Quicksilver Passion (165 page)

More cheering.

Recollect,” Jake drawled in his unmistakable Georgia accent,
the colonel was a real hero two years ago when the South tried to capture the West for our gold and silver. He done a mighty good job of stoppin’ them in their tracks and whippin’ them!”

Keso pulled Cherokee’s sleeve and whispered,
He’s trying to get them to attack the Cheyenne. I thought my people just asked for peace.”

Jake’s got a personal reason to hate the Cheyenne,” Cherokee whispered. If only he could see well enough to do something about Jake, he thought, maybe in a few more days ...

Someone in the crowd shouted,
Hey, redneck! You sound like a Johnny Reb your own self!”

Jake guffawed.
Gawd Almighty, folks! The reason I’m in Colorado right now is I ain’t a Southern sympathizer. Tell you what, I know this country like I know my own belly button. Used to be an army scout. I’m thinkin’ of offerin’ to scout for him!”

There was a roar of approval from the crowd.

Wait a minute!” A new man with a distinct Boston accent pushed through the crowd.
Wait a minute, men. I’m Todd Shaw from the
Rocky Mountain News
. It’s my understanding that Black Kettle’s people have turned over their captives and are now under the army’s protection because they’ve asked for peace.”

Listen to that Boston accent,” Jake drawled.
You can tell Shaw don’t have no experience with Plains Injuns! You speakin’ for your paper?”

Well, no, it’s my own opinion. As I suppose most of you know, the
News
thinks more along your lines. An Indian scare cuts back on new immigration and town growth and newspapers are usually in favor of growth so they can sell more papers.”

Then, greenhorn,” Jake drawled, his voice full of contempt,
listen to us who know about Injuns! Any frontiersman can tell you that the tribes have a habit of being peaceful in the wintertime when their ponies are lean and the snow is too deep to travel, then in the spring, they go back on the war path.”