Education, Wild West Style
Part 3
Luke puts his brain to good use.
The activity in the village occupied Running Bear and his father for the next few days leaving Luke to ponder Loan Arrows question. His first thought was to find out where they were and then ask to be returned to Washington so that this land area could be ceded to the Indians as a reservation. They would not need government support so cost would be zero. The troubles over this area of the West would be over, again saving government money. The problem with that thought process was that this was good fertile land with plenty of game, a very desirable area for white settlers. Second thought was, if his father took all the land into his companies and let Luke manage it when he came out of the army he could keep the Indians on the land somehow. It wouldn't make his father any money so again it was a slim possibility. Third thought, take someone like Running Bear with him to plead their case before the Senate if he could get a hearing. Luke knew doing that would require the support of his father, a remote possibility.
Result of all his thoughts was depression. He was growing to love these people, particularly Running Bear, but he couldn't see a way to protect their way of life. He went to see Loan Arrow again and told him his thoughts.
"I'm sorry Chief, all three of my solutions to this problem have very little chance of success is my guess, but I would dearly love to try."
Loan Arrow pondered awhile. He trusted this young white man, everything he did around the village showed he was genuine in his liking for the people of the tribe.
"I will not show you the area we consider our tribal lands Luke, just know that the patrols that we have ambushed are well away from this area. No white settlers have yet come here but we are sure they will if the soldiers are ever allowed close."
Luke thought about this as well.
"Give me more time Chief to think about this and let Running Bear teach me more about your lands and your traditions."
Luke worked round the problems tossing it round in his brain trying to work out a solution that had even a slim chance of success. Before he realised it time had moved on to the point where if he was released now he would be out of the army within weeks and returned to Washington, a civilian again. On that basis Luke went to see Loan Arrow again with a firm proposal.
"Chief, I am almost time served and will be a civilian again almost as soon as I get back to my fort if you release me now. What I would like to do is return to Washington, our chief village, with my proposals to let you remain on your lands here. To help my case I would like Running Bear to put your tribe's case to our council. But I would not take him with me the first time. I would need guarantees for his safe conduct before removing him from the tribe. To protect your village I am quite happy to be blindfolded again for the time necessary to get me clear. If my escort released me near my fort we could set up a system whereby when I come back one of your braves could rendezvous with me to bring me back here for a pow wow."
Loan Arrow needed time to think about this and discuss it with his council. In the meantime Luke and Running Bear were becoming more and more attached, parting now would be difficult but Luke promised that if he did go east again, whatever happened, he would return. Love as Luke knew it was not a word in the Indian language but both men knew that what they had between them was much more than friendship.
The decision of the council was that Luke would be allowed to leave, the two troopers however would remain but would not be ill treated, and would be allowed to return with Luke next time. A brave would be at the point where they released Luke at the time of the new moon each month until Luke returned. His uniform and a cavalry mount were returned to him along with his sword and pistol. A carbine was in its scabbard on his horse, along with a bedroll and food. His escort was to be three braves, one of whom, of course, was Running Bear.
Luke asked Running Bear to learn as much of his tongue as he could while he was away and instructed his troopers to help in any way that they could.
"I will come back for you two, I promise."
The troopers were actually enjoying their life here, they did very little work and being cornholed by the young braves and other sex acts, didn't bother them anymore. The braves now used them for pleasure rather than punishment so there was no pain now in the acts they committed.
Luke and Running Bear said their goodbye's within sight of the fort, three days later.
"Go in peace my brother, I will wait eagerly for your return."
Luke had tears in his eyes and said to Running Bear, out of earshot of the other braves.
"I love you Running Bear, I promise I will be back."
No one at the fort ever expected to see Luke again. The Commanding Officer and his senior staff thoroughly debriefed Luke, finding it difficult to believe him, except that his command of the Indian dialect and the fact that he was back with them looking so fit proved it.
"The two young troopers captured with me Sir, are being looked after and will return to the fort with me next time."
"What do you mean, next time Lieutenant?"
"I intend to return to Washington, Sir, and plead for this tribe to be allowed to remain on their land. Successful or not, I have promised Loan Arrow and his son that I will come back."
Luke's return had been telegraphed back to Washington and his father realised that whatever his son thought about the Indian question, he would listen now, the love he had for the boy at last transcending his greed.
Once he was home and settled in, Luke confronted his father with the problem he had come back to solve.
"I don't want to continue fighting you Papa, you are my father and I love and respect you, but this particular tribe are gentle people being forced to fight us to survive. Whatever the outcome of my time here I am going back to try to help them."
Senator Luke Atherton the Senior, sat down with his son to talk.
"Tell me everything about your friends then Luke. I am now head of the senate committee for Indian affairs. Let's see if we can do something about this tribe."
Luke was amazed but told his father everything from the time his patrol was ambushed to his release back at the fort, except of course the sex side of his relationship with Running Bear. Luke Snr. was no fool and soon realised that his son had a special bond with the chief's son.
Before Luke knew what was happening he was telling his story before the whole committee. With his father's support Luke managed to convince the men that perhaps an exception could be made here. A trial area so to speak, to see if this tribe could survive alongside the white settlers. Set aside the tribal lands, appoint an administrator and give him control of a small cavalry detachment to police it until sufficient numbers of the tribe could be taught English and develop policing skills.
"Can the remainder of the tribe be returned to the area as well father from the reservation they were taken to?"
That threw the committee into a tizz but with much forceful argument Luke was offered this solution.
"Bring this committee a map delineating the area concerned. When you do that, we would like to see this chief and his son as well. If everything looks in order, they keep their tribal lands, the remainder of the tribe is returned to the area and you must accept the appointment of administrator for five years. Lastly, the two surviving troopers must be returned as well."
This outcome was so much better than Luke believed possible, but it had taken nearly three months to achieve. Luke had it in writing, and carried sealed orders for the commandant of the fort to cease hostilities against the Indians in his area.
If he was lucky, Luke realised he could just make the next new moon, he didn't want to wait another month to see his lover again.
With just one day to spare, Luke rode into the fort he had left three months previously. The commandant was amazed to see him and even more so when he read his orders.
"I don't know how you have achieved this Luke, but I am pleased I don't have to send any more men out there to be slaughtered. Your Indian friends have been way too successful against us."
The next day, suitably attired in buckskins and mounted, with a spare supply horse Luke left the fort again for his rendezvous. He was disappointed that no one was there when he arrived but he started a fire to heat the water for coffee and settled down to wait. At bedtime, he hobbled the two horses, built the fire up, more as a beacon for his hoped for contact than for the heat, and retired for the night.
The next morning there was still no contact and he became despondent as the day wore on. He had just finished his evening meal when he heard rustling in the brush and a strong voice spoke in passable English.
"Yellow hair, why are you lazing around in my tribal lands?"
Luke recognised the voice and was almost beside himself with joy.
"Ah, Running Bear, my brother, I am dreaming of the night I will curl up in your arms again."
Running Bear bounded into the camp and almost crushed Luke with the enthusiasm of his greeting.
"We were beginning to think you had forgotten us my little friend."
Luke looked into the eyes of this young man that he loved, touched his cheek gently and spoke in a voice loaded with emotion.
"Never my love, my thoughts have been with you every day."
That night they made love under the stars, with a desperation born of the longing each had for the other. The next day they started the ride back to the village.
"I will tell you everything when we are with your father, but know that the soldiers will not be mounting anymore patrols in this area, you will have your tribal lands, and I will be here to administer them. You and Loan Arrow are to come to Washington with me to sign the treaty."
When they arrived in the village, Luke was nearly mobbed by the braves that never expected to see him again. On the periphery he could see his two troopers looking more like Indians now than cavalry troopers. His first stop had to be Loan Arrow and he greeted the chief with joy in his heart.
"We have much to talk about Loan Arrow, your council should hear my words as well. Will you summon them while I talk to my men?"
"Yes Luke, we have kept our word with your men and my son now speaks passable English I am told."
He looked with pride at Running Bear and Luke saw the expression that was full of love.
Luke walked across the village to see his troopers and hear about their three months without him. They were so happy to see him but at the same time they made it clear they had grown to love being here. They even spoke to Luke in the native tongue, all be it a little hesitantly. Luke could see that they were well fed, glowed with good health and were as brown as berries. He lifted the breech clout of one of them and laughed.
"All dressed up for me hey troopers?"
They both blushed and Luke hugged them.
"I'm no longer in the army so please call me Luke. I am taking you back to the fort with me this time and taking Loan Arrow and Running Bear to Washington. They are going to keep their lands and I am going to administer them with the help of a small contingent of cavalry."
Both boys immediately pleaded with Luke to be allowed to join that contingent.
"We love these people Luke, they are good to us now and the braves treat us like equals even though we still get cornholed."
Luke laughed again, these boys were so transparent.
"And you like it the same as I did."
They were shocked and one of them said, "You and Running Bear, Luke."
Luke nodded, "Yes, I love him better than a brother, and yes, I will try to get you on the detail. Keep learning their language, it will help my case."
The pow wow with the council was long and difficult for Luke but in the end it was agreed that Loan Arrow and Running Bear would return to Washington with him. They would wear full Indian dress but without the headdress so that they didn't shock anyone. The buckskin was similar to that worn by the Indian fighters and hunters that had come west, so no problem.
It took Luke days to produce a half way decent map delineating the boundaries of the tribal lands. Luke prayed it would be good enough to pass muster in Washington.
When the time came to leave Luke was surprised to see the troopers appear in their uniforms which had been kept and cleaned for them. Their cavalry mounts were saddled despite both of them telling Luke that like him they could ride bare back like the Indians, they even had their own carbines again.
They rode out, this time without blindfolds and with an escort of young braves who rode with them until they were just outside firing range of the fort's guns. Luke, Loan Arrow and Running Bear rode line abreast with the troopers at each end of the line until they were in hailing distance of the fort, with a line of Indian braves sat astride their horses watching.
Luke introduced the two Indians to the fort commandant who was surprised and pleased that they both spoke English, with Running Bear being a real surprise. His English was very good.
"Sir, we would like to remain here for a few days while Loan Arrow and Running Bear get used to our ways and our accommodation. I want them to create a good impression when we sit before the senate committee."
"Well done Luke, it will give me a chance to get to know Loan Arrow. I have already received tentative orders to form a small detachment to police the Indian lands if everything is agreed in Washington."
"In that case Sir, I can recommend my two troopers, they already speak a little of the language and are known and accepted by the tribe."
They remained at the fort for two weeks during which time they were taught to use knives and forks, and to get used to sleeping in beds. Running Bear loved it because Luke came to his room to sleep every night, and to make love of course. Loan Arrow however couldn't change and was found on the floor of his room every morning wrapped in his Indian blanket.
The trip to Washington was awesome for the Indian pair. It was mainly railroads across the land until in Washington it was horse drawn carriages on proper roads. They were to stay with Luke in his father's house and Running Bear gulped when he saw it, the house was huge to his eyes and the bedroom he was shown to would have been big enough for four tepees in his village.
"Father has agreed that you should sleep in my room with me Running Bear so we don't need to sneak about, I can love you every night."
Both boys were full of joy, but Luke was worrying that everything was going too well. The worry was justified, the committee haggled and procrastinated for ages making Loan Arrow very angry at times. Eventually Luke pleaded with his father to have done with it and let these two fine men rejoin their family and their tribe.
Three months again, but eventually they were on their way back west with the treaty in Loan Arrow's hands.
"I will miss you Papa, we have had many differences as I grew up but you taught me well and I am proud to call you Sir."
There were tears in Luke Snr's. Eyes as he bid farewell.
"I will make at least two trips a year to see your tribe Luke, and you must come here twice a year to report to the senate."
He was smiling as he said it and Luke knew there would be good times between him and his father at last. +++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++ The love that Luke and Running Bear have continues to grow in the next chapter.