A love between two very different men is put to the test. John Strobaw, a young mixed-blood, grows up in the relative security of a family farm after the Civil War. His mother raises her family as Americans, but his foster brother, Matthew Brandt feels his red blood more keenly and leaves to ride with Crazy Horse. John doesn’t understand the longing he feels for his absent companion until he has his first sexual experience with a man and he only thinks of Matthew. After the murder of Crazy Horse, Matthew makes his way back home. John fights hard against a growing lust for Matthew, but when he ultimately succumbs, he is lost to this handsome, dusky warrior. Just when the future looks bright, another suitor appears -- a handsome Cheyenne army scout, and trouble looms on the horizon.

Echoes of the Flute

“Speak for yourself. We don’t have one at Turtle Crick.”


Matthew and I camped about halfway to Yanube City that night. I wanted to get to the Jepsen farm at a decent time on Monday morning. We bedded down in the buckboard I’d driven to haul the plow and looked up at the firmament. It was a clear night, and the span of stars overhead looked like a smear of spilt milk. I pointed out the big dipper.


“Billy and Otter must have looked at those same stars.”


“And Cut Hand and Lone Eagle and all the ones before them.” Matthew put his hand under my head and pulled me closer. “Those stars have been there forever. Anyone who’s ever been has looked at them at one time or the other.”


“All I smell are horses and grass. And hay, maybe. Musta hauled hay in this buckboard.” He turned into me and pressed his hand against my groin. “Do for me what Timo did for you. Thinking about that still gets my dander up, you know.”


Chapter 63