Tykota's Woman (Historical Romance) (32 page)

"In the morning, old friend. I will be gone for
a while, and I must show Coloradous the secret
of the treasure."

Mangas nodded, but his mind was troubled.
He knew that Coloradous was a good warrior,
and his heart was true, but Tykota would have
been the greatest chief that the Perdenelas had
ever had. "I will do as you say. But what will I
tell your white mother?"

"Tell her I will be home soon."

Mangas met Tykota's glance. "Do we stay at
Biquera?"

"I do not know."

"I have grown to like it there. I have my own
dwelling, and I have become accustomed to the
white man's comforts."

Tykota's eyes were troubled. "I do not know
where the future will take me."

"You want the white woman for your wife."

"Yes. But she is gone, and I do not know
where to find her."

Mangas stood up. "I am an old man. I am
going to my-"

A rifle shot rang out, and Tykota watched
Mangas lurch backward as if some unseen hand
had jerked him against the cliff wall. Tykota ran
to him and knelt beside him. He had been shot in
the chest!

Mangas spoke in a whisper. "You cannot save
me." He grasped Tykota's arm with a
bloodstained hand. "Save yourself."

Tykota fell to his stomach and crawled toward
his rifle. Grasping the weapon in one hand, he
cocked it and glanced back toward Mangas.
Fighting to contain his rage, he inched away
from the campfire and into the shadows just as a
bullet whizzed past his head.

"Santo!" he called out, knowing who the
shooter was. "Do you hide like a woman, or will
you face me like a warrior?"

He was met by silence.

"Show yourself!"

This time his answer was a bullet ricocheting
off the side of the stone cliff. From the direction
of the bullets, Tykota gauged that Santo was
hidden in the clump of sage bushes to the left of
the mesa.

Cradling his rifle, he crawled back to Mangas.
Blood had spread over his chest and onto the
rock face of the mesa. "Mangas, I believe it is
Santo. I am going after him. I will come back for
you."

The old man raised a hand and let it fall
limply by his side. "Go from me. Save yourself,
Tykota."

Tykota felt grief rip through his heart. Anger
coiled within him, and his gaze went to the
horses. Touching Mangas's limp hand, he
crawled toward his horse. He slid onto the mare's back and, keeping to the shadows, rode
quietly down the slope.

When he was clear of the mesa, he urged his
horse into a gallop. Bending low over the
animal's neck, he headed for the place he was
sure Santo was hiding.

Tykota did not hear the bullet that tore
through him, knocking him off his horse. He
landed hard on the ground and rolled down a
small hill. Pain made it hard for him to breathe,
and he felt warm, sticky blood run down his
shoulder.

He raised his head in time to see Santo
standing at the rise, his rifle aimed at him. "If
only the Perdenelas could see their great chief
now, Tykota. They would know that I am greater
than you, because I have slain the dog, Mangas,
who trails after you, and I have killed you."

Tykota clutched his own rifle and fired. The
bullet struck true. Santo tumbled down the hill
and lay beside him.

He jerked Santo up, cursing, "You are not fit
to lie even with dogs. You hide in the darkness
like some wild animal."

But Santo did not hear Tykota's words. He
was already dead.

Tykota managed to stand, and, using his rifle
to lean on, he made his way up the hill and
pulled himself onto his horse.

Each step the horse took caused Tykota's wound to throb and bleed. He wanted to go to
Mangas but he knew he could not make it. Nor
could he lift his old friend's body. He pointed his
mount in the direction of the cavern and slumped
forward into unconsciousness.

The moon was low in the sky when Tykota
woke. He groaned and sat up straight on his
horse. His mouth tasted like metal, and his
shoulder hurt so fiercely that he gritted his teeth
to keep from crying out. The bullet was still in
him, and there was no one to remove it. Even his
food and waterskin were back at the campsite.
Struggling to stay upright, he urged his horse
forward. He had to make it to the cave.

Then he shook his head at his own
befuddlement. Coloradous would not be at the
cave until the full moon, and that was three
weeks away.

No one else knew where to find the cave.

He slumped forward, not afraid to die-death
had no sting for him. But he would have liked to
see Makinna just once more.

Makinna stepped down from the stage, surprised
to see John Kincaid. He offered her his arm and
smiled. "Didn't your sister come with you?"

Makinna nodded, turning to watch as Adelaide
stepped to the ground. She glanced back at John
and saw the warmth creep up his face. She had
little doubt John was in love with her sister, or
certainly well on the road to it.

"Can you tell me how Mrs. Silverhorn is?"

"I saw her just this morning, and she was
doing fine."

Makinna drew a relieved breath. "When I got
the telegram, I was afraid she might be ill."

"No, ma'am. She's fit as ever."

"Then I wonder why she asked me to come."

"She didn't tell me, ma'am. You'll have to ask
her when you get to Biquera."

Makinna was puzzled and a little frightened.

What if something was wrong with Tykota?

John held out his other arm to Adelaide, and
she blushed prettily as she placed her hand
there. "You look as pretty as a summer rose,
Mrs. Johnson," he said, smiling. He glanced
over at Makinna. "And so do you, Miss
Hillyard."

Makinna laughed softly and raised the hem of
her gown to climb the wooden steps to the stage
office. "Thank you, John."

He touched his hat and grinned. "You ladies
wait here in the shade while I bring the buggy
around and load your trunks."

After he walked off, Makinna looked at her
sister's flushed face. "He's in love with you."

"Do you think so?"

"I'm sure of it."

"I must be awful to be thinking about
another man with my husband so recently
buried."

Makinna glanced up at the deep blue sky,
where high, thin clouds were scattered across the
heavens. "Love seems to pick its own time,
Adelaide. We, as mere humans, seem to have no
control over that emotion whatsoever."

"You don't think I am wrong to care for
him?"

Makinna glanced at John, who was just
getting out of the buggy. He was rangy and a
bit gruff, but she had seen the softness in his
eyes and heard the gentleness in his tone. "No,
I do not think it is wrong. Here in Texas
people seem to be always reaching out for life.
They're a breed apart from the rest of the
world. They have their own rules, and they go
by those, not what the rest of the country
expects from them."

Adelaide nodded toward John. "He is
wonderful, isn't he?"

Makinna laughed. "Yes. Yes, he is."

Adelaide looked at her sister. "Oh, I know he
isn't as magnificent as your Tykota, but, to me,
he is the best of all men."

Makinna was taken aback. "Tykota is not
mine." Then she smiled sadly. "But as for you
and John Kincaid, well, if love is true, it will
find a way," Makinna said, repeating what
Tykota had said to her.

"I am almost afraid to love again. I was
mistaken when I married Tom."

"Then give yourself time to know John. There
is no hurry." She moved toward the buggy,
where John had just stowed the last trunk. "Let's
go. I want to find out why Hannah Silverhom
sent for me."

Tykota had used up his strength climbing the
hill toward the cave. He was so thirsty that
his throat was parched, and his shoulder
throbbed. The mouth of the cave seemed a
long way off.

He gritted his teeth and stood erect. With the
last bit of strength he had, Tykota climbed
higher, his gaze set on his final goal. At last he
reached the overhanging ledge and stopped to
catch his breath. He was weak and shaky, and he
wasn't sure he had the strength to go on.

He was so close to water, and yet his strength
was ebbing away. Drawing on his innermost
determination to survive, he made it over the
ledge and into the cave. He stumbled toward the
narrow pathway to the inner cavern. He fell
forward into the water, closing his eyes as the
cool water washed over him. He turned his head
into the stream that trickled over the rocks and
drank thirstily.

Then he fell to the floor of the cave and closed
his eyes.

Hannah Silverhorn was waiting on the veranda
when they arrived. Makinna quickly got out of
the buggy and ran up the steps to her.

"Are you all right?"

"Yes, my dear," Hannah said, slipping an arm around Makinna's waist. "There's nothing wrong
with me."

"But your telegram-I was afraid you were
ill."

"I'm sorry if I caused you concern." She
smiled at the young woman and kissed her
cheek. "It wasn't for myself that I contacted you.
It's Tykota."

Fear whitened Makinna's face. "Has
something happened to him?"

"I believe Tykota's malady is more one of the
heart."

Makinna watched her sister approach, then
turned back to Hannah. "I don't understand why
you would ask me to return if no one is ill."

"Don't you, my dear?"

"No, I don't."

"I believe Ty needs you now more than ever.
He has made some difficult choices, and I know
he is feeling very alone."

Makinna stared into Hannah Silverhorn's soft
eyes. "I can't give him what he needs."

By now, Adelaide had joined them, and she
happily greeted Tykota's mother.

Hannah gestured to the door. "Let's get inside
where it's cooler. John, you can get one of the
men to help you with the trunks."

Makinna caught her sister's gaze and
shrugged. Then they both followed their hostess
into the house.

The house was quiet. John had left earlier after
enjoying a good meal with the ladies. Adelaide
had gone up to bed, and Makinna and Hannah sat
in the parlor.

At last Hannah broke the silence. "Word came
to me that Tykota left the Perdenelas and made
his brother, Coloradous, chief."

"How can that be?" Makinna stood and
walked around the room, tears blinding her. "I
never wanted him to make such a sacrifice."

Hannah patted the settee. "Makinna, sit beside
me."

Makinna did as she asked. "That's why I left,
Mrs. Silverhorn. I didn't want to interfere with
his life."

"Makinna, I don't think that's solely why he
passed rule to his brother, although it may have
played a big part in his decision. I truly believe
he thought it was for the best of the tribe. I know
my son; he must be feeling devastated at the
moment. I am sure he feels he failed both you
and his people."

"He must go back." Makinna closed her eyes
to settle her thoughts. "Where is he? I will make
him go back."

Hannah gave a helpless gesture with her
hands. "I don't know where he is." Her eyes
were swimming with tears. "You should have
seen him when he read your letter, Makinna. I
have never seen him so distraught."

"It wasn't meant to bring him pain. I had
intended only to set him free to live his life as he
wished to."

Suddenly, there was a banging on the door,
and Hannah hurried to answer it. Makinna
heard her speaking to one of the ranch
hands.

When Hannah reentered the room, her face
was white, and she looked terrified. "Mangas
just rode in. He's been wounded and is asking to
see me."

"Mangas. Wouldn't he be with Tykota?"

"Yes. That old Indian never stirs from my
son's side. Something is terribly wrong."

Makinna grasped Hannah's hand. "May I
speak to him?"

"They have put him in his cabin. Let us
hurry!"

Makinna held the lamp for Hannah while she
removed the bullet from the old Indian's chest.
Mangas met Makinna's gaze and moved his
mouth. She grasped his hand, knowing he was in
pain.

"She has the bullet out now," Makinna told
him. "She has only to clean and bandage the
wound."

He blinked his eyes, and she would have
sworn his mouth curved into a smile. "I have had
worse wounds and lived."

"And I've taken worse bullets out of you, you
old Indian," Hannah said with affection. "I think
you will live this time, too."

Suddenly Mangas's grip tightened on
Makinna's with a strength that startled her.
"Tykota. He is in trouble. He needs help."

Makinna held her breath while Hannah spoke
to Mangas. "What has happened to my son?"

"After I was shot, Tykota was too, or he never
would have left me. I saw the blood, and I saw
Santo's dead body. There were hoofprints. I
believe Tykota has gone to the sacred caverns,
and I do not know where they are. No one knows
but Tykota and perhaps Coloradous."