Chapter 5

           Theexecutionwentwell—iftherewaseversuchathingas"agoodone"(apropositionIstronglydoubt),thentheexecutionofArlenBitterbuck,councilelderoftheWashitaCherokee,wasit.Hegothisbraidswrong—hishandswereshakingtoobadlytomakeagoodjobofit—andhiseldestdaughter,awomanofthirty-odd,wasallowedtoplaitthemniceandeven.Shewantedtoweavefeathersinatthetips,thepinfeathersofahawk,hisbird,butIcouldn’tallowit.Theymightcatchfireandburn.Ididn’ttellherthat,ofcourse,justsaiditwasagainstregulations.Shemadenoprotest,onlybowedherheadandputherhandstohertemplestoshowherdisappointmentandherdisapproval.Sheconductedherselfwithgreatdignity,thatwoman,andbydoingsopracticallyguaranteedthatherfatherwoulddothesame.

           TheChieflefthiscellwithnoprotestorholdingbackwhenthetimecame.Sometimeswehadtoprytheirfingersoffthebars—Ibrokeoneortwoinmytimeandhaveneverforgottenthemuffledsnappingsound—butTheChiefwasn’toneofthose,thankGod.HewalkedstronguptheGreenMiletomyoffice,andtherehedroppedtohiskneestopraywithBrotherSchuster,whohaddrivendownfromtheHeavenlyLightBaptistChurchinhisflivver.SchustergaveTheChiefafewpsalms,andTheChiefstartedtocrywhenSchustergottotheoneaboutlyingdownbesidethestillwaters.Itwasn’tbad,though,nohysteria,nothinglikethat.