Soft Heart

Sam continued to observe Rainey, as he had from the moment Pale Moon had taken to her. He was touched to see her tenderness toward the mother and her calf. This was what Pale Moon also read in Rainey. She had a love for the animals.

As far as what he had found, Sam didn’t care any longer. He just wanted to succeed in the outside world. That meant he would need to form close ties with those outside of the reservation. He certainly was not going back, except for his clothing and old Jeep. It was all he owned.

Sam got down off the fence, reached into his pants pocket, and pulled out a shiny stone. “In studying the rock formation in the ravine, I noticed a line of quartz. Other stone composites, including gold, may be found in quartz lodes. Inside the cave, I found this.” He handed the stone to Rainey.

“That is only pyrite,” Sam explained. “Fool’s gold. A good sign actually, because pyrite and gold can often be found at the same location.”

Sam then leaned his backside against the fence. She deserved to hear the bad with the good. “The possible curse for your family could come if what I actually did find in the cave. My grandfather is Mukwooru Pocowatchit, Chief at the Comanche reservation. He and the elders have always told us the stories of the old Comanche burial grounds that the ancients sealed up as they were driven from the land. The sight was lost to latter generations.” He paused so they could understand the truth. “I have found them. I found several skeletal bodies and artifacts within the cave. I believe there are other such caves that were sealed up in the ravine. I do not believe in spiritual curses, as my grandfather does, but the curse would be the Kings very likely would have the Ravine area taken from them by the government.”

There. He said it. He was honest. How they would take it, Sam didn’t know. He hoped they understood that he was interested in helping them, not taking the land from them.

“That is why,” Sam added, “No one must know but us.”