Trego. J. D. Oliver

all fell to, eating in silence. I was alright with that. Cause Dad and I never talked all that much when we were eating. I think Brie was a little uncomfortable with the silence. When we ate at home, she always yakked as much as she chewed.

      After we were through, the hands left to do chores. The Blackfoot twins brought us fresh coffee. I pushed back my chair a little then said, indicating the girls, “How did you come by them?”

      Harold said, “You mean Jane and Mary?”

      “I reckon, if that’s their names?” I said.

      “The last time we drove some cattle to Helena, on the way back we found them walking along the trail all by their lonesome. Turns out they ran away from the Black Robe’s. They didn’t take kindly to them trying to make Apple Indians out of them. They liked their own customs.”

      Brie said, “Apple Indians? What’s that?”

      “I can answer that,” I said. “it’s when they become red on the outside and white on the inside. Now me, I’m what’s could be called a Plum, the same color all the way through, not white or red.”

      “That’s alright with me Honey,” Brie said, “as long as you don’t turn into a prune.” Everyone got a good laugh out of that. Even me. But I still had a question or two. “So why didn’t they just go back to the ‘res’?” I asked.

      “Well, with winter coming on, we didn’t have time to get them there. We’ve been paying them a wage. That way they would have enough money to get there, come spring.” The girls had been listening. The one called Jane spoke to me in Blackfoot.

      “We know the white man’s language, both what you call English and the French, we have talked, we want to go with you and your wife to town. The men here are sniffing around our flanks. We are afraid they will fight over us pretty soon.”

      “What did she say?” Brie asked.

      I looked at Harold and Molly, “It seems they want to go to town, if that’s alright with the both of you.” I said, making it a statement and not a question.

      “Well of course they can, their not slaves, anytime they want to.” Harold said. He was looking a little green around the gills. Was he perhaps one of those that was doing a little sniffing? Or was I the cause of his discomfort?

      Molly spoke up, “Yes, we would be glad to take them to town, if that’s what they want, the Lord only knows though, that I will surely miss them.” I was somewhat of a student of human nature. I think I noticed a little sense of relief in her demeanor.

      I hadn’t paid too much attention to the girls, but as they cleared the table, I noticed some very womanly curves under those buckskin dresses.

      Harold said, “But where will they stay? We can’t just dump them off in town.”

      Brie spoke up, “I know, Trego’s Uncle lives in town, I noticed that they have a spare room. And his Wife, Garnet is a Blackfoot. I’m sure they will take them in.”

      I looked at Brie, she looked at me and her face turned pale, “Oh, I’m sorry, no one is supposed to know that Lambert is his Uncle. Please don’t let that get out of this room.”

      I looked at Harold and Molly, “I’m sure they will not repeat what you just told them, will you?” I gave them both a long searching look.

      “Of course we won’t. We realize how that information might hurt Lambert.” Harold said.

      “Good, then how about bringing them in around noon tomorrow? We’ll give Lambert and Garnet the news, I’m sure they will agree.” I said. Not knowing really if they would or not. But knowing my Aunt Garnet, she wouldn’t turn away two members of our tribe.

      On the way back to town Brie spoke up, “Honey are you mad at me?”

      “No, of course not. They only know that Lambert is my Uncle, they don’t know that Garnet is not only my Aunt through marriage, but also my Aunt through blood. There a lot of people that are prejudice against Indians. As you know, not too many people know that I am half Blackfoot; since I can pass for white with my complexion. A lot of people in town are as dark complexioned as I am.”

      “What did Jane tell you?”

      “She said that the men are sniffing around their flanks. They think that the men are going to start to fight over them. They want to leave before any trouble breaks out.”

      “Really? Who exactly?”

      “I think she meant all of them, even including Harold. Did you notice how relieved Molly was when we talked about them leaving?” I said.

      “Yes, I did notice that. It’s rather peculiar how man’s basic instincts come out when they are trapped in close proximity to each other.” Brie said.

      “Yes, sweetheart, I think that’s called ‘cabin fever’, in laymen’s terms. I see you are falling in the same pattern as I. Using an expanded vocabulary. We both will have to watch that. Bayard called me on that just the other day.”