Date: Tue, 1 Jun 2010 12:13:27 -0400
From: Chris Johns <chris-johns@hotmail.com>
Subject: Education, Wild West Style Pt.5

			Education, Wild West Style
				  Part 5
			  Washington and Trouble

With Luke alongside him, Running Bear felt confident in this white man's
world, he cut quite a figure in Washington society. Luke had bought new
clothes for him but kept the frontier styling. Trying to dress him as a
white man Luke realised would have just made him look ridiculous. Tailored
buckskins were perfect and at that time in history, long hair in a pony
tail didn't look out of place.

Luke's father was impressed with the report and the fort commandant's added
comments. He was also enormously impressed with Running Bear's command of
the language.

"I'm proud of you Luke, you appear to be doing an excellent job. Proof of
that should soon be forthcoming. The government is opening up that
territory for settlers. This will be the first time we have allowed Indians
and settlers to cohabit. Your reservation police are going to have to be
very diplomatic. How do you intend handling the initial contacts?"

"I have Lt. Tom Arnold, my two corporals and myself, Dad. My plan is that
the Indian police will patrol in threes, with one of us riding with each
patrol while we assess how the settlers and the Indians get on. We will try
to educate each settler group into realising that provided they keep off
Indian lands they will have no problems with the local tribe, and the
tribal police are there to help the whites as well."

"Well done Son, you have obviously given this a lot of thought. I would
like to meet this young Lt. of yours sometime. Perhaps he should make
alternate reports to me, then I get four verbal reports a year instead of
two, and if he's from the Boston Arnold's he will be a good man."

"He is Dad, we were at the Point together, but he is a career soldier so
his training was longer than mine."

Luke felt this trip had been very beneficial in changing some thinking in
Washington about moving Indians off their lands. If this experiment worked,
Luke could see more of this type of planning going on. The Indians would
worship him he thought with amusement.

Life could not be better Luke thought, until he got careless. His father
never came to his suite so Luke got out of the habit of locking his
door. When his father knocked and entered one morning a few days before he
and Running Bear were to return to the reservation, he saw the two boys
cuddling in their sleep, Luke spooned into Running Bear.

Luke woke hearing his father growl in anger.

"What the hell are you doing?"

Luke was very flustered, "I can explain Dad."

"I doubt that boy, but I'll be in my study when you are decent."

Luke was petrified, `was this mistake going to cost Running Bear and his
tribe', that was Luke's only worry.

He bathed and dressed before going to see his father.

"I'm sorry Dad that you had to see that. Running Bear is very unsure being
here and away from his tribe so we sleep together."

"That is bullshit Boy and you know it."

Luke hung his head, he hadn't sounded convincing even to himself so he
hadn't expected to fool his father.

"Yes it is, I am sorry that you caught us though Dad. It is a very long
story, how Running Bear and I grew close enough to warrant sleeping with
one another."

"I have all morning so go ahead."

Luke then told his father everything that happened after he was captured,
leaving out nothing except his love making with Running Bear.

"I don't expect you to understand Sir, but I love Running Bear with all my
heart, and I will do anything I can to help and protect his tribe. Lone
Arrow is no happier than you at what has transpired between his son and me,
but he accepts that our relationship is special."

"I assume I have received the edited version of your story, and that you
and Running Bear have carnal knowledge of one another. Leave me now Luke, I
need to think about this, at the moment your actions disgust me."

Luke left, full of foreboding at the likely action his father would
take. He went to Running Bear and told him. Now there were two worried
young men.

Luke Snr. knew another senator who he was sure was into young boys so he
went to him to talk. Lucky for Luke, this senator opened up to Luke Snr.

"I know most of you think that my love for boys is un-natural Luke, but I
can't help what I am. My family tried to get me interested in women from a
young age, but I always knew it was my own sex that interested me. I don't
know whether it is an illness or the way we are made, but I wouldn't want
to change now. If your son is like me, and this young Indian Brave is his
lover, you could do a lot worse than to accept it. Luke's action over this
Indian Reserve is gaining a lot of popular support from senators looking to
ease the problems with the Indians. He's a rising star here in Washington
and that gives you huge kudos as well."

Naked ambition had a lot to do with Luke Snr's. decision. He sent for his
son the next day.

"Luke, I think you and Running Bear should return to the reservation
tomorrow. I can't pretend I like what is going on between you two, but Sam
Carter believes I should accept it and let you carry on with your
experiment."

Luke was amazed that it had been this easy. The relief showed in a way that
surprised his father. He broke down completely throwing himself into his
father's arms and sobbing his thanks.

"Thank you Dad, I don't know what my life would be like without Running
Bear, I love him so much. I'll make you proud of me, I promise."

When you only have one son it is difficult to be angry with him for too
long. Luke Snr. stroked the hair of his boy and whispered to him.

"I know you will, now get along with you, and be careful."

Luke took back to the reservation salutations from his father to Lone
Arrow. Life returned to normal and a good system developed as settlers
moved in. They all came to the fort first giving Luke and his team a chance
to talk to them. Luke or Tom would be on hand with a couple of the
reservation police to explain about the Indian lands.

"This tribe will be no problem or trouble to you provided you respect their
land. These reservation police are for your protection and guidance. They
all speak English and know the limits of their tribal territories. If they
tell you you are trespassing and you leave immediately there will be no
trouble. If you think they are wrong come back to the fort and let the
cavalry commander sort it, don't try to do it yourself.

Farms sprung up all round the reservation and the Indians and settlers
started trading. Agricultural supplies from the Indians for iron implements
and tools from the settlers.

In the middle were Running Bear and Luke, revelling in their uncomplicated
love.

The first piece of trouble was a group of drunken settlers deciding the
Indians shouldn't have sole rights to the lands that housed so much good
hunting so they went on a hunting party, slaughtering most of a large herd
of buffalo before the reservation police caught up with them. Several were
killed before the others were captured and taken to the fort. Mike Hudson
had been the cavalryman with this patrol and spoke for the Indians in front
of the colonel.

"They have slaughtered over a hundred buffalo Sir, this will cause problems
for the tribe this winter. The police, even with this provocation tried to
take them prisoner without bloodshed. There were only four of us Sir, and
twelve of them. We had no choice when they started firing. Thankfully we
are smaller targets than buffalo and they were still drunk so we have
suffered no injuries.

The colonel fined the surviving trouble makers heavily, confiscated their
horses and firearms and sent them back to the township. They, of course,
now stirred up trouble and Luke, with Tom and his two corporals decided
they had to take the initiative to defuse this situation. Tom was now a
full lieutenant and becoming a very imposing figure. Luke had remained
small but had such presence that his size didn't appear to matter.

A meeting of the town's people and settlers brought in from their farms
started off very rowdily, the drunken trouble makers were still drunk and
still out to cause trouble. Luke started off the meeting. Instead of trying
to explain and justify the Indians actions he started asking questions,
mainly of the settlers who had more contact with the Indian patrols.

The resulting answers were what Luke expected and the trouble makers
cringed at. The settlers were full of praise for the help the Indian Police
gave them, particularly the ones closest to the borders with Indian
Territory.

"Your young braves and their Chief never give us any trouble
Mr. Atherton. Our cattle stray onto Indian lands frequently, and we ride
out to bring them back periodically, or we find them rounded up and driven
back for us by your patrols. If we are caught on their land while we do it,
they just help us. We never have any trouble with them and trading with the
village saves us a lot of time and money."

Luke beamed.

"So you don't condemn my Indians for taking action against men that
slaughtered over 100 buffalo that will cause the tribe problems this
winter?"

Looking round at his fellow settlers this particular farmer/rancher spoke
again.

"Perhaps we can help there. If we don't slaughter beef for our own
consumption until closer to the winter we could barter the live meat for
buffalo meat now. I know they taste different but many of us would be happy
to help in this way I'm sure."

Before Luke knew what was happening, tribal members were coming off the
reserve to learn how to look after White men's cattle, usually bringing
buffalo meat with them and both sides keeping book. Come that winter Luke
and Tom were almost overcome with emotion when they saw a mixed bunch of
Indians and Whites herding cattle into pens hastily erected near the
village.

"That's it Mr. Atherton. We have agreed totals with Lone Arrow and this is
the delivery of winter meat for the tribe. We'll try to keep those trouble
makers under control. We have a sheriff in town now, recommended by your
colonel so I hope liaison will make sure we have no more trouble."

Luke wanted to cry with happiness, he couldn't believe how successful this
arrangement was becoming.

"Thank you Mr. Burton, I'll drop in to see the sheriff before I return to
Washington to report to the Senate. I'd consider it an honour now Sir, if
you'd drop the formality towards me and call me Luke."

"I'd like that Luke, I voted for your father last time he stood for the
Senate and I'd do the same for you if it ever came to pass."

Luke was surprised that this man had lived in the East before.
+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
Happiness for Luke and Running Bear continues.