The Last Patrol

[Scarlet Angel]

"I didn't think you were as cold as your partner there." Charley said to Ella. "She's like me. Doesn't bother her to take another's life, she's admitted she plays judge, jury and executioner." He said referring to Scarlet. "but you U.S. Deputy Marshal Coatsworth. You would save a killer because you merely put a bullet in him then had to dig it out. Maybe I should have let you shoot me too." Charley was trying to figure out how to get Ella to want to take him back to. It would buy him more time to try to escape.

[Elegant Ella]

"You did not want me to shoot you.  As soon as I identified you by the stink of burnt flesh, I decided that I would shoot to kill if you gave me reason to shoot you at all. I am glad I didn't shoot you.  It would be a shame to deprive Blue Moon's wife and mother of their just vengence," answered Ella.

[Scarlet Angel]

Charley narrowed his eyes. Ella was a hard woman to figure for Charley. They could do what ever they wanted to him he thought. He wouldn't give them the satisfaction of seeing him show fear or pain.

Tensleep and White Elk spoke to one another before White Elk motioned to one of the other men. Charley was gagged so he couldn't speak any further until they decided they wanted to hear him.

"Let's get this underway." Tensleep said motioning for Ella and Scarlet to come over.

Ella reached in one of the pockets of her skirt and pulled out a leather bound book.

White Elk asked Tensleep something while he eyed the book Ella held.

"White Elk wants to see your book and wants to know what it is." Tensleep said.

Ella walked over and handed it to White Elk.

As White Elk looked at the book Tensleep explained it was Ella's bible. Her religion was different than some of the other white man's. White Elk looked at the book a little longer before handing it back to Ella with a nod of understanding.

Ella smiled as she took the book back then walked over to Nicky followed by Black  Beard who untied Nicky's hands but made sure he could not escape.

"Raise your right hand." Ella began.

He looked at her then the book she held. "I will not promise to tell the truth on that." He spat as he glared at her.

"You don't have to; but it would be to your advantage to cooperate here." Ella replied calmly.

"We didn't come here to bother any injuns. They rode into our camp. I thought they were supposed to be more cautious than just riding into somebody's camp like that. They were calling out yer name. Maybe it's your responsible for their deaths." Nicky said.

Ella ignored his remark.

"Why did you come here to begin with?" Scarlet asked.

"Following you two." Nicky replied looking Scarlet up and down then doing the same to Ella. "Damn shame coulda had some high times." He grinned.

Black Beard had retied Nicky's hands and taken a position not far behind him.
"No, the damn shame will be when Christine Baker has to identify the rope meat we're callin' Nicky Smith as her brother Nicholas Baker. Imagine how she's gonna feel seein' you swinging from a tree when she thought she'd buried her hero of a brother over five years ago."

Scarlet turned to Ella. "Nick Baker died trying to save some farmer and his daughter from outlaws. The house was burned. They found the body of a girl naked and bound to her bed. Her father tied in the same room. Authorities figure it was the gang of Firehorse Charley. They raped the girl while they made her father watch.

Another man was found in the doorway of the house. His face was badly burned but his clothes and the horse outside belonged to a neighbor, Nick Baker." Scarlet said turning in time to see Nicky's eyes. They had changed, concern, fear? Scarlet wasn't sure. What she was sure of was she was on to something that bothered him.   

"I don't know any Christine Baker." He growled.

"Good, then it won't bother her to see your body swinging from the hanging tree in your home town." Scarlet said with a shrug of her shoulders "and she'll be glad the murdering rapist that violated her friend has finally been found.

"Thought this show was for the Indians. If I was this Nick Baker I certainly would rather stay here and die by there hands then swing in front of my sister."

"They'll leave your face intact and I'll make sure your body makes it home Nick." Scarlet replied. "You haven't changed much from that picture she has of the two of you."

Nicky was angry now. He struggled to try and get lose but he was tied to tight.

"Be civil, cooperate and you'll be turned over to the first proper authorities that can give you a trial and hang you proper like. They'll put you on boot hill and if they mark your grave it will say Nicky Smith." Scarlet said watching him.

"How do I know? How do I know you'll keep your word and they won't send my body home?" He growled as he narrowed his eyes thinking how he'd like to get his hands around her throat.

"I keep my word Nicky. Good or bad I keep my word. One has to dig pretty deep to find Nicky Smith's birth and then be lucky enough to be in the right place at the right time. There a few other people that know your little secret." She replied looking at him waiting for him to talk.

"We were headed for some spot in the Black Hills where Charley has a hide out." Nicky began "I've been there before. Yesterday, we came across a set of tracks that Charley thought looked worth pursuing.  The horses and mule were all wearing shoes. So we figured it to be white folks. I got real interested when we came across signs of what I figured were two different women."

"Go on." Scarlet said when Nicky paused.

"We came across an injun hunting party that confirmed there were two women traveling with the horses. Nobody said anything about men. None of us speak injun very well anyhow. We followed the dust trail we saw head away from the injun camp. Charley told us to be careful and not camp on your trail and alert you."

White Elk leaned over and asked Tensleep why someone would camp on the trail of another. Tensleep explained the expression meant they didn't follow too closely.

"We stopped to rest." Nicky continued "Eddie over there." He nodded in Eddie's direction. "felt the need to build a fire, even after he was told it was gonna be a cold camp, while Charley and I did some scouting around. We came back and that's when them injuns rode in. I just captured the injun and the one I captured is still alive." Nicky finished.

[Elegant Ella]

Ella next took her position in front of Jimmy while Black beard untied his hands. 

He looked at her book. "What book is that?" he asked. "It looked like you've read it a lot."

"It's the Book of Psalms," she replied. "It seems to be the only part of the Bible available here." 

"I'm willing to swear on it." 

"Raise your right hand," Ella began. "Do you swear to tell the truth, the whole truth, and nothing but the truth?"

"I do," replied Jimmy firmly.  Riding with Charley the past couple years had exciting most of the time, and hard on his stomach other times. Jimmy had thought he wasn't as bad as Nicky, and the idea that Nicky had raped and murdered a neighbor girl, someone he would have known all his life, just proved it. But would he have gotten to be as bad given more time? That thought was almost more disturbing than the idea that he might be going to die here, with the little brother who had always looked up to him watching. If the Indians did let him go, on Ella's word, he was headed for prison, but probably not a hanging tree. It was time to follow Eddie's lead, and break free of Charley.

"What can you add to Nicky's account?" asked Scarlet.

"Charley had been getting twitchy the last couple weeks. Charley said he wanted to roast some red meat, but the groups of Injuns we saw were all too big to tackle. He and Frank kept picking at Eddie, and doing stuff like 'accidentally' dropping hot coals next to Eddie. Spotting your tracks distracted them from whatever the two of them were plotting. Frank kind of encouraged Eddie to build the fire, by talking about how good a cup of hot coffee would taste. When Nicky and Charley came back last night after seeing the fire Eddie had started, I was afraid that Charley was going to start roasting Eddie on the fire. The Injuns riding in saved Eddie from something I wasn't going to be able to." 

[Scarlet Angel]

"What did you do when the Indians rode in?"  Scarlet asked.

"Charley ordered us to get the Indians. I figured..." Jimmy sighed regretting this whole mess and dragging his brother into it. "I figured I didn't care who Charley and Frank amused themselves with as long as it wasn't Eddie. He was closest to me." Jimmy said pointing at Circling Falcon. "So I jumped 'im. We wrestled, he is strong and almost over took me. I yelled at Eddie to help me otherwise the Indian was going to kill me. We beat on him until he was weak enough for us to tie up." 

[Elegant Ella]

"What did you see happen to the other Indians?" asked Scarlet.

"I couldn't see anything while I was wrestlin' with that one," answered Jimmy. "Afterwards, Eddie and I went walkin' as a perimeter guard while Charley, Frank and Ted 'played' with one of the Injuns. I volunteered us for that to get Eddie away before he did something to get Charley's attention again. Nicky was watchin' the other two Injuns, and gettin' impatient to be off catchin' the women.  Once the first Injun stopped twitchin', Nicky got Charley to go with him to check out the women's camp, since they knew where they were probably camped on that butte. Eddie, Ted and I were supposed to follow after as soon as it was light enough. Charley figgered he and Nicky wouldn't have any trouble, but we could come in as reinforcements. Frank was supposed to stay and guard the other two Injuns.  Charley told Frank and the rest of us not to touch either of them, but Ted and Frank started throwing coals at both of them almost as soon as they couldn't hear hoof beats. Then they took the other one over closer to the fire, and Eddie and I went walkin' again. They've ridden with Charley long enough to dare disobeyin' him."

[Scarlet Angel]

Scarlet eyed Jimmy a moment. "What you and Nicky are saying is the three of you are only responsible for pulling these men from their horses and beating them up?" She said walking to him and looking him in the eyes.

He looked back at her knowing she could see the fear he felt at the possibility being left here. "Yes." He said.

Scarlet turned and walked towards Tensleep and White Elk, stopping half way between them and the prisoners and facing the prisoners again.

"I think the three of you are equally responsible for the death of Blue Moon and the torture of Red Bear. You didn't put him on the stake but you prevented him from escaping or helping his friends, who might still be alive if you hadn't interfeared. Why shouldn't we just leave you here?"

[Elegant Ella]

"Eddie didn't know what was going to happen to anyone Charley captured. He wouldn't have touched 'em if I hadn't asked him to help me. He should not be blamed for any of it," replied Jimmy. "I accept my share of responsibility for catchin' him when I knew what Charley would do.  But I had to protect my brother. Charley would have burned Eddie if no one else had been available."

Jimmy took a deep breath, "I've got Charley's mark on my chest, from the first time I got between him and a victim, and Charley's stain on my soul because that was the last time I tried to interfere during the two years and more I kept ridin' with him.  Maybe you should leave me here, but Eddie deserves to learn from my mistakes and get home again."

Eddie interrupted, "No, if you get left here, I stay here too.  Brothers have to stick together."

Ella interrupted, "Eddie, calm down. Let's hear your testimony now."

Eddie thought a moment and asked, "Could you read the Psalm that prays for protection from deceit?"

Ella nodded and read Psalm 120, 
"In my distress I cried unto the LORD, and he heard me. Deliver my soul, O LORD, from lying lips, and from a deceitful tongue. What shall be given unto thee? or what shall be done unto thee, thou false tongue? Sharp arrows of the mighty, with coals of juniper. Woe is me, that I sojourn in Mesech, that I dwell in the tents of Kedar! My soul hath long dwelt with him that hateth peace. I am for peace: but when I speak, they are for war."

By this time, Black beard had untied Eddie's hands. Eddie raised his right hand and said firmly, "I swear to tell the truth, the whole truth and nothing but the truth. So help me God." 

He put his hands back behind him for Black beard to secure again before testifying, "I am not such a mooncalf that I didn't know what kind of person Jimmy was following, but I thought I could ride along just long enough to talk Jimmy into leaving them. Jimmy was Momma's favorite, and it almost broke her heart when he ran off when I was 12. I promised myself that I would follow as soon as I was old enough and bring him home. When Jimmy stopped at home for a short visit last month, I left with him. Momma tried to tell me not to go, that I would be lost, too."

[Scarlet Angel]

Eddie paused thinking about his momma's words. "There have been moments I wondered if she was right, but I am not lost yet. My every intention was to get Jimmy to leave Charley's gang. Last night when Frank started to encourage me to build a fire I saw an opportunity to try and warn the other camp there was somebody out there. It never crossed my mind that anybody would ride right into our camp without caution." Eddie dropped his chin to his chest, closed his eyes and took a long breath before opening his eyes and looking at the group of people before him.

"I will stay or go peacefully where ever Eddie is sent and I will accept what ever punishment you or the Chief sees fit to give me. I would appreciate a Christian burial." He looked at the spear that held the bound hand bones. "I promise I will not come back and bother anybody." 

[Elegant Ella]

"We should hear from Circling Falcon and from Red Bear before any decisions are made," said Ella.  She stood in front of Circling Falcon and repeated the oath.  Circling Falcon recognized the same words that she had said to Jimmy and that Eddie had said.  He raised his right hand and agreed without waiting for a translation.

His report added that the three of them were hoping to find Ella and companions camped sooner, but they were prepared to go all the way to the butte. It was not likely that Black beard would have taken them any farther before stopping for the night. They thought the fire was the campsite they were looking for. He had not seen how Red Bear and Blue Moon were captured. Jimmy had hit him in the face, and Eddie had tied his hands. They had captured him honorably, and tied him to a tree where he could not see the fire and what happened to Blue Moon.  He had worked his way around the tree enough to watch the torture of Red Bear.

His next words caused a chuckle among the Indians before Tensleep translated. Circling Falcon wanted another try at wrestling Jimmy and Eddie, but separately this time and not from surprise.

Jimmy responded smiling, "I don't think I would do well because of this bullet hole in my leg, but I could arm wrestle."

Eddie nodded, a little startled at the demand. He looked at Ella and whispered, "Should I try to win, or let him win?"

She whispered back, "You should do your best. If you defeat him without the advantage of surprise, he will feel better about having been overcome last night."

Out loud, Ella said, "A wrestling match should wait until we have heard everyone's words." She went over to Red Bear's pallet. 

[Scarlet Angel]

Red Bear looked at Ella, but it was too much of an effort to raise his hand. He'd been watching and listening to know what she wanted.

"I swear on the spirits of my ancestors to speak the truth." Red Bear started knowing it was his turn to talk. "The one who's hands are missing was in camp when we rode in. He took a long stick from the fire and swung it at my pony spooking him. The one who lies to you had ridden in behind me and jumped from his horse to mine. I fought with all my heart thinking Desert Rose but the two of them overpowered me and tied me up."

I was able to roll over and see the gagged man and his dead brother were doing to Blue Moon." Red Bear looked over at Scarlet and asked "What do you call the dead man who was shot in the chest?"

"Ted." Scarlet replied.

"The one who's soul will walk forever searching for his hands?"

"Frank. The gagged one is Charley." She said pointing "and that is Nicky." Scarlet said as she pointed at him.

Red Bear shook his head in understanding, closed his eyes and waited for some of the pain to pass before going on.

"Frank and Charley lashed Blue Moon to a pole and put him over the fire. They turned the pole like the women do when they are cooking rabbit. When Blue Moon did not scream they became angry and wanted to make the fire bigger. While they gathered wood the one who lies, Nicky, walked to Blue Moon, took a stick near the fire, made it sharp with his knife and stuck Blue Moon then dropped the stick into the fire. Blue Moon still did not scream but his face showed much pain. When Frank and Charley came back they pointed at the blood stain and started to laugh."

"He is the one that lies, not me." Nicky protested when he heard Tensleep translate Red Bear's words.

Scarlet walked over to Nicky and stared into his eyes.

"Stop that." He spat hating the way she looked at him. It was like she was reaching into his very soul and seeing things he tried to cover up.

"Red Bear does not lie." Scarlet said.

"How do you know. Yer going to take the word of an Injun over the word of a white man!?"

Scarlet stepped back to avoid being hit by spit as Nicky spoke.

"How could you do me like that?" He said looking towards Ella.

Ella replied looking back at him, "He swore to tell the truth.  You did not. Did you stab Blue Moon?"

"I was doing the Injun a favor. How would you rather die? Frank and Charley would have roasted him for hours, he died quicker because of what I did." Nicky said.

"Some how I don't think your motive was sparing Blue Moon pain." Scarlet said.

"A wound from a sharpened stick on Blue Moon's body can tell us whether that is true. Where did you stab him?" Ella asked.

"Inside thigh. Charley thought he messed 'imself." Nicky said.

"Why a stick?" Ella asked.

"If I used my knife Charley would have known I did it. The stick burned in the fire, no stains on my knife."

Ella looked at White Elk. "May I examine the body of Blue Moon?"

White Elk considered the question for a moment then answered. "As long as you do no more harm to him."

[Elegant Ella]

"I will do no more harm to him," promised Ella. Carrie led her to where Blue Moon's body was being prepared.   She murmured a prayer in Hebrew before she touched the body, to look for any lacerations on his legs.

She found a wound on the inner thigh.  She pulled a magnifying glass and her set of scalpels out of her pocket, and selected a blunt probe to use to investigate the wound without enlarging it. After she finished with that wound, she examined the rest of the body.

Ella returned to the area of the trial. Standing in front of White Elk and Tensleep, she raised her right hand while holding her Psalter in her left.  "I swear to tell the truth, the whole truth, and nothing but the truth, so help me, Adonai."

She took a deep breath, and testified, "Yes, Blue Moon does have a wound in his inner thigh.  There are splinters in the wound that came from a wooden stick.  The wound was deep and the weapon nicked the big blood vessel in the leg. The immediate cause of Blue Moon's death was loss of blood."

She turned toward Charley, "The only person we have not yet heard from is Charley."

[Scarlet Angel]

White Elk told one of the men to take the gag off of Charley.

Charley stayed quiet. He had been weighing his options, he had to convince Ella to take him to trial. He didn't want to be burned to death in an Indian camp and if he went with the Posse he could possibly escape.

Ella stood before Charley wondering if she should bother to ask him if he would swear to tell the truth and if he did could she believe what he said?

"Untie my had so I can raise it." He said quietly watching her.

Black beard untied one and kept good hold on the other. Charley knew there was a gun pointed at the back of his head at the moment.

He raised his hand and thought about what he might say.

"I swear to tell the truth." He stated.

Black beard retied his hands.

"Charley you attacked and tortured Circling Falcon and Red Bear, and you killed Blue Moon." Scarlet said.

Charley interrupted. "I once had a mother and a father, four sisters and two brothers. My father wanted a better life for us and brought us west. They never made it. I was left for dead by the Indians that attacked and killed them. They took two of my sisters, killed the other two and my mother. I am no more guilty of murder than they are." Charley said.

"Was it these people who killed your family?" Scarlet asked.

He looked her up and down his eyes feel at her breast.

"Charley was it this tribe who killed your family?" Scarlet repeated irritated that he was just staring at her. She stepped closer and ducked down so he had to look into her eyes.

"If you are claiming the right to revenge who in this group of people is responsible for killing your family?" She said

Charley's eyes were blank, he was thinking of something but Scarlet wasn't sure what. "Are you lying about what happened to your family?" She asked.

"No, where do the two of you dig up your information. Take me back to wherever it is and I can tell you exactly where to look." He said looking towards Ella hoping she would feel pity for his story and help him.

[Elegant Ella]

"Information is available everywhere, especially when you can operate a telegraph.  Sometimes the hard part is filtering out the facts that matter, so you can see the behavior patterns. The Marshal's office in El Paso has one wall covered with our 'most wanted' list. We tack up wanted posters, newspaper clippings, maps, telegram flimsies and other papers for the worst outlaws we are aware of. If any of these outlaws show up in our territory, we use that history to help us catch them. Sometimes, we have been able to send messages to other Marshals that helped them eliminate these threats to society. When we have free time, we work on that wall. I collect rumors and information by telegraph. We interview witnesses and family members and add written reports to the wall. When an outlaw is reported dead, we take his pages down and put them in a file folder. We don't dispose of that folder unless we can confirm the death," responded Ella. "Firehorse Charley, yours was one of the first faces on that wall. We have been collecting information about you for eight years or so. Your family was not killed by Indians. Your family was living in Lawrence, Kansas in August of '63. Your older brothers were already in the Union Army by then. Your father was a prosperous merchant, an outspoken opponent of slavery. Quantrill's bushwhackers killed him and burned his store. Your father gave his life to buy time for your mother to get the family out of the building and to safety. Your oldest brother John was wounded and other brother George was killed at the battle of Sugar Loaf Hill in February of '65. Your mother died ten years ago, just after you ran away from home at age 16. Your four sisters are married and living in Kansas, and ashamed of you."

The more Charley tried to work on Ella's emotions, the colder and harder towards him she got. Nothing ever done to him could have given him excuse to murder for fun dozens of times. Indians murdering his family was no excuse for him to murder random Indians who crossed his path even if that story were true. 

It was hard to believe that he and John were brothers, but they looked so much alike.  John was 10 years older, but Charley's life style was aging him fast. John had kept in touch with Ella after he recovered from his wounds and went home to Lawrence. She visited him and his wife during her westward journey three years before. They had seen a wanted poster on Charley, and warned her about him.

[Scarlet Angel]

Charley was beginning to dislike Ella a whole lot. She had probably given him more information on his family than he'd gotten since he'd left home.

His eyes feel back on Scarlet she was looking into his eyes again. He knew she'd been doing it for some time. Maybe she knew when he was lying although he had a pretty good poker face. There was something about her he recognized.

Scarlet had seen his eyes somewhere before, she knew it but just couldn't place where from. Their paths had skirted one another at times but never had she looked him in the face. They were the eyes of a killer, cold and dark as midnight, eyes she'd looked into to many times to count. All the coldest ones had similar eyes. When Ella started talking about the most wanted wall and the information on Charley Scarlet remembered where she'd seen his eyes. They were the eyes she had seen in her dreams peeking in a window. The eyes of a man who's soul had been cursed; leaving him to Red Bear's people would be a fitting end to him.

When Ella mentioned El Paso Charley had a good idea what was familiar about Scarlet. It was that big ol' pistol she was wearing on her shoulder. He'd seen it before, cept on a tall, broad shouldered man. The man that had put a bullet in Charley's shoulder out of that very pistol, he was sure, while he tried to escape one of his first robberies. He wondered why she carried it now. He'd see how his conversation with Ella played out before he worked on Scarlet again.

"Why was I the first to go on your wall? Don't you want your neighbors to know you brought me back. Tracked down a killer on the most wanted wall halfway 'cross the country and drug me back to be tried in your home town? You really don't want to leave me here do you?" He asked Ella.

[Elegant Ella]

"I really do want to leave you here. Why should I haul you halfway across the country? I am confident you will receive justice here at the hands of those you have wronged. You tortured their kinsmen, and intended to murder them," replied Ella. "Rabbi Hillel's summary of The Law in the Old Testament is 'That which is hateful to you, do not do to another.' The penalty for trangressing against that Law is 'An eye for an eye, a tooth for a tooth, a life for a life.' Therefore, your life has been forfeit for many years, and it is time that Law catch up with you."

[Scarlet Angel]

Charley glared at Ella as he thought of the things he would be doing to her later.

"Have we heard from everyone? Do you have any more questions?" Tensleep asked Scarlet and Ella, both who replied no.

"Let's wrap this up then." Tensleep replied.

Scarlet started as she walked in front of the group of people watching. "Charley is the leader, calls the shots. If it had not been for his orders and actions Blue Moon would still be alive and Red Bear would not have been tortured. Charley was even in charge of what was done to the unsuspecting men who rode in his camp looking for help. He swears to tell the truth and lies anyway. As far as white man's law is concerned he was killed in the last hold up he is charged for. I say leave the people he has wronged at rest and leave him here to face the laws of the people who know he still lives. Who will feel his pain in the coming months."

Scarlet walked in front of Nicky. "This man lies for sympathy, lies to his family and friends. He says he stabbed Blue Moon to spare him pain. I think he had his own agenda in mind and Blue Moon was just an obstacle to be disposed of like a used blanket.  There was no concern for his suffering or not. If he goes back with the Marshal he will be hung at best. He will never know the pain he has caused others. As Ella said a life for a life. White man's law will not do justice for what he did to Blue Moon but Cheyenne justice would fulfill the desire of the circuit judge."

Scarlet wandered in front of Jimmy. "You are traveling the same path as they are." She said pointing at Charley and Nicky. "You share the guilt of burning Red Bear's hands and feet, part of his body. You did nothing to stop the others from doing it. You should be left here feel the pains your ways have caused others."

She then came to a stop in front of Eddie. "The fates have not smiled upon you. You have been put in the wrong place at the wrong time. Blue Moon's wife is without a hunter to provide for their home. Red Bear's home is without a hunter and one to tend his horses. You should be left here to do the chores these men used to do until it is seen fit for you to be dismissed. At that time you should be returned to white man's law to pay for your wrong doings among your own people." Scarlet concluded.

The group of Indians spoke among themselves for a moment.

"Let us hear Ella's remarks." Tensleep said.

All eyes fell on Ella. 

[Elegant Ella]

Ella went to stand in front of Jimmy. "Are you willing to show the scar Charley gave you?"

Jimmy nodded and said, "It's over my heart." 

Ella unfastened his shirt to show a burn scar shaped like the letter C.  She winced, imagining how that had hurt. 

She then turned to face Tensleep and White Elk.

"The two men who directly hurt Red Bear are already dead, although Scarlet's rifle gave them a far more merciful death than they deserved. If they had been taken to white man's justice, they would have been hung for many years of murders."

She walked over to look at Charley, then continued on to look at Nicky before turning back to the judges again. "This man's future away from here is a hangman's rope or a bullet when he tries to escape his just punishment. I ask only that you bear in mind that he did give mercy, although only as a side effect of his own agenda, and apparently did not burn Blue Moon."

She moved to stand between Jimmy and Eddie, "Scarlet says that Jimmy and Eddie are responsible for the fate of Blue Moon and Red Bear because they captured Circling Falcon. I tell you that responsibility for the fate of Blue Moon and Red Bear also rests on their own shoulders, and those of Circling Falcon, for riding into a night camp. If the three of them had slowed down and looked at the people around the fire before riding in, they could have continued to the butte unmolested."

Ella looked at all of the warriors as she continued, "Imagine: You are resting in the middle of the night, and suddenly three strangers ride into your camp shouting. What do you do? It looks like an attack. Leaving those strangers alone would not be reasonable. Obeying an order to capture instead of kill would be reasonable, maybe even too mild of a response if it were an attack."

She let her gaze meet one warrior's eyes after another while Tensleep translated. 

"Jimmy and Eddie both bear blood guilt because they allowed evil acts to continue, but remember that they were outnumbered four to two by evil men. Jimmy said he had been burned by Charley the first and only time he tried to interfere, and you have seen the scar. Jimmy's guilt is greater because he knew what would happen to the captives and did not act, but Jimmy was afraid for his brother's life, afraid that his brother would be murdered for trying to interfere."

Ella looked again at White Elk, "Scarlet suggests that Eddie should stay here to do the chores that Blue Moon can never do again in his lodge, and the chores that Red Bear will not be able to do until his burns heal. I say that the brothers should stay together. If they are willing, they should both work for Blue Moon's wife and children and for Red Bear, his wife and child, for a period of three months."

Ella turned to look at each of the brothers while Tensleep translated. Jimmy spoke first, "As long as we can stay together and not be killed, I would be willing. I know that I am headed for prison after I leave here, but maybe I can make a fresh start afterwards."

[Scarlet Angel]

Red Bear motioned Scarlet over. They spoke softly to one another. Nobody could hear what they were saying but both seemed to be as stubborn as the other.

Scarlet finally turned to Ella.

"Red Bear wants to look Jimmy and Eddie in the eyes. He wants to get up to do this. I suggest we bring Eddie and Jimmy to him. He wants to know how he can trust these men doing things in his lodge when he cannot defend it. He wants them to convince him they do not lie since their friends lie so easily."

Scarlet looked from Ella to Jimmy and Eddie while she continued. "Red Bear says he does not trust you and while he understands the desire for you to remain together he feels that puts his life and the life of his people in more danger. He wants to know why you would stay knowing you are headed to white man's prison when you could kill him or his wife." Scarlet paused a moment and looked over at Red Bear then back to Ella and the men who's lives she was defending. "He wants to know what would keep you from violating the women and girls in this camp after you have killed the men in their sleep."

Scarlet looked at Tensleep and White Elk. "Red Bear also wants to know if any of you would sleep with a couple of wild dogs in your lodge."

She turned back to Ella, Jimmy and Eddie.
"Red Bear is willing for Eddie to stay he says it would be easier to keep an eye on him and feels Eddie's the one whose soul is not yet tainted. Jimmy on the other hand he does not want and fears the two of them together since Eddie seemed to be a follower."

Scarlet walked close to Ella. "Red Bear says he should not be the one punished again by saddleing him with both men."

[Elegant Ella]

Ella turned to Eddie, "Are you willing to stay here without Jimmy? Carrie will be able to help you learn the Cheyenne language, while you help her improve her English."

Eddie nodded again, "As long as you promise to take care of Jimmy.  You've said he's headed for prison. Are you sure he's not going to be hung?"

Scarlet answered, since she remembered better what warrants mentioned Jimmy, "Just jail time."

Eddie nodded again, more firmly, "It should be a lot more interesting than being a famer!"

"The work won't be any easier than farming. You can expect to be exhausted at the end of each and every day," Ella warned him.

"I'm not afraid of hard work. I am good with horses." 

"Are we all agreed now? We will take Jimmy back to white man's justice.  We will leave Nicky and Charley to your justice. We will leave Eddie to be a servant for Red Bear and his family, including his brother's widow and children." Ella asked Tensleep, "Do we need to take any bodies back, or can we leave those here for burial?"