August 17, 1900

Tombstone. 

This morning I went to talk with Miss Aly at the hotel and met a boy named Swift Fox. He was from the Kanza tribe and then Jimmy came over and I introduced the two boys. I went to the library and found a book about the tribe and started to read. ‘The Kaw nation come from the central Midwestern United States. The tribe known as Kaw have also been known as the People of the South wind. Their tribal language is Kansa, classified as a Siouan language.’ You sound like you talk English though like us,” I looked at him. 

“I can speak your tongue well,” Swift Fox nodded. 

“‘The Kaw are closely related to the Osage Nation, with whom members often intermarried,” I kept reading. The Kaw Nation’s headquarters is in Kaw City, Oklahoma, and the tribal jurisdictional area is within Kay County, Oklahoma.’” 

“Ate and Ina wished me to learn paleface tongue to better talk between people... make for good trade,” Swift Fox looked at Jimmy. 

I kept looking at the book and read, “‘From 1780 to 1830 the Kaw lived at Blue Earth Village on the Kansas River. The Kaw probably moved to the Kansas River Valley to be closer to the buffalo herds on the Great Plains. The tribe increasingly depended upon buffalo hunting for its subsistence and less on agriculture. Also, living on the Kansas River gave them access to a rich territory of fur bearing animals to trade to the French for guns and other commodities.’” I looked over at the boy and asked, “You here alone? No family?” 

“My people taken from me, they with the great spirit now,” he looked at me.

“I sorry,” I frowned. 

“What brought you to Tombstone?” Jimmy asked. 

“I remember climbing on large metal snake of wood and metal that spouted smoke from the mouth,” Swift Fox siad.

“Wow!” I exclaimed. 

“Well welcome to Tombstone Swift Fox. Oh you mean the train,” Jimmy nodded and I cringed. 

“Yes big metal snake that rides on metal road,” Swift Fox smiled lightly. 

“Train is bad place. But it was okay when Miss Trin took me to Canada,” I said. 

“Canada? What is that?” Swift Fox looked at me, confused. 

“Up north. Where Miss Trin from.” 

“I took the train here too. After my pa go prison. Its not always a good train I guess,” Jimmy said. 

“When I took train here it was cos orphanage in Mississippi didn’t want me no more.” 

“Who is Miss Trin and what is this prison?” Swift Fox asked. 

“Miss Trin is like my aunt. She takes care of me,” I told him. 

“Aunt?” 

“Prison is where my pa went after he kill man. It has bars, and then never let you go,” Jimmy said.

“Seems like bad place if never let you go,” Swift Fox frowned. 

“They let you go Jimmy, but sometimes to get hanged,” I said. 

“It is, and I hope I never get put in there. Its for bad people, but I don think my pa was bad. I think he got dun wrong,” Jimmy said. 

“Ah yes, I understand this,” Swift Fox nodded. “Paleface from orphanage showed me and smoked from pipe think his name was... Stanley.” 

“Thing made of wood and rope where people would hang from, he told me about this last night,” Swift Fox said. 

Miss Aly came over and we waved at her but then I asked Jimmy if we could show Swift Fox the horses. He perked at that and asked if we ate them but I promised we only rode them. We talked about mean ol’ scary monsters in town and how we had to be careful around them. 

Swift Fox looked at Miss Aly and asked, “You know who taken my people to the great spirit and burn my village?” 

“I only know what the witnesses around here tell me, or from what I’ve seen myself. I don’t know much about what happens outside of Tombstone. The surrounding areas, aren’t a part of my jurisdiction,” Miss Aly said. “Even my home in Pearce..I can’t arrest anyone there. I’m just law here.” 

“Maybe you should talk to a Ranger Swift Fox. They might know more about your village,” Jimmy suggested. 

“Rangers go all over the place,” Miss Aly said. 

“What is ranger?” Swift Fox asked. 

“Ranger Amara or Ranger Mick might be able to help ya,” Miss Aly said. 

“Or Mr Ansar go everywhere too right? But not Mr Kris. He stay in town, “I remembered. 

“Yes Ansar is a US Marshal. He handles things everywhere too. Rangers look around Cochise county to make sure the towns and lands are safe from bad guys,” Miss Aly said. 

“Rangers are like big lawmen..they go everywhere, like where Miss Aly can’t,” Jimmy said. “Maybe Amos might know, he a ranger too.” 

“Ya he your uncle now right!?” I looked over at Jimmy. 

“Yeah sorta, he stayin wit us at Mrs Joan’s,” Jimmy said. 

“Swift Fox gonna stay with Apache?” I asked him. 

“I heard of apache, but do not know them, don’t know if they even take me in. i also hear tribe called Navajo are in this area,” Swift Fox looked at me. “Don’t know  how to find them either.” 

“I know where Apache village be, but hard to get der, and dangerous,” Jimmy said. 

“I  hear they are great warriors.” 

“I haven’t seen any Navajo lately,” Miss Aly said. “There use to be a tribe around, but I think they’ve moved elsewhere.” 

“Yeah, like Geronimo, but he gone I hear..I not see Navajo either..they maybe be too far out,” Jimmy said. 

“Maybe I could try  and find them.. for now I stay at place call orphanage,” Swift Fox scratched his arm. 

“You wanna see horses, Swift Fox?” I asked. “Jimmy real good with them.” 

“You will be safe there Swift Fox. Warm bed, dry, and good food, sometimes,” Jimmy chuckled. 

“And other kids,” Miss Aly added. “And an education. All good things.” 

“Seeing horses might be fun,” Swift Fox nodded, smiling. 

We went over to the stables and I asked Swift Fox if he could teach us his language. Jimmy headed off to home and I showed Swift Fox around town. I showed him the fort and the Apache village. 

A strange child came over and talked in another language. “Great. Another language,” I muttered. 

“It s Chinese...I am Xu yung,” the boy said. 

“Hi Xu. I’m Natalie. I’m English.” 

“It is nice to meet you, Natalie,” Xu grinned. 

“I am Swift Fox,” he said and tried to knock on the door to the fort. 

Xu joined us as we walked around and I told them not to go to Ghenna ‘cause it was dangerous. I kept giving the tour and I saw a man standing in the street.

“What you doin just standin round?” I asked him. 

“Looking for little kids to shoot,” he said and I cringed, and Swift Fox narrowed his eyes at the man. 

“I do not find that funny…” Xu said with a stern face. 

“Maybe we no talk to this man,” I looked at Swift Fox. “I’m gonna tell Miss Aly.” 

“It wasn’t meant to be funny. Hell, I will shoot her too. Oops, no one’s home,” he said and went to knock on the door to the sheriff’s office. 

I looked around nervously and looked up on the balcony of the undertaker’s office. “Mr. Joe!” 

“What,” he muttered and I walked upstairs and cringed as I walked through the building. 

“Damn little rug rats,” the man growled from the street and I tugged on Mr. Joe’s sleeve. 

“What up kid?” Mr. Joe grumbled. 

“He wants to shoot us!!” I pointed at the man. 

“I doubt it,” Mr. Joe looked down and shook his head. 

“You sure Mr Joe? He seemed pretty sure,” I looked at him. 

“If was wanted to shoot ya I would have done it by now,” the man said. 

“Come on Natalie. We’re just going to avoid dumb paleface!” Swift Fox shouted up at me. 

“Think he was just trying to scare you kids!” Mr. Joe looked at me and settled back in his seat. 

I pouted and walked back downstairs and walked right over to the man. “What your name mister?” 

“The name is TJ. Learn it. Know it.” 

I blinked and looked up at him. “I just read bout you!! You were Miss Trin’s friend! She writin’ bout her time before Tombstone and keepin record of her journals and stuff. Your name comes up a lot!” 

TJ shook his head and spit on the ground as the boys watched cautiously nearby. 

“I just read the part where you went to her for help cos some man named Buu was in court and someone wanted to poison you! You good man then. What happen?” 

“Took a walk on the dark side. Now run along,” TJ said. 

“Ccome Natalie, leave the bad man alone, if what Stanley says is true they hang him or send to prison,” Swift Fox shouted out. 

I watched him walk away and I sighed. “Miss Trin don’t know I reading her journals but she leaves them there on the table. And I get bored of Sherlock sometimes. Her stories more fun.” 

“And I will be telling her ya do!” Mr. Joe shouted down. 

“But... I ain’t hurtin no one Mr Joe! They not that scary and I know she makes it out of stuff!” I shouted back. 

“Why’d you talk to that man?” Swift Fox shook his head. “Paleface might have really hurt you.” 

“But he was a nice man in her stories,” I said. 

“Then you have nothing to worry about when I tell her then, do you?” Mr. Joe frowned at me. 

“He asked her for help and stuff. He even tried to help her. Now he bad man.” 

“Who is that person?” Swift Fox looked up at Mr. Joe. 

“That Mr. Joe.” 

“Ya damn kids,” Mr. Joe muttered. “First Payton and now you. What the hell ya trying to do get ya self hurt?” 

“What ya mean by that?” I asked. 

“Is he nice man?” Swift Fox tilted his head and whispered. 

“Well Payton asking about Ghenna and now you with that stranger, I sometimes think,” Mr. Joe shook his head. “Ah what’s the point. You kids don’t listen to anything.” 

“I know not to go to Ghenna. Just told them both not to go there,” I pointed to the other two kids. 

“I know not to go there I have known for over a year,” Xu blinked. 

“This Swift Fox and this Xu,” I introduced them to Mr. Joe. 

“Yeh, well make sure Payton doesn’t go either. She is showing an unhealthy interest in Ghenna and Rikki,” Mr. Joe looked down. “Howdy,” he said to the boys. 

“Rikki? Miss Trin told me she mean ol woman too,” I said. 

“This guy seems like nice person,” Swift Fox smiled lightly. 

“Anybody in Ghenna is mean. Nice may be too strong a word, tolerant may be closer to the mark,” Mr. Joe sighed.

“Who? Him or me?” Xu blinked. 

“That paleface, though he says he might not be nice,” Swift Fox pointed up at the balcony. 

“That Mr Joe. He nice man,” I said. “Made the boat for the SS Cootie but I no know how to drive it.” 

“What tribe ya from kid?” Mr. Joe looked at Swift Fox. 

“I can show you how to drive the boat,” Mr. Joe looked at me. 

“I am Kanza, or Kaw, not sure what you palefaces call us,” Swift Fox answered. 

“He from some tribe near Kansas, Mr. Joe,” I said. 

“Ya from Kansas then,” Mr. Joe rubbed his chin. 

“What is this Kansas?" Swift Fox tilted his head. 

“What brings ya to Cochise county?” Mr. Joe peered over the railing. 

“I am a Shaolin Disciple from Dengfeng China,” Xu blinked. 

“That the place your group come from,” I looked at Swift. 

“Did ya bring any green tea?” Mr. Joe looked at Xu hopefully. 

“Yes...though I drink it occasionally I prefer water,” Xu nodded and Mr. Joe wandered down to the treet. 

“My people were taken to the great spirit, my village burned. Natalie says I can talk to Marshall to see if they know,” Swift said, looking back and forth. 

“Ah, marshal is Navajo,” Mr. Joe said. 

“You guys want to go to river and see my boat?” I asked. “Maybe Mr Joe can teach me how to drive it.” 

“Sure, we can give it a try,” Mr. Joe looked at me. 

“Perhaps another time...I am going to meditate and train for a bit,” Xu grinned and we said goodbye to him as he headed off. 

Swift Fox and I headed over to the pond with Mr. Joe and he taught us how to ride the boat. It was so much fun and we raced our boats to the other side. I fell in the water at one point and Mr. Joe said, “Don't tell Trin I got ya wet.” 

“Hey Mr Joe I make you deal. You don’t tell Miss Trin I read her journals... I won’t tell her you got me all wet,” I grinned at him. 

“Sounds like a good trade," Swift Fox chuckled. 

“Sorry, still gonna tell her,” Mr. Joe shook his head and smiled. 

“I’ll head on to town and think about it,” Mr. Joe shook his head and we said goodbye as we headed to our separate homes after a fun day.