Part 1 (2/2)
back to your cabin and stay out of it.”
Alisha glared at his face so ful of hate and contempt for the brave and asked, ”Just what did he do to you, Horace?”
He snarled angrily, ”He's alive and an Injun, that's enough for me!”
She studied his hate-distorted features in amazement, then inquired, ”You mean that you hate him and would kil him simply because he's an Indian?”
Horace gave her a quick, concise, ”Yep!”
Alisha retorted, ”That's barbaric! And you cal him the savage? That's realy pathetic, Horace. But then again, so like you...”
Horace flashed her a look of warning and said, ”Don't press me, Alisha.”
She quipped back instantly, ”Don't cal me Alisha! Only my friends can do that.” The jab hit home and he flamed at the insult. Ben intervened at that point. ”Miss Alisha, maybe you best go inside if it bothers you to witness punishment.”
”Punishment!” she shrieked. ”For what?”
”For being an Injun,” Horace shouted back at her. ”Now stop your interfering or I'l personaly see to it that you do.”
She glared at him and whispered, ”If you ever touch me again, I'l...”
Ben warned, ”I told you once before, Horace, leave her be.”
The two men exchanged looks and Horace backed down once more.
The brave remained motionless and silent while they argued over what was to be done with him. Alisha argued, threatened and pleaded against al their suggestions, but was ignored and slowly pushed backwards by the circle of spectators that tightened around pushed backwards by the circle of spectators that tightened around the scene. She prayed for her uncle and the others to return soon. She knew the men were not thinking clearly and the group would soon be out of control.
The men decided that first they would flog him with thirty lashes.
Thirty, she thought, horrified. Men have died from less than twenty. I must do something! But what? I'm no match against al these strong men.
The men began to pul him toward the post used to butcher game. Ben was tugging on the rope, trying to drag him to it. The brave held back and resisted with al his might every step of the way. Jed and Horace shoved and pushed him from behind at each delay and hesitation.
Aggravated and angry, Horace suddenly laughed sardonicaly and tripped him. With quick nimbleness and alertness, the brave flipped in mid-air and landed on his side rather than face down in the dirt. As he was going down, the rope tightened around his neck and he choked and coughed. Swiftly he bounded back to his feet before Horace could deliver a vicious kick into his side. He crouched like a puma about to spring and faced his antagonist with eyes that blazed in unconcealed fury and hate. Horace drew back slightly as he watched the brave's jaw grow taut and the muscles in it quiver. His eyes narrowed and flamed dangerously at the men, who overlooked this warning and would live to regret this day and its events.
Squeals of delight and laughter filed the air. Taunts and jests flew from al directions at his apparent helplessness. ”Been drinking too much firewater, Injun?” ”They just don't grow Injuns like they used to.” ”I bet he ain't bathed in year or more. What'cha say used to.” ”I bet he ain't bathed in year or more. What'cha say wegive 'im a bath, boys?” ”Ben, you oughta teach yore Injun some manners.” ”Hey! how about doing us a little war dance, redskin?”
”Heck! I'd like to hear some chanting and praying.” ”Who's yore tailor, boy? That's realy some nifty garb. I bet we could win us a prize with that outfit over in Paris, France.” ”Somebody get us some paint and we'l fix his face up right for a change.” ”Yeh! And paint a yelow strip down the coward's back.” The ribbing went on and on until Horace became the center attraction with his antics. He yeled out, ”Watch this!” At that, he stiffened his body, held his head high and tried to mock the brave's dignified stance and tried to calm his grinning face to mock his stoical mask. He could do neither.
New bursts of laughter rippled the air and others joined in the gestures and tried amidst howling laughter and encouragement to imitate his walk, stance and facial expression. Catcals, hoots and hisses filed the air like sirocco winds from the desert during a sand storm.
The brave alertly observed each man and his moves as he stood erect and proud before his enemies. His contempt of them and of the danger he was in was clearly written on his face, and this inflamed the men. His confidence and prowess stung their pride and they tried harder to provoke some emotion, reaction or outburst from him. He rewarded their attempts with silence and stilness. They pranced around taunting him, but he only stared back in haughty arrogance. The men became more and more piqued by his lack of response to their words and actions. They wanted him to resist or show fear. Their egos demanded that he be broken or humbled before they kiled him. Gray Eagle rebuffed al their intimidations and tricks. They refused to recognize the leashed intimidations and tricks. They refused to recognize the leashed violence and strength of mind and body that he held in such tight control. If they had looked beyond the surface, they would have cringed in fear and respect at what they would have seen. Horace snarled, ”Let's get on with this. We've wasted enough time. He ain't gonna beg yet. Let's just see if'n he bleeds the same color as us. Hel! maybe his blood is as black as that d.a.m.ned heart of his.”
Jed shouted, ”Tie the b.a.s.t.a.r.d face forward! I want to see his expression when he feels the bite of the whip. I want him to have to look us in the face when he pleads for mercy and screams with pain.”
Ben remarked, ”Maybe I can wipe that smug look off'n his purty face with a few wel-aimed snaps of my bul whip.”
Alisha pushed and shoved until she managed to get through the crowd. She lunged for Ben's hand and missed. She persisted until she was able to grab the arm of the giant man holding the rope securely in his powerful grip.
”You mustn't do this, Ben! Uncle Thad wouldn't permit such inhumane treatment. No one deserves this kind of cruel abuse, not even him. Please, don't do this terrible thing,” she pleaded with him and the others close by.
But no matter what she said or how, the group continued its relentless onslaught of words and actions. Sneers and taunts became'bolder and louder, ”Dirty Injun!” ”You're nothing but a filthy, murdering redskin!” ”I say we kils him!” ”No! Hang 'im!”
”Cut out his tongue like they did ole Timkins...” ”Hanging's too good for the devil.” ”Get the whip and give 'im the licking of his life ...” ”Tie him to the hitchin' post and beat him to death.” ”Let me at 'im. I'l fix him up good.”
'im. I'l fix him up good.”
Talk was running wild and loose and no amount of reasoning or begging seemed to penetrate the vengeance-crazed minds of the men. Al the anger, fear and hatred they knew and felt seemed to be centered upon this one man and this moment in time. Alisha wondered what had sent them to the brink of madness with his capture. They were acting and talking like he was the Genghis Khan of the West. Was this how it had been with Anne Boleyn, Sir Thomas Beckett, or Joan of Arc? Was this how their mobs had screamed for their blood and heads? Were they not as guiltless as he appeared to be? Had there been others like her, forced to watch helplessly?
She had been told about the hatred and differences between the white man and Indian, but she had never before confronted it. They were ready to tear him limb from limb. She had never witnessed such uncaled-for behavior and violence to another. This whole situation went against her beliefs and teachings. How could his being an Indian provoke such hatred and anger from these people?
She watched as the men dragged him over to the post and tied him tightly face forward. Jedfetched the whip, demanding to be the first to inflict some lashes on him. Others grabbed at the whip handle begging for the same honor.
Ben, being the largest and most pcwerful man present, took the whip and stated, ”I'm first! They'l be enough skin on his red a.r.s.e for al of us to peel some off and leave some for the buzzards.”
Alisha made one last desperate plea for mercy and common sense. ”How can you people ever hope to have peace and friends.h.i.+p with them when you treat them like this? Can't you see this wil only cause more trouble and hatred? Wait for Uncle Thad this wil only cause more trouble and hatred? Wait for Uncle Thad to come back, Ben. He'l know what is best to do. Please...”
Horace snapped, ”Who wants peace and friends.h.i.+p with those redskins? Best thing we could do is to wipe them al out and our problems solved for good. Besides, no one asked for your opinion anyway.”
Alisha stared at him incredulously and said, ”Horace, you can't mean that! You don't know what you're saying. That would be cold-blooded murder!” But she could read in his face that he did understand and mean what he said.
Jed shouted, ”Horace, keep her out of the way! Hold her or something. She ain't got no part in this business. Let's get on with this, me lads.”
Alisha was seized and held in Horace's strong grip. The whip rose and fel with a loud snap and pop. Alisha flinched at the gruesome sight and cried, ”Let me go, Horace! I can't watch. I'l be sick ...” she stammered.
He was tempted to force her to stay and watch but decided against it. If she did get sick, it might stop the action and he surely didn't want that. Reluctantly he released her and watched her flee to her cabin. It had been very nice to hold her so close for even such a short time, to feel the heat of her body next to his and to have her under his control. Too bad they hadn't been alone... he would not have been so curt and tough with her. Why wouldn't she alow him to be gentle and nice to her? Why did she provoke him into behaving that way to her every time? One day she wil come around, he thought. I'l have her yet if it's the last thing I do. In time, Alisha, in time...
Again the whip sang out and cut a fresh, b.l.o.o.d.y gash across the brave's chest. Unexpectedly, Alisha appeared between Ben and the brave's chest. Unexpectedly, Alisha appeared between Ben and the brave with a loaded, primed gun in her hands. Horace was infuriated by her daring interruption and her open concern for the Indian. He halted instantly and paled as she turned the gun on him as he began to advance toward her. How dare she! he fumed to himself.
”No more,” she stated firmly, ”or I'l shoot the first man who tries. Uncle Thad wil deal with this when he returns. Put the whip down, Ben.”
Horace moved again and she lowered the weapon to aim directly into his stomach. She warned, ”Don't try it, Horace. You're the very man I'd have no qualms about shooting. I won't stand by and watch you beat him to death.”
His face flamed in embarra.s.sment and rage, but he didn't dare cal her bluff. She held that gun like she knew how to use it and would. How dare she defend that sc.u.m and humiliate him like this before the others! He would set her straight later about a few things. Jed suggested, ”If we al rush her at one time, we could easily take her. She can't get off but one shot and that probably couldn't hit the side of a barn.”
Alisha glared at him and retorted, ”I a.s.sure you, Mr. McDoogan, that one of you would be shot in the attempt. Do any of you dare chance who it wil be? Wil you take that risk?' she openly chalenged him. While she had their ful attention, she said, ”Al of you know that this is wrong. We're supposed to be the civilized people, but look how we're acting-like wild animals with a scent of blood and out for the kil. Al I ask is that you wait for Uncle Thad and the others.”
No one moved or argued with her. She stepped a little to the side. Holding the gun securely, she took a sideways glance at the side. Holding the gun securely, she took a sideways glance at the Indian. Two red slashes crossed his chest. Welts were just beginning to rise. The brave had never winced or moved, nor had his facial expression changed from its arrogant, cold stare at Ben and the other men.
He had said nothing since being forced to walk into the fortress. He glared at his captors with inky black eyes filed with contempt and fury. He surely was a handsome man, and so very brave...
Abruptly, she was seized by two rough hands and the gun fired harmlessly into the sky. Horace whispered in her ear, ”If you had not been so enchanted with the brave, Alisha, you coulda had your revenge. Too bad...”
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