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happens.”
    â€œThis foreman. He is called Tiny?” Strong Wolf said, folding his arms across his chest as his jaw tightened at the remembrance of watching the tiny little white man roaming around too close to land that was, by treaty, the Potawatomis.
    â€œYes, my foreman is a small man,” Chuck said, nodding.
    â€œThen you must order this man to remove the dam that he built across water that I secured for my people when I touched the goose quill to treaty papers with white leaders,” Strong Wolf said flatly. “My people are a home-loving group. They never seek fame in war. As you know, I will soon guide more of my people to this land of sunshine and blowing grasses. I seek peace in all things. But if I must fight for my rights in this new land, I will .”
    Strong Wolf stepped closer to the porch. “You must prove to me that you are no liar, that when you say you know nothing about a dam, you know nothing, ” he said thickly, his face twisting. “I do not ever wish to believe that you are a wily, treacherous, and deceitful man who has been led into bad roads of life.”
    As Strong Wolf occasionally looked at Hannah, she was given the opportunity to see into his beautiful midnight black eyes. They seemed to look into her very soul.
    Thus far she had stood there and listened, not saying anything in the defense of her brother, for this Indian’s confidence as he talked so openly and fearlessly to her brother greatly impressed her.
    But being strong-willed and hardheaded, Hannah could no longer keep her silence. “I’ve heard enough,” she said, stepping between Chuck and Strong Wolf. “No one is going to talk to my brother like that. Not even you, Strong Wolf. My brother is an honest, God-fearing man. You should be ashamed of yourself for thinking otherwise!”
    She was aware of her brother giving off a gasp behind her. Her knees weakened as she stared at Strong Wolf, whose eyes were wide with obvious shock of seeing a lady interfering in business between two men.
    Suddenly Hannah was no longer as confident when his eyes narrowed into hers. Fear grabbed her at the pit of her stomach. Yet she stood her ground and lifted her chin, defying him with a set stare, willing her eyes not to waver.
    â€œAnd who is this woman?” Strong Wolf suddenly blurted out. He took one step sideways so that he was again face-to-face with Chuck. He had never before seen a forward woman. He was not so repelled and angered by it as he was impressed.
    â€œThis is my sister Hannah,” Chuck said, still in a partial state of shock over Hannah speaking up in such a way. Yet shouldn’t he have expected it? She had always been outspoken. And he never held that against her. She had always been able to fight her own battles in life.
    Except for when their father had placed her in the convent. He had worried about that stifling her spirit. He knew now that had not happened.
    â€œHannah?” Strong Wolf said, turning slow eyes her way again.
    She smiled sheepishly at him, then turned quickly away and watched Tiny as he approached on horseback toward them.
    â€œWho is that, Hannah?” Chuck asked, squinting his eyes, trying to see.
    â€œTiny,” Hannah said, glowering at the tiny man.
    â€œJust the man I need to see,” Chuck said.
    Tiny dismounted and stepped around Strong Wolf, their eyes locked in silent battle. He went on the porch and stood beside Chuck.
    â€œChuck, what’s he doin’ here?” Tiny grumbled, nervously fingering a rust-colored mustache. Freckles were thick on this thin, weather-beaten face. His wide-brimmed Stetson hat was sweat-stained. His chaps were briar-scratched.
    â€œTiny, Strong Wolf says he found a dam built across a stream that belongs to him,” Chuck said, his voice guarded. “You did it, didn’t you, Tiny? No one else would.”
    â€œI had help, if that’s what you mean,” the tiny, redheaded man