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 Son�mi�familia, �she�said�simply.� Mi�esposo�y�mis�hijos. �Then�she�repeated�it�in�English:� my�husband�and�my�sons. �
 Yeah, �he�said,�hesitating.� Well  �he�searched�for�the�right�words  we�want�to�make�a�deal�with�you.�You've�exhausted�us�
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with�all�your�sadness.�We're�all�tired~�we're�at�our�wit's�end.�We've�talked�this�over,�and�we're�ready�to�make�a�bargain. �
She�Mourns�did�not�understand�the�word.
 Bargain.�Deal.�It's�sort�of�like�a�treaty.�You�work�harder�at�trying�to�fit�in,�you�try�to�learn�English�again,�you�make�a�better�effort�to�conform�to�our�ways, �he�paused,�
as�if�checking�in�his�mind�that�he�had�got�it�all.� And,�in�the�Summer,�when�it's�easier�to�travel.& �In�the�Summer,�I'll�take�you�& �I'll�get�up�a�party�and�we'll�take�you&
back�to�the�high�plains�and�see�if�we�can't�find�your�Comanche�friends. �
She�Mourns�could�hardly�believe�she�understood�correctly.�She�dared�not�let�herself�get�excited.�Tentatively,�she�asked�in�Spanish,� You'll�let�me�go�back�to�my�
husband�and�sons? �
 Yeah,�well I'll,�we'll�take�you.�We'll�take�you�out�there�and�see�if�we�can�make�contact.  �
She�Mourns�put�the�coffee�cup�down�so�fast�it�overturned.�She�fell�on�her�knees�and�hugged�Isaac's�legs.� Gr�cias,�gr�cias,�tio�mio. �Then�she�caught�herself�and�tried�
to�speak�English.� Oh,�thank�oncle.�Thank.�I�try.�I�try.�Yo�probar�a. �
 Yeah,�well,�you�see,�these�are�troubled�times.�The�Yankees�are�making�more�and�more�trouble.�Everybody�is�talking�about�war.�If�we�have�to�go�to�war,�we'll& have�
to�go�to�war.�And�that�may�change�everything. �
She�Mourns�did�not�understand.� I�try, �she�repeated.� I�try�English. �But�then�her�English�would�not�let�her�say�how�much�she�wanted�to�go�back�to�Peta�Nocona�and�
her�sons.
 This�I'll�promise, �said�Isaac.� If�you'll�make�a�better�effort�to�learn�English�again�and�conform,�I'll�do�my�best�to�help�you�visit�your�Comanche�friends. �
But�the�time�of�their�departure�was�always�in�the�future.�One�week,�they�couldn't�go�because�the�Comanches�were�raiding,�right�up�to�the�edge�of�Weatherford.�
Another�week,�it�had�rained�in�the�west�and�the�Brazos�River�was�flooding.�Another�week,�Isaac�was�
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busy�supervising�his�Negroes�as�they�planted�the�cotton,�corn,�gardens�and�horsefeed.�There�was�always�someone's�birthday,�or�someone's�visit.�Or�the�Yankees�had�
cut�off�some�supply�route.� Maybe�we�can�go�next�week. �
And�often�her�response�was,� I�lie�down.�Sleep. �Every�time�they�broke�another�promise,�she�seemed�to�need�sleep.�
She�Mourns�wore�their�funny�clothes�and�repeated�words�from�their�picture�books.�More�cousins�and�people�who�were�married�to�cousins�came�by.�They�all�gazed�at�
her�and�smiled.�She�tried�to�repeat�their�phrases�in�English~�that�was,�after�all,�part�of�the�agreement.
But�Uncle�Isaac�did�not�seem�to�understand�her�desperation.�If�he�had�been�her�clansman,�she�could�have�told�him�what�was�in�her�heart.�If�he�were�her�mother's�
brother,�she�could�have�shared�her�secrets�with�him�and�have�known�that�they�were�safe.
She�grew�progressively�more�and�more�despondent,�but�she�could�not�weep~�she�seemed�to�have�cried�out�all�her�tears.�She�began�to�see�that�they�had�no�intention�of�
keeping�their�part�of�the�bargain.�It�was�another�broken�promise.�No�one�was�going�to�take�her�to�the�high�plains�of�the�Comancher�a.�She�felt�terribly�tired.�She�felt�
empty.�She�was�so�exhausted�and�depressed�that�she�didn't�even�notice�that�she�felt�no�great�anger.
She�needed�a�good�Eagle�Doctor�more�than�ever.�Oh,�why�hadn't�she�listened�more�closely�when�the�shaman�sang�over�her?�Why�hadn't�she�learned�the�songs?�But,�
she�realized�with�a�sinking�heart,�that�to�know�the�songs�without�having�been�chosen�by�the�Power�behind�the�songs�would�be�useless.�It�was�the�Puha,�the�Medicine�
Power,�that�did�the�work,�not�the�songs�or�the�herbs�that�went�with�them.
Each�night,�N�udah�lay�awake�in�the�dark,�remembering�what�a�Comanche�night�sounded�like:�the�far�off�howl�of�a�coyote�or�a�wolf~�the�screech�of�a�night�owl~�the�
gurgling�of�the�stream�nearby~�the�snuffling�of�the�horses�in�the�remuda~�the�quiet�sounds�of�the�sentinels�tending�the�night�fires.�Here�at�Birdville,�she�heard�only�the�
crickets�calling�to�their�mates�and�the�scurrying�of�mice.�Grandmother�Moon�seemed�to�sigh�like�a�stick�drawn�across�a�rough�rock.�
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When�the�moon�came�full�again,�Escapes�Now�had�not�collected�nearly�all�the�supplies�she�and�Toh�Tsee�Ah�would�need�for�a�successful�flight,�but�she�determined�to�
go�anyway.�She�could�not�stand�another�day,�here�in�the�white�man's�love�among�a�family�that�could�not�comprehend�her�sorrow.�
When�she�was�sure�the�family�was�asleep,�she�dressed�herself�and�Toh�Tsee�Ah�in�their�Comanche�clothes.�With�the�iron�poker�from�the�fireplace,�she�broke�the�latch�
on�the�back�door�of�their�cabin�and�crept�out.�Toh�Tsee�Ah�did�not�even�have�to�be�told�to�be�quiet~�her�training�as�a�Comanche�had�long�since�taught�her�that�children�
should�not�make�noise�in�times�of�stealth�or�attack.
A�short�distance�from�the�Isaac�Parker�cabin,�Escapes�Now�whispered�to�Toh�Tsee�Ah,� We�will�not�take�one�of�their�horses.�Maybe�they�will�think�we�are�still�in�this�
area.�We�will�find�a�horse�along�the�way.�Maybe�at�one�of�the�neighbors'�houses. �She�knew�there�was�no�profit�in�telling�her�daughter�what�they�were�doing,�but�the�
sound�of�the�Comanche�words�reassured�her.�It�slowed�her�heartbeat.�The�words�made�her�feel�that�escape�was�possible.� We�are�out�of�their�camp,�little�one~�now�if�
only�we�can�keep�them�from�tracking�us�in�the�moonlight. �
At�the�first�neighbor's�farm,�Escapes�Now�crept�along�the�double�rail�fence�toward�the�barn.�She�could�hear�horses�stamping�in�their�stalls.�But�when�she�opened�the�
gate�a�big�cur�dog�began�barking�and�growling�with�bared�teeth.�Almost�at�once,�a�man�came�to�the�door�and�looked�out.�She�crouched�low�behind�weeds�growing�in�
the�fence�row.
In�a�moment,�the�man�returned�with�a�lantern.�  Whatcha�got,�Fritz? �Luckily�for�Escapes�Now,�the�lantern�blinded�him�so�he�couldn't�see�in�the�bright�moonlight.�The�
dog�stopped�barking�and�began�wagging�its�tail�when�his�master�approached.� You�got�a�spooky�imagination,�Fritz, �the�man�concluded,�and�he�went�back�to�the�
house.
After�a�while,�Escapes�Now�crept�out�of�hiding�and�left,�for�the�dog�was�growling�again�and�she�was�afraid�he�would�bark�if�she�tried�to�get�closer�to�the�barn.�
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At�the�next�farm,�she�got�to�the�barn�without�being�detected~�no�dog�barked,�but�there�were�no�horses�in�the�shed~�they�were�all�out�in�a�pasture.�She�went�out�into�the�
meadow,�walking�slowly,�but�the�horses�snorted�and�bolted�away.�She�put�Toh�Tsee�Ah�under�a�tree,�and,�running�after�them,�tried�to�catch�one.�Maybe�one�would� [ Pobierz całość w formacie PDF ]

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