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

Matthew watched the scout go. “He’s up to something.”


He turned his pony and splashed onto the nearest walk across the river. “Let’s see if we can get a word with Crow. Maybe he knows what’s in the Cheyenne’s head.”


Gideon halted the column as we approached from the east. He waited until we were near before hailing us. Two troopers rode up and flanked him on either side.


“We were just headed to the Mead,” he said. “Matthew, I’m sorry, but I have orders to arrest you and return you to the fort under guard. You’ve been identified as the fugitive, Red Star.”   26


The two troopers flanking Gideon disarmed Matthew. He put up no resistance, but had he done so, I’d have battled right alongside of him. But to what end? There were twenty soldiers, at least.


“Who identified him by that name?” I asked.


“All I was told was to apprehend him and bring him back to the fort.”


Chapter 80