Smoke in the Valley
Peggy Albrecht


Excruciating pain kept Katie awake long after Hope and Yellow Feather went to sleep that night. Though she could not bear to move her sprained shoulder, thoughts of escape danced in her mind.

The thoughts finally merged with scenes in a hazy dream world where butterflies fluttered and birds sang. In that world Conrad and Hope followed her up a steep, spruce-covered slope. Though needles of pain jabbed her shoulder every step of the way, her heart sang. Then, just as they reached a cave hidden behind a dense evergreen screen, Katie awoke.

The delightful aroma of berry bread baking in the fire pit again brought a lump to her throat. She opened her eyes and saw Hope pressing her forefinger to her lips. Yellow Feather was snoring.

Motioning for Katie to follow, Hope crept through the door opening, silencing the gourds with her right hand. When they reached the path between the rock walls, Hope whispered.

"Yellow Feather always sleeps late. Because of the storm night before last, she and the supply party spent a miserable night in a cave and traveled on before sunrise." Hope chuckled softly. "She will sleep longer than usual this morning."

Katie's heart skipped a beat. "Let's find Conrad and escape while she is asleep. No one is watching us."

"No one?" Hope smiled. "Those who watch lurk behind rocks and trees. Just because you cannot see them does not mean they are not watching. Be patient, Katie. Until we are able to plan our escape with Wide Eyes, we dare not leave."

Later, while they leisurely bathed, Hope explained why they had to wait until careful plans were made.

"Without an expert guide like Wide Eyes, we would be recaptured and tortured. Even if we managed to hide from a search party, we could be lost in these hills and starve to death."

"Wide Eyes would help? Until yesterday, he acted as though he hated me."

"There was a time when he seemed to hate the entire white race. It was the fault of one white soldier. When Wide Eyes was in the mission, he wanted to marry my sister, Faith. He loved her. She loved him. At the time he was a top student called by his Christian name, Joseph."

A note of bitterness crept into Hope's voice as she continued.

"Everyone was shocked when a tall soldier from Fort Laramie courted and married Faith. Joseph was enraged. He acted like a mad man. Shouting hateful words, he threw books and broke benches in the schoolroom. He was rude to Teacher Ezra. He said he hated even the names of white men and would no longer be called Joseph. At that time he left the school."

"I am more surprised than ever," Katie said.

"Yesterday Wide Eyes seemed really sorry about Conrad's injuries."

"He was sorry. Though he is an honored warrior, fierce in battle against white soldiers, he refuses to torture. He refuses to take scalps." Hope sighed. "Even with war paint on his face, he is the tender hearted Joseph I have loved since I was ten."

"Does he know you love him?"

"Yes. I told him the very evening you arrived. When your brother was being mistreated, Joseph stood against the tormentors with fire in his eyes. Later, when I found him alone, I confessed my love."

"What did he say?"

He said it was good, because he had already planned to court me. Since there is no chance for a Christian marriage in this camp, we must wait to marry, but when the time is right, we four shall escape together."

"We cannot wait for the right time! Conrad and I are suffering. Our parents are suffering. Until we are together again, the suffering will not end. We must make plans with your Joseph this very day." Katie's voice grew louder as she spoke.

"Sh-h-h-h-h!" Hope glanced around nervously. "If your words are overheard, you may never escape," she whispered. "Believe me, Katie, I understand your impatience. Truly I do. Before you came, I foolishly began planning to go alone. I prepared by storing smoked fish in a cave near the top of that slope." She cautiously pointed her chin toward a spot opposite the tunnel. "I expected to hide in the cave until...."

"That is exactly what we should do. Last night I dreamed about a hidden cave. It was near the top of a spruce-covered slope like...."

Katie clapped her hand across her mouth as the rumble of rolling stones interrupted. Together, she and Hope stared at the deluge peppering a ledge over the tunnel. A few feet above the rockslide, an Indian brave was crouching, almost hidden behind a boulder.