Page 96 of The Spirit of the Wolf

At this announcement, Yellow Swan smiled, though she had cast her gaze politely downward.

So Marietta said for her, “Then we should journey to the north as soon as we trap the beast, so that we may bring Yellow Swan to her people.”

“We could,” said Grey Coyote. “However, if she does not wish to wait for this to happen, I have other news, perhaps better news. I found another Assiniboine woman in the Lakota camp. She is waiting for Yellow Swan, for she too wishes to go back to her own people. Together, they can return to Assiniboine territory.”

For a moment, gazing at Yellow Swan, Marietta was uncertain if her friend was going to break out into laughter or tears, so varied were the emotions to be witnessed over her countenance. Instead, Yellow Swan said, “Tell…scout…I thank him,” and she turned away.

Marietta could have sworn that before Yellow Swan glanced off from them, she had seen tears in her eyes.

“Will you be able to pick up the beast’s trail again?” asked Marietta, as she and Grey Coyote set out once more, after having introduced Yellow Swan to the other Assiniboine woman. It had been a warm meeting between the two women, for they knew one another. They were, in truth, cousins.

They had rested for a day, and then Grey Coyote had pointed both women in the direction of home, while Marietta had ensured they had plenty of food.

Hardly believing she might never see Yellow Swan again, Marietta threw her arms around the other woman. “I will miss you. I will miss your quiet demeanor, your wisdom, your companionship. But most of all I will miss our friendship. Please think of me from time to time.”

Yellow Swan was crying. “I…will. I, too, will…miss…you. But this one…” she pointed to herself, “…must…go. Husband…wait.”

“I know. Still… I wish I had something to give you, but I don’t. Nothing except my petticoat. It is yours.” She handed her the garment. “Think of me whenever you see it.”

“I…will…” Yellow Swan turned away then, and the two women were gone, quickly disappearing into the landscape.

Marietta fell back into Grey Coyote’s arms. There were tears in her eyes when she became aware that Yellow Swan had left her a gift. Marietta saw it there amongst her things. Yellow Swan had taken a piece of wood and fashioned it and whittled it until it resembled two figures of friends holding hands.

Marietta cried. She would miss her friend.

It was time for her to help Grey Coyote confront his ghosts, to set his people free. Somehow the beast was all tied up in this. Exactly how, she didn’t know. She only was aware that without him, the spell could not be broken. They had to find him.

To this end, she and Grey Coyote had backtracked toward the fort, both of them scouring the ground, looking for the beast’s tracks.

“I will find his trail,” Grey Coyote said. “It has not yet been a week, and it has not rained. The earth will still hold the impression of those who walk over her.”

“Yes, but how do you know where to start?”

Grey Coyote gazed up at her. “There are some facts we possess. One is that we tracked this man, the beast, to this post. Laidlaw must have seen him, for I am certain nothing comes in or out of his post which is unknown to him. Yet, Laidlaw would not tell you where the beast went.”

“Yes, I remember him telling me this.”

“Why would he not?” asked Grey Coyote.

“I do not know.”

Grey Coyote set his features in a frown. “It was the asking of this question which has caused me to believe as I do now: the beast works for Laidlaw.”

“The beast? Works for Laidlaw?”

“I believe it is so. It would explain why Laidlaw would not help you. It would also excuse why Laidlaw was intent on getting you as far away from the post as possible.”

Perplexed, Marietta furrowed her brow. “But I thought he was trying to do me a favor, although he went about it in an unusual way.”

Grey Coyote stared at her hard. “It is possible he was doing you a favor, but you must try to think like this man—if only for a short while. Could a man who would order the death of another, without thought, without conscience, be also a man of benevolence?”

“I don’t know. Could he?”

“I do not think so. Men who require other men to do their killing for them, rather than confront the deed themselves, are not quite human. In my opinion, they are not a true man and they are less than an animal, for such men have no concept of the Creator’s concept of right and wrong. Such men spurn the Creator because they deal in destruction, not creation.”

“You do have interesting ideas, my husband.”

“These are my thoughts. I could be wrong. But if it be true that Laidlaw hires others to do his killing for him, then he would not be above hiring the beast to work for him, also.”