Chapter 19 #2
Marietta fell back into Grey Coyote’s arms. There were tears in her eyes when she became aware that Yellow Swan had left her a gift.
Marietta saw it there amongst her things.
Yellow Swan had taken a piece of wood and fashioned it and whittled it until it resembled two figures of friends holding hands.
Marietta cried. She would miss her friend.
It was time for her to help Grey Coyote confront his ghosts, to set his people free. Somehow the beast was all tied up in this. Exactly how, she didn’t know. She only was aware that without him, the spell could not be broken. They had to find him.
To this end, she and Grey Coyote had backtracked toward the fort, both of them scouring the ground, looking for the beast’s tracks.
“I will find his trail,” Grey Coyote said. “It has not yet been a week, and it has not rained. The earth will still hold the impression of those who walk over her.”
“Yes, but how do you know where to start?”
Grey Coyote gazed up at her. “There are some facts we possess. One is that we tracked this man, the beast, to this post. Laidlaw must have seen him, for I am certain nothing comes in or out of his post which is unknown to him. Yet, Laidlaw would not tell you where the beast went.”
“Yes, I remember him telling me this.”
“Why would he not?” asked Grey Coyote.
“I do not know.”
Grey Coyote set his features in a frown. “It was the asking of this question which has caused me to believe as I do now: the beast works for Laidlaw.”
“The beast? Works for Laidlaw?”
“I believe it is so. It would explain why Laidlaw would not help you. It would also excuse why Laidlaw was intent on getting you as far away from the post as possible.”
Perplexed, Marietta furrowed her brow. “But I thought he was trying to do me a favor, although he went about it in an unusual way.”
Grey Coyote stared at her hard. “It is possible he was doing you a favor, but you must try to think like this man—if only for a short while. Could a man who would order the death of another, without thought, without conscience, be also a man of benevolence?”
“I don’t know. Could he?”
“I do not think so. Men who require other men to do their killing for them, rather than confront the deed themselves, are not quite human. In my opinion, they are not a true man and they are less than an animal, for such men have no concept of the Creator’s concept of right and wrong.
Such men spurn the Creator because they deal in destruction, not creation. ”
“You do have interesting ideas, my husband.”
“These are my thoughts. I could be wrong. But if it be true that Laidlaw hires others to do his killing for him, then he would not be above hiring the beast to work for him, also.”
Marietta inclined her head. “I see.”
“Therefore, we will most likely find the beast close to Fort Pierre. But if not, we should be able to discover his trail there and pursue him.”
“Hmmm. But still, is it safe to go in so close to Fort Pierre? You realize they might see you, and if they do, you will be shot on the spot.”
Grey Coyote nodded. “You are right. It is not safe. Therefore, we will be careful.”
“Yes,” said Marietta. “Let us be very, very careful.”
It was dark when at last Grey Coyote was able to pick up the beast’s trail.
“He is proceeding south and keeping to the river, where there is a good cover of trees,” said Grey Coyote. “I suspect he is en route to each major trading post along the river, for I still think he is accomplishing some duty for Laidlaw.”
“But why?” asked Marietta. “What could he be doing?”
Grey Coyote shrugged. “I do not know, unless it is to spy on other companies, and perhaps to create havoc. My brother-in-law has told me how the big companies spy on one another, for the jealousy between them is high. But come, I do not wish to confront this man at any one of these trading posts. Let us track him to his own hideaway.”
“But isn’t this a little too dangerous?” she asked. “After all, we know this man is capable of murder. Are you certain you want to enter his encampment alone?”
“I do not intend to. I wish merely to find it. And once I locate it, I will set mantraps all around it. And if I have to, I will do this each night until I catch the beast. Then from the safety of the trap, I will question him, until I can learn what he possesses which might end my people’s curse.”
“I see,” said Marietta. “What is a mantrap?”
“It is a trap like any other used to catch animals. But a mantrap must be placed in such a way that a human being will not suspect it. However, unlike animal traps, a mantrap is not used to kill, simply to bring to bay. They have great value, for when one is in enemy territory, one can arrange mantraps around his own shelter as protection.”
“Brilliant. But what are they? I mean, how do you outwit a man?”
“By the use of snares,” he replied, “or sometimes pits are used, covered with a blanket of dirt so they are invisible to the eye. The snare will catch a man’s foot, causing him to hang by it. The pit speaks for itself.”
“So if I understand you correctly, you will make a trap, catch this beast, and then from a safe distance, question him?”
“This is my plan.”
She thought a moment. “But what if he won’t talk to you?”
Grey Coyote shrugged. “He may not. I can only hope he will.”
“Very well. I think it is a fine plan.”
“Wa?té, good,” said Grey Coyote. “We have only to follow his trail now, locate his hideout, and then I will set up these traps.”
Marietta nodded. “Lead on.”
Immediately, they set out, following the earthen impressions, the two of them gliding ghostlike across the moonlit landscape.
It was raining. Above Grey Coyote, dark clouds ruled the night while lightning streaked through the sky. The wind had become so strong that it rocked him almost off his feet, and thunder rolled menacingly through the heavens, as though to give warning.
But this was no omen. No, this was the Thunderer, perhaps even other gods, come to mock him.
However, the thunder and lightning, though annoying, did little to deter Grey Coyote. If anything, these things gave him encouragement. To his way of thinking, they confirmed he was on the right path.
Only hours ago, he had located the beast’s encampment. Though it was almost impossible to estimate the time of night, for there were no stars overhead, Grey Coyote figured there were still several hours left before sunrise. Within such a time frame, he must erect several mantraps.
Before he began his work in earnest, however, Grey Coyote had set up a temporary dwelling for Marietta, instructing her to stay within it.
He had left her with plenty of work to do, as well—for she would fashion the ropes he would need for his snares.
She had protested being left behind, of course, insisting she be allowed to help him.
But Grey Coyote had denied her. He was taking no chances; she would have no contact with the beast.
Though their shared vision inferred they must both confront the beast, it did not necessarily follow he should endanger her life. He would confront the beast first, tie him up, make it safe. Only then would he allow Marietta access to the beast.
“But how will you break the enchantment if I am not there?” she had asked. “Remember, I am a part of this.”
“And so you will be,” Grey Coyote had responded. “When the beast is tied, and I am certain he can do no harm, I will guess the riddle. You will be there then.”
“Hmmm. But what if you require my help before this?”
“I will call you. This shelter is not far from his encampment.”
With a sigh, Marietta had at last agreed.
Leaving Marietta to construct the ropes he would require, Grey Coyote had set to work forthwith, fixing his snares, tying the lines to trees big enough that they would hold a huge man.
When there wasn’t a tree large enough for a snare at a particular spot, Grey Coyote had tied the ropes around two or three smaller trees.
Throughout, the rain pounded on him, and his fingers slipped over the knots he made, but he patiently kept on. He could not stop.
At length, he was satisfied with what he had done so far. However, he still had one trap left to construct. When it was done, he would await the results of his handiwork…from a safe distance.
The storm, meanwhile, had worsened. It began to hail, and although dawn approached, the sky was as black and as dark as night. A bolt of lightning crashed close to hand, shaking the earth, causing the trees to tremble, but Grey Coyote ignored it, certain it was the Thunderer, mocking him yet again.
Suddenly, he heard a scream, high-pitched and filled with terror.
A scream?
Marietta… She was in trouble.
How had he not foreseen this? Why had he not anticipated this?
Jumping to his feet, Grey Coyote crashed forward through the undergrowth and trees, uncaring that such haste would announce his approach. It didn’t matter. He had to get to her.
A burst of light followed by an explosion that shook the ground accompanied the beast as the beast rushed in upon her.
Marietta screamed and kept on screaming as the bear-like creature pulled her up by her hair and flung her to the ground. Where had he come from?
She stayed there on the ground, hoping against hope that the creature would simply go away.
Then suddenly something big and hard came down to hit her in the head, and looking up, she beheld a broken-toothed smile in a horribly scratched and bearded face, before with one last terrible scream, she fainted.
The beast held Grey Coyote’s wife within its grasp. From where he stood, Grey Coyote could see it all.