by Caryl McAdoo
Her mother used to make her study the map, so she had some idea where they were headed. “Why there; so far south?”
“It’s been the capital since you’ve been gone I reckon. President Lamar bullied the legislators into moving it there from Houston in ‘39. Claimed Sam’s town was too humid.”
“Really?” She’d missed out on so much. It was like she’d lived in a whole other world since that horrible day she was stolen. “So Houston isn’t the president any more?”
“Well, he is, actually. President again. But he wasn’t back then.” He laughed. “He’s got the office for a few more months; ‘til the end of the year anyway.”
Her head spun. It all didn’t make a lot of sense. But she never cared that much for politics anyway. Her daddy and brothers bored her to death with talk of it all. “So how long will it take us to get to Austin?”
“Maybe a week.”
The young girl spoke up again. “So then you think we might just be going somewheres close ta Dallas then? ‘Cause it’d be iffin’ y’all could just be droppin’ me right there on the road. I can walk on to the–”
“No, ma’am, sorry. We’re pretty far west of Dallas.”
Another lady in the wagon leaned forward. “Well then, do you know when we can go home, young man? My family doesn’t even know if I’m dead or alive.”
The quietest of the ladies sat on the other side of Sassy. She looked up with hollow eyes. “Least you got family to go home to. Comanche slaughtered mine.”
Sassy placed her hand on the woman’s shoulder and patted and rubbed.
Levi shook his head and pointed to the government men driving the wagon. “They’ll have some paper work, I’m sure. Then we’ll see what Major Williamson has in mind.” He gave Sassy a nod. “But I’m overdue for leave and pay, so if the big guns don’t go stirring the pie, maybe you and little Charley can go north with us.”
She smiled. “Who’s us?”
“Wallace Rusk, the ranger I sent ahead to do some hunting for supper. We’ve been rangering together from the start. He’s infatuated with Rebecca, heard me talk about her so much. I’ve read him all her letters.
“I finally promised that I’d introduce them. We’ve been talking about going once the Indian war was over, and now it is.” He gave her a big smile. “I’d love nothing better that to show up with you and him in tow.”
“Oh, me, too! That sounds wonderful!” Her heart hurt over her daddy, but he’d be in the presence of the Lord. Never knew a man of stronger faith, not even the preacher.
She’d thought about going on to Heaven herself when Swift Arrow traded her to Bold Eagle, but then discovered her pregnancy and the baby had to be Charles’.
No, not even that bad news would spoil this day. Nothing could dampen her ecstatic mood.
She was free.
Going home, and what safer travel could she ask for than being escorted by two Texas Rangers? She would like to see her mother, too, though.
“So, Levi, would Dallas be much out of the way once we head north again?”
Levi figured immediately why she asked and hated to disappoint her, so he only shrugged. Didn’t rightly want to go hunting all over North Texas for Frank Fogelsong. “A week, maybe more.”
The smell of smoke drew his attention away from the talkative ladies. Ahead, drifting out of the clump of live oaks they’d camped at before, a thin column of smoke rose.
Soon enough, he spotted Wallace resting his head on his saddle, his hat over his eyes. A fair-sized jack and two smaller rabbits roasted on a spit.
Not long until he got within ear shot. “Where’s Smitty?”
His best friend lifted the hat and sat up. “Can’t a man ever get a nap in this outfit?”
Levi snorted. “Wallace, you haven’t slept a wink in all the years we’ve been rangering. Now where’s Smith?”
His friend stood, watched until the wagon full of ladies roll past, then eased closer. “He’s scouting. We caught a mirror flash in the hills. Then an answer about an hour ago, close to the time we spotted your dust cloud coming.” He looked west. “We ain’t alone, Sarge.”
Levi grimaced. He’d hoped that nagging in his gut would prove wide of the mark, but apparently Bold Eagle deemed his third wife and her pale-skinned boy too much a prize.
Maybe he’d planned it all along. Let them get away, but slow them down by demanding two of their mules and his paint in trade.
Once Smith returned, Levi relaxed some. If there had been a raiding party out there, he would have spotted them.
After the not-near-enough rabbit supper, he set the watches with him and Wallace taking the last one. More times than not, the Comanche had struck right before dawn, at the darkest hour.
He bedded the women and boy under the wagon with the agents inside. Both were armed, but Levi figured they wouldn’t be much good in a fight.
The older government man made a fuss about pitching his own tent, but once Levi took him aside, the old boy shut his mouth and did as told.
Sassy rocked Charley until he finally gave in and dozed off. He’d eaten the rabbit but refused the beans and hard tack. In Comanche he called them white man’s poison, and wouldn’t eat them.
She’d seen all the hushed conversation between Levi and the other rangers and figured they were expecting a raid. She laid Charley down then eased out from under the wagon. Levi stood next to one of the oaks that guarded their camp site.
“You got an extra gun?”
Looking at her, he smiled. “Seems I traded it away a few miles back.”
“A knife then?”
He hesitated a moment then pulled a sheathed blade out of his belt. “This do?”
She hefted it then ran her thumb over the edge. “Sharp.”
He rubbed his cheek. “I’ve had better, but it shaves fine in a pinch.”
She looked out and saw nothing but shapeless shadows blurring into a moonless, star-studded sky. “What are you expecting?”
He shrugged. “Everything, nothing. Why do you ask?”
“Oh, you’ve been on edge ever since you talked with your friend right after we got here. And the old agent wanted to sleep in his tent until you took him aside, and now he’s in the wagon peeking out every few minutes. I see you out here searching every shadow.” She smiled. “So, what’s out there?”
“Well now, you don’t miss much do you?”
“Well now, do you ever give a straight answer?”
“Sometimes, but I really don’t know. Wallace and Smitty saw a mirror flash and then later, an answer.” He glanced toward the wagon then back to her. “I don’t think its Bold Eagle. If it were him, I figured we would have seen sign of a raiding party.”
“I hope you’re right.”
“Me, too.”
Bear Fang watched as the ranger and the white woman talked. The one Bold Eagle called Red Rose. It surprised him that the war chief had traded her away. But that did not concern him.
He only agreed to give up his new wife to make Buffalo Hump and the other old chiefs happy. But never gave his word he would not steal her back.
He loved her pale skin and blue eyes. His sun and moon.
Soon she would belong to him again. He would take her south to the other side of the Rio Bravo where he should have gone when he first heard about Old Owl’s ignorant idea of living with the whites in peace.
He regretted that his signal to Runs Like Antelope had been seen, but even that meant nothing. He would walk among them just as he walked among the buffalo without being seen.
He would have her back, and the one they called Baylor would never see him or even know she was gone.
Chapter
Five
Soft steps pried Levi’s left eye open. Smitty walked toward him. He kneeled and touched his shoulder. “Sarge.”
Levi nodded then sat up and mouthed. “Anything?”
Smith shook his head, handed him his pistol, and then headed toward his saddle and bedroll. Levi tucked the gu
n in his waistband, grabbed his rifle and took his place on the south side of camp.
Studying the shadows in the starlight, for the longest time he saw nothing. Then twice, right before false dawn, he about convinced himself of movement. Were his eyes playing tricks on him?
The third time, he realized he did see something. He stared a bit away then clearly caught the intruder out of the corner of his eye, exactly like Uncle Henry had taught him so long ago.
He looked over in Wallace’s direction but couldn’t see his friend. Easing up slowly, he inched toward the intruder.
Three quick steps of soft moccasins running on dirt pulled him around. A shadow leapt toward him. He fell backwards and raised his feet. He caught the man midsection and tossed him over his head.
He rolled. Pushed himself up. Pulled Smitty’s pistol, cocked, and fired. The blast blinded him for an instant, but he quickly recovered. The Comanche lay in the dirt clutching his chest.
Levi kicked him. The brave groaned but didn’t get up. He turned his attention to the camp. A woman screamed. He saw movement; couldn’t make anything out but dark shapes. He found his rifle and ran toward the wagon.
Another redskin had an arm wrapped around Sassy and the young pregnant woman. He held a knife to the redhead’s throat. Wallace stood off to the side with his long gun aimed. Under the wagon, the other women scrambled into a huddle.
The Indian held Laura next to him, her frantic eyes wide in the starlight, trapped with his knife arm around her neck. If she struggled, Sassy got cut.
Levi raised his rifle, cocked, and aimed. “Duck ladies.” They both went limp, and he squeezed the trigger. The trio fell into a heap.
He reached them as Sassy untangled herself and stood. Splattered with blood, she looked at him then back to the Comanche. The left side of his skull was gone. Dark lifeless eyes stared blankly at the sky.
The younger woman screamed again and crawled on her knees to his side. She laid her head on his chest. “I’m sorry, Bear Fang. So sorry.”
She looked up at Sassy. “He was kind to me, gentle. He didn’t want to give me back, called me his sun and moon.” She sobbed. “I – I’m carrying his child.” She touched her extended belly.
The compassionate lady kneeled beside her and hugged her. Laura turned and held tight to Sassy while Levi dragged the body from camp. He went to check on the other brave, but he had disappeared.
In the morning they would follow the blood trail.
Levi brought the cook fire back to life and put a pot of coffee on to brew. Sassy sat huddled with the young girl, hugging her and cooing soft words. He sat on his haunches and stared at the fire waiting for the coffee and enough light. Wallace joined him. “Your gut ever been wrong?”
“Maybe, it ain’t ever warned me about you.”
“Well, mine’s telling me I about had enough of rangering. Not that I ain’t enjoyed riding all over the territory meting out justice, devil knows I do, but I’s thinking, how ‘bout you trade me your sister for my land grant?”
Levi laughed. “You know she’s really my cousin, but if you can get past Uncle Henry and Aunt Sue, you’re more than welcome to her. Probably going to take someone like you to keep her in line.”
Wallace looked toward the eastern sky, now only lacking the sun itself for full brightness. “I like that. Never been one to shrink from a challenge. Is she really as pretty as you claim?”
“Pretty doesn’t describe her.” Levi looked past his friend. “What would you say?”
Sassy shrugged. “I admit always being jealous of Rebecca. My brothers claimed I was pert near the prettiest thing they’d ever laid eyes on.” She shrugged again like it wasn’t brag, just fact. “Maybe they thought Becky was the prettiest, and that’s why they told me I was pert near.” She laughed.
Her brothers told no lies. Not a body alive could ever claim Sassy was hard to look at, but his Bitty Beck took the cake. He couldn’t imagine what she looked like now that she’d matured, probably a lot like his Aunt Sue before all the little Buckmeyer ladies came along.
He forced his attention to the here and now and nudged Wallace. “We best see to that other one.”
Fifty paces out, he found the Comanche lying face down. He flipped him over. His eyes stared ahead—lifeless. Levi kicked him hard, but the man didn’t respond. He turned and walked away. He might have to fight him again, but not in this life.
The long days of traveling wore on Sassy and the other women. One lady in particular about drove her crazy complaining from dawn to dusk. She didn’t figure anything would ever please the woman.
Way Sassy saw it, the yap who owned her should have paid the agents to take her back. The ingrate certainly didn’t appreciate anything the rangers or anyone else was doing for her, and that wore on Sassy’s nerves.
The other three ladies spent all their time together telling each other their lives. The one with hollow eyes and nobody to go home to took charge of the cooking with Laura as her helper.
Sassy liked that, and spent her time with Charley. No one seemed to mind.
On the fifth morning, she woke up before dawn and stretched. She reached for Charley but couldn’t find her baby. She sat straight up looking every direction around her, but he was nowhere to be seen.
Crawling from under the wagon, she scanned all around the camp. “Charley!” She ran to the other side of the wagon screaming frantically. “Charley!” She didn’t care whom she woke up.
Suddenly, Levi stood at her side. He touched her shoulder and motioned for her to follow. He led her out to the north a bit. About a hundred or so strides out, Charley ran as fast as his little legs would carry him.
She took a step, and Levi touched her arm. She faced him. “He’s getting away.”
Levi nodded. “Let’s let him go a while. The little scalawag didn’t start running until you called his name.”
She put her hand over her heart and sighed. “I don’t know what I’m going to do with him. I never thought he’d still be trying to go back. I know he loves me, but –”
“It’ll take time.”
She shook her head and watched her son’s escape. “Did you know the Comanche don’t discipline children at all?”
“I’ve heard that, and about their method of scaring them.” He pointed at the boy. “He’ll come around, I’m sure of it.”
“I only hope it’s sooner rather than later.”
“Go get a cup of coffee, Sassy. I’ll cold trail him.”
She sighed. “You sure?”
Glancing again in the boy’s direction, he seemed in deep thought. “Maybe I can get through to him.”
“Should I go with you?”
He laughed. “No. You’re the one he’s running from. I promise not to let him get away.” He grinned.
She didn’t come across with a full-blown smile, but the corner of her mouth did lift a tiny bit; then she turned back toward camp.
Levi gave him a few more steps, and then took out after him. The little guy made pretty good time, even if he was heading in the wrong direction. Twice, he lost sight of him, but with a few strides of double time, caught back up.
After a quarter of a mile, he looped east and increased his pace until he paralleled the boy. Up ahead, a large rocky outcropping lay right in the boy’s path. Levi hurried to get in front of him and climbed to the top.
Charley stopped at the rock and glanced over his shoulder.
“Your mother cries many tears, little man.”
The boy looked up. “No care. Me go home.”
Levi pointed west. “It’s that direction. You’re heading the wrong way.”
“No. Am not. Whites lie.”
Levi liked this kid. He had an answer for everything. “Did you know those two men that tried to steal your mama and that other lady?”
“Yaps. Some fat moons yaps raid with father.”
Levi slid down the outcropping. “He’s not your father.”
Charley balled his fist and glared. “Me
son of Bold Eagle.”
“No. That isn’t true. Your father is white. The chief traded you and your mother to me for my paint horse and pistol. He didn’t want you anymore.”
The boy’s face turned from pink to bright red. He gritted his teeth. “No. You lie.”
“You were there. He walked off with my horse and gun, and I’ve got you and your mother. She’s the one who loves you. You should never run away from her.”
Charley continued to glare, but tears welled then overflowed down his chubby cheeks. His shoulders slumped. He melted to the ground sobbing.
Levi hated hurting the kid’s heart, but Uncle Henry said the truth would set you free.
He kneeled beside the boy, patted his head, and then picked him up. Charley laid his head on his shoulder and continued sobbing.
A cold wind whipped Sassy’s long hair into her face as she saw to her necessaries. Back in camp, she shook out her sleeping blanket and wrapped it around her shoulders as the other ladies had.
She wished the agents hadn’t needed to trade so many blankets. They could use the extras now.
From the northwest, a dark wall of clouds moved toward them. Wallace stood near the fire, studying the horizon. “Storm coming, ladies. Let’s get it packed up.”
She watched for Levi and Charley while she helped load and put the canvas over the wagon’s staves. She stowed the Dutch oven with the leftover biscuits in what had become her and Charley’s corner.
The agents worked on hitching the mules when she finally spotted Levi approaching with her baby draped over his shoulder.
Her heart caught in her throat. What had happened to him? She ran toward them, but Levi held his hand up and waved her off. She stopped and exhaled then met him halfway.
“What happened?”
Levi shook his head and mouthed later. He waited for her to climb into the wagon then handed her the boy. He turned his back. “We ready?”
