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“Pa, Miss Cochran told us the story of the First Thanksgiving yesterday. Even though I knew all about it, it was fun to see the little kids as they heard the story.” Ian turned to Priscilla. “Did I tell you I think I want to be a teacher?”
Grateful for the distraction, she pulled out a chair and sat, still not meeting Mitch’s eyes. “I think that’s wonderful, Ian. I’m the fourth teacher in my family. My mama was a teacher, my cousin Ellie taught high school, and her husband, Max, is the principal of Guthrie High School now, but he was a teacher at one time.”
A knock sounded at the front door and she jumped up to answer. Feeling a bit calmer, she opened the door—and nearly fainted.
A tall, stern-looking Indian man stood on her doorstep. He was dressed in moccasins, deerskin pants and shirt, with a large blanket wrapped round his shoulders. A feather stuck out of his black bowler hat, and he held some type of a pole with feathers on it.
“Can I help you?”
“Yes. I come for Thanksgiving dinner.”
Chapter 7
“Iilápxe!” Ian rushed forward, throwing himself into the man’s arms.
Instinctively Priscilla reached for Ian and pulled him back against her. “Who are you?”
&
nbsp; Mitch’s laughter sounded in her ears as he walked up to the man and threw his arms around him as well. “You found us.”
“Yes. Dúupe Bilítaachiia not miss Thanksgiving dinner with nephew.”
The man’s visage was as if carved in stone, his body tight. Priscilla was still a little leery of the stranger.
With his arm wrapped over the man’s shoulders, Mitch drew him into the room. “It’s all right, Priscilla, this is my uncle. My mother’s youngest brother.” He turned to him and frowned. “Who, by the way, speaks perfect English, not this strange language.”
“Dúupe Bilítaachiia not know what you mean. He has come for dinner as promised every year.”
“Cut it out, Two Moons.” Mitch took Priscilla’s hand and pulled her forward. “This is Miss Priscilla Cochran, the new teacher in Dogtown.”
The smile that broke out on the man’s face wiped away any reluctance she had toward him, as well as jarred her with the resemblance between him and Mitch. There was no doubting their family connection. “I am pleased to meet you. I’m sorry if I wasn’t very hospitable.”
Two Moons laughed and threw the blanket off and leaned his pole by the door. “Is this your woman, Mitch?”
“No.” Mitch and Priscilla both said at once.
The uncle winked. “Ah, I see how it is.” He removed his hat and hung it on the pole.
“Two Moons joins us every year on Thanksgiving if he’s in Colorado. He’s a Texas Ranger, one of the best, so not every year he’s able to make it. I left him a note on our door in case he came by.” Mitch turned to his uncle. “It’s good to see you. You look as though you haven’t taken any bullets this year.”
“No. Things have been quiet. We’re spending a lot of our time guarding the Mexican border. Although a couple of us were called to Brownsville to keep order on election day, once in April and then again earlier this month for the general election. That’s when I decided I wasn’t going to miss seeing my family. The outlaws can wait.” Two Moons ruffled Ian’s hair. “You been doing good in school?”
“Yes, Uncle. Miss Cochran says I’m way ahead of everyone else my age.”
They had all settled in the parlor. Priscilla couldn’t connect this very Indian-looking man with the Texas Rangers. But then if he were wearing the Ranger uniform instead of the deerskin outfit, he would probably look more like a lawman.
He was a good-looking man, with bright blue eyes that took everything in and kept studying her and Mitch with a look that was making her very nervous.
“I knew you were a smart boy, Ian. Just like your daddy here.”
Priscilla stood. “Can I get you something to drink? I have apple cider.”
Two Moons glanced at Mitch and grimaced. “Apple cider?”
“I brought some whiskey with me. It’s in my jacket pocket.” He moved to get up.
“I knew there was a reason I favored you, boy.” He looked at Priscilla. “Ma’am, if you object to whiskey in your house, I will be happy to forego it and drink your apple cider.”
