A Secret Refuge [02] Sisters of the Confederacy (15 page)

Blytheville, Missouri

“So where do we go from here?”

Meshach leaned against the wagon wheel. “I don’t know, but God knows.”

“I’m sure He does, but right now it doesn’t look like He’s talking.”

“You been askin’?”

Jesselynn sighed. “Of sorts. I ask, then I wait.”
For nothing. I don’t hear anything. Why, right now when we need answers immediately, does God go silent? Father, what are we to do?

“
Psst
.”

They both turned to see Daniel back at the window. He glanced over his shoulder, then beckoned them closer. When they stood within whispering distance, he gripped the bars and pressed his face against them.

“What he say?”

“We have to wait for the judge to return in two days. He has to hear the evidence.”

“But we weren’t nowhere near here a week ago.”

“I know.” If a black face could be gray with fear, Daniel’s was. Jesselynn figured she didn’t look much better.

“What dey gonna do, Marse Jesse?”

“Don’ matter what
dey
gonna do. We’s prayin’ for de Lawd’s deliverance.” Meshach spoke with such intensity that Jesselynn felt sure if she turned around, she’d see a heavenly vision right behind them.

“Dat deputy, he say dey gonna hang me like dey done de robber.”

“Daniel . . .”

“He say niggers like me good for nothin’ but hangin’.”

“Easy, boy.”

“He say hangin’ too good for what I done. I should be shot.” Tears streamed down Daniel’s cheek from his good eye, leaving tracks in the dirt and blood from the beating. One drop leaked from the eye swollen shut. “Marse Jesse, I din’t do nothin’.” His voice cracked.

Jesselynn’s heart did the same.

“Hey, you, get away from that window!” The deputy’s voice came from down the alley.

“We’ll be back in the mornin’.” Jesselynn pressed Daniel’s fingers clamped around the bars. “You eat your supper and sleep well. You’re safe in there at least.”

“Spend the night on your knees, boy. We all be poundin’ the gates of heaven. God says He listen when Him chilluns cry. He say He be our protector, our shield. He never leave us nor forsake us. Think on Him words.”

“I try.” Daniel rubbed his nose with the back of his hand and flinched.

“I said, git on outa there.” The voice was slightly slurred and nearer.

Jesselynn and Meshach climbed up on the wagon, and Meshach backed the team so he could turn around. Jesselynn glanced over her shoulder to see the deputy and two other men making their way toward the jail.

“Just a minute.” She leaped to the ground and trotted around the brick building to the front entrance. Stepping inside, she waited for the sheriff to look up from his bookwork. “Sir, I hate to bother you, but I got me a real bad feelin’. You
will
keep Daniel safe tonight, won’t you?”

The man stared at her through squinted eyes. “That’s my job, boy.” The steel in his tone impaled her to the floor.

“I . . . I know that, but anybody could stick a gun in that window, shoot him, and be gone before you could get there.”

“You think I didn’t know you were out there talkin’ with him?”

“No, sir. I mean, yes, sir.”
But did you hear your deputy threaten to kill an innocent black man?
Jesselynn wished she were anywhere but trapped in the sheriff’s gaze.

“I think you don’t quite understand, Mr. Jesse Highwood. This here’s a good town. Folks abide by the law here. We won’t have any funny business goin’ on.”

“Thank you, sir. Sorry to have bothered you.” She turned for the door but stopped one more time.

“I’ll move him to another cell without a window.”

With that she touched the brim of her hat and headed back out the door.
Just wish I felt as confident as he does, but that deputy reminds me of Dunlivey—mean ugly as sin clear through
.

Back in camp, they told the others, and for a change Ophelia didn’t carry on with her moaning and crying. Instead, she drew herself up to her full height and looked Meshach in the eye.

“You better git on back to town and make sure nothin’ happen to dat boy.”

“Now, Ophelia . . .” Jesselynn started to interrupt but shut her mouth when she saw the look that passed between husband and wife.

“I takes Roman soon as I eat supper. Benjamin, take him to graze for me, will you?”

“Better take the rifle too.” Jesselynn fetched it from under the wagon seat.

Man and mule disappeared into the darkness less than an hour later, the thud of cantering hooves their last contact.

“My land, what is this world comin’ to?” Aunt Agatha shook her head and kept on shaking it as she sat back down in her chair by the fire and picked up her sewing. “Lord preserve us, this surely does test my faith. I was so certain the Lord would deliver that boy right into your hands.”

“I thought so too.” Jesselynn slumped against a tree trunk. “I should have gone with Meshach.”

“He hide better at night.” Ophelia settled Sammy into the quilt next to Thaddeus, who was already asleep. “Now, you be good boy and go to sleep.” She sank down on the tailgate so she could pat his back and picked up the words of her song as if she’d been singing it all along. “Our home is over Jordan. Deep river, Lord, I want to cross over into campground.” Her rich voice soothed both ear and soul.

Lord, keep them safe, as it seems there’s nothing I can do to help. Hurry the judge back and make him listen to the truth. If you would make the man who says he saw Daniel realize the error of his claim, that would most likely be the best way out.

“The Lord shall preserve thy going out and thy coming in.”
The words seemed to hover on the air.

Tears sprang instantly to water her eyes. Too long. It had been too long since she had felt His presence, had heard His voice.

Ophelia moved on to another one of her songs, and Benjamin, who had just brought in the horses, hummed along with her. Aunt Agatha leaned forward in her rocker to catch the firelight on her stitching. Thanks to her, Jane Ellen had new undergarments to go with her new skirt and waist, Sammy had two new shifts, and Thaddeus had graduated to pants, leaving his worn shift for Sammy to grow into. Aunt Agatha wanted to sew a skirt for Jesselynn but suggested it only once, since the lecture she received on safety had sent Sammy hiding behind Ophelia’s skirt.

Jesselynn laid her cheek against her knees, arms clasped around her shins. The music softened to a murmur, like a summer creek whispering over stones.

A stick burned through in the fire and settled into the ashes with a spray of sparks. The
whoo-whoo
of an owl sounded from somewhere above them, and a dog barked in the distance.

Comforting sounds, if she could think of anything besides town and the jail. One by one the others headed for bed, whispering their good-nights as if afraid to break a spell. Her eyes grew heavier until she stood to keep awake. First watch was always hard, but then so were the others. And tonight with only three of them to share the load, it would be a long night.

Around midnight she woke Benjamin and crawled into her own quilt. One good thing about watch, she had plenty of time to pray, and staring at the star-studded sky continually reminded her that God, who’d created the universe, cared about this ragtag band of sojourners.

It seemed she’d just fallen asleep when her eyes flew open. With one motion she grabbed her boots and rolled out of bed. “I’m going to town,” she whispered to Benjamin. “Get Chess for me, please.” While he did that, she retrieved the pistol from its box, along with shells to fill her pockets.

Benjamin led Chess up to the fire and fetched the saddle. Within minutes she was cantering down the road, leaving him with reminders that he was in charge and if they didn’t return by dawn, he should get everyone up and ready to ride, just in case they needed a quick getaway. The sense she was needed in town spurred her to a gallop.

Coming around the back instead of down Main Street, she could see torches flared and hear shouting voices before she reached the rear of the jail. She stopped several houses away and tied Chess to a fence, then ran, staying in the shadows until she could hide in the corner near the window.

“Daniel!” She hissed his name, trying to keep her voice lost in the shouting.

No answer came. She edged to the window but could see nothing inside. Light outlined a closed door toward the front of the building. Either the sheriff had moved Daniel as he promised or . . .

The
or
didn’t bear thinking.

Gun at the ready, she edged closer to the street that ran in front of the building.

“Now, folks, let’s calm down and talk about this like the sensible folks that you are.” The sheriff sounded as if he were at a church social, his voice so calm and reasonable.

“Just let us have that nigger pup, and you can go on back home to bed.” The shout sounded like a half-bottle one.

Someone else cheered. Several shouted their agreement. Others laughed.

The hairs stood up on the back of Jesselynn’s neck. Where was Meshach?

“Now, you know I can’t do that. The lad is innocent until the judge says he’s guilty. You elected me to—”

“And we can un-elect you too. Keep that in mind.”

“I’m right aware of that, but y’all go on home now, and we’ll discuss this in the mornin’.”

Please, God, make them listen to him. Make them go home
. She shivered both from the brisk wind picking at her jacket and the menace of the voices.

“Marse Jesse, dat you?” Meshach’s voice from behind her sounded as welcome as coffee on a cold day.

“Yes. Is there another way into the building?”

“No, suh. I tried pryin’ at the window, but nothin’ gave.”

“Where is Daniel?”

“In another cell. I asked the sheriff.”

“So he knows you’re here?”

“He knows I
was
here. He think I go on back to camp.”

A shout jerked their attention to the street.

“You ain’t goin’ in there!” The sheriff sounded harried now.

Meshach tapped Jesselynn on the shoulder. “You go dis way, and I go round de other. Dat man need backup.”

Jesselynn edged her way to the front corner of the building, counted to ten, and stepped into the torchlight. With everyone’s attention on the sheriff, she stepped up on the stone stair before anyone noticed her. Meshach did the same, both of them with their guns raised.

“Well, I’ll be . . .” The sheriff muttered as the mob quieted.

“Just some friendly help, sir.” Jesselynn aimed her pistol at the man in front who seemed to be the ringleader. She glanced around in the flickering torchlight, fully expecting to see the deputy leading the charge.

“Now, as I said before, y’all go on home. Your wives are waitin’ for you, and if I know the ladies of this town, they’re goin’ to be a little huffy over the shenanigans out here tonight. And, George, see you in church tomorrow?”

The hefty fellow in front growled something, spun on his heel, and pushed his way through the ranks behind him. Within a minute the crowd had faded away like clouds blown on the wind.

“I could have handled them myself.” The sheriff let out a breath and turned to the two behind him.

“I know. But we didn’t want anyone hurt.”
Least of all Daniel
.

“Thank you.” The sheriff shook hands with each of them in turn. “There won’t be any more trouble tonight. Too close to daylight. And tomorrow night, the women won’t let their men out of the house without a fight. Besides, the saloon is closed on Sunday. These men needed a keg of liquid courage to make them brave enough tonight to cause a ruckus. At heart, this is a good town, like I told you before.”

“A good town maybe, but a hangin’ brings out the worst in folks. Leastwise that’s what I been told.” Jesselynn stuck the pistol in her waistband and looked up at the sheriff. “Now, can we take our boy and go?”

“Nope. Like I told them out there. The judge will be sittin’ on Monday, and he’ll make the decision.”

“Was the man who mistook Daniel out in the crowd?”

“I believe so.”

Meaning yes. How can we prove Daniel wasn’t the one?

“We’re goin’ to church,” Jesselynn announced Sunday morning.

“Now?” Jane Ellen nearly dropped Sammy, grabbing him before he took a head dive off the tailgate. “All of us?”

“We better get on the road pretty quick, or we might be too late.” Jesselynn looked down at her britches and shirtfront. Never had she gone to church in such filthy clothes. Of course, she’d never gone in britches either, but that made no difference at the moment. She turned to the wagon and dug in her box for a clean pair of pants and a shirt. The shirt had a rip on the right-side front.

“Here, hand me that. I can stitch it up while we ride in the wagon.” Aunt Agatha
tsked
as she studied the tear. “’Pears to me I should be sewing you a shirt along with the others.”

“Thank you.” Jesselynn turned to Thaddeus. “Come on, little brother, let’s get your face washed. You can wear your new pants.”

“What’s church?” Thaddeus looked up at her, a wrinkle between his eyebrows.

“Don’t you remember goin’ to church at home? Where the organ music played, people sang hymns, and a man in a black robe preached the sermon?”

“What’s a sermon?”

“The pastor teachin’ about God’s Word, you know, the Bible?” Jane Ellen looked up from searching for something in the wagon.

“Like Meshach?”

“Like Meshach. Come on, we need to hurry.” But hurrying Thaddeus was like trying to hustle snails. The more she prodded, the slower he went. When they were all in the wagon but Benjamin, who needed to stay with the horses, Jesselynn looked them all over and smiled. “We look right presentable.”

As the wagon rumbled along and Ophelia took up singing in the back, Meshach leaned closer to Jesselynn on the wagon seat. “Not that I mind goin’ to church, but we doin’ this to impress the sheriff?”

“Couldn’t hurt. You know, I been thinkin’. Benjamin and Daniel are much the same size. What if I ask the sheriff or the judge to let Benjamin take Daniel’s place and see if that man still says that’s the boy he saw runnin’ off. That would prove he didn’t really recognize Daniel, wouldn’t it?”

“But now Daniel all beat up.”

“Hmm.” She nodded, thinking so hard the horses picked up their trot, setting the harness to jingling and Thaddeus to giggling.

“More. Go faster.”

“You set yourself right down, young man.” Aunt Agatha snagged him by the back of his britches and plopped him back to sitting.

“So how do you think we could make it work?”

“Beat up Benjamin?”

Jesselynn jerked around to see if he was serious, then studied the horses’ rumps. “Actually that might not be a bad idea. If it could save Daniel’s life, I bet Benjamin would take a punch or two.”

She let her thoughts roam as they trotted the road to town and on to the white painted church with a steeple and bell in the tower. They’d just tied the horses to a shade tree when the bell began to peal.

“Ah, I ain’t heard a churchbell since we left home.” Meshach paused in helping the women to the ground. “Sounds mighty pretty.”

Jesselynn took Thaddeus’s hand and leaned down to whisper. “Now, you have to sit still in church and no talking. You understand?”

His lower lip came out, and Jesselynn sighed. “Thaddeus Joshua Highwood, you don’t want to embarrass us, do you?”

He cocked his head, question marks shooting from his eyes.

“What emb’rass mean?”

She swung him up to ride on her hip. “It means make us look bad. You can be such a good boy. Please?” She tickled his ribs with one finger.

“I be good.” He squirmed and giggled, then gave her a hug and a kiss.

She hugged him back and set him down to walk up the three stairs. Aunt Agatha led the way, greeting the man at the door.

“We’re travelin’ through and so appreciate a house of worship. Your churchbell made me think of home.” With the quaver on the end of her words, the man patted her hand and gestured toward the doors to the sanctuary. “Here, I think there’s room enough for y’all in this back pew.”

While some folks turned to see who was coming in, most kept their attention forward, where a man walked to the center and raised his black hymnbook. “Welcome, friends. We’ll open this morning with hymn number 265, ‘Holy, Holy, Holy.’ ” He nodded to the woman at the piano, and she commenced to play. “Let us stand.”

As the music filled the church, Jesselynn gazed around the congregation, hoping to see the sheriff and wishing she knew what the judge looked like in case he was in attendance. How could she convince them to agree with her scheme?

Lord, you know the desires of our hearts. We don’t ask for anything but justice. Please set Daniel free. This is the only plan I could come up with, but if you have something better, so be it
.

When the minister stood behind the pulpit, Thaddeus shook her arm. “Sit on your lap?”

Jesselynn helped him up, and he snuggled against her chest. She stroked his back with one hand and tried to concentrate on what the preacher was saying. But all she could think of was Daniel.

Her mother would have been disappointed had she known of Jesselynn’s worrying.
“Take it to the Lord, and leave it in His hands.”
Jesselynn could hear her dead mother talking more easily than she could the preacher.
“Why, frettin’ can’t even change the color of one hair on your head. God has big hands and broad shoulders. Let Him carry your burdens.”

You made it sound so easy, Mother, and it’s not. Daniel is my responsibility, and he is in jail
.

She glanced over at Meshach. He was nodding in agreement with the preacher. Sammy slumbered in Ophelia’s lap. Jane Ellen kept her fingers busy, pleating the fabric of her skirt. Aunt Agatha jerked, an obvious reaction to falling asleep.

The minister droned on. When he finally reached the amen, the congregation stirred and stood for the final hymn. Jesselynn saw the sheriff several pews ahead of them and off to the other side of the room, right on the aisle. She handed a sleepy-eyed boy to Jane Ellen, and as soon as the people began to move, she darted out the side aisle and headed for the back. She
had
to talk with the sheriff.

She caught up with him as he stepped down the last step and settled his hat back on his head. “Sheriff.” When he didn’t respond, she leaped the steps and raised her voice. “Sheriff!” She’d caught up with him by the time he turned. “Can I talk with you a minute?”

“I guess so. What do you need?”

“I need Daniel out of your jailhouse, but I’d like to talk with you about an idea I had.”

“Well, son, I need to get over and relieve my deputy.” He raised his hand to stop her before she got the words out. “No, it’s not Rudy. I wouldn’t leave him in charge again, not with your boy in there.”

Jesselynn let out the breath she didn’t realize she’d been holding. “Can we talk and walk?”

“Let’s have it.”

Jesselynn told him her idea of switching the two young black men. “It would show that he was mistaken, don’t you see?”

“I’m not blind, son.”

“Oh, sorry.”

He rubbed his chin with one finger. “You know, that might work, but I’d have to talk it over with the judge first. We brought your boy a basin and water so he could wash. His eye is lookin’ some better.”

Jesselynn wished he would quit referring to Daniel as her “boy,” but wisely she kept her mouth shut. She shoved her hands into her pockets and kept pace with the sheriff. “Thank you, sir. Would it be all right if I talked with Daniel some?”

“Don’t know why not.” He opened the door and led the way in. After dismissing the deputy, he took the keys and, unlocking Daniel’s cell, stepped back to let her go in. “Call when you’re ready.”

Jesselynn stood at the bars watching Daniel, not saying anything. He seemed to be asleep on the cot. His face did look better, but overall he appeared to have lost twenty pounds and shrunk in inches, as if caving in on himself. Even if he hadn’t eaten, she figured the look had nothing to do with his body but all with his mind. She’d seen a wild animal caught in a trap look the same back home.

If they didn’t lynch him first, Daniel would die in here. He’d never have his freedom.

“Daniel?”

“Marse Jesse, you done come to set me free?” He rolled to his feet in one motion and flew to the bars.

“I wish.” She wanted to catch his face before it hit the floor. “Now, Daniel, don’t take on so. We got a good idea goin’ if the judge will go along with us.”

“Is de judge a good man?”

Jesselynn shrugged. “We’ve been prayin’ so. The sheriff seems hopeful.”

“Why don’ he let me go?” Daniel gripped the bars till the tendons in his arms stood out. “I din’t do nothin’ wrong.”

“I know that.” If only she could take him in her arms and hug the life back into him. She touched the side of his face near his eye. “This is lookin’ better.”

“I can see outa it, leastways. Thought I was a goner for sure last night. I prayed de Lawd take me home, but I’s still here.”

“I know. But you go ahead and rest up, ‘cause when we get you out of here, we’ll be hittin’ the trail hard. Benjamin said you just wanted a night without guard duty.” She hoped this would bring a smile, but Daniel just shook his head. “I takes all de nights if’n I gets outa here. Why God do dis to me?”

“And tribulation worketh patience . . .”
She could hear her mother’s voice reciting the verses she’d committed to memory over the years. She repeated the verse for Daniel. “I don’t know why God allowed this, but that’s what the Word says, so we’ll just get through this. And we’ll all be more patient because of it.” She kept herself from shuddering at the word
tribulation
. Even the sound of it dragged up bad feelings.

“I tries, Marse Jesse. I tries.” A tear seeped from under the swollen eyelid.

“I better go so we can get back to camp. Everyone sends you love.” She patted his shoulder. If only she could think of something really heartening to cheer him, but the snores of a drunk in the next cell drove all encouraging words right out of her mind. If she didn’t get out of there pretty quick, she’d be crying right along with Daniel.

She sniffed and headed for the door. “I’m ready,” she called and threw a smile over her shoulder to the young black man, who stood leaning his forehead against the bars, his hands clamped so tightly they looked as if they could bend iron.

God, please help him. Help us. Please
. Her feet seemed to weigh twenty pounds each as she left the jailhouse. Meshach had driven the wagon up to the hitching post, so she had to summon an instant smile. Letting Thaddeus know how bad things were was unnecessary. She didn’t need two crying little boys.

“Where’s Daniel?” Thaddeus greeted her with a frown. “He go with us.”

“Soon, Thaddeus, soon.”

“Why not now?”

“Ah . . .” She looked to Meshach for an answer.

“Hey, Thaddeus, look what I got.” From the rear of the wagon, Jane Ellen held out her closed fist.

When Thaddeus scrambled back to see what she held, Jesselynn breathed a sigh of relief. “Bless you, girl,” she said only loud enough for Meshach’s ears. He shot her a smile as he hupped the horses and headed the wagon out of town.

Now all they had to do was get through until tomorrow.