Uncertain Justice

Chapter 51

The wanderers sent a strong force to retaliate and the two Indian nations fought many times over the summer. Small and large groups of warriors hunted their foes in the wilderness and set up ambushes to trap the fighting men on the other side. The People, familiar with their land, had the advantage in this and found many places to surprise the invaders. They drove the herds of deer and elk far from their normal grazing sites so the others would have to range far in order to hunt.

Little by little, the People wore down the enemy, killing their enemy's warriors a few at a time until the intruders became desperate.

Finding a little-used trail over the sacred mountain, the one Miles called the valley's eastern edge, they slipped around the screen of Wolf Clan scouts and came near the valley of the city. The last encounter in the war was an open battle on the prairie to the west of the city.

It was a wild, tumultuous melee with few organized lines of resistance. Warriors fought until they could fight no more and withdrew to rest and prepare for more fighting. It went on for three days until the invaders grew too few and abandoned the field. The old stories of the People told of such battles in times past but none remembered even their great-grandfathers having actually been in one.

Miles stood with the warriors from the Bear Clan, reinforced by brothers of the Wolf Clan and, indeed, all the other clans who sent every male of fighting age into the conflict to support the full-time fighting men.

The women and children of the People gathered in the meadow north of the stone house, ready to retreat over the difficult trail up the canyon if the battle should be lost. The aged, and the sick and already wounded men would have stayed at the entrance, fighting to give their families a chance to escape had the enemy broken through.

In the fighting, Miles' crossbow bolts had found their marks in four of the wild ones, they who would bring down the city of the People. Three were dead, but one stumbled away with blood pouring from his lips, a bolt through the right side of his chest. The Wolf Clan brothers who nipped at the heels of the retreating invaders never found him and it was assumed the wounded warrior had crawled into a nook somewhere to die.

In the wild hand-to-hand combat when the intruders found a weakly defended place beside the river, Miles threw himself into the widening gap, holding enemy warriors at bay while Bear Clan brothers regrouped behind him. Standing head and shoulders above the tallest of the enemies, the mad giant wielding the long spear and heavy bladed knife forced the enemy braves to withdraw. When the line was restored, there were five more warriors of the intruders lying dead at Miles' feet and as many more nursed deep wounds when they pulled back.

In the somber ceremonies that marked the passing of the People's fallen warriors, Miles stood at the far right in the front rank of the fighting clans. The position of honor had been unanimously voted him by all of the clan brothers.

No longer separate from the city's own fighting men, the dead warriors of the invading nation were given homage equal to the clan brothers who had died. All were then eased into the dark current from Rock of Decision deep in the cave they called Sipapu.

§

In time, Miles no longer needed to travel to the city to dream and be with the People. They came many times to visit him at the little stone house in the cavern to wonder at the devices and tools he and Zeb had brought with them. The heavy wooden door mystified them. They could not understand why a sane person would want to shut themselves away from the land and from others with such a device. The People spent many hours around his solitary campfires when he ventured across the stream, glad that he saw them now.

When the elders heard how old he was--most of the city died long before their fortieth birthday and only a lucky and honored few saw their fiftieth--the elders decided Miles was one of their own and included him in their deliberations. Sometimes he came to the kiva in the city; often they made the trip to his cavern to speak of many things.

Miles spoke of the trouble that brought him to the valley, saying he was not a truly wise man. He told them he was hunted by others of his 'city'. The elders could not understand the concept of a nation that covered thousands of miles from coast to coast. He told them how a chance meeting with a young woman had brought him to the attention of the authorities.

The People did not understand how those officials could not be the assembled elders of the clans, chosen for their wisdom. The People were not fools--they knew their elders were not always wise ... they had no word for it, but Miles recognized politics as it was practiced in the city. Life was too hard, though, for the city to spare attention to a male who wished only to tell others what they must do. Those who sought unearned power soon became hungry as others refused to share the products of their hunting or farming with him.

The Kachina dancers showed the People how Miles watched the girl at the party and later tried to comfort her in her pain. They peered over his shoulder and murmured in disbelief as the false elder named Brady sought to imprison Miles with untrue words.

How, the People asked, could the citizens of the big city allow the Brady person to do these things? They showed their approval with strong words as Miles gained strength to deny the prosecutor his victory. They congratulated Miles on his decision to join the People in the valley far from the twisted ones.

In the privacy of the Great Kiva, where the men spoke of their hidden problems--the ones they did not show the women--Miles admitted his cowardice in failing to stay and face the false prosecution. He told them of his sadness at not being a true man and fighting Brady in the court of laws. They scoffed at him, saying no man could submit to unjust accusations. He tried to show them the difference between justice and law but they would not hear him. If the laws are not just, they asked, how could a man honor those who sat in judgment.

The eldest of the tribe showed him how those who transgressed against the city would be brought before the assembled People. If the accused man's words were not true, he was banished forever. Some chose the end of leaping from the decision rock to regain their honor.

Miles told the elder he thought he was a coward among great warriors ... that he had been afraid in the fighting. The elder scoffed, saying all men who knew battle feared greatly. Their bravery was that they fought anyway ... they fought for the city and their loved ones.

Miles showed him how he decided at an early age the use of his greater strength and coordination in contests with other children was wrong, no matter what the provocation. Children, the elder scoffed, had to test their strength with others. How else could they become men? Strong men, explained the elder, used their might for the city. They were obligated to, since others did not have that great strength. Miles remained unconvinced.

The elder became impatient with Miles. He named Miles the strong one, the soldier. He scolded Miles, warning Miles he must hear and obey his heart. Be proud of your strength, the elder counseled, and lend your strength to those who did not have it. Miles listened and meditated in the ancient way, fasting many days on the highest ridges and in time became whole.

The council of elders wondered that it had taken so long for him to come to a peace inside himself.

CHAPTER NINE

"A spokesperson for the Department of Justice said today they are scaling back the manhunt for Miles Underwood, the suspected r****t and killer of a young woman in San Antonio, Texas. At the same time the United States Marshal Service has announced a one million dollar reward for information leading to the arrest and conviction of the fugitive who fled Texas rather than face prosecution for his alleged crimes. Underwood escaped from a posse composed of state police and local sheriff deputies early this spring and has not been seen since. Despite the lack of any contact with Underwood, Department of Justice officials remain confidant they will find him." The camera switched from a head-on view of the anchorman to a previously taped interview segment.

"We just can't do it in the winter," remarked the trim, confidant spokesman. "The snow can get twenty feet deep up there in the dead of winter and we don't want to get any of our guys killed," he explained. He turned his head slightly to look directly into the lens. "But we came here to find Mister Underwood and we'll only leave when we get him."

World Information News Network

"National News Tonight"

Oct 19

§

There was a crust of ice in shallow pools near the river three mornings in a row before the weather broke and Indian summer returned to the valley. The ice was gone from the river, but a white dusting remained on the mountain peaks.

Miles was forced into a decision to leave the valley, at least temporarily. He was happier here than he could recall ever having been before in his life and the going wouldn't be easy. But he had to get out and find some source of supplies to carry him through the winter, though. He wasn't equipped to survive months of poor hunting and no wild vegetables.

The backpack was ready. It had been ready for a week now while he delayed as long as possible. He'd rationalized the postponement with a suggestion that he needed to finish off the last of the smoked and jerked venison from the summer ... he didn't want to waste it ... but that wasn't the real reason. The truth was he hated to even think about what waited for him outside. That world hadn't been very friendly the last few months he'd spent in it.

Finally, there were no more reasons--no more excuses--to delay any longer. The backpack waited near the front door, filled with small but surprisingly heavy sacks of gold and quartz nuggets, while he roamed the stone house trying to decide what else to take with him.

He'd found Zeb's stash entirely by accident. A canny old man Zeb had been--hiding all that gold in a wooden box buried in the corner under the table. Miles would probably never have found it if he hadn't moved the table out into the middle of the room to repair the split in the corner.