"Well if that don't beat all."
Snow Bird smiled. The black girl had obviously heard too.
"I'm Rose," the black girl told her lifting her chin high and offering Snow Bird a slight challenge.
"Rose, I'm Snow Bird."
"You sayin' you married a white man?" Rose asked.
"That's right."
"I don't believe it."
Margaret stood taller than both and came to defend her, "Well, I seen her humpin' one, and only one. So, I reckon she's tellin' the truth."
"She's lying. No decent white man would marry a squaw." Rose shot her a sarcastic smile.
"He would if he loved her." Margaret told Rose.
"How would you know?"
"Most of these men are mountain men, and most of them frequent the Indian camps. It isn't unusual for them to have a squaw as a wife. They don't get down the mountains much. Ain't no one humped me like that since my husband Roy. I should know. When Roy made love to me, I didn't need no words. I just knew. He loves her, so leave her alone." Margaret told her. "She ain't tryin' to hump your men."
"She's a stinkin' Injun." Rose hollered.
"And you are a woman of color, Rose. Not much difference in my way of thinking. She's a woman, and I said leave her alone. You go on and cook for your men friends. She won't bother you, I'll see to that." Margaret told her. "Your man will be back, I'm certain of that."
Snow Bird smiled softly at the white woman, "Thank you."
Margaret smiled.
"What about that one?" Snow Bird looked at the Mexican woman.
Margaret shook her head. "She's no trouble. She sticks with her kind. I'm not sure she speaks English."
"Oh, do you know her name?"
"Juanita."
"I will remember that."
From that day forward Margaret would always speak to Snow Bird and they would have occasional conversations. Snow Bird was glad she had made a friend.
Chapter Eight
When Matt and Ferg returned a few days later, they were tired, and half frozen, but Matt's eyes were full of happiness when he saw Snow Bird's beautiful, young face.
Silently he soaked her into his heart from the doorway. She stood talking to Coon and when she turned and saw him, her face lit with happiness.
He came up to her and kissed her long and hard in front of everyone. The boys all laughed. "God, I've missed you."
"Me too." She murmured, unable to satiate the feelings inside her.
She regarded the others for a moment, with a bright blush to her cheeks "I've got some stew on the stove."
"Sounds wonderfully warm and tasty." Ferg smiled. "We've been thinking about your cooking all the way back.
"I want to hear everything about your trip." She said.