The House Of Crow Collection

7. The Stallion

Shaved and trimmed, Crow and LeRue arose before daylight. They both dressed in their buckskin trousers and red shirts. Crow was again reluctant to leave his rifle behind. For years, it was either in his hand or within grabbing distance. LeRue said nothing when Crow slipped his sheathed Bowie knife into his belt.

Outside, they could hear the rancho awakening. Men were greeting each other, their voices mixing with the sounds of livestock. LeRue stopped what he was doing and listened. LeRue said, “Sounds like your friend Hector is going to break a horse this morning.”

Crow finished adjusting his knife and said, “Let"s have a look-see.”

The sun was just beginning to peek over the hills as Crow and LeRue stepped outside. Tied in front of the hacienda were several saddled horses. They could hear a commotion coming from the direction of the corral. Men could be heard yelling encouragement to someone, mixed with the sounds of an enraged horse.

LeRue looked at Crow questioningly. Crow shrugged his shoulders stepped out into the yard just as the sounds of breaking timber filled the air. From the corral, a magnificent horse, a big gray, came across the yard. It stopped and reared up on its hind legs, pawing at the sky. Crow was already at a dead run when the gray decided to move. It passed close to Crow, who in one swift motion grabbed a handful of the horse"s mane. Swinging his legs up, he mounted the big running stallion. LeRue watched as his friend raced off into the dim light of morning.

In Spanish, a voice said, “We had better mount up and go look after your friend. He will need help.” It was Hector covered in dust, and his forehead was cut and bleeding.

“I don"t think we need to follow. He"ll be back. However, my friend, you should do something about that cut.”

Hector, for the first time, seemed to notice that he was injured. Touching his forehead with his fingers, they came away bloody. “Yes, I will clean up,” he said. Turning on his heel, Hector left. From the entrance of the hacienda, Carlos came to stand next to LeRue.

“I have never seen such a thing,” he said to LeRue. “He seemed to float up onto the back of that animal.”

“He"s a Crow Indian at heart,” replied LeRue. “They are fine horsemen.”

“That horse has injured three vaqueros who tried to ride it. Hector was going to show them how to do it this morning.”

As the two men stared off in the direction where Crow and the horse had disappeared, LeRue thought, "Ah my friend, now I"m sure you will have to kill this man, Hector."

Carlos stopped and reached out to LeRue, who turned to face him. “You have shaved your beard!”

“Crow and I figured we needed to get civilized.”

Carlos thought, "I wonder if Francisca may have inspired this need to shave?"

It was daylight when Crow rode the now docile, but still spirited, gray stallion into the yard. The vaqueros elbowed each other as man and horse approached the corral. From the gray"s back, Crow dropped to the ground and rubbed his hand along the gray"s neck. “You have a great heart, my friend,” Crow said to the horse.

Carlos approached, “He has fought everyone who has tried to ride him.”

Crow, his hand now resting on the gray"s back, gave it a pat. “He has spirit. Once he knew I respected him, he respected me.”

“He is yours. I do not think anyone will want to try to ride him,” said Carlos with a smile. “Too many that tried are still limping around.”

Crow said, “Muchas gracias, but are you sure?”

“He would have been turned loose or killed for meat if no one could break him. Horses are as plentiful as chickens. Have you noticed the horses in the fields with a rope about their necks? Anyone may take and ride them. As you travel cross country, if your horse gets tired, you just saddle another and move on. Here at the rancho, there are many mounts always with a tether. Anyone may take one. So yes my friend, he is yours.”

LeRue who had joined them, commented, “He is a beautiful animal. Back home you would be the envy, and target, of every Sioux warrior.”

“They would steal the horse?” asked a surprised Carlos.

“It is a requirement of many tribes, that to become a war-chief, a warrior must take an enemy"s horse or horses,” said Crow.

“Isaiah here was muy bueno at it. He is known for taking the war-pony of a Blackfoot warrior who had tethered it to his arm while he slept.”

Carlos looked at his two new friends. "They are amazing," he thought. "Life seems to be an amusement. I like them." “Come, el desayuno (breakfast) is ready!”

In her bedroom, Francisca had just finished dressing. Pirouetting in front of her mirror, she liked what she saw. "I think I will wear a ribbon, the red one that father bought for me," she thought. "Oh, I wonder whether that will be too forward? I do not care. I am going to wear it anyway."

Going to her dressing table, she opened a wooden cedar box in the shape of a chest. The top and sides had carvings of birds and flowers. It was a gift her brother brought back from Mexico. Francisca removed the red ribbon from the box. It was carefully rolled so there would be no creases. Her fingers deftly circled the fabric around her hair-bun and tied it in a bow. Turning left then right, she looked over her shoulder in the mirror. She was proud of her black hair and flawless olive skin. The white blouse she wore was in beautiful contrast to the red ribbon. It made her feel… mischievous? "I wonder what father will think? I do not care! I saw how you looked at me last night Señor Crow." With one more look in the mirror, Francisca headed through the door.

As the family and guests headed into the dining room, the Indian women in the kitchen were readying breakfast. This morning the kitchen smelled of carne asada (beef), roasted on an iron rod over an open fire. Additionally, there would be chorizo sausage, mixed with spices and ground chilies, a favorite of Hernando Batista. The meat was served with eggs, onions, frijoles refritos, and tortillas. Hot chocolate would be served instead of coffee this morning.

Carmen and Hernando were already in the room when Francisca entered. Then, from a different doorway, Carlos, Crow, and LeRue came into the room. Several things began to happen at the same time:

Hernando saw the look on Francisca"s face. There was a hint of a smile that had always made him wonder what she was thinking. Next, he noticed that his daughter looked especially radiant this morning. Then he saw the red ribbon.

Carmen had also seen the red ribbon, and then she saw Crow. He was clean-shaven now, which revealed perhaps one of the most handsome men Carmen had ever seen. His blue eyes and black hair accented his features. She knew immediately why her daughter wore the red ribbon.

Francisca flushed at the sight of Crow. She had not expected such a handsome man under the thick beard he had been wearing. Then she saw the looks of her mother and father.

Carmen said, “Francisca, you look lovely this morning.”

LeRue saved Crow by bringing him back to reality with an elbow in the ribs. Carlos" smile nearly went to laughter at the scene unfolding before him. Much to the relief of his mother and sister, he maintained control and guided Crow and LeRue to their seats at the table. He saved the moment by saying, “Father, Señor Crow rode the gray this morning.”