The Way of Love

by Tracie Peterson

  Andrew couldn’t agree more. He thought of the stories his grandfather had told him. “White people won’t be happy until the Indians are dead and completely wiped off the earth.”

  Seth gazed at him, the frown on his face making Andrew nervous that he had said too much, but then Seth nodded. “I know you’re right. I wish it weren’t that way, but even seeing what happened a few years ago with Chief Joseph and his Nez Perce proved that. The white settlers couldn’t have the land, so they felt compelled to just start killing—even pushing the Nez Perce off reservation land that should have been theirs.”

  “If these men want Grand Ronde and Warm Springs, then they’ll no doubt find a way to get those reservation lands as well. They’ll find a way. I’ve no doubt about that.”

  “Nor do I, but I intend to keep a war from starting—if at all possible. Men like Pritchard and Berkshire, however, are being controlled by someone much more powerful. Someone who has the money and ability to sway the government officials. We have to find him. It might even be a consortium of men.”

  “I’m sure that’s possible. Starting wars isn’t cheap. Faith said that her aunt and uncle are missionaries to the Indians. Can they help?”

  “They’re being accused of being at the very top of the conspiracy. They don’t realize this yet. It’s been kept quiet, because the people investigating are sure there is someone over them—someone who has instigated the entire thing. They’re afraid that Adam Browning, Faith and Nancy’s uncle, is in cahoots with this person. Frankly, like the girls, I don’t believe the Brownings are involved. I doubt they know anything about it. My money is on a government official being to blame. It’s impossible to know who to trust. When I was recruited to help, it was clear there were divisions even in the same department.”

  Andrew put his coffee aside. “I hope these journals will help. They record each trip I made, what I was carrying, and where it was taken. It shows the individuals who owned the shipments as well, although I know that can be falsified.”

  “Do you recall how long it’s been going on? With Pritchard, for example.”

  “It goes back quite a ways, but I only brought the last three years of logs. Pritchard was a big customer, given his riverfront store. He served a lot of the ship captains with repair parts and other ship needs, but he was also supplying goods to men up and down the river. I may not have been the only one he was using for shipping. He could have used other firms as well, and I’d have no knowledge of it. And as for delivery, like I explained to Faith, his orders were more often than not delivered to locations along the Willamette.”

  Seth rubbed his chin. “We know about some of those places. I’m hoping you can help me by marking spots on this map of the river where you know there to be hidden storage sheds.” Seth pulled a rolled paper from his desk drawer and spread it atop his desk. “You’ll see there are already some places marked. Nancy’s brother Gabe and I were able to locate several by following Berkshire’s men from place to place. This also resulted in Berkshire being forced to help the government. He thinks they believe him true to helping dissolve this affair, but the men in charge know Berkshire is a liar. They realize he’s been giving just enough information to keep them interested but that he’s not sharing what he really knows.”

  “And who does Berkshire report to on the other side?”

  “Lakewood. At least that’s how it appears. Lakewood is a wealthy man in his own right, but he doesn’t have the kind of money that has been used to buy officials in addition to the goods.”

  “Are there no inspections on the reservations? I thought the Indians were closely policed regarding guns and alcohol.”

  “They are to a point, but before I left the investigation, we learned that most of the supplies were moved in at night and then hidden on the reservation, not kept in the homes. We know that not all of the Indians have any desire to rebel. They’re tired. Weary from the mistreatment and abuse. They don’t have it in them to fight. However, once a war is started, I believe most will rise up to fight alongside their relatives.” Seth shook his head and sighed. “I honestly can’t say that I would blame them. We’ve made a real mess of their treatment.”

  Andrew knew this as well as anyone. It was the reason he’d removed his grandfather from the Nez Perce reservation to live with him on the Morning Star. Of course, that hadn’t come with the approval of anyone, but rather a stealthy raid in the middle of the night.

  “I’ve worked with representatives from Lakewood as well as Berkshire himself. In fact, Berkshire just came to me. He wants a big shipment of weapons taken from Astoria to Wheatland. It wouldn’t be difficult to get them from Wheatland to Grand Ronde. I figure it’s less than forty miles by land.”

  “When will the delivery take place?”

  “I’m supposed to pick up the guns at Astoria in two weeks. They’re coming up from California. Berkshire wants them in Wheatland by the end of March.”

  “Well, that should give us time to speak to the army and see what, if anything, they want to do about it. The logs should be a great help and will maybe even give them additional names. I’ll need to get them to Major Wells in Fort Vancouver, and they’ll probably want to talk to you.”

  “I’m taking a load of flour to the fort tomorrow. I could take the logs as well.”

  Seth grinned. “Your timing is perfect. I’ll write a letter to Major Wells after supper and explain the situation. I have a feeling your help is going to be a boon to this investigation.”

  “I’m glad. I’ll do whatever I can to help stop these men. The last thing we need is another Indian war.”

  After supper, Faith, with help from the Clifton sisters, finished cleaning the kitchen while Seth and Andrew completed the last of their business. She’d heard Seth mention a letter he needed to write but had no idea what the two had discussed or what solutions they might have come up with. She had mixed feelings on the entire matter, wanting desperately to help keep the peace between the Indians and whites, as well as being consumed by her own issues.

  “Thank you for your assistance,” Bedelia said, taking up the dishcloths. “I shall hang these to dry, and then Sister and I will head upstairs for our evening Bible reading.”

  Faith put the last of the dishes in the cupboard, then glanced around the room to see if anything else needed to be dealt with. Everything was in order. They’d sent Nancy to rest as soon as supper concluded, and Mimi and Clementine had papers to grade. Since there was a stranger in the house, Mrs. Weaver had taken her meal upstairs so that she and Alma could eat together, and once the Clifton sisters had gone up, that would be the last of the boarders and family. At least Faith hoped it would be. Seth might want to stick around until Andrew departed, but hopefully he’d see that Faith wanted a little time alone with the captain.

  She went to the front room and found there wasn’t much left of the earlier blaze in the fireplace. Since everyone would soon retire to their rooms, there didn’t seem much sense in building up a big fire. Unless, of course, Andrew was of a mind to stay and visit. Hoping to encourage him, Faith placed another log on the fire and smiled as the dry wood easily caught.

  It seemed to take forever for Seth and Andrew to conclude their business. Faith paced back and forth, remembering the frustration of the day and wondering what her next plan should be. She really needed to see her father. Lance Kenner was an authority on the law, and she had no doubt he’d have some ideas. However, Seth was a good lawyer, and John Lincoln was well known in Portland for his legal mind. Surely the two of them could come up with some ideas on what she could do next.

  She heard the men coming down the hall and struck a pose by the side of the fireplace. When Seth entered the room first, she hesitated, not knowing what to say.

  “I was going to show Andrew to the door,” Seth said, giving her a knowing look. “Instead, I think I’ll check on Nancy and let you show him out. Thank you for coming tonight, Andrew. As I said before, I believe this will be most useful.”

/>   Andrew was still holding the books he’d brought. Faith wondered why he wasn’t leaving them with Seth. Could they have held nothing that would help the investigation?

  Faith waited until Seth had left the room to offer her thoughts on the matter. “I know your information will be helpful. It can’t help but fill in some of the missing pieces.”

  Andrew nodded. “I think it very well might, but you can’t pin all your hopes to this. Those men have been very good at sneaking around and conspiring against the government. They are wolves posing as sheep—or worse still, maybe even white men posing as Indians. It will be hard, if not nearly impossible, to know who can be trusted.”

  She thought of the accusations against her aunt and uncle. No one who knew them as she did could ever believe them capable of doing anything to cause the Indians harm. But there were very few white people, outside of family, who knew them that well. Mercy and Adam Browning had spent most of the last twenty-five years with the Indians.

  “I should get back to the Morning Star. We leave early.”

  Disappointed, Faith walked with him to the door. “Why are you taking the logs back with you? Were they not as useful as we hoped?”

  “Just the opposite. Seth wants to get them to one of the army men at Fort Vancouver. I have to make a trip there tomorrow to drop off flour and then head out to Astoria. I’ll be gone for quite some time.”

  The thought of Andrew leaving again left Faith feeling empty inside. Something desperate rose up inside her. She wanted him to stay, or else she wanted to go with him. She needed him, just as she needed air.

  “I wish we had a carriage so I could drive you back to the Morning Star.” She forced her voice to remain calm and clasped her hands to keep from reaching out to touch him.

  He turned and smiled. “I wouldn’t allow you to do so even if you did. It’s far too dangerous out there. Always some hoodlum or ruffian out to prove himself. No one is going to bother a rough old river captain.”

  “You’re hardly old,” she murmured, and he laughed.

  Faith reached for the door handle at the same time as Andrew. His hand closed over hers, and for a moment all she could do was gaze into his eyes. He was so handsome, and she fell completely under his spell. Did he know how much her heart ached with love for him?

  When he pressed his lips against hers, it seemed the most natural thing in the world. It seemed even more natural when Faith stepped closer and felt his arms go around her. She knew nothing could come of this, and yet she couldn’t bring herself to stop. At least she’d have this moment. This kiss.

  Andrew pulled back. His eyes seemed to have darkened, but whether from passion or anger, Faith couldn’t be sure. He frowned and pushed her away in a gentle but firm manner.

  “I have to go.”

  And then, without another word, he bounded out the door and down the porch steps.

  Faith stood watching him, wishing she had some reason to call him back. The cold permeated her wool skirt and stockings and caused her to shiver, yet even then she couldn’t seem to stop watching as Andrew’s figure moved farther and farther away.

  Words left unspoken stuck in her throat. She wanted to shout after him that she loved him—that she knew she shouldn’t and that she didn’t expect him to return her feelings, but that it was nevertheless true.

  She bit her lip and leaned against the doorjamb. “I love you,” she whispered, knowing that no one but God would hear her confession.

  CHAPTER 19

  Faith prayed as she accompanied her father to their appointment with President Parrish. There was no telling what might or might not be said, but she begged God to intercede on her behalf. Thankfully, her father wasn’t given to losing his temper. The last thing she wanted was for the men to come to blows.

  Faith had dressed in a new outfit her mother had made for her. It was supposed to be her graduation outfit, but now it would help her persuade the college just to allow her to graduate. Faith thought she looked very smart and fashionable. The burgundy suit was fashioned with the narrow skirt of the day and a small back bustle. The accompanying jacket was long and overlaid with copper and gold designs that had been cut and sewn along the edges. Mother had even arranged for the milliner to fashion a matching hat.

  Faith had immediately loved the outfit and loved that her mother had taken time to make it for her. Especially given Oregon City and the Armistead farm itself had suffered just as much damage from the storm as Portland had. Faith hadn’t wanted to wear the outfit to the appointment, but her mother felt confident that she should.

  “Look your best. Be pleasant and show your strength. Don’t give them any thought of being able to defeat you,” Hope Kenner had told Faith before they’d parted company.

  Father gave her gloved hand a squeeze. “Don’t be so nervous. I’m sure that once we make our position clear, the president will rethink the matter. He won’t want to see the college caught up in litigation.”

  “Oh, Father, I just don’t know if this is the right way to handle it. I mean, I don’t want anything to cause problems for the other medical students. I’m sure this is all Mr. Lakewood’s fault and that President Parrish was just following his instruction.”

  Lance Kenner frowned. “A better man would not be put into such a position. President Parrish knows the importance of this program. His own wife attended and graduated. As I hear it, she is now actively practicing medicine in Portland.”

  “Yes, that’s true, but I worry that anything we do will cause problems for my friends. They are supposed to graduate this year, just as I was. If they should be expelled because of me, I would never be able to bear it.”

  “Don’t worry. Let’s just go see him. It might have all blown over by now, and we’ll find that he’s willing to work something out.”

  “I doubt that.” Faith bit her lip and fell silent. She had to trust that God and her father would know how to handle the matter. She might have her own ideas of what she’d like to happen to Lakewood, but as a Christian, she needed to calm her spirit and let God lead. After all, Lakewood had already done what he could to hurt her. There was really nothing left that he could do.

  They waited nearly half an hour before the secretary showed them into President Parrish’s office. Faith was glad that her father took charge almost immediately. Lance Kenner had served in the army before going into law full-time. Men all over Oregon came to him for help, especially with government problems, and Faith greatly admired his ability to command almost any situation.

  “Mr. Parrish, I want to thank you for seeing us today.”

  “You left me little choice, Mr. Kenner.”

  Faith’s father smiled. “You hardly needed to admit that. I would have allowed you your pride in front of my daughter.”

  Parrish looked embarrassed. “I’m sorry that this situation has caused your family grief, but I’m afraid the college is quite firm about its students not participating in political demonstrations.”

  “Yes, about that. I’ve reviewed all of the charters, organizational papers, and records from each and every official meeting, and nowhere have I found evidence that a student—especially a student who is at the top of her class—can or should be dismissed for participating in off-campus events that are not related to the university.”

  The door behind Faith opened. She thought perhaps it was President Parrish’s secretary, but instead, Samuel Lakewood walked past her to take a chair beside the president’s desk. He smiled and gave Faith a nod.

  “Mr. Lakewood insisted on joining us today, as he is one of our larger donors and the person who made the original complaint,” President Parrish said.

  “I would have expected nothing less,” Faith’s father responded.

  Lakewood didn’t so much as acknowledge Father. Instead, he looked at Parrish. “This man has something of a reputation. But given his family, that isn’t surprising.”

  Faith could hear an underlying tone of accusation. She wasn’t sure what Lakewood was impl
ying, but he apparently thought he had the upper hand.

  “As I was just telling President Parrish before you interrupted us,” her father continued, “I studied the university’s rules and regulations for students and found nothing that allows you the right to dismiss a student for practicing his or her beliefs away from university property. Therefore, I want my daughter to be reinstated.”

  Lakewood smiled. “That, my good sir, is quite impossible. You see, we became aware of other matters related to Miss Kenner. Things that I doubt you would want to become public knowledge.”

  Faith stiffened. What was he talking about? Did he know about her dealings with Captain Gratton? She supposed many would condemn her for her trips to the Morning Star without a proper escort. She frowned. Why should it matter to him or anyone else? She’d done nothing wrong.

  “What threat are you making, sir?” her father asked before she could pose the question herself.

  Lakewood pretended to study his fingernails. “I’m making no threat, but rather suggesting that if the truth were known about your daughter—your adopted daughter—it would cause a great many problems not only for her but for your family.”

  Faith’s stomach clenched. She looked at Lakewood just as he met her gaze. There was a hint of a smile on his lips. He knew. She didn’t know how, but somehow he knew about her birth.

  “What are you implying, Mr. Lakewood?”

  Faith heard her father ask the question but wished he hadn’t. A feeling of helplessness washed over her, and her cheeks heated up as her breath quickened.

  “I’m not implying anything, Mr. Kenner. I have proof that your daughter Faith Kenner is part Indian.”

  Her stomach dropped, leaving Faith queasy. How could he know? How could Samuel Lakewood have found out the truth?