“Damn it, just once,” Bill said when Nick went after Betsy a second time.
Finally, they were allowed to return to their cabins for the night.
“I never dreamed I’d be able to take my clothes off before a man and do it all legal,” Betsy said. “What are we going to do if I’m so ignorant I don’t know how . . . to. . . ?”
“We’ll practice all night,” said Bill.
The following morning Stackler’s dog was still eating when the teamsters, Amanda, and Betsy left the officers’ mess. Lieutenant Wanz escorted them to Captain Ferguson’s office. Ferguson shook hands with them all, beaming with pleasure at Amanda and Betsy.
“I’ve done some calculating,” Captain Ferguson said, “and there’s more than a hundred thousand dollars in rewards for those outlaws and renegade Indians. It’ll take a month or so to get the money, and all of you are welcome to remain here until then.”
“We still have to look for that stolen gold,” said Lieutenant Wanz.
“I’m almost afraid to go looking for it,” Betsy said. “It’s been so long, I’m afraid we can’t find it.”
“You won’t be faulted if you can’t,” said Ferguson, “but we should at least give it a try. Lieutenant Wanz, choose a dozen men to go with you. Of course, Bill and Mark will go, and your teamster friends if they so desire.”
The Washita. October 1, 1866.
The thirteen soldiers, eight teamsters, and two women reached the southern portion of the Washita River when the sun was noon high.
“The best I remember,” Betsy said, “there was a gnarled old pine tree whose roots had rotted away on the side away from the river. The gold was put in the hole in canvas bags and covered with dirt. Some of the pine’s limbs were dead. It may have fallen by now.”
They rode for five miles up the Washita and then back down, without finding the old pine. Suddenly, Arky began barking and scratching along the riverbank where it had caved in. One of the soldiers had brought a shovel, and when he drove it into the ground, he brought up a resin-rich pine root. In the same shovelful of dirt was a tarnished but identifiable double eagle.
“The pine rotted down,” Ed said, “but I’m bettin’ those rich pine roots held the gold right where it was buried.”
Fort Worth, Texas. October 4, 1866.
“That gold would never have been recovered, had it not been for Amanda and Betsy,” Captain Ferguson said. “I’ll do all in my power to see that you each receive a reward. Now that you have your freedom, what do you gentlemen intend to do with your lives? You’re not hurting for money.”
“If I could get the rest of these hombres to throw in with me,” said Ed, “I’d buy some wagons and teams and freight goods from St. Louis, St. Joe, and Kansas City, south to Santa Fe. There won’t be a railroad there for many years.”
“I’ll go in with you,” Nick said.
“So will I,” said Vernon.
Quickly, Todd, Lee, and Carl volunteered. Only Bill and Mark said nothing. Bill looked at Betsy, while Mark looked at Amanda.
“Amanda,” said Betsy, “shall we let them grow old and gray driving freight wagons?”
“Why not?” Amanda said. “I’m through sleeping by myself. I’ll go with Mark.”
“Then I’ll go with Bill,” said Betsy. “We’ll keep the outfit together.”
“Maybe you can help solve another government problem,” Captain Ferguson said. “We must sell the confiscated freight wagons, mules, and horses, and with Reconstruction playing hell in Texas, nobody’s got any money except you folks. How about it? Will you take it all off my hands?”
The teamsters looked at one another and grinned. It was more than they’d ever hoped for.
“We’ll do it,” they all said in a single voice.
“Good luck,” said Captain Ferguson, “and don’t be strangers. You’ll be hauling to south Texas, and when you do, stop by and eat with us. Stackler’s dog is getting fat.”
All of them shook hands with Ferguson, saluted him smartly, and stepped out the door. They were on their way to a new life.
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1 Sardis Lake, near present-day town of Clayton, Oklahoma.
2 In Fort Smith the law was represented primarily by Judge Parker, the “hanging judge.” Tumbleweed wagons were driven by lawmen into Indian Territory, seeking outlaws.
3 The Gatling gun was invented in 1861, and reportedly could fire 400 times a minute.
4 Two fully loaded Colts with an extra loaded cylinder was first attributed to the Texas Rangers. The extra cylinder could quickly be changed for a full one, allowing a man with twin Colts to fire eighteen times without reloading.
5 The military did not adopt the Wi
nchester until 1867, although it was available.
6 A paisano is a Texas roadrunner.
Ralph Compton Whiskey River Page 28
