The Old Way

The young woman looked at Seth with a face full of hope. She said, "Do you mean that? You're willing to feed us too? If you would do that grandmother and I will prepare the meal. Do you care what we use?"

Seth said, "No, I can fix something."

"NO. You have no call to help us yet you have. We will help you. Sit and let us do what we can to repay your kindness." The young woman spoke again in the unknown language and the old woman smiled. She scurried toward the area Seth was using for a kitchen and stood. She and the young woman pulled several cans from the shelf and moved a pot over the fire. They began working and soon wonderful smells began wafting through the room as the meal cooked.

After the water boiled Seth took it and washed the wound once more then sparingly poured hydrogen peroxide over it. Afterward he poured alcohol on the injury. The old man moaned and writhed when he did that. Seth next took a good antibacterial cream and rubbed it onto the wound then covered it with a clean dry bandage. Almost the whole right leg from the ankle to mid thigh was scraped and torn on the outside. The knee was swollen badly.

After the man was bandaged Seth moved him from the table to his recliner. He was drifting in and out of consciousness. There was a large bruise on the side of his head and Seth decided that was the problem. He turned back to the table and saw the younger woman cleaning it with soapy water. He sat in his table chair and watched while the women finished the meal. It was just soup but it smelled wonderful. Seth looked over at the younger woman and said, "I'm Seth. Seth Connors. How the hell did the old man get hurt like that and how did you get him here?"

The young woman looked over at the older one and stared at Seth for a moment. The older woman said, "Tell him. I think this is a good man. He has helped us and we are at his mercy."

The young woman said, "I am Tasha Donner. These are my grandparents Morning Song and Long hunter. We had been living on my parents land in Wyoming. The bank took the land and we had no work and no place to live. My parents could not face the shame and killed themselves. We took grandfather's old truck and began moving back to the reservation in New Mexico. Our truck died and we began walking. Some drunks decided to have fun with the Indians. They wanted me and wanted to hurt my grandparents. We ran into the woods and got away from them. While we were running grandfather fell and slid down a long rock. We have been carrying him now for two days trying to find someplace to get food and help. We hoped to stay in the old building until grandfather was better."

While Tasha was talking she and the old woman finished the meal. Tasha served Seth then got herself a bowl. The old woman took a cup of soup and held it for the old man to drink. She kept at it until he drank almost a coffee mug of soup. He went back to sleep and she got herself a cup of soup and had her meal. Tasha and her grandmother waited until Seth stopped eating then they finished the whole pot of soup they had made with the exception of one more cup of broth they saved for her Grandfather.

Seth leaned back in his chair and looked outside. It was fully dark. He said, "Ladies I am tired and need to go to bed. I am going to the stream for my bath. If you want I will let you use my soap and towels afterward." He laughed and continued, "I'm afraid there's no hot water but at least you will be clean."

Seth took a change of clothes, soap and towel and walked off carrying a kerosene lantern. He took a quick bath in the cold water then returned to the office. He handed the soap and lantern to Tasha and said, "Just follow the path if you want to wash up. You may sleep in here if you want."

Seth looked at his bed with longing then began blowing up his air mattress. He placed it on the floor and rolled into his sleeping bag. He was almost asleep when the women returned to the building. The old woman walked up to him and nudged him with her foot. When he looked up at her she said, "NO." She motioned toward the bed and said, "Sleep."

"Dammit what do you think I was trying to do?"

Tasha spoke then, "Grandmother wants you to move to your bed to sleep. It is not right we turn you out of your bed. You had better do as she says. She will not let you sleep if you don't. She follows the old ways as much as she can in these modern times. She will not sleep on your bed and she will not allow me. If you do not use it then it will remain unused."

"Jesus! Ok, ok." Seth started to rise and stopped. He blushed and pulled the covers over himself once more. Granny reached out and pulled the covers from him. He had been sleeping in his underwear and was embarrassed. Tasha smiled and looked at him. Granny did not even change her expression. She just motioned toward his bed once more. When he rose she gently pushed him toward the bed.

After Seth got in bed and covered Granny said something to Tasha in their language. Tasha blushed and disrobed. She had no bra and her panties were so thin Seth could see the dark hair at her crotch. Her grandmother pushed her to the sleeping bag. Seth felt his cock harden. He had been beating off regularly but hadn't had a woman since Patrice pulled her shit several months ago. He really would like to have some pussy instead of using his hand.

The next morning Seth woke and looked around the room. Granny was lying beside Tasha on his sleeping bag. They seemed to be asleep as was Gramps. Seth tried to dress without waking his guests. The moment he began rummaging around with his clothes Granny woke. When she saw him dressing she woke Tasha. The two women immediately stood. While Tasha dressed Granny moved to the stove and began making a fire. She then put coffee on.

Seth moved from the room and stood on the small porch. He breathed deeply then walked the short distance to the outdoor privy for his mornings needs. After he was done there he moved on to the stream where he splashed water on his face to finish waking up. He stood beside the stream and looked over his small little group of buildings. He needed to decide what to do next. He supposed he should go to town and try to find a job. His money was disappearing way too fast for his comfort. He also wanted to explore his little place more fully. He had not been all the way into the mine. There were two or three tunnels he had not been down at all.

Seth sighed and walked back to the office he was using for a house. There were still several things Seth felt needed to be done immediately at his new home. Besides, he still wanted to do some exploring nearby. On the way back to the office he decided he would take the rest of the week and weekend to fool around his home then he would begin looking for work.

When Seth stepped onto the porch Tasha met him with a cup of coffee. She gave him a small smile when she handed it to him. Seth could smell breakfast cooking. He started to step past Tasha into the house but she stood in the doorway and just pointed at a chair on the porch. She said, "Sit. Granny's making breakfast. We'll call you when it's ready." Seth sat on the old hard chair watching the sun come up while he drank his morning elixir.

After the meal Granny and Tasha cleaned up the mess. Seth was in the shop working on a couple of the old machines he wanted to get back in shape. He didn't know the name of one of them. It really wasn't a machine per se. It was a set of huge strong fingers to attach to the dozer for digging into the ground. He thought he could use it instead of a plow to prepare ground for a garden. He wanted to move the fingers closer together if he could.

Seth heard the women talking and looked toward the noise. All three of his guests had their packs on and they were heading for the trail toward the road. One of them was on each side of Gramps trying to help him hobble around. Seth yelled, "Wait." He headed toward them almost at a run.

When Seth got to his guests he stood in front of them and said, "You don't have to leave now. Gramps can't walk all the way to New Mexico even if the rest of you can. Stay until he is better at least then maybe I can take you back home."

The three looked at each other and began talking in whatever language they used. Seth thought he really needed to at least know what the language was but he didn't say anything. Finally Tasha looked back at Seth and said, "We cannot pay. We have less than ten dollars between us. We left that on your table for the food and medicine you have already given us. We cannot promise we could get money to pay you if you take us to the reservation. It would be better for Grandfather if he could stay for another day or two but we did not want to abuse your hospitality."

"Don't worry about that right now. Just take Gramps back into the house and let him rest and recover. I'll be in the shop if you need anything."

Shortly after they returned to the house Seth once again heard voices talking in their native tongue. He watched when Granny left the building and headed into the woods carrying her pack. He started for her to stop her when he decided not to. He reasoned she wouldn't leave the other two here alone with him. Perhaps she was leaving to take care of some function or even to bathe in the stream. Soon after that Tasha came into the shop where he was working.

Tasha didn't say anything after she entered the shop. She stood watching Seth work for a moment then moved on wandering here and there throughout the building. After she had given the shop a good once over she left by the garage door. Seth watched her off and on as she wandered around the rest of the property. When she started into the mine he walked to the door and said, "Tasha the old mine is very dangerous. I haven't investigated the whole thing but I have already seen some support beams that are weak and shaky. They might collapse at any time. I would rather you not go into the mine but if you think you have to don't go past the first bend in the main tunnel."

Tasha looked at Seth for a moment and said, "Ok." He watched as she disappeared into the mine. Seth started back to work then paused. He decided he should accompany her for safety sake. When he got into the main shaft he saw her standing at the first bend. She had a lantern and was peering down the shaft. He watched her walk over to the first side shaft and peer as far down it as she could.

Seth walked up to Tasha and said, "It's hard to see far down the shafts with the poor light we can carry. Come on. I am tired of working in the shop. Let's do a little exploring here. You need to be careful and don't touch anything unless I say you can. I really don't know how stable everything is down here."

Seth and Tasha carefully walked down the side shaft until they reached the end. This appeared to be a more recent dig than the main shaft. It went to the side for about thirty feet then turned back in the direction of the main shaft. About three hundred feet farther along it ended.

Seth and Tasha returned to the main shaft and moved farther into the old mine. When they came to another side shaft they turned and followed it. It, too went about fifty feet to the other side of the main shaft then turned the same direction as the main shaft. A couple hundred feet into the mountain from the turn they came upon some quartz. A small area had been dug out making a small room. The shaft went on for another hundred feet or so and ended.

Once again the two young people returned to the main shaft and turned to go down it. About three hundred feet farther along then came to a cave in. There was a large jumble of rocks almost completely blocking the shaft. Tasha and Seth carefully climbed up on the cave in and shone the light into the shaft beyond. They could not tell how much farther the shaft went. There appeared to be some quartz shining in the light near the far end of the cave in. With a sigh Seth turned and began to carefully back track heading toward the mine entrance. Tasha followed.

As they walked Tasha asked, "What did they mine here?"

"This was a gold mine. My grandfather's family operated it for years. His grandfather found it during the original gold rush back in the 1800's. It's been in our family ever since. Grandpa closed the mine in the late 1940's or early 1950's because the vein of gold played out. He was told it was not feasible to try and find where the vein went or to discover if he had mined all the gold out. It never was a very rich mine but it provided a living for the family for years along with what we could make elsewhere. We only worked it part time towards the end. Dad and mom moved away and later, after the mine closed Grandpa came to live with us.

"When grandpa died he left the mine and 640 acres to me. This is all I have in the world now. My parents still live back in Missouri but they only own a small house. Dad works hard but they barely make enough to make ends meet. If I can't find a job here I may have to sell the land."

"If you have no job and aren't making money off the mine why did you come here Seth? I would think you would be better off at home with your family."

Seth snorted. Tasha saw the anger and sadness battling for supremacy on his face. Without thinking she reached out and touched his forearm. "I'm sorry Seth. It's none of my business. I didn't mean to upset you." She then turned and began walking toward the shop once more. Seth was a step or two behind her. Now his mind was once again considering the hell Patrice had put him through before he left home.

Seth immediately began working in the shop when they got back there. Tasha stood watching for a moment and saw where she might be able to help him by holding items as they worked on them. Without asking she stepped in and began working alongside Seth. She could tell by the way he moved Seth was angry. She felt bad for making him recall whatever it was that had upset him.

During a lull in their work Tasha looked over at Seth once again and said, "Seth please. I'm sorry. I didn't mean to upset you. Please forgive me."

Seth looked over at the pretty woman trying to help him and gave her a small smile. "I know Tasha. You just made me remember a really shitty part of my life."

"Can I help Seth? Maybe if you tell me I can think of something to make you feel better."

Seth laughed and said, "No. I'm pretty sure you can't help and if you could I damn sure wouldn't want help with what that bitch wanted me to do..." Seth got a stricken look on his face and turned away from Tasha. He walked out of the building toward the little pool he used to bathe in.

Tasha watched Seth walk away then she followed him. When he sat on a rock beside the pool she walked up and sat beside him. She put her hand on his thigh and said, "What is it Seth? Please tell me."

For some reason Seth began talking. When he started talking it was like a dam bursting. He told Tasha the whole sordid tale from the time he first began to wonder about Patrice through his suspicions about her up to the time when she and Harold tried to make him their cuckold. He even told her about the problems he had with the people in his home town and why he came to Colorado. To his surprise when he finished talking he felt better. He was sad, angry and wrung out but it felt as if his soul was somehow cleansed.

Tasha sat and listened. She heard and felt the anger, disgust and sadness, the sense of betrayal. She put her hand on Seth's forearm and said, "I don't know what to say Seth. I've heard of people cheating on their spouse or intended. I've even heard about couples who have open relationships but I've never heard about someone who wanted to do what Patrice and this Harold guy tried to do to you. I just don't understand so much about the whole thing."

Tasha looked up at Seth and continued, "My parents and my grandparents follow the old way. Mother was a white woman and Daddy was 7/8 Indian. We believe the woman belongs to the man yet they are as one. In the old days many Braves had more than one woman. Usually there was only one wife but there could be some women who were slaves to the man. He could choose to use them in any way he desired or to even give them to other Braves. Never was a man degraded as your Patrice and Harold tried to degrade you. The Brave would have killed her and Harold.

Whites would say the Brave was King of his Castle. It isn't like the wife is a slave or anything but she is secondary to her man. My family still practices the old ways in household discipline and in marriage. The man who wants to take a wife still is expected to provide some 'price' to the woman's family when they agree to let him marry their daughter. If the man wants to share or loan the wife she will, most of the time reluctantly acquiesce. If the woman cheats or indicates she wants another man as I said before she is punished sometimes unto death. It is the Indian way.

"I am almost half white but I am Indian. You have shown great restraint in your actions. You beat Harold when he dishonored your house and entered uninvited. You fought those who insulted and demeaned you afterward. I can see no dishonor attaching to you. You and Patrice were not married when she did this. The dishonor would have come had you done nothing after the marriage. I think we need to talk to Grandfather after he is better. Maybe he can help you with your feelings and problems. He has always had words of wisdom for me."

Seth looked at Tasha and gave her a weak smile. He said, "I sure don't feel like I have any honor left. I let them run me away from my home because I was too scared to fight and maybe land in prison. I did nothing to Harold except beat him up the time he broke into my parent's home. All I feel is shitty because of what they thought I was, what they were trying to make me."

Seth stood and returned to the shop and his work. Later that evening he finished the cultivator he was working on and attached it to the dozer. He fired up the machine and drove to the area beside the stream that he intended turning into a garden. He spent much of the rest of the day digging the area and removing the largest stones he had pulled to the surface. After he had his garden tilled he returned to the shop and removed his digger. He moved the dozer and hooked up a small offset disc to break up the clumps of dirt and roots. When he finished he had a pretty nice looking three acre plot to grow his vegetables in. He planned to plant his early seeds the next day.

Several times during the late afternoon while he was working Seth had seen Gramps sitting in his chair on the porch watching. When he returned to the house Seth smiled and said, "Hello. You look as if you are feeling better today."

The old man smiled and said, "Yes. I am much better thanks to you. Just when I begin to think whites are all no good I meet one who shows me otherwise. I thank you for your kindness and help to me and my family. My woman is cooking our meal. Would you sit with me for a while?"

Seth smiled and said, "Sure. I'm tired enough I need to sit anyway." The two men talked for almost thirty minutes before Tasha came to the door and told them supper was ready. To Seth's surprise when they entered the office/house he found a table full of food. There were three rabbits fried, potatoes and gravy and a salad made of what appeared to be wild greens.

He looked at the meal and started to talk but Tasha beat him to the punch. She said, "Granny went into the hills today and set some snares for the rabbits. She picked the greens then came back to make the meal. She has put out some traps for fish also. We should have fresh fish tomorrow."

Once again Seth sat down to a delicious meal. Afterwards he told Granny how good it tasted and then rose. He said, "Well, I'm heading out for a bath. I'll be back in a few. As he left the building Gramps followed. The two men didn't speak until they were drying off. Gramps sat on Seth's favorite rock and looked at him. He said, "Tasha says you have left an unfaithful potential mate. She has told me of your heartache and decision to leave your home for this place. I cannot say I understand what you are going through. I do not. Even in today's times if one of our women were to do something like that and they were on the reservation they would be punished severely. They would be beat at the minimum. The man might very well be killed.