Camp Camel: The Heart of Texas

by Eaton, Rosemary

  Dallas said, “No problem, just need you to make sure no one helps themselves after it gets moved. I’ll get someone to move what ever you need tonight, but I need you to wake her up and move over by Daisy’s stall and don’t let her come out into the yard.”

  Bryan looked at Dallas, “It’s how she looks isn’t it? You’re afraid to let the other women see her. They’ll think you can protect them.”

  Dallas swallowed, “Well we didn’t did we. I promised Lacy, we wouldn’t embarrass her in front of the women.”

  Just then the wagon rolled up with Sergeant Major Vincent, “Alright ladies, this is it. Let’s get this stuff back inside.” He helped Sonya and Anna down and unloaded the cribs on the porch, setting the rest on top and tipped his hat and headed for the stables with the wagon. Each of the ladies took a pile and moved it back inside and found the empty bedroom and closed the door.

  Jenny crawled out of bed and made her way to the toward Bryan and tripped on the crib stumping her toes, “Bryan? Why this back?”

  Gage cussed and came out, “Jenny? I made a mistake. You were right. I can’t take the twins away from Mary Jane after everything she did. I need the cottage. Do you mind?”

  Jenny smiled, “She stay with you?”

  Gage said, “As my housekeeper until we get to know if she might want to marry me some day. We need a little time to learn each other’s ways, but she will keep the children like we talked about when I’m away from the fort.”

  Jenny asked, “And tonight?”

  Gage said, “She’s teaching me how tonight. We’re going to be noisy, so maybe you would rather sleep next to Daisy. They have a job Bryan needs to help with tonight in the camel pen. There’s more sunlight there to see the inside of the gems.”

  Jenny said, “Yes, better light. So we count in pen?”

  Dallas said, “Yes you count in the pen.”

  Jenny said, “Alright, one more move, then I sick Daisy on person who wake us. Not like that mattress anyway. You bring me turban for head tomorrow or shawl. Do not want to scare men either.”

  Dallas nodded, “Something to cover you hair and shoulders and a new set of clothes and shoes. It’s on my list Jenny.”

  Jenny said, “Help Bryan move his stuff to pen too. His ribs sore.”

  Gage grinned, “Yes, Mam.”

  Ten minutes later Bryan had Jenny laying down on a bear skin rug covering a soft pile of hay with his blanket over her as he watched the men move the ill gotten treasure bags into the back of Daisy’s stall. Jenny lay with light shawl wrapped around her shoulders with her face away from any of the men. It didn’t take long to finish the move.

  MacLeod called out from his cell, “That’s a mistake Major. They can pocket all the jewels they want while you sleep.”

  Dallas growled, “That man is really starting to get to me.”

  Jenny said, “Chain him to other side of Daisy like you did me. He guard them and she guard him.”

  Bryan said, “But who keeps you from killing him?”

  Jenny said, “We put cotton in ears. Too tired to kill him tonight, maybe tomorrow.”

  Dallas grinned, “Alright. Just remember you asked for it.”

  Dallas brought MacLeod out into the camel pen and hand cuffed him to the stall camel ring between the jewels and Daisy. Dallas put a set of leg irons on him and put a set linking Bryan and Jenny together.

  MacLeod looked at Dallas, How come they aren’t cuffed too?”

  Bryan said, “Try to touch that camel and she’ll take you’re hand off. It’s for your protection. You don’t think I can pull her and these iron over a ten foot wall do you? Just try to lift your leg and hold it one minute for me you asshole.”

  Jenny said, “Go to sleep. He not worth minute more tonight. Maybe he help sort tomorrow.”

  MacLeod asked, “You want me to help?”

  Jenny said, “Priest help do they not?”

  MacLeod said, “Yes, we try to, but I thought you said I failed.”

  Jenny said, “You are too stubborn to let one time stop you. But you better Priest if you not let people rile you so easy.”

  MacLeod said, “Sister Abigail said that to me. How did you know?”

  Jenny said, “Told you brother. We share more than you know with Mother. Can not count the times she tell me to think before I speak. She was right, it only get me in trouble. Sparrow Hawk had right answer, just don’t talk. Think if you must, but keep your mouth shut. Too frank with opinion for men to stomach.”

  Bryan said, “But, I like your voice.”

  Jenny replied, “You do until you don’t. Even you can lose temper. I hear you cuss tonight at flowers who can not change the number of petals they carry to make me happy, no more than I can change fact that his God is a woman.”

  MacLeod struggled against his cuff and reached out with his left hand trying to reach for Jenny, “Blasphemy! Blasphemy! There is no end to it.”

  Daisy growled and took a nip at the man in front of her as he quickly scooted beyond the reach of her neck, “Devil’s spawn guarded by the filthy evil beast! Away with your demon!”

  Jenny muttered, “Don’t worry, just break little bone. We see if he tell the truth huh Daisy. She better than bull you tie me to.”

  MacLeod frowned, “What did you mean by that. You plan to torture me?”

  Bryan replied, “Jenny, that’s enough. Remember to turn the other cheek? Jesus said to turn the other cheek.”

  Jenny said, “He threw out merchants too. Friar’s neck did not look like he believed hard for rich man to see his God. Look like he turn other eye to get trinkets and gold he want.”

  MacLeod sighed, “That he did, but it won’t go unpunished. That should have been used more wisely. But men are easily corrupted by women. He let your Mother’s stories lead him down the easy path to financing their actions in the community with gold from the caves and falls.”

  Jenny said, “His weakness was my Mother’s fault? Maybe she hoped he would reach out and barter for me while I was still unwed? He could have said more to get help but then he would not have had his goblets, rings, and crosses.”

  MacLeod quoted Timothy, “Let a woman learn quietly with all submissiveness. I do not permit a woman to teach or to exercise authority over a man; rather, she is to remain quiet.”

  Jenny replied, “There is neither Jew nor Greek, there is neither slave nor free, there is no male and female, for you are all one in Christ Jesus.” Jenny asked, “Which is correct Priest? Both are from your Bible.”

  Bryan said quietly, “Stalemate. Game is a draw. Don’t make me send both of you to different corners and get out my belt. I’m a teacher and I WILL NOT PERMIT THIS TO CONTINUE! Jenny let this go, or let me go. This is not the wife I want to spend the rest of my life with. And don’t you dare cry on me. That’s not fighting fair.”

  Jenny lay down and shut up she didn’t say another word.

  MacLeod started to congratulate Travers on shutting her up, but stopped. Instead he said softly, “I know something about stones. I’ll help you sort tomorrow as long as she remains quiet.” Bryan waited for the retort, but there was none.

  Somewhere in Jenny’s mind she counted petals as she tried to keep from saying one more word. He had used a word she didn’t understand. Jenny asked, “What is stalemate?”

  Bryan said, “It means there is no way either of you can win the a game or in this case a war of words. You both quoted the Bible and the passages just don’t agree. There is no right or wrong only what each of you believes to be right or wrong. It is the thing that men go to war over Jenny. It is why we’re fighting now. A difference of opinion that is so strong they could not find a way to agree how not to fight.”

  Jenny asked, “How do you stop fighting?”

  Bryan said, “By agreeing to disagree and moving on and finding the things that you can agree on, like MacLeod offering to help sort tomorrow. He could have made a snide remark, but he didn’t. It’s that or the other side wipes out everyone who d
isagrees with them. Go to sleep and think on that.”

  Jenny laid her head down, “I will try to be quiet so he does not lose his count tomorrow.”

  The Price of Help

  The night passed without any more incidents. As the sun came up, Dallas brought a table, two chairs, and several women’s velvet draw string purses to sort the gems into different categories and types. The cuffs and leg irons were taken off MacLeod, Bryan and Jenny. Lacy brought breakfast and a pot of Bryan’s special coffee made from Eucommia bark. MacLeod took one sip and spit the nasty bitter stuff out. “You’ve got to be kidding me.” His face was drawn up like he’d just bit into a sour persimmon.

  Jenny’s eyebrow rose from the confines of Daisy’s stall. Bryan had told her she was to rest. No hard work or lifting. She sat looking at the pictures of Bryan’s book on rocks as it described different type of rocks. She thought about making a comment but kept her mouth shut like Bryan had asked.

  MacLeod slipped a flask out of his jacket and poured a healthy splash into Bryan’s coffee pot and took another cup and sipped acting like it was still just as bitter. Bryan poured a cup for Jenny.

  Bryan held it out and helped her hold the cup to drink, “Drink it. It’s good for you. You just think this is bitter because you haven’t tasted chicory bark yet.”

  Jenny sipped, “Not as bad as I remembered. Maybe getting used to it.”

  Bryan smiled, “There you go. Drink up, it will help you rest.”

  MacLeod asked, “You gave me her medicine?”

  Bryan said, “Yes, it won’t hurt you and it might just help the sour stomach that’s been eating at you.”

  MacLeod looked at Jenny, “If he’s poisoned me, I’m not the only one dying today.”

  Lacy sipped on her cup of chicory coffee that she had made at home, “Awe, it’s not poison, just some Chinese herb or bark that helps old men’s joints, and swelling and such. I’m getting where I kind of like it, but if you don’t want that, I’ve got a pot of chicory back at the house.”

  Dallas looked at Bryan, “Bryan, that won’t make her lose the baby will it?”

  Bryan looked at Dallas, “Does she look like she lost the baby? It kicked. It’s not willow bark.”

  Dallas asked, “So you never gave her anything? You just left.”

  Bryan retorted, “She made that for me, then she lied to me about her monthly. I didn’t think she needed anything.”

  Dallas looked at Jenny, “And her? You did something surely?”

  Bryan said, “I thought about it. But no I didn’t. All things considered, I thought it should be her decision.”

  MacLeod looked at Bryan, “She’s Catholic, or at least she was at one time. You’re sure this is safe? What is it again?”

  Bryan said, “Eucommia bark from China. Same as we had out by the ravine or at least some of us did. You didn’t drink any did you?”

  MacLeod looked at Jenny, “No, I didn’t drink any. Wasn’t giving her a chance to poison me.” MacLeod reminded Jenny, “Remember what we talked about.”

  Jenny looked at Bryan, “Husband?”

  Bryan said, “Finish drinking it, I’m the doctor it won’t hurt and might help fix what they did down there Jenny. It won’t cause you to slip a child and we know you’re not carrying one right now don’t we?”

  MacLeod said, “Prove it.”

  Lacy volunteered, “I drink it. I have for months and I’m still with child. If anything I think it helped us have a child. It took months last time.”

  Dallas said, “He doesn’t have to prove anything to you. It’s their decision.”

  MacLeod said, “It’s God’s decision. It’s a sin to try to abort a child or do anything that would harm one. She agreed to that.”

  Dallas said, “It’s a sin to torture and try to dope helpless women too, but that sure didn’t stop you MacLeod. Besides, we’re not talking about aborting a live baby.”

  MacLeod retorted, “We don’t see it that way. If she is, it’s because God wants the child to be born. And M is anything but helpless. You’ve got the Knife and you need to respect that Major.”

  Jenny looked at the two of them, “I bleed after birth. Womb still weep like other four babies. It is nature not his bark.” Jenny turned and asked, “You wish I should show you?”

  There was a quick succession of comments as MacLeod yelled out first, “NO! Woman have you no modesty?”

  Dallas’s eyes grew wide, “Not, necessary. Don’t do that please Jenny.”

  Bryan said, “I have no problem with that, but don’t. It will get your bandages wet and we’ll need to change them again. Like I said, we know she’s not and I’d appreciate it if the two of you stop this verbal bickering at her expense. She’s not his Knife. She’s my wife and it’s you who seem to lack respect. I thought Catholics considered peyote a major sin and here you were trying to feed her peyote laced lemon drops.”

  Lacy chuckled, “That’s worse than Searcy Spring Water and sugar any day if you ask me. Hum, there’s an idea. We could use the spring water to make lemon drops, and hard candies. Maybe I’ll put that in a letter to Ma. Well, now that’s settled you object to Jenny having some more tonic for her swollen joints?”

  MacLeod replied as a smile crossed the ends of his lips, “I guess not.”

  Lacy topped her cup off. Jenny sipped, “Hum, not good wife if don’t submit to husband am I Priest?”

  MacLeod said, “God first, then husband, but I guess you can have as much of that as you want.”

  Dallas said, “Well your God and my orders agree about one thing, we’re in a hurry to get this out of here and on to where it will do the most good, so how about we get to the work at hand.”

  Lacy moved Daisy out into an adjoining stall to make it easier to get to the tarps of wrapped buckets. Dallas brought some crates lined with straw and paper. Lacy helped take the necklaces out and wrap them in soft cloth and place in the crate and marked a chalk board under categories what was place in which crate. The raw gems were given to MacLeod and Bryan who inspected each and sorted them into the various pouches. Dallas took the coins and melted them down over a fire and poured the metal off into bars to cool. The forks, spoons, and knives were placed in cutlery boxes and stacks of plates were made with hay between each plate.

  Jenny sat the cup down and yawned, “Maybe sleep more.”

  Occasionally when Bryan or MacLeod found an exceptional stone, there was the sound of excitement and the loop was passed back and forth as each took a turn looking over the gem. When Jenny woke up, Lacy was try on some of the more spectacular pieces and pretend she was some grand lady for the men and twirled as Bryan made comments on how nice she looked and Dallas should man up and buy it for her. Even MacLeod seemed in a better mood. Then Lacy would take it off laughing, “He better not. He gives me anything like that and I’ll know he’s been cheating on me. I’d rather have one pound of real coffee any day. Now that’s worth it’s weight in gold.”

  MacLeod heard her stirring, “Well look who’s up.” MacLeod looked at the stack of necklaces, “Jenny, come here. Let’s see how good you really are. I’m going to put out two pieces. You pick the one you think will bring the most. You keep the last one you pick. He rifled thought the stack and pulled out two chains with crosses and put them out in front of him along with two stones.

  Bryan looked as his eyebrow rose and arched, considering whether he should step in or not, then looked Jenny in the eyes, “Well, why not. Which one do you fancy Jenny?”

  Lacy looked at the two necklaces and stones. One was very ornate, but definitely plated while the simpler of the two was pure silver but plain. One stone was small and faceted while the other was larger but smooth and uncut.

  Dallas looked at MacLeod, he had a smirk on his face like he knew the game was rigged. Dallas said, “She doesn’t have to do this.”

  MacLeod grinned, “She earned it. Don’t you think she earned it Major? She did a good job didn’t she? You’re not planning on melting down the cru
cifixes are you? The CSA isn’t going to miss this. Let her try.”

  Lacy looked over what was on the table,“None of those are worth that much Dallas. Not even worth the price of a musket.”

  MacLeod replied, “Three sets of necklaces and stones to choose from. She can keep what she picked or choose a new one.”

  Dallas said, “She gets one pick and you put them all out at once. You’re not going to play the old shell game and slip a replica in on the last pick.”

  MacLeod chuckled, “Seems you know this game, Major. No matter. I feel I owe her something for her finger. No real harm done, but I’d feel better if she let me make it up to her. Let her pick which one she likes as her reward.” MacLeod laid out several necklaces. If Dallas had to guess, MacLeod already knew which one she’d pick.

  MacLeod looked back at Jenny, “What Jenny, cat got your tongue? Surely you’re not looking a gift horse in the mouth. Your Mother said you wore hers everywhere.”

  Jenny looked at MacLeod, “Not all from cave? Mother give you something for me?” Jenny rose and stepped carefully over to the table and steadied herself. She looked at the heavy golden chain with large bulky cross. She rubbed her fingers over the gold. There was one of fine silver more appropriate for a fine lady with small dark red stones embedded. There was one with a small round circle where the sticks cross where when she held it up to the light she could see words inside and the circle. Her eyes couldn’t focus on them, but she remembered having a cross like that once. The circle was surrounded by what looked like a crown of thorns with sharp ends that would catch on things and prick her fingers bringing blood. Another was fine gold chain with a small filigree ivory cross that looked very old and discolored. A sliver man’s chain with a large plain cross. Another manly silver chain with a cross with uncut colored stones embedded like a mosaic. One that might have been made by natives of sea shells, small stones in clay that hung from old dried out leather straps. Then she saw it. A string of hand carved wooden beads, with a small carved wooden cross. One like she had left in the mine long ago to try to send a message that she was still alive, still waiting to be rescued. Jenny touched it to make sure it was real and put it back down. She fingered each of the stones and then turned to Bryan, “Value not always what something buys is it not my husband? Sometimes paying back a debt is more precious.”