“You’re right. I’ll tell him I investigated you and found you innocent, so I released you. He’ll accept my word.”
She wished he had admitted what she hoped was the truth and was slightly depressed when he didn’t. “Thank you, Steve. Be assured you aren’t mistaken; I wasn’t involved.”
“Even if you were, Anna, I’d still let you go.”
That admission touched her. Tell me more, my love. “Why?”
“Because I like you and it would have been a mistake on your part. Either way, you’ve suffered enough and lost plenty because of your father’s evil deed, and I’m sure you wouldn’t do anything like this again.”
That wasn’t the answer she wanted, but she didn’t press for the desired one. “You’re very kind and generous.”
On level ground, he suggested, “Let’s pick up our pace before you swell my head with more compliments.”
They reached the campsite, where five sullen men were bound. Ginny saw Bart’s gaze widen in shock, then narrow and chill. She noticed the wound on his arm and the one on Slim’s hand. In a way, she was surprised Steve hadn’t killed any of them, and she remarked on that.
The Special Agent used the Federal Marshal rule to explain. “Men like me get paid for the number of miles we cover to capture criminals and for live ones we turn in. If we kill a target or prisoner, we don’t get paid for him and we have to pay to bury him.” The truth was, he always tried to bring in suspects alive for questioning and punishment.
“I see you got help, eh?” Bart scoffed at her.
Ginny glared at the offensive man. “The best, can’t you tell? He captured all of you as easily as picking cotton from a ripe boll.”
“Did he give you them gems he took from us?”
“No, they weren’t mine; they were stolen. He’s turning them over to the authorities to be sent back to their proper owners.”
The leader sneered. “What you gonna do when we reach town and you join us in a cell, Miss Anna? Think you’ll be safe “ from the Klan’s reach? Or from the law’s? One or the other will git you for what you done.”
“I won’t be in any danger from either side because I wasn’t involved in Father’s scheme or in yours. You’ll hang for murdering him.”
Bart feigned shock. “That’s a damn lie, girl. Your pa wouldna been kilt if you two hadna gotten greedy and tried to git away with the Klan’s payment. Your pa weren’t the contact, you was. You can fool that hired man with you but you won’t fool the law, and the Klan knows what you are. They’ll make you pay good for trying to cheat them.”
Ginny gaped at the man. “You’re crazy, Bart.”
“Crazy for not catching on to you afore it was too late. I don’t see why you turned on us; we done just like your telegram said. We pretended to kidnap you to hide your part in this. We woulda split the gems with you two if you’da told us what you had planned. You’re crazy if you think we’ll keep our mouths shut and take your punishment atop ours.”
Ginny realized Steve was keeping quiet and listening carefully to the brute’s wild rantings. “Whatever you’re trying to pull, Bart, it won’t work.”
“ ’Cause you think the law will take a lady’s word over ours? Once they capture Graham and he talks, your trick is up. You shouldna tried to run and we wouldna shot your horse and pa. And if he hadna tried to shoot me whilst he was down, I wouldna kilt him in self-defense.”
“Self-defense? You murdered him in cold blood. You would have killed me, too, if I hadn’t escaped.”
“We was with you for days. We had plenty of time to kill you and rob you if that was our plan. Why would we haul you all this way to do it? When did we ever pull a gun on you or tie you up? Never! We didn’t shoot till you two was galloping off with them gems the Klan needs. That’s probably why Graham sent us after you two early, ‘cause he knew you couldn’t be trusted. You two was planning to disappear with them gems, wasn’t you?”
Ginny looked at her love. “He’s lying, Steve. He’s only trying to save his neck by incriminating me. Besides, Bart, you made a slip; you said we telegraphed you to meet us early, then you said Graham changed the plans and sent you after us early.”
“Graham sent us after we got that crazy telegram. You two musta needed us as guides and guards ‘cause you had the law closing in on you. I bet you was planning to escape us soon as we got you clear of trouble.”
Steve finally intruded. “You might as well hush up, Bart. I’ve been investigating Miss Avery for a long time; I know she’s not involved. You’re wasting your breath trying to trick me.”
“She’s the one tricking you, lawman,” the leader argued. “What did she give you to git you on her side, a good roll or two in the grass?”
Steve’s gaze darkened and narrowed and his body stiffened in warning. “Don’t push it, Bart, or you won’t make it to the Fort Smith stockade.”
“Akst the boys; they’ll tell you like I did.”
“It would be lies like yours are,” Steve retorted. “Let’s go.”
Ginny was relieved by those confident words and Steve’s anger. Surely that meant he believed her, not them. She was glad Bart fell silent and the others didn’t speak up to concur with his ruse.
They journeyed through woodland to open spaces. Steve kept control of the gang by roping their horses together by their bridles. The captives sulked and sent the quiet and alert couple lethal looks.
Ginny was tense the entire ride, fearing the law wouldn’t be as trusting and generous with her as their hired man was. She prayed that Bart wouldn’t continue to claim she was a Klan member and carrier and, if he did, they wouldn’t believe him.
At dusk, they halted to camp on the Poteau River. Steve and Ginny prepared a meal large enough to serve all of them. They ate first, then he stood guard over the gang without cutting their hands free while they devoured their food. Steve bound them to trees to spend the night in a secure state. The couple took their places near a cozy fire to pass the dark hours in light slumber until morning came.
Ginny had noticed Steve’s ability to fall asleep and awaken instantly. She also noticed that his features seemed to become hardset the closer they came to town, and she wondered why. Something she couldn’t read was reflected in his gaze and revealed in the stiff way he sat in his saddle or moved about when dismounted. This shadow closing over him worried her. She wished he would explain his curious mood.
They ate a quick and light breakfast, saddled up, and got underway by seven to cover the last leg of their journey to Fort Smith, Arkansas.
They traversed more forest land and rode into open, wooded terrain, with trees scattered about. They took the Waldron Road and passed near Massard Prairie, where Rebels had routed Union troops in July of ‘64 in a glorious victory. They skirted the western edge of town and headed for the fort. They arrived at six o’clock on Saturday, May eleventh.
Ginny couldn’t understand why Steve was taking the prisoners to the army post at Fort Smith instead of to the town marshal or sheriff. She didn’t want to query him before the captives, though, so she stayed mounted as ordered while Steve spoke briefly with an officer at such a distance they couldn’t be overheard.
Ginny gazed at her surroundings. The post consisted of both two and one-story buildings: officers’ quarters, soldiers’ barracks, storehouses, commissary, guard house, hospital, kitchens, bakery, telegraph office, stables, and other structures she didn’t recognize. A pole about a hundred feet high with a large flag that displayed only thirty-six stars until Nebraska’s would be added soon stood prominently dominant. In the open terrain, she realized it could be seen for miles, as was intended. A rock wall about four feet high encircled the fort that was nestled in a bend of the wide, blue Arkansas River. Situated on a high sandstone bluff, it was safe from flooding and could repel attacks by water. Ruins of an earlier one were visible on a nearby knoll. From the sizes and amount of structures and the number of men she saw moving about, she guessed about two thousand soldiers were assign
ed there. This time of day, it was quiet.
She recalled what Steve had told her about Fort Smith during their midday break, and his alleged motive for doing so. The original fort had been constructed as an outpost in enemy territory to handle problems between the neighboring Osage and “intruding” Cherokee Indians, following the “Trail of Tears” from the South. A military presence became more important in ‘39 when immigrants feared Indian uprisings and demanded more show of force in the area. The increase in Indians in nearby Oklahoma Territory was due to the influx of tribes from the southern states. Steve told her about a Grand Indian Council in ‘65 where new treaties were written to take effect last year, an action that cost the Indians half of their promised lands and was based on their siding with Confederates during the war. He related tales of glorious battles fought by the Cherokees, mostly under General Stand Waite, an Indian who was now a tobacco grower and curer.
When she had questioned him about why he was revealing so much about Fort Smith, he had shrugged and claimed she might want to settle there and, even if not, she would be there for some time while earning money to get back to her aunt in Georgia. That wasn’t the answer she had expected or wanted and didn’t query him further about the town or her future.
She was convinced he was well acquainted with Fort Smith; for all she knew, he could have been born and raised here. Perhaps he wanted her to stay around while he decided what to do about her. If only he’d tell her how he felt and what he wanted from her, she could make a decision about him.
Her rambling thoughts halted as the captain took charge of the gang. She was relieved Bart and the others didn’t try to implicate her again before they were led toward the guard house by a detail of three soldiers.
Steve mounted and said, “Follow me, Anna. Jake told me where to find a good hotel that’s reasonable and safe.”
Ginny’s heart fluttered with excitement, but she didn’t ask him why he didn’t know of one since he was familiar with this town. Alone at last, she thought happily. But Steve registered her at the desk and paid the clerk, then said he had to return to the post to finish his report to the captain, Jake Cooper, and to turn the stolen gems over to the commander.
“Will you be back in time to join me for dinner?” she asked, a curious sensation of dread washing over her at his reserved mood.
He didn’t glance at her as he replied, “Nope, so don’t wait for me. I have a lot to do tonight. Good-bye, Anna.”
Ginny’s heart hammered in her chest. Her pulse raced. Her throat was constricted by warring emotions. He said nothing about seeing her tomorrow or later. In fact, his last two words sounded like a final farewell. With others nearby, she couldn’t question him at the desk, and he left too fast for her to follow him outside to do so.
From the hotel porch, she watched him ride down the dirt street toward the fort, and felt as if he were riding out of her life. She wanted to chase after him, declare her love, and entice an admission from him. But she couldn’t and she mustn’t. When he was out of sight, she went inside and to her lonely room. She didn’t fail to realize this hotel was on the far end of town from the post, too far to walk if she were tempted to follow him. One of the owner’s sons had taken charge of her horse and, by now, it was unsaddled and stabled. It was foolish to saddle him again and go find Steve Carr.
Don’t worry, Ginny, he wouldn’t desert you like this. Would he?
Ginny ate a quick meal, then took a bath and washed her hair in the water closet on the second floor. She paced her room while worrying about Steve. She pondered where he was and what he was doing and why he refused to visit her tonight. She wondered if it was because his “assignment” was over and he no longer needed her for clues, or if he truly had business keeping him away, or if he was running scared again.
Ginny prayed he wasn’t seeing a woman in one of the brothels she had noticed on their way to the hotel. There was no way she could search for him, for the town was too large and unfamiliar, her hair was wet, and it was too late and dark for a stroll.
Steve Carr, she decided irritably, was exasperating! It was past midnight, so it was clear he wasn’t coming to see her. She was tired and edgy and should go to bed. If there was something to learn—good or bad—she would discover it tomorrow.
Sunday at dawn, Steve mounted his sorrel and rode out of town. Once more he was heading to roam the countryside to test his prowess against criminals. He had done it for years, but the glow of excitement didn’t warm him today. Long ago he had chosen to pit himself against lawbreakers and perils to prove he was a man to himself and to his father and to the others who had scorned him because he was a half-breed bastard. He hadn’t chosen to be a gunslinger because he didn’t want the hassle of a reputation to maintain or to be always looking over his shoulder for someone who wanted to take his place. His badge and license proved he was a man of authority, one not to insult or challenge. He had solved many cases and been praised by many government officials, so wasn’t it time he accepted and believed he was worthwhile, not a nobody or a nothing? If that were true, he wouldn’t have this important job, wouldn’t have friends, wouldn’t have tempted Anna to surrender to him.
Steve told himself he couldn’t risk seeing Anna Avery before he left, as the meeting could evoke too many questions he wasn’t yet willing to answer. Being apart for a while would give them time to clear their heads and to probe their feelings. He had work to do before he let her fill his thoughts and rule his actions. He had telegraphed his superior from the fort last night and had sneaked to the hotel and left money with the owner for Anna to use for her room and board and other needs. He had left a note with Captain Jake Cooper to give to her and hoped she accepted his explanation. The words he had penned to her from his warring heart drifted through his troubled mind:
Anna,
I have to leave to turn in the gems I recovered and finish my assignment in Missouri. As soon as I capture those to blame and file my report, I’ll return for you. Wait for me here and don’t worry about me; I’ve done this kind of thing plenty of times. I left you enough money with the desk clerk to pay for food and board during my absence. If it takes longer to solve this case than I guessed, Captain Cooper’s wife will hire you at her dress shop in town. Stay close to the hotel and be careful. I don’t want anything to happen to you. Stay armed, woman. If all goes fast and well, I’ll rejoin you within a couple of weeks. When I return, we need to have a serious talk about us.
Steve
They had been together almost all the time ever since they first met. He needed to put distance between them to test her pull on him. She had become his one weakness. He had to make certain his attraction to her wasn’t just physical. He could accomplish that only away from the temptation of her. He couldn’t stand it if she rejected him as his father had, and she might just do that after she learned the rest of the truth about him: his half-Indian blood. Too many whites hated and avoided Indians, and half-breeds were looked down on more than fullblooded Indians. Most wanted Indians killed or confined to reservations. If she had known he was worse than a bastard, she might never have made love to him. Before he revealed his intimidating secret, he had to make certain he would fight to win her, would do anything to persuade her it didn’t matter. And if he was willing to go after her, he had to be convinced he wouldn’t be facing a losing battle, because not once had she said she loved him and wanted to marry him.
Marry… That was a scary thought. If they did wed, what kind of life could they have? Where? He had so little to offer a woman who had had everything from birth. Why would she want him as a husband and the father of her children? Could he endure her scorning him? Could he find the courage before his return to Fort Smith and her to ask her to commit herself to him? Maybe the future depended upon what he learned from Timothy Graham. He was certain Bart’s claims had been wild and vengeful rantings, and he prayed he wouldn’t find out otherwise. Be trustworthy, Anna Avery, or…
As Ginny dressed, she reflected on the d
ecision she had made during a restless night that included awakening many times and pacing the floor a few of them. She was going to tell Steve everything about her today, everything. Perhaps he sensed she was withholding something from him and that made him even more wary of her. If she opened up to him, maybe he would open up to her. Before things went any further between them or they went their separate ways, she had to know where—if any place—she stood with Steve Carr, the man she loved. She would confess everything. She would discover today how that information affected him and how he felt about her. She couldn’t put this off any longer.
Ginny went downstairs to eat and to see if there was a message from Steve. Perhaps he was waiting for her. Anticipation and dread flooded her. Don’t let him be angry, she prayed. Don’t let him reject me. Help him to understand and accept what I’ve done. Please let him feel the way I do.
“Miss Avery, your brother left a message for you,” the clerk told her.
Brother? That told her Steve Carr couldn’t be from Fort Smith or his lie about their relationship wouldn’t work on the man. “What is it?”
The clerk handed her an envelope. “He gave me this for you before he left town.”
Ginny stared at him. “Left town? When?”
“Last night, Miss Avery,” he replied, looking surprised.
“I thought he was leaving this morning. I suppose he was too rushed to wait or I misunderstood him,” she said to conceal her pain.
“He said you’d be staying with us for a while. Is everything satisfactory?”
Those words calmed her a little, as she prayed the letter said to wait for him. “Yes, wonderful. Thank you.” Ginny returned to her room to read the message in private. She ripped open the envelope and gaped at its contents: only money, enough to support her for a few weeks. She looked between each bill and inside the envelope once more as she felt there must be an enclosed scrap of paper with a few words. But there was nothing.
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