Messenger by Moonlight Part 10

Still, Annie tried to be thankful. At least they'd been a.s.signed to a peaceful station. At least the trouble was far away. Until, one morning, war cries and gunfire sounded, and a mounted war party charged in from the North and surrounded the station.

Paralyzed by fear, Annie saw little more than a flash of color outside the kitchen window before Emmet charged into the room, grabbed her, and propelled her beneath the worktable. He crouched down, placing himself between her and the doorway. Annie didn't know when he'd s.n.a.t.c.hed up a knife, but at the sound of footsteps pounding through the main room toward the kitchen, Emmet s.h.i.+elded her with one arm while he brandished the weapon.

An unarmed George Morgan bolted into the room. Why hadn't he grabbed the shotgun mounted just inside the door leading into the storeroom? But it was too late for that, because the attackers were here now. Inside the station.

A painted face loomed in the doorway behind Morgan. He whirled about and roared, "Are you out of your mind?" Then he charged the Indian, pus.h.i.+ng him backward and bellowing words Annie didn't understand.

Expecting to hear a desperate fight, she cowered behind Emmet. But there was no fight. As quickly as the melee had begun, it ended. Everything grew quiet.

Finally, George Morgan stepped back into the kitchen. "It's all right," he said. "You can put the knife down, Emmet. It's just Badger and his friends having a little fun. He's gone now."

Emmet sprang to his feet. "Wh-what did you just say?" He held on to the knife.

Morgan leaned down and spoke directly to Annie. "Come out. It's safe."

Annie crept out from beneath the table, trembling so violently she kept one hand on the table to steady herself.

Morgan scratched his beard. He looked away for a moment. "I'm sorry. I didn't expect them for at least another week."

Emmet put the knife down.

Morgan explained further. "They stop by every year, right before the spring buffalo hunt."

Annie pointed out the window and stammered, "Th-that is not 'stopping by.'"

"I know. And one of these years, someone who doesn't know what's going on is going to start shooting back and all he-heck will break loose." He shrugged. "There's not much I can do about it. It's their way. They'll only be here for a few days."

Annie sputtered, "A few days?"

"Yes. To celebrate spring. And the hunt. Feasting and talk around the campfire. I hang a side of beef in the soddy. Age it. Save it for spring. We feast. Later, we trade."

"Trade what?" Emmet asked.

"Buffalo robes. Dried tongue. I pay a dollar a hide for the robes and a quarter a dozen for tongue. By fall, I'll have a stack of hides-and pelts-to send east. Last year, I made three dollars apiece profit on the hides alone. I sell the dried tongue to folks on the trail."

As he talked, Morgan was standing with his back to the main room. Annie was the first one to notice when the same Indian he'd forced out of the kitchen moments ago stepped in the back door. Half of his face was painted white, the other half red. A wide black stripe accented each cheek. His two braids were wrapped with some kind of fur, his muscular neck adorned with a necklace made of what looked like giant claws-or bones. He wore fringed buckskin leggings and carried a huge knife thrust into a wine-colored sash wound about his waist. When he saw Annie, he stopped. She took a step toward Emmet. Morgan glanced behind him. "That's Badger," he said. "He's Billy's uncle." He raised his voice and spoke to the Indian, then turned back to Annie and Emmet. "I'll introduce you."

Annie hesitated, but Emmet nodded and together they followed Morgan into the main room. While Morgan talked, the Indian studied her, his eyes roving from the top of her head, downward, and then back up again. When the Indian looked away from her and over at Emmet, Annie relaxed a bit. Whatever was going on behind those dark eyes, she didn't think the man intended harm. Finally, he spoke to Mr. Morgan and then, laughing, turned to go. Annie couldn't help but smile at the way he swaggered as he retreated toward the barn where a half-dozen other Indians waited.

"You said he's Billy's uncle?" Annie asked.

Morgan nodded. "The last of that family, as far as I know."

"How so?"

"Small pox."

Annie flinched at mention of the dreaded disease. "I can't imagine how horrible that must have been."

"h.e.l.l on earth," Morgan rumbled.

"You were there?"

"I was." He grunted. "And finally, being a doctor's son did me some good. I was vaccinated. So I carried water and did what I could."

Annie gazed toward the barn. "So Billy and Badger owe you their lives."

Bitterness dripped from every word as Morgan said, "They owe me nothing. I did the same thing for every single person in the band. Everyone died-except Billy and Badger. You'll see the scars when Badger isn't painted. Billy didn't scar as much. I don't know why." He shook his head. "I don't know why any of it had to happen."

Not an hour after the p.a.w.nee made camp, another ruckus erupted outside. This time it was the army-a double column of mounted men, charging this way. Annie hurried out the front door. The soldiers were just a short distance away when they pulled up abruptly, sending a cloud of dust into the air. George Morgan trudged into view and hurried out to meet them. The man at the head of the column dismounted and together, he and Morgan walked toward the station. The rest of the column remained in the saddle.

Annie could hear every word. "Really, Morgan, you've got to talk to Badger. He's going to get someone killed. Everyone between here and Fort Kearny thought the Paiute War had spread to Nebraska. The poor civilian who saw them charging toward Clearwater had nearly lost his voice by the time he stormed up the stairs to the captain's office. He'd been yelling warnings the whole-" He noticed Annie for the first time and stopped, midsentence. Tugging on the brim of his hat he greeted her. "Ma'am."

"This is Annie Paxton," Morgan said. "Cook for the Pony Express. Her brothers ride out of here."

The soldier swept his hat off his head. "Lieutenant Wade Hart, Ma'am. I've heard about you. I'm pleased to finally make your acquaintance." He looked back at George Morgan, speaking sternly. "You're lucky I caught sight of Badger's camp before we came in with guns blazing."

"I know it. I warn them every year."

"Well warn them louder," the soldier said, and gestured toward the column of mounted men. "A dozen men missed chow because of some infernal wild-goose chase."

Annie spoke up. "I don't mind cooking if they don't mind waiting." She glanced up at George Morgan, a question in her eyes.

He nodded and looked back over at the lieutenant. "How's that, Hart? Unless you think it's a bad idea to have your boys out front while my friends are camped out back."

"I'll order them to hitch their horses right here-and to mind their manners. Then you and I can try to talk some sense into Badger about his penchant for dramatics. Does that suit?"

Annie could not take her eyes off the man. He was almost as tall as George Morgan, but any resemblance ended there. Morgan had dark hair and gray-blue eyes. Lieutenant Hart was blond-haired, with china blue eyes. s.h.a.ggy, lumbering George Morgan reminded Annie of a barely tamed bear. Clean-shaven, dark-eyed Lieutenant Wade Hart was the most beautiful man Annie had ever seen.

News of the p.a.w.nee encampment at Clearwater traveled all up and down the trail, and a steady stream of the curious found its way to Badger's camp. Many visitors stayed either to buy something from the Clearwater store or to eat a meal. Annie expected the p.a.w.nee to resent being intruded upon. Instead, they extended hospitality, sharing meals around their campfire. When Annie expressed surprise, George Morgan explained that p.a.w.nee culture revolved around a notion of hospitality foreign to whites.

"White people think of 'home' as a place they withdraw to," he said. "They share, but only on their terms. The p.a.w.nee see welcoming guests as a point of honor. Sharing is expected. In fact, the man who gives most is respected most."

The explanation gave Annie a lot to think about. It also helped her understand why it was so important to Morgan's business that Badger and the other hunters feel welcome at Clearwater. Her own part in showing hospitality was an odd one. She was an almost-constant object of fascination-a fascination that led Badger's men to gather just outside the kitchen window and watch her work.

The first time she looked up from kneading dough and saw Badger and another young brave watching her, Annie yelped. Badger's expression transformed and he spoke a rapid apology. Annie didn't understand the words, but the tone was clear. His intent was friendly, if unnerving. Remembering what Morgan had said about p.a.w.nee ways, Annie s.n.a.t.c.hed up a basket of leftover biscuits and held it out. The men scooped them up with obvious appreciation. Later that evening, George Morgan thanked her.

"It was just leftover biscuits," Annie said. "I was embarra.s.sed. Do you think they'd appreciate a delivery of fresh bread in the morning?"

"You don't have to do that."

"But if I wanted to bake a couple extra loaves of bread, you wouldn't object?"

"Of course not."

"Then I'll double the batch for tomorrow morning."

The next morning, satisfied that her four loaves of bread would turn out nicely, Annie stepped outside to tend her Rhode Island Reds. She paused for just a moment, turning her face to the sky and reveling in the fresh breeze and the warmth of the sun on her face. She gazed toward the prairie, mindful of the wildflowers bobbing and dancing in the breeze. For just that brief moment, she understood what might draw people west. And then she peered over the half door and into the chicken coop.

"No-no-no-no!" Yelling at the top of her lungs, she unlatched the door. She didn't even think before s.n.a.t.c.hing up the huge snake coiled about three terrified chicks and flinging it out the door with all her might. The snake flew through the air, landed a few feet away, and was still. Annie dropped to her knees. Holding the two corners of her ap.r.o.n together, she counted as she dropped the cheeping chicks into the resulting pouch. Ten. Only ten. It wasn't until she'd given up the search that she sensed someone standing behind her. Emmet, George Morgan, and Badger. Blus.h.i.+ng, she staggered to her feet. "D-darned snake got two of my chicks. Somebody needs to kill it."

"Somebody already did," Morgan said, as Badger held up the dead snake. The hideous thing was long enough to span the s.p.a.ce from his outstretched hand to the earth.

Annie looked up at Morgan. "Please thank him for me. Darned bull snake."

Emmet's voice sounded odd. "It's not a bull snake."

"It is, too. It's brown and mottled just like..."

Badger s.n.a.t.c.hed up the snake's tail and gave it a shake. One, two, three, four... five rattles.

Annie took a step back. She gulped. "Well. It's dead now." Trembling, she turned back around, releasing the surviving chicks and closing the coop door.

"Guess we'd better be patching the holes in the walls," Morgan said.

Badger walked a few feet away, took the knife out of the sash at his waist, and cut the rattles off the snake. He cast the carca.s.s aside and presented the rattles to Annie as he said something that made George Morgan smile.

Annie tucked her hands beneath her ap.r.o.n, hoping Badger would take the hint. She didn't want the rattles from the hideous thing. "What?" she asked. "What now?"

"He's going to call you Rattlesnake Woman." Morgan laughed softly. "How about that? Less than three months in the West and you've already earned yourself a p.a.w.nee name. Not many Missouri girls can claim that honor. Then again, I doubt many Missouri girls have killed a rattler with their bare hands."

"I just wanted to get it away from my chickens. I don't even know how the thing died. And I thought it was a bull snake."

"Well, it wasn't. And it's dead. As far as Badger's concerned, you are not a woman to be trifled with. He'll be telling that story for the rest of hunting season. Maybe for the rest of his life."

Chapter 15.

Not long after Badger and the hunters went on their way, a freighter named Jim Willard rolled in with three loaded wagons pulled by six pairs of oxen. Annie heard both his bellowing and his bullwhip long before he arrived. Unloading the supplies intended for Clearwater took the better part of two days, but by the time it was done, every shelf in both the store and the storeroom groaned with ammunition, canned goods, barrels of whiskey, pork, ham, coffee, salt, pepper, vinegar, soda, flour, corn, dried apples, peaches, oysters in tins, and, wonder of wonders, eggs, the last nestled in a barrel of sawdust.

Having fewer failures in the kitchen nowadays gave Annie the courage to bring up the subject of milk and b.u.t.ter early one morning when George Morgan was tending the rat traps. "If anyone mentions wanting to trade for a milk cow, I'd be very pleased if you'd take them up on it."

Morgan looked at her as if she wanted to fly to the moon. "Seems to me you have enough to do just keeping those chickens alive. And anyway, I've never been offered a cow."

"Think about all the business it would bring if word got out that folks could buy b.u.t.ter at Clearwater. And milk. Anyone traveling with children would want to stop."

He shook his head. "You're asking for more work than you realize."

"I'm not," Annie insisted. "We had a cow when my mother died. I was nine years old. I managed." It wasn't a lie. She had managed-eventually. "Without milk and b.u.t.ter, there's only so much a cook can do."

Morgan seemed to be considering the point. But then he said, "n.o.body's complained about the food. It ain't broke. No need to fix it."

Frank lay on his side staring at the wall. Four weeks. It had been four weeks and n.o.body knew when-or if, for that matter-the Pony Express would get off the ground again. He thought about the white gauntlets Luther had delivered. He might not even get to wear them. And Annie had sewed the red stars on the cuffs. What a waste.

Emmet was sleeping soundly just across the room. Waiting patiently. Rereading Luvina's letters as if they contained the secret of life. He didn't seem one bit worried about the Pony. He wasn't unhappy, either. Emmet found a million things to do around the station. Of course there was always plenty to do, and that was all well and good, but Frank wanted to... run. He wanted to see Pete again. He wanted to be on the move. If he could at least go out with the wranglers and herd cattle or go cut wood with that crew, it wouldn't be so bad. But riders weren't supposed to go farther from the station than four hundred yards. They had to be ready to go the minute the Pony started up again. If that ever happened.

Frank closed his eyes. He turned over. Yanked on his blanket. Tried to settle. But it was no good. He wasn't going to sleep and there was no reason to keep trying. Slowly, he dressed. Quietly, he left the station, pausing for a moment to look up at the moon and the stars. He'd ignored the lure of Dobytown for an entire month of long days and longer nights. There couldn't be any harm in a moonlight ride. He'd be back at Clearwater before anyone so much as knew he was gone.

The minute Frank stepped into a stall to slip the bridle on Rachel, the sweet bay mare he'd ridden in, Billy called from up above. "That you, Frank?"

"Going to take a little moonlight ride. Be back before sunup." Billy said nothing, and before long, Frank was headed away from Clearwater, riding at an easy pace, getting the feel of the trail and thinking about having a little fun tonight. All night, maybe. Two hours there, a good long rest for Rachel while he tried his luck with a hand or two of poker, and then two hours back. He'd learned a thing or two about poker when he was riding for old man Hillsdale. Who knew but what he could add a little unexpected cash to the family till. Maybe, just maybe, if Good Luck rode with him tonight, Frank could once-and-for-all destroy Rotten Luck, the red-eyed shadow that had dogged the Paxtons since the day Ma died.

RL poured drinks for an old man with one foot in the grave and scattered weeds on poor soil. It shrieked with joy when a banker evicted a good family and, just when things looked like they might be turning around, RL stirred up Indian trouble in the West and brought the Pony Express to a screeching halt.

Frank spoke to the horse. "Tonight's going to be different, ain't it Rachel?" When the mare whickered and tossed her head, Frank looked up at the night sky and called out, "Hear that, RL? Tonight's the night I kick you out of our lives for good." Rachel snorted, and Frank laughed. He'd have a few drinks and a little fun with one of them pretty little gals who'd waved when he rode past Dobytown the last time. He'd tell a few stories and win a few dollars and be back in bed at Clearwater before sunrise, with nothing but good memories.

He heard Dobytown long before seeing its light in the distance. A rambling piano. Laughter. And the report of gunfire, which made Rachel pull up. "Go along, there," Frank said, touching her sides with his spurs. As he closed in on the place, the golden light spilling out over a dozen different saloon doors and half as many windows beckoned. Raucous laughter helped him decide which one to visit first. The place looked and sounded much more inviting at night than it had by day.

Frank had just dismounted and was wrapping Rachel's reins around the hitching post, when the general noise inside the saloon quieted. A lone voice called out, "I tell you, unless you repent, you shall all likewise perish." Frank frowned, wondering at the level of drunkenness required to inspire a saloon customer to shout religion. The smudged outline of a black-clad form with one arm raised appeared just inside the filthy window to the left of the door. Again, a voice rang out. "You know not the hour when the Lord may come. Today is the day of salvation."

The only response was more laughter, accompanied by a taunt or two in regards to what the folks inside the saloon did and did not know. But the preacher wasn't giving up. "Brethren. I preach unto you the gospel by which ye must be saved. For since by man came death, by man came also the resurrection of the dead. For as in Adam all die, even so in Christ shall all be made alive. Repent, and be baptized every one of you in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission of sins, and ye shall-"

The sermon ended with an unintelligible squawk as someone grabbed the preacher. In the next moment, he came flying out the door and landed in the dirt at Frank's feet. Rachel snorted and danced away. "Whoa, there, girl. Whoa, now." Frank settled the horse before looking down at the man in the dirt. "This is no place for a preacher."

The man sat up. Blood trickled from his lower lip. He swiped at it with the back of his hand. "That's where you're wrong, son. This is exactly the right place for a preacher." He waved a hand toward the saloon. "Where is the saving power of Christ more needed than in a den of iniquity such as that?" He grabbed Frank's sleeve. "Don't go in there, son. If you haven't gone in yet, I beg of you. Don't. Get back on your horse and return from whence you came."

With a groan, the preacher got up. Pulling a handkerchief out of his pocket, he dabbed at his split lip. Presently, he put the handkerchief away and headed back inside. This time, he didn't get a chance to open his mouth. Frank didn't see what happened, but the result was the preacher's being propelled backward through the door with such force that when he landed on his backside in the dirt, it was more than a minute before he could get his breath.

When he finally sucked in air, Frank helped him up. "You're going to get yourself killed. Haven't you heard of Dobytown?"

"Of course I have," the man said. "That's why I came. They all said I was insane. But G.o.d said, 'Go.'"

They were right-whoever they were. "You telling me you hear G.o.d's voice?" He really was crazy.

The preacher reached inside his coat, pulled out a small book, and held it up. "He speaks to all who read His Word. Matthew twenty-eight, verses nineteen and twenty. 'Go ye therefore, and teach all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost: Teaching them to observe all things whatsoever I have commanded you: and, lo, I am with you always, even unto the end of the world. Amen.'"

Frank waved a hand up and down the row of saloons. "And you think this is a good place to do that?"

"The Lord himself went to the poor and lowly."

"And from what I hear, they thought He was crazy, too." Frank dusted off the back of the guy's dark coat. "Come on, now, Parson. How about you ride back with me to Clearwater? Have a little breakfast. If preaching's what you want to do, you can preach there. At least you won't get yourself killed."

The parson seemed to consider it. "You'd do that? Call people to a service?"

It was about as far as you could get from what Frank had in mind, but Annie would like it. Going to church was probably one of the things she was looking forward to about living in St. Jo. "There's already enough people at Clearwater to give you a good hearing. Besides that, the stage is due in tomorrow. What with them and the rest of us, I'd say you'd have a congregation of nigh onto thirty people." He was exaggerating, but if the stage was full, not by much. "And they'll be polite."

"I'll think on it. But first-"

The old guy could move, that was for sure. Like a flash, he darted back into the saloon. And just as quick as a flash, he was pushed back outside. This time when he got up he was rubbing his jaw. Blood dropped from a new cut over his left eye. He bent to retrieve the small Bible, groaning with the effort of standing upright. Surveying the row of saloons, he muttered, "Maybe I should try another door. One will open. I'm certain of it."

Frank just shook his head. This was a strange kind of rotten luck, but it was old RL all over again. Try to steal away for a little drink and some harmless fun, and who lands in the way but a parson with no sense to know when to quit. It would be funny if it wasn't so darned annoying. "I'm opening a door. At Clearwater."