CHAPTER NINETEEN #2
“I do,” he signed. “But, I must pray to the Creator for His guidance before we approach the ranch. Now, I believe the two of you must sleep while I pray to the Creator to give me guidance. We must approach this in a way to take coup upon this man without harming him, because, as you know, the white man declares war upon an entire tribe for the actions of one Pikuni man, alone, even if that man seeks atonement for some wrong.”
George nodded, although Poka'aki protested, saying, "You want us to rest? At a time like this, when Maximillian seeks to steal the wealth of my family?"
"Yes, you must rest. Consider, this must be done in a good way, or your father will hate us. Let us remember, too, your father is also Pikuni. We must gently remind him of this. Perhaps, if we do it well, we might sway your elder brother to our cause, also.
"This is not a war we fight with weapons of destruction," Red Fox went on to say.
"Rather, we must fight this war with words of wisdom and an appeal to the Nature of God.
Now, you will need your strength, I think, because we will have to be alert to treachery.
Rest now while I pray. There is a place out of sight on a ledge above us.
You and your brother might make your beds there. "
Poka'aki nodded, and shortly thereafter, both she and George climbed to the ledge above him.
****
Securing his sacred pipe from its bag which he always carried with him, Red Fox lit the pipe and smoked it several times. Then, standing, he offered the pipe to the four corners of the world, and then to both Sun and the Earth. He then entreated,
“O Creator, O Thee who knows my heart. I beseech Thee to help me, my almost-brother and my wife to repel this man who comes to us with a bad heart.
“O Creator, O Thee who gives us life! You know what I must do. Guide my words that I might make myself easily understood.
“O Creator, O Thee who gives us life! Be with us this day. My heart is filled with love for my woman, and I do not wish for her life to be ruined because of this man.
“O Creator, O Thee who gives us life! My woman did not fully understand that she would have to pledge her body to this man. She is young and was trying to return to the people she loves. Please understand and excuse her.
“O Creator, O Thee who gives us life! Guide my words this day and my actions.
“O Creator, O Thee who gives us life! I offer this, my sacred pipe to you. I will leave it here in a tree on this ledge. It is yours.
“O Creator, O Thee who gives us life! I have said it.”
Red Fox trod toward the single tree which lent its shade upon a desolate ledge. Climbing up to one of its higher branches, he secured the pipe in the tree before jumping back to the ground.
A plan had already materialized within his mind. It could work. Indeed, he was certain it would work.
****
Coming up to the ledge where Poka’aki and George sat, and, who were not asleep, Red Fox shared his store of dried meat with his woman and his brother-in-law, as well as water from one of his bags.
When they were both refreshed, he said, "We go now!
We go together because I do not know what we will face there.
Be alert. I do not know what the man from the East will do when he is faced with the truth of his deception. Wolf, you must come with us, also."
"Yes, we must stay together," said Poka'aki. George nodded.
Because they had left their horses tethered in a growth of pines atop the bluff, they climbed up the bluff to come to stand on the high prairie that stretched out in all directions.
To their right was the strand of pines and cottonwoods where their ponies were standing now, heads down as they enjoyed the fragrant grasses that grew up alongside the many pine needles.
Red Fox was reminded it was this same grove of pines where he and Poka'aki had shared their wedding bed.
He said, "Hunts-with-the-wind and I will lead the way down the bluff and then onto the flat-bottom land where stands your father's ranch. We will take our ponies and will tie them at the post, and then, not knowing what we will be facing, we will enter. I will lead the way."
Both Poka’aki and George agreed.
As they approached the ranch, Red Fox felt the oppressive quiet within the house.
Where was everybody?
No one greeted them. No servant was about. Indeed, there was no one to be seen at all.
They entered the ranch house, and then from the dining room came the sound of voices. But the talking was quiet, sounding more like mumbling than speech.
Treading toward the sound, Red Fox led the way there. The wide doors which opened up into the room were closed, and it was from within them Red Fox at last heard the sound of József Fehér's voice.
"Well, this all looks to be in order," József Fehér was saying. "Although my daughter is not here at present, I do not believe we need her signature on this contract to make it legal."
"I believe you are right," said the voice of the man from the East. "What say you, Father De Suiez?"
Red Fox threw back the doors to the room and stood in the sunlight as it shone in through the picture windows in front of him.
He gained courage from the sun, as well as from George's and his wife's presence beside him, and said Red Fox, "Do not sign those papers until you see what it is you are signing! "
"Do not sign?" roared József Fehér as he jumped up to his feet, his chair falling back behind him to the floor. But, the elder Fehér paid the incident no attention as he exclaimed, "You! Red Fox! Get out of my house! You have no business here! George, what are you doing?"
"I am here with my partner," said George calmly.
Poka'aki, whose presence had been blocked because of the doors, stepped out from behind them and into the light shining in through the windows.
"It's my house, too, Father. And, Red Fox stays until he has shown you there is a lie in these documents."
"A lie!" Maximillian leapt quickly to his feet. "He, a savage, is accusing me of lying! And, on these documents! How absurd!"
"Get out of my house!" roared the elder Fehér. "George, Briella, you may stay!"
"If he goes, I go!" Poka'aki said, but softly.
"I, too!" declared George. "Father, you are making a mistake, but it is not my pleasure to show you how you have been deceived. It is Red Fox who discovered the lie, and it is Red Fox who will point it out to you."
"No! He lies!" roared József Fehér. "Red Fox has wanted to marry Briella since they were children.
Well, I know it, and I will not permit it.
Briella will marry this man, as she agreed to do.
There is nothing any of you can do! Nothing!
Now, get out of here, Red Fox, before I call my servants to throw you out. "
Red Fox smiled and said, "I guess they could try."
"Get out of here now!"
Red Fox could barely believe it when József Fehér pulled a gun from his jacket and pointed it at him.
Frederic followed his father's action, as did Maximillian, taking hold of his own weapon, which had been neatly hidden within his jacket.
"Father! Frederic! Maximillian! Put those weapons away at once!" cried Poka'aki. "Father, this is Red Fox, who has been like a son to you."
"A son, say you! Well, I disavow him now!"
Red Fox stepped forward, shoving Poka'aki and George behind him. He said, "You all have an open shot at me! Or are you too cowardly to pull the trigger?"
So intent was he upon what he would do if any one of them should take courage and shoot, he didn't see both Poka'aki and George come up beside him, their own weapons drawn.
"Stop this at once! Stop it, do you hear!"
Mária Fehér stepped into the room, coming to stand in front of Red Fox. But, Red Fox would not hide behind a woman's skirts, and he stepped in front of her.
Mária Fehér scooted to Red Fox's side. "Stop it now! Sit down! Now! Put away your guns! I wish you could all see yourselves. You are all acting like little boys who haven't gotten their way. Either you stop this at once, or you will all leave my house—all of you. Now!"
When no one disarmed, Mária exclaimed, "Now!
Do you hear? Put your guns away now, or I will disinherit all of you as my family!
I promise you I will. I have watched you all acting like spoiled little boys, and up until now I have not said a word, hoping you would somehow find some humanity and maturity within you.
But, this I will not tolerate. Put away your weapons! Now!"
No one moved. But, then Maximillian shut one eye while he was still aiming his pistol at Red Fox, and Red Fox, seeing it, pushed both women to the ground while he leaned away and, like a flash, shot toward the man, jumping on him and wrestling him to the ground.
The shot went wild. Meanwhile, a struggle ensued between the two men as Red Fox sought to disarm Maximillian, afraid the man would damage one of the women or another of the family members.
Slamming the man's hand on the floor, the gun at last rolled away free. But, as soon as it had and Red Fox had released his hold a little, the man reached into his pocket and drew out a knife, thrusting it into the arm Red Fox was using to grip him.
Grunting his frustration that the man had gotten the best of him, Red Fox renewed his efforts, and soon the knife slid out of the Easterner's hold.
But, Red Fox didn't let the man up. He would allow him nothing. Indeed, Red Fox held him down as though the man were a weasel, an animal whom all Indians know fights unfairly and savagely.
It wasn't until George came down onto his knees beside them and held a gun to Maximillian's head that the man slumped to the ground.
George asked, "Are you hurt, almost-brother?"
"Only a little," said Red Fox. "It is nothing. I will now show you all the lie."
But such was not to be done just yet. Poka'aki had come down to seat herself beside him, and with a wet white cloth, she dabbed at his wound, finishing her handiwork by tying another cloth around his arm to stem the flow of blood.
"I am ashamed of you, my husband," said Mária Fehér into the interim.
"I am ashamed of you, too, Frederic! Ashamed at what you did to our daughter because you thought you knew best for her!
Well, I will stand no more of this. Briella is different!
Do you hear me? She is different! She has grown up here in this beautiful and free country!
She did not grow up in Hungary, nor in the East!
This is a free land, and you have no right to tell her what she has to do or whom she has to marry!
I will stand this no longer! Do you understand?
No longer! I declare my daughter to be a free woman and capable of making her own decisions. Now, sit! Both of you!"
They sat.
Said Mária Fehér, "Now, as soon as you are able, Mr. Red Fox, will you kindly show us all the lie that is contained in these papers? We will wait until you are able to do so."
"I am able to do it now,” said Red Fox, coming up to his full height. “Where is the paper you were about to place your mark on?"
József Fehér threw the document at him, accidentally whacking his hand into the table at the same time.
"Ouch!" declared the elder Fehér.
Mária Fehér said nothing, though she smiled.
Maximillian stood up and reached for the paper as though he meant to tear it to pieces.
But, Red Fox had expected such a move and countered it, banging the Easterner's hand onto the table at the same time that he, himself, picked up the paper and pointed to the misplaced dot.
"Come here, all of you. I wish each and every one of you to see this," said Red Fox.
With a disgruntled sigh, József Fehér moved toward him, joined by Poka'aki, George, Frederic, Mária Fehér and even Father De Suiez, who all crowded around and looked down at the document laid out upon the table.
Red Fox pointed to the dot and said, "Look at where this tiny mark is placed.
This paper you were all about to sign is a secret document this man from the East had hidden in his room.
It is the same as all of yours except for this single dot. Do you see it?"
No one said a word.
"Why, you! You must have sneaked into my room, like the savage you are!"
Red Fox ignored the man. All was now known.
Said Red Fox, "It means you and your family would have ninety thousand dollars less than what you had agreed with him was to be the amount he was to give you for the privilege of marrying your daughter."
József Fehér slumped down into a nearby chair, while Frederic looked pale beneath his more usual good looks.
"How did you find this, Red Fox?" asked the elder Fehér.
"I was guided to it by the Creator. He answered my prayers. I did not know what it meant. I only knew it was the only difference between your papers. It took George to show me what the tiny dot meant."
József was shaking his head. Then looking up at Red Fox, he said, "I owe you an apology, Son. You, who helped me to raise Briella; you who healed my wife’s horse and who saved Briella’s life in a buffalo stampede; you and Briella who saved my children and grandchildren from a war party.
And now you have saved me from being cheated out of ninety thousand dollars.
I can see now I have wronged you greatly and I am hoping you can find it in your heart to forgive me.
In my defense, I saw what I was doing to be of my daughter’s benefit.
Perhaps, I have been too caught up in the old world and its ways.
But, I went too far...too far, indeed. Like my wife has already said, I am now ashamed of my behavior toward you, and I am truly sorry. ”
Then, the elder Fehér looked at Poka'aki and said, "I apologize to you, too, Briella, for all the trouble I have caused you. I honestly believed I was doing the best for you. But, we…we live in different times, and strange times, I think. Never would I have thought a man of such high character could aspire to fool us all. Never was such a thing ever done in Hungary.”
Then, looking at Red Fox, he said, “How can I ever repay you for all you have done for me and for my family?”
Red Fox smiled. "You owe me nothing, almost-father, except perhaps your blessing on my marriage to your daughter."
"You have it, my almost-son. You have it."
And, when Red Fox glanced up at Poka'aki, he saw there were tears in her eyes, though she returned his smile.
"Welcome to the family, Son," said Mária Fehér.
"Thank you, Almost-mother. And, though my people hold a tradition that the two of us may not speak to one another, I must tell you this: I will never forget what you did for me and for my woman today. Never."
Mária cried, and, grabbing hold of a napkin, she wiped her eyes.