English if she knows it’s what I’m talking."

"Not unless you ask her first."

"Ah, hell."

"Well, hell yourself. Ask her."

"Shining Tears...COME HERE!"

"Easy...not like you’re a bear gonna eat her."

"Shining Tears...." he asked more softly.

"Larr-Bee?"

"Do you speak English? Like me?"

She nodded brightly, "Speak....little....mother speak."

"Will you please talk with Vin in English?"

"Larr-Bee...you ask, I speak. You hear?" She looked hopefully into his eyes.

"I’ll be here." Chris looked into her eyes, suddenly recognizing the interest there, and quickly moved away.

Chris brought her chair inside, placing it near the stove for warmth, adding a pillow in the seat. When she sat, he propped her feet on a small stool. Before he poured coffee for himself and Vin, he put a big mug of water in front of her.

"Courtingist fella I ever seen." Vin grinned at him. "One minute insult her, next coddle her...she must think you’re crazy."

"Just get on with this."

Piece by piece, between signs and Apache and English, her story came out. It wasn’t that unusual. She and her mother, whose Apache name was Little Hen,, had been captured during a raid long years before. The girl was too young to be separated from her mother, so both had been given to the warrior who led the raid. Given by the warrior, in turn, to his wife, they had worked for their keep. Eventually, her mother had been taken, not unwillingly by then, as a second wife for the warrior and had borne him two red-haired sons, securing their place in his wickiup.

The girl’s name came from the fact that she never seemed to cry, but her gray-green eyes shone constantly, as if a pool of tears were collected there, waiting for the day they would be needed. Remembering no other life, she was Apache through and through, though teased often for her unusual looks. Rather than make her quiet or withdrawn, the notice from the others made her proud and strong.

She had become a woman by tribal custom at thirteen summers. She was now part of the tribe due to her mother’s standing as a wife and mother. This was the same year she was denied a chance to watch the punishment by her people of three white men....a tall handsome blonde one had run the gauntlet.

Little Hen had explained that a proper young Apache woman should avoid these men, those whose skin was like her own father’s had been. The white men had transgressed against the Chief’s daughter...Harsh Winter...especially a big, dark-haired one who had insulted her. They were being punished for their insolence.

Watching anyway, through a crack in the door of the wickiup, she had seen and felt sorry for the blonde one...the one they called Larr-Bee. He accepted punishment with silence, even when his body had been stripped of ever piece of clothing he wore, and he had borne his punishment in front of the entire tribe. She had been amazed at the beauty of his hard muscled body, made to wonder at the scars that body carried as he moved.

He was a brave man. He accepted the punishment with so much honor that even two years later, Mangus had mentioned the man’s name with respect to aspiring warriors.

The others she had not seen. She was caught peeking by Little Hen and banished to the inner rooms of the dwelling. Only when the men had returned to claim their belongings, the blonde one fearlessly challenging Mangus for their property, had she dared to brazenly approach his horse and look into his face. She had even told him her name. Her godmother had punished her severely for her lack of honor.

At thirteen, now a woman, her father...her mother’s husband...had been approached by Mangus for her to become his second mate, to serve at the side of his first wife, Harsh Winter. Her father, because of his wife’s plea, had set a high price for her and been surprised when Mangus delivered all the beautiful horses to claim her. Her price had been nine ponies. She became a very proud wife.

Mangus had been kind, though his first wife resented her, especially her value and Mangus’ willingness to pay so much for her. Unable to mark her, for fear of her husband, Harsh Winter had seen to it that the new woman was kept as far away from the man as possible, kept hard at work. But it was inevitable...by the end of the first long winter, Shining Tears had become his wife in every way. She lost her first child before the end of spring, and her second before winter came again. But by the next fall, her fifteenth fall and winter, the new baby grew heartily within her.

Harsh Winter had made life even more difficult. Mangus had done little to help, especially since he was often away and unaware of her need for relief. Finally, stubborn and proud, and unwilling to accept more mistreatment, she had left on her own. She walked toward the place Mangus had spoken of...the place where white men had helped him regain health and reach his first bride. The place was named Four Corners. Since it was in Arizona, she determined it must not be very far away. This was the place Mangus had said the man was...the brave, strong, blonde man named Larr-Bee. Either Mangus would want her and find her, or she would find Larr-Bee, and he would help her as he had helped Mangus before.

The cabin was finally quiet. Chris noticed that she was asleep in her chair. He lifted her gently into his arms, and as before, he found her head instantly came to rest under his chin and she nestled against his chest. He put her back into his bed, covering her with the blanket. Then he shooed Vin out, and together they took their bedrolls out under the stars, near the fire, in order to let her rest.

"So, I got myself in this mess because I didn’t scream when I was getting beat half to death...cause Buck insulted that Apache girl."

"Pears that’s the case."

"Hell...only reason I wasn’t screaming my head off was you told me they’d make me do it over and over til I didn’t yell at all."

"But she didn’t know that. She just knew it had to hurt and you took it. Counts a lot for a man to be brave like that. And you weren’t bad looking either in your ‘birthday suit’. Noticed quite a few of the mamas looking, front and back."

"Ah, hell!" He blushed again.

"Shoot, Pard, some of them braves were having a peek, too."

"Shut up, Vin. Hell, now this means we’ve insulted Mangus’ first wife, now we’ve got his second, expensive wife, and I’ve got her here, she’s pregnant, and she’s hugging on me and saying I’m her man. You can bet Nettie’s Spencer carbine he’s headed here right now. Hell, why don’t you just shoot me and get this over with!"

"I just reckon we best get some sleep."

----------

Chapter 11

The first pitiful wail woke Chris, and he recognized its cause immediately. He slapped Vin’s butt with his hat, "VIN--GET UP--YOU’VE GOT TO RIDE!!"

"Huh? What? Ride? Where? Why?"

"Shut up...get up...unless I miss my guess, she’s getting ready."

"Who’s getting ready...for what....talk sense."

Chris slapped his arm and yanked his blanket from around his head...then he hit him again with his hat. "You get up, and move, or I’m gonna sic the black on ya."

"What the hell are you beatin' up on me for?"

He heard a little whimpering sound from the cabin. "Ah, hell...." he started pulling on boots, looking for his hogs leg.

"Yeah...’oh’. Ride....get Nathan and if she’ll come, bring Mary too."

"You given just a little thought to that one?"

"What?"

"You, your cabin, young girl, very pregnant young girl who likes to hug on you...who calls you her man...a lot...........and Mary?"

"Ah, hell. Hell, Vin, she’s gonna need help."

"You want I should at least prepare Mary a little bit for this?"

"If you can...but shoot...just get her. Ride, Vin...we don’t have a lot of time."

Vin had saddled as they talked. Now he swung into the saddle, "You do know you’re a dead man?"

"Hell...way I’ve got it figured, I’m dead at least three ways and back. Interesting to see who gets to me first. Now RIDE!!" As soon as the man was away, Chris quickly headed toward the cabin.

"Larr-Bee? Larr-Bee?" She reached for him the second he opened the door. Her eyes were wide, her fear evident.

"It’s gonna be all right."

"Need woman....Larr-Bee, need woman."

"I’ve send for one...ought to be here real soon. You just rest a bit...breath real fast when you feel any pain...and you can hang on to me if you need it."

"Larr-Bee....scared....what if no woman come?"

"We’ll be okay. Ain’t like I ain’t done this before."

"Larr-Bee LIE!!!" She came up from the bed, glaring at him, then cried out again.

He glared back, even as he soothed her, "What makes you say that?!"

"Man no have baby!!!"

"Didn’t say I had one!!!"

"What say?"

"Said I helped deliver one."

"Deliver?"

"Helped woman have one...." he gestured to indicate holding the new born.

"Man no help woman! Mangus no help!! Bright Eagle no help!" She was beginning to panic...her eyes wider as a pain passed through.

"Well, Larr-Bee....hell, Larabee...helps!"

"Larr-Bee lie!"

"DON’T YOU SAY THAT AGAIN!"

She hiccupped....and he saw her try to stifled the next moan.

"I’m sorry....Look, I cook don’t I?"

"Larr-Bee cook."

"Okay...now you rest. You’re gonna need your strength." He stood up.

"Larr-Bee!! Where Larr-Bee go?"

"I’ll be right here. I’m gonna get us some water, but I’ll be right back. You rest. Guess the first thing I do is boil water."

-------------

He heard the riders coming...vaguely.... somewhere at the edge of hearing...even as he heard her final yell as she pushed the man child into his waiting hands. As he tied the cord, he heard them approaching, and as he made the final cut, the door banged open.

"Bout damn time! Nathan, I need a clean towel and a blanket. Mary, see if he’s okay. Vin...hell, Vin...just sit down somewhere in a corner and be quiet!"

He swatted the child’s behind as Nathan handed across the already ready towel to take the squalling baby, as Mary opened the soft blanket to wrap him warmly.

"I’ve got warm water over there, Mary, but I’m out of clean cloths."

"It’s okay...we brought them." She stopped for a moment to take in the sight. The cabin was a mess, the only remotely clean area that surrounding the bed. The woman, a tiny girl, for all she had been through, had come through the trial well. Chris, on the other hand, the usually immaculately dressed man, was in shambles. No boots, shirttail out, hair askew, he walked in mismatched socks and misbuttoned shirt. She smiled when she noticed that he finally held still long enough to smile back at her. She smiled...but she had no intentions of letting him off that easy.

"Mr. Larabee...you owe me one HUGE explanation." She said it quietly, but he knew it was intended to be extremely stern.

"Ah, hell! Later."

"Larr-Bee? Larr-Bee?" The tiny one searched for him with her gray-green eyes. He instantly went to her side and took her hand.

"Sh-h-h-h. I’m here...everything’s just fine. It’s a boy, honey." He didn’t notice Mary’s head turn in his direction.

"Boy?" She smiled in pride, just before she noticed the strangers. "Larr-Bee!!! Larr-Bee!!!"

He gentled her just as he had before...low words, gentle touches, a brushing back of her hair, until she looked up into his eyes and saw his soft smile. "They’re friends...see...the woman came. This is Mary." He reached back and took Mary’s hand in his own and pulled her closer to the girl.

Shining Tears looked at the woman...then she noticed that Chris held her hand much the same as he had held her own minutes before. She took in his smile for this woman, his ease with the blonde beauty. Then the tiny new mother frowned, then she pouted, then she glared at him. She said something in Apache that made Vin Tanner choke as she pointed at her rival, then at Chris, then at the bundle Mary held.

"No, Shining Tears...they ain’t married! Chris....you ain’t gonna believe what that was!"

"What now?" He stared from the hunter to the girl, waiting for something or someone to hit him.

"She says you’re the papa, Pard."

"LIKE HELL!"

Mary looked him fully in the face and snapped, "You owe me that explanation RIGHT NOW!"

"Later, Mary...Later."

"NOW!"

Apache reached his ears again, and Vin’s laugh didn’t do anything to ease his mind. Vin’s turning red in the face as he laughed harder and harder didn’t help.

"WHAT NOW?"

"Says she’s known you for years!"

Apache came from the woman again, and Vin whooped. "Said it again, and says she’s in fact your wife, and she’s been your wife for a full year."

Chris simply leaned down, looked into the face of the woman and said in a full throated yell, "NO, SHE’S NOT! SHINING TEARS LIES!!! STOP IT!!!"

The little mother hiccupped and began to cry.

Vin couldn’t resist. "Care to explain where you disappeared to last spring now, Pard!"

"Vin, I swear, you may be my friend, but you’re about to be dead!"

"Chris Larabee...how could you!" Mary swatted him. "There, there, dear...he won’t yell at you again. You rest. Chris Larabee, I don’t understand you at all!"

"Look! You’re not putting this on me. I’m not the father...She’s not from around here...and, NO...I sure as hell don’t know her that well. Vin...shut up."

"You’re admitting that you KNOW HER." Mary swatted him again.

"You’re diggin’ your own pit, Pard. Now, Mary, he’s only met her once....long time ago. I don’t think he’s seen her since then."

"Don’t you go pushing me in, Vin. I think I saw her once at that Apache village. She was a kid, I didn’t even ask for her name!"

"Isn’t that just like a man!" Mary swatted him again, busily soothing the woman, and since Mary was soothing her, and scolding Chris, Shining Tears remained perfectly content to watch.

"Hell, I wasn’t even introduced! Didn’t want to be introduced. At the moment, my back and front were just a little on fire, and I wasn’t the least bit interested in no Apache girl. Shoot, Buck and Vin was both there that time...they know didn’t nothing happen!"

"And I don’t THINK he’s been back that way since."

"VIN....PLEASE...DON’T TRY TO HELP....JUST SHUT UP!"

"Dear, when was Larr-Bee, Mr. Larabee, in your village last?"

"MARY! SHINING TEARS! NO!!!! BOTH OF YOU WOMEN, GET QUIET!!!!!"

Both of the women gasped at the tone in his voice.

"Pard, you’re damn sure on your own now. I’m gone." Vin and Nathan headed out the door.

"CHRIS LARABEE....."

"Are we all going to talk sense, or am I gone from here too."

"Larr-Bee! Larr-Bee not go..." she hiccupped and wiped another tear from her face.

At least the little one was toned down a bit. Mary was just quiet, smoldering underneath it all.

"Mr. Larabee...I’m waiting!" She said it softly, and she even produced a small smile. Chris wasn’t fooled for a minute.

"Do you remember my Apache shirt...the real soft one?"

"Of course I do!"

"Do you remember how and where I got it?"

"At that Apache village when you and Vin and Buck got hurt."

"Right. Do you remember who gave it to me?"

"Mangus...the Indian who had the broken let that Nathan set."

"Good...so you do remember. Well, this little bit of a woman is Mangus’ woman....wife. She ran away from him and his first wife. She ain’t my woman....or my wife....and that’s NOT my son."

"And she ran to you now. Why?"

"HOW THE HELL SHOULD I KNOW!" He yelled it so loud, Shining Tears began to snivel, a full-blown river of tears coursing down her face again. "Ah, hell....Shining Tears, come on....don’t cry....I’m sorry. HELL...STOP THAT!"

She hiccupped and instantly was quiet. Mary swatted him. He held one finger up under the woman’s nose and simply hissed, "Don’t you EVER do that to me again!!"

He simply sat down beside the little mother, took her hand, and as easily as he could, he said. "Thank you....Larr-Bee....hell, Larabee’s too loud. I didn’t mean to yell."

Mary glared at his solicitude toward the girl. He knew he didn’t need to ignore her either. "Mary, look...I’m sorry. This is CRAZY! Best I can say to all of this is I DON’T KNOW." He said it quietly, what he hoped was reasonably.. "She showed up here night before last. She’s dead tired, needed food, needed rest...I didn’t know nothing about her, but I sure wasn’t going to put her back on the trail....or should I have?"

"Of course not! Don’t be absurd!"

"Well, thank you Lady. At least we see that one the same way."

"And what are you going to do about her? With her? Are you going to marry her?"

"NO! You can’t believe that’s mine...."

"And why not? I’ve met some of your paramours....Lydia, Maria...."

"I ain’t even gonna answer that...."

"But what about this one?"

"I’m just going to wait......."

"Wait? For what?"

"According to her, Mangus paid nine ponies for her, and that’s his child she’s got there, and he don’t know it’s a boy yet. All I get to do is wait."

"For what?"

"For Mangus to show up and try to kill me."

"Try to kill you? Chris, what are you going to do?"

"Try to think of a plan that won’t get none of us killed!"

"Pard," Vin stuck his head back inside the cabin, "You best think real fast....He’s here."

"Ah, hell. Vin, see if you can talk to him...tell him I’m coming out and I got something to show him...it’ll take me a couple of minutes. Can you get us a little time?"

"Chris," calmer, Mary eased beside him, "what can I do?"

"Can she move? I mean move safe?"

"She’s small and strong. If we don’t push her too hard, yes, I think so."

"Do me a favor. Get her looking real pretty...her dress is over there." He pointed at the area past the bed.

Mary raised her eyebrows at him.

"Hell...yes...I admit it....I took it off her. What else was I gonna do with her having a baby? Ah, hell, Mary....I ain’t got time for this. Get her ready for me...."

He got busy too. She heard him rummaging around the annihilated cabin, but she was too busy to watch his actions.

----------

Chris walked out of the cabin, hoping he looked strong and brave. Mangus sat there on his horse, glaring at him, his hand resting on his spear.

"Larr-Bee take wife....why take?"

"Mangus...I didn’t take her. It’s a misunderstanding."

"Say?"

"Vin...tell him..."

"A mistake," he found the Apache word.

"Come on, sit, talk," Chris showed him the chairs and indicated that they all sit.

Mary stepped to the door of the cabin and motioned quietly to Chris that all was ready.

Mangus noticed her instantly and looked quizzically at Chris. "Woman? Larr-Bee have woman? First woman?"

Chris stopped, thinking about how to answer that. If he said no. Mangus might kill him. If he said yes, Mary was going to do it.

"No...she’s my friend...not my woman."

"Well...she sorta is." Vin spoke up.

Mary gasped, and started to protest. "Mary, NO!" Chris said it sharply, and she reacted with a glare that should have killed every man there.

"Yes!! Larr-Bee woman! Ha---fire woman....like Shining Tears." Mangus nodded at that, very content to see this situation.

"Look...that’s it...this is all about fire women...your fire women...Shining Tears and Harsh Winter. Let’s just leave this third one out of it."

"Chris is telling you the truth. Let’s sit down, and I’ll tell you all about this mess."

"Mess?"

"Prairie fire! Big wind! Wild stallion! BIG Mess!"

"Fire women!"

"Right."

The man got off his horse and came to talk. For once, he had a smile almost like that of Chris Larabee plastered on his face. They had become kindred souls.

They sat around the fire, sharing the cool water Mary provided. Chris shared his cheroots with the men, and they all traded their art of blowing smoke rings. When the man was smiling and laughing, Chris rose and said, "Well, my friend, I think it’s time you saw your little fire woman, and I’ve got someone else for you to meet. Be back directly."

He was gone some minutes. Vin began to wonder if the muffled sounds from the cabin meant the fire woman who had started this was giving the man hell again, or if it was Mary.

Chris opened the door once, and called Nathan to him, said something, and sent the man away. After several more minutes, the door opened again, and Chris stepped through the door, no longer in black. Vin began to grin. Larabee was dressed in the Apache shirt that had been Mangus’ gift, beautiful to behold, wonderfully soft to wear. In his own arms, Chris carried Shining Tears, resplendent in her Apache dress, which Mary had cleaned well, and with small blue tassels in her well braided hair, made from one of Chris’ best blue shirts. Shining Tears carried in her own arms the small bundle that was her son, wrapped in a covering of striped blue/silver and black...also made from the body of Chris’ shirt. His wardrobe was quickly running out.

"Mangus," he announced proudly, "your woman Shining Tears brings to you her first little eagle...a man child!" He held her out in his arms for Mangus to see, and then he set her gently on her feet.

Instantly fierce, Mangus approached her, holding her in a stern gaze.

"Woman...we go!!!"

She hiccupped and the tears began to flow down her face.

"Chris...you can’t let him....you can’t let him take her like this!"

"Mary! NO!" Chris said it loud, firmly, and saw her eyes flash. But he also reached for her hand, and he gave her a knowing glance that let her know he was working on his plan. Hopefully, all would go well. He spoke softly to her, low words, holding her hand..."Give me a chance to get this finished. I think we’ll be okay...and so will she."

Mary lowered her eyes and became quiet. She knew his plans were good ones, and she didn’t want to spoil his chance.

Chris turned to the warrior. "My friend, Mangus, forgive my fire woman. She fears for the safety of your woman and her child. She asks that you allow your family to rest here tonight. I, too, in honor of our meeting today, our meeting as friends, that you accept our hospitality for the evening.

"We go!"

"Fine, if that’s what you’ve got to do, my friend. But I had hoped to finish a special present, a gift for you, before you arrived. Unfortunately, with the arrival of your son, the gift has not been perfected. If the four of us could work together today, the gift will be completed and ready for tomorrow’s journey. I believe the gift will make your journey smoother and more pleasant."

"Larr-Bee....Mangus, Shining Tears, we make short stay."

"Excellent! I hope this is a very special gift. Nathan?"

The tall African American physician, the one who had set Mangus’ leg years before, stepped forward, leading the dapple gray mare. Shining Tears gasped in delight at the sight of the beautiful horse. The animal reared at Chris’ signal...then came freely to his hand...nickering softly. She followed the man first as he walked up to Shining Tears. The mare blew a soft breath into the woman’s hand, then followed again as Chris led her into the corral. Taking his lariat, he snapped it to her halter, and gave her a word and a signal. The gray moved out....her mane and tail floating on the wind as she moved to his voice and touch on the rope. When she stopped, and he spoke, she again returned to nuzzle his hand, holding her head high and proud. At last, in a grand display, as he tapped the ground with the rope and raised his hands, she reared high above his head, stretching tall, coming down to stand calmly beside him.

"Larr-Bee! A gift of great price. You make this gift for Mangus?"

"Yes...in thanks for you helping us at your village, even when we probably didn’t deserve it. The gift is for you now, but later, I hope it will become the first horse of your little eagle, when he is ready. I only ask that she be treated with respect and used well. She is a truly magnificent animal for a brave and honorable warrior."

"Larr-Bee, she will be treated well. You honor me, and you honor my son."

"I don’t doubt it that you will use her well, you have a good eye for horses yourself." Chris motioned toward the man’s bay. "But for the remainder of today and for tonight, I want to show you her beauty and talent, and the commands she responds to. I’m glad you will honor us with your presence."

"Woman...we stay this night!"

"By the way, what are you going to name your son?"

"He is Four Eagles," and the warrior pointed once at each of the men standing with him, and once at himself. "As four eagles honor him, he becomes Four Eagles to honor them."

"Good name. We are honored."

Noticing how tired Shining Tears was beginning to look, Chris reached down instinctively and scooped her up, smiling into her gray-green eyes.

"Larr-Bee!!!" Mangus glared at him.

"Ah, hell."

"Pits gettin’ bigger, Pard."

"Larr-Bee!" Mangus pointed at the woman. ""Mangus fire woman!" Then he pointed at Mary, "Larr-Bee fire woman."

"Right....sorry....she’s all yours." He took the woman he carried and gently placed her in Mangus strong arms. When she looked back at him, staring brazenly into his eyes, Chris simply pointed one finger under her nose and said very low, "Shining Tears! Stop That!" Then he softened it, "Please! I’m your friend....that one’s your man."

She smiled and nodded and nested herself under Mangus’ chin and close to his heart.

"Good there, Chris. No gauntlet this time."

"Hell, no scalping my head this time, either, or Buck’s..."

"You two never did tell me what happened to Buck." Mary cocked her head, hoping for a good story.

"And we ain’t about to go giving you any ideas, either. You tell her....somebody’s gonna scalp you, Tanner!"

"Ain’t never been a blabbermouth...ain’t gonna start now."

----------

Chapter 12

The men sat around the fire that night, the four men, laughing and sharing stories in a mix of Apache, English, and sign. The women, Mary and Shining Tears, sat with them, much to the amazement of the warrior.

"My tribe...Lar-Bee...my tribe, men, women...no share fire except inside wickiup."

"My tribe...hell, men, women, boys, girls, we share. Only thing keeps us from sharing something is when somebody can’t do something."

"What Larr-Bee not do?"

"Well...can’t make this," Chris held up the sleeve of his fine Apache shirt.

"So Larr-Bee woman make shirts?"

"No, I don’t make them either. My things, yes. Larr-Bee things, Chris’ things, NO!" Her words came across the fire unsolicited. Mangus again was amazed.

"Then Larr-Bee woman cook?"

"Well, sometimes she does." Chris waggled his eyes at her in jest. "But just don’t eat her soup. Best stick to her biscuits." Mary reached over and swatted him. "Awh....I was only making a joke....and I thought I told you to stop that!"

"Unfortunately, I know you weren’t making a joke...and since when do YOU tell ME what to do?"

"Larr-Bee good cook!" Shining Tears praised him.

"Man cook?"

"Sometimes, when I have to....Make good chicken and dumplings."

"He does at that!" Vin nodded and rubbed his stomach.

"And Vin Tan-ner cook?"

"Not unless it’s over a fire. Else you’re going to be hurting real bad and real quick." Nathan grinned at the hunter.

"White men....white women...crazy people. How know what to do?"

"We just do...we work it out as we go."

The man shook his head, "No wonder Apache not understand."

"Hell, Mangus...we don’t never claim to understand neither!" Vin reached over and pounded the man on the back.

The talk went on into the late, late hours of the night. Easy talk among a group of new, good friends.

In the morning, Shining Tears holding her son, departed with her husband, riding a fine dapple gray mare. She had her promise that Mangus would insist that Harsh Winter treat her as a sister, not as a servant. The agreement suited the little mother well, even though Mangus explained to the men that the agreement didn’t mean the two women wouldn’t fight. Both of the women could be fierce fire women at the best of times. "Mangus build bigger wickiup...keep fire from spread."

"Mangus....two of them, both in one wickiup? You’re a braver man than I am!" Chris looked over at Mary, "One’s enough!"

"Is that so, Mr. Larabee? And when do you expect to even have one?"

"Ah, hell!"

Then their friends were gone. Mary and Nathan departed too shortly after.

That left only the two friends, sitting in the chairs, blowing smoke rings in a much quieter world.

"Chris.....Pard. I’ve just got me one little question....a little question, mind you."

"What, Vin?"

"How in the hell are you going to tell Buck about how you lost his mare?"

"I’ll just tell him it was the cost of saving his skin."

"Saving him? From what?"

"Mangus’ mother-in-law."

"That old woman from the camp? The one that..."

"The very one. Mangus says she wants him back for a spell. Keeps talking about him. Harsh Winter told Mangus to bring him back one way or another."

"You’re joking."

"I am EXTREMELY serious."

"For exactly what?"

"Seems she thought he was a real brave man. Wanted to meet him again, under less trying circumstances. She’s a widow now, it seems."

"Is that true...or are you just getting yourself out of a pickle."

"I’ll go get Mangus back...tell him where Buck is....let him deal with it."

"I don’t think you’d live to get near Buck if you do that!"

"She thinks he’s a real great stud, Vin. He just might learn to like the situation."

"What situation."

"What she liked best about him."

"And that was..."

"She thought he really enjoyed that shave. You did tell him to just keep on smiling no matter what she did to him. Seems like he did what you said. Seems we were all really good boys."

"Hell, Chris....and she wants him to do it again."

":Lots and lots of times. Appears to be her plan for taking care of her new man."

"Shoot....you go right ahead and tell him exactly what it was you did for him, Pard...he’ll thank you. After all, it was just one little ole mare, and he’s got two for her to shave."

 End