"No, not this time. You have done well. But you may not speak of this to anyone, or we'll come back and cut your ears off. Understand?"
The doctor scrutinized them now, "How did you know where to come to get it? Who told you of it? Someone had to tell you of it."
"It is of no importance. Do not be so noisy and we will let you live." Deer Runner cautioned.
"It had to be someone white, no one of your people would know of it." The old man said.
"It is best you be quiet now."
Lone Wolf let the doctor down as they rode through the darkness into town, "Tell no one of this, or we'll come back, and you do not want us to come back"
The old man gulped and nodded, adjusting his shirt at his neck. "Yes, I understand."
"You will live long, old man if you keep quiet." Lone Wolf insisted.
They let him down and he ran toward his office. But Lone Wolf feared the old man would talk.
"Let's go." He told Deer Runner. "He will talk, as soon as the sun rises, he will talk."
"At least he doesn't know the tribe we come from, or how far away we ha
ve come."
"This is true. We will lay low in our camp for the next few weeks. It would be bad for our people if they suspected our tribe of this." Lone Wolf told him.
"If this works, it is worth the risk." Deer Runner assured him.
"Yes, it is."
They rode all night and just before dawn they were home. Hannah had waited up all night to make sure they got home safely. She worried about sending them, there was always fear that the whites would catch them.
Part of her fear was well justified for if Lone Wolf hadn't come back, what would have happened to her. Yet in her heart she knew there was another reason, she simply could not acknowledge it yet.
"You made it," she smiled when he came inside the tipi. Her voice sounded husky, but her smile welcomed him.
"Yes, we got what we needed." Lone Wolf smiled too now. "Thanks to you."
"Did he ask who told you?"
"Yes, he asked a lot of questions. I fear he will talk as soon as dawn comes."
"But he doesn't know what tribe."
"No. he doesn't." Lone Wolf assured her. "Still, if they come, they will search all tribes for me and Deer Runner. So, we must stay hidden, and you too. If they see you, they will take you away."
She nodded. "I know."
He came up to her now, and gently pushed her curls back over her shoulder. "You have done much for my people today and I owe you. So, if you want to go home, I will let you leave now."
She turned away. The thought of leaving had her insides in a turmoil. She would never go back to Liam. But his offer to let her warmed her heart more than she could say. A tear came into her eyes, but she did not let it fall.
"I have no home Lone Wolf," she said sadly. "I have nowhere to go. I will stay here… unless you think I'll bring more trouble upon you."
He put his hands on her shoulders, "I want you to stay Hannah."
Her heart did a flip in her chest. She couldn't speak, she was so moved. She nodded.
"Maybe we should get started with the vaccines early, so we can be through if they come to find you."