A Journey of the Heart Collection (48 page)

Isaac woke the next morning with a heavy heart as he remembered the events of the night before. He'd intended to talk to Jacob last night, but the small house was dark when he reached it. He'd talk to him today.

Reveille was already sounding as he strode toward the stables after bolting down some hardtack in the mess hall. He saddled Buck, his buckskin gelding, and made it to the parade ground just in time for boots and saddles. He was on guard duty for the wood detail.
He caught a glimpse of Rand ahead, with Jacob trailing behind several other soldiers.

There had been so many skirmishes with the Sioux lately that the guard detail numbered near ninety men to protect the wood detail. The detail followed the river, then veered off on the trail to the pinery cutting area. They had gone only a hundred yards or so when a man in front of him yelled as an arrow whistled by his ear.

Rand shouted for the men to set up the corral formation, and Isaac raced to create a protective circle with the other soldiers. Indians massed on the hills all around, and he sighed in relief as he heard the picket on Pilot Hill blow the signal that told the fort there were many Indians. Reinforcements would come from the fort soon. They just had to hold on.

Emmie heard the signal from Pilot Hill and then the sound of the bugle calling men together, but she tried not to worry. It was an almost everyday occurrence lately. A few minutes later she heard the boom of the mountain howitzer. Joel looked up at the sound, but it, too, was almost commonplace these days. The Sioux
feared the “gun that shoots twice” and almost always scattered after its use.

Emmie washed and dried the dishes while Sarah dusted and made the beds. Joel carried in wood for the fire, then ran off to play with Jimmy Carrington.

Emmie was deep in her thoughts when a knock at the door startled her. “I'll get it,” she called to Sarah.

Morning Song had gone to care for Gabrielle first thing this morning, and she wouldn't knock anyway, so Emmie wondered who could be out this morning as she hurried to the door.

Frances Grummond's tearstained face peered out of a fur bonnet. “Oh, Emmie, I'm so frightened. George volunteered to go to the rescue of the wood detail, and I have such an uncanny dread on my soul. He was almost killed two weeks ago. Would you go with me to Mrs. Wands'? The other ladies are gathered there too.”

“Of course we will.” Emmie's heart sank. Isaac, Rand, and Jake were all with the wood detail. “Would you like some tea first?”

“No, no. I just need to be with someone. Could we go now?” Frances's voice broke as she wrung her hands.

Sarah and Emmie grabbed their cloaks and bonnets and followed Frances outside. The wind still
whistled, but a weak, watery sunshine brightened the day. Frances's baby was due in just a few weeks, and Emmie worried that the strain would bring on her friend's labor. She sent up a quick prayer for Frances.

The assembled ladies looked up when Emmie, Sarah, and Frances entered the Wands' parlor. Mrs. Carrington hurried to take Frances in her arms. “My dear, don't fret so. There is no more cause for concern than usual. We both heard my husband tell George not to cross Lodge Trail Ridge, where the Indians are likely to lie in ambush. Your husband will be all right.”

“I have such a strange foreboding,” Frances sobbed as she let Mrs. Carrington lead her to a chair.

Sarah and Emmie followed and sat on the sofa beside her. They all soon had steaming cups of tea and Frances began to calm down. The door pounded again and Mrs. Wands hurried to answer it.

A sergeant stood twisting his cap in his hands. “Colonel Carrington sent me to tell you ladies that the wood detail has broken corral and reached the pinery safely. But Fetterman's detail went beyond Lodge Trail Ridge.”

Frances cried out at the news of the detail's disobedience of orders, and Mrs. Carrington patted her hand. “George will be all right.”

Frances relaxed a bit, but she still sat on the edge of her seat. Emmie could tell she was listening to the sounds outside. They had a lunch of small sandwiches and stew, but tension still filled the room. They jumped when they heard a shout and a horse go thundering past outside, and they all grabbed their cloaks and went out to the porch.

Colonel Carrington ordered a howitzer to be readied and gave the order for a general alarm. Soldiers ran in all directions as every man in the garrison reported to the position assigned to him in an extreme emergency.

“What does it mean?” Frances cried out.

“Probably the Indians have been turned back,” Mrs. Carrington said soothingly.

Rooster came scurrying up the steps to the ladies clustered on the porch. “No need to fret, ladies. Them Sioux bucks won't get ya. I promise.”

Then one of the men shouted to open the gate, and the colonel's orderly came thundering through on one of the commander's horses. “Reno Valley is full of Indians! There are several hundred on the road and to the west of it. It was a trap!”

Emmie was standing beside Frances and caught her as she sagged to the ground. “Help me!” she cried to Sarah.

The rest of the women clustered around and they got Frances inside and on Mrs. Wands' bed. Mrs. Carrington put a cold cloth to Frances's forehead and she soon came around.

Frances sat up with a start and burst into tears. “He's dead. I know it.”

“Have faith,” Mrs. Carrington said. “Henry sent Captain Ten Eyck out with every man who could be spared. They'll get there in time.”

They all went back to the porch. The silence was so intense it was almost painful, and suddenly several shots rang out. They listened as the shots increased to a frantic pitch, followed by a few rapid volleys, then scattering shots, and finally a dead silence.

“Captain Ten Eyck has repulsed the Indians,” Mrs. Carrington said.

Colonel Carrington dashed down from the lookout. Emmie shuddered at the look of dread on his face. She looked at Sarah and saw the same dread reflected on her face. What was happening to their men?

FIVE

I
saac lay behind a rock outcropping. They had made it safely to the pinery, but without reinforcements, they would never make it back to the fort. Rand lay a dozen feet away behind his own rock and Jake several yards beyond his brother behind a tree. Dozens of Indians hid just beyond the rise to the west. They were too well hidden to waste his precious ammunition on. He kept a close eye on the slope as he prayed for reinforcements to be quick. He wasn't quite sure what the Sioux were waiting on. Were they playing a
game? It would be dark soon and Indians didn't make war at night.

A volley of shots in the distance rang out. They increased in ferocity for several frantic minutes, then tapered off to an occasional shot before silence descended. Isaac knew a horrific battle had just taken place, but which side had won? He lifted his head cautiously, then ducked as an arrow sailed by overhead. The arrow was followed by fierce war cries as a band of Sioux rushed toward them.

Rand cried, “Hold your fire until my signal!” Several moments passed. As the band came closer, he gasped, then yelled, “Wolverine!”

The lead Sioux faltered, then pulled his pony to a stop. He shouted something at the rest of the warriors, and they stopped behind him. He gazed at the rock where Rand lay.

Rand slowly got to his feet. “No, Rand, don't,” Isaac whispered.

Rand raised a hand. “Greetings, old friend. I did not think to see you again.”

The Sioux dismounted and warily approached Rand.

“Hold your fire,” Rand said again to his fellow
soldiers. He stepped forward with his hand outstretched as the young warrior came closer.

Isaac noticed a livid scar running down Wolverine's cheek as he stopped in front of Rand. He'd heard Sarah talk about Wolverine and the young woman he was pledged to marry. Rand had spared Wolverine's life during a battle once, and the two became blood brothers after that.

“I did not think to see my friend again.” Wolverine gazed at Rand for a long moment. “I think many times of my friend with the blue coat and my vow. I watch always in battle to make sure I honor my vow never to fight with my friend.”

Rand nodded. “I also watch for my warrior friend. It is good to see you.”

Wolverine grunted. “You in much danger. We will drive the bluecoats from the fort by the river. Already many dead beyond the hills.” He gestured toward Lodge Trail Ridge.

Isaac looked over at Jake and saw the same alarm on his face. Many killed? Was the relief party dead? What about the fort? Was Emmie safe?

Rand put a hand on Wolverine's shoulder. “What of the fort? Sarah is in the fort.”

The warrior shook his head. “We not attack fort yet. But soon. You go back to fort. Other men come soon to bring you back. Then you must leave fort. I not fight with my brother.”

Rand was silent a moment. “I will not fight my brother. But I cannot leave the fort unless my commander tells me to.”

“Then you must tell him that the Sioux will destroy fort. We will fight to last blade and never stop until the bluecoats leave our hunting ground.”

Rand's hand slid down and gripped Wolverine's hand. “God keep you safe, my brother.”

Wolverine gazed into Rand's eyes. “And you, my brother.” He turned and walked back to his pony. He vaulted onto his pony, then raised a hand before turning and galloping away. The rest of the band followed.

Isaac got to his feet, and he and Jacob reached Rand's side at the same time.

Rand stared at the warrior's departing figure. “I knew Wolverine was with Red Cloud, and I always have watched for him. I didn't want to ever break my vow of peace with him.”

“Do you think he told you the truth about the rescue party? Could they really be dead?” Jacob asked.

The rest of the men were slowly beginning to gather around them. “Don't say anything,” Rand said quietly.

A lieutenant slapped Rand on the back. “You must have done some fancy palavering with those savages. Congratulations.”

“I knew him,” Rand said.

“Looks like they hightailed it because of reinforcements.” The lieutenant nodded toward the hill, and they turned as Captain Ten Eyck and his men thundered up to them.

Ten Eyck dismounted and ran toward them. “We drove off a band just over the hill. Is everyone all right?”

“Just fine, thanks to you.” The lieutenant turned and ordered the men to round up the horses.

“Just be glad you're getting back in one piece,” Captain Ten Eyck said quietly. “Fetterman's command wasn't so lucky.”

“The relief party?”

Ten Eyck nodded to Rand. “Eighty-one men slaughtered and not one left alive. We drove off some Indians and recovered many bodies, but nearly half are still out there. The attack on the wood train was a decoy to draw another force out. Thousands of Sioux were hiding just over Lodge Trail Ridge.”

The news was so horrific no one responded for several long moments. Eighty-one men. It was almost beyond comprehension. There had never been a slaughter like that in the Indian wars. And thousands of Sioux. Isaac couldn't imagine such a large force of warriors. Two or three hundred was usually considered a large band.

“May God have mercy on their souls,” Isaac said finally. “What of the fort?”

“Safe, but we don't know for how long,” Captain Ten Eyck said. “Colonel Carrington has readied every mountain howitzer and every available man. But we've been operating with a minimal force, and you know how low our ammunition is. So we'd better return as quickly as we can.”

They all hurried off to mount up and get back to the fort. Isaac just wanted to see Emmie with his own eyes and make sure she was safe, and he knew Rand felt the same about Sarah. He glanced at Jacob riding beside him. Did he worry about Emmie at all?