The time had come to make arrangements to go to St. Louis. He intended to work his way east in whatever capacity Ashley might use him. He’d heard that this rendezvous would wind up shortly, and Ashley was eager to get back. He had a fortune in beaver pelts that he would haul to St. Louis on the p...
“Get outa here,” he said, brandishing it. She didn’t argue. But no sooner had she moved toward the open door of the boxcar than a heavy jerk on the couplings threw her backward, and the train started to roll. “I said get out. No women.” “Get out yourself,” she snapped. She was tired of being houn...
Colonel Frémont and the other messes had worked down the new drainage, finding the way easy. They were even riding their packs on the slopes and enjoying the sledding. I watched them vanish far below, around a bend where the forest projected into the creek bottoms, and then all was quiet. It was ...
They eyed Skye, studied Jawbone, who stood with his ears laid back, and then examined Skye’s party, visible a mile back from that ridge. “Come. Visit. Smoke. People that way,” one of the warriors signed. He pointed northwest. Skye would rather not, but saw little choice in it. All he could do was...
The man was not silent. “Who do you think ye air, ye blawdy bitch! Treating me like some bloomin’ pincushion, are ye? Damn blawsted demon!” ″ He paraded straight toward Skye, who stood waiting, while Victoria resolutely kept her bow drawn. He spotted Skye, exhaled, straightened himself up, and ma...
Dust and grass and leaves fled before it, seeking refuge in calmer corners. The wind cracked and whipsawed Old Glory, and rattled windowpanes. The wind stabbed through the ill-clad Shoshones who had gathered at the warehouse for Distribution Day. The wind would whistle through their paltry allotm...