Inheriting the Missing

Chapter 1: Yesterday's Gone-3

“Before you got here,” said Falling Water, “We were talking of the far away places you might go.

“I remembered Simeon went once, long ago, with Red Cloud to the place of the great father in the land called Washington. You were the size of a puppy in those days and often sounded like one.”

Everyone laughed again. Even Talon could not resist the fun of it. He had not known that his uncle had gone anywhere with Red Cloud and especially not Washington.

“To Washington, with Red Cloud! How old were you uncle? You never told me. What did you do in the white man’s counsel lodge?” Simeon didn’t seem like he wanted to be in the spotlight. He looked at the pipe in his lap to think of what to say and for a moment was silent.

“I learned new things,” said Simeon.”

A small breeze moved up the little valley and for a moment the lodge smoke gathered in the top of the lodge, then puffed out through the smoke hole again.

“I remember you went,” said Falling Water. “And I remember you came again, but you never said what other things you saw there and I never asked. What other things did you see there?”

Simeon looked up from his lap and smiled at his guests. It was a smile Talon had seen before. It usually meant he was up to something.

“Red Cloud was very old.” He said.” I went to be with him when he talked to the white chiefs of matters concerning his people. What I remember most was that I looked around and said ‘Hoy’ a lot, so that everyone knew I agreed with Red Cloud.”

Everyone laughed at that.

“What did you agree about?” asked Fred.

“You are young,” said Simeon. “Later you will learn to trust your elders. It’s much easier than listening.”

Then everyone really laughed, even Simeon.

“Tell me what you learned,” said Falling Water. “You must have learned some new thing you never told.”

“There is not much. I remember the talk in the great fathers’ lodge,” said Simeon. “It seemed to pass like clouds without rain. It was in the streets that I remember the most. There were many shops and people were everywhere. All the buildings were different colors and all the women wore fancy clothes. It was a lot to see.

“I will tell you one good thing I saw, in a loud place where men gambled with cards and tricks and won or lost many things. One man was especially good. He had a great trick and he won when he used it.”

“A trick,” said Falling Water. It was easy to see that he was instantly interested. A new trick might be very interesting.

“Show me the new trick you have kept all this time to yourself.”

“It is a trick to use when you are gambling, “said Simeon. You need to have something to gamble with, something to win or lose. I will show you the trick. If I win, will you agree to give Talon the two horses you brought with you?”

Talon’s heart leaped in his chest. The gelding he had long respected and loved! So this is why the extra horses were tied outside. The thought of owning even a mean horse was a dream that he had not dared dream could come true. To own the proud cut and the mare would be more to him than gold to the white man.

What Talon could not know was that Falling Water had set in his heart to give the horses to Talon when he brought them. He had come to love Talon like a son over the long years of his boyhood.

When Talon’s father died, Simeon and Falling Water had taken up raising him. It was their influence that made him who he was, more than even he knew. Learning a new trick would make it all the more fun.

“Here is the trick I learned,” said Simeon, “and here is my gambling deal. I wish to trade with Falling Water for two horses. This is what I offer.”

Talon had in his hair three tail feathers of an eagle. They were tied in with strands of the hair of a horse’s mane. Simeon slipped his knife from his belt and cut the feathers loose. Then he laid them on the ground in front of Falling Water. Falling Water stared for a moment at the feathers and then he laughed.

“How can you trade three feathers for two horses?” He asked, amused.

“It is the trick,” said Simeon. “You see three feathers but there are really four of them.”

Falling Water looked more serious now as he stared at the feathers. Everyone was looking at them now, and the lodge was silent while they waited to see what Simeon’s trick might be.

“Four,” said Falling Water. “Not four. Only three. Did you forget how to count in Washington? This won’t be much of a trick if it can’t even fool a half-drunk Indian.”

The whole lodge laughed again.

“Look more closely,” said Simeon. “Be very careful so no one will laugh at you later.”

Falling Water carefully separated the feathers to be sure one more was not hidden behind the others. There were only three.

“So this is a trick of counting,” he said.

“No,” said Simeon, “no trick with counting. You can see them on the ground. Four, no trick. How can you not see them? In front of you are four feathers.”

Falling Water looked at them again and laughed. Then he separated them again with his fingers and began to wonder what Simeon was up to. One of the other men leaned over and touched the feathers with his fingers. He looked at Falling Water and laughed a little also. No one was eager to get involved until they had seen what kind of trick Simeon was playing.

“I am old but I’m not crazy yet,” said Falling Water. “Here in front of me lay three feathers and they are to trade for two horses, so now I am interested in how this is to be done.”

“Here is mystery,” said Simeon. “I have put down four feathers and I have tricked my friends into thinking I have only offered three.

“Falling Water is saying to me he has counted all the feathers and finds only three. I am also able to count and I will not touch the feathers to change any of them. I will not count twice or try to use any trick about the number of them.

“I am saying there are four feathers only because that is how many there are. With no disrespect for my friends, I am amazed that men of your age cannot see all the feathers. To me, it is easy to see and I will not change my mind.

“Here is the problem then. Falling water says three, and I say four. We cannot both be right. So count again Falling Water, and be very careful to be sure. I say three, and you say four. Are you sure of this thing?”

Falling Water almost said yes but suddenly realized what Simeon had just said.

“Not four,” said Falling Water, sounding a little confused. “You said three, no I mean four. You said four, not three.”

He was about to laugh again, his head spinning a little.

“Okay,” said Simeon. “Four. I did say four because there are four. You say there are three. I say there are four. If I am wrong will you give Talon the horses?”

Falling Water laughed again and looked at the feathers.

“Yes,” he said, a little uncertain.

He wasn’t sure what Simeon was thinking, and he knew there was a trick hidden someplace in his words, but he couldn’t find it.

“Good” yelled Simeon. “The horses are yours Talon. I am wrong.”

Falling Water was stunned for an instant and instantly replayed the last words Simeon had used. When he realized what had been done, he roared with laughter, as did all the lodge. Talon smiled. In fact, he smiled so hard he thought his face might crack, and then he laughed at the great trick. Washington, it seemed, was good for something after all.

Talon could feel a new life growing out of the ashes of the old one. The lodge was filled with laughter and the night was clear and good. Best of all, he now had horses.

He had often dreamed of having horses of his own. Now not only did he have horses, he had horses he knew and trusted.

The gelding was more powerful than other horses, and faster. Both horses were mustang. That meant they would find their own way through the trees and brush, even at a dead run. The American horses that came with the white man were good horses, but if you rode them hard they would fall into trouble. They would run through prairie dog towns, where the holes would cause them to fall and break their legs. They wouldn’t find the best path through the brush either.

The gelding needed a good rider with strong legs. If he decided to make a hard turn at a run he would run out from under a man who was not prepared for how fast he moved. He was the perfect horse for Talon. The mare was not as fast as the gelding, and she was more than Talon needed for a packhorse. At this point in his life, all he owned he could wrap up in his bedroll and tie onto the gelding behind him.

Talon knew that Simeon was wise about such things so he didn’t question why he had asked for both horses. He felt very rich to have them and eager to start his ride north. He had begun to dream of what it must look like in the new land. He thought of what he might find along his way on his long journey, and somewhere in his dreaming and the laughter he slept.