Cougar of Spirit Lake. Linnette MDiv Eller

as she thought of that incident. The mountain man's fear when Cougar had ridden into the village with the injured man was so strong you could nearly feel it. He was just as afraid of her as he was Cougar. Seeing his fear, she had spoken to him in English. She told him of the medicine she would use, and what she must do to heal him. As she spoke in her soft, husky voice his jaw dropped open in surprise that not only did she speak English but that she sounded like she knew what she was doing. Cougar had spoken to her in their tongue and instructed her to tell the man that she would heal him and they would keep him safe and feed and care for him while he recovered. However, in exchange for this he must tell no one of this incident or of where their village was.

      Winter Woman had explained this to the mountain man and he had agreed immediately. Cougar had looked at the man long and intently and had then motioned for her to go on with her medicine. Later Cougar had told her that the man would be silent and their secret would be safe with him. Her son had never spoken the English tongue in the presence of the man, yes, her son was careful. Cougar was careful of himself and careful about The People. Cougar was a good Chief and The People knew this well.

      The mountain man was called Henry Johnson. He had eyes the color of the sky that twinkled when he laughed and he laughed often. His ready smile showed strong, even white teeth. His tanned face accentuated the light blue of his eyes and the white of his teeth. Henry Johnson was a big man, solidly built with wide shoulders and narrow hips. Yes, indeed, he was a very fine looking man. He had a beard like most mountain men but he had kept his trimmed, he was fastidious and tidy about his person, something she remembered from her childhood that most mountain men certainly were not.

      The mountain man was a good man, she knew this without knowing. She had liked Henry and spoken with him many times. Henry had been very good company for her and she loved to hear him talk of the white world and why he had chosen to live apart from the civilization of the white settlers. She, in turn, explained many things of her people to him and found that he was surprised to learn they were actually of the Blackfoot people. Although, this village held itself apart from the other tribes.

      Secluded and remote, the village remained as Grandfather had suggested so many years ago. The Chief had heeded him and the village had remained secret since that time. Even the trappers had not located the village. Their Indian brothers had not either, but only out of the respect they held for the villages of others. Henry himself would not have found the village. Cougar had brought Henry to the village only because of his injuries.

      Winter Woman thought that Henry was good to look upon. She had liked to sit and look at him. Even while he was sleeping she would sit by his side and quietly watch him sleep. She was fascinated by his beard and hair. His hair was shorter than most white men she had seen, coming to just below his collar in back. There were snowy white highlights and streaks in his beard and hair and the sunlight made them sparkle. Henry was a very striking man and one that she thought to be very interesting.

      Henry found many unexpected things in their village. Her son had brought things he said would benefit The People from the white settlements throughout the years. He had brought the medicine, the books of medicine, the metal plates, cups, and crockery bowls of varying sizes. He had introduced the men to different types of tools that had aided them with their work and with hunting and the men had liked the knives and held them dear. They had found them of great help with hunting and skinning the animals and the women loved them for working the skins. The horses were another addition. He had brought them many horses and the men could hunt at greater distances. Although he had brought rifles from the white men he only occasionally allowed the men to use these for hunting and then only when they were many miles from the village. Now there were rifles for each man in the village, including the young men. He brought back ammunition each time he left the village so there was always a large supply on hand.

      Her son had brought changes to the people of the village but always for the benefit of The People, and they held him with such regard that never did they question what he did or what he had them do. He had told them that they would build a council lodge from logs rather than skins and so it had been. The council lodge was large enough to hold all The People of the village.

      Her son had instructed the men in the building and had helped with the building of it himself. It was a good thing for the people to have such a place, he then told them that he was to build a lodge for Winter Woman and himself and this too would be made of logs. He did not ask that the men help him, but every man had done so. They had asked then if he wished that all of The People reside in the log lodges and he had told them it was for them to choose. If a man did wish to build such a lodge, however, he would help them to do so. Many did build such lodges, while others remained in the lodge of skin. When the benefit of the log lodges became apparent that first winter, it was not long before all of those without them, had also built the lodges of log. There remained only one lodge of skin and that was the men's sweat lodge. Theirs was an orderly village because that is how her son would have it and that is how The People wished it to be as well. It was a village to be proud of and they all were very proud indeed.

      Some of the young braves went out from the village to find a wife among the villages of the other tribes. When this was the case, Cougar always sent them on their journey with the finest horses to make a proud and very generous bride gift to the parents of the chosen girl. Grandfather had started this custom and it remained so to this day. The young brides had spoken of the high regard the braves of the Spirit Lake village were held in all the other villages. It was an honor to be chosen by the braves of this village. This too, made Winter Woman proud. She chuckled softly in her robes wondering if perhaps she should go forth with horses in search of a husband. This thought would have brought that mischievous grin to the face of her son had he been here to share it with. Yes, she missed her son's company.

      The gift of dreams visited Winter Woman that night. She did indeed dream of the little white girl with the eyes of the Great Cat. Her son who was not her son but a white man was in this dream too. She looked closely at him to make certain this was her son, so different did he look. When she looked into his eyes there was no doubt that this was her son, Cougar of Spirit Lake.

      He was troubled in this dream yet this was confusing to Winter Woman because she felt his happiness too. Cougar had a lightness of heart such as he had never known, and when he had looked at the girl, he had such a look in his eyes! Never before had Winter Woman seen this in the eyes of her son! No longer was there loneliness coming forth from his green eyes. Yet she sensed that her son did not realize that he felt in this manner. His confusion was like that of a very young brave. She could not understand why this would be because Cougar was not one known to feel confusion. She could be certain that in this dream her son, who was not her son, had encountered his destiny. Still, the mystery remained of what that encounter would bring to him or what part the girl with the eyes of the Cat would play in that destiny.

      Not far from the lodge in which Winter Woman lay dreaming the Great Cat was lying high above Spirit Lake. A deep rumbling purrumph could be heard as he watched the dream of Winter Woman. He knew the mystery. He also knew all that Cougar was feeling. If it is possible for a cat to do so, and had he been observed at this moment, it would be said he was smiling. A smug and satisfied expression on his face, one almost identical to the one on Doctor Timothy Graves face as he watched Cougar of Spirit Lake toss and turn in his bed.