Chapter 88: Chapter 88

I frowned, unsettled by my lenient attitude toward Lance. Was he not responsible for Bent Nose’s slaughter? Not only that, but if he had gone from harassment to murder, that was as bad as what the militia had been doing.

The lieutenant was right about one thing. Those committing these raids were bent on killing. They would take enough horses to provide alternate mounts in case of hard pursuit, but would not want a large herd to slow them down. They would kill the beasts they did not need to deny them to the whites.

I grew uneasy. Was there some darkness in Dull Lance I had not seen when he wintered at the farm to recover from his wound? 28

My partner had no sooner disappeared down the trail than I became aware of another presence. A man stepped out from around the rear of the cabin.

“I see you, River Otter.”

“I see you too, Dull Lance.”