Beyond The Horizon (38 page)

A patrol was sent out immediately after it was discovered that Blade’s horse was missing from the corral. But the half-breed was too clever for the soldiers; he had covered his tracks well. Still suspicious of Shannon, Greer ordered her brought in for questioning.

“I won’t deny I’m glad Blade escaped,” Shannon admitted when she faced the irate commander. “But I don’t know who did it or how. I was at your house all night, remember? Molly insisted I spend the night after I fell.”

“Quite convenient, you falling when you did, and in front of the guardhouse,” Greer observed, his tone strongly accusatory.

“Are you suggesting—”

“Shannon, I don’t want to think you could be guilty of such a thing, and I can prove nothing. It might interest you to learn that Sargeant Becker will face a court martial because of you. He left his post without authorization, resulting in the escape of a prisoner.”

“I—I’m sorry,” Shannon said, truly regretful for using the young sargeant so shamelessly. But if she hadn’t, Blade would be dead by now. Desperate times called for desperate measures. “I didn’t think he would get into trouble by helping me.”

“By the way,” Greer asked slyly, “how is your injury?”

For a moment Shannon looked blank, then quickly covered her confusion. “Much better, thank you. Molly is an excellent nurse, and those cold compresses worked wonders.”

“Hmmm, yes,” Greer said, staring at her so intently she nearly lost her composure.

Recovering with admirable aplomb, Shannon asked, “Is that all, Colonel?”

“For the time being. You may go now.”

Remembering to favor her right knee, Shannon limped from the room.

Nigel left Fort Laramie later that morning. Before he departed, he managed to slip unseen into Shannon’s house and relay Blade’s message. Then he walked out of Shannon’s life. With both Nigel and Blade gone, she felt truly alone. Blade was everything to her—friend, family, lover. Her world revolved around him. Now she had no one.

While all this was happening at Fort Laramie, a historic occurrence was taking place hundreds of miles to the east in Washington. On May 26, 1868, Congress once again failed to impeach President Johnson. And since that worry no longer plagued the president, his secretary saw fit to show him the telegram from Colonel Greer that had been laid aside these past weeks. Almost simultaneously the President learned through military channels that Major Vance had been murdered and a half-breed named Swift Blade sentenced to hang for the crime. A telegram was dispatched posthaste to Fort Laramie explaining Blade’s position as special investigator and clearing him of all charges.

Shannon was the first to learn of this when Colonel Greer appeared at the schoolhouse shortly after classes were dismissed for the day. She was more than a little shocked to see him standing in the doorway looking properly abashed.

“Shannon, I’ve come to apologize,” Greer said before Shannon could find her voice. “I’ve just received a telegram from the president.”

“Is it about Blade?” Shannon asked, growing excited.

“Yes, as you might guess, it does concern Blade. President Johnson has explained Blade’s position and insists he is incapable of murder, especially the murder of Major Vance. The president has demanded we drop all charges and clear Blade’s name immediately.”

“My God, Blade would be dead if he hadn’t escaped, and now you tell me the president has finally remembered he had a special investigator named Blade! What took him so long?”

“I don’t blame you for being upset, my dear. I shudder to think how close I came to executing an innocent man. President Johnson said a letter of explanation will follow. Everything you said about Blade is true, Shannon, and I apologize. His full name is Blade Stryker and he was an officer in the United States Army before he accepted this assignment. I’ve taken measures to clear his name immediately, just as the President ordered.”

“Little good it will do now, Colonel. Blade is gone.”

“That’s something else I wanted to speak to you about. I feel I can talk to you as I would to my own daughter. Perhaps it’s for the best that Blade is gone from your life. Rumor has it that the reason you defended him so staunchly is because you are lovers. I will ask you to neither confirm nor deny that charge.

“For all his good qualities, Blade Stryker is still a half-breed. You are astute enough to know that a half-breed is not a good thing to be here on the Western frontier, especially with Indians on the move again. I strongly urge you to join your family in Idaho and make a new life for yourself where no one knows you.”

Shannon grew angrier with every word she heard. No better man existed than Blade—how dare people judge him on the color of his skin! When she opened her mouth to protest, Colonel Greer added quickly, “I know you fancy yourself in love with Blade, but in time you will find someone more suitable to marry.”

“Blade is the only man I’ll ever love,” Shannon said with firm conviction. “I don’t want another man. And I’m certainly not leaving now. One day Blade will return and learn he is no longer a wanted man. I’ll wait.”

“Then you leave me no choice but to give you the bad news,” Greer said regretfully.

“What—what do you mean?”

“The townspeople are concerned over your involvement with a half-breed. They’ve asked me to hire another schoolteacher. Since there is only one week remaining in the current school year, you may finish out the term, and I’ve persuaded them to allow you to live in this house until the new teacher arrives. Now that the railroad has reached the Western frontier it will be less difficult to find good teachers.”

Shock rendered Shannon speechless. She couldn’t believe people were so narrow-minded—until she recalled how just months ago her hatred for Yankees was so fierce she would rather kill one than talk to one. Knowing Blade and his family had taught her that all Indians weren’t alike, just as all Yankees weren’t like Harlan Simmons. She was just as proud of Blade’s Indian blood as he was. Every one of his ancestors had a hand in making him the extraordinary man he was.

“I’m sorry the townspeople feel the way they do,” Shannon replied sadly, “but you can tell them for me I’m not leaving town until I’m good and ready. As for the house, I’ll accept your offer to remain until the new teacher arrives.”

“I regret things turned out this way, my dear. It makes me thankful Claire found a proper young man like Ronald Goodman. I’d best be going, Shannon. I merely dropped by to apologize for my bad judgment regarding Blade.”

“What about Major Vance’s killer? He’s still roaming free somewhere.”

“We haven’t a clue to the man’s identity,” Greer said regretfully. “I’m in the process of conducting a thorough investigation. If the man is still at Fort Laramie, he will be caught.” It rankled to think that gun smuggling was going on under his nose and he knew nothing about it.

“Perhaps the killer will try to spend the gold,” Shannon offered.

“Gold. What gold?” Greer asked sharply. “This is the first I’ve heard of any gold. Perhaps you’d better explain.”

Realizing that she knew more than Colonel Greer did about Blade’s investigation, Shannon revealed everything she knew about Clive Bailey, his gunsmuggling activities, and the gold he received from Mad Wolf in payment.

“I understand more clearly now,” Greer said when Shannon finished. “There was no gold in Major Vance’s quarters, so we can safely assume the killer has it. I’m glad you told me, my dear—at least I have something concrete to go on. And I’m certain the president’s letter will enlighten me even more.”

“Colonel, before you go, will you tell me if Molly feels the same about me as the other townspeople do?” Somehow it would hurt more if Molly sided with everyone else in their low regard for her.

“Definitely not. Molly thinks of you as another daughter. You’re always welcome in our home. I feel as Molly does. Now I really must go.”

When school let out for the summer, Shannon truly missed her students. She’d miss this snug little house when the time came for her to leave, she thought with a twinge of sadness. She had no idea where she would go or what she would do when that time came. She had the money she had saved from her salary and also the money Callie had sent in payment for the loan, but it wouldn’t last forever. Opportunities for work at Fort Laramie were virtually nonexistent for women. There was always marriage, but there was only one man she would consider marrying.

Blade had promised he’d come back and Shannon vowed to wait for him. Unfortunately, he had no inkling that he’d been completely cleared of murder charges and was free to come and go as he pleased. Shannon considered looking for Blade but had absolutely no idea where to look. If her money gave out before Blade showed up, Shannon reflected, she’d be forced to make a decision. Fervently she prayed it wouldn’t come to that.

While Shannon waited out the summer for Blade to return, a group of Sioux chiefs rode into Fort Laramie to sign a treaty. Man-Afraid-Of-His-Horses and Spotted Tail were two of the great chiefs who attended. Under the terms of the treaty, they would settle permanently on the huge Great Sioux Reservation in the Black Hills country of the Dakota Territory, retaining the right to hunt in the Powder River region. Both the Black Hills and the Powder River would be forbidden to white exploration. Chief Red Cloud was the only great chief left to sign the treaty, and he was expected to arrive at Fort Laramie later in the year to do so.

Meanwhile, Shannon continued to attend meetings of the women’s rights group and to take an active part in their activities. Only Molly and one or two of the other officer’s wives welcomed her without reservation, while the others treated her with cool disdain, including Claire Greer. Surprisingly, the saloon girls, including Poker Alice, continued to attend the meetings. The group wired both Anna Dickinson and Redelia Bates, inviting them to Fort Laramie to present suffrage lectures.

In August, 1868, Shannon wrote a letter to her brother Tucker explaining why she hadn’t joined them in Boise. But no sooner had she posted her letter to Tucker than she received one from him urging her to come to Idaho before winter. Their letters must have crossed somewhere in the mountains.

Also in August the new schoolteacher arrived, a man named Curtis Black. Much to Claire’s chagrin, Molly Greer, an unfailingly kind and compassionate woman, offered Shannon a place to stay.

During all this time Shannon heard nothing from Blade.

Shannon’s move to the Greers’ house went smoothly. She met Curtis Black, who was a pleasant young man four or five years her senior, and spent considerable time with him explaining how far her students had progressed during the past year and going over lesson plans. When school commenced, Shannon suffered a pang of regret and loneliness, feeling at loose ends with nothing to occupy her time. Her spirits plummeted even further when she realized she’d have to make a decision soon regarding her future. She couldn’t rely on the Greers’ hospitality and good nature forever, and her finances were too meager to allow her permanent independence.

In early September the entire fort was atwitter with the news that the fierce Sioux Chief Red Cloud and most of the Sioux nation were on their way to Fort Laramie, where Red Cloud would sign a peace treaty. Within the week the Sioux began gathering, dotting the hillsides surrounding the fort with hundreds of tipis. Ferocious-looking warriors wearing loincloths and wrapped in colorful blankets wandered in and out of the fort at will; the trading post became a favorite gathering place where they traded hides for tobacco and other necessities.

Security measures were doubled and vigilance observed to avoid unpleasant incidents between the townspeople and Indians. But the huge influx of Indians made the touchy situation ever more difficult. Most of the women remained safely inside, venturing out only when absolutely essential that they do so.

Colonel Greer was much harried and harassed, attempting to keep peace and still maintain strict control over a potentially explosive situation. He had a responsibility to see that nothing interfered with the signing of the treaty. Red Cloud was the last in the line of chiefs to sign, and once he did the Great Sioux nation would be forced to the reservation designated by the treaty. Still, Colonel Greer found time for a few private words with Shannon one day at dinner after Molly and Claire had excused themselves. Shannon waited politely for the colonel to speak.

“I’m aware of your—er, fondness for Blade Stryker, my dear, so I thought I would consult with you first before disposing of his belongings. Though his quarters are small, they are desperately needed right now with the fort straining at the seams. It was remiss of me not to have his personal items removed sooner. I thought perhaps there is something of Blade’s you might like as a keepsake.”

“You talk as if he’s not coming back,” Shannon accused him.

“Would you return if it meant you might be caught and hung?”

“Blade has been cleared of murder charges.”

“But he doesn’t know that.” Colonel Greer shrugged. He was too busy to argue. “What would you like done with his belongings? Shall I have one of my men collect them and deliver them to you?”

“No,” Shannon said thoughtfully. “I’d like to do it myself.” She couldn’t bear the idea of someone else pawing through Blade’s personal property.

“Very well. Please do so tomorrow, if possible. I’ve hired a new scout and he’ll be needing the room.”