The Holy Warrior

Book 6 of 40
Christmas Winslow is a criminal. After a bar room brawl, Christmas travels west with his brother as beaver trappers. Along the way he decides to try life in the wilderness alone. He is successful. Eventually, he becomes a full member of the Sioux tribe. Christmas marries White Dove and they have a son.
Everything turns sour, Christmas’ brother, wife, and son are killed. Christmas is devastated. Ten years, Christmas is engaged to Missy. News arrives that Christmas’ son is still alive.

This book talks about the life of Christmas Winslow. It is divided into three sections, "The Mountain Man," "The Pastor," & "The Missionary". It was very interesting reading.

The story starts at the Blue Swan, where the innkeeper, Jonas Billings, noted that an officer had come through the door. He tried to settle Maitland & told him he had enough to drink threatening that he might go back to jail. Bully Maitland said there was no way! The Naval officer gave his name as Winslow & one of the women asked if he'd buy her a drink. He sent her back to the other man she had been with. Bully Maitland accused Winslow of stealing her, then he & his friend attacked Winslow with knives. Maitland was amazed at how quickly his friend Bill had been show more disarmed, then ended up with Winslow's foil at his throat. After he told them to leave, Winslow arranged for a guard from the prison named Bradley to dine with him. When asked if he knew a prisoner named Christmas Winslow, he answered affirmatively. Bradley had tried to help Christmas, but the Warden Hindleman had left him little opportunity. Winslow had a presidential pardon from President Adams & a letter from President Washington. Bradley could see that Warden Hindleman would be loosing his prisoner.

Paul Winslow observed that the prison & it's warden were in very bad shape. He had waited three hours to see Warden Clement Hindleman and was not happy. The warden insisted that there were procedures to follow. Winslow told him that the procedure was that Christmas Winslow would be with him in an hour or the governor of Massachusetts would hear about his incompetence. Finally the warden had Nelson take Captain Winslow to the hospital & Christmas was to be released to him. Nelson explained to Phelps, a prisoner acting as medical assistant since the doctor was only there one day a week, what was to happen & Phelps was amazed. Paul had only met Christmas once when Nathan had brought his family to Boston years ago. Now he was very sick hardly recognizable. Since he would die if he remained in the prison, Captain Winslow had Christmas carried to the carriage he had prepared. There was room for him to lie down on a mattress with blankets to keep him warm. When they stopped a few miles from Boston, Christmas was awake. He asked Paul where he was being taken. Christmas didn't want to go home, which led Paul to tell Jason, one of the servants, that Christmas was a reluctant prodigal. show less