The judge fastened his gaze on Matthew.  “Mr. Cooper—since, as I understand it, this man is a friend of Mr. Sully’s, can you tell me what he is doing in this court?”

     “Your Honor, the defense is as surprised to see Cloud Dancin’ as you are,” Matthew replied.  “I have no explanation for his presence here, but I can offer this comment—Mr. Lodge’s characterization of Cloud Dancin’s status is not entirely accurate.  It’s true that after the uprisin’ at Palmer Creek, the army considered Cloud Dancin’ a fugitive.  However, after Sgt. McKay authorized the release of the Indians his garrison was holdin’ captive in town—as well as any braves that wanted to travel with them—to go to the Northern Cheyenne territory—“

     “A mistake!” Preston hissed, his voice clearly audible.

     “—Cloud Dancin’ was just as free as any other Indian to travel to the Tongue River Valley!” Matthew finished, projecting his voice to carry to all parts of the room, and staring defiantly at Preston.

     The judge also was regarding Preston dourly.  “Major Morrison, this man is one of your witnesses, is he not?” he queried the presecutor.

     “Yes, Your Honor,” Morrison admitted, looking as if he heartily regretted it.

     “Then I would caution you to strongly advise your witness to be silent, at the risk not only of earning a contempt citation for himself, but  prejudicing your case, as well.”
 
     “Yes, Your Honor,” Morrison replied.  He glared over his shoulder at Preston.  “Shut up!” he mouthed.  Preston looked on the point of protesting further, but at the murderous look in Morrison’s eyes, he subsided.

     “Getting back to the issue at hand—“ Judge Webster began.

     “Beggin’ your pardon, Your Honor?” Sully spoke up quietly.

     “Mr. Sully?” the judge acknowledged.

     “It seems to me Cloud Dancin’ should be able to speak for himself,” Sully suggested.

     The judge studied him for a moment.  “I concur,” he said.  “Approach the bench,” he said, gesturing to Cloud Dancing.

     The medicine man walked forward.  En route, he cast a fond glance toward Dorothy, who was watching him with loving but frightened eyes.  Cloud Dancing stopped by Sully and Matthew.  He looked briefly toward Sully, his eyes serene.

     “Mr—er, uh—Cloud Dancing, you must be aware that you have placed yourself in a perilous position by coming back to Colorado Springs.  Can you tell me why you you would risk your freedom to appear in this courtroom today?” Judge Webster asked, not altogether unkindly.

     “Yes,” Cloud Dancing said calmly.  “I have come here to help my brother.”

     “Your . . . brother?” Webster echoed doubtfully.

     “If I may, Your Honor?” interjected Matthew.  The judge nodded his assent.  Matthew continued,  “Many years ago, Cloud Dancin’ rescued Sully at a very bad time in his life, when he was grievin’ the loss of his first wife and baby.  Cloud Dancin’ found Sully in the woods, weak from lack of food or sleep, not carin’ if he lived or died.  Cloud Dancin’ was the medicine man of Black Kettle’s band.  He and the Cheyenne took Sully in, and Cloud Dancin’ nursed him back to health.  He healed him.  Over time, the Cheyenne taught Sully their ways, and accepted him into the tribe.  Sully grew to care for and respect Black Kettle and the other Indians, but he and Cloud Dancin’ developed a special bond, till they came to think of themselves as brothers.  Since then, they’ve helped each other many times over—even saved each other’s lives, more than once,” Matthew finished earnestly.

     “I see,” the judge remarked thoughtfully.  He directed his gaze back to Cloud Dancing.  “Is it for the sake of your friendship—or brotherhood—that you are here today?” he asked.

     “Yes, that is part of it,” Cloud Dancing acknowledged.  “But it is not the whole reason.  It was because of me that Sully disobeyed the orders of the white chief Wooden, and came onto the reservation.  I had been badly beaten, and Sully feared for my life.  Dr. Mike operated on me, and helped to heal my injuries.  But Sully was afraid it would happen again, and that I might not survive the next time.  He risked his life and his future to save me.  I could not let him stand trial for this sacrifice without being at his side.”

     “Why were you beaten?” Judge Webster asked.  “Were you being punished?”

     “Yes,” Cloud Dancing said quietly.  “I was late returning from a day pass.”

     “Late returning from  . . .” Webster repeated, his voice dwindling away as his eyes darkened with something approaching anger.  He looked toward the back of the room.  “Sgt. McKay, is this how Indians were disciplined on the reservation?”

     McKay stood up.  “It was the way Sgt. O’Conner meted out discipline, Your Honor,” he answered.  “But his way was not my way.  That was my first day on the reservation.  Unfortunately, I arrived too late to stop what happened to Cloud Dancing.  All I could do was relieve the soldier responsible from duty, send for Dr. Quinn, and do what I could to get Cloud Dancing’s sentence reduced.”

     “Your Honor, you can’t possibly be taking this seriously!” Preston burst out, unable to keep silent any longer.  “Like Matthew Cooper told you, this Indian and Sully are friends—Cloud Dancing would do or say anything to get Sully off!  He’s a criminal—they both are—and they both deserve to be locked up!”

     “That’s it!” Webster said sharply.  “I find you in contempt, Mr. Lodge, to the tune of fifty dollars!”

     “But—but you can’t do that—“ Preston sputtered.

     “I can and I have,” the judge said flatly.  “Fifty dollars or fifty days, Mr. Lodge.”

     “Want me to take him off your hands, Judge?” Hank offered, looking as if he relished the thought.  “I’ll be glad to lock him up right now.”  He grinned at Preston.

     “That is Mr. Lodge’s choice,” the judge responded.  “If I hear one more word out of you, Mr. Lodge, I will direct Sheriff Lawson to remove you from this courtroom and incarcerate you with the greatest possible haste.”

     Preston’s face was nearly purple with outrage, but slowly he sank down into his seat again.

     Hank leaned toward Sully and Matthew.  “Look’s like he could bust a gut right now!” he whispered with delight.

     Sully couldn’t share in Hank’s enjoyment, however.  He was too afraid for Cloud Dancing.

     “What’s gonna happen to him, Matthew?” he asked softly.

     Matthew shook his head.  “Wish I knew,” he said worriedly.  “If I’d had any idea he was gonna do this, I woulda tried to stop him.”

     “You couldn’t have,” Sully told him, knowing the depth of Cloud Dancing’s convictions.

     “That is right, Matthew,” Cloud Dancing affirmed quietly.  “Sully’s trouble is my trouble.”

     “I can’t tell you what it means to me—you comin’ here like this,” Sully said to him.  “But the last thing I wanted was for you to give up your freedom.”

     “My heart told me this is what I must do,” Cloud Dancing said.  “I could no more ignore the voice inside me, than I could stop drawing breath.  Take heart, younger brother.  The spirits are watching over us.”

     Sully swallowed, unable to speak.  He felt Michaela’s hand reaching out to his again, and he squeezed it hard.

     “Your Honor, what about my opening statement?” Morrison demanded.  “Am I to be allowed to conclude, or are we dispensing with accepted courtroom procedure altogether?”

     “Are you criticizing the way I conduct my court, Major?” the judge said challengingly.

     “No, Your Honor,” Morrison replied stiffly, looking as if it required all his effort to remain civil.  “I am simply protesting the disruption of my case by this—this *Indian.*”  His tone dripped with distaste.

     “You will have your chance to be heard, Major,” Judge Webster told him coolly.  “In the meantime, I happen to believe that Cloud Dancing’s comments are relevant to this trial.”

     “Your Honor, I apologize for Mr. Lodge’s outbursts, but he was correct in his assessment of this Indian’s status. Cloud Dancing is breaking the law by his presence here.  May I respectfully inquire whether you intend to incarcerate him, or if he is to be allowed to come and go as he pleases?”

     “I will make a decision on the disposition of Cloud Dancing when I am ready,” the judge said sharply.  “For now, he risked a great deal to come here.  I believe he has earned the right to remain and witness these proceedings.”

     “In that case, Your Honor, you give me no choice but to file a formal protest,” Morrison stated.

     “That is your perogative, Major.  But right now, you are in my court and will abide by my rules,” Webster told him.  He turned back to Cloud Dancing.  “You may be seated for now,” he said.  “I may have more questions for you at a later time.  Or perhaps Mr. Cooper may wish to question you?”

     “Thank you, Your Honor,” Matthew acknowledged.  Michaela and the others seated beside her shifted over on their bench to make room for Cloud Dancing.  Quietly he took his place next to Michaela, and behind Sully.

     Judge Webster directed his attention back to Morrison.  “And now, Major, to return to your original inquiry—did I understand correctly that you were about to conclude?”

     “That was my intention, Your Honor, before this outrageous interruption—“ Morrison began.

     “A simple ‘yes’ will suffice,” Webster said abruptly.  “Very well.  We will hear your concluding remarks, and then take a brief recess before Mr. Cooper presents his opening statement.”

     Morrison left his seat and walked to the head of the aisle.  “To recap, ladies and gentlemen, many people were adversely affected by Mr. Sully’s act of treason—“

     “Objection, Your Honor!”  Matthew spoke out.  “’Alleged’ act of treason.”

     “Sustained,” said the judge.

     Morrison looked at Matthew icily.  “*Alleged* act of treason,” he repeated with exaggerated emphasis.  “And many people can bear witness to his premedited preparation to incite a revolt on Palmer Creek Reservation.  You will hear from Mr. Lodge—“  He stared hard at Preston.  “—who will testify that Mr. Sully suddenly and inexplicably ceased construction on his home twenty-four hours prior to the uprising.  You will hear from Loren Bray, proprietor of the general store, who will confirm that on the morning of the revolt, Mr. Sully purchased a variety of supplies and a barrel of blasting powder—claiming to need it to remove a tree stump on Preston Lodge’s property—nearly an entire day *after he quit his employment there.*  And you will hear from the local blacksmith, Mr.Robert E., who helped Mr. Sully procure horses to aid the Indians in their escape.”

     “Robert E.!” Grace exclaimed in a harsh and frightened whisper.  But Robert E. could only shrug helplessly, shaking his head.

     “Damn!” Sully swore bitterly under his breath, his hand clenching into a fist as it rested on the table.  “I wanted to protect Cloud Dancin’ and Robert E.—keep them out of it—and I failed them both!  Morrison ain’t gonna be satisfied till all three of us are swingin’ from a rope.”

     “It ain’t your fault,” Matthew whispered back.  “They did what they had to do, and so did you.”

     “Tell that to Grace and Dorothy,” Sully answered bleakly.

     “Take it easy, Sully,” said Matthew, putting his hand on Sully’s arm.  “I ain’t had my turn yet.”

     “Finally,” Morrison said, his voice rolling out commandingly.  “You will hear testimony from witnesses to the uprising at Palmer Creek Reservation, one of whom can place Mr. Sully on the reservation at the heart of the revolt—the other of whom witnessed him setting the explosion that initiated the conflict!

     “In short, ladies and gentlemen, I will prove beyond a shadow of a doubt that Byron Sully willfully committed treason against the Unites States Army, and should be presecuted to the fullest extent of the law!” Morrison finished thunderously

     The courtroom erupted once again, and Judge Webster resumed pounding his gavel.

     Sully stared at Matthew, his eyes wide and shocked.  “You said there weren’t any other witnesses ‘sides McKay!” he whispered harshly.

     “Sully—easy—“

     Sully turned away, shaking his head as panic and confusion washed over him.  “This don’t make no sense,” he mumbled.  “Nobody saw me with the blastin’ powder—I made sure of that.  Least—least I thought I did . . .  How could I have missed him?  How could I have made a mistake like that?”  He looked back at Matthew, his face drawn and pale, his eyes tortured.  “They’re gonna hang me, Matthew,” he said.  “Morrison won’t settle for life in prison—he wants me dead.  Michaela’s gonna be alone . . . Katie . . . Brian . . . I ain’t never gonna see them grow up . . . I ain’t never gonna see Colleen become a doctor, or get married and have kids . . .How could I do this to them, Matthew?  How could I do it to you, and Cloud Dancin’ and Robert E.?

     “Oh my God—Michaela,” he whispered brokenly.  “How am I gonna leave you?”  He covered his eyes with his hand.  Michaela, silent tears streaming down her face as she watched his agony, leaned forward to wrap her arms around his shoulders.  His hand gripped hers convulsively as he turned devastated, bloodshot eyes to face her.  “I’m so sorry, Michaela . . . I’m so sorry . . .”

     “Hush,” she whispered tenderly.  “Don’t do this to yourself, Sully—please.  You can’t give up!  You must have faith—you must believe!”

     “Feel our love, Byron,” Rosalind implored him, her face tear-stained but determined.  “Let it give you strength.”

     “Sully!” Matthew said sternly, forcing Sully to look at him.  “Sully—listen to me.  I’m gonna make it all right.  You gotta believe that.”

     Cloud Dancing reached out and gripped Sully’s uninjured shoulder.  “Listen to Matthew,” he commanded quietly.  “The spirits are with you.”

     Judge Webster finally put down his gavel as the reaction died away.  “We will take a five minute recess, and then resume with Mr. Cooper,” he announced brusquely.  He rapped his gavel once more, then left his desk, walking down the aisle and out of the church.