"So why Denver?" asked Ted.

The three men were sitting on the front porch of the Edmund's cabin enjoying the peace of the late May afternoon.

"What are you going to be doing there?" asked Jay.

"When I was traveling, I met a woman from Denver. Rose and I needed some help and she arranged for us to get started there. I'll be doing some illustrating for the paper and Rose is going to take on some students tutoring them in French," Jack explained. "We want to start somewhere fresh."

"You're not in trouble or anything like that?" questioned Ted. "You said that you and Rose wanted to get away from everything and start over."

"No, not trouble," said Jack.

"Whatever it is, you have changed Jack," commented Jay. "You are very different, so serious and I think it has more to do than having a wife."

"Yeah," replied Jack. "It changed us forever, but we have to keep going and be grateful."

Ted and Jay glanced at each other, puzzled. Since when had the carefree Jack, become so philosophical.

Rufus stood up from where he lay at Jack's feet and sniffed the air. Then suddenly he bounded off the porch and headed for the path in the back of the house.

Jack wanted to get the subject off of Rose and himself.

"Things seem to be the same around here," he said, looking at the area around the house.

"Somewhat," agreed Ted. "Though if you look closely, there are a few more houses out this way. Some of the factories are expanding. Business is good for us, right, Jay?" said Ted proudly. "We've got six men working for us now and we spend most of our time in the office or taking in the deliveries. No more of the real backbreaking work for us."

Jack nodded. He was just about to reply, when he heard screams and shouts in the distance. One of the voices definitely belonged to Rose. Blackness covered his thoughts. His body became cold. The picture of freezing, thrashing bodies again came into his mind.

"Rose," he cried as he stood up and attempted to run off into the woods.

Ted jumped up and grabbed his arm. Ted shook Jack gently. It seemed that Jack's mind was somewhere else.

"Jack, Jack, are you alright?" asked Ted.

As Jack tried to free his arm from Ted's grasp he shouted, "It's Rose, she needs me."

Ted put both hands on Jack's shoulders. Jay looked at his father with concern. What had happened to Jack? He used to be so happy, a practical joker, the town charmer. Something serious had affected Jack's life, something tragic and it had to do with Rose.

"Hey,listen, Jack," said Ted calmly, trying to reassure him, "that's just Golden Moon and Rose laughing down by the creek. They're fine. I'm sure Rufus is down there trampling their towels and trying to swim with them. That's what all the commotion is about. Come on Jack, snap out of it."

Jack put his hands over his face and tried to let his body relax.

"You want to tell us what this is all about, Jack?" asked Jay.

"No, not without her, not without Rose," said Jack firmly.

* * * * * * * * * * *

"Rufus, come back here with that towel," shouted Golden Moon.

Rose and Golden Moon had finished drying off, when Rufus jumped into the creek, had a quick swim and came out, shaking his wet fur all over them. Golden Moon looked at Rose who was laughing. She guessed that perhaps she had never laughed so much before in her life.

Golden Moon grabbed the towel from Rufus and sent him back home. She looked into her large bag and pulled out a beautiful buckskin dress, handing it to Rose.

"I brought this with me, hoping you might want to wear it tonight."

Rose touched the soft dress and gently touched the delicate beadwork.

"Are you sure," asked Rose.

"Yes, My dear, of course. You are part of Jack now, part of our family. I want you to keep it. Here, there are moccasins that match."

Rose admired the lovely slippers had the pattern of a purple rose on them.

"These are so beautiful. I don't want to ruin them," said Rose. "Thank you so much. I really don't know what to say."

"Rose, when you agreed to wear them and keep them, and that you appreciate their beauty, you have said all that there is."

Both of the women, donned these traditional dresses and then Golden Moon offered to braid Rose's hair.

Rose nodded and sat down on one of the boulders while Golden Moon worked on her hair.

"Forgive me for asking," began Rose, "but I was curious. When I was waiting for you in the kitchen, I noticed a room with the jars full of leaves and powders. What is all that for?"

"I am an herb gatherer for my people. I am a medicine woman. I have the medicine of knowing what the herbs should be used for. When any of my people who live nearby need something, I give them what they should take. I am also a midwife here in town. And it's funny, while some of these women will not even acknowledge me in a store, they allow me into their bedrooms to assist at childbirth."

Rose had a wistful look on her face.

"I wish you could be with me, when it is time."

"Yes," agreed Golden Moon. "Nothing could give me more pleasure that to bring the child of you and Blue Hawk into the world. But tonight before you go, I will tell you some things that will help."

"Thank you said Rose, gratefully. "Just talking to you and being with you here, has already given me more confidence than I had before."

* * * * * * * * * *

As they walked back to the house, Golden Moon's mind was filled with the things she must do for Rose. She would prepare an herb pouch filled with crushed trillium, rosemary and lavender leaves to be made into an infusion when Rose's baby came. She would give her a white feather, the symbol of her new life as Jack's wife and she would bestow on Rose, an honorary name of The People.

Golden Moon came out onto the porch to tell the men that she and Rose were back and that dinner would be ready in about forty five minutes.

"Where's Rose?" asked Jack.

He looked quite mystified when he was told that she was in the kitchen helping with dinner.

"Are you sure she is alright?"

He was still recovering from the sounds he had heard by the creek. He wanted to see for himself that she was fine.

"You just relax, Jack," Golden Moon told him. "You don't have to worry about a thing."

Golden Moon had set Rose to work putting together all the ingredients for the berry muffins. The chicken stew was ready. And Golden Moon came in and began working on the corn pudding.

As the worked side by side, Rose had another question for her new friend.

"You told me about Jay's name. But walk about yourself and the name you gave Jack?" wondered Rose.

"I call Jack Blue Hawk, because of his blue eyes and because as I said before, the heart of the hawk is bold. He also has the ability to see within people"

Rose thought how accurate that was. She had felt that Jack had known her innermost thoughts since the first time she set eyes on her.

"I was named for the Harvest Moon in October," continued Golden Moon. "I was born when the moon was big and bright and golden in color."

"It is a beautiful tradition," said Rose.

Finally the table was set and the food was brought out into the dining room.

"Rose," said Golden Moon, "would you please tell them to come in and eat?"

Rose came through the doorway and Jack stood up shocked. Never in his life had he imagine that she could adapt so quickly to not only his way of life, but that of his friends as well. She looked beautiful with her hair braided and the buckskin dress molded itself to her figure in perfection.

Jack stepped forward and took her hands.

"Rose, you look wonderful," he said. "Everything alright?"

"Oh, I had the most wonderful afternoon!" she exclaimed and then without thinking leaned forward to kiss him.

Then they both remembered that Ted and Jay were there.

"Sorry," laughed Jack.

"Oh no, don't," said Ted.

Jay headed to the door and as he passed Jack, he patted him on the shoulder.

"I hope I am as lucky," he said. Then smiling at Rose, he told her how lovely she looked.

Rose ducked her head at these compliments, suddenly feeling very shy.

They all sat down at the table. Ted poured a little of some homemade cherry cordial into each glass and made a toast to their reunion and to Rose and Jack's happiness.

Rose ate every bit on her plate. The muffins were delicious. And she had never tasted anything like the light and airy corn pudding. The fry bread was a delicacy she had never imagined.

When they were finished and the dished cleared, they all went into the parlor. Each piece of handmade furniture was covered with beautifully woven throws and plump pillows.

"Jay made all this furniture," Jack said.

"It's wonderful. The workmanship is outstanding. Do you sell any of it?" she asked Jay.

"That never occurred to me," he told her. "Not many people see it."

"Well, I would think that people would want a piece or two in their homes. It is really outstanding."

"Thanks,Rose," he said. "And I will give your idea some thought."