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Overview
“Revenge is a dish best served cold”
Two Bulls, an aging Lakota warrior, relaxes on his pony and will stay until his mission of revenge is complete. He’s come to this hilltop to kill the white farmer in the cabin below for the rape his granddaughter and there’s not a power in Heaven or on earth that can stop him.
Inside the cabin a family sits for their evening meal; John and Mary Piver and their daughter, Elizabeth. Life out here has been hard for them, isolated as they are on this great northern plain. Mary has argued constantly that their only daughter needs more out of life than this meager farm can provide. Later, she continues her argument outside, pleading that Elizabeth, approaching thirteen, has no future here but, as usual, her quarrel falls short on John’s deaf ears just as it has the hundred-odd times before. Frustrated, she turns toward the door, then spots a rider in the distance.
“Is that an Indian out there, John?”
“Yeah, I think so. Nothin’ to worry about, though,” but she notices a hint of concern hidden inside his voice.
Late the next morning John is attacked by Two Bulls, who slams him to the ground with a blow from his lance. Now frightened for their safety and fed up with her husband, and fearing they may have to deal with the real threat of violence by this Indian, Mary hitches the team, collects Elizabeth and heads in to town to fetch the sheriff.
Sherriff Parker rides back to the farm with them and continues on to the hilltop to confront Two Bulls. “There’s no trouble here, is there Two Bulls?” he asks. Calmly, the old Indian suggests that the farmer, Piver, is insane, insisting that there had been no attack.
“Well, you be careful out here,” Parker urges. He turns his horse and leaves.
That night John realizes that the old man will certainly kill him if he doesn’t take immediate action. He decides then to take the fight to the old man but Two Bulls has anticipated this and, after all of John’s preparation and hard work, Two Bulls once more strikes him with his lance, knocking him unconscious. He drags John down the hill and throws him into the mud of his own pig pen.
The next day, more work in the fields and yet another attack by Two Bulls, but this time the old man’s lance purposely finds its mark and cuts deeply into John’s side. Frightened and concerned, Mary stitches his wounds and watches over her husband as he sleeps, but she is troubled also by not knowing the ‘why’ of these attacks. Deep in the night John awakens. Mary asks him to explain and at first he hesitates, then breaks down and, out of fear and humiliation, and knowing that he needs her support desperately, John tells her about Feather and the rape.
Appalled, Mary rocks back. “But what does this old man have to do with that?” she asks.
“Two Bulls is her grandfather,” John replies and Mary knows then and there that her husband is doomed, and that nothing is going to stop Two Bulls from getting the justice and retribution that his granddaughter deserves. Oddly, her decision to leave has been made for her, and she’s grateful for the opportunity. Within minutes after John tumbles back into sleep she and Elizabeth ride away, leaving him alone and wounded inside the cabin, and with Two Bulls biding his time.
Two Bulls, an aging Lakota warrior, relaxes on his pony and will stay until his mission of revenge is complete. He’s come to this hilltop to kill the white farmer in the cabin below for the rape his granddaughter and there’s not a power in Heaven or on earth that can stop him.
Inside the cabin a family sits for their evening meal; John and Mary Piver and their daughter, Elizabeth. Life out here has been hard for them, isolated as they are on this great northern plain. Mary has argued constantly that their only daughter needs more out of life than this meager farm can provide. Later, she continues her argument outside, pleading that Elizabeth, approaching thirteen, has no future here but, as usual, her quarrel falls short on John’s deaf ears just as it has the hundred-odd times before. Frustrated, she turns toward the door, then spots a rider in the distance.
“Is that an Indian out there, John?”
“Yeah, I think so. Nothin’ to worry about, though,” but she notices a hint of concern hidden inside his voice.
Late the next morning John is attacked by Two Bulls, who slams him to the ground with a blow from his lance. Now frightened for their safety and fed up with her husband, and fearing they may have to deal with the real threat of violence by this Indian, Mary hitches the team, collects Elizabeth and heads in to town to fetch the sheriff.
Sherriff Parker rides back to the farm with them and continues on to the hilltop to confront Two Bulls. “There’s no trouble here, is there Two Bulls?” he asks. Calmly, the old Indian suggests that the farmer, Piver, is insane, insisting that there had been no attack.
“Well, you be careful out here,” Parker urges. He turns his horse and leaves.
That night John realizes that the old man will certainly kill him if he doesn’t take immediate action. He decides then to take the fight to the old man but Two Bulls has anticipated this and, after all of John’s preparation and hard work, Two Bulls once more strikes him with his lance, knocking him unconscious. He drags John down the hill and throws him into the mud of his own pig pen.
The next day, more work in the fields and yet another attack by Two Bulls, but this time the old man’s lance purposely finds its mark and cuts deeply into John’s side. Frightened and concerned, Mary stitches his wounds and watches over her husband as he sleeps, but she is troubled also by not knowing the ‘why’ of these attacks. Deep in the night John awakens. Mary asks him to explain and at first he hesitates, then breaks down and, out of fear and humiliation, and knowing that he needs her support desperately, John tells her about Feather and the rape.
Appalled, Mary rocks back. “But what does this old man have to do with that?” she asks.
“Two Bulls is her grandfather,” John replies and Mary knows then and there that her husband is doomed, and that nothing is going to stop Two Bulls from getting the justice and retribution that his granddaughter deserves. Oddly, her decision to leave has been made for her, and she’s grateful for the opportunity. Within minutes after John tumbles back into sleep she and Elizabeth ride away, leaving him alone and wounded inside the cabin, and with Two Bulls biding his time.
Product Details
| BN ID: | 2940014628877 |
|---|---|
| Publisher: | David Boyd |
| Publication date: | 06/25/2012 |
| Sold by: | Barnes & Noble |
| Format: | eBook |
| File size: | 157 KB |
About the Author
Hi.
I'm D W Boyd and have been writing seriously for thirty years. Given the passion I feel for the medium, it's been a very easy thing for me to do. Of the three novels I've completed, Two Bulls remains my favorite.
A few of my other interests include sailing, traveling and cooking. I currently live in the low country of South Carolina and lovin' it!
I'm D W Boyd and have been writing seriously for thirty years. Given the passion I feel for the medium, it's been a very easy thing for me to do. Of the three novels I've completed, Two Bulls remains my favorite.
A few of my other interests include sailing, traveling and cooking. I currently live in the low country of South Carolina and lovin' it!
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