They watched the three men approach the men’s circle for dancing. Kakoakis, who wore a beaver tail to the front and back of his breechclout and an elaborate neckpiece of bear claws, knotted thongs, and painted eagle feathers, made a beeline for Broken Tooth, who was wearing a tunic with an elaborately decorated yoke of brightly painted shells and quills. He laughed loudly as he moved into the open space at her right and took her hand.
Charbonneau wore soft leather boots, baggy pants, and a red kerchief at his throat. He weighed about two hundred pounds and was not tall. His eyes were nearly black, and his face bore the large nose and high cheekbones of the French-Canadian métis, or half-breed. He looked around the circle of giggling girls, then with an awkward imitation of the Mandan leap, he entered the men’s circle. The dance began again.
Jussome, who had placed a cloth cap with an eagle feather jauntily fastened to the side on his head, stood on the far side of the circle watching his woman, Broken Tooth, dance with the tall, repulsive, one-eyed Kakoakis. The dance went on until the dancemaster, who was the Medicine Man of the Bull Dance, signaled the drummers to stop and said, “Let no one walk out into the brush,” as a warning to the young couples who had made love pacts.
There were braves stationed at strategic places on the outer rim of the arena to see that no one wandered out to the brush, but not all the lovers were kept within bounds. Kakoakis, chief of the Metaharta village, moved furtively out into the darkness with the giggling, loose-hipped Broken Tooth.
Charbonneau moved toward Jussome, who was now talking in loud guffaws with Four Bears. “How about a little game of hands? I bring five quarts of rum from
Fort Pine last time I visit.” He repeated his offer in Mandan to Four Bears.
Jussome made signs indicating to Four Bears that it was good crazy-water and would warm his innards.
“Have you ever watched men at this game called hands?” asked Sun Woman. She had read the signs the men exchanged.
Sacajawea nodded no. She had never seen men play the game, but she had played it with Rosebud’s children many times.
“They will play the game a long time before they go to the lodges. Let us go watch awhile. Sometimes they play for knives, or arrows, or beads, or shells. Four Bears might win something for me.”
Jussome, in a row with the Wolf Chief, Black Cat, Four Bears, and Redpipe, faced a row of men including Charbonneau. Seven men were facing only six, and Charbonneau was passing firewater and complaining because his row was short a man, delaying the start of the game. The Mandan Charbonneau spoke was heavily accented with French and English, and it was hard for Sacajawea to understand him.
Finally, Chief Kakoakis was sighted coming across the flat ground behind the Medicine Lodge. Broken Tooth came a few paces behind, the top of her tunic pushed around her waist as it had been during the dancing. Her breasts bounced as she walked along the hard ground. Charbonneau, who was seated cross-legged, watched her dangling breasts and broke into a lecherous grin. He took a pull from the rum jug.
“Jésus, what a woman,” breathed Charbonneau, his roundish face pushed out low from the hunched thrust of his shoulders. His voice came from deep down in his throat.
Jussome glared at Charbonneau. “You have forgotten one thing,” he said in his French-Canadian patois. ‘That is my woman, and if you want her you pay me in worthwhile goods, the same as Kakoakis does.”
Kakoakis took his place in Charbonneau’s line, opposite Redpipe, and now seven men faced another row of seven. They were spaced about three feet apart. A ring was drawn in the earth between the rows. The Wolf Chief began a low chant that was picked up by
Redpipe and then Kakoakis. The rum jug passed between the players and the game began, accompanied by yells of encouragement or hisses at opponents by the onlookers.1
The hands game was played with small bones that could be concealed in a man’s hand. One of the bones was carved with lines and dots around the center; the other was polished, but left plain. The object was to fool an opponent into picking the hand that contained the unmarked bone. Markers, in the form of sticks, twelve on each side of the ring, kept the score.
Kakoakis kept time to the low, monotonous singing, moving his hands about in front, to the side and behind his back, under his leg, over his head and under his arm. He moved his hands slowly and flashed the bones so that Redpipe, whose face was flushed with rum, could plainly see them. Then he moved them quickly high in the air keeping the backs of his hands toward Redpipe as his hands came together and apart, seeming not to open, keeping time to the beat. Suddenly, swaying to and fro, Kakoakis brought his hands toward Redpipe. Redpipe pointed to the right clenched hand.
Kakoakis opened his hand to show the marked bone.
Redpipe had won the point.
Kakoakis placed one of the twelve sticks lying on his side of the ring beside the twelve sticks on the side of the ring closest to Redpipe.
“You cover those sticks like they were a woman— with experience,” guffawed a man near Kakoakis.
“I cover a woman different, old warrior!” Kakoakis chuckled.
Sacajawea caught a glimpse of Broken Tooth skulking back from a trip to relieve herself in the woods. She moved around the two rows of men, then slid down petulantly next to Kakoakis. She looked up into his face and made a little pouting mouth.
Sacajawea looked at Jussome and thought, That man does not even care if his woman is moon-eyed in front of all these others! She looked from him to Charbonneau. The more closely she examined the faces of the white men, the more difficult it was to tell them apart. White men all look alike, she thought.
Redpipe now held the deal and moved the sticks hereand there. Under one leg, then the other, and back and forth in front of his opponent. Finally he held them out. Jussome spoke up fast.
“I bet the favors of my woman for a look at your left hand.”
There was much laughter, for this bet of Jussome’s would liven up the game. Redpipe was sitting very erectly, not wishing to offend the white trader, but at the same time not wishing to collect any favors from Jussome’s woman, Broken Tooth. He shrugged and opened his left hand.
There was much shouting, for Jussome had guessed wrong. He motioned to Broken Tooth, who went over and sat next to Redpipe, giggling and heaving her breasts to and fro.
Kakoakis took another swig of rum and bent to Red-pipe. “Put up as a prize this woman of Jussome,” he said.
Redpipe blinked. His face remained blank. Inside he felt a great relief. The idea came to him to lose quickly and get rid of the brazen young Broken Tooth, who meant nothing but trouble.
Redpipe, however, won his round, and Kakoakis passed his turn to Charbonneau.
The rum bottle was brought out, and again the chanting began. At the same time, several men got up and voided, seeing who could wet earth the farthest.
Sacajawea felt herself wilting. The day had been strenuous and long. It had been filled with experiences she had never had before, emotions and excitement that would live in her memory for a long time. Her eyes closed with sleep.
“Come along,” said Sun Woman, “we have stayed too long.” She helped Sacajawea to her feet. “Our men will be along toward morning. Let us sleep.”
Charbonneau turned at that moment and saw the women rise. He pointed a finger at them.
“He looks to us,” gasped Sacajawea.
“It is nothing,” said Sun Woman, unconcerned. “It was a gesture meaning nothing to us.” But Sun Woman was wrong.
“Bring that femme to me!” Charbonneau called.
“Redpipe, I wish you to place that daughter of yours as a bet instead of Broken Tooth.”
“Leave the child out of it,” Four Bears said to him before Redpipe could answer. He rose and walked to the women. “Go to our lodge,” he told them.
Charbonneau was complaining violently. He threatened to quit the game and take the firewater with him when he saw Sacajawea and Sun Woman begin to walk away.
“Stop!
” bellowed Chief Kakoakis. “Come forward! I will have a look at these two.”
Even Four Bears dared not disobey this grotesque man.
“Chief Kakoakis,” Four Bears said. “This daughter of Redpipe is a guest in my lodge. I have told her to take my woman there.” He pointed to Sun Woman’s full breasts. “Her papoose needs feeding.”
“So,” Kakoakis said. He looked thoughtful, and took a drink of rum. “All right,” he said. “We will wait on this matter. Your woman may go, but the girl stays here.” He reached out for Sacajawea and pulled her beside him. “You should be honored. You are a fair one. You would be even fairer wearing a weasel collar.” He laughed, and his long, bony fingers ran around her neck. She shivered, afraid to speak. Sun Woman was gone. She and Broken Tooth were the only women at the men’s game.
Four Bears indicated that Sacajawea should sit to the side of Redpipe; then he turned to Charbonneau. Four Bears’s hands doubled into fists. He raised them in front of Charbonneau and then let them flop down. “I do not want any trouble.” He emphasized his words again with hand signs.
Charbonneau eyed Sacajawea, then looked at the hussy, Broken Tooth.
Redpipe spoke up at last. “Ai, the bet has already been made. It is for the lithesome child, Broken Tooth.”
Charbonneau sighed heavily, testing the feel of the bones. “The bet has been made,” he said, passing Red-pipe the jug. “Put more rum in your belly. You have the guess.” Charbonneau poured some rum down his own throat, then handed the jug to Black Cat, whopassed it to Kakoakis. Kakoakis drank, licked his lips, and began the chant. The game of hands resumed.
Sacajawea sat hunched, trying not to look at the drooping eyelid that half concealed the milk-white film on Kakoakis’s blind eye, nor the two beady eyes under the bushy black eyebrows of Charbonneau, who was now moving the sticks. Her eyes flicked to Four Bears and Redpipe. Their faces told her nothing. She kept her eyes on Charbonneau’s hands.
Four Bears rose to put more sticks on the fire; then he leaned toward Sacajawea.
“You,” he whispered, “keep your shirt on.”
“I have no shirt, only a tunic!”
“That’s it! Good,” he said approvingly. “You have good nerves. As long as you can joke, you are all right.”
She had not meant it for a joke. She did not feel like joking.
Charbonneau celebrated the winning of his bet by placing his cupped hand on the bare breast of Broken Tooth. He looked at Redpipe, who celebrated his loss of Broken Tooth by putting his hand out for the jug.
“This one is nice,” Charbonneau said, passing Red-pipe the rum, “but she is too far from a virgin. It is that one I want”—he pointed to Sacajawea—“the young one.”
“She was not the bet,” Redpipe said.
“Well, I want her to be the bet!” Charbonneau yelled.
“Wanting is not enough,” Four Bears said.
“Wanting is not enough!” Charbonneau mimicked, pronouncing the Mandan words very badly. “Wanting is not enough!” He rose to face Four Bears, who stood also. “And what business is it of yours? She is just a squaw, so wanting is enough.”
And then, faster than Sacajawea could comprehend, Jussome and Black Cat were standing near Charbonneau, who had raised his skinning knife and jammed the point of it into Four Bears’s ribs. It was no light blow. Four Bears’ mouth came open. He stepped backward, and the point followed him.
“All right, Big Tess,” Jussome said in French. “Let him be. Sit and play the game properly. Your head runs too hot.”
“No,” Charbonneau said. “I say for Redpipe to putup his daughter for your line, and I will put up Jussome’s squaw for mine.”
At that moment Charbonneau’s head turned in search of Broken Tooth. She was not in the vicinity of the game. She had slipped past the arguing players, past the onlookers, and stealthily moved to the center of the arena. With furtive glances now and again back toward the noisy crowd, she groped inside the ancient medicine ark. Then her hand felt the round coolness of the golden coin. There was no mistake—this was something valuable, and her man, Jussome, could trade or sell it for many goods. She thought of the riches and the power it would bring. She was filled with vainglory as she caressed the coin.
Moving fast, Four Bears nearly knocked Chief Black Cat over as he spotted Broken Tooth with her hands clutching something to her breasts. He sucked his cheeks in between his teeth as he went forward shouting, “Stop!” It was abrupt and clear.
Broken Tooth stopped as if stung. Her eyes flashed, and her mood changed into savagery like a stirred snake’s. She flung the coin at Jussome, who moved slowly with the crowd up behind Four Bears. It struck him in the breast, but if it hurt, he gave no sign. He covered the coin with both hands for a moment, then let it drop like a hot stone. He turned away from the face of his woman to stare into the icy eyes of Four Bears. “I think she, my woman, she was looking—ah— looking for another jug of rum. Zut! Stupide femme!”
Four Bears’s eyes were like bits of ice. “It was not rum she looked for. You know that.” He took a step toward Broken Tooth.
Her face twitched, and she felt her legs shake. She ducked from his grasp, picked up the coin, and dropped it with a thud back through the dark, dank hole of the ark.
“So, it was you who planned this raid on our sacred artifacts. You who thought of nothing but the riches they would bring. You did not take time to think that things from a past age could be wiped out, so that one day there would be no one left to recall them. You are less than a pack rat. I could slash your throat!”
Broken Tooth shrank back. She could not go far withthe crowd packed in around her now. Four Bears lunged for her neck. Sacajawea drew in her breath as she saw Jussome’s hand rise up until his hunting knife appeared above the back of Four Bears like a spear. Then the crowd swarmed in front of Sacajawea’s eyes, and hands from everywhere took hold of Broken Tooth and slapped and pounded. They pulled and pushed. The crowd was made up of faces with mouths wide open, yelling, and arms flaying and punching.
Four Bears stood now like a man turned to stone as the crowd heaved back and forth, almost the way trees sway back and forth in a strong wind. Charbonneau elbowed his way in with the jug under his arm. He offered it to Four Bears, who, trancelike, drank huge drafts. Then Charbonneau offered the jug to Redpipe.
“No,” sputtered Redpipe, staggering to the far edge of the crowd. His face was red and getting redder. His head dropped a little forward. His thick shoulders dropped, too—not sagging, but hunching solidly. His head and shoulders swayed a little as his eyes stared along the edge of the crowd.
“Oh, by Jésus!” Jussome said, throwing his hat on the ground.
Sacajawea looked from Broken Tooth to Redpipe. She wondered if he were drunk or having one of his falling spells. She was feeling detached, past the point of fear.
“Go back and sit down!” yelled Chief Kakoakis to the crowd. “Women—they are the curse of man. I will show you how to handle the situation.” Chief Kakoakis rose to his full height, pulled a knife from under his breechclout, and pointed it to the starlit heavens, giving a big shout. Then Kakoakis reached down with his powerful hand and pulled Sacajawea to him by one braid of hair. All hands were still, and all eyes were on Chief Kakoakis. All this was so unexpected that Sacajawea could hardly make her legs hold her up. Her heart beat like hummingbird wings. Kakoakis slashed the knife across his own wrist, across the right wrist of Sacajawea, and then he held their wounds tightly together. Blood ran down to Sacajawea’s elbow and dripped to the ground. She was so surprised by this sudden happening that her wrist did not seem to hurt at all. Withthe two wrists together, Kakoakis said in his loud voice, “See, here, this girl is the blood daughter of Kakoakis.”
Redpipe gave a funny, choked laugh.
Kakoakis went on, “Let us forget this unfinished theft. It will not happen again. You have my word. Remember the game. I say for Jussome to put up his squaw for his side and I will put up my new blood daug
hter for my side.” He laughed, enjoying the look on the faces of Redpipe and Four Bears.
Mostly the men roared approval of Kokoakis’s solution, although there were a few mutterings and one loud “Na-aah!” from Four Bears, who shifted his weight as he felt the probe of Charbonneau’s knife, which was once again against his ribs.
Kakoakis bowed and returned to his place. “Two women are better than one,” he said. “It is settled. If my new blood daughter is won in a fair game, let her go as the woman of my old friend Charbonneau, whose man part never hangs limp!”
Jussome slapped Charbonneau on the back as Charbonneau gave a mighty shout and pawed the earth in the manner of a bull buffalo.
Broken Tooth’s volatile mood changed again, and she showed delight with Sacajawea’s discomfort. She gestured to Jussome. With glittering black eyes and guttural gloatings of relief that her neck was intact, she suggested that his buffalo robe be placed in the center of the players and that the two prizes sit on the robe. Jussome was eager to comply with the frivolity and beamed at his woman for such a splendid suggestion.
Sacajawea began to inch backward toward the woods. An instinct for survival had been touched in her. Her breathing was hard, and her chest hurt. Jussome saw her, gave a low laugh, and spun around, scooping her up in his arms and returning her to the group of laughing men. ‘This child thinks she can slip away from the mighty Bear of the Forest. She shakes like a frightened meadow mouse.” He placed her beside Charbonneau. She looked away, toward Redpipe. She screamed.
The men were startled. Four Bears recovered first and looked toward Redpipe, whose head had fallen and who was making bubbling noises. Four Bears pushed Redpipe’s head up, he saw his pale face twitch, his eyesroll, and his head, body, and limbs begin to jerk about as his hands opened and closed.
“The falling sickness!” Four Bears exclaimed. He ran to Redpipe. Foam had gathered at the corners of Red-pipe’s mouth, bloodstained from his tongue, which was caught between his teeth and was deeply bitten.