“I guess you weren’t kidding,” he said, and helped me to my feet.

I started brushing the grass and dirt off my skirt. “If you think I would joke at a time like this…” I began, then stopped when he turned me around and swatted at the dust on my back. I know I should have been grateful, but I kept waiting for a knife between my ribs.

He finished to his satisfaction apparently, and turned me around. I looked at him, all fight and energy gone, totally defeated. I held my hands out. “Please don’t hurt me,” I said.

He shook his head. “No one is going to hurt you. It’s my fault you’re here. If I hadn’t screamed, I doubt this old specimen would have bolted.”

He ran his hand along Methuselah’s flank. My useless nag quivered, too tired to move. “That’s some horse you have,” Red and White said. His back was to me, but his shoulders shook, and I knew he was laughing. I couldn’t blame him. Compared to the horses around him, Methuselah was a poor relation.

He gave Methuselah another pat and looked toward the men adding twigs to a small fire. “Walk around. Loosen up your legs. There are some bushes, so you can take care of any private business.” He paused, then looked me in the eye. “Don’t do anything sudden. You don’t know how hard I had to talk to keep Tall One over there from shooting you and dumping you off back there.”

He left me alone and joined the others. I limped over to a large rock and sat on it, my rump on fire. I must have made an awful face, because when I came away quick from the rock, one of the Nez Perce grinned at me.

Aching from muscles I didn’t know I possessed, I hobbled around until walking changed from torture to mere agony. I desperately needed to relieve myself, but the thought of squatting somewhere set my teeth on edge. Nature continued to call, however, so I found some handy underbrush and took care of the matter, all the time swearing to myself that they would have to tie me up to get me on that horse in the morning.

I thought about that. They could also just leave me here, wherever here was. Yellowstone Park is a big place and I didn’t even know north from south then. The chances of being found by something on four legs rather than two was a distinct possibility, one I relished even less than keeping present company. Maybe.

With no choice, I wandered back to the Indians. They ignored me, which was a relief. I glanced about for the Indian who spoke English, then saw him at a stream with steam rising from it, washing the paint off his face. When he noticed me, he dried off his face with his loincloth – I looked away discreetly – and came closer, but not too close.

“You certain you do not wish to sit down?” he asked. I couldn’t tell if he was joking.