Camp Camel: The Heart of Texas

by Eaton, Rosemary

  There, Dallas stood back and examined the letter. It would due. It would give him an update on current status and yet plant the seed in his mind that Gage may have been taken prisoner despite him being listed as a casualty of war. If he knew different, he would surely inform him.

  Dallas had barely sealed the letter when there was a commotion outside. Mr. Travis, Gage’s father had pulled up in a buggy. His Mexican housekeeper was holding onto a squirming boy that had sat too long. Gage had told him his father had measles and yet here he was, looking just as mule headed and stubborn as the day he had confronted him with Jenny. Not a blotch or red spot on his face. Dallas knew he had been snookered. The declaration of measles would have gotten back to Sparrow Hawk through John and Paul for sure. But apparently Gage didn’t want him or his men to accompany Jenny and Bryan to the Travis ranch. Maybe he thought it would be easier if his father didn’t feel forced to offer shelter in front of the men in the fort after refusing to take her in earlier. An uncomfortable feeling came over Dallas. What if he had been at the Travis ranch when he brought Jenny that day? Could he really slit her throat? Between Mr. Travis and Gage, Bryan wouldn’t have stood a chance. Well it looked like he’d know soon enough.

  Mr. Travis walked in without even knocking, “Major Sanders. It seems my dead son deposited this boy on my doorstep, then said I was to bring him here. Then he left to insure Sparrow Hawk honored his side of the agreement he’d arranged on behalf of Albert Pike. Would you like to explain how you buried him in Arkansas if he’s alive in the flesh right here in Texas rounding up Comanches? Does the PIU think telling fathers and mothers their sons are dead is a joke? A sick one maybe, but not one I thought was one bit funny.”

  Dallas got to his feet. Well the good news was he didn’t kill Bryan and Jenny, but he didn’t leave them with his father either. Exactly what had he given Sparrow Hawk that made him give up the boy? Dallas looked at the boy confirming he was who he thought he was, “Jake?”

  Jake said, “Is that the camel man?”

  Mr. Travis said, “Yes, the camel man Jake. You’re new Daddy until they can find any other relatives that those murdering savages didn’t kill. He was buck naked. They made him ride back without a stitch of clothes.”

  Dallas smiled, “Now there Jake, can you tell me where the nice Indian Lady and Doctor Travers are? Did they come back with you?”

  Jake said, “The Indians took them. Mr. Gage took me away and the Indians took them back to their home. Peekwi and Wasapi’s Daddy said I had to look like her baby so the cactus man took my clothes.”

  Mr. Travis looked at Dallas, “Now he has his son, what’s to make him leave, Major. I think you just stirred up a hornet’s nest.” Mr. Travis started to turn, then grinned like Gage, “But that Colonel’s uniform with the blood stained hole over his heart? Well, now that probably scared the shit out of those superstitious heathen. At least Gage is using his head. He might get us out of this mess yet.” With that Mr. Travis left. Jake was dipping his fingers in the ink well and making finger prints on the letter to Mr. Pike. Dallas took the boy by his britches which apparently were not his being two sizes too large and held his ink stained hands away from his face and body, “So, how about we find something that will fit and get you some food.”

  Jake smiled, “Camel, I want to ride a camel.”

  Dallas said, “Maybe later.”

  Jake shook his hands free as he tried to escape Dallas’ clutches. They were on his jacket, and face before he had him under control again. Sergeant Major Vincent walked in looking back at Mr. Travis leaving, “Sure got over those measles quick didn’t he? Must have been the three day kind.”

  Dallas growled at the boy, “Stop right now, you hear me?”

  Jake said, “Camel, he said you’d let me ride the camel!”

  Private Frederick walked in and looked at the Major’s mail basket and dodged Jake’s hands as he took the ink stained letter and dashed out saying, “Sorry Sir, the stage is early. They were attacked by Comanches west of here. Red Eagle is on the war path and they ran for their lives. Anything else going North Sir?”

  There was his letter and finger prints covering the outside. Sergeant Major Vincent cocked his head then barked out, “Mighty smart sir. Proof that the little beast has all his finger tips.”

  Dallas took the candle he’d used to seal the letter and moved it further from Jake’s hands as he waved the Private on, “No, as the Sergeant Major said, “Proof that we received him back with all his fingers, at least for now.” Dallas looked at the Sergeant Major, “You needed something?”

  Sergeant Major Vincent was having a hard time trying to concentrate as Jake proceeded to take the opportunity throw up the pieces of crumpled paper on Dallas’ desk and light one on fire as it landed on the still burning candle. Dallas quickly lowered the boy and smothered the flames. Jake took the opportunity to run for the door as he saw a camel pass in the yard. The Sergeant Major reached out and scooped the boy up and took a knee. He pulled down Jake’s pants and paddled his backside with three good steady strikes that probably sounded worse than they felt, but it had the desired effect. The boy stood up rubbing his bottom and didn’t move an inch from the Sergeant Major’s side.

  The Sergeant Major gave Dallas the bad news, “Sir, your wife and son left early for a morning ride on Daisy and they haven’t returned. Given the news about the Indians, do you think we should dispatch a company to look for them?”

  Dallas asked, “She did what?” Dallas took a breath, “Sergeant Major bring the boy and come with me.” Dallas left went to his home and looked for any note Lacy might have left to explain where she was going. In Brianna’s crib was a note that simply said, Lu at Mrs. Tyler’s, went to talk to Bryan. He doesn’t know you bastard.” Well that explained part of it and maybe why she would leave like that without talking to him first. But if she was headed for Gage’s ranch, why didn’t Mr. Travis mention her visit or even seeing her? Surely she didn’t cut through the high plains.

  Jake was trying to grab something of JC’s as the Sergeant Major made a face and raised his hand and Jake stopped short and followed him out toward Mrs. Tyler’s home. Jake announced, “I need to pee.”

  Dallas said, “Not now, hold it.”

  Jake said, “Can’t.”

  The Sergeant Major sat the boy down and ordered him, “Pull them down in front of everyone and go or get yourself in that there outhouse and get your business done!”

  Jake ran for the outhouse lickety split. Two minutes later he came out trying to hold up his oversized pants and looking around like he was in a new world where everything caught his eye. He saw the camel pen, and started waddling toward the ten foot high fence, “Are there monsters in there that eat boys? Peekwi said you had monsters.” The Sergeant Major walked over and scooped him up in his arms, “Aye, lad, big growling monsters, so you’d better stay close to me. They spit in your eye and hit you back if you strike them. We call them camels.” The Sergeant Major Vincent laughed and adjusted the boy to his other arm, “Gnarly teeth, foul smelling, beasties they are, but they can ride longer and faster than our best horse through that high plains dessert.”

  Dallas found Mrs. Tyler beating out her rugs. Dallas waited, then moved up wind to where he could ask her a question without choking down the dust. Dallas tipped his hat, “Good day Mrs. Tyler. Lacy left a note you have Brianna?”

  Mrs. Tyler nodded and continued to beat the devil from the dust covered braided rug, “You pick her up now? That good. She need Mamacita to feed her.”

  Dallas said, “Well, there is the rub. Mamacita hasn’t come back. Did she say anything about what she needed to tell Captain Travers? Her note didn’t say more than there was something he needed to know.”

  Mrs. Tyler stopped beating the rug, “I try to stop her, but she say she need to tell him she is Comanche. You should not have brought her here.” Mrs. Tyler crossed herself in self defense. She was afraid of what Jenny would bring if she stayed at the fort. To her just sa
ying Jenny was Comanche was the same as the more detailed explanation she had given to Lacy. The Major was from Texas and should know what that meant.

  Dallas replied, “She was Comanche. She’s white and she’ll learn to live like a white woman again.” Dallas was aware of how the locals felt. But he had spent time in New Mexico and other states. He didn’t think of people as one size fits all and everything you hear has to be true. Jenny might or might not ever act white again, but she deserved a chance. She wasn’t some cold blooded killer. She was his best friend’s sister and he couldn’t look at her face without seeing Gage’s. Mrs. Tyler had lived her whole life in the radius of fifty miles and her prejudice against the Indians showed and with good reason. She had lost family to the Comanche. She had seen other hostages never accept their old families once returned. Some had murdered their sponsor or even relative. Some were slain in self defense when some incident or comment would trigger a violent reaction.

  Mrs. Tyler retorted, “She was white and she is Comanche now. Once Comanche always Comanche. They will kill her just because they can or she will kill you one day because you took her from them. The Dog Eaters have gone and now they fight over what he left.”

  Sergeant Major Vincent translated what Mrs. Tyler was trying to tell him, “Their version of a range war. Red Eagle is claiming territory by making it clear who you should be afraid of Major. They’ll make a point of her and anyone they catch with her to show Sparrow Hawk it’s their territory now.” The Sergeant Major addressed Mrs. Tyler, “I know your pain, but after losing my Charlie to the measles, I understand why Sparrow Hawk did what he did too. We took her tending the sick and dying Mam. Young Jake’s family shouldn’t have been where they were out by themselves and no regard for what they brought to either Indian or Texans. They had placed their sick in our drinking water sending that pox to friend or foe. Surely that says something of her character to be amongst so many ghosts and dead that there is a spark of white still in her?”

  Mrs. Tyler looked at Dallas, “Maybe, and maybe not. Maybe he gets last laugh sending you his Knife back. You send him somewhere else if he brings her back.”

  Dallas replied, “I think that would be up to Captain Travers. First things first. How about we don’t worry about that until we get her back.”

  Mrs. Tyler said very frankly, “Si, she might die from blood loss when her time comes. Peyote makes it hard to stop bleeding. You should be careful Major. All of you who ate the cursed cactus should be very careful.”

  Dallas looked at the arrows stuck in some of the trunks on the top of the stage coach as it drove off to the North, “Saddle a company of camels and a column on horses. I want everyone armed to the teeth. Pack water, dried meats enough to last a week. Plenty of bandages. No telling who else John and Paul could have drugged while they were here. Maybe we can nip this in the bud before anyone else thinks we’re push overs Sergeant Major Vincent. Let’s go hunt Comanches.”

  Dallas knew the Sergeant Major was right. As much as he might personally wish giving Sparrow Hawk back his son would be the end of the Comanche problem, the truth was until all of them were relocated, there would be some younger buck trying to prove he was the next thing they should fear. Maybe that young buck was John or Itsee and he had made their veins an open fountain ready to bleed out already. Lacy, Bryan, and Gage certainly showed signs of larger doses of peyote, but they had access to the well, their drinking water.

  The Sergeant Major saluted, “Yes, Sir. About time we showed them who’s boss around here.”

  Dallas turned to Mrs. Tyler, “Mam, I’m really sorry about this, but I need a large favor. This is the missing child, Jake Hardgrove. It’s important we keep him here under our protection until we can determine if he has any other family we can locate. Could you keep him with Briana until we can make other arrangements?”

  Sergeant Major Vincent looked at Jake, “I’ll take the boy Sir. My wife knows how to handle one like him well enough. Reminds me of my Charlie he does the way his mind goes from one thing to the next. Since we lost him, she’s had too much time to spend worrying about me. This young sprout is just what she needs Sir.”

  Dallas asked, “Very well. The boy is yours.” Dallas looked straight into Jake’s eyes, “Young man, you’ll be living with Sergeant Major Vincent and his wife Milly. I expect you to mind him and his wife. If you’d done your chores like she asks and stayed out of trouble while we’re gone, you can go for a ride with my son JC on a real live camel. Do we have deal?”

  Jake looked up at the Sergeant, “Can I go back and fish with Wasapi and Peekwi?”

  The Sergeant Major looked down at Jake, “No. But I’ll take you fishing with me. I use a pole instead of tickling and we can stick the worms on the hook.”

  Jake smiled, “Alright. So do I need to cut my hand like they did when they got a new Mama?”

  Dallas said, “No. We don’t want you cut up or someone might cut up that little baby just like you.”

  Jake said, “Good. I didn’t like that anyway.”

  Sergeant Major Vincent told Jake, “How about you come with me now. Milly can let you watch me saddle a camel and I think we might have time for your first lesson. You have to learn about them before you ride one you know.” With that Dallas turned the boy Jake over to the care of the Vincents. Measles had taken their boy a year ago and now measles and the Comanches had given one back.

  Spanish Gold

  Jenny sighed. The filthy beast was back. Her jailer. Bryan looked down at Jenny, “Now then don’t be so hard on the beastie. She lost her child you know. She thinks you are hers to protect. You really should feel honored. Some day I’ll teach you how to ride one. It would be good for both of you.”

  Jenny put her hand up and made her thumb and fingers move together telling Bryan he talked too much. She waved her hand back and for telling him maybe she would and maybe she wouldn’t.

  Bryan said, “Hum, you must be feeling better if you’re sassing me. If you’re going to tell me to shut up say it. Say shut up Bryan.” Bryan was tickled pink she was giving him a hard time. She was communicating, trying to look at the world passing by them and the shakes had finally run their course.

  Jenny looked down and mouthed the word, “Ssarre.”

  Bryan made a grunt, “No you’re not sorry. But I won’t have to be doing all the talking if you start talking more. Women talk a lot. I know you’re thinking it so you might as well try to say it. We’ll start with small words and work our way up. Say Bryan.”

  Jenny said, “Bbinn.”

  Bryan said listen carefully, “Ba rye an.”

  Jenny said, “Baa rr n”

  Bryan repeated, “Ba rye an.”

  Jenny said, “Ba re an.”

  Bryan said, “Say I.”

  Jenny said, “I.”

  Bryan said, “Say RYE.”

  Jenny asked, “Y?”

  Bryan was getting a little frustrated. His name wasn’t that hard. Was she trying to mess it up? Bryan decided to tried her brother’s name, “Say Gage.”

  Jenny said, “UH AA GA”

  Bryan said, “Not even Gage? This is going to take longer than I thought.”

  Jenny said, “Ssarre.”

  Bryan frowned, “Now how is it you can say that with no problems what so ever, but you can’t say my name or Gage’s name?”

  Jenny tried again, “Ssarre Bir-rye-an.”

  Bryan said once more, “You almost did it! Ba-rye-an. Now say it fast.”

  Jenny sighed and tried once more as fast as her tongue would move, “Bryan.”

  Bryan smiled, “I know I’m going to be sorry I taught you that. Maybe you should forget how to say that word.”

  Jenny answered, “No ssarre.” Jenny frowned. She just wasn’t sure how to say what she wanted in words. She took one of his hands and placed it over her heart then put both of her hands over his.

  Bryan blushed, “I’m not sorry your mine either Jenny. Now let’s see if we can get you back home.” Jenny looke
d back toward where they came from a confused. She saw dust rising up in the distance. Bryan grinned, “No, I didn’t mean back there. I’m taking you back to my home, Camp Verde.