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Tender Journeys

Page 12

by Janelle Jamison


  “Have you ever heard of Jesus, Grandfather?” Jenny asked gently.

  “The white man’s God has great power, but we do not accept His way. I will rest now. You will help the women,” the old man said, dismissing her.

  Jenny walked away silently. She had a renewed spirit as she realized God had led her to these aging people in order to put her past in order as well as to lead them to an understanding of salvation. Her hand fell to her rounding abdomen as she thought of a way to witness to Grandfather. Who could know the mind of God?

  Chapter 16

  First, David smelled the smoke. Then he saw it billowing to the sky. He urged his gelding to go faster and rounded the canyon wall in time to see brilliant red and orange flames burst through the second-story windows of his home.

  “Jenny!” He pushed his nervous horse to the gate and tied him securely before running toward the house. The lance caught his eye immediately. It had been driven into the ground as a calling card of the owner and destroyer of his home. Apache!

  “Jenny!” he yelled repeatedly as he frantically searched the grounds. The fear that she was inside the flames drove David to find some sign that would prove otherwise. Nearing the barn, he found it. Two spilt buckets of milk. Completing his search of the yard, David rode hard to Bandelero to call on Daniel’s and Lillie’s help. His mind couldn’t shake the image of his beloved Jenny being taken captive by those she’d always feared most—Apaches.

  Barely taking the time to tether his horse, David burst through the door of Daniel’s office. The room was empty.

  “Daniel! Lillie! Come quick!” David cried as he moved through the house. Lillie and Daniel met him in the hallway.

  “What is it?” Daniel asked.

  “It’s Jenny,” David said frantically. “The Apache burned down our house and took her.”

  “The Apache? There’s no Apache reservation around these parts. Are you sure?” Daniel questioned, taking hold of David’s shoulders.

  “They left a lance. It was Apache alright. They must be renegades; not all the Indians accepted living on reservations,” David declared. “I was just getting back from visiting the Pueblos and found the whole place up in flames. Apparently, Jenny had been milking when they came. I found the buckets of spilt milk in the yard between the house and the barn.”

  Lillie paled at the thought of Jenny being taken captive. “Dear Lord,” she breathed a prayer, “please protect Jenny.”

  David’s distraught face pushed Daniel into action. “We’ve got to get word to Garrett. If there’s a renegade band of Apache, he’ll want to protect his own family. Lillie,” Daniel said turning to his wife, “you let the sheriff know. I’ll ride with David to Piñon Canyon.” Lillie nodded in understanding.

  “We can take my horses and let yours rest,” Daniel said as he pushed David to the door. “Bring your horse around back and we’ll stable him and saddle the others.” David nodded, grateful Daniel had taken charge.

  Within minutes, Daniel and David were off in the direction of Garrett and Maggie Lucas’s ranch, Piñon Canyon. Lillie watched as they rode away.

  “Dear Lord, please surround them with Your protection,” she whispered and went in search of the sheriff.

  u

  Maggie Intissar Lucas plucked another of her hair pins from the hands of her two-year-old son and sighed. Putting it back in place, Maggie pulled the boy into her arms.

  “Gavin Lucas, why can’t you be more like your sister?” the red-headed Maggie asked.

  “Baby Doolie!” Gavin said proudly.

  Maggie shook her head, “No, not baby Julie; your older sister, Daughtry.”

  “Dotty,” Gavin said, giving it his best.

  “That’s close enough,” Maggie smiled. “Now, why don’t you go be a good boy and stay out of trouble?”

  “Because he’s good at being a boy,” Garrett Lucas said, bounding into the room to take his son. He tossed Gavin high into the air and caught the giggling boy in his arms. “Boys have a harder time staying out of trouble.”

  “I imagine that is especially true given the fact he’s your son,” Maggie teased.

  A bearded Garrett Lucas let out a laugh as he put Gavin down. Gavin’s little legs were already running before his father let his feet touch the floor. In a flash, Gavin was out the door and off to find his sister. Garrett pulled Maggie into his arms and kissed her.

  “And what kind of remark is that to make in front of a man’s son? If I didn’t know better, I’d think you gave birth to another girl on purpose,” Garrett laughed.

  “Maybe I did,” Maggie said, cocking her head to one side. “You always said I was the stubbornest woman you’d ever met.”

  “Stubborn enough to test the patience of God Himself,” Garrett agreed and whirled Maggie in the air.

  “Stop it,” Maggie chided. “You’ll wake up Julie.”

  Garrett stopped and Maggie melted against him. How good it was to be Mrs. Garrett Lucas! She felt her heart might burst from the love she felt for this man.

  The peaceful moment was broken as five-year-old Daughtry came running in with Gavin close behind. “Mama! Papa! It’s Uncle David and Uncle Daniel,” she called out breathlessly.

  “Here?” Maggie questioned as Daughtry pulled on Garrett’s hand.

  “Yup,” Daughtry replied.

  “Yes,” Maggie corrected.

  “Yes,” Daughtry repeated the word. “They’re riding real fast too.”

  “Something must be wrong,” Maggie said, looking with concern at her husband.

  “I’ll see what the problem is. You keep the children here,” Garrett instructed, and Maggie turned to see if the baby was still sleeping. The soft, downy-headed Julie slept soundly.

  Maggie took Gavin in hand, and Daughtry wrapped herself around her mother’s skirts. Maggie’s heart beat faster at the sound of raised voices in the yard. What could have happened that would bring both Daniel and David to Piñon Canyon in the middle of the day?

  The three men came into the house and the look on Garrett’s face told Maggie the news wasn’t good. “You children go to the playroom and wait for me there,” Maggie instructed.

  “No!” Gavin protested, but followed his sister at the sight of his father’s frown.

  When the children were out of earshot, Maggie turned to the grim-faced men. “What is it?”

  “Jenny’s been taken by Apaches,” Garrett said.

  Maggie’s face paled.

  “How? When?” she questioned, plunging her hands deep into her apron pockets.

  “This morning. I’d been out at the Pueblo village for several days, and when I came back this morning, the entire place was on fire,” David blurted out. Daniel put a hand on his shoulder.

  “Are you sure they took her? She wasn’t in the. . .in the. . .” Maggie couldn’t finish the question.

  “No, I’m sure she wasn’t in the house. They surprised her outside. They must have come upon her while she was doing the chores,” David replied.

  “What about the children?” Garrett asked.

  “The Pueblo had already come to take them back to the village. An epidemic took the lives of so many children the elders insisted the orphans return to their people.”

  “That must have devastated Jenny,” Maggie commented.

  “It did,” David said softly. “But that’s an entirely different subject. We have to go after her. That’s why I’m here.”

  “The first order of business is to secure the ranch and get Maggie and the kids to town,” Garrett stated.

  “They can stay with Lillie and the boys,” Daniel offered.

  Garrett nodded. “Thanks, friend.”

  “But I don’t want to leave the ranch,” Maggie protested.

  “We don’t know what dangers lurk in t
he area,” Garrett said as he tried to soothe Maggie. “I don’t think they’ll still be in the area, but Bandelero will be safer. Besides, I’ll feel a heap better knowing you and the children are safe while I’m gone.”

  “Gone?” Maggie asked fearfully. “Where are you going?”

  “I’m going with David and Daniel to find Jenny.” Garrett’s words hit hard. Maggie blinked back tears. “It’s going to be alright, Maggie. God will watch over you and Lillie. You’ll be fine.”

  “It’s not me I’m worried about,” Maggie said, her voice cracking. “I know you need to do this, but I wish none of you were going. Now, if you’ll excuse me,” she stated with renewed resolve, “I’ll get the children’s things together.”

  Garrett touched her cheek, and Maggie paused long enough to look into his eyes. “Dear God,” she silently prayed, “please bring him back to me. Bring them all back safely.”

  When Maggie was gone, Garrett turned his attention to David and Daniel. “I’ll check with the ranch hands and see if anyone wants to ride with us. Then we’ll send someone to Santa Fe to notify the cavalry.”

  “The cavalry!” David exclaimed. “That’ll take days.”

  Garrett glanced at Daniel and then offered David an apologetic look. “I’m sorry, Buddy. You have to face facts. Finding Jenny may take weeks, even months.”

  “Months?” David and Daniel questioned at once.

  “There haven’t been any Apache around here since the roundup of ’86. The soldiers moved them west of the Rio Grande to the reservation. These have to be renegades, and they aren’t going to stay in the near vicinity. At least, that’s what I’m banking on. We’re going to pack plenty of provisions and plan to be out for weeks, possibly longer.”

  “I can’t believe it,” David said and sank to a chair with his head in his hands. “I can’t ask you two to go with me. I can’t take you away from your families for that long. I thought maybe a few days, a week at the most. I didn’t consider the danger. I can’t ask you to do this.”

  “You didn’t ask,” Garrett stated firmly. “Now let’s get moving. The longer we take, the colder the trail.”

  Within an hour, Garrett had rounded up five men to accompany them in the search for Jenny Monroe. Their first step was to evacuate Maggie and the children to Bandelero. For greater safety, Garrett had Maggie and the children ride in the bed of the wagon, which he drove. The other men surrounded the wagon on horseback, their Winchester lever action rifles ready for a fight.

  The trip from Piñon Canyon, although tense, passed uneventfully. At Bandelero, Garrett traded the wagon in for his horse and rechecked the supplies.

  Maggie held fast to Lillie’s hand. They’d been best friends nearly all their lives. Lillie alone could understand the apprehension in Maggie’s heart. Silently, they stood and shared each other’s fears and hopes.

  Garrett motioned for his men to join in as David led them in prayer. The men took off their hats and bowed their heads as David spoke.

  “Father, we ask for Your help in finding Jenny. Please guide us and protect my friends from danger. Lord, I ask that You go to wherever Jenny is and surround her with Your angels. Keep her safe and let her feel confident we’re coming for her. In Jesus’ Name. Amen.”

  “Mount up,” Garrett called out. He turned to take Maggie in his arms. “I’ve told the children to be good and to remember their prayers. I guess the same thing holds true for you,” he said with a grin.

  “Please be careful,” Maggie said, unable to smile at Garrett’s humor. “I can’t bear to think of you being gone for so long. Please hurry home.” She sobbed the words despite her resolve to be strong. Garrett held her closely, breathing in the scent of her cologne.

  “Please be careful,” Lillie echoed her friend’s words. “Oh Daniel, I love you so. Please, please come home safe to the boys and me.”

  Daniel reached up and held Lillie’s face in his hands. “I’ll come home soon. You’ll see. Just remember to pray for us and take good care of the children.” He lowered his lips and kissed her gently.

  Reluctantly, the women let go of their husbands. They clung to each other as they watched Garrett and Daniel mount their horses. Long after the dust of the horses had obscured any possible view of their husbands, Maggie and Lillie waved good-bye. Then they fell into each other’s arms and cried. They cried for each other and they cried for themselves. Mostly, they cried for Jenny, knowing they might never see her again.

  Chapter 17

  As the summer months brought uncomfortable heat, Jenny’s body filled out in a way that left no one questioning her condition. She’d begun to feel movement, although she denied to herself that a baby was the reason for such activity. Instead, Jenny worked harder to insure the elderly Apache people had food to eat and warm blankets in store for winter. She also spent more time trying to witness to Grandfather.

  Grandfather’s stoic silence first led Jenny to believe he had little or no interest in her beliefs. Yet as the summer wore on, Jenny found Grandfather asking more questions. He wasn’t averse to adding another god to his collection of worshipped spirits, but he saw no reason to leave his own beliefs behind. Jenny prayed God would guide her to say the right things, but she knew while she planted spiritual seeds, God was the gardener.

  Two Knives appeared occasionally to bring a deer or antelope for Mescal Blossom. Jenny learned Mescal Blossom was Two Knives’s mother-in-law. While her daughter had died several years earlier, Mescal Blossom was still esteemed.

  In Apache families, the mother-in-law was given the honor of accepting the game and deciding who in the family would receive a portion. With Mescal Blossom’s hands growing more and more twisted from age, she appointed Jenny to care for the kill.

  Late one afternoon, Jenny was sitting on the ground scraping hair from a wet deer hide when Two Knives approached with an armload of brush for firewood.

  “Two Knives, gathering firewood is a woman’s job. You needn’t dishonor yourself as a warrior by gathering brush,” Jenny protested as she looked up from her work.

  Two Knives placed the wood beside the wickiup and nodded slightly. “The only dishonor comes in allowing the old and weak to suffer when I am strong and capable of helping them. The old ways are good ones if you live in a tribal family with many warriors and women. Here, the old and dying cannot work as they could when they were young. We will work for them.” He walked away without waiting for Jenny to reply.

  Jenny thought his words quite sensible and resolved never again to question Two Knives when he performed extra tasks. Turning back to her work, she continued to scrape the hair from the hide and didn’t hear Grandfather sit behind her in the doorway of the wickiup.

  She began pounding out the rougher spots on the hide and thought of verses in the Bible that spoke of making the rough places smooth. Absorbed in these thoughts, Jenny was startled by Grandfather’s voice.

  “When my people were many, before the white man forced them to the reservation, I would tell many stories; histories of N’de and the Sun Spirit. The children would gather round me and listen with reverence while I told of the animal spirits and why we ask the hunted to forgive the hunter.

  “And why was that, Grandfather?” Jenny questioned.

  “It is only right to ask the animal to forgive us. We do not take its life because we are angry or seeking revenge. No, we kill the animal for our food and clothes. This he does not mind, so he forgives us. Apache believe all things have spirit. One-From-Whom-All-Things-Come gave all things to N’de to take and use.”

  “Is that why your people raid?” Jenny asked.

  Grandfather looked out across the desert and up into the sky. “If the Great Spirit has given us all things, N’de have only to use as they need.”

  “But you took me captive. I’m not a thing. I am a human being and a child of God,” Jenny said brave
ly.

  “You are not a human being. You are not N’de,” Grandfather answered flatly.

  “Grandfather, I have listened to N’de ways,” Jenny interjected, “and I’ve been a good captive.”

  “You speak the truth,” Grandfather admitted.

  “I know N’de have their beliefs, but I have mine too. I believe in one God. My heavenly Father is God over all. He sent His Son, Jesus Christ, to save all people, not just N’de, but all people from their sins.”

  “I do not know this word ‘sins’,” the old man replied.

  Jenny prayed for the right words. “Sins are the things we do that we know are wrong. Things that go against God’s law. Jesus came to this world so we might be forgiven for those sins.”

  “Forgiven?” Grandfather questioned.

  “N’de ask the animals to forgive them before the N’de kill them, but the N’de really need to ask God to forgive them before they lose their own lives. Forgiveness is when those sins are canceled. They are not accepted as right, but they are forgotten.”

  “This is not the way of N’de. When white man does wrong to Apache, we do not forgive. It is not our way.”

  “I know,” Jenny said softly. “But Grandfather, if you do not accept God’s gift of forgiveness and forgive those who’ve wronged you, you cannot see God.”

  “I am an old man. It is not easy to accept new ways, but I know your spirit is sweet. Do you believe this forgiveness is possible for N’de?”

  “Of course, I do. What you don’t know about me, Grandfather, is my family was killed by N’de.” Jenny waited for a response, but the only sign of Grandfather having heard her was the slight nod of his head. Jenny drew a deep breath and continued. “I was a small child, and an Apache raiding party attacked our wagon train at dawn and killed almost everyone.”

  “It was our people’s way,” Grandfather said.

 

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