Wolfs’ Cabin 1926

“Mostly a true story”

When the good have died in vain, their spirits will become the spirit of the Wolf.

 Chapter One

 Parker, Arizona, June 1960, the day after Tamara’s high school graduation.  Eighteen-year-old Tamara sat dreamy eyed on a flat rocky bluff, which over looked the leisurely flowing Colorado river.  She wore a yellow summer dress with many ornamental butterflies that complemented her long shiny red hair.  The river’s yawning blue water flowed lazily along the scorching treeless foothills of a California mountain range and the flat desert land of Parker, Arizona.

  Tamara smiled warmly to herself as she watched intently an adorable brown ground squirrel scurry up a tall Sonora cactus.  The small squirrel quickly picked a yellow flower bloom from top the cactus, placing the tasty bloom securely in its mouth it scurried back down the dangerous thorn cactus leaping to the ground, its long thin tail held straight up, and quickly disappeared into the safety of its cool desert burrow.

 Tamara loved living in the searing desert with its beautiful sunrises and magnificent multi colored sunsets.  Many nights during her high school years, she and her boyfriend, Tobin, would sit together on the cool bluff and watched the evening sunsets wither away as the coal black heavens opened up magically displaying its billions of brilliant sparkling stars.

 When the morning heat of the rapidly rising sun turned Tamara’s white freckled skin to a clammy glaze, she quickly got on her red Schwinn bicycle and hurriedly rode back to Parker.  Back to the safety of her mother Ginny’s old singlewide swamp cooled trailer.  Ginny lived with her husband Jack, Tamara’s stepfather, who work in the copper mine near Quartzsite, Arizona. 

 Tamara’s brother Travis also worked at the copper mine like most men in Parker.  Other young men after high school, moved away to the big city of Los Angles or Phoenix for better paying jobs.  She was nervous about her future as a young girl, how could she move to a big city on her own?  She did not own a car, or even have any gas money if did she have a car.

 As she entered the old Coyote Trailer Park and looked down the narrow dusty road, lined on both sides with aged trailers.  The old trailers sat side by side, nearly touching each other.  She wondered if she also would someday live in an old dilapidated trailer as her mother had to.

 Tamara passed Travis’s trailer, half way down the lane and then glanced to see if her sister in-law Tina and her little niece Bobbi were outside sitting in the old rocker, under the canvas cover.  Tamara loved little Bobbi.  When Bobbi was born, for the first two years of her life, Tamara always babysat.  Tina worked at the Greasy Spoon Diner, but since Tina lost her job, she no longer needed a sitter.  It broke Tamara’s heart when Tina told her Bobbi had grown too attached to Tamara and would only let her hold Bobbi a few minutes at a time.  Bobbi looked more like Tamara, red hair, light skin with freckles and large icy blue eyes than her mother, Tina, with long straight black hair, dark skin and brown eyes.

 Tamara could never have a child of her own after being kicked in the abdomen by a wild burrow when she was twelve years old.  Now she felt an extra special bond with Bobbi.  Releasing a constrained breath, she passed her brothers trailer and vowed to herself that one day she and Bobbi would again be close, no matter how long that took.

 As Tamara neared her mother’s, she wondered whose car sat in her stepfather’s parking area.  She had never seen the car before and wondered who would be driving such a pretty little convertible.  She parked her bike and as she passed by the car, she lightly smoothed her fingers over the shinny chrome trim on the little red and white 1957 Chevrolet.

 Tamara quickly entered the bent aluminum front door of her mother’s trailer.  She looked aimlessly for the individual that parked in her Dads private parking area.  When she only saw Ginny sitting solemnly at the table sipping her morning coffee, she asked, “Someone parked their car in Dads parking area, I hope they leave before Dad gets home.  He’ll push that car out of the yard and let the air out of the tires!”  Ginny gave her a warm smile, sat her cup on a decrepit table, and answered in an ecstatic voice, “Happy graduation Tamara!”  Bewildered, Tamara sat next to Ginny as Ginny placed the car keys in front of her.  Then Ginny said with reassuring eyes as she patted the top of her daughter’s hand, “I’ve been saving money for over thirty years.  Now the savings are yours, now you can leave this God forsaken town and start a new life, where you can have a real future.”

 Tamara picked up the keys with her free hand and rose her brows “Dad has been driving that beat up old truck for years now and what about Travis?  Won’t he be really upset when he finds out you gave me such an expensive graduation gift?”  Ginny slid her other hand under Tamara’s and gave it a squeeze,  “Your Grandfather Glenn has been sending me a few dollars every month since I left Washington State back in 1944 and moved to Arizona.  I never wanted anything from that unscrupulous foul old man.  But Glenn just kept sending those checks, so I decided to deposit all those checks in the bank.  Someday I’d give that money to my children.  I already gave Travis his share.  When Bobbi was born, I paid for the doctor and the hospital.  I also put a little away for Bobbi’s future too.”

 Ginny pulled herself up from the table and hobbled to the kitchen counter.  She picked up an envelope, carried it back to the table, and handed it to Tamara.  Then Ginny eased herself back down and said with lowered brows and a scrupled voice, “I already opened this letter to you from your step Grandfather Glenn.  I just hate that old man.  I didn’t trust what Glenn might say to you, he can be very cruel you know.  Glenn married my mother when he was an old man and they made your Uncle Jerry.  Glenn made my mother throw us kids to the dogs.”  Ginny cupped Tamara’s hand again between hers and continued, “Glenn says he wants to give you an old cabin on a lot next to his house for your graduation gift.  I feel you should take the cabin, because if you don’t take the cabin, your Uncle Jerry will.  Jerry would take that cabin and when the old man died, soon I hope, he would sell it and squander the money.”

 Tamara moved her head from side to side, as she read Glenn’s letter then peered to Ginny “I remember Grandpa Glenn.  I think I was about five years old when Grandma Cala died and we visited Grandpa Glenn.  He lives in a big white house on a hill with green grass, beautiful flowers, and tall evergreen trees.  I could see the salt water from his front porch.”

 Ginny acknowledged with a slight nod, “We spent three weeks in a cabin at their auto camp across the highway, when your Grandma was in the hospital.  We stayed until after your Grandmas funeral.  Glenn always held you on his lap.”  Ginny squeezed her lips and stared at the tabletop “I never trusted that old man around you and wondered why he always wanted to walk around holding your hand all the time.  Whenever he took you across the footbridge to Wolfs old cabin, I always kept a keen eye on you two.  I think that’s the cabin he gave you, the one Wolf built?  Anyhow,……………I want you to take these five hundred dollars I saved and buy yourself a journal so you can write down all your experiences from this day on.  Also, gas for your car for the trip to Washington State and back.  There should be enough money left over to last you a few months vacation in Washington State.”  Ginny handed her the white bulgy envelop with the cash and the journal, then gave her daughter a long everlasting hug.

 For the next two weeks, Tamara readied herself for her summer stay in Washington State.  She said good-bye to all her friends and family.  Her stepfather Jack was happy to see her leave, now he could lie around the trailer after work and sit naked in front of the swamp cooler all night.  Since Tamara would be gone for the summer, Tina allowed Tamara to take Bobbi during the daytime hours.  The night before her big adventure, Tamara took Bobbi to the flat rocky bluff that over looked the Colorado river.  Tamara sat on the ground with her legs crossed and folded her hands neatly on her lap as she watched the waning sun.  She looked down to Bobbi to tell her to watch the top of the mountain range as the waning sun turned the brilliant blue sky to a bright scarlet red.  Tamara realized, Bobbi was also sitting next to her with her own legs crossed and her tiny hands folded neatly on her lap too.  That day with Bobbi would be Tamara’s first entry in her journal.  Tamara loved Bobbi so much.

 The next morning Tamara packed her belongs in the trunk.  She wrapped her journal between layers of the blanket and stowed it neatly away.  Then with the top down on her shinny little car and wearing a pink big brim straw hat, Tamara left with the rising morning sun.  She drove north from Parker crossed the Colorado and began the long trip across the scorching Mohave desert.  As she drove along the long straight two-lane highway, she began to contemplate what her future might be.  When she returned to Arizona, she felt she should live closer to Phoenix and maybe go to ASU.  But what did she want to be she wondered, as her little car rambled down the never-ending road?

 Mile after mile, hour after hour, she drove, and thought about what her future would be.  Maybe a nurse, No, being around sick and dying people did not sound good.  A secretary, No, making coffee and running errands for a fat old attorney or businessperson gave her a chill.  Maybe if she owned a day care for children, No, if she became to attach to a child, one day that child’s parents would just show up and take that child away.  Like Tina did with Bobbi.  Tamara glanced into the rear view mirror and wondered if she might become a model, No again, she had a pretty face, but the rest of her; short and squatty body wouldn’t lend itself good for modeling.  By the time Tamara reached highway 99 and began her long drive north to Washington State, her mind had drawn a blank.  She decided then she will just have to wait until after her vacation to decide what career she wanted, so be what may.  

Chapter two

 The further north Tamara drove the cooler the air became.  However, the cool air was still warm enough to keep the top down on the convertible.  She stopped at truck stops along the way to eat and take a little nap and off she drove again.  Every dollar she saved by not staying in motels, was another dollar earned.  She cringed every time she had to stop for gas, had to pay 26 cents a gallon, and reluctantly had to remove the dollars from the locked glove compartment.

 Following the map Jack drew; Tamara turned off highway 99 at Olympia Washington.  She began driving up the winding two-lane highway 101 towards Port Angles.  Tamara now realized after driving for three days and thirteen hundred miles, she would be at the Travelers Rest Auto Camp Resort in about another hour.  When she reached Hoodsport, the Hood Canal appeared to the right as far as the eye could see.  Unlike the Colorado River only a few hundred feet wide, the Hood Canal was a mile or more wide.  The long saltwater Canal had rolling blue waves, white capped with wind blown spray.  A salty taste to the fresh air tantalized her senses and huge flowering bushes of every color and fragrance, filled the air as she drove along the bank of the Canal.

 When Tamara reached the old Travelers Rest Auto Camp Resort, she slowed then turned up the steep graveled driveway.  Glenn’s driveway was across the highway from the old auto camp.  Instantly she question if she might have turned up the wrong driveway.  The last time she was here, thirteen years ago, she remembered beautiful flowerbeds, dark green manicured lawn, and a thriving large garden at the top of the hill.  Today brown dead weeds and undomesticated brush grew aimlessly around the once stately white four-pillared house.  The old mansion was yellowed with age and a thick green layer of moss has covered the front edge of the roof.  The wood shed's roof laid dormant on the ground.  The path that led to the house was barely distinguishable due to the entire path being engulfed by wild black berry vines, huckleberry bushes, and weeds.  When she realized a minuscule line of white smoke flowed aimlessly from the out of place and rusted stovepipe, Tamara reluctantly turned off her car key.  The engine kept hissing and sputtering, as though the little car wanted her to turn the key back on so they could leave this forlorn haunting place.  When the engine finally stopped, Tamara stepped from her car, stretched her arms high and slowly walked towards the back porch.

 The aged timbers creaked from her weight as she stepped onto the porch and looked around the neglected property.  In the drive through carport attached to the back of the house, sat a post war black Cadillac that appeared to have been sitting there for years.  All the tires were flat and the window glass was covered with a green slime.  Tamara lightly tapped on the paint chipped door; moments passed, so she peered through the doors dingy window.  Her elderly graying Grandfather sat in a wooden rocking chair, wrapped in a tattered dark-green army blanket.  She pounded hard on the door.

 Sluggishly, Glenn pulled himself to his feet and keeping balance with his cane, languidly ambled toward the door.  He looked puzzled when he opened the door and peered at Tamara, until he saw Tamara’s red hair, then Glenn smiled and said  "Ah…you must be Tamara…Ginny's little girl.  Come in…come in and sit a spell, I'd love to talk with you."

 Cautiously, Tamara followed Glenn into the dusty dim lit room.  Glenn motioned with a frail wrinkled hand towards a chair “make yourself at home; I rarely have visitors these days.  Tom up the road picks up my supplies at the first of each month, when Tom drives to Shelton."  Tamara bowed her head and replied, “That’s a good friend Grandpa.  It's been a long time since I've seen you; we certainly have a great deal of catching up to do.”  Tamara displayed a sincere warm smile as she raised her head and held out her arms; "Can I have a hug?"

 Glenn smiled with a weak emotional glow in his sedate eyes and hugged his lovely Granddaughter ever so tenderly.  Then he held his hand towards an upholstered chair next to his.  As Tamara sat, she asked with inquisitive eyes "Thank you so very much for the log cabin Grandpa.  You know...  I can hardly wait to get started cleaning.  But…  I really don't understand…why you give your property to me?"

 Glenn casually pushed a wad of chewing tobacco behind his bottom lip and raised his weary eyes “I wanted your mother to have it, but she wanted nothing to do with me or your Grandmother.  I suppose Ginny could never forgive your Grandma Cala for abandoning her and your uncles…Clint and Gary…when they were all little.  Those poor kids had to live with their poor old Grandma Edmonds.”  Glenn reached out and grasped Tamara's hand before he continued; “That was long before she met me."  Glenn said with immense sadness in his wintry eyes.

 Glenn peered to the large dirty front picture window and gazed out over the forgotten Traveler's Rest Auto Camp.  "I've always liked those kids, but I suppose they blamed me for their mother's short-comings.  When we had your Uncle Jerry… your Grandma Cala devoted all her attention Jerry, not your mother.  I don't blame your mother for being upset.  At any rate, I don't want Jerry getting his hands on Wolf's cabin.  He'd."  Glenn paused for a moment then peered deep into Tamara's eyes, "He'd burn it down!"

 Tamara stared at Glenn with inquisitive blue eyes, “Wolf?  Mom told me something about a little Indian boy you found in the Olympic Mountains in the Enchanted Valley years ago?"

 Glenn’s eyes beamed, "Yes, I gave Wolf that piece of property because he loved it so much.  When he was twenty he built that cabin…I think back …in…in…around 1926.  I still think of Wolf everyday."  Glenn lowered his graying head and gazed at his lap while he began rocking back and forth in his antiquated rocker.  Then he looked back to Tamara through his bushy brows, "Wolf has been gone twenty-eight years now.  Sometimes, late at night….  When the moon is full….  I can hear a far off howling from the direction of Lena Ridge.  I wonder if….  Oh well, we can talk later Tamara, I'm sure you want to unpack now.” 

 "I’ll be here for three months Grandpa and I’ll take you to town whenever you need anything.  We'll be able to do a lot of talking this summer and I'd love to hear more about Wolf.  Now…how do I get to the cabin from here?"

 "Oh," muttered Glenn, "There used to be a walk bridge across Swarts Creek from here.  The bridge fell down years ago.  Just drive down the driveway and turn right, go about six hundred feet and you’ll see the road to your cabin.  The roads over grown with them small Alders, but your car can push them down."

Chapter Three

 Tamara turned into the small barely recognizable over grown driveway and turned off the engine.  She stood on the front seat and looked over the windshield.  She worried if her car could make it through the little alder tree covered road.  Tamara was use to living in the desert where she could see forever, but her property looked like a picture of the Amazon rain forest.  Green lush underbrush and moss covered branches of aged maple trees.  Abundant ivy grew up their massive trunks and appeared to search for the sun.  A multitude of tall feathery ferns, swayed effortlessly in a cool breath of air.

 Tediously, she began driving up the road then sped up, afraid to slow down as her front bumper knocked over the small alders.  She heard the trees scratching the underside of the car as she drove up the sightless driveway.

 Suddenly, she viewed her cabins steep pointed cedar roof.  She parked next to the unusual enchanting building.  She gazed mystified at the round cedar turret with a tall pointed shake roof.  The entire turret was surrounded with large small paned windows and attached to the main cabin.  The main cabin had a deck that jutted out gracefully over the creek.

 Tamara could not believe the romantic emotions that spread over her as she viewed her log cabin for the first time.  She breathed in deeply the fresh scent of giant cedar trees that surrounded the entire property.

 She promptly entered the cabin through the glass-paned door in the kitchen area.  She looked to the right through a hallway that led to the turret room where a handmade log table with matching chairs.  In the kitchen, a black and white wood cook stove sat with a dust covered antique blue coffee pot on top.  The little pot had surly sat idle there for years.

 The aroma of the cabin teased Tamara's petite nose.  She breathed in deeply of the pleasant cedar aroma that still emitted from the aged logs.

 At the far end of the kitchen, a small hand hued log railings led up to an open loft.

 Tamara paused a moment and lightly ran her fingertips over the smooth railing.  She stepped down three steps into the living room.  She marveled at the round stone fireplace and regarded dreamily about sitting in the evenings before the warm glow that emitted from it.

 A small room off the living room contained a large oak roll-top desk.  Next to the desk, a small paned window which looked out over the creek and beyond to the salt-water cove.

 She continued through the den and through an arched doorway that led to the bedroom.  The entire room was built out of mammoth seasoned logs rich in color.  She instantly rubbed her hand over the rich logs, as she made her way around the room.  A tiny-glassed paned door was at the north end of the bedroom.  The door opened out onto a small private patio and the entire bedroom and deck suspended high above the creek.

 Tamara turned from the deck and walked back into the room.  She stood at the foot of a large metal bed.  The bed had a flat cotton stuffed mattress with ancient black metal buttons.  Above the bed, nailed on the log wall over the headboard, hung the pelt of a large silver timber wolf.  She moved to the side of the bed and lightly rubbed a finger across the soft fur.  She listened to the waterfall that fell and flowed under the room.

 Tamara loved her new cabin and quickly set about cleaning and unpacking.  She started a fire in the wood stove, knowing that the dry wood heat would quickly remove the moisture from her beloved cabin.  After lighting the fire, she turned on the faucets and was surprised to find she had running water.  The fact mulled over in her mind, for she was well aware that the cabin did not have electricity.  When she moved a hand under the running water, she became even more mystified, when she realized the water had been warmed.

 Curiously, she began following an iron pipe from the sink to the stove to a water tank and back to the firebox.  She stood back and gazed at the pipe then realized that the young twenty-year-old Wolf had certainly been ingenious.  He was, unquestionably, someone she wanted to know more about.  He had built her lovely cabin with his own hands and she believed that he had definitely built it with a lot of love and ingenuity.

 That evening Tamara wrote Ginny a letter that she had safely made the trip and wrote in her journal.  Later she lay in bed and peered dreamily at the evening full moon light that shimmered through the small pained windows.  Like tiny fairies, the moonlight danced about the room on the log walls to the board plank ceiling.  Soon her sleepy eyes fluttered then closed to a wonderful long over due sleep.  Tamara slept effortlessly through that first night, clueless that her life would never be the same…EVER!

 Chapter four

 The next morning, the rising sun filtered through the many large maple tree leaves that shaded the cabin.  Feeling marvelous after a good night sleep, Tamara promptly started a fire in the wood cook stove.  Then after washing off the blue antique coffee pot, she prepared a fresh pot of morning coffee.

 While she waited for the pot to perk, she sat at the log table in the turret and glanced out the window.  A log outhouse was built on a small bluff behind the cabin.  She smiled when she noticed the small half moon carved in the solid cedar plank door.  She speculated as to how she would make it to the outhouse on rainy mornings and quickly decided that it was a small price to pay, to enjoy such a simple pleasant life.  The aroma of the freshly brewed coffee filled the air and she was ready for that first cup.  She was amazed how delicious the flavor of the coffee was, perked the old fashion way.  "I should remember to take this little pot back to Arizona with me at the end of summer.”  She muttered.

 Tamara spent the entire morning working in the yard.  She cut down all the small wild alders and raked years of the large fallen maple leaves into great piles.  She reminded herself to ask Glenn when and how she could safely burn leafs.

 After noon, as she swept the deck, she spotted Glenn wadding across the creek.  Glenn wore a green pair of rubber goulashes.  Quickly she leaned her broom against the cabin and hurried down the embankment to help Glenn cross the slippery rock bottom.  She held one of his arms and steadied his climb up the embankment.  Standing in the front yard Glenn stopped and glanced around, then turned to the cabin with a pleased expression.

 "Come on Grandpa---I'll make a fresh pot of coffee and we can sit in the turret and talk."

 "That sounds good, my dear.”  Glenn replied as he followed Tamara into the cabin and made himself comfortable at the hand made table.  Tamara busied herself with making the coffee.

 "Say, Grandpa.”  She stuck her head around the corner and looked into the turret, "how do I get water here…without a well…a pump…or even with out electricity?"

 Glenn sat taller in his chair and proudly explained, "Me and Wolf put in the water system.  We went halfway up the hill behind us…"  Glenn waved his arm to the west, "we built a small dam on Swarts Creek up the ravine.  Then…we piped the water down here.  All done by gravity."

 "My…how smart you and Wolf were.  I was shocked yesterday when I discovered I had hot water.  I found the pipe that goes through the firebox and to the tank behind the wood stove.  The water is heated when the stove has a fire in it, right?"

 Glenn smiled and nodded his head, "Yep."

 Tamara entered the turret with two steaming cups of fresh coffee.  After placing the cups down, she sat down across from Glenn.  As they sipped their coffee, she uttered, "Oh…I forgot.  I wanted to ask you about the Wolf pelt hanging on the wall over the bed.  Are there wolves in the Olympic Mountains?"

 "No…maybe one or two now a days.  The government put a bounty on the poor fellas and for years men came and shot them."

 Tamara's face wrinkled with disgust, "That's terrible…those mean men..."

 "No…Tamara, in those years sometimes a man had to do things he didn't like to do.  Killing wolves was the only way some men could earn any money to feed their families.  I have even had to kill a few my self…when times were rough.  I thought, back then, I was helping the government too."

 "Is that pelt in the bedroom one you killed Grandpa?"

 "Nope…that's the pelt I found on the ground the day I found my little Wolf."

 Tamara leaned forward and murmured, "Tell me about Wolf Grandpa.  He must have been a very special person."

 A sparkle came to Glenn's eyes as he began talking about Wolf.  "I was hunting for wolves…I think around 1915.  I crossed over Lena Ridge and down the west slop of Mount Skokomish to the Enchanted Valley.  I could hear the sounds of a wolf fighting far off in the distance…so I removed my rifle from my shoulder and headed towards the direction of the hullabaloo.”  Glenn paused for a moment and peered out the window as he collected his thoughts from so long ago.

 He looked back at Tamara and cleared his throat then continued, "I came into a clearing and saw a large Black Bear standing on his hind legs facing a large white Timber Wolf.  That wolf was backed up to a big old cedar tree and the bear was a swiping at that wolf with his claws.  Nevertheless, you know, the wolf would not move from that old tree.  I knew that big Black Bear would easily win the battle against a single wolf, so I raised my rifle and shot the bear.  It was dead before it hit the ground.  …Don't like to make animals suffer…don't like to have to kill them either.  Now a day…things are different and I'm glad.  I love all the animals.  Anyway, I pointed my gun at the wolf and, Tamara; I tell you …it was the largest and most dazzling wolf I had ever seen.  A light silver with black tipped fur and the most peculiar pale ice blue eyes.  That wolf, well, it just stood there and stared right back at me.”  Glenn stopped and wrung his furrowed hands.

 Tamara sat quietly, mesmerized by her Grandfather's exhilarating story.

 "Well, Tamara, I just couldn't pull that trigger.  I lowered my rifle and you know that wolf turned his back on me and began digging in front of a crack in the trunk of that cedar tree.  After it dug a bit, it backed away as though he wanted me to look where he had been digging.  When he had backed away…at a safe distance, I moved to the tree and looked inside the crack.  I couldn't believe my eyes, inside that old tree… right there, burrowed into a tight little ball…a wee little Indian boy about three or so.  And, that young feller was terrified.  I tried to get him to come out and he wouldn't budge.  I looked around the area for a small log I could use to pry open the crack.  Nothing worked.  Then I spotted a wolf's pelt…the one hanging over the bed now.  I think it must have belonged to the little guy's father…  You know, like a shoulder robe.  It had been all finished off around the edges…all sewed.  Anyway, I took it to the crack and showed it to the little fella.  In addition, you know…by golly…the moment he saw it, he squeezed right out of that crack and stood looking at the pelt.  I tell you, Tamara, he had the most beautiful big brown puppy dog eyes and long eyelashes."  Glenn shook his head back and forth, as though he was viewing the little Indian boy, for the first time.

 Tamara reached out and placed her hand on his.  She did not want Glenn to loose his thoughts with a lot of chattering questions and waited for him to continue.  "I wrapped the pelt around him and carried him home.  You know, that Timber Wolf followed me all the way back to Lena Ridge, before the wolf disappeared into the woods."

 Glenn nodded his head, thinking how even today his experience was a dream or fairy tale, "When I entered the house your Grandma Cala was so happy with my find.  She pulled open the fur, saw them two big brown eyes looking back at her, and said, “Oh…Glenn…someone for Jerry to play with’!  But, I told Cala he had a family probably from the Skokomish Reservation and that I would go there the next day and see if the tribe was missing anyone."

 Glenn leaned back and guffawed sadly, "Jerry, even back then…that kid…”  Glenn downheartedly shook his head, "Jerry pointed his finger at that little tike and ordered me to take him out of, HIS, house.  He kept yelling…'take it away…take it away…I don't want it!'"

 "Oh…that's terrible…”  Tamara murmured.

 "Yep…  The next morning I drove my Model T down to the reservation, the Skokomish…but they weren't missing anyone.  So, I took the little fella back home.  I didn't have any more ideas where to look.  He could have been a Macaw, a Quinault, or a member of another tribe that I was not familiar with.  And I didn't want to call the state.  I didn't trust what they'd do with him.  So….  I just plain decided to keep the little tike and if any tribe came a looking for him…well…  I'd turn him over.  I asked your Grandma what we should name him and ha, she wanted to call him Timothy.  Now, Tamara that just didn't settle well with me.  Who ever heard of an Indian named Timothy?  Nope…I named him after the Silver Timber Wolf who saved him from the bear.  Yep…I named him Wolf."

 Tamara gazed at her grandfather with pleading eyes, "Do you have any pictures of Wolf, Grandpa?"

 "Well…I use to.  I had a lot of pictures…some were really cute.  But, when Wolf died, someone broke into our home and stole all the photo albums.  Now…who you figure would go and do that…don't make no sense to me…took nothing but them pictures…hmmm."  Glenn hung his head in sorrow before he continued, "The only picture I know of … is hanging on a wall in the Loggers Landing Café…up in Brinnon.  Wolf is standing in front of an old steam donkey holding his double bladed ax in the picture."

 "Good!”  She exclaimed.  "How about me treating you to dinner tonight at the Logger's Landing?  I'll take my new Polaroid camera and take some pictures of Wolf for you and me."

***

 Later, as they drove towards the small town of Brinnon, Glenn sat in the passenger seat.  He was barely able to look over the dashboard.  He liked Tamara's red convertible and with the top down, he felt like a young man again.  Glenn reached across the seat and patted Tamara's arm, "I'm really happy you came up for the summer, Tamara.  This car of yours is really nice.  I like riding with the top down…sort of makes me feel like a kid again.”  Glenn chuckled.

Tamara smiled sweetly at her Grandfather as astonishing warmth spread over her.  She thought; how lucky she was to have this precious time with her Grandfather, for she realized there would come a day when her Grandfather would no longer be with her.  She murmured with a warm smile “I'm really happy I came here Grandpa…really happy…"

Chapter five

 Tamara parked in the rutted parking lot of the Logger's Landing Café.  She followed Glenn into the restaurant and glanced over the dinning area.  Hanging from the ceiling, turn of the century chain saws, handsaws and double bladed axes, proudly hanging on the walls.  Dozens of aged, framed, black and white pictures of old logging camps from around the Olympic Mountain range were displayed too.

 Glenn pointed to a picture of a man standing on a springboard that was inserted into a huge cedar tree.  "That's an old friend of mine, Sven.  He was killed while topping a Douglas fir…yep…he fell over one hundred feet to his death in 1928."

 Tamara shivered at the thought---a hundred foot fall---as she followed Glenn to the next photo.  He placed a quivering finger on a picture of a handsome young logger that stood in front of an old steam donkey.  The young man held a large double bladed axe.  Slowly Glenn ran his fingertip over the image and sadly said, "That's my Wolf…God rest his soul."

 Tamara leaned close to the picture to see a young Native American with black shoulder length hair.  He wore logging boots and his pant legs were cut off just below the top of his boots.  The young man was very handsome and had a glowing smile.  Tamara gazed closer at his image; it appeared he was smiling only at her.  "So…that's Wolf, the man who built my cabin with his bare hands?  He's really cute…Grandpa."

 "Yep.  That he was…had the silkiest long black hair I'd ever seen and oh them big coffee eyes…he could melt anyone's heart with them eyes."

 Tamara took four Polaroid pictures and laid them on the table to develop while they ordered dinner.

 When the pictures fully developed, she asked Glenn to pick the clearest picture for him-self.  He examined every photo before he picked the picture he wanted and placed it safely in his shirt pocket.

 After a shrimp platter supper, they returned home where Tamara dropped Glenn off and drove to her cabin.  She was tired after a full day, lit a candle, and went straight to her bedroom.  She removed a photo of Wolf from her purse and pinned it to the wall above the headboard next to the silver wolf pelt.  Then she undressed, slipped on her flannel pajamas and climbed into bed and snuggled in for a restful night sleep.

 Chapter Six

 In the morning, Tamara awoke, feeling a little strange as though she had had a mysterious dream or nightmare.  She could not remember what the dream was or if she actually had a dream.

 After brewing a pot of coffee, she carried the pot to Glenn's house.  She sat down and declared as she filled their cups, "I'm sorry to ask you so many questions about Wolf, but I have a need to know all that I can about him.  I can't explain why I feel this way…it's just that…well…how did Wolf die?"

 Glenn rubbed at his overnight stubble and uttered with sad eyes, "I don't believe the story they told me…Wolf just couldn't kill no one, especially a woman."  Glenn fell silent for a moment as he gazed over the old marred table top, then tightly pressed his lips together and mumbled low, "They hung Wolf from a maple tree at camp number three on Lena Ridge…"

 "Oh!  Oh my God, Grandpa!  I can't believe it…why, that's terrible!"  Her blue eyes flashed with pain and anger.

 "Yep---they closed Camp Three down after they hung poor Wolf.  The loggers felt a wolf's ghost haunted the camp then.  Your Uncle Jerry even moved away.  He thought the wolves were after him."

 Surprised, she uttered, "You mean Uncle Jerry was at the camp when they hung Wolf?  I don't understand---why didn't he stop them?"

 "Yep---he was there.  He told me he tried to stop them but they held him back while they hung Wolf."

 Glenn, stared blankly at Tamara, squeezed his hands into fists and yelled in a elevated voice, "I ran all the way up to Lena Ridge hoping Wolf was still alive..., when I entered the clearing and saw him hanging from the tree---I knew it was too late.  His poor body hung as limp as his long black hair.  I knelt at his feet and cried, and then I cut Wolf down and buried him where no one would ever find his body."

 Glenn reached out and squeezed Tamara's hand as he gazed into her eyes and made a plea, "When I die…I want to be buried with Wolf.  I've written down the location in my Bible.  Tamara…..could you please do this for your Grandpa? There's no one else I can trust."

 "I will, Grandpa.  I promise---but that won't be for a long…long time.

 “Please, tell me more about Wolf." she pleaded.  Glenn leaned back in the chair took a sip of coffee and continued.  "Well…I remember times when your Grandma would make cakes---she always made the batter in a big bowl and used a spatula for mixing.  Jerry and Wolf would sit at this very table and wait for the extra batter.  Cala always left extra batter in the bowl and always gave the bowl to Jerry.  Jerry would wipe that batter from the bowl with his fingers.  Wolf, he always got the spatula…after…Cala cleaned off the extra batter in the bowl.  Wolf loved his spatula and he would always lick that wooden spatula real slow…savoring every last speck of batter.  Huh…Jerry was different…  He'd always finish his first and complained that Wolf had more than he did.  You’re Grandma," He paused and swayed his head in bewilderment, "she'd take Wolf's spatula away before he was finished and give it to Jerry.  But, you know, Wolf never did complain…nope...not once."

 "Ah…yes… One day I bought a little blue rowboat for the kids.  Sat it on the ground, right out there," Glenn swung his arm and pointed to a grassy knoll next to the creek.  "I told the kids I had a surprise for them outside.  They beat feet over to that little blue boat and Jerry climbed right inside the boat and pushed Wolf away.  He told Wolf he didn't belong here and it was his Dad that bought the boat for HIM.  Wolf put his little arms around my leg and held on tight as Cala told me, Wolf was too young for a boat but Jerry might let him ride with him---if he was a good boy."  He moved his head from side to side.  "Wolf never did ride in that little blue boat."  Glenn fell silent and Tamara felt so sorry for the little Indian boy.

 After a minute Glenn continued, "When Jerry started school Cala cleaned the auto camp cabins and did the laundry.  I'd keep Wolf with me at the tackle store and gas pump.  Wolf loved all the wooden fishing lures and loved to hear stories about the rumrunners, from back in the old days."

 Glenn rested his head on his hands propped-up with his elbows on the table and smiled at Tamara.  "One day, my friend Sven came for gas, so I told Wolf to fill his tank.  Huh!  That boy… He must have been watching me real close what I'd been doing, cause... Wolf just climbed right up on Sven's hood and removed the gas cap.  Then he got down and pumped the fuel up into the glass container on the top of the gas pump.  He manhandled the nozzle, climbed right back up on Sven's hood, put the nozzle in the tank and pulled the trigger and filled the tank.  When he finished, he stood there rubbing his hands together.  "Glenn smiled, "And you know, he looked real proud when I told him he was my number one man."  Glenn fell silent again.

 "Grandpa?"

 "Yep?"

 "Do tell me more…please."

 "You're funny Tamara; these old stories of Wolf can't be all that interesting."  Glenn beamed at his lovely Granddaughter, thinking she was showing interest in his stories only out of kindness.  Tamara pleaded, "Oh…no…I think your stories are wonderful, I want to write them in my journal.  I want to know more about the little Indian boy.  He sounds so cute.”  Tamara giggled.

 "Well…let me see…”  Glenn thought for a moment, then with a big grin.  "By golly…this one might interest you.  Wolf and I would often walk to the Beacon Point Café for lunch.  We always sat at the lunch counter.  That little tike sat on the stool right next to me, his big brown eyes no higher than the counter top."  Glenn chuckled; "Wolf would pound one of his little fists on the counter top and say, 'I want a humbugger!'  In addition, that waitress would smile very sweet at the little feller and say, “Why yes, sir…coming right up."

 Tamara envisioned the little Wolf sitting at the counter and demanding his 'humbugger'.

 "When did Wolf start building the log cabin?"  She asked as she rose from the table and refilled their coffee cups.

 "When Wolf was thirteen I gave him this lot.  Jerry was in the Boy Scouts and Cala and he were always traveling together to Jamborees and stuff.  Cala said we couldn't afford to send two boys to camp but, Wolf, he didn't mind."  Glenn mused over in his mind, remembering Wolf, “Wolf would spend hours and hours cleaning and clearing his property.  The first thing he built was the outhouse.  I was amazed how he could build things from logs so easily.  He just plain had a natural knack for building things from the woods.  Jerry was real mad that I gave Wolf a lot, so I gave Jerry his own lot---on the water---the salt water.  Nevertheless, he wasn't happy with it.  He wanted Wolf's and I flat told him no.  He could build a cabin on his lot, but Jerry didn't like getting splinters in his hands.  He walked away from me one day muttering that he'd rather pay someone else to build his cabin.  When Jerry graduated from school, he left home to make the 'big bucks' and Wolf spent the next four years building his cabin.  Wolf also helped me out with the tackle shop and the gas pump.”

 Glenn reached for his coffee then sipped the cup while his eyes wandered around the room Wolf had built and collected his thoughts from long ago.

 Tamara sat quietly and waited for Glenn to continue.  Glenn, cleared his throat and glanced at Tamara, “When the Timber Company began to log Lena Ridge, Wolf went to work for them.  He just loved working in the woods.  My friend Sven took him under his wing and taught him all he knew about fallen trees.  The company built a logging camp on top of Lena Ridge, so Wolf stayed there during the week and spent the weekends at this cabin."

 Tamara smiled pleasantly and nodded her head.  "I can tell Wolf loved this cabin by the way he built it.  You can see how he worked each log perfectly into place."

 "Yep---he really did.  Jerry always said that Wolf got whatever he wanted because he had big brown eyes.  But, Wolf, he always, worked hard for what he had and always with his hands.  Anyhow---in the winter of 1935, Jerry came home; he had lost everything…something to do with the stock market.  So, Wolf, he talked with his foreman and got Jerry a job at the Timber Company as a cook's assistant.  I tell you…Jerry was very upset that Wolf earned more money than he did.  Jerry spent his weekends at the camp getting drunk with his new logger friends.  Sometime they'd go to Eldon and buy themselves some ladies for the night."

 "What?”  Tamara jounced her head and expressed disgust.  "Grandpa!  Are you telling me that that little place next to the Hama Hama was a whore house?"  Her face immediately turned a bright red as she covered her mouth; the she peered at him and muttered, "I'm sorry.  I mean a house of ill-repute."

 Glenn chuckled and hit the table with a hand.  "I've heard it all, already.  Can't burn these old ears.  But, yep…you're right.  It was a well known one around back then…a post office during the day and a house of strumpets at night."  Glenn chuckled.  "The story I heard was Jerry hired a young lady---one of them harlots, to come to their camp and entertain the men.  They were all drinking…'cept for Wolf…he never drank.  Anyway, they were all taking turns with that lady in the backroom.  Jerry said when Wolf took his turn---he murdered the girl.  The loggers were so mad that they hung him up like an animal!  Right then and there!"  He paused as his eyes filled with tears.  "I just can't believe Wolf would have done that.  He was never interested in women like that.  Whenever ladies came into the store---Wolf always treated them respectfully…always."  Glenn hung his head and closed his eyes.

 Chapter Seven

 Weeks flew by as Tamara kept herself busy cleaning and working around the cabin.  She carved out a flat spot on the log above her headboard, placed the picture of Wolf in it, and decomposed it in.  The photo, resin in, should last forever in the log.  The she wrote on the photo, The cabin Wolf built in 1926.  She also placed copies of the photo on the walls in the living room and the turret room.  Tamara was becoming obsessed with the haunting picture of the handsome young man in the picture.  In a strange way, she gradually began to feel a burning desire to know Wolf better.  Her heart broke as she ran her small hands over the smooth dark logs, knowing that Wolf's hands had once felt the same logs, so many years ago.

 Staring at herself in the mirror one day, she shouted, "Oh my God---Tamara!  I’m falling in love with a ghost."  She looked at a picture of Wolf and decided she had to go to Lena Ridge, to see where Wolf died.  Her emotions boiled and she now wondered if she was perhaps, going insane.  She must make the trip to Lena Ridge, she told herself as she walked to Glenn’s house.  She told him of her plans to go to Lena Ridge and asked if he could draw a map.

 Glenn warned Tamara to watch out for the bears and wolves.  He told her he heard a wolf howling in the direction of the ridge just the night before.  However, she convinced him she had to go.  Map or no map, she WOULD find the old logging camp on the ridge.  She told Glenn she figured---if by following the old skidder road up the Olympics---she would eventually find the old camp number three at Lena Ridge.  Glenn reluctantly made her a map and told her if she did get lost---just keep walking down hill to the east and she would, come out on Highway 101 and would find her way home from there.

 The next morning, after a fitful night, Tamara hiked up the deficient over grown skidder road by first light.  She found the remnants of the old road behind the cabin and according to her map; she knew it lead into the heart of the Olympic Mountains.  As she continued up the mountain, she wondered how many times, Wolf had traveled over that very same road.

 Hours passed before Tamara finally came to the first clearing.  At once, she began searching around the meadow and found a large broken rusted pulley half buried under the sod.  She glanced at her map and determined she was standing in the lower Lena Ridge Camp number two.  According to the map Glenn drew, at the top of the next mountain, would be Lena Ridge camp number three.

 As she walked along pushing small trees and brush aside, she felt she was being followed.  So she moved on cautiously and when she passed an old tree stump that had been ripped open by a bear, she shivered with fright.  However, she kept hiking up in a westerly direction through washed out areas of the original skidder road; climbing higher and higher up the sweet smelling Olympic Mountainside.

 She heard a movement behind her and turned to see what was following.  She sat down on a fallen log that crossed the old road and stared back down the hill through the dense underbrush.  She heard her heart pounding wildly and remained very quiet.  Moments passed before she detected more movement coming up the skidder road.  She sprang to her feet and ran towards the clearing ahead.  She pushed over alders and brush as she frantically ran toward the light of the next clearing.  Somehow, she felt she would be safe once she reached the wide-open clearing.

 Suddenly Tamara broke through the underbrush and into the clearing.  She franticly ran to a single large maple tree that grew in the middle of the clearing.  She thought if she climbed the tree, she would be safe from whatever followed her.  She stood motionless behind the tree and peered back at the old skidder road.  Minutes passed before she realized her mind had played tricks on her, released a long pent-up breath, and began to search around the clearing. 

 The entire clearing of Lena Ridge camp number three, was blanketed with thousands of wild flowers and tall native ornamental grasses.  Ferns swayed musically back and forth in the warm caressing breeze while a multitude of tawny and indigo butterflies fluttered about aimlessly.  She breathed in deeply the awe inspiring fresh air and hugged herself as she spun around in a circle.  "Oh, this is surely heaven!”  She said in a dreamy voice.

 Immediately, she felt completely at ease and searched further around the clearing for any signs of the old logging camp.  She discovered some old sun-bleached boards laying on the ground and an old rusty potbelly stove.  She gazed at the old stove and wondered if it would still work today or perhaps it was too rusted.  Anyway, she smiled and thought the little stove to be quite attractive and interesting.

 She turned her attention back to the gnarled old maple tree.  She noticed a large branch that grew weirdly straight out of its side, twenty feet up from its trunk.  She quickly realized she now stood where the bunkhouse had been---where the girl had died and the big old maple tree was where the loggers hung Wolf.

 Tamara slowly walked towards the tree, stood under the large branch, and gazed up.  Her long red hair whisked casually around with the warm breeze, as her saddens eyes wept and a single tear fell to the ground.

 Her vision impaired, she walked across the vast clearing to the edge of the ridge.  She wanted to see how high Lean Ridge was above the creek far below.  She inched her way closer to the edge for a better view, the ground beneath her feet began to move.  Before she stepped back, the embankment broke free and sent her over the cliff.  Franticly, she grabbed for anything to hold as rocks fell around her and tumbled down the high shier cliff and out of sight.

 She now found herself hanging to a root wad with one hand and a loose rock with her fingertips of the other.  Her hands were about a foot below the top edge of the cliff and her legs dangled uselessly in mid air.  She realized once the rock came loose, the small root in her other hand, would not be able to hold her weight.  She franticly searched for something else to hold, but all she saw was the rocky creek bed, a thousand feet below.  She looked to the top of the cliff and cried out.  "Oh God---I'm going to die!"

 A large silver Timber Wolf appeared at the top of the cliff and peered down with icy blue eyes.  Miraculously the Wolf turned then sat on the edge of the cliff and dangled its long tail over the cliff.  The wolf let its tail lay next to her hand.  Tamara stared unbelievably at the tail and tried to gather her thoughts.  This is impossible, she mused, its just impossible.  Her voice cracked and stuttered as she incoherently muttered to the Wolf, "Do…you…want…me…to grab your tail mister Wolf?  I…'m…too heavy…  We'll both end up over the edge… To our death” The Wolf lifted its tail then laid it down on top of her hand.  Tamara realized she must let go of the rock, so she let go and quickly grabbed the tail by one hand and applied the bulk of her weight on the small root.  Instantly the root pulled free and she grabbed the tail with both hands.  Struggling, the Wolf began moving away from the edge, as it dug its long claws into the firm ground.  It pulled and trudged with all its might.  She saw the muscles on his hind legs flexing as the wolf slowly raised her closer and closer to the top.  When her waist became even with the cliff's edge---she let go of the Wolf's tail and grabbed for the tall grasses.  Tediously she pulled herself up and onto the safety of the clearing.  Tamara tried to stand but languidly slipped into unconsciousness and collapsed to the ground.  She now lay next to the exhausted wolf.

Chapter Eight

 Sluggishly Tamara awoke and rubbed her aching arms.  She hastily glanced around for the timber wolf.  The wolf was gone.  A man sat silently under the old gnarled maple tree.  She rubbed at her eyes and noticed the man was a Native American with long shinny raven black hair.  He looked to be in his early twenty’s and wore logger's clothing.  He looked exactly like the picture of Wolf that hung on her wall.  The handsome young man smiled pleasantly at Tamara.

 "This can't be happening to me!"  She said to herself as she felt about her arms and legs and yelled, "I'm not dead!  You're Wolf---you're dead!  What's happening?  Where's the wolf that saved me?  Where'd he go?"  She spun around and looked toward the cliff; she could see the disturbed area where the wolf dragged her up.  “So...that must have really happened.”  She murmured.”

 She glanced back over her shoulder at the man under the maple tree.  He slowly rose to his feet.  Tamara marched up to him stopped a few feet short and stared up into his large puppy dog brown eyes.  The man continued to smile down at her.

 Tamara began to brandish her head from side to side.  "Oh no---you're dead…"  She muttered, "You've been dead for over twenty-eight years.  Why are you still a young man?  Are you Wolf?  No---you must be a relative---a look a like----this is a trick----a trick on me---shame on you!"  She stomped her foot and waited for a reply, but the man remained silent.

She moved closer and held a finger to his broad chest.  Her hand began to quiver, she pointed her finger at him and yelled, “Now listen here Mister---this isn't funny anymore!”  Instantaneously she pulled her hand back, afraid to touch him and stood back in disbelief.  Then she sat on the ground, covered her head with her arms, and began quickly counting one through ten repeatedly.  When she peeked through her arms, the vision had knelt before her.  "Okay---okay!  You win!  Just kill me fast!"  She screamed, but he simply gazed deeply into her blue eyes, before he spoke in a manly voice, “I mean you no harm lovely lady.  I helped you and I was just hoping that maybe you could return the favor."  She uttered, “Was that your wolf that saved me?"  The virile man grinned, “You could say he is my guardian angel.  He lets me use his body when I need it."

 "Then… you are… a ghost---a real live ghost." 

 The man laughed and shook his head smoothly, "No.  I am a real dead person.  When one is dead---they are dead.  Still all and all, my sprit is alive and well.  Two things can never die lovely lady, your spirit, and true love."  She sat speechless, "I've been waiting---for a long time---for your Grandfather.  Now, you came along and I have to wait for you.  It's just not fair."

 Tamara’s eyes grew as large as watermelons, "You mean you can tell how I feel about you?"  Tamara felt her heart flip and her body quiver, "We've… never met…"  The man seriously replied, "Oh but we have lovely lady---in your dreams, always…in your dreams."

 Tamara covered her bashful face with her hands and peeked through her fingers, the timber wolf now stood there.  His cool nose touched hers and his ice blue eyes watched her every move.  Then the wolf licked her cheek then moved to the maple tree where it laid down and kept a fixed eye on her.  Tamara slowly rose to her feet and muttered, "I must have been dreaming… but it felt so real."  She nervously moved towards the large wolf, then knelt down in front of him and held the back of one hand to its black nose.  The wolf smelled her hand and immediately pushed the side of his snout against her hand.  She buried her long fingernails into the wolf’s thick fur and began to scratch his neck.  "Thank you, big fella, for saving my life.  I truly owe you one."

 Tamara stood and began walking backwards toward the skidder road.  When she reached the road, she turned and walked away, as the wolf stood and began to follow.  All the way down the skidder road, the wolf followed from a distance.  When she reached the cabin, she opened the door and the wolf ran through the open door.  It went directly to the stone fireplace and lay down, appearing quite contented to be there.

 Tamara quickly lit the kerosene lantern and set down next to the wolf.  She brushed her fingers through the thick fur on its back.  Suddenly a knock on the back door.  Glenn called out in a fragile voice, "Is that you Tamara?  Are you alright?"

 "Yes Grandpa---come in but be careful I have a friend in here."

 Glenn cautiously opened the door and stood in the doorway.  The wolf immediately sprang to its feet, with ears tipped forward and walked to the kitchen.  Tears formed in his eyes when he saw the wolf and held out his hand to the wolf, "That's the same timber wolf that saved Wolf from the bear---how is this possible?  Where'd you find him?"

  Tamara followed the wolf into the kitchen, “Grandpa, you'd better sit down and let me make us a pot of coffee.  You're going to need some coffee when you hear what I have to say."

 She told Glenn what happened on Lena Ridge---she left out the part about Wolf’s ghost under the maple tree.  She had convinced herself during the trip down the mountain she had experienced only a wishful fantasy.

 After she finished telling her story, Glenn put his arms around the wolf’s neck.  He looked at her with questioning eyes and asked, "Do you think this wolf can come to my house for the night?"  Tamara giggled.  "Grandpa that wolf can go anywhere he wants.  Who's going to stop him?"

 Glenn grinned, "Yep…suppose that's the truth."  Then he stood from the wolf and began backing out the door as the wolf, stood up and followed.  Excited Glenn bid Tamara a quick goodnight and with the wolf at his side, softly closed the door until the latch made a click.

 Tamara pulled the coffee pot of the stove until morning.  Exhausted she wrote the days events in her journal then extinguished the lantern and went to the bedroom to undress.  Before she climbed into bed, she looked at the picture of Wolf and wished him a goodnight, as she through him a kiss.

 The silver moon glittered through the large maple tree leaves and into the bedroom.  Tamara rolled away from the moon glow, to the sounds of the Swarts Creek waterfall.  Unable to sleep, she lay on her back and gazed out the glass paned patio door.  Then she heard the low squeaking sound of the little glass paned door as it slowly opened.

 She recognized Wolf at once.  She was not afraid.  He stood tall and motionless in the doorway with the moon at his back, which filtered through his hair.  At a leisurely pace, Wolf moved slowly into the room and with eyes fixed on her; he removed his clothing, one item at a time.  Then he gradually walked to the side of her bed and pulled the covers down.  Tamara’s milky white body exposed to the shimmering moonbeams.  Casually he reached out and began, benevolently, tracing one finger down the side of her face and over her quivering lips.  She was speechless, as she stared mesmerized into Wolf’s large chestnut eyes.

 Ever so gently, he eased himself onto the bed and lay beside her.  He nestled his body to hers and began to feel her warm body with his long finger.  She willed one of her hands to move at a leisurely pace, over his muscular arms, down his firm bronzed side and onto his thighs.  Little moans escaped her lips while her body trembled under his passionate finger roaming over her virgin flesh.  Wolf lowered his face to hers and their slightly parted mouths met tenderly, touching, and probing one another's starving lips before they locked together.  Their sweltering bodies melt together as he easily parted her legs with his and sheltered her body.  He gently pressed his body to hers, which caused little meowing sounds to flutter from her lips, changing soon to deep wonton moans.  Her hips stirred and her toes curled.  Tamara tightly grasped the back of Wolf’s head and willed him deeper and deeper…

***

Tamara opened her weary blue eyes to the morning sun.  She abruptly, noticed her flushed bare body lying uncovered on top the bed.  The sheets and blankets were in disarray and her legs lay lewdly parted.  She quickly rose from bed and slipped on a dark green terry cloth robe.  She tied it tightly around her waist as she hurried, shamefully, from the bedroom to the kitchen.

Chapter Nine

 Tamara placed kindling in the wood stove and started the morning fire.  While she waited for the stove to heat, she sat in the turret and watched as a brown and tan chipmunk scurried from tree to tree.  On the skidder road, a deer with a young fawn grazed peacefully together.

 She thought to herself that living in her cabin was like living in heaven.  Then she wondered how she could possibly live in her little log cabin permanently.  Sadly, She moved her head of tangled red hair from side to side and wished she had known her Grandfather better years ago.

 She glanced at the wall, stared at the picture of Wolf smiling down at her, and wished it was still 1932---and she was making coffee for the handsome Native American logger with the big brown puppy dog eyes.

 To clear her mind of Wolf, she turned on her portable radio and searched for a station with clear reception.  Ultimately, she found KJR---Seattle---channel 95 and it was playing; Born Too Late.  She glanced back out the window, thought of Wolf again, and began to cry.  The resonance of coffee perking over onto the stovetop, stirred her from her deep and sorrowful trance.

 Tamara carefully carried her pot of fresh steaming coffee across the creek Glenn's house.  She stepped onto the rickety wooden porch and moved tentatively towards the door.  Peering in through the door glass window, Glenn sat in his rocking chair, his graying head bowed.  Beside him sat the fury timber wolf, with its large head resting on his lap.  She watched for a brief moment while Glenn rubbed affectionately over the wolf's head with a gentle hand.

 Smiling charmingly, she reached up and tapped delicately on the glass pain before she entered.  After pouring their morning coffee, she sat next to Glenn and smiled then wished him a good morning.  She handed him his cup as she kept a guarded eye on the wolf.  The wolf watched her every move through his ice blue eyes.

 Tamara asked, "Did you let the wolf outside last night?"

 Glenn shook his head, "Nope, he slept inside all night…right next to my bed on the floor.  Why?"

 Tamara, looked at the wolf with lowered brows, "Oh I just had a dream last night.  I thought I heard something on my deck…it was probably a raccoon wandering around looking for food.”

 Glenn reached out and patted her hand, "I'm so glad you weren't injured yesterday, young lady.  I'm so happy you're here and you know…watching you work so hard on your property makes me…well…I think…I'll do a little yard work myself.  It's been a long time due."

 "That's great Grandpa.  If you want any help just let me know."

 Glenn nodded his head and replied, "Yep!  I just might do that, I do need my exercise though."

 She smiled at his exercise comment and informed him of her plans for today, "Today, I think I'll go to the old log dumping dock in the cove.  I think I need to get in a little sunbathing.  I noticed my skin this morning seemed awfully white."

 Glenn chuckled, "That's cause you're a redhead.  The only thing the sun is going to do for you---is bring out all those charming freckles.  You be careful you don't get a good burning.  It sounds fine though…you've been working since you got here.  Time to relax a little.  Don't forget to take a blanket now…you'll get splinters from that old dock."

 Tamara laughed at her grandfather's prattling as she stood; "I'll mind your words, Grandpa."  Then she kissed him tenderly on the forehead and walked to the door.  All the while, the wolf followed her with his enigmatic permafrost blue eyes.

 "Could you leave the door open?  Just incase our friend here needs to take a walk.”  He reached out and patted the wolf tenderly on the head.

 "Hmmm.  That's a good idea.  That I'll do…bye bye."

 "Bye.  Have a good time and mind that sun now."

 Tamara left the door open and returned to her cabin.  She changed into her bathing suit, grabbed a blanket and strolled down the driveway then carefully crossed highway 101.  She followed the narrow path that led to the cove and stepped prudently out onto the thick timbered pier that extended one hundred feet out into the water of Triton Cove.  She laid out her blanket at the end of the pier.  Dressed in her bathing suit, she laid on the blanket and fondly gazed out over the cove towards the old auto camp.  There were a few old cabins that still stood on the shore.  The antiquated tackle store, where Wolf worked with Glenn still remained.  She visualized Wolf as a small child as he crawled up the hood of Sven’s old truck and filled the gas tank, while Glenn and Sven proudly watched the little boy do his work.

 She turned on her stomach and stared out over the dazzling waters of Hood Canal while the brilliant sun gradually warmed her body.  She pondered in her mind as she watched graceful white capped waves progress across the water.  Had Wolf ever rowed a boat out into the middle of the enchanting sapphire canal?  Her eyes grew tired.

 Tamara felt two large hands massaging the back of her shoulders, startled, she rolled to her back to come face to face with Wolf.  His long hair flowed down to her breasts.  His large chestnut brown eyes gazed ardently into hers while he leisurely intertwined his long dark fingers with hers.  Casually he lowered his smooth lips to hers as a tiny murmur escaped Tamara.

 Wolf released one of her hands, their lips mutually joined and their tongues taunted hotly the interior of each other's mouth.  He freely pulled down the front of her swimsuit, which exposed her rosebud nipples to his bronzed chest.  She slid her free hand to the small of his powerful back and pulled him eagerly to her.  She closed her eyes and plunged into the pleasurable moment of lustful bliss.

 Abruptly Tamara opened her eyes to the screeching sound of a hungry seagull that flew gracefully overhead.  She quickly sat up and found her breasts exposed.  Quickly, with trembling hands, she pulled up her top and glanced instantly along the shoreline.  She hoped she had not been seen.

 Tramping in a huff to her cabin, she muttered, "I can't take this much longer.  He is driving me crazy.  How can I be in love with a ghost…a spirit…whatever?  He is dead...  Dammit…Tamara…he's dead!"

 She flung open the door and stomped into the cabin.  She threw her blanket on the floor, and then marched up to Wolf’s picture.  She pointed her finger at the photo and angrily said, "If you don't knock this off Mister…I'm going to leave!  I mean it!"  Then with lowered brows and tightly pressed lips, she placed one hand on each side of the picture frame.  She leaned closer to the photo of Wolf, her face softened, "The least you could do Mister…is finish what you start.

 She wrinkled her nose at the photo then quickly dressed.  She started her car and drove right to Glenn’s house.  She told him she was driving to Brinnon to the Loggers Landing and she wanted to---maybe make a friend---hopefully, a nice young man.  Glenn smiled as he nodded his head and wondered what happened on the dock to get his little redhead Granddaughter in such a snit.

 As she sped north towards the diminutive town of Brinnon with the top down on her car, she let her long red hair flutter freely in the warm summer wind.  The sound of the cars exhaust, muffled by the thickly tree lined highway, made her feel invincible as she traveled freely along the narrow winding road.  Soon she reached her destination, slowed her car, and turned into the rutted dirt parking lot.  For a moment, she sat in the car and gazed at the Loggers Landing, the old building looked different during the daylight hours.  It was half-falling down and covered in weathered old barn planking.  She wondered just how much longer that old building would last.

 Tamara ordered their chicken special and a coke.  She noticed two young men watched her from the far end of the room.  She could tell they were loggers by the clothing they wore.  One man stood from his table and sauntered towards her, poking small holes in the wood floor with his corked boots.

 Assuredly, the young man stood next to her table, ginned with snow-white teeth, and said, "Hi, my name is Sam.  Haven't seen you around here before…you a tourist?"  The tall blond man let his blue eyes tread over her body freely.

 She smiled at the nice young man and replied, "No.  I live at Triton Cove on the Mason Jefferson line.  At least for the summer."

 "Great.  I'm very glad to meet you.  You know…I was going to bid on some property down your way.  Do you live anywhere near the old auto camp?"

 "Yes, my Grandfather used to own it.  I live across the highway in a log cabin on Swarts Creek.  Oh…by the way, my name is Tamara.  I'm glad to meet you too, Sam."

 "The feeling is mutual.  There's a section of timber up on Lena Ridge I want to log.  Have you ever been up there?"

 "Why yes.  In fact, I was just up there yesterday.  My Grandfather made me a map."  She enthusiastically replied.

 "Well…I'll be darn.  I can't believe my luck Tamara.  You know loggers around here won't even bid on that section…they say it's haunted by a timber wolf…isn't that a gas?  I can buy that claim for fifty cents a thousand…just because of some old superstition."  Sam put his hands on the tabletop and gave Tamara a friendly wink.

 Her heart skipped a beat at the handsome young man and uttered shyly, "I can take you to Lena Ridge, Sam.  Just let me know when you want to go."

 "Hmmm…fantastic, you’re a hot chick, how's about next Wednesday... at nine in the morning?  It'll be a fun day…I promise you."

 Tamara nodded her head ardently and beamed at Sam’s hot chick remark.

 Abruptly Sam stood back from the table and displayed his perfect white teeth again.  He gleamed, somewhat arcane, into her cheerful blue eyes.  Sam reached up smartly and snapped his red suspenders against his chest with his thumbs.  "I'll get out of here now and let you eat in peace.  Anyway, my brothers are waiting for me outside in my truck.  I'll see you next Wednesday at nine o’clock sharp."

 Tamara smiled and simply nodded her head as Sam backed out the door.  He peered back at her with a sheepish grin.  Then he turned away as Tamara gave him a small finger wave.  She watched as Sam and his brothers drove away in Sam’s new black pickup truck.  The truck had numerous orange and yellow chainsaws piled in the box.

 On her way home, she was pleasantly excited and in a hurry to tell Glenn all about the nice young logger friend, she just met.  In addition, excited to write about Sam in her journal.

Chapter Eleven

 That evening, Tamara went to bed early.  She lay for a long time gazing at the log walls, as the moon's glow illuminated them through the patio door.  She mulled over thoughts of Sam and there up coming meeting for the following week.  In minutes, she drifted into a profound sleep.

 Later, her eyes quickly opened and she lay very still and listened closely.  The noise came from another part of the cabin.  It sounded as though someone was walking around the cabin.  She remained quite and still, as she tried to distinguish the sounds.  Then another sound from the patio and a scratching noise, as though someone was trying to open the door.  Someone was watching her she thought; maybe Wolf was here and couldn’t open the door.

 Determined, she sucked in a deep breath, rose straight up in bed, and peered directly at the patio door.  There was nothing, nothing but the morning sun filtering through the window.  However, the noises continued, so she eased her feet off the bed and stood up while she keep a guarded eye on the door and moved her eye downward to the bottom panes.  Tamara giggled at the little raccoon bandit, as it scratched at the bottom of the door.  With a smile on her face, she left the room.

 While she sat in the turret and waited for the coffee to perk, she glanced up at Wolf's picture and snickered, "What's the matter, Mister?  You didn't pay me a visit last night…How come?"

 She leaned her head back, peered up at Wolf’s photo again, while she combed her fingers through her long hair, and muttered, "Afraid of a little competition…Mister?  Are you afraid of Sam, a real person?"  Then she giggled, “Are you a raccoon now, mister smarty pants?”

***

 The week passed by quickly.  Spending time with Glenn in the mornings, working in her yard during the day, while Glenn worked cleaning his yard.  She planted pink carnations in the flower box Wolf built on the outhouse wall.  Glenn painted a little two-story birdhouse he had built years ago, that sat nestled in the middle of his, now weeded, large flower garden.  The timber Wolf could always be seen lying close by in the area that Glenn worked.  The wolf was contented under a shade tree next to the creek where he could also keep watch on her, while she toiled in her own yard.  Tamara wanted to make a good impression to her new logger friend.

 The evening before her meeting with Sam, Tamara laid in bed and tried to visualize Sam standing at the foot of her bed.  He would gaze down on her with his lovely blue eyes.  But the vision of Wolf standing there was over whelming and she yelled out, "Not fair!  Not fair, at all Wolf!  You're dead---Sam is not!  Please, Wolf---leave me alone."  Angrily she flopped on her stomach and covered her head with the pillow, then eventually fell into a restless nights asleep.

  The big day with Sam was here and Tamara was up at first light, sat in the turret, and anxiously waited for him.  Nine o'clock came and went, and then nine thirty passed.  She started to think Sam was not coming.  At nine forty-five, Sam’s shinny black pickup truck sped up the driveway. 

 Sam glanced at the logs of the log cabin, as he jumped from his truck and left the keys in the ignition.  The moment Sam spotted Tamara walking his way with a smile; he began, haphazardly, apologizing for being so late.  He claimed he encountered a problem with his Dosewalip crew.  Then he smiled, "Better late, than never.  Right?”

 Tamara accepted his apology then showed him around her beautiful little cabin.  He followed her around the property, but he never showed any interest in anything.  Tamara felt Sam was not impressed, probably because he worked with logs all the time.  He acted as if he was in a hurry, so she cut the tour short when Sam abruptly told her he was running late.  They needed to get started for the trip to Lena Ridge and for her to lead the way.

  As they wandered up the skidder road, Tamara felt a strange uneasiness, like she was being watched again.  She was not frightened like the last time she walked this way.  No, this time she had a strong logger friend to protect her and she felt safe.  When they reached the clearing at the Lower Lena, Tamara suddenly stopped and Sam accidently bumped into her.  The protruding bulge pushed against her butt and she quickly started walking faster.  Tamara become nervous now and could feel Sam's hungry eyes as they starred at her butt.

 At noon, the young couple stood in the lovely wild flower covered Lena Ridge.  Tamara wrapped her arms around herself, turned around gracefully and murmured, "Well here we are Sam.  Isn't this the most beautiful place on earth?"

 Sam snickered with an evil grin, "It sure is.  It's a perfect place to eat beaver!"

 Sam grabbed Tamara’s breast, he squeezed hard, then licked his lips and said.  "You're going to get a mouth full of me right under that big old maple tree!"

 Instantly, she shoved him backwards and yelled.  "What are you doing Sam?”  I've never had sex and I'm not interest in you that way.  How dare you bring me up here under false pretenses?"  Then Tamara stomped her foot and lowered her brows.

 Sam's eyes protruded out and his face became fiery red.  "Listen mutton head…you let me know you wanted me back at the restaurant the other day.  You are just miffed because I did not oblige you at the time.  Now…I'm ready and I don't give a shit whether you've done it before or not.  After all, you invited me up here.  So…bitch…I'm Cuming in you today!"

 Tamara's eyes filled with fear and she quickly looked for an escape.  Sam immediately reached out and grabbed her arms and forcibly held them to her sides, to keep her from running away, "Hey, hey…there bitch.  You're not going any place.  You might as well get undressed right now.  There is no way you can out run me in the woods; I grew up in the woods.  If I have to I'll run you down---I'll ruff up that pretty little face before I dive unrelenting into your untouched beaver too!"  He Leaned close to her terrified face and murmured low, "Got that bitch?"  Then Sam momentarily released his tight grip.

 Tamara instantly ran to her left then dodged back to her right and ran around Sam toward the safety of the skidder road.

 Sam stood for a moment and shook his head side to side, "I guess you want it rough” He chuckled repulsively then mumbled again, "really rough."  As fast as a fleeing dear, Sam chased after Tamara.  She ran back and forth between the alders as they slapped hard against her arms and face, as she franticly ran down the road.

 Sam ran violently, straight through the alders pushing them effortlessly down as he cussed words at her.  Halfway down the old skidder road to camp number two, he caught her by the hair and violently threw her into a moss-covered stump.  She quickly curled into a ball and clamped her knees tightly against her chest.  Tears streamed from her terrified blue eyes as her body shivered uncontrollably.

 Standing over her, Sam immediately kicked off his boots and socks, then his pants and shirt and threw them at her.  Then he reached down at his sides and pulled off his soiled T-shirt, yellowed under the armpits.  He peered at her through his silted eyelids and banefully rubbed his penis though his underwear, while he ran his thick white-coated tongue over his lips.  Bending, he slid his under shorts down and kicked them aside.  He took his enlarged penis in his hand and laid it out on the palm of his other.  As though Sam was stroking a weasel, he stroked the top of his hideous penis with his free hand.  "Now, bitch, I'm not telling you twice…get your damn clothes off!  Spread your legs---I'm ready to do some beaver diving---right now!"

 Tamara trembled as tears streamed down her face.  She tried to will herself to disappear into the rotted stump behind her.  Sam continued to stroke the top of his penis, making his penis rapidly grew then turn a horrid dark shade of purple.  His eyes protruded banefully from his twisted perverted face while he moved closer to her.  Then laid his now hard penis on the top of her head and muttered in a heinous voice, "You know you want this bitch."  All the while he continued, stroking and pushing his penis down hard against the top of her head.  Like a snake, his eyes rolled to the back of his head.  Only the whites of his eyes showed as he inhaled a deep long breath and struggled himself, not to lose it.  He didn’t want to loose it until he punished the bitch for running away.  In his twisted mind, he figured the bitch was do a good hurting from him, a good hard one!  Sam released his breath slowly.  His eyes returned to normal when suddenly, he felt something wet on the end of his nose.

 Sluggishly, his vision cleared and he found himself looking directly into two large ice blue eyes.  The timber wolf stood eye to eye with him on top the old stump Tamara was cowering near.  The silver wolf was strong and mighty, with eyes great and wide, that sparkled like brands of fire.  A mouth great and wide, with most sharp and cruel teeth.  A huge body and hideous clawed paws.  The long gristly hair on its back arched high.  Sam jumped back and the wolf leaped to the ground over Tamara’s head and shielded her from her rapist.  Terrified, Sam walked backwards away from Tamara and the wolf.  His once hard penis, hung like a wet noodle.  He looked at the wolf’s long stride, by the look of the wolf’s powerful lengthy muscular legs; Sam realized he could never out run the stealthy wolf.

 When the wolf dribbled saliva down its massive fangs, Sam, spun around and clambered up a fir tree naked.  He went up the tree faster than grease lighting, not feeling the pain the tree's outlying bark caused on his penis as it scraped the rough and pitchy exterior all the way to the top.  With his bare arms and legs, he hung onto the top of the fir tree.  Sam was now perched a hundred feet above the ground.  His yellow urine streamed down his legs and trickled to the forest floor below.

 Tamara stood to her feet and faced the wolf, her eyes told the wolf how grateful she was, then she briskly began gathering up Sam's cloths.  Carrying his cloths in her arms, she ran down the old skidder road towards the safety of home.

 The wolf nonchalantly walked to the tree Sam was perched in and lifted its leg and left its mark on the tree, then quickly followed Tamara down the hill.

 On the way down the mountain, Tamara stuffed Sam's clothes into a hollowed out tree trunk.  She snickered to herself, as she covered the opening with moss.  When the wolf passed the hollowed trunk, he lifts his hind leg on it too.

 When Tamara arrived safely back at the cabin, she promptly retrieved a box of sugar from her cupboard.  She hurried to Sam’s trunk and poured the entire contents into his brand new truck gas tank.

 Later Tamara and the wolf sat quietly in the turret and waited for Sam to return.  Naked Sam dashed out of the woods, from the old skidder road and around the cabin.  He opened the driver's door to his truck, jumped in, and sped away.

 Tamara, laughed aloud, wrapped her arms affectionately around the wolf.  Then she kissed the top of the wolf’s head, "I wonder how far down the road Sam's expensive new truck will get---not far, I hope!  Hehehehehe"

Chapter Twelve

  Tamara and Glenn now left their doors open a crack at night and let the wolf sleep wherever it wanted.  Most nights the wolf would stay with Tamara, at the foot of her bed on the floor, until she fell asleep.  Then wondered to Glenn’s house where it would get on his bed and lay next to him until the morning light.

  That night Tamara woke, opened her lazy eyes slowly, and gazed into Wolf's begging big eye.  He sat on the bed and smiled down at her.  She quickly set up in bed, leaned back on the headboard, pointed her finger at Wolf, and said, "If you think for one minute, you're going to make love to me now Mister---you've got another think coming.  I'm in no mood for that kind of stuff right now."

 Wolf benevolently placed his hand on top of hers while his facial expression grew solemn.  With his other hand, he lightly reached up and moved his hair to the back of his shoulder, "I'm not here for that, I seriously need to talk to you about those favors you owe me."

 Tamara dipped her head knowingly and replied, "Yes---I do owe you Wolf.  I owe you big-time.  I'll try to do whatever you ask."  Wolf smiled, "I need to set the records straight about what happened the night they hung me on Lena Ridge."  Tamara lowered her brows and muttered, "I don't believe you killed that poor girl and neither does Grandpa.  If you were that kind of man you would have killed Sam."  Wolf nodded his head as his eyes softened, then quickly expressed concern, "Well, lovely lady, Jerry is coming to visit his dad next weekend.  I just want you there as a witness when I convince Jerry to tell Glenn the truth.  After that…  I only need one more little thing.”  Tamara quickly answered, "Yes?”  Wolf raised his eyes and peered at the wolf pelt, "I need you to take that wolf pelt to the Quinault Indian Reservation and give it to my nephew Pierce.  Pierce can explain to my ailing mother what happened to me and dad many years ago before she passes away.”  Wolf squeezed Tamara's hand and gazed deeply into her large blue eyes.  "Do this for me---so I can rest in peace…and…I'll be out of your life forever."  Tamara quickly pulled her hand away, "But, I don't want you out of my life Wolf, I love you Wolf.  Really I do!"

 Wolf smiled, "And…I love you too lovely lady.  However, I'm dead---you're not.  You'll just have to trust me.  I promise you---there will be a happy ending---it's already written."

 Tamara slid down into the bed and opened the covers, "Please Wolf…lay with me now.  I need to hold you close, I love you so---I truly wish---I was dead too."  A lightning bolt illuminated the room and the thunder that followed, trembled the cabin as he removed his clothing then lay next to her and wrapped his strong-bronzed arms around her wonting body.  He laid his head on her shoulder, drew in deeply the fragrance of her lovely hair, and whispered.  "It's not what you think, being dead my lovely lady.  Living is, will be, far better, you just have to wait and see.  Trust me, I promise you this."  Together in each other’s arms, they fell asleep as rain drops fell on the maple tree leafs and drizzled down to the cabin roof and she murmured, “It’s dripping rain, I love the sound of dripping rain on my roof.”

 Tamara awoke and instantly sat up in bed.  She was confused; Wolf was still there beside her.  She listened to his slow even breathing and wondered why Wolf was still in bed.  The morning sun sent its brilliant rays over the snow capped Cascade Mountain range, as Tamara pulled the covers down and exposed Wolf's magnificent bronzed body.  Her eyes moved from his long black hair to his handsome distinctly chiseled face.  She gazed at his chest as it rose and fell to the rhythm of his breathing.  She let her eyes wander down to his lean waist and onto his thick muscular thighs, then down to the calves of his legs and to his feet.  Quickly she noticed his toes; the large toe on his left foot appeared to have been cut down the middle, right through the toenail.

 Tamara reached down, touched the ugly scar with her finger, and awakened Wolf.  He opened his sleepy eyes and gazed intently up at her, she asked in an inquisitive way, "What happened to your big toe, Wolf?"  Wolf drew her to him and held her tenderly, their naked bodies entwined.  Wolf gazed over her shoulder and out the patio door towards the morning sun as it flittered in. "I whacked it in half when I was sixteen…when I tried to spilt a fallen cedar with my double bladed ax."  Tamara wrinkled her nose, "Ouch!  That must have hurt!  You poor thing.”  “  Yep.  Pretty much, but your Grandfather wrapped it up right away and now I have eleven toenails.  Makes me somewhat special, huh?  Least that's what your Grandfather told me."

 Tenderly Wolf kissed the top of her head and smiled toward the patio door, "You know… there is this one thing I wanted to do to my cabin before I died…”  Tamara pulled back from Wolf’s embrace and looked into his eyes, "What…  What did you want to do?"  He let out a sigh; "I wanted to put pretty colored glass in the window panes of the patio door.  Then, I would wake up to the beautiful colors every morning."  She wrapped her arms around his neck and loved him for his romantic gentleness.

 The sound of many birds chirping after the morning rain woke Tamara.  She found her arms wrapped tightly around her soft pillow.

 Later that morning, Tamara sat with Glenn and told him of her experience with Sam, the day before.  Without leaving out any details, she told him how the timber wolf saved her from Sam.  Glenn rubbed the fur between the wolf's ears as she told her story.  The wolf gazed up at her with a contented look.

 Tamara took another sip of coffee then looked to Glenn with inquisitive eyes and nonchalantly asked, "Did Wolf ever cut one of his toes in half?”  Surprised, the wolf's ears popped up and Glenn quickly questioned with a puzzled look, “Where in the world did you hear that story, Tamara?”  Tamara's eyes fluttered around the room as she stumbled for the right words, "A…  Well…I think I heard it from Sam…yes…that's it.  From Sam…I'm pretty sure."

 Glenn slowly moved his head from side to side then lowered his bushy white brows and put his fingers to his forehead.  He looked out the window towards the old tackle store, "Your Sam guy must be related to an old customer of mine."  Glenn turned back to Tamara, his expression relaxed and said with raised brows, "It's a small world isn't it?"

 Tamara glanced at the wolf; She realized her enigmas must remain inside her head and winked at the wolf.

***

 That evening, Tamara worked in the yard when she noticed an extraordinary looking moss-covered stump.  It rather looked like a fuzzy green mushroom, about two feet high, with a half rounded top.  She removed a thick two-inch deep layer of moss from the top of the stump and discovered it to be a hand-chiseled piece of half round wood.  The top piece sat on top a smaller slightly bent stump.  Fastidiously, she removed all the moss that covered the wood object then stood back to see a wood perfectly hand carved mushroom.  Amazed, she clapped her hands at her find and briskly searched around the property until she had uncovered five more carvings.  All the wooden mushrooms sat in particular areas that surrounded the cabin.  One above the creek where a person could sit and gaze down at the waterfall.  Another near the driveway where someone might wait for an expected guest and others on old paths and under out branched trees.

 Tamara thought the mushrooms adorable and let her mind travel back far into the past.  Her mind saw Wolf as he chipped away at the cedar rounds with his double bladed ax.  She wondered if making those cute little mushrooms was how Wolf spilt his big toe in half.

Chapter Thirteen

 The following Saturday Tamara sat on a mushroom in the front yard.  She watched a brown and tan squirrel as it dashed around the ground and up a huge green tree.  Its cheeks bulging full of seedlings and ears like the wolf.  Tamara remembered back in Parker and how she loved watching ground squirrels carry their food, from the Sonora cactus to their underground burrows.  She decided in Washington State, the squirrels must live in the trees.  If they had a burrow in the ground, where it often rained, their homes would surly fill with rainwater.

 Unexpectedly, a blue corvette pulled in the driveway and into the yard.  A tall older man with long hair stepped from the car.  He wore a black tank top tee shirt and his stomach appeared like a large balloon.  As the man tramped her way, she read the writing on the front of his shirt---Bertha Has Balls--- her stomach soured with disgust.  He held out his dungy wrinkled hand, "Hi.  I'm Jerry…Glenn's kid…you must be Tamara…Ginny's daughter?"

 Tamara kindly shook Jerry’s hand with a smile.  She noticed Jerry’s dull blood-shot eyes.  They scanned her body from top to bottom.  "Yes.  I'm glad to meet you, Jerry."  She replied, as she tried to keep a pleasant voice.  Jerry stood back and glanced around the property, "This damn place hasn't changed a bit.  If I had my way…I'd burn this crap off my property.”  “  No…Not this piece.”  Tamara yelled back, “Grandpa gave me this property and I absolutely love it here.  I thought Grandpa gave you a lot on the water…one with its own water front and tidelands?”  Jerry snickered as he lit a Camel cigarette then threw the flaming match on the ground.  "All this property should be mine!  My old lady told me so!"  Jerry stared at Tamara with squinted eyes, "I'm Glenn's only son you know.  Wolf, with his big brown eyes always got what he wanted.  My Dad bought me a little blue rowboat and that damn Wolf thought Glenn bought it for him.  What a dip-shit!  He always followed Glenn around making brownie points with those God damned big turd-eyes!"

 Jerry turned and walked away.  He dashed around the outhouse and relieved himself against the back wall.  He waddled back around the building zipping up his pants and pointed his finger at her, "You do know your property line stops ten feet from the front of your cabin…don't you?"

 "No it dose not."  Tamara yelled and placed her hands on her hips.  “Grandpa told me my property went to that fir tree across the creek."  She pointed at the tree, "You can see where Grandpa notched it."  Jerry turned around in a huff and glanced at the tree.  Then he kicked at the ground with one of his white deck shoes, turned back to her, and uttered rudely, "Oh…that's bull shit!  That old man doesn't know his ass from a hole in the ground!"  Jerry spit on the ground.

 Disturbed at her rude uncle, she planted her hands firmly on her hips and stomped closer to him.  She stared up into his face with angry frosted blue eyes, "Now…you listen to me Jerry, I happen to love my Grandfather!”  Jerry's mouth dropped in awe at the redheaded spitfire.  How dare her speak to him with hostility.

 Tamara stepped around Jerry and grabbed a hatchet from the tool-shed wall.  She turned back to him and held the hatchet over her head.  Jerry’s hands flew up for protection and he began treading backwards towards his car.  Tamara yelled, "I love my Grandpa and I love Wolf, but I don't have to even like you and I don't!  Now…you get off my property!"  She waved the hatchet at him again.  Jerry quickly jumped over the car's door, into the open convertible, started the engine and sped out of the driveway.

 Tamara sat back on the mushroom and watched Jerry's car burn rubber on the highway.  At high rate of speed, the blue Corvette, screamed up Glenn’s driveway.  The car Skidded to an abrupt stop and Jerry quickly got out and slammed the door.  He glared irately across the creek at Tamara, then flipped her the finger.  He glanced once again as he scrambled to Glenn's house, entered without knocking and slammed the door shut.

 Tamara was not sure if Glenn had the wolf inside.  She remembered what Wolf had told her, she greatly feared for Glenn’s safety now.  Jerry appeared to be an unstable person.  She had no idea what Jerry would be capable of doing to Glenn.  She instantly stood from the mushroom and ran across the creek, across Glenn's driveway and straight into the house, leaving the door open.

 Jerry was walking in circles in the middle of the living room and throwing his arms above his head as he pointed his finger at Glenn.  When Tamara burst through the back door, she heard Jerry screaming, "That daughter of Ginny's is a real bitch!  You know that, don't you, Glenn?  Why in the hell did you let that redheaded bitch move out here?  Just because of your damn stupidity…now…I cannot enjoy my property when you are dead.  You damn old man.  I should have you committed to the nut house!"

 Glenn hung his head as Tamara stomped into the living room and planted herself between Glenn and Jerry.  She pointed her finger at Jerry and angrily told him, "You piece of shit for a man, you leave my Grandpa alone!  I can't believe Wolf had to grow up with the likes of you!"

 The room instantly became silent.  Tamara lowered her light eyebrows and narrowed her piercing eyes at Jerry, “I know what happened on Lena Ridge.  It all makes perfect sense now!"  Glenn raised his head and looked up at her.  "You… killed that poor little girl!  Not Wolf!  You're a damn murderer!"

 Jerry shook his head no and squinted his eyes at Tamara, "You better be careful what you say bitch.  That damn Indian strangled that whore with his dick…everyone knows that.  That is why they hung that dip shit.  I watched those loggers cut off his dick before he died, too!"

 "No!  That's not true!  That girl was already dead when you and your friends pushed Wolf inside her room.  You were the last one in the room.  You killed the girl and blamed it on Wolf…just because of your jealousy of Wolf.  You good for nothing…sick disgusting shit head."  Tamara's words left her mouth before she realized what she had said.

 Jerry's anger turned to rage and he pointed at her and screamed, "You shut your mouth you snippy redheaded bitch!  If you spread that damn lie around here…  I will have your stinking ass thrown in jail.  Now you get your butt out of my house, before I kick it the hell out!"  Jerry pointed at the door, his rage was so out of control that the veins in his forehead bulged out and turned a dark purple.  Suddenly Jerry took a large step towards Tamara while clinching a fist.  She stood her ground.  Before Jerry could throw a blow, a deep low guttering sound came from the open back door.

 Jerry's eyes darted towards the sound and immediately focused upon the large silver timber wolf.  The wolf crouched inside the doorway with his shoulders arched high; its ears slanted forward, its long snout close to the floor.  It slowly inched its way toward Jerry, its deadly eyes fixated only at him.  Cautiously Jerry moved backwards across the living room.  The wolf moved forward.  The animal took one long stride at a time until Jerry’s body was flat against the living room's far wall.

 Jerry froze in place against the wall.  He held his hands down to his sides.  The wolf stood on its hind legs, placed his large paws on Jerry’s shoulders, and stared down into his now stark-white face.  The wolf’s ice blue eyes pierced Jerry's soul.  The wolf opened its mouth and exposed its curled fangs while the white saliva dribbled down the front of Jerry’s, woman beater tank top.

 Suddenly a foul odor enveloped the room.  A dark black substance ran down Jerry's legs and dripped onto his white deck shoes.  "G... e…t…hi… off me," Jerry stuttered.  "Please…get…him….off …me!"  Tamara covered her nose from his stench and demanded, "When you tell the truth.  You better start talking right now, or that wolf will tear your throat out with one bite!"  The stench of Jerry was so over powering she had to turn away.

 "Okay…okay…you're right…that's what happened…just like you said.  But holy crap!  How would you know?  All the guys up there that night…they figured it was Wolf…they believed me when I told them…how'd you know?"

 Immediately the wolf pushed off from Jerry's shoulders, backed up next to Tamara and sat down; but it kept a guarded eye on him.

 Jerry began to bawl and stammer his words as mucus ran from his huge red nose, "I didn't know how else to… get rid of him.  He would not go away.  He liked it here…he liked my Dad…  His old man… was dead.  Mom said it was not fair either… everyone liked Wolf, not me.  I was a good boy too…it wasn't fair…it wasn't my fault…I have brown eyes too."

 Neither Glenn nor Tamara said a word as Jerry confessed his crime, before he quickly rushed out, got in his car, and sped away. 

 "It's all my fault," Glenn muttered, "I should have looked harder for Wolf's family when I first found the little feller.  I believed God sent Wolf to me.  You know…I really loved that little guy."  He backed up from her and wiped at his teary eyes, "I always knew Jerry and Cala were jealous of Wolf…but never…did I think they hated him so much.  How could anyone hate a little boy like that?"  Then he lowered his head and slowly moved it from side to side in bewilderment.  "You know, Tamara, Wolf never hated anyone or anything.  He would even feed the wild raccoons that came begging at his door…night or day, he even fed the field mice."

 Tamara turned to Glenn wrapped her arms around him and gingerly placed a loving kiss on top of his lowered head.  The Wolf laid his head on the top of his slipper.

 "Grandpa" Tamara murmured, he raised his head and with weary red-rimed eyes replied, "Yes," She gazed into Glenn’s sad face and whispered low, “I love you….I love you so much Grandfather…….you can’t blame yourself for loving Wolf.  I love Wolf too!”  Glenn smiled at her, “If only you could have met Wolf in person.”  Tamara patted Glenn on the back then stood back and patted her heart, “I sleep in Wolf’s cabin and his sprit sleeps with me every night Grandpa.”

Chapter Fourteen

 Later that evening, in the comfort of her little cabin, Tamara started a fire in the stone fireplace.  Then she sat in Wolf's old Morris chair with her feet facing the heat.  She leaned her head back and watched the fire's reflection on the log ceiling.  She listened to the cedar logs in the fire snap and crackle.  The sound muffled the rushing waters that reverberated from the creek below.

 A shadow danced across the darken room from the flicker of the fire's light.  Unalarmed, she tilted her head back farther and smiled charmingly when she saw Wolf standing behind her.  He moved to her, placed a kiss on her forehead, and whispered, "Thank you so much, lovely lady."  She grinned with sad eyes and rose from the chair to face him.  Words were impossible, as she fell into his arms and released a flood of tears.  Wolf lovingly stroked her long red hair, "I want you tonight, my love," He whispered tenderly into her ear.  "I want to be one with you…even if it's only for tonight."  She raised her tear glistening face as Wolf lowered his full lips to hers.  They kissed with eager opened mouths---probing the inside of each other's with wanton desire.  Wolf pulled back and at a leisurely pace began to unbutton Tamara's red flannel shirt.  When the buttons were undone, Wolf reached up to her shoulders and slid the shirt off, letting it fall aimlessly to the floor.  He spread his arms around her, unhooked her bra freeing her small breasts, and peered yearningly at her small rosebud nipples, now awakened to her womanhood.

 Tamara, in a romantic trance, removed her jeans and panties, her eyes never left Wolf.

 Standing before one another, unclothed, she felt as though the cabin was spinning around her.  She could still hear the sounds of the fire that sent a golden glow reflecting off their bodies.  The smell of the burning cedar teased her senses.  However, the magnificent body standing before her, displaying smooth bronze muscles, taunted her own garden as her eyes freely descend over his body.  Tamara happily sucked in a deep breath when she realized that Jerry had told one more BIG lie about Wolf.

 Hand in hand, they moved to the bedroom where she casually laid down upon the bed.  She made no effort to conceal her lovely body.  He moved onto the bed and began planting little kisses over her body, from her head to her bantam toes.  She lay perfectly still, savoring his gifts and allowed her body to float freely under his delicate cultivating.

 She gazed at his dark sensual eyes as they searched her face.  He gradually rose above her and moved between her debilitated legs.  She felt his flaming hands slide beneath her cheeks and raise her orchard of ripe fruits up to his adornment.  Slowly, he eased within her orchard that he had ripened with his delicate osculating.  Her body shuttered with pleasure as their first night of ecstasy began.

 Tamara awoke to the relaxing sounds of raindrops as they pattered on the roof and dripped to the creek.  She rose from bed and moved, exposed, to the kitchen.  She felt a little discomfort as she walked, but she also never felt more alive than she did on that cloudy rainy morning.

 In the turret, she looked out the window.  A raccoon appeared at the glass-paned door with four wee babies.  They all sat on their haunches holding their little black paws on their chests, as they looked in at her.  Tamara was over come with exultation at the sight of the tiny creatures.  She spoke to them in a singsong voice, then hurried to a cabinet and retrieved a loaf of bread.  She opened the door very carefully, so as not to frighten the little bandits, and tossed them small pieces of bread.  They graciously accepted the food; quickly put the pieces into their mouths, while still sitting up on their bottoms.

 All the sudden Tamara felt a cold chill cross her body and laughed foolishly at herself; when she realized, she was still undressed.  Fearing she would be seen, she tossed the wee bandit several more pieces and rushed back to the bedroom to dress.

Chapter Fifteen

 At Glenn’s later that morning, Tamara asked Glenn if he wanted to ride with her to the foothills of the Olympic Mountains.  Before she left Parker, Ginny told her about a secluded small lake somewhere up in the mountain.  A lake where Fishermen built rafts out of logs and left them on the lake for other fisherman to use.

 Tamara asked Glenn if he knew where the lake was.  "Yep…sure do…but you know, the road is really ruff and narrow.  Nevertheless…  Hmmm…I think your car can make the trip.  I'm sure Ginny was talking about, Elk Lake.  Yep…that sounds like fun, Tamara."

 Excited Tamara clapped her hands, "Good, I'll make some sandwiches and maybe the wolf would like to come too."

 Tamara returned home and created a nice picnic lunch for them.  When she finished, she returned to Glenn's house.

 Glenn was waiting on the porch with the wolf at his side.  When Glenn sat in the car, a huge smile beamed across his face.  Tamara glanced once to the wolf and the wolf immediately jumped into the back seat, sat in the middle, and looked out over the top of the convertible's windshield.  “My God Grandpa, that wolf looks like a horse in the back seat.”

 Glenn chuckled as he looked up at the wolf and Tamara drove away.  They headed south on Highway 101 towards the Hama-Hama.  They realized the wolf enjoyed riding in the car as much as they did, by looking at its happy domineer.  The wind blew the fur back from the wolf’s face as they traveled along.

 Suddenly, just before they reached the Hama-Hama, Glenn franticly yelled out, "Turn here!  Slow down!  Turn here!”  Tamara hit the brakes so hard trying to slowdown and make the turn, that Glenn flew forward, his hands against the dashboard.  He tried to keep from hitting the windshield.  The wolf slammed its chest into the back of the front seat and the car came to a screeching halt on the highway.  Tamara looked into the rear view mirror, shocked when she noticed a loaded logging truck rounding the corner behind them, at a high rate of speed.  The loaded log truck's driver hit the brakes and began blowing the air horn, demanding Tamara to get quickly off the road.

 Tamara realized immediately that she had no escape from the speeding truck and instantly shoved her foot to the floorboard.  Then she yanked the steering wheel to the right.  The little red convertible’s rear tires burned rubber as it spun off the highway and onto the narrow Elk Lake dirt road.  They glanced at each other; their eyes like full moons as the truck flew by blowing its horn.  The wolf, growled at the speeding log truck, as it quickly drove out of sight.

 Soon, Glenn and Tamara were blithely moving along the dusty dirt road.  It was a clear sunny day and they could see the road for miles ahead.  Through the diminishing underbrush and stately evergreen trees, the road continued up the mountain.  It continued past the tree line and up the tree baron hillside of the steep mountain range and disappeared out of sight near the top.

 They drove for hours through the forest.  Tamara hoped Glenn knew where he was going.  Eventually they crossed the Upper Hama-Hama on a dilapidated one lane wooden bridge.  Glenn told Tamara she should watch out around the next bend, she would be taking a hard right.  Tamara slowed the vehicle and made the turn easily.  She looked at the gas gage and now worried, only one-quarter tank of gas.  Up and up, deep into the Olympic Mountains they drove, mile after mile, until their ears began to pop.  After driving further up the mountain, they came out of the shaded forest to a scorching hot area.  No trees or underbrush was on the side of a tall tree baron mountain.  The entire area had been clear-cut years ago.  The temperature instantly climbed higher in the area as the sun beat freely down upon them.  Tamara felt she was back in the desert of Arizona, only a much higher cliff, then the one on the Colorado River.

 Tamara stopped the car and followed the narrow road with her eyes.  The road twisted back and forth along the side of the steep logged off mountain and disappeared into a ravine high on the crest.  Frightened at the sight Tamara uttered, “I don't think we can drive up that road Grandpa, for that matter, I don't think we could even walk up that narrow road."  Glenn stroked his chin and thought about their dilemma as the wolf began to pant from the extreme heat.

 Glenn mused awhile then lightly patted the car's dashboard.  "Sure we can, Tamara.  Loggers have been logging up here---which means they have been driving loaded log trucks down that little road.  If a log truck can make it---we can make it in this little car."

 Tamara put the car in gear and began easing the car up and up the narrow road.  Halfway up, the mufflers began hitting rocks in the roadway that had fallen from the cliff above.  When they rounded a large bend, Tamara came to a dead stop and hollered at Glenn, "Look Grandpa, the road slid away.  We can't make it any farther and we don’t have enough gas to go back home."

 Glenn examined the situation then opened the door, "Well…let's get out and take a look."  Tamara, Glenn and the wolf; got out of the car and walked up to the slide out area.  Tamara took a chance, walked to the soft edge of the wash out, and looked down to the Hama-Hama River.  The river flowed at the bottom of the steep wall canyon like a shoestring, far below.  Tamara peered at Glenn with big eyes.  Glenn studied the width of the car as Tamara mumbled fearfully, "This is higher up than Lena Ridge…  Grandpa.”  "

Yep, for sure Tamara, however---we can make it.  When you start driving the car over the washed out area, stay close to the mountainside, and don't stop.  No matter what---don't stop."

 Tamara stared at Glenn in disbelief.  Did he really think they should go on she wondered?  "Maybe I should just back down, while I can.  There might be no road at all… further up.  I don't want to have to back over this spot."  Tamara began to tremble uncontrollably at the thought of falling down the mountainside.

 "N...aw….we will be fine my dear, I'm sure Elk Lake is just a little bit farther, not far now."  Tamara sucked in a huge deep breath and released it slowly, then said as she sat in the car and turned on the ignition, "Okay…then…here we go.  You and the wolf stay on the other side of the road.  If I feel that the car is falling over the edge---I'm jumping out of the car!"

 Tamara started the engine, the noise of the car's exhaust pipes caused several loose rocks to tumble downward over the edge.  Her heart pounded wildly and beads of perspiration formed on her forehead and upper lip.  She shifted the car into gear and felt it move forward.  She gripped the steering wheel so hard, the pressure turned her knuckles white and she yelled back to Glenn, "Here we go Grandpa!"

 Tamara pushed the accelerator down easy.  The car rolled over the slide area and the right rear wheel slipped over the bank.  However, as Glenn had instructed, Tamara kept a steady pressure on the accelerator.  Seconds seemed like minutes as the car rolled along.  Her heart beat like a tom-tom, her face white and dripped with beads of sweat.  The car finely came to a safe stop on the other side of the washout.

 Tamara was relieved, she made it across the washout and beamed back at Glenn, "Wow!  That was exciding Grandpa!"  They all got back into the little convertible and continued up the mountain.

 As they drove farther up the road, Tamara nonchalantly asked Glenn, "What happens if we meet a loaded log truck coming down this road?"  Glenn grinned sheepishly, "Ha!  They wouldn't dare try to drive an empty log truck down this road!"  Tamara curled her nose at Glenn, "That's not what you told me three miles back.  Why… you stinker… you!"  Suddenly they both broke out in a round of wholehearted laughter.  Their resonance of tittering echoed proficiently through the mountains as the car continued up and toward a ravine near the top, where once again they entered a dark mysterious forested area.

Chapter Sixteen

 They drove a short distance, thinking they were traveling through the only place on earth where man had never been.  They rounded a bend in the road, where they saw a small camp trailer parked along side the road.  Farther up a couple, cars were parked near a sign that read 'Elk Lake'.

 Tamara and Glenn stared at each other with questioning eyes then looked back at the rutted little road.  A friendly angler carried his pole and creel, strolled their way.  The fisherman asked as he neared the car and saw the wolf sitting in the back seat, as the wolf peered over windshield at him, "That's the biggest dog I've ever seen in my life.  What kind is it?"  Glenn, grinned brightly at the fisherman, "He's an Olympic Timber wolf.  Be careful, he may not be very friendly with strangers."  Frightened, the man stepped back three paces from the car.  Tamara looked puzzled seeing other people in this remote area and asked, "How'd you possibly pull your trailer up that awful road?  We barely drove this car up here."

 The angler raised his shaggy brows in awe and asserted, "Huh?  Why this here is a mighty fine road---its only four miles to Hoodsport.  You're not telling me you came up that old Jefferson Ridge road are you!"  The man shook his head, "I didn't think anyone could even walk up that old washed out road…"

 The elderly man scratched the top of his head as he watched Tamara and Glenn wave good-by, as they drove down the principal road that led to Hoodsport. 

 They spoke not a word for a couple miles when Tamara glanced at Glenn.  Glenn wore a blank expression since they left Elk Lake.  Suddenly Glenn covered his mouth and exploded in an uncontrollable laughter.  When Tamara saw Glenn’s wad of chewing tobacco drip down his chin, she erupted into her own round of tittering.

 Two miles farther, they drove into the small waterfront town of Hoodsport.  They turned left onto highway 101 and their short trip back home.  Glenn relaxed and leaned back and gazed up at the blue sky, as large marshmallow clouds passed high over the siren blue water of Hood Canal.

 Tamara smiled when she saw Glenn gazing at the clouds and turned on her radio.  Tamara felt her heart twitter as Bobby Darrin began to sing Dream Lover.  She listened closely to Bobby Darrin’s words as she drove along.  She felt Bobby Darrin was singing, Dream Lover, just for her.  When the wolf's cool nose rested against the back of her neck, Tamara smiled.

 As soon as the song finished, Tamara asked Glenn if he would like to stop along the canal and eat their picnic lunch.  Glenn agreed, "Yep, that's a good idea.  Then the wolf can get out and do his thing too.”  Tamara smiled again, “Then the next pull off it is.”

 They spent that afternoon sitting at the waters edge eating their picnic lunch.  They watched the wolf play in the canal.  The wolf swam out into the crystal clear water and disappeared under the surface.  When the wolf resurfaced, he held an oyster shell in its mouth then swam ashore and dropped the oyster at Glenn's feet, and then frolicked back to the water for another Tamara was amazed at the wolf's actions and stood watching in awe.  Glenn placed the oysters into the picnic basket and told Tamara he would show her how to shuck and cook the tasty oysters for supper.

 Tamara was excited and glad Glenn was going to teach her how to shuck and cook oysters.  She could then go to the cove at home and get oysters anytime she wanted.  She was pleased to know, she could live off the land and save a lot of money.

 They enjoyed each other company that day as they walked along the rocky beach and collected driftwood and empty shells.  Tamara gathered several colorful pebbles and placed them in her jean pocket.  She did not have plans for the colorful rocks, but she knew she would find a place for them in one of her gardens.

 As the sun began to fall, they realized they would have to wait for the timber wolf’s fur to dry.  They sat back down on the blanket and watched the waning sun.  The sun slowly fell behind the mountaintop as they patiently waited for the wolf's thick fur to dry.

 Tamara questioned, "Once he's dry, I hope he doesn't run back into the water before we get out of here."

 "Naw” Glenn replied, “He's a smart old fellow.  I think he knows what we're waiting for."  Glenn glanced to the wolf as it lay on the beach and tucked a wad of chewing tobacco behind his lower lip.

 The full moon rose from the east by the time they returned home.  Glenn thanked Tamara for the adventurous day and told her he never had so much fun in over thirty years.  Glenn hinted as he stepped from the car, "Maybe next time we can drive up to Walker Mountain."

 Tamara laughed sweetly at her Grandfather.  She assured him that they would indeed take a trip up to Walker Mountain soon.  Then she wished Glenn a good night and drove away.

 Chapter Seventeen

 Tired after an exuberating, fun filled day, Tamara lit the kindling in the wood stove, to heat water for a refreshing bath.  Then she built a substantial fire in the stone fireplace.  While she waited for the water to heat, she placed a large shiny copper tub on the floor directly in front of the blazing flames.  When the water warmed, she filled the blue coffee pot with water and sat it on the stove to heat.  Then she poured steaming hot water from the pot into the warmed water in the copper tub and laid her towel on a nearby chair.

 "Hmm…this is going to feel so good," She murmured as she stood beside the copper tub and removed her clothing.  She noticed the moon had risen higher in the night’s sky, as she stood naked in the tub.  The moonlight sent its diffused beams into the living room, giving it a golden glow.

 At a leisurely pace, with a blue metal coffee cup, Tamara streamed warm water over her head.  As the warm water shimmered down her body, she lathered her lengthy hair with soap.  She smelled the pretty fragrance of the shampoo as the warmth emitted from the fireplace onto her exposed body.  Suddenly, she heard a noise coming from the direction of Wolf's old Morris chair.  She remembered she laid her towel on the chair, but with soap in her eyes, her arms searched in vain for the towel.  She heard a man's deep enchanting voice singing and stood motionless, and listened intimately to the words.

  Dream lover… where are you…..with a love…..a love so true…..I want to hold you in my arms…  to know that magic of your charms…..

 She wiped at her eyes with the back of her hands.  Then she gradually opened her blue sapphire eyes and saw Wolf sitting in the Morris chair.  Tamara smiled charmingly at Wolf and fluttered her eyes with a yearning desire.  Wolf stared dreamingly back into her sapphire eyes, then he rose from the chair and moved towards her, as he continued to sing,

  …because I want… a girl… to call my own…I want a dream lover…. so I will not have to dream alone…

 As Wolf neared her, he held Tamara's washcloth.  He dipped the washcloth into the warm water in the copper tub.  Then he began exquisitely washing her milky-white body, from her neck, ever so slowly, he moved from her neck down to her legs.  Then, at a leisurely pace, he moved the wet cloth up the inside of her legs and passionately washed her velvety thighs.  He rinsed the cloth again, filled it with more warm water, and moved slowly up one leg until he stopped at her scarlet garden.  Ever so slowly and gently, Wolf massaged her garden with the warm wet cloth.  From time to time, he slowly moved the washcloth back down her leg, to warm it again.

 Tamara leaned her head back and let her wet hair drip into the open fire and burning ambers.  Ever so delicately, Wolf roamed his loving tongue over her glowing shimmering body and up to her modest belly.  He probed her navel and slowly moved up to a rose bud nipple.  Then he, benevolently, engulfed a breast into his nourishing mouth and caressed the other with a gentle finger, until it rose to a mountain peak.  His free hand held the washcloth and dipped it into the tub again, then returned to her fiery garden.  He tenderly applied more pressure as he massaged with a gentle and accelerated circular motion.  She moaned and her naked body quivered as the fire's glow reflected from the ceiling and shimmered over her now ecstatic body.  Suddenly her legs grew weak and her knees started to buckle.  A cry of fruition reverberated from her wanton lips.  Startled, a burning log rolled from the fireplace onto the floor and thumped violently against the copper tub.

 She quickly scanned the room, nobody was there.  She picked up a flat piece of firewood and rolled the burning log back safely into the fireplace.  She toweled herself off and put on her green robe, then hurried across the room to Wolf's picture.  She kissed the picture tenderly and smiled sweetly as she murmured dreamily, "You're getting better Mister…much better…hmmm."

 Later Tamara lay in bed and watched the moon, as stormy clouds passed by, turning the moon's silver glow off and on like a light switch.  "Hmm…”  She whimpered, "I won't be able to work in the yard tomorrow if it's still stormy.  Perhaps…hmmm…yes…I'll drive to Port Angeles in the morning and buy myself a battery-operated record player.  Maybe I’ll find a record store that has a 45 record of Dream Lover.”

Chapter Eighteen

 In the morning Tamara asked Glenn if he wanted to ride to Port Angles with her, but Glenn declined and told her he was going to work on his car today, but asked Tamara if she would pick him up some chewing tobacco.

 The trip north was uneventful, except for the constant motion of the windshield wipers swiping off the rain nearly put her to sleep.  After shopping Tamara happily drove back with her new battery operated forty-five record player and a 45 record of Dream Lover.  Next to her new record player, a huge dog bone tied with a big red bow for the wolf and another brown bag with six boxes of Glenn’s chewing tobacco.  She was excited and in a hurry to get back home so she could listen to her new record player.

 As she walked to Glenn’s house, she saw the hood up on his old Cadillac and realized Glenn would never get that old car running again.  The tires were still flat, the battery was dead, and the gas was over ten years old.  She lightly tapped the door then entered and gave the wolf his bone.  Glenn laughed at the large wolf as it proudly walked around the living room with its bone.  Glenn thanked Tamara for getting him more chewing tobacco and tried to pay her, but she held up her hand, “Never in a million years Grandpa.”  Tamara loved Glenn so much; Glenn had given her exceedingly more than a few bags of chew.  She was happy to do anything for her benevolent Grandfather and wished that her stepfather Jack had been half the loving man Glenn was.  Tamara wondered why her mother hated Glenn so much.

 When Tamara arrived back at the cabin, she sat her new record player on the turret table and installed the batteries.  She stoked the wood stove then went to the bedroom and changed her clothes, then put on her soft green robe and fuzzy slippers.  She hurried back to the turret room, sat down on the wooden chair, turned on the record player, and excitedly placed the new forty-five on the turntable.  The record began to make scratching sounds as the needle worked its way to the beginning of the song and Tamara’s excitement built.  She closed her eyes, leaned back in the chair, and raised her fuzzy covered feet to the chair next to her.  Dream Lover began to play; the romantic song sent erotic sparks through her body.  She played it over and over and over, hoping she would slip into a pleasant sleep and Wolf would once again join her.

 Hours passed until she ruefully turned off the record player and sadly lowered her feet to the floor and rose from the wooden chair.  Downhearted, she gazed out the kitchen window at the large multi-colored raindrops that fell from the edges of the roof and watched them dribble aimlessly down the glass to the windowsill.

 Disheartened she watched two robins as they worked together to pull up worms from the wet ground.  She felt the birds were a mommy and daddy working to feed their babies.  "Stop that Tamara!"  She ordered herself as she swayed her hair back and forth and tried to clear the painful thoughts of Wolf away.

 She returned to the turret.  Outside the rain had increased and Tamara felt her heart sinking as the large raindrops pounded at the cedar roof.  She gazed dispiritedly at the new record player on the table and turned to Wolf's photo on the wall.

 Dejectedly, Tamara murmured to the picture, "I thought Dream Lover was your song to me, Wolf?  I drove all the way to Port Angeles just to buy our song.  Why… didn't you come to me…when I played our song?"  Tamara rubbed her tear-filled eyes and weakly muttered, “You're breaking my heart Wolf.  Can't you see that?"  She moved closer to the window and gazed out towards the old skidder road and muttered again, "Maybe if I walked up to Lena Ridge... you'd come to me?"  Then she glanced back at the photo and asked, "Would you come to me there, Wolf?"  Tears began to slip from her dispirited eyes as she moved back from Wolf's picture.  "We can't ever really be together…can we?  You come when you want to see me, but I can never come to you…  It's not fair…it's just not fair, at all!"

 Tamara raised her hand and placed a finger on the photo and uttered downheartedly, "I think I'm going to leave.  I'm not going to just sit around here and think of you all day, every...day and most nights.  Yes, that’s it….  Next weekend I'll go back to Arizona.  That way Mister, you can't drive me crazy anymore!"  Tamara angrily turned away from the picture and stomped to the bedroom then threw herself onto the bed and openly cried.

 Moments later, she felt stroking of her hair.  She rolled over and there was Wolf.  "Why don't you just leave me alone?"  She cried in a bittersweet voice.  "Maybe you don't have a heart…but I sure do!"

 Wolf lowered his head, "I'm so sorry, lovely lady."

 Tamara looked at the ceiling, folded her hands across her stomach and pressed her pink lips tightly together, but remained silent.

 Wolf moved closer, laid a tender hand on top of hers, and began to explain, "I need you to do me one last favor now...  The most important one.  When you do me this one last favor, I'll be gone from your life forever.  Also, lovely lady, please don't leave the Canal while your Grandfather is alive, he needs you now more then ever.  Before you came, Glenn was ready to die.  If you think you are lonely now, just add sixty-one years of heartache since I died and you'll know how your Grandfather felt before you came."

 Wolf fell silent for a moment.  Tamara still made no effort to speak, Wolf continued.  "I really do have a heart and I do love you.  Nevertheless, you're right….  We can never really be together…not in the way you deserve to be."

 Wolf leaned his face to Tamara's and peered deep into her unhappy blue eyes and murmured lightly, "You just have to trust me, my love.  Your life will be filled with a great love, in addition to an abundance of happiness.  I can only be your dream lover.  Tamara…you deserve far more than that.  I'm so sorry I've hurt you…"

 Tamara asked in a dull tone, "What is it you want me to do?"

 Wolf smiled, "Now that you know the truth about my death, I need you to tell my relatives what happened to me when I was young."

 Tamara lowered her brows, "You mean about your hanging?"

 "Yes…but also they don't know I was saved from a bear by Glenn and why I disappeared in the first place, when the bear killed my father.  They need to know that your Grandpa loved me; in addition, I loved working with wood….  My relatives live in Tahola on the Quinault Indian Reservation.  You take my father's wolf pelt and give it to a man named Pierce Moon…he's my nephew.  Do this for me and we're even."

 Tamara sat up in bed and downheartedly gazed into Wolf's dark affectionate eyes and whispered, "Okay, Wolf.  I'll do it… but I don't want to loose you.  You must promise me you won't leave me forever…please?"

 "I promise.”  Wolf replied as a wide smile appeared on his handsome bronzed face.  Wolf placed his index finger over Tamara's watery pink lips and seriously said, “but…we really have to stop meeting this way…my love."

 Tamara smiled sweetly as Wolf’s eyes glanced up at the wolf pelt that hung on the wall, then back to Tamara.  H cleared his throat and smoothly said, "We'll figure out a way to be together…my lovely lady…and we will…it is already written."

 Tamara awoke to the whistling sound of an eagle perched on top an old snag next to the skidder road.  She instantly moved her legs off the bed and stood on the floor.  She knew it was time, time to fulfill her last promise to Wolf.  While she walked through the cabin, she remembered what Wolf had said, “It is already written.”

Chapter Nineteen

 Carrying her pot of coffee the next morning, Tamara rushed across Swarts Creek trying not to spill the full pot on her way to Glenn's house.  She was eager to invite Glen to join her tomorrow, when she planned to drive to the Quinault Indian Reservation and return the wolf pelt to Wolf's relatives.

 Tamara wanted to ask Glenn if he would like to go with her to the Quinault Indian Reservation.  She explained that she thought the wolf pelt in her bedroom might belong to the Quinault people and that a man named Pierce Moon would be able to tell them more about the pelt.  Glenn never questioned how Tamara knew these things.  He was so excited about the good news; he definitely wanted to go to the Reservation.  He proudly announced that he would wear his pinstriped suit.  Glenn grinned sheepishly at her and said he wanted to look his very best if they were lucky enough to find Wolf's relatives.  Glenn knew where the reservation was, only a twenty-mile foot hike across the Olympics to the shore of the Pacific Ocean, where the Reservation was.  But he also explained it was a hundred mile drive by car, around the mammoth mountain range.

~*~

 That evening Tamara sat on the side of the bed and held a finger on the wolf fur, hoping she would not lose her dream lover, after fulfilling Wolf’s final wish.  However, she remembered what Wolf had promised her, they did have a future---she had to trust Wolf now.  Tamara reminded herself; Wolf said he would figure something out.  So Tamara lay down on the bed and slipped easily into an extraordinary deep sleep.

 Sluggishly, Tamara came out of her sound slumber.  She felt fingers racking through her hair.  She smiled, her eyes closed, the hand moved from her hair to her nose and lightly squeezed it.  Immediately, her lovely eyes opened to see Wolf, but stared instead into the adorable face of a baby raccoon.  The raccoon was playing with her long red hair and feeling her face and nose with its fingered paws.  When the raccoon saw Tamara looking at him, he suddenly jumped from the bed, ran through the cabin and through the hallway to the turret room.

 Tamara immediately followed the fury little raccoon and grabbed a slice of bread, from the kitchen counter on her way through.  When she entered the turret room, she sat down in a chair and laid the bread on tabletop, then leaned back and watched the little black-eyed bandit, as it ever so cautiously peeked around the table leg.  The raccoon took two steps forward and one-step back until it reached the chair next to Tamara.  The furry young raccoon never took his eyes off Tamara and watched her suspiciously, as he slowly climbed up the chair and to the tabletop.  Once it found the bread, the tubby little animal sat back on his haunches and began eating, while it kept a watchful eye on the redhead lady.

 Tamara wanted, so much, to touch his little round fury belly.  Nevertheless, she knew better than to try, it would instantly run away.  She remained motionless and only allowed her eyes to make the slightest movement, as she watched the amazing little creature.  It carefully eat all the bread and the crumbs, while it kept a fixed eye or her.  The baby raccoon climbed down, wiped its hands on its chubby little belly, gazed up at Tamara, as if to say, thank you, then scurried out the kitchen door.  Tamara watched with a wide grin, as the little bandit's fuzzy gray and black striped tail disappeared around the cabin.  "Bye, bye…little fellow.  You can come back…anytime…”  She murmured; at the same time gave a finger waved to her new little friend.

 At sunrise, Tamara moved happily about the cabin and poured fresh coffee into a thermos for their trip.  She lowly hummed, Dream Lover, as she readied for the day.  She pondered what to wear as she searched through the closet.  Since Glen was going to wear his suit, she chose to wear a pretty pink dress with matching shoes and purse.  Tamara gave a smile of approval in the mirror and whispered, "There…that looks very nice.  I'll at least look like I belong to my Grandpa…with his dress suit on…"

 Tamara morosely removed the wolf pelt from the log wall and held the soft pelt close to her heart and peered at the lighter empty space now on the wall, "Hmmm…guess the wolf pelt will always leave its mark on the logs above my bed….just like Wolf did on my heart."

 Tamara carried the pelt with her thermos and purse to the car.  On this overcast day, the top would remain up, as she placed the pelt carefully in the back seat.

 As Tamara drove up Glenn's driveway, she noticed him on the porch waiting with the silver timber wolf at his side.  She grinned when she saw Glenn wearing his blue pinstripe suit and thought he was the most striking man in the world.  "Morning, Grandpa, are you ready for our next adventure?”  Tamara grinned wide as she stepped from her car and greeted her beloved Grandfather.  "You look so handsome in your suit.  Wow!"

 Glenn smiled, somewhat embarrassed and replied as he moved toward the car then seated himself; "Yep…thank you…gotta look good…yep."  Glenn was pleased his pretty Granddaughter wore a pretty pink dress.  He thought that the Pink brought out the color of her eyes.

 Tamara tittered as she held the car door open for the wolf.  She patted her leg and glanced toward the wolf that remained sitting on the porch.  "Come on.  You can go too."  Nevertheless, the wolf ignored her plea, nonchalantly looked away, and lay down.  "I think he wants to stay home today Grandpa.”  Glenn replied, “Maybe he don't want to ride with the top up."

 "Hmm...  You could be right Grandpa…never thought of that, it doesn't look like we should have the top down today….might rain."  Glenn agreed then suggested, "The wolf can stay home and guard our properties.”  Tamara placed her hands on her hips and looked at the wolf, “You take good care of our places and don't be chasing any of the baby raccoons."  Then she sat in the car and happily told Glen about her morning visitor, while she turned on the key and started the engine.

Chapter Twenty

 A few hours later, Tamara and Glenn entered Tahola on the Quinault Indian Reservation.  The small village nestled among tall fir and evergreen trees along the south bank of the pristine Quinault River.  To the west, the picturesque river emptied serenely into the vast blue Pacific Ocean.

 As they drove down a hill that led into the quaint little fishing and logging village, the first business was a remarkable wood carving business.  There were towering multicolored totem poles, hand carved wooden furniture and carved animals displayed along the side of the road.  Above the exhibits of carvings, a large hand carved sign that read, White Wolf Carvings.

 While they passed the carving business, Glenn saw the back of an Indian with long black hair as he sat on a mushroom looking stump and chiseled on a long log totem pole.  Glenn kept his eyes fixed on the young muscular Indian, as the little convertible passed by and out of sight down the hill.  The car came to a stop, when the road ended in a small graveled parking lot at the end of the village and the edge of the Quinault River.  Numerous handcrafted and colorful longboats lined the banks of the river, creating a spectacular kaleidoscopic sight.

 Near one of the boats sat a young Indian boy about fifteen years old.  He wore a red swimming suit and held a wooden paddle on his shoulder.  The tawny young man watched closely as the out of town tourists got out of their car and walked his way.  When Glenn came face to face with the youthful man, he extended a greeting hand and said with a smile, "Good morning young man, my name is Glenn Morris."  The callow Indian shook Glenn’s hand, as a courteous smile masked the young man’s well-chiseled face.  Tamara spoke up, "We're looking for a man named Pierce Moon…would you happen to know him?"  The young man pointed his paddle at a long boat with a white-faced wolf carved on its bow.  "Yes…that's his long boat.  You passed Pierce on the way in.  When you leave town… ...it's the last place on your left.  ...Big sign that says White Wolf Carvings.  That's where you'll find Pierce."

~*~

 Glenn and Tamara grew apprehensive as they parked the little car under the White Wolf sign.  Tamara removed the wolf pelt from the back seat before her and Glenn walked to the middle of the numerous towering multicolored totem poles.  They felt dwarfed as they peered up and down the rows of towering hand carved totem poles.  The artisanship of the woodcarvings overwhelmed them as they searched for the man named Pierce.  Tamara stood before a woodcarving of a wood mushroom the man had been sitting on and affectionately ran a finger over the familiar looking piece of wood.

 They walked towards the back of the business, a large tee-pee, where a small beat up camp trailer and an old green flatbed truck was parked.  As they walked toward the trailer, they noticed the truck was stacked full of round cedar logs and two well-used orange chainsaws.  Glenn knocked on the trailer door while Tamara stood by the truck and savored in the aroma of the freshly cut cedar.

 When the trailer door opened, Glenn cried out, "Wolf" and Tamara immediately dropped the wolf pelt on the ground.

 The virile bronzed-skinned Native American jumped to the ground from the open trailer doorway.  He wore a tattered old red plaid shirt, which had the sleeves cut off below the elbows’.  His jeans were worn to the skin at the knees and his entire body was covered with wood chips.  He had tremendous brown eyes and focused them at the two visitors.  Then he sauntered their way, as he brushed wood chips from his long silky hair.  His hair laid smoothly over his shoulder, he spoke in a deep manly voice, "No---my name is Pierce---Pierce Moon."  Pierce glanced curiously at Glenn as chew ran over the top of Glenn’s bottom lip.  Then he gazed towards Tamara, surprised to see her eyes as large as two full moons.  The handsome young man kept a fixed eye on Tamara as he stepped closer, "We've met before---haven't we---lovely lady?"  Tamara answered in a sheepish voice, "Only in my dreams, Mister."

 Pierce looked confused for a moment at Tamara’s comment then glanced to Glenn; just as Glenn reached up and wiped the chew dribble from his bottom lip.  Pierce asked, "I know we've met before…  Have I ever bought cedar from you?"  The sight of Pierce rendered Glenn speechless and only moved his head from side to side and stared intently at the young agile Indian.

 Pierce, baffled by the unusual moment, turned back to Tamara, leaned his head toward his shoulder and quietly peered intently at her in the pretty pink dress.  With his thick dark brows raised, he questioned; "Why did you say---only in your dreams, lovely lady?"  Tamara's face flushed several shades of red.  She tried to smile, but she couldn’t.  Then suddenly her words spilled from her quivering lips, "Oh….  I'm sorry mister.  I guess…I must have been thinking out loud."  Then she slowly bent down and picked up the wolf pelt.  Her blue eyes stayed fixated on Pierce’s huge brown eyes.  Tamara raised the pelt to Pierce and uttered meekly, "We were wondering…if…this fur might look familiar to you."

 Pierce reached out and gently removed the pelt from Tamara’s arm and looked down at the soft piece of fur.  Then he began feeling around the outer edges with his fingers, raised his head and gazed into Tamara’s wide-open blue eyes.  Pierce looked bewildered, "This is my great uncles work…my father has a pelt just like this one."  He peered back at the pelt and asked, "...Where... did you find it?"  Glenn stepped forward with wintry eyes, "It's a long story… son.  Perhaps there is a nice uninterrupted place around here where we can sit a spell and talk?"

~*~

 Pierce jumped in his trunk and called out to follow him.  He led them to a treed area where they sat together on the bank of the Quinault River.  Glenn told Pierce about the boy he named Wolf and how Wolf came into his life.  He explained everything he remembered about the day he found Wolf and how he tried to find Wolf's family, but he had never thought about walking across the Olympic Mountains.

 Tamara sat quietly beside the two men and already knowing the story, she removed her shoes and idly began digging her toes into the wet riverbank sand while Glen told his story to Pierce.

 From time to time Pierce made inquiries and told Glenn, he was amazed that Glenn actually named White Wolf, Wolf, but for the most part Pierce remained silent as Glenn told his long interesting story.  Glen wanted to know the young Pierce better.  Pierce looked identical to his great Uncle when Wolf was Pierce’s age now.  Pierce told Glen he would return the wolf pelt to the family.  Glenn decided then he would tell Pierce the rest of the story at a later time.

 Pierce was intensely fascinated with Glenn's story about his great Uncle, but Pierce couldn’t keep his eyes off Tamara.  His mind taunted him, what was it was about Tamara that made him feel he already knew her.  Maybe her pretty little pink dress, or her long red hair, made him think of someone else.  He watched her closely while her little toes idly dug in and out of the soft sand.

 Just as Glenn finished the story of Wolf and how a bear killed Wolf’s father, Tamara suddenly felt something quite warm between her toes.  At first, she was startled and thought it was a bug or something worse.  She carefully moved her foot back, leaned forward and peered into the small hole.  She could see something red in the sand and reached for the object with her fingers.  It was a small red pebble and felt abnormally warm between her thumb and index finger as she casually rubbed it back and forth.

 When Pierce glanced up at Tamara’s hand and saw the red pebble, his sad eyes turned ecstatic and he exclaimed, "Lovely lady, that's a lucky pebble you found.  Legend handed down from our ancestors claim that the one who finds the warm red pebble will soon find their life time mate and fall deeply in love."

 Tamara studied the small stone for a moment longer then abruptly handed it to Pierce and said, "Here…you keep it.  I'm already in love."

 Downhearted, Pierce accepted the red pebble and put it in a front pocket of his jeans, then patted his pocket with one of his large callused hands while he kept a keen eye on Tamara and replied gently, "Thank you Tamara, now maybe I'll have a dream lover for me."

 Tamara felt butterflies in her stomach and a lump in her throat, but said not a word, as her eyes fixated on Pierce’s which caused an over powering wave of desire that rushed like a tidal wave through her body.

 Later, at White Wolf Carvings, Pierce asked Glenn if he could come to Triton Cove next Saturday.  Pierce told Glenn he would really like to see the cabin his great Uncle hand built.  He also explained how he had named his business in memory of Wolf and was glad he found out how Wolf’s father, Winter Hawk had died and the visit would mean a great deal to him.

 Glenn beamed with joy, over Pierce's request to come to Triton Head.  Now he would have a chance to know the young Indian man better and finish the story of Wolf.  However, now Glenn was puzzled, why did Pierce name his business, White Wolf Carvings?  A coincidence maybe?  Maybe not?

 When it came time for goodbyes, Pierce and Glenn shook hands then they appeared to be trying to out squeeze one another and Tamara smiled, knowing that a good handshake and a hung, was how Glenn judged a person.

 Pierce turned to Tamara, pulled her immediately close to his manly body, and gave her a muscular grizzly bear hug.  Tamara’s heart jumped out of her body flew around and returned to pound savagely in her chest as the powerful Indian now gently rubbed the small of her back with one of his mighty insensitive hands.  Tamara relaxed comfortably in Pierce’s embrace and breathed in deeply his redolence, she came close to swooning when Pierce let go of his embrace then stood back and gave Tamara a wink.  “I’ll see you next Saturday at eight o’clock sharp.

                                                            ***

 On the ride home, the sun replaced the clouds and Tamara stopped along side the highway and lowered the top of the convertible.  The warm wind felt good as it streamed through their hair and her mind absorbed raw emotional thoughts of Pierce.

 Glenn also remained wordless; however greatly pleased that after all the years; he had finally found Wolf's people.  He contentedly leaned his head back against the seat and gazed up at the sky reminiscing of all the years gone by and wondered, what the future would now bring.

 The wolf rose and began, good-naturedly, wagging his plumed tail as the little red car pulled up the driveway and stopped by Glenn’s back porch.

 When Tamara entered her little cabin, she walked straight to the picture of Wolf and told him they met his nephew Pierce today and he looked just like him, even a little more handsome, she told him.  She never mentioned the strange feelings she had with Pierce and told Wolf, Pierce would be coming for a visit next Saturday to see the cabin he built and where he had grown-up and lived and worked and died.

                                                           ***

 As Tamara lay in bed and watched the moon rise and transmit its silvery white glimmer through the small paned patio door, she now wondered if finding Pierce was what Wolf was talking about when he had told her, “I'll figure out a way to be together”

Chapter Twenty-one

 When Saturday finally arrived, at five minutes to eight, Tamara and Glenn sat nervously in the turret room drinking their morning coffee and anxiously waited for Pierce to arrive.  Every time they heard the sound of a vehicle traveling on the highway, they both stared at the driveway hoping to see Pierce's old green flatbed truck.  When the vehicles drove by, they release a disappointed sigh.

 Tamara longed to see Pierce again and wondered why Wolf seemed to have vanished since her trip back.  Her mind worked over all the possibilities why Wolf had not visited her.  Right now, she would not let her mind think about Wolf and stared hopelessly out the window for Pierce.

 Glenn grew more concerned as the minutes slowly passed by.  He mused over the fact that he had not told Pierce the entire story and maybe the carver found out the rest of the story and was angry with him now.  He mused; it was impossible for Pierce to have discovered the truth.  Only he, Tamara, and Jerry actually knew the truth.  No…No…, he told himself, as he waited; he will come; Pierce has to come because there has to be a day when I can tell him of the terrible way he died.

 At eight o'clock, they stood from the table when they heard a large motor vehicle gear down and turn into the driveway.  The wolf immediately hurried outside to investigate.  They focused their attention on the driveway when they saw Pierce drive up the knoll and his old truck came to a stop between the log cabin and the tool shed.  The wolf frolicked to the driver's side of the vehicle and sat down.  The wolf appeared overjoyed to see the strapping young man, wearing an ironed white shirt and new blue jeans.  The wolf jumped up on Pierce and licked his face as Pierce hugged and roughhoused, in a good-natured manner with the big furry wolf and said, "Hi big fellow.  You're sure a beautiful color and you certainly must be well fed to have such a nice shinny thick coat."  Pierce stared directly into the wolf's ice blue eyes and felt an emotional endearment with the animal.

 Glenn and Tamara remained seated in the turret room, and intently watched as Pierce placidly moved to the tool shed.  He kept one hand on top of the wolf's head as he meticulously examined the engaging log construction.  He nodded his head with approval.  He turned away from the tool shed and glanced towards the cabin and noticed Tamara and Glenn sitting in the turret.  Smiling, Pierce walked their way, his eyes on the cedar carved mushrooms that were displayed around the yard.

 Tamara immediately stood as Pierce neared the door and politely welcomed him to her cabin.  She felt twittered when Pierce entered the cabin for the first time.  While she poured the coffee, she watched Glenn and Pierce shake hands.  They amused her as they repeatedly squeezed one another's hands; as though they were dueling over who was the strongest.  Pierce let go, as if to admit that Glenn had won, then kindly said, "You've got a good hand shake, would it be alright if I call you Glenn, Mister Morris?"  Glenn smiled, puffed his chest out, "Yep!"

 Pierce looked to Tamara as she handed him his coffee and without thinking, uttered, "Did you wear that little pink dress just for me?"  Glenn snickered in jest and replied for her, "Yep!  You bet she did.  Isn't Tamara beautiful?"

 Tamara's face blushed as she turned away.

 Pierce languidly sat down in a chair across from Tamara and Glenn.  He leaned back in the chair and gazed intently at Tamara.  Tamara felt Pierce’s eyes on her, yet, she kept her eyes firmly focused on the table top until gradually the redness in her face diminished and Pierce said to Glenn, “Well I'll tell you something Glenn, Tamara is the most beautiful little pink butterfly I've ever seen in my whole life."

 Tamara shocked as her eyes rose to meet Pierce and wondered, why in the world he would say something like that when me only recently met.  Was he crazy, she questioned?  However, her heart twittered as she uttered, "Stop that---you silly boy!  You're embarrassing me."  Pierce simply smiled and his huge tantalizing eyes instantaneously rendered her powerless.

 Without warning, Glenn reached forward over the table and slapped the palm of his hand down onto the top and exclaimed, "Well, I can see this is going to be a fine day---yep---a real fine day--- for sure!"  Pierce nodded his head and agreed with Glenn as he ran his branny hand over the tabletop and felt the plank board tabletop, "Yes.  I'm sure White Wolf made this table, he hewed the wood the same way my dad taught me."

  Tamara rose from the table, removed a picture of Wolf from the wall, and laid it in front of Pierce, "This is a picture of White Wolf---we call Wolf.”  Tamara stepped back as Pierce lowered his face close to the black and white picture.

 Pierce shook his head bewilderedly, "Wolf looks just like me!  I can't believe it!  Look---look here---he even has a double bladed ax just like mine.  Isn't that amazing?  Hmmm…even his hair is just like mine and he wore the same cloths as me!"

  Contented and blissful, Glen leaned back in his chair and folded his arms across his chest and smiled at Pierce.  Pierce looked at Glenn and said, "I've figured out why you two had strange expressions on your faces, when you first saw me last week, and why you called me Wolf."  Glenn smiled and nodded his head, "That's right, Pierce, seeing you for the first time was quite a shock, "  Tamara murmured as she moved out of the room and called out over her shoulder, "Come on, I'll give you a tour around the cabin Wolf built."

 Pierce immediately stood from the chair and followed Tamara as he kept an eyes on her youthful body and pink dress.  Pierce glanced around the cabin as Tamara pointed out things of interest.  Pierce tried to keep his attention focused on what Tamara was showing, as they moved through the cabin.  However, Pierce found it extremely difficult to pay attention as Tamara's body continued to sway about.  When they reached the bedroom, Pierce stood at the foot of the bed and gazed around the room examining all the perfectly laid logs.  He let his eyes pause on the patio door, and then glanced at Tamara.  She sat on the bed and smiled up at Pierce with a flirtatious expression and a twinkle in her eyes.

 Pierce lowered his dark eyes at Tamara, as she sat on the side of the bed, her dress pulled up her leg and slightly exposed her attractive milky-white knee.  She watched his dark dreamy eyes as they moved over her body, but made no effort to speak.  Pierce rubbed his finely chiseled chin and declared, "If I had this place, there's one thing I would change."  Tamara leaned forward and asked seductively, "Hmmm…and…what would you change, Mister?"

 Pierce’s emotions run ramped as he watched Tamara’s inviting position on the bed.  Then he, nonchalantly, moved to the bed and sat down and delicately answered, "I would put some pretty colored glass in the door panes, so the morning sun would send beautiful colors in here…for you to wake up to…”  His eyes connected with her wide sapphire ones and lazily murmured, in a deep enticing voice, "But…nothing could be as beautiful as you are, lovely lady…"  Then he cautiously laid his hand on her bare knee and squeezed it tenderly.

 At that moment, they heard a noise from the doorway.  They pulled their eyes from one another, as Glenn stood in the doorway, acting like he was examining the door casing.  "Come in Grandpa," Tamara promptly uttered.  "Nope, Nope, I think I'll go across the creek and feed the wolf.  He looks like he's a little hungry."  Tamara smiled sweetly, "Oh…okay but come back soon, "

 Glenn hummed and hawed a bit, then turned to leave the room and began to walk away, he called back whimsically, "Yep…yep…come over when you two can."  Glenn left the cabin with a wide happy grin and muttered low to the wolf, "Yep, Yep, this is going to be a real fine day.”  Then Glenn and the wolf walked out the door.

 Tamara turned to Pierce and asked, "You know, when I met you the other day…. when I gave you that little red pebble…ah…you said, now maybe I'll have a dream lover for me, what did you mean?"

 Pierce immediately expressed apprehension from his dark saucer eyes and muttered, "Please…don't think I'm crazy…but…for the last couple of months I've been having some pretty strange dreams about a beautiful lady like you.  I'm a little embarrassed to talk about it, but for some reason….I think the lady in my dream was you.  Yet…we've never met before the other day…so…I must be going crazy."

 Tamara reached out, placed a hand on his, and held her knee with the other.  In an arcane voice she murmured very sweetly, "Pierce, you can't embarrass me, please tell me what happened to you in your dream.  Don't worry what I might think."

 Pierce felt his heart fervent and his body levitate as Tamara’s hand was on his, and words slipped freely from his mouth, "I was sitting in an old chair.  I think I was in a log cabin like this one and it was dark except for a warm glowing golden light that radiated from a large stone fireplace, like the fireplace here."

 Tamara suddenly felt her skin warm and allowed her twinkling blue eyes to slightly close, while her mind drifted back to that astonishing night she had with Wolf.

 Pierce felt an arousing shiver travel down his spine as he continued, "Standing in front of me was a beautiful lady with long red hair… just like yours.  She stood in a copper tub, completely unclothed and poured water over her exquisite body."  Pierce stopped, their eyes met and they gazed at one another.

 Tamara whispered in a sensual far-off voice, "Please, let me finish your dream Pierce."  Tamara continued his story, "You picked up a washcloth and dampened it in the warm water.  Then, with a slow and arousing pace, you washed her body from her neck down to her toes."

 Pierce stared at Tamara in awe, as her hand began slowly pulling his hand up her leg and Pierce murmured low, "Yes…and then I moved the washcloth up and the warm water ran through my fingers and on down the inside of her ivory legs that shimmered under the golden glow that radiated from the fireplace."  In a mesmerizing state, Pierce gently moved his hand further up Tamara’s leg.

 Their eyes hypnotically fixed with one another's as their faces gradually moved together and Tamara fervently ran her pink tongue around and over her lips and murmured, "and in your dream did the lady hold her head back, dripping water from her hair like…….”  Tamara held her head back.  Pierce placed his voluptuous lips on Tamara’s.  Time stood still and yet it flew by as their wonting lips met and came together.  They ravenously explored each other's gratifying apertures.

 Tamara's body pulsated passionately, her need within, grew unbearable and she allowed her hand to slowly guide his up to her flaming meadow.  She beseeched him, with her mind, to satisfy her now savage hunger.  Obligingly and gently, Pierce commenced to massage her parched soft emblem with his thumb, through the silk cover.  Under his tender touch, it grew firm and Tamara's mind slipped farther and farther back to when she was standing in the copper tub and when the warm wet washcloth moved sensually around her fiery treasure.

 Suddenly the leisurely and easy mood in the room changed.  Tamara extended the space between her legs as she clasped Pierce tightly into her arms.  Moaning unpretentiously, she dug her fingernails into his muscular back.  Immediately, without warning, her entire body became racked with enormous tremors.  She abruptly arched her back and pushed her wealth hard against his hand.

 Pierce, his mind still lost in the dream, increased his movements and Tamara threw her head back; at the same time, a passionate meow escaped her lips.  Her body fell back and lay momentarily limp on the bed.  Pierce, still reminiscing in the dream, continued, again and again he brought her to the highest mountaintop.  Up and down, over and over, until Tamara began to scream.  Quickly, he covered her mouth with his own.  Instantaneously, she fell debilitated and exhausted in his arms.  Whispering lightly in her hair, Pierce murmured, "Oh my God…  Tamara…you're the lady!  My dream love!"  Tamara was too exhausted to reply.

 "Let me tell you of another dream," Pierce said as he stood and gaped hungrily into Tamara’s heavenly blue-glazed eyes.

 Tamara gazed up at Pierce and thought Pierce looked like a baby raccoon wanting to pounce on a playmate and her eyes rolled back, "Oh…Pierce, I don't think I could take another story right now."  Tamara peered back at Pierce, smiled and whimsically said, "You silly boy…"  Suddenly they both broke out in an illustrious fit of laughter and rolled freely about on top the bed, still locked tenderly in each other's arms.

 While Glenn worked in his garden, he smiled and muttered, "Yep, yep.”  When he heard the joyous laughter floating in the air from the little log cabin.  The wolf laid under a maple tree with its head rested contently upon its paws, its eyes closed, as if it realized it could relax from this day on.

Chapter Twenty-Two

 Pierce returned to the reservation late that night.  Tamara was; Pierce believed; the lady in his dreams and once he arrived home, he could not get her out of his mind.  He had to see more of Tamara and within a few days, he hired the young Indian boy that wore the red swimming suit, to take care of his customers.

 Three days passed when the green flatbed truck, once again, slowed at Triton Cove and turned into Tamara's driveway.

 Tamara worked in the yard when she heard Pierce's truck drive up the road.  Overjoyed with Pierce’s unexpected return Tamara rushed to Pierce with open arms the moment he stepped from the truck.  "I can't believe you're here!  I thought you wouldn't be able to return for a couple weeks."  She told Pierce as he pulled her into his arms and smelled deeply her fragrance.  "I couldn't stay away from you Tamara.  I have to be near you.  We need to talk, sweetie."

 Glenn also worked in his yard with the wolf lying near bye and smiled to himself when he heard Pierce's vehicle turn into his Tamara's property.  Glenn already knew in his heart, Pierce would return before the week was up, by the way the two young ones acted the last time he was here.

 "Come on in, Mister,” Tamara said as she walked toward the cabin and brushed her soiled hands on her jeans, “I'll fix us some coffee and get some of this dirt off me."

 "Ah…you're cute in your flannel shirt and jeans Tamara.  Soil is good…makes the Great One happy to see his people working the soil."  Pierce stated, as he walked behind and towards the cabin while Tamara tantalized Pierce, with the sensual movement of her hips.

 Moments later Pierce sat at the table in the turret while he sipped a hot cup of coffee and gazed outside and around the room at White Wolf's woodwork.  Tamara excused herself while Pierce relaxed and left the room.  Soon, Pierce caught, out of the corner of his eye, a vision in a light green dress standing in the turret room hallway.  "Ah…here she is…looking like a sea-foam green butterfly this time."  Pierce said sweetly as he eased up from his chair and sauntered towards Tamara.  "Oh…you silly boy, you and your butterflies.”  Tamara gushed shyly, however, feeling pleased that Pierce commented on her appearance so delightfully.

 Pierce tenderly took Tamara’s hand and led her back to the table where he pulled out a chair, next to his.  He attentively said with a swipe of an arm, "For you, my lovely lady."  "Thank you, kind sir.”  She replied flowingly, playing along with his gallant gesture.  Pierce asked, "You mentioned something about White Wolf had died on a place called Lena Ridge.  Where is Lena Ridge from here?"  Tamara raised her hand and pointed toward the old skidder road, "Up that road about three miles.  Would you like to see Lena Ridge?  I can take you there, if you want.  Just let me use the 'moon house' first, okay?"

 Pierce looked at Tamara with his dark full brows burrowed above the bridge of his nose, "Moon house?  What's a moon house?"  Tamara laughed and replied, "You silly boy.  Don't you know anything...?  Mister…it's the potty house!"  Pierce broke out into a delightful hearty chuckle and uttered, "You're so cute.  I noticed the other day, when I was here, that you seemed to have acquired your own names for things.  It's very charming…"  Tamara's face burnished a tint of pink and shook her head, "I've always been that way, I don't know why; I've tried to change..."  Pierce reached out, held Tamara’s hand in his, and murmured, "Well, I like it, so don't you worry about changing anything about you…not one bit…sweetie."

 As the young couple hiked up the skidder road, Tamara could feel Pierce's dark eyes as they watched her body move.  Unlike the day, Sam walked with her, the feeling with Pierce excited her and she swayed her little behind just a bit more under her sea-foam green dress.

 They passed through camp number two and headed farther up the hill towards Lena Ridge as Tamara swayed along before Pierce.  He could not take his eyes off Tamara and was thoroughly amazed how well she trudged up the overgrown road in a dress.

 When they stepped into the meadow at Lena Ridge, they stood motionless together, hand in hand.  They remained silent a few moments while they watched the warm breeze blow the tall natural grass and wild daisies mystically about the meadow.  In Pierce's mind, the white daisies swayed gracefully back and forth just like Tamara did in her pink dress and he loved that.

 Tamara released his hand walked to the old maple tree and stood still for a moment.  She held her face up into the warm wind and gazed longingly from Lena Ridge to the snow-capped Olympic Mountains, before she strolled to within ten feet of the edge of the ridge.  She glanced back at Pierce over her shoulder and said mystically, "Isn't this the most beautiful place in the world, Pierce?"

 Pierce moved behind her and answered in a whisper, "This is the most beautiful place and I'm with the most beautiful lady."  Slowly, he slid his arms around her from the back and began rubbing her stomach.  Tamara effortlessly laid her head back on his broad muscular chest and relaxed, as Pierce’s hands rose freely from her stomach to her wanting breasts.  Ardently, Pierce lowered his head and began kissing her neck then snuggled his face in her long red hair.  His hands continued to softly caress her soft breasts and taunted her rose bud nipples into firm peaks.  Tamara murmured little moans as she felt her body coming alive under his tender loving.

 Lazily, Pierce allowed one of his large hands to slip down from her breast, over her stomach and onto her flaming terrain.  At a leisurely pace and very gently, he moved the side of his thumb against her pleasure button and applied a tender circular pressure.  Suddenly, Tamara felt his tantalization growing against her posterior as he moved back slightly and raised her dress.  Deliberately, he moved his hand between her legs and continued his messaging motion, twirling his thumb lightly around and around her fruitful desire.  Tamara felt her legs growing weak and soon she began to slip down to the ground.  At the same time, Pierce effortlessly turned her body so that she lay in the field of daisies on her back staring up at him with passion glazing her sea-blue eyes.

 Time passed as the young couple grew familiar with one another and their flesh became revealed as nature intended, allowing the warm breeze to freely caress their fiery bodies.  Apprehension and the point of no return, passed quickly over Tamara, unnoticed, as she blossomed wholly into womanhood.  She felt as though her body had left the ground beneath her and soared high in the heaven above.

 The birds above them sang joyfully as thousands of colorful butterflies fluttered about on the white daisies surrounding them.  They entered the meadow as two and now were but one, their souls interconnected as their bodies fell into a whirlwind of exploding ecstasy, which lasted as long as any erupting volcano.  Exhausted, they lay next to each other silently gazing up to the sky waiting for their lively beating hearts to slow and their winged breathing to subside.

 Tamara knew that Pierce was truly her dream lover and come what may, in the future, she would never love another as she did Pierce, the wonderful man lying next to her now.

 Pierce could not believe what he had just experienced and knew that no matter how long he lived the lovely red-haired lady next to him would always be his true dream love.

 As the two lovers moseyed back down the skidder road, Tamara asked, “Do you think a dead persons soul can live in an animal?”  Pierce thought for a moment then answered, “I believe a human spirit could live in an animal, but not a human soul, man is the only creature on earth that has a soul.  All things have spirit, animals, trees, rocks, and fire.  The most frequently translated Great Spirit, is the spirit over, under and throughout the entire physical world, not personal or impersonal.  Spirits, not man’s souls, every act, and every thought, walks hand-in-hand with spirit.  The hunting of an animal for food is a dialogue between the hunter and the spirit of the animal.  Human sexuality mirrors and participates in the masculine and feminine forces present in all the earth and the skies beyond.  Almost every act could be considered ritual, since each act is consciously tied to spirit.”

 When they entered a heavily forested area Pierce stopped, pulled Tamara to him, and stared deep into her exquisite blue eyes.  "I haven't had enough of you my lovely lady.  I want to make love to you here... on this thick green moss."  Tamara stepped back and peered into Pierce's wonton chestnut eyes and replied coyly, "Okay, Mister.  Take your clothes off right now, I want to watch."

 Tamara need not say another word, for Pierce, immediately kicked off his boots and with fumbling fingers, unbuttoned his shirt and removed his undershirt.  Continuing at a high rate of speed, he pulled down his jeans and underwear with one swoop and tossed his clothes on the ground.  Proudly, he stood before her wearing only his white socks.

 To Tamara, Pierce again looked like a huge brown-eyed raccoon ready to pounce on a playmate.  Instantly, Tamara grabbed his clothes, leaving the boots, she took off running down the skidder road as fast as she could, leaving a trail of twittering laughter behind her.

 Pierce grabbed his boots and began to put them on as he yelled out to her, "Hey…lovely lady…wait for me."  The moment his boots were on, he chased after Tamara and quickly caught up, just as she threw his cloths high up into a tree.  Pierce, paused for a moment and bewilderedly looked at Tamara, then he laughed and began to climb the tree.

 Tamara, snickering, stood below watching as his dark bare behind shimmed up the tree.  Once he retrieved his clothes, he jumped immediately to the ground, surprising Tamara.

 Like a flash, she was off and running down the skidder road, laughing and screaming playfully, as Pierce, struggled to get his clothes on, then chased after her yelling, "Okay, now you're going to get it….you little tease…you'll be sorry you tricked me…I'll get even with you."  Tamara only laughed harder from his comments.

 Glenn, weeding his garden, heard the commotion coming from the woods, smiled at the timber wolf, and muttered, "Yep, Yep, It's another fine day."

 Just then, Pierce, half dressed, chased Tamara into the little log cabin, while Glenn nodded his gray head up and down contentedly.

 Chapter Twenty-Three

 Later that evening, after all the twittering and laughter subsided from the cabin, Glenn moseyed over and tapped lightly on the door.  Pierce and Tamara were sitting on the floor in front of the glowing fireplace.  Tamara invited Glenn inside and offered him the Morris chair then sat beside Pierce as Pierce pulled her close to him.

 Glenn leaned forward and asked Pierce, “How’s business at the Reservation.  Do you sell many wood carvings there?”

 "Well," Pierce responded, "it's pretty good in the summer, but for nine months out of the year there's no tourists…but I get by."  "Hmm.”  Glenn mused for a moment then raised his head, "Well…here, on the highway there's traffic going by all year round.  Maybe you should think about selling some of your beautiful carvings here too.  Tamara's property would be an excellent spot on the highway to display them."

 Pierce thought for a moment, knowing if he could sell his carvings here, then he could be near Tamara more often.  "That might work.  I could pay Tamara a percentage of my sales."  Pierce turned to Tamara, "What do you think?”  Pierce eyes expressing---please say yes.

 Tamara's eyes beamed as her words slipped freely from her smiling mouth, "That sounds wonderful.  I was trying to figure out a way for me to live here year round…."  She fluttered her lashes teasingly at Pierce, "so I could see more of you, Mister."

 Soon Tamara, Glenn, and Pierce had an area cleared near the highway, in front of the little log cabin.  Pierce brought a load of carvings from the Reservation and put up a cedar board sign; White Wolf Carvings.

 The first two weeks, Tamara and Pierce had made a nice profit and everything appeared to be working out just as Glenn had surmised.

 Glenn always arrived early each morning, with the big silver timber wolf and together they sat with Tamara, while she waited for customers to stop.  Glenn loved telling stories to the many customers.  It made him feel he was still working in the old tackle shop that stood idle across the highway.

 Pierce never spent the nights at Tamara's.  He told Tamara it was not proper and he did not want the neighbors, or Glenn to think poorly of her.  Whenever he stayed a night at Triton Cove, Pierce always slept at Glenn's house and made sure he moved his green flatbed truck to Glenn's yard.

 One night Pierce asked Glenn how he supported himself.  Glenn told Pierce, about ten years ago, he owed the Travelers Rest Auto Camp, across the highway and the tackle store too.  After Cala passed away, he divided the auto camp into small waterfront lots with a cabin on each lot.  He put for sale signs on the properties and when they sold, he carried the paper work.  But today most of the properties have been paid off and he only has a couple contracts left to pay the bills.  Glenn downheartedly shook his head, “In a few years, I’ll have to sell my house and buy me a little trailer; maybe park it on Tamara’s lot?”  Pierce rubbed at his chin while he thought how he might be able to help Glenn in his senior years.

 Six weeks after Tamara and Pierce had met; Pierce brought another load of carvings from the Reservation.  After he unloaded the carvings, he sat with Tamara in the turret while they had their morning coffee.  Tamara noticed Pierce seemed to be in a troubled frame of mind.  However, she did not approach him on the subject and simply waited to see if he would discuss whatever was bothering him.  Pierce was unusually quiet.  He kept his eyes focused on the tabletop and idly fingered the grain of the wood.  From time to time, he took a sip of coffee but remain silent.

 Tamara began to grow apprehensive and wondered, nervously, if Pierce was thinking of ending their relationship or perhaps she may have done something or said something wrong.

 Pierce finally pulled his large dark eyes from the tabletop and gazed fearfully into her blue anxiety-ridden eyes, "Ah…I can't stand it any longer, I don't want to be your dream lover any more."

 Tamara's heart lurched and her eyes immediately filled with tears.  Her mouth fell slack but she could not utter a single word.  She could hear a voice in her head telling her to run, run away as fast as she could.  She was about to get hurt and running was the only way to stop it from happening.

 "I…a…  Oh Tamara."  Pierce had a pained expression, "This is so hard, I don't know how to say it.  I don't have all them smooth romantic words…  All I can say is… oh heck…Tamara; I just want to be your full-time lover."

 Tamara's ears perked-up and her eyes widened as she watched Pierce reach into his pocket and remove a shinny wooden ring, "I made this from a burl I found in the Enchanted Valley."  Tamara's eyes sparkled and her heart pounded like a drum.  She gazed at the beautiful wooden ring, willing herself to calm down.  It was as shinny as pure gold and she knew that Pierce had made it with his pure and simple love.

 She raised her surprised eyes to his large chestnut ones, and noticed Pierce’s eyes were expressing fear of rejection and Tamara yelled aloud, "Yes---I'll marry you."  Tamara was overjoyed as huge tears of joy streamed from her lovely blue eyes.  Pierce beamed as a wide grin formed on his well chiseled handsome face and Tamara uttered, jokingly, "You silly boy---what took you so long to ask?"

~*~

 Glenn was overjoyed at the marriage and later as Pierce and Tamara sat on the floor by the stone fireplace, they made their wedding plans.  They would be married at the Lake Quinault Lodge in the white gazebo at the edge of the water.  It would be a small affair with only Tamara's mother Ginny, Glenn and Pierce's Uncle Joe.  Joe would be Pierce's best man and Glenn would give Tamara away.

 It broke Tamara’s heart when she received a letter from Ginny!  Ginny told her she was not happy that Tamara was marring an Indian.  She was not happy Tamara became close to that old man Glenn and she didn’t want anything to do with her for the rest of her life!  Tamara hung her head.

 Tamara and Pierce were married that winter, on December 10th 1960, six months after she left Parker Arizona.  The day was cold for an outdoor wedding but their hearts were warm and they never noticed the cool temperature.  Tamara wore Pierce’s favorite pink dress which she had trimmed with daisies and carried a bouquet of pink carnations.  Pierce, dressed in a brown buckskin shirt, stood proudly next to his little bride as they recited their marriage vows under the white gazebo at the Lake Quinault Lodge, on Lake Quinault, in the middle of the Olympic Rain Forest.

 Glenn wore his blue pen stripped suit and had to wipe his eyes several times during the simple ceremony.  While Pierce and Tamara honeymooned at the lodge, Joe and Glenn sat by the huge fireplace in the main floor and exchanged stories of long ago.

 As the newly weds spent their first night together at the affluent Quinault Lodge, Tamara knew in her heart, their marriage would last a lifetime.

 Chapter Twenty-Four

 During the next five months, Pierce built Tamara a log addition on the cabin.  They now had indoor plumbing and electricity, thanks to Glenn for running a power line from his house to the cabin and the tool shed now had a washer and drier.

 At first, Tamara wasn’t eager to modernize the cabin, but when Pierce told her he could not let her go on roughing it in the cabin, he wanted his wife to have nice things other wives had.  She smiled, kissed him tenderly, nodded her head, and gave Pierce permission to up grade their cabin.

 One month later Pierce ordered new electric power to the property and wired the cabin.  He bought a hot water heater along with all the things needed for a modern bathroom.  Tamara named the new addition the 'moon room' and had Pierce carve a tiny half moon in the middle of the new bathroom door.

 One morning, in June of 1961, Glenn and Pierce sat together at White Wolf Carvings and talked while they waited for customers.

 Glenn spotted a new red car coming down the hill on the highway and nudged Pierce, "Look at that new Buick, boy them cars are really a changing these days."

 Pierce glanced at the new car as it passed by, "Yes…that's a 1961 Fireball with a four barrel carburetor, has a hundred and fifty-five horsepower V8 in it.  You can get it with a dual-path two speed automatic transmission and power assisted brakes."

 "Yep.  Yep.  Everything is a changing…these days.”  Glenn muttered, remembering back when he bought his Model-T and his 1941 Cadillac, then said to Pierce, “You know a lot about cars, do you think you can get my car running?”  Pierce replied, “I bet I can!  I bet I can sell that car too, after we wash and polish it up.  I think my Uncle Joe would pay you a good amount of money for that classic car, so he could drive around the Reservation and show it off.”  Glenn beamed with delight, while Pierce cautiously whittled at a small piece of cedar and created a small wooden raccoon for Tamara's collection.  It delighted and amused him and Glenn that Tamara now had an entire family of the little creatures visiting her every morning and evening.  Dog food had become a major item on their monthly shopping list and it was not for the wolf.  The numerous fifty-pound bags were purchased for Tamara's family of raccoons.  The wolf hunted its own food and never touched the raccoon's, which always sat on the back porch in a big dog bowl.

 Pierce carved the first raccoon for Tamara a few days before their wedding day.  The carving was not anything special to Pierce, but when Tamara saw it, she was so overjoyed and animated with the tiny wooden carving that Pierce began to crave more.  She always acted as though she was a child.  Tamara would hug and kiss Pierce and clap her hands with joy every time he finished one for her, so he kept on whittling.

 Pierce treasured the moments when Tamara allowed that little girl in her to slip out.  He knew that he would always carve special things for her.  Although, he was beginning to wonder where she was going to put them all.  Their bedroom now displayed small nick-knack shelves, that Tamara called, 'what-not shelves', in the corners.  Pierce had noticed the night before, the shelves were nearly filled with the tiny raccoon carvings, and he guessed he would soon need to make more shelves.

 When Tamara walked toward them Pierce said, "Hi sweetie, why are you all dressed up and looking like a lovely pink butterfly today?”  Tamara blushed at Pierce, "Silly boy.  I'm not dressed-up."

 Glenn peered up at Tamara, with the knowledge of many years in his wintry eyes, and smiled as he nodded his head lightly up and down.  "Look dressed to kill as far as I can tell, but…I'm wondering who you're after, Pierce, or me?”  "Oh," Tamara stomped her foot and placed her hands on her hips somewhat provocatively, "You two…  Can't a girl put a dress on for no reason at all?"

 "Yep.”  Glenn answered then looked away and Pierce watched, amused, as his lovely wife and best friend jokingly bantered.

 Tamara questioned Pierce, "No…  What I came down here for…was…well.  Hmm…I was wondering if my sweet husband would like to take a walk with me up the skidder road this morning?"

 Pierce looked to Glenn and Glenn peered back at him from under his bushy gray brows.  "I can collect the money here…yep.  You two go for a walk.  It's spring and all the wild daises will be blooming…yep."

 Glenn and the wolf watched as Pierce and Tamara walked away hand in hand, swinging their arms.  He smiled and looked to the wolf," Yep, it's going to be another one of those fine days."

 Chapter Twenty-Five

 Again Pierce followed Tamara past camp two and on up towards Lena Ridge.  While they walked, they talked about how well the carving business was doing.  Pierce told her he was very happy he moved all the business off the Reservation.  Pierce believed since more and more tourist were coming to the canal, it looked as though their business would only increase.

 Tamara mentioned Glenn’s birthday was coming up next month and asked Pierce what he thought they should give Glenn for a gift.  She wanted it to be something very special because he was such a special person.

 Halfway up, Tamara stopped and turned to Pierce, "Do you remember this spot Mister?"  Pierce looked around until his eyes came to rest on a thick moss covered area.  Immediately he glanced back to his wife, with a grin from ear to ear.  Tamara stood seductively and slowly began to undo the small pearl buttons up the back of her pink dress.  Pierced allowed a libidinous grin to deliberately spread cross his bronze face as she let the pink dress softly flow down to the moss covered ground.  Proudly, she stood before him again as nature had intended.

 Pierce's eyes savored all her famishing beauty, at the same time, the cool spring breeze, along with Tamara's erotic thoughts, pointed her rose bud nipples.  At a leisurely pace, Tamara lewdly placed her body invitingly down upon the thick moss forest bed.  She gazed up to her sensuous husband, with her translucent blue eyes, beseeching him to join her.

 A sparrow sang a love song for them in a near by tree, as Tamara freely parted her snow-white legs captivating her husband's observation.  Flowingly, she held up one of her hands to him, with the wooden wedding band glimmering under the brilliant rays of the mild spring sunlight.

 Pierce did not need anymore of an invitation and quickly began stripping off his clothing.  This time, he knew she would not throw his clothes up into a tree.  When he kneeled on the thick moss beside her, he reached to her with one of his large callous fingers and touched her cheek.  "I love you so, my lovely lady."  Tenderly he moved his finger to her lips and ran it over her sweet pink mouth.  The simple touch immediately caused Tamara's little body to shiver with a lustful burning desire and she released a tiny meow on a breath of air.  From her lips, still keeping his brown eyes locked with hers, Pierce moved his arousing finger down over her chin and neck to the mounds of snow upon her chest.  He swirled his finger in a light spherical motion, working his way to each one of the pink peaks.

 As his finger continued down her body over her stomach and to her garden, he lowered his head down and their lips embraced sensually with one another's.  Their tongues plunged deeply, exploring and savoring each another's fanciful sweetness.  Pierce found her hungry garden, tenderly with his large finger, he taunted the small bud above it.  Obligingly, he drove Tamara to supreme and numerous phenomenal highest of gratification.

 When she pleaded for the genuine entity, he rose above her blocking out the sun, then slipped his strong callous hands under her scorching cheeks, and assisted her greenhouse up to his flaming solid implement.  Easily he entered the moist steaming greenhouse and zealously began to cultivate its matured fruit.

 Tamara twisted and turned, in circular motions beneath him, her body craving for more and more of the thick solid instrument.

 Pierce struggled for control, wanting the final moment to be peerless for them both.  His wife's craving appetite nearly caused his upheaval many times.  Nevertheless, his mastery abounded until she petitioned him to make her full, with his phenomenal warmth.

 After a much-needed rest, Tamara became the lewd aggressor; Pierce's mind and body obeyed her contiguity.  More mountains and gardens were discovered and explored that warm spring afternoon on the mossy green forest floor.  All the while, the songbird continued, in a tall fir tree above them, to sing his melody.

 Two hours later, drained and fatigued, Tamara and Pierce walked hand in hand, serenely down the old skidder road, without uttering a single word.  Pierce walked up to his chair and sat down next to Glenn under the White Wolf Carving's sign.  He deliberately bent down and retrieved a fresh piece of cedar then looked the small piece of sweet smelling wood over carefully, and before long, he methodically began to whittle a songbird.

 Glenn glanced over his shoulder in time to witness his Granddaughter swaying with love into her log cabin; a ring of white daisies lay on top of her shimmering red hair like a crown.  Affirmatively, he lowered one of his furrowed wintry hands and buoyantly stroked the silver wolf laying next to his chair and smiled blissfully as he nodded his head slightly up and down.  Just like he figured, it was… a real fine day indeed.

Chapter Twenty-six

 July arrived at the canal, one year after Tamara left Arizona, as the weather warmed and the air became humid.  Tamara and Pierce enjoyed a very profitable surge in business.  Pierce had to carve every day to keep up with his dwindling stock.  Glenn and Tamara had become very proficient sales people, handled the customers efficiently while Pierce hauled logs, and chiseled the carvings.  The wolf always lay by the road and when a tourist passed by and saw the wolf, tires would squeal and come to a stop.

 One warm morning in July, Tamara and Pierce sat in the turret drinking their morning coffee.  All of the sudden Tamara's large blue eyes shot up to Pierce with a frightful expression spreading across her lovely face and suddenly blurted out; "Something terrible has just happened!  I feel scared!"

 Pierce looked out the window and saw the timber wolf sitting outside looking in the cabin.  Pierce stood up and looked around for Glenn, thinking he was coming along behind the wolf for his morning coffee.  With no sign of Glenn, he opened the door to let the wolf inside.  The wolf turned away from the open door and stared back towards Glenn's house.  The wolf glanced back at Pierce again then back at Glenn's property, and then moved a few paces back.

 Pierce turned to Tamara and said, "I think he wants us to follow him."

 "Oh no…”  Tamara groaned, "I know something is terribly wrong, I can feel it…"

 Pierce and Tamara quickly left the turret and ran to Glenn's house.  As they crossed the creek, they both noticed that the rusty old stovepipe on Glenn’s house had no smoke rising from the pipe.

 The wolf ran ahead and entered the house without looking back.  Tamara and Pierce followed the wolf in the back door and quickly through the house.  The wolf led them into Glenn's bedroom then sat down next to Glenn’s bed.

 On that warm July morning, Tamara's Grandfather had peacefully passed away.

 Tamara turned to Pierce and fell into his waiting open arms.  Her body racked with tremors as tears of heartache flowed down her cheeks.

 Downheartedly they left the room and sat in the living room to discuss the terrible situation.  Suddenly a loud bang come from Glenn's bedroom and both instantaneously jumped up from the couch and rushed into the room.  When they entered the bedroom, the wolf stood over an old brown Bible that had fallen off Glenn's nightstand and onto the floor.

 Tamara picked up the worn and tattered bible and peered up into Pierce's sorrowful brown eyes, as tears slipped from her own grievous eyes and dropped onto the top of the bible, "You know, honey, Grandpa told me something about this bible.  He said he wrote in here about where and how he wanted to be buried.  At the time, I didn't want to think about such a thing and brushed it off, now I’ll have too.  All I can remember is Grandpa wanted to be buried next to Wolf, it’s written in here," Tamara held up the Bible, "we'll find out where Wolf’s buried now."

 Pierce and Tamara returned to the living room and read what Glenn had written in his bible.  They discussed a plan, knowing what they were about to do was highly illegal.  However, if they called the authorities now, they knew that there was no way the state would allow them to bury Glenn in the area he had requested.  The authorities would just hall Glenn’s body off and Jerry would do what he wanted with it.

 Before the hot July sun began to slip behind the Olympic Mountain Range, Pierce carried Glenn's body, in his arms, up the old skidder road.  Tamara and the wolf sorrowfully followed.

 Tamara had bathed Glenn after Pierce moved his body into the living room and dressed him in his blue pin stripped suit.  Tamara knew that Glenn would have wanted it that way.

 Earlier Pierce took all the evidence that there had been a death in the house put them in the burn barrel and set them afire and they came up with a plan that morning.  They would act as though they didn’t know what happen to Glenn.  He just disappeared, maybe at his age, he just wondered off into the woods and died, and they vowed to stick to that story.

 When they reached Lena Ridge, Pierce dug a grave under the old maple tree where Glenn had instructed them to do, four passes west of the outreached branch and next to Wolf’s grave.

 After the burial, they disguised the freshly dug grave and Tamara picked two large handfuls of wild white daisies and placed them on Glenn's and Wolf's graves.  Tamara prayed to God from Glenn’s Bible and Pierce prayed to the Great One to keep Glenn safe and deliver him to Heaven.

 When they backed away from the tree to leave, the timber wolf lay down on Glenn's grave and refused to come.

 Late that night, as Tamara and Pierce lay in bed watching the full moon's light filter through the window, they heard the far-off howling of the wolf, coming from the direction of Lena Ridge, as the wolf howled at the moon.

 During the next week, the sun shinned, but the days were dark and gray for Tamara.  She moved about, performed her chores in an uncaring state, and tried to appear nothing was wrong.  Pierce knew better, he could see the pain in her mournful sad eyes.

 One day Pierce drove to the Quinault Lodge to deliver some carvings to their gift shop.  The gift shop sold his carvings on consignment.  When he returned to Triton Cove he announced to Tamara, as he entered the cabin, "I think it's time to finish one more project around here for my lovely lady."

 That evening Pierce installed pieces of radiant multi colored stained glass in the old patio door.

 The next morning Tamara woke to the sun projecting hundreds of ravishing colors throughout the inside of the log bedroom and slowly rose with a smile she had not had since Glenn passed away.

 Pierce noticed the small glimmer of delight shinning from her eyes, but the pain from her Grandfather's death still shone in her heart.  Ten days after Glenn passed away, Tamara reported Glenn missing to the Sheriff's department.  The search and rescue teams spent days looking for Glenn, then finally determined he must have been demented at his age, eighty-six, and most likely wandered off and died somewhere in the mountains.  It could be years before someone stumbled upon his remains and that they were very sorry.  They could not keep the search crews searching any longer for Glenn.

 Tamara knew the Sheriff's department had notified her Uncle Jerry about his father's disappearance.  She was surprised Jerry had not showed up to help with the search.

 Eight months passed when one morning Tamara saw a familiar blue corvette pull out of a neighbor's driveway, on the waterside of the highway.  At the time, she thought nothing of it and never bothered to take a good look at the driver as it sped away.

 At twelve o’clock, Tamara crossed the highway to get the mail from the mailbox.  As she walked towards the mailbox, she met up with the neighbor where the blue car had been.  They were not good friends nor did they personally socialize, however, they always exchanged kind greetings and small talk whenever they happened to meet.  When Tamara greeted the neighbor, the lady stared at her with hateful eyes, turned her back, and shunned away.

 Tamara was completely bewildered, at the lady’s rude behavior as she crossed back over the highway and up the driveway.  When she returned to the cabin, she told Pierce about the incident.

 Pierce was puzzled and wanted to know what was wrong so he and Tamara walked to the neighbor's house and softly knocked on door.  The door flew open and the lady stared at them with hateful eyes and yelled, "What do you two want here?”  Shocked, Tamara apologized, "I'm sorry, I must have offended you in some way.  Please tell me what I've done wrong."

 The once congenial lady, pointed her finger at Tamara and bellowed, "If you shake-rats come on my property again, I'll call the Sheriff and have you two Hippies’s arrested for trespassing.  Now get the hell out of here.  Get off my property now!  And…don't you dare ever come back!"

 Very confused, Tamara and Pierce left the woman’s property as the woman shouted louder, "You shake-rats killed that poor old man and stole his property!  You'll burn in hell for that!"  Then she forcefully slammed the door shut.

 Tamara's hand shook as Piece held it tight.  "What's a shake rat," Tamara asked, while they made their way across the highway, "Are we shake rats?  Why in the world would she think we killed Grandpa?  I didn't have to steal his property, Grandpa gave it to me…remember…for my graduation gift.  I don't understand we’re not Hippies Jerry owns Grandpa's property now, not me.  Where is Jerry anyway, he never came around after Glenn was missing.  That seems a bit strange to me."  Pierce simply shook his head in bewilderment, "I'll ask Ivan, up at hardware store in Brinnon why that lady   yelled at us.  Ivan knows all the gossip around these parts and honey, a shake-rat is a person that cuts trees and works in the woods.  I have no idea why she would call us shake-rats.  We're not shake-rats or Hippy’!  I'm sorry sweet heart…we'll get to the bottom of this…  I promise…"

 Pierce troubled inside, as he and Tamara sorrowfully entered the log cabin.  Pierce pulled Tamara into his arms and tried to comfort her.  He could not understand what was happening with their neighbor and wondered how many other neighbors were feeling or thinking the same terrible thoughts about them.  He decided not to bring the subject up again, until he spoke with Ivan.

Chapter Twenty-seven

 Morning came when Tamara and Pierce were awakened by the sound of men cutting brush, on the north side of the creek.  Pierce quickly dressed and hurried outside to find out what they were doing.  A man dress in an Olympic surveying shirt, sauntered towards Pierce and informed him the owner of the property, Jerry Morris next door wanted his land surveyed, so it could be sold.

 Tamara and Pierce watched from the turret as they drank their morning coffee and watched the survey crew hard at work.  While the men went about their business, cutting brush and pounding in new survey stakes.  The property line Glenn had marked in the old tree turned out to agree with the new surveyed line, on Glenn’s side of the creek.

 After the survey, Pierce left for Brinnon.  When Pierce arrived at the hardware store, he took Ivan aside and asked, "Ivan, would you please tell me if you heard any bad rumors about Tamara and me?"

 Ivan rubbed at his chin and thought for a moment.  Ivan didn’t like to tell people bad news, but since Pierce was such a nice young man and had been a loyal customer, he felt it was only right to tell Pierce what some people have spread around about him and his lovely wife.  "I'm sorry, Pierce, I don't believe the crappy rumors, but to give you a heads up….  People are saying you killed Tamara's Grandfather for his property and stole all his money and his car.”  Pierce shook his head no, “Glenn just disappeared, he had no money, and my friend Joe bought his old car for twenty-five hundred dollars.”  Ivan squeezed his lips, “Word is.…Glenn kept lots of money in his safe.  They're even claiming you sell drugs and walk around stoned all the time.  Oh yeah, something about a blue boat?  “Ivan raised his brows, shrugged his shoulders, and uttered, "Someone has it in for you my friend and I don't know who it is.  I'm very sorry and I don’t believe a word they say."  Pierce left Ivan’s hardwood store downhearted.

 Two weeks passed when one morning Tamara and Pierce watched as a Sheriff's car pulled in their driveway and parked under the White Wolf Carvings sign.  The Sherriff stood from his green and white patrol car holding a map in his hands as he walked toward the cabin.

 Pierce left the room when he saw the deputy walking their way.

 The deputy pointed to the map and asked Pierce, "You do know it's against the law to move survey stakes don't you?"

 Tamara walked out with a bewildered expression and told the officer, "My Uncle Jerry just had his property surveyed, on the north side of the creek," she pointed around at the visible new survey stakes.  "Well," uttered the officer scratching the back of his head, "A Mister Jerry Morris made a complaint that you moved the property lines.  Guess you'll just have to have it resurveyed."

 Tamara felt the anger building inside, but tried to keep her voice calm as she replied, "That's where the survey is…if we have it resurveyed Jerry will just say we moved the line again…"

 The deputy glanced at Pierce with a stone face, "Well…  I guess you can bring charges against Mister Morris.  This looks like a family problem and I don't get involved with this kind of matter, it’s a civil case.  I think you need to find yourself a good attorney."  The officer turned, walked back towards his patrol car, started the engine, and drove away.

 Tamara was so angry she could have spit nails as her and Pierce walked back to the cabin.  Inside Tamara started to cry out of frustration as her words came out between sobs of grief and despair, "What are we going to do?  This place has changed so much with Grandpa gone.  Now… are we going to have to fight with Jerry over my property and all those terrible lies?  I don't think anything will ever be peaceful, or the same around here anymore.  Without Grandpa, I’m so lonely here, whenever I look across the creek I think of Grandpa, what can we do honey?"

 Tamara looked up into Pierce's sad eyes with her begging ones and waited for a reply.  Pierce felt he was letting Tamara down, he did not have a clue as what they should do now.  Pierce asked himself, how can one fight malicious rumors and lies?  There was no answer and Pierce simply looked down.

 The following morning, tired and frazzled after a restless night, Tamara and Pierce drove to Shelton to a title insurance company.  Since they couldn’t afford an attorney, they wanted to ask the title company, what they had to do to put an end to the property line dispute.  The title company told them, the only way to put an end to the dispute was to put up a fence and wait seven years.  If no one ever took them to court over the fence line, the fence would be their undisputed property line.  On the other hand, they could simply sell the property as it is.  Once the property sold with title insurance and it had been recorded, there would no longer be any dispute where the lines were. 

 That night, laying in bed gazing up at the ceiling, Tamara whispered, "Oh…Pierce.  Do you realize we haven't made love in along time?  Not since that time up on Lena Ridge, back in July."  Pierce murmured, "Yes, lovely lady, but I know how you've been feeling these days.  Things will get better."

 "Not as long as we live here,” Tamara replied, “We can't just wake-up and things will be better with my hateful uncle stirring up trouble.  I love this little cabin so much, but not as much as I love you, Mister.  People hate us here…what have we done to deserve this.  Do we have to sell our beautiful cabin to be happy?  It's not fair…not fair at all!"

 Pierce rolled on his side pulled Tamara to his chest and slowly began to comb her long silky hair with a tender touch.  Eventually, as they snuggled together, wrapped in each other’s arms, they fell into a much-needed sleep.

 Sometime after midnight, startled, Tamara woke to the sound of the patio door slowly opening then softly closed.  She sat up in bed and at the end of the bed stood Glenn with the wolf at his side.

 Glenn gazed down at Tamara with a great sadness emitting from his eyes and said, "I'm so sorry, Tamara.  I've brought so much heartache down on the one I love the most.  It's time to let go.  You must sell this property.  Pierce will find you your dream cabin…it's already written my dear."

 Glenn slowly moved to the side of the bed and leaned down.  Tenderly he placed a kiss on Tamara's head, as a gust of wind blew the patio door open and Pierce and Tamara woke to the sound of crackling thunder and lighting.

 The next day, they listed the log cabin with a local real-estate company in Hoodsport.  The following day they looked over a map Pierce's friend Joe, made for them about a property for sale.  Joe said the map led to a piece of property, he felt would be very interesting to them.  Pierce trusted Joe and knew that Joe had a good idea to what they were looking for.  They immediately decided they would make the trip the following day to find the new property.

 Tamara happily exclaimed as they climbed into bed that night, "We can look at it as an adventure, a new adventure in our lives!"  Pierce smiled warmly at Tamara, his lovely lady looked happy now and Pierce was pleased.  Before Pierce fell to sleep, he silently asked the Great One to help guide them in their new adventure.

Chapter Twenty-Eight

 The next day as Pierce's flatbed truck trudged higher and higher up a thickly forested mountain road, Tamara began to wonder if the map they had was correct.  She was sure no human ever lived on the huge mountain they climbed.  Along the way, they encountered hundreds of chipmunks; bushy tailed squirrels, several proud white tail deer, and even a red fox.  Tamara was delighted with all the animal life and the wonderful treed forest and beautiful fragment wild flowers that filled the air.

 Tamara looked at Pierce and studied his handsome face, her heart warmed for the man she loved so much.  Inside she wished they could recover the, oh so special love, they once shared.  Shared, before Grandpa died---before the problems ruined their little log cabin home---before people hated them for no reason.  Tamara's blue eyes filled with tears.  The thoughts were so painful; she shook her head lightly trying to shake away the unpleasantness that had entered her mind.  Tamara scolded herself and told herself, this day was the beginning of a new adventure.  She was supposed to be happy today and leave the hurtful memories behind.

 Soon the trees grew thicker, green grass covered the ground everywhere, and the sun shinned through the heavy forested area.  Tamara, watched closely as they drove farther up the mountain and thought the area was something described in a children's fairytale, like an enchanted forest.

 "Awe…”  Pierce, exclaimed, "I think we've found the road."  He slowed his old truck and turned onto a small dirt road that was heavily over grown with brush.  The truck easily pushed the brush down and soon a log cabin appeared, nestled harmoniously among the trees that were on three sides of the cabin that over looked a serine blue lake.

 Before Tamara opened the door, she exclaimed happily, as she peered through the windshield, "I want it!"  The truck door flew open and Tamara jumped out before Pierce had a chance to turn off the engine.

 By the time Pierce stepped down from his flatbed truck, Tamara was standing beside his door jumping up and down and clapping her hands exclaiming, "Oh…Oh…Oh…isn't it just adorable, Mister?"

 Pierce felt his heart flutter as he watched, the little girl in Tamara come alive again, as Tamara overflowed with happiness.

 "Okay…  Come on… let's take a look," Pierce said as he reached out and took Tamara’s hand.  They walked hand in hand towards the miniature structure, while their eyes and mind filled with great possibilities for the somewhat old and neglected log cabin.  On the back porch sat an old ringer washing machine, Tamara giggled at the thought of trying to use it without getting her long hair caught in the wringers.  Pierce released Tamara's hand when they reached the porch, he bent down and retrieved the key from under a rock, where Joe told him it would be.

 When they opened the backdoor, they were speechless, while they looked through the cabin from the back door; they could see out a front window.  It was a huge window with numerous small panes and they could see the window over looked a brilliant serene cobalt lake.  Steep snow capped mountains surrounded the lake.

 As soon as they entered the living room, they discovered there were two more large windows with a pane glass door between them.  The door opened out onto a covered porch that extended the entire length along the front of the cabin.

 They stood speechless on the front porch and discovered the log cabin had its own dock on the lake.  Excited, Tamara cuddled Pierce and murmured in a soft dreamy voice, "This is the most beautiful place on earth.  I've never seen anything so absolutely gorgeous.  I want it, Mister.  I just love it….  We'll be so happy here.  No neighbors either…what is the name of this lake?"

 Pierce wrapped his arms around Tamara’s stomach as they stood together gazing out over the lovely clear blue water and nonchalantly said, "This is Spirit Lake…  We're on Mount St. Helens, my sweetie pie."  Then he bent down and placed a tender kiss on Tamara’s cheek.

 The following Monday, Tamara and Pierce had three possible buyers for their Triton Cove property.  They were greatly surprised for they knew of houses, much nicer than theirs, that had been for sale for over five years.  Both of them had prepared themselves for a long wait for a good sale.

 Tamara and Pierce sat in the turret room while they waited for the realtor to arrive.  They discussed, if the property sold fast, how Jerry would be so mad and surprised.  As far as they knew, Jerry did not know that their property had been put up for sale.  They figured Jerry was probably thinking, they were only in the process of getting the land resurveyed.  The realtor had called that morning and informed Tamara and Pierce that he had made appointments to show the cabin to three different prospective buyers, and they waited with mixed emotions and heavy hearts.

 The first couple looked at the cabin wanted to dicker on the price, but the agent told them, there were other buyers interested and he felt the owners did not want to dicker.  The second lookers wanted more bedrooms because their nasty thirteen-year-old daughter insisted that she was going to have the large bedroom over the waterfall for herself.  Tamara could not believe how rude and demanding the child acted and the mother simply allowed it.  She watched in awe while the hefty young girl, acting as though she was the adult, instructed her mother, she wanted this and that.  Tamara knew she would not want such a hard and demanding child in her peaceful little home.

 The third couple, an attractive middle-aged couple, loved the cabin.  Tamara liked the couple the moment she met them and hoped they would be the new owners.  It was important to her to sell the cabin to someone she liked.  The nice couple made their permanent home in the Olympia area and wanted a vacation cabin on Hood Canal.  They said they had driven by the place many times over the years and always wondered if it would ever come up for sale.  They did not ask for anything to be changed and had the cash money, so Gary and Sue Wise left with the agent to make-out all the papers.

 Tamara was happy and ready to start packing.  Her heart was heavy with the thought of leaving her home and she had to keep reminding herself that it was for the best and only thing to do.  Anyway, she had a new home that she loved and knew her and Pierce would be very happy living on Spirit Lake.

 Tamara and Pierce downheartedly signed the papers in the turret room, when the real-estate agent brought the paper work and a cashier’s check for the cabin that night.

 They both realized, in their hearts, that it was the right thing to do.  Now Tamara and Pierce could afford to buy their new home on Spirit Lake.  All the problems with Jerry and the neighbors would be left behind and just maybe, Tamara thought, she and her wonderful husband could get their happiness and romance back.

Chapter Twenty-Nine

 Tamara cried the day she left her cabin.  She left the little blue coffee pot for the new owners to enjoy and left the cabin keys on the overhang of the tool shed.  She sluggishly walked out of her beloved log cabin on Hood Canal, closed the door, and never looked back.  She convinced herself her Grandfather's gift to her now would be the Spirit Lake cabin, with the money she received from the sale.

 In their new Spirit Lake home, Tamara had trouble in the beginning falling asleep at night.  She greatly longed for the sounds of the little waterfall.  She missed having her morning coffee with Pierce in the turret room.  Yet, overall, everything was peaceful in their new location.  No one came to visit and Tamara had not heard from Jerry or his attorneys.

 Since Ginny refused to write to Tamara, she wrote her brother Travis to keep up with the family and find out how Bobbi was.  Travis wrote back and said whatever happened up there in Washington caused Jerry to drink heavier than ever before.  He also said he felt it would be best if she and Pierce stay on their mountain and never come back.  The family could not understand or forgive whatever it was she and Pierce had done to Jerry and she had no business asking about Bobbi.

 It saddened Tamara that her family had unjustly chosen to take sides---since she had not done anything wrong and it broke her heart about Bobbi.  Actually, as far as she was concerned, she never wanted to leave her mountain cabin, anyway.  She rarely left the cabin, only when they needed to purchase food forty miles down the mountain, at the first of each month.

 Pierce, before long, had his carvings in fourteen establishments on consignment and kept busy working out of the lofting shed behind their new log cabin.  No matter where they lived, his work was popular and sold rapidly.  He was very pleased that he no longer had to wait under a sign for a passerby to purchase his work and could work at his own leisure.

 One evening, Tamara sat on the end of the dock writing in her journal and gazed out across the still calm waters of Spirit Lake.  The sky was clear and a billion stars twinkled down on her.  She felt as though she was sitting in the middle of a diamond mine, with the tremendous amount of stars twinkling above and then reflecting in the moon lit water.

 While she walked toward the cabin, she heard the front door open then close softly and saw Pierce set something down on the front porch.  Then Pierce walked towards her carrying a blanket over his arm.  As he stepped onto the dock, a distinctive sound of her phonograph began to play.  At a leisurely pace, Pierce moved down the dock towards her while, Booby Darrin sang from the phonograph, Dream Lover.

 The song continued to play as Pierce laid the blanket out on the dock.  He extended her one of his hands, she sat beside him on the blanket, and he held the sides of her soft smooth face with his large callous hands and gazed longingly into her crystal blue eyes.  After a moment he murmured, "I know you've been under a lot of stress the last few months, my little butterfly and somewhere along the way we've lost the romance we once had."  Pierce wrapped his arms around Tamara and held her close as she began to cry.

 Pierce murmured in her hair, "Nothing in the world means more to me than you.  I want our romance back.  I love you so much Tamara and I promise I'll never let our romance fade again."

 Pierce pulled away from Tamara, touched her face tenderly with one finger, and moved it carefully from her cheek and followed the path of a single tear.  He stopped at her full pink lips and traced them lightly.

 Tamara sat motionless and let her husband be in control.

 One piece of clothing at a time fell to the dock, until they both lay as nature had intended together on their blanket under the star filled sky.

 Tamara felt everything was happening in slow motion, as though she was dreaming.  The sound of the song playing slowly over and over along with the stars and the water reflecting them, she could not imagine she was actually awake.  Her husband's hands so tenderly moved over her wanting body caused her to experience unbelievable sensations of ecstasies.  Their lovemaking was not rushed and so unbelievably tender, as though their spirits were making love to one another and their love could never wither, on that night under the stars and the full moon that rose and glowed brightly over the beautiful Mount Saint Helens.

                                                        ***

 One day, Tamara watched as Pierce's truck backed up the driveway loaded with freshly pealed logs.  He backed around the cabin and came to a stop in front of the cabin, when Tamara noticed sacks of cement among the logs and quickly went outside to see what Pierce was up to.  When she asked what he was going to do, he winked at her and simply stated, "Rekindling."

 Three weeks passed as they stood before a new octagon log turret attached to one corner of the cabin.  Tamara looked at Pierce with questioning eyes and said, "That's absolutely beautiful honey, but there's no door into it… from the cabin."

 Pierce laughed and picked up his chain saw and walked to the turret then stepped through a window with his chainsaw.  Before he started the chainsaw, he told Tamara to go inside the cabin.  Tamara was shocked when Pierce started the chainsaw and saw the bar rip through the kitchen wall, up one side and down the other.  Then Pierce kicked the wall from the new turret room and the wall came crashing to the kitchen floor.  They now had the doorway to the new turret room and a month’s supply of firewood.

 That evening they drank their coffee in the new turret room as they gazed out over Spirit Lake.

~*~

 Years passed quickly, as they grew to love their cabin more and more.  Pierce kept his promise to Tamara and whenever he felt their romance fading, he would find a way to rekindle.  However, like most men, his ideas of romance were not always the same as Tamara's.  One morning, Tamara sat in the turret room, while Pierce was in the bathroom shaving.  She was gazing out over the beautiful serene waters of Spirit Lake when she heard a strange noise.  She cocked an ear towards the interior of the cabin and the strange sound stopped, she glanced around, but the sound disappeared.  Then she looked back towards the lake and the noise began again.  It sounded rather like a bird chirping, but different from the normal bird sounds she heard around the area.  When she heard it again, she quickly turned her head towards the cabin and saw Pierce now standing in the kitchen.  Pierce was butt naked wearing a big grin and making chirping sounds of a bird.  Her eyes followed downward over his broad chest until they came to an abrupt stop on his saluting manhood, topped off with a large glob of shaving cream, balanced on its head.

 Tamara squinted her eyelids at her foolish husband and uttered, "Now listen here, Mister…  If you think I'm going to make love with that shaving cream on you, you got another think a coming!"  Pierce, felt gravely rejected and turned away and went right back into the bathroom.

 Tamara giggled after Pierce left; she felt so bad now when she saw his little boy look of rejection.  Pierce had been so proud of himself that morning and Tamara threw a bucket of cold water on him.  She shook her head smiling, when she stood from the table and walked towards the bathroom.

 Pierce felt someone touch his shoulder, when he turned he saw his lovely wife as she stood there wearing a sheepish smile.

 They made love that morning and Pierce felt good about it, because he had once again, felt he had rekindled their romance.

~*~

 Tamara usually went with Pierce to gather burls and one day she spotted a fungus growing high up in a tree.  She asked her husband, flashing her baby blues, if he would get it for her.  Pierce glanced up at the large piece of fungus, then smiled down at his lovely wife and murmured, "I'll get you the fungus, but it's thirty feet up that tree."  His eyes flickered and changed to his famous puppy dog eyes, "But, my sweetie pie, you'll owe me, owe me… a big favor."  Tamara giggled and pushed playfully at Pierce, she knew what the favor he wanted would be and she would gladly give it.