IT WAS THE middle of summer and the days were hot and the sun baked down on the women’s backs as they dug roots and planted more corn in the fields. After her chores were completed, Angie walked back to her favorite spot by the river to pray. Enyeto was waiting for her.
“Come sit down,” he said as he patted the ground. “I have more questions for you.”
She smiled and sat down beside him, looking forward to sharing with him.
“You say that you have one god, but then you talk about three,” he began, “How can one god be three gods?”
As Angie tried to explain the Holy Trinity to Enyeto, she was unaware that Chocheta was watching them from behind the trees. Chocheta couldn’t hear their words very well, but she noticed that they were very intent on talking with each other, and jealousy began to rise in her heart. The more she watched them talk and laugh, the more her anger grew.
Chocheta had convinced herself that Enyeto liked Angie more than he should. And she felt that Angie liked him in return. Her life with Enyeto felt threatened, and she turned and ran back to her camp. Once she arrived, she paced back and forth working herself up into a frenzy. Her imagination was running wild. Evil thoughts and evil plans were taking place in her mind. She wouldn’t let Angie have Enyeto. He was hers. She had to stop them from seeing each other. Without thinking it through, she ran to Elsu and called him out of his teepee.
“What is it?” Elsu asked Chocheta.
“I have to tell you something I saw,” Chocheta was breathing hard, her eyes wide, “I saw Angie with Enyeto, and they were kissing.”
Elsu was silent for a few moments. He clenched his jaw and said, “Are you sure of what you saw?”
“Yes, I am sure,” she lied to Elsu, “I watched them for a long time.”
“Where are they?” Elsu demanded.
“By the river,” Chocheta pointed north of the village.
Elsu was furious. He stomped his way to the river, fists clenched, with Chocheta close behind him. As he approached the river, he could hear Enyeto and Angie laughing. Seeing them sitting beside each other, his rage became uncontrollable and he grabbed Enyeto and Angie by the hair, pulling them to their feet.
“Liars, cheaters!” he screamed in their faces. “I trusted you both!”
“What are you saying?” Enyeto yelled, pulling his hair out of Elsu’s clutches. Elsu let go of Angie’s hair and shoved her to the ground.
“You know she is to be my wife!” Elsu yelled at Enyeto, pointing to Angie. “But you have betrayed me as a friend.”
Then he turned to Angie. “You are unfaithful. You have an evil spirit in you. You will be punished for your misdeeds!”
Both Enyeto and Angie were stunned.
“What have we done?” Enyeto insisted.
“You have been seen kissing each other!” Elsu accused, “What else have you done?!”
“We have done none of this,” Enyeto defended himself and Angie.
“Liar!” Elsu yelled and hit Enyeto in the face with his fist, causing him to reel back on his heels.
“No!” Chocheta yelled at Elsu, “Do not hit him!”
Elsu’s anger was too far gone and he continued to hit Enyeto until he fell to the ground. Angie scrambled to her feet and ran to get help.
Chocheta stood by, hands clasped to her mouth, her eyes wide with fear for Enyeto.
Enyeto got to his feet and began to defend himself, striking Elsu with all his strength.
“Help!” Angie screamed as she ran to Elsu’s tent, “Help! Elsu and Enyeto are fighting!”
“Where?” Chief Nahele asked, getting quickly to his feet.
Chief Nahele and several of the elders ran to the river where they saw the two young men, bloody and wrestling on the ground, punching each other with clenched fists.
As the men tried to pull Elsu and Enyeto apart, Chocheta grabbed Angie’s hand. “Come, you are in big trouble.”
The two girls ran to Chocheta’s camp.
“Here,” Chocheta said, handing Angie the reins to her father’s horse. “Go. Ride away from here. You must leave while you can. Elsu will surely want revenge on you.”
Frightened to the core, Angie mounted the horse and began to ride through the trees, down the river that was out of sight from the village, and crossed it at the shallow end at full speed. Water splashed up all around her, but her eyes were set on the forest ahead of her. She managed to guide the horse through the trees and out into the open prairie.
It wasn’t until she felt safe that she brought the horse to a stop. Her heart was still pounding and her body shaking with fear. She tried to control herself and get a grasp of where she was. Suddenly a different kind of fear took over her, the fear of being on her own, lost in the wilderness, not knowing which direction to go.
“Where do I go from here?” she asked God, “What should I do?”
It was then that she saw dust rising in the distance, the dust of many animals.
“The Shoshone!” she gasped, “They are coming for me! Elsu is probably with them!”
She went to turn the horse to run when she heard the familiar sound of wagon wheels, a sound she hadn’t heard for a very long time. She stopped herself, and strained to hear if she heard the sound correctly. Her eyes searched the dust to see if her imagination was playing tricks on her.
They were not. A wagon train was making its way west, heading in her direction. She turned the horse toward the flying dust and galloped to make up the distance, slowing down as she got closer.
Thank you God! she smiled. Thank you for your perfect timing. You truly are amazing! I’m going home!
Rifles were raised and wagons stopped as the pioneers saw her approaching on the Indian horse in her Indian garb. Her blonde hair was blowing in the wind, making a contradictory impression on the people who stood before her. Confused, the emigrants stood their ground and didn’t lower their rifles until she came close to the wagon train. The wagon master rode out to meet her and saw her large smile as he yelled, “I am Angie Owens from Columbia, Missouri!”
She was struggling to say the words. Finding English was no longer her first language. The wagon master and Angie came to a stop and he looked at her dark tanned skin and bright blue eyes.
“Where have you been, young lady?” he asked her.
“I have been living with the Shoshone,” she told him, “I want to go back to my people. Are you traveling to California?”
He smiled and said, “Yes, would you like to join us?”
Her face beamed. “Yes please, that would be wonderful!”
They rode back to the wagon train together.
Rifles were lowered, and again, Angie was the object of stares.
“This little lady has been living with the Indians and wants to go home to California. Is there a family willing to take her with them?” The wagon master asked.
After a few empty minutes, a voice spoke up, “She can ride with us. We have room for her!”
Angie felt relief flow over her and smiled at the man who raised his hand.
“Well, it’s settled then,” the wagon master said. “You can go with them.” He turned toward the rest of the wagon train and shouted, “Circle up. We’ll spend the night here.”
She rode the horse over to the family, who welcomed her with large smiles.
“My word!” the woman said as Angie approached her, “I never thought I’d see the likes of you out here in the wilds.”
Angie climbed down from the horse. “My name is Angie Owens, from Columbia Missouri.” She was still struggling with her English, but the words were starting to come back to her.
“I’m Mary Turner, this here is my husband, Joshua, and our two sons, Mathew and Mark,” she introduced her family, “Are you heading for California?”
“Yes,” Angie nodded. “I’m going to live with my aunt and uncle in Sacramento. My parents died many years ago.” The reality of being back with the wagon train heading west was starting to overwhelm her.
> Angie spent the night sitting around the campfire and talking about her experience living with the Shoshone tribe. The Turners were fascinated and could not believe it when daybreak was already appearing in the sky.
The morning bugle signaled it was time to rise and prepare to move on.
“I must go back to the village,” Angie jumped to her feet. “I have left something there that’s very important. And I need to return Maska’s horse. He has been very good to me and I will not steal from him.”
“You can’t go back,” Mary warned, “they might not let you go with us.”
“Or worse,” Mathew agreed, “They could hurt you.”
Angie thought about their words. “The Shoshone are good people. They won’t hurt me. I’ll return the horse, gather my belongings and return. Please wait for me.”
“We’ll wait,” Joshua agreed, “but how will you get back?”
“I’ll take Halona’s mule, if she will allow it,” Angie suggested, “or I’ll run, but I will return as soon as I can.”
“I’ll go with you,” Mathew said as he stood up, “You can ride with me on my horse.”
He picked up his rifle and added, “I’ll make sure you return.”
“You won’t need that,” Angie said, looking at the weapon.
“I’ll bring it just in case,” Mathew remarked as he went to saddle up one of their horses.
“I’m coming too,” Mark said as he jumped to his feet. Mark was younger than Mathew, about 16 years old, and anxious to help Angie.
“You’re staying right here,” Mary instructed her son. “One son in danger is enough. Don’t need both of you going into who knows what.”
Angie mounted Maska’s horse, while Mathew gave his mother a kiss on her cheek.
“We’ll be back soon. Then we can catch up with the wagon train,” Mathew smiled.
“Take care of yourself, son,” Mary smiled, with fear in her eyes.
“God go with you,” Joshua said as he put his hand on Mathew’s shoulder.
With that, Mathew climbed up on his horse and rode toward the forest beside Angie.
* * * *