by Rita Hestand
"Can we help?" Frank asked.
Angus smiled, "I'm glad you asked. I do need you two to go see Aiden, the guard will be there with the key in his back pocket. If Gloria can get that key away while you talk to him, we'll get him out there."
"I can do that." Gloria smiled. She got up and poured the coffee. "After all we've been through, now this?"
"Thanks, I'd ask Pumpkin, but she don't need to be around there. If they saw her around him, and then him gone, they'd hang her for sure. You see Major Marsh is known for his temper. He seems to hate the Indians, all of them. All they need is an excuse to hang her too. We'll go with Aiden."
"If you can get the key, I'll get the horses, Frank you get him to the barn. Then you two go about your business. Might be advisable to take him a meal or something. That way it would look more practical."
"Will do, when?"
"Tomorrow."
They nodded.
"Good, about noon. Now, there's something else I want to talk to you two about. If war breaks out, an Aiden is almost sure Sitting Bull is gathering quite an army, this fort isn't going to be safe, because those Indians although they want Custer, they don't like Gibbon either. They are liable to attack here. Lucy is at the Ferguson farm, it's just the other side of Bozeman. If things get rough, I want you two to pack up and head that way too. It's a secluded little farm. No one has ever attacked them. You'd be safe there, as long as you don't tell anyone where you are going. So, head that way if you hear of any trouble. The Sioux are gathering an army if those smoke signals are not an illusion, and that's not good news. Custer is just itchin' for a fight and Gibbon is in Washington right now to plan an attack on Sitting Bull, that much I know from talk of the soldiers around here. Everyone is on edge. Both men seek to get promotions out of all of this. The Major planned this Lucy thing, and thought he'd gets some attention from Gibbon for it."
Frank nodded. "We thank you for telling us about the farm. We weren't planning on staying here long anyway."
"Just don't want you two to get hurt, is all." Angus smiled. "We've all been through a lot, and I'd like to see your misses keep that pretty hair of hers." He winked.
Frank smiled. "We'll come runnin' if things get bad."
"They are liable to. Seen the signs. It might be a while before it happens, I don't know. Just want you both to be aware of it. Smoke signals all over. It means there's gonna be a big war. I don't know what's happening for sure, but they are gathering."
Gloria shook her head sadly, "This west of yours is never boring, is it?"
"No ma'am ain't got time for that either." He chuckled and drank his coffee.
"If anything goes wrong, get word to me, I'm gonna go have a stone made for Lucy."
"But… isn't she alive?"'
"Yeah, but don't let on to that fact. Aiden wants the Indians and the whites to think she's dead. This will put an end to The White Silver Fox. And then Lucy can go on with her life, with Aiden."
"They're in love, aren't they?" Gloria smiled.
"Yep, they sure are. But the stone is to convince others that the White Silver Fox is gone forever. Then she can start leading a life of her own, for the first time as a white lady, if that's what she wants."
"Well that is good news. There's something else, Angus. My baby, Angus, what will happen to her?"
Angus bowed his head. "I don't rightly know. I wish I did. The squaws are usually safe during wars, they mind the children and wait for the men to return. I don't think you have any problems right now about her. The only problem might be Custer himself. But I'm not sure he's gonna come out of this alive either. They'll do their best to keep her safe, they love her too."
"Yes, I believe they do." Gloria murmured sadly.
"I wish things had turned out differently for all of us." Frank said and grabbed Gloria to him.
"Don't you fret, if Sitting Bull gathers an army, I got a gut feeling that Custer won't have a chance. Custer will stick his neck out, take a chance. What he don't know is that Sitting Bull is angry enough to do him in."
"I hate to take a side in this. What do you think?" Gloria asked him.
"Well ma'am, the red man don't want to be pushed off their land, they were here first, they consider it theirs. The white man wants the red man to share it. But the problem is, the white man gets greedy. First, they want to move them off the land, then they want to tear it up digging for gold, silver, copper, anything that makes money. They sign treaties and don't keep their word, then there's war. And because there are more whites, than red men usually the whites win in the long run. And Custer's days are numbered, unless he changes his attitude, which is highly unlikely. What is sad is all the men under him don't have a choice. Right or wrong they gotta follow orders and those orders that Custer gives could get them killed."
Gloria reflected on that. "American white people came here to this land to seek freedom from the English. But they use the same tactics here, that the English used on them. It's such a vicious circle."
"Yes ma'am. It is." Angus stood up. "Thank you for the coffee. And tomorrow we'll do this. I appreciate the help. And remember, any problems develop here, you come runnin'. You hear?"
"We will, Angus, thanks for telling us about it."
"And not a peep about Lucy."
"She died." Gloria smiled sadly and kissed Angus on the cheek. "Bless her heart."
Angus blushed, "Kissed by two women in one day, I must be doing something right." He chuckled.
Gloria smiled and him. Frank shook hands with him. "Good luck, Angus."
"Thanks, the same to you."
Angus left and went to the stone mason at the camp. It was a small shop at the end of the barn. The man there was black, big and very busy.
"Harold, I hear you’re the one that makes tombstones." Angus looked at the big black man with interest. He was powerfully built and tall too.
"I do for a fact, and you’re the one they call, Angus?"
"That's right."
"What can I do for you?"
"Well, it's not for me. It's for Aiden."
"The scout?"
"He was, he's in the stockade now." Angus couldn't keep the anger from his voice.
"Fer what?" Harold asked a bit puzzled by the news.
"Treason."
Harold shook his head. "Aiden?" His look told Angus he couldn't believe it of the man.
"Yep, Aiden."
"Marsh did this, didn't he? He's had it in for him for a long time. Aiden ain't no turn-coat. What the hell is going on around here?"
"No, but you won't convince that starched Major, he's looking for fame, medals, and all that goes with it. He don't know that a lot times all you get is death."
"Him and Custer will get theirs one day. They keep aggravating the Indians one day they'll be sorry, and that's fact. Problem is, we'll all be sorry. So, who's the stone for?"
"The White Silver Fox, Shaman to the Cheyenne."
"She's dead!" Again, Harold looked shocked.
"It's a fact."
"Who done her in?"
"Bushwhackers, raped her and killed her out on the prairie, just past Bozeman."
"Well I'll be damned. I bet she went down fighting." Harold chuckled.
"Yeah, I bet she did."
"I guess that ticks the Major off."
"What do you mean?" Angus eyed him.
"He bragged he was gonna hang her with Aiden when he got back with her. I thought he was kidding, but I guess he meant it."
"Aiden tried to save her, he killed the bastards, but they shot him in the leg."
"No kiddin'. Well, I'll get right on this. I heard O'Riley say he was kind of fond of her."
"More than a little." Angus nodded. "How much we owe you?"
"Not a damn thing. No sir, she was something legends are made of. Everyone in these parts had heard of her. Some said she was beautiful too. Kinda hate to see her go out that way though. I mean most people were scared of her."
"Yeah, famous people usually ge
t it that way though."
"I'll have her done in two or three days. And I'll do a good job on her too. Lots of people will be lookin' at that tombstone. Anything special you want on it."
"Maybe, 'The White Silver Fox, The Cheyenne Spirit Woman'. Thanks Harold, thanks a lot."
"How old was she?"
"Around twenty-two, I think."
"That young? But I been hearing things about her for years?"
"Well, she was pretty remarkable. I met her, and I was impressed. Aiden said she healed a woman when she was only ten years old. He seen it."
"Wish I had. Was she a big lady?"
"No, small as could be."
"Pretty?"
"Real pretty little thing."
"Was she a healer?"
"Well, all I can say is, one squaw took care of her and she hung a dream catcher by her bed and fed her and cared for her like she was mighty special. The Sioux didn't kill us while we was there, and they surely could have, since Custer raided their camp killing women and children. So yeah, she had some special powers that I didn't understand."
"I shore wish I'd have met her."
"Well, I won't be forgetting her, thanks Harold."
"You betcha."
Chapter Seventeen
The next day Aiden woke up to find O'Riley guarding him. Aiden wiped his eyes and stared at O'Riley. It wasn't like him to volunteer for guard duty. He wondered if Angus has arranged this somehow.
He couldn't help but think of all the people here at the fort that he knew and liked. He got along well with all the scouts and O'Riley was a good and faithful friend. He loved him, God bless him.
"Good mornin'," O'Riley smiled at him.
"Good morning." Aiden smiled running a hand through his hair and wondering why O'Riley was on guard in the first place. Sergeants didn't guard often. He rarely guarded the prisoners. Right now, there were three men in three different cells. Some were sleeping, some were holding onto the bars as though waiting for someone to tell them this was just a nightmare.
"Okay, want to tell me why you are here this morning?" Aiden asked him as he sat on the edge of his bunk.
"Well now darlin' I asked for the patrol of you wonderful fellas. I had to find out why you of all people are in here. Let's just say I'm curious?"
"Treason." Aiden answered simply. He glanced at O'Riley surprised face and saw him shaking his head. "Your foolin' me, aren't you?"
O'Riley face changed to a frown now. "Are you serious? What happened, me boy?" he came closer to listen.
"I came back without the White Silver Fox, she was killed and without getting the child back for the Winters. And I guess I had too much sympathy for the Indians. I made comments that if Custer didn't quit raiding the Sioux there would be massive war for retaliation. Which there will be. There are already signs of this happening. It might take some time to gather enough, but Sitting Bull is not going to let this slide. Sooner or later he's going to do something, and it won't be on a small scale either."
"Well, that's a fact."
"True, facts the Major does not want to face. He thinks I'm siding with the Indians. I guess he thinks I know something. All I know is that they won't let Custer get away with this without a fight."
"Are you siding with them?"
Aiden looked O'Riley in the eyes, "When it comes to massacring women and children, yes!"
"God, women and children?" He questioned.
"Yes, Custer cut his name deep into their heart a couple a months ago. Whether he was directly responsible or not, they blamed him. Soldiers from Ft. Abraham Lincoln were there. They killed many of their women and children. Caught them when the warriors weren't in camp. If he doesn't take this seriously, there is going to be hell to pay, O'Riley, they want vengeance." When it got very silent O'Riley turned away. "It's not just officers who will be killed in this, it's all of your lives I'm worried about," Aiden told him. "And I don't want to see that happen. I'm sorry O'Riley. But you better prepare your men well for all of this as Sitting Bull will take revenge. I don't like it when my friends die."
"Son," O'Riley turned around and shook his head, "I know that too. And I've been drilling me boys every day hard like. I've watched some of those smoke signals myself. I know you speak the truth." He rubbed his chin. "You were in love with that girl, weren't you?"
"Yes," Aiden answered simply. "She's the only woman I ever cared for O'Riley."
"I'm sorry she's gone, but even you must know what would await her here had you brought her in."
"I know, now." Aiden frowned. "I guess I got too soft, thinking they wouldn't hang a woman. He planned to hang me right alongside her too. Major Marsh promised me no harm would come to her. He lied to me, O'Riley and I don't appreciate it."
"You ain't gonna hang son. I'll see to that myself."
"No, don't get involved. You are up for a promotion and pay raise. Don’t risk it. Stay the course, but Angus has a plan."
"You leavin' this place?"
"Afraid so."
O'Riley nodded. "Alright, I'm up to it. I think Major Marsh better be careful or he'll get his too."
"Look, my escape might mean a lump on someone's head. It isn't personal."
O'Riley laughed, "It'd be worth it to see the look on the Major's face when he realizes you escaped."
"I won't be comin' back O'Riley, but… I want you to know, I've counted you my friend."
"Goes both ways son. May God go with you. May the sun be at your back, your shadow be at your front, may you be one step in heaven afore anyone knows your gone."
Aiden chuckled. "I'll remember that forever."
"Aiden, how big an army has Sitting Bull got?"
"Right now, not enough, but he will have and when he does, Custer will be his first target. You see, the way they figure it, they don't have anything to lose anymore. We've taken their land, their pride, their livelihoods. They have nothing to lose but their lives. Anyway, don't get killed O'Riley, I'd hate to have to go to your funeral." Aiden told him.
"I don't intend to, but if I do, see to me grave, will ya?"
Aiden's smile faded, he reached through the bars and shook his hand. "Stay strong."
"You too me boy. You too!"
O'Riley saw the other prisoners rousing now. That's when Gloria showed up with a meal and Frank was with her. "Aiden, we heard what the Colonel did." Gloria came right up to the cell. "I brought you some food. It's not much, biscuits, gravy, some sausage."
"Sounds great to me. Did you make it?"
"Yes, I did. There's some coffee in the mug too."
He grinned, "Thanks. Smells good."
She backed away. Staring at the backside of the Sergeant, he seemed to turn just the right way for her to take the keys from his pocket. Angus must have talked to him too, Aiden concluded.
Frank came up and talked to him. "We heard about Lucy, I'm so sorry."
Aiden nodded, "Thanks. Angus wanted me to tell you he got the headstone for her."
"I appreciate that. I guess I can die happy now. Look," Aiden stared at the two of them. "If things get rough… "
"We've got a little plan of our own," Frank grinned.
"Good. Thanks for the dinner, Mrs. Winters."
She smiled sadly, "You are very welcome."
"Would it help at all for us to talk to the Major?"
"No, don't bother yourselves." He told them. "If the Colonel were here, it might, but the Major has plans."
"Very well, when are they gonna… "
"Tomorrow… " he told them.
"God bless," Gloria told him.
"Thank you, ma'am, I appreciate it."
Then she walked off, he saw Gloria stashing the key in her jacket, and smiled.
O'Riley knew what she did, but he didn’t say a word. Aiden grinned.
"Mighty nice-looking lady… isn't she?" O'Riley commented.
"Yes, she is." Aiden agreed.
"Are you gonna be on guard tomorrow when they hang me?" Aiden asked, glancing at the o
ther prisoners.
"No, I'll get a relief this evening. I can't watch hangings, they make me cry." O'Riley told him. "Don't like my men seeing me that way. They think I'm a tough old buzzard."
Aiden laughed, he loved O'Riley. "They don't know you very well then."
It was nearly sundown when Frank arrived to let him out. The other men wanted out. Aiden glanced at them. "Unlock their doors, but you men go single file after I'm well gone, you hear me?"
"Yes sir, we do."
"I wouldn't do this, but the Major is an unreasonable man."
"He sure the hell is." One of the troopers said lowly.
Frank tried to keep Aiden out of site, they walked hurriedly to the barn. Angus was there with Pumpkin. "I got you a uniform to wear passed the gates."
"Good idea, thanks." Aiden rushed to put it on.
"Let's get out of here."
"I'm with you, let's." Aiden smiled.
Frank shook his hand.
"You know where to find us?"
"I do, good luck to you."
"Thanks."
"Oh, I almost forgot," Angus glanced at Aiden. "Thanks."
Aiden saluted the guard and they let them pass without inspection.
They rode like the wind.
Aiden couldn't wait to see Lucy again. He knew she'd probably be frantic by now.
The got there late into the night.
"Maybe we ought to camp out in the barn tonight. Looks like everyone is asleep." Aiden told them.
But when they threw open the barn door, they found the Fergusons and Lucy tending a mare who successfully had twins.
"Aiden?" Lucy cried the minute she saw him.
Everyone watched them kiss as though it had been years since they had seen each other. Aiden didn't care, it had been too long since he held her in his arms, and he threw caution to the wind.
"Something go wrong, you were due back a couple of days ago."
"Yeah, what's going on in here?" he asked throwing his arm around Lucy and coming to the stall where the horse had just delivered her babies. It was twins.
"Look at them, aren't they beautiful," Lucy asked him.