Midnight Secrets

by Janelle Taylor

  Matt looked sad as he reflected on the deterioration of the friendship and Clay’s baffling mental state. “When we’d meet up with other men, I’d almost have to gag him to keep him from boasting about being rich. He wanted to go into town, reveal the news so he could get credit or a loan, and use the money to live it up with women and gambling. He was almost uncontrollable, Stone. He had several curious accidents and started looking at me strangely. His girth strap came loose and his tent caught fire and some other things. He finally accused me of trying to get rid of him, said I had chosen this location and found the silver and wanted it all to myself. That wasn’t true; I’d never felt that way. I didn’t have to be greedy; there’s enough silver here to make us rich a hundred times. I was worried, and I was unconvinced he wasn’t behind those episodes to force my hand. He wanted to announce the strike to everyone that very week. I tried to tell him how dangerous and unwise that would be. Every time a big one is revealed, prospectors flood the area. I said we had to keep quiet until we worked out the details of our company. I suggested filing it in Ginny’s name to protect us. Clay refused and got angry.”

  Matt sipped coffee to wet his throat. “We stopped by Pete’s new shack until I could be sure we’d lost our shadows. While I was in the woods relieving myself, I heard gunshots. I stayed where I was for a while because I didn’t have a weapon with me. When I sneaked back later, Clay and Pete were dead. I knew it wasn’t a thief because our horses and belongings hadn’t been taken. In a way, I’m to blame for Pete being killed. I shouldn’t have led Kinnon’s men to his location. They must have thought it was ours and that they were getting rid of us. I knew when the bodies were found, the culprit would realize he’d missed me. I burned the cabin to conceal my escape.”

  Matt waited for Stone to object to that action, but he didn’t. Nor did Stone protest or refute what he was hearing about their deceased mutual friend. “I disguised myself, took Pete’s mule and gear, left my belongings, and sneaked into town. I found out that Kinnon filed on the land Pete had been prospecting. I heard that me and Clay were declared dead, so I let everyone continue to think that. I hurried to Denver and registered this claim in the name of V. A. Marston, then sent Ginny a map and a warning. You received them?”

  After she nodded, Matt explained, “I didn’t file in Colorado City because some surveyors and officials were close friends of Kinnon’s. I was afraid if I showed myself, Kinnon would sic his friends on me and frame me for Clay’s murder because I had a damn good motive for getting rid of him. I decided, if I stayed ‘dead,’ the killers might be caught by a smart lawman like you, Stone. I didn’t want any shadow of doubt cast on me. There was no hurry to mine the silver; it wasn’t going anywhere and the claim was safe. I knew Clay had written to you. I hoped you’d come and investigate and find evidence to clear me. I also realized that if I announced the strike, the killer might never be found because there’d be no reason to expose himself. I reasoned that when I got everything set, I would use myself to entrap the murderer as I did today.”

  Matt looked at Ginny, then at Stone. “Do you understand that I couldn’t allow myself to be charged with murder and that I needed time to find somebody I could trust to help me unmask a rich and respected man like Frank Kinnon?” They both nodded. “I decided it was best to head for other parts—Montana, Arizona, Nevada, and California—to study silver mining and to locate investors, men who would have the power and wealth to protect me and help me. I’m not a coward, Stone, but I knew how bad it looked for me. I knew how much Kinnon wanted my claim. I realized there were corrupt officials who could be bribed to frame me. I had no proof against him, and who would take my word over his?”

  “You can stop worrying now, Father; it’s over and we’re all safe.”

  “I think you did the right thing, Matt, and I believe you.”

  “Thanks, Stone; that means a lot to me.”

  “Are you all right, Father? Why didn’t you send for me sooner?”

  “What I said about my broken legs and busted shoulder was the truth. The only place I visited was Virginia City. That trouble kept me there for almost a year. I couldn’t decide when to return and see how things stood here. I didn’t know how or where to reach you, Stone. And I didn’t want to worry Ginny with such bad news. I wrote her in October that everything was going fine, but that letter must have been lost or stolen during a stage robbery. I sent you money in February to sail for America this month. I told you to take the train to St. Louis and telegraph me from there so I could come for you. I concluded my problems would be settled by the time you got here in August.”

  “You should have told me the truth, Father. You were hurt and in trouble and you needed me.”

  “I was afraid you’d come here and I’d be too injured to protect you. This is wild and dangerous territory, girl. Men can get crazy or desperate. Tell me, Stone, what did Clay write to you?”

  The younger man related what had been in their friend’s last message to him. “I’m sorry for doubting you, Matt, but it did look suspicious to me.”

  “I understand. In your place, I’d have thought and done the same thing. I didn’t know Clay had given you his share of the claim, but that’s not a problem. Now that I know I have a partner, I’ll have to work out a new agreement with the investors I’ve chosen. They’re awaiting news in Denver. I’ll telegraph them from town in a few days. Dr. Wilton Clancy, the man who saved my life in Virginia City, is one of them. I hope you don’t mind that I’ve put things into motion without conferring with you first.”

  “Of course not. Whatever you do is fine with me. I plan to be a rancher in Texas with my father. I’ve asked Ginny to marry me and she’s agreed. We’ll be living there, but you’re welcome to visit anytime. Do you have any objections to me joining your family?”

  From the time they had spent together today, Matt could read the changes in Stone Chapman, which were clearly results of meeting and loving his Ginny. He had always believed the young man had plenty of good traits and strong emotions inside him but was fearful to expose them. It was obvious Ginny had brought the best in Stone to the surface and the man had dealt with his bitter past, whatever that was, as he hadn’t talked much about it to him. Matt saw her reach for her sweetheart’s hand and squeeze it, then smile. “From the way my daughter looks at you and speaks about you, I doubt it would make a difference if I did. But don’t worry, Stone, I think you’ll make Ginny a perfect husband and me a fine son-in-law. I can see that you’ve resolved and discarded any troubles tormenting you. This is the most I’ve seen you smile since we met years ago. The hardness in your eyes is. gone. The chip’s off your shoulder. You were always your own worst enemy, Son, but I’m convinced you’ve made peace with yourself.”

  Stone’s thick voice exposed his feelings. “Thank you, Matt. You won’t be sorry you’ve entrusted her to me. I love her very much and she’s been the best thing that’s happened to me. I was riding a self-destructive trail until I met her, but she changed that for me.”

  Ginny smiled at Stone and her father but didn’t speak because she wanted them to get closer and thought any words might disrupt the special moment.

  Matt sighed and told them, “I hate to lose her so soon after our reunion. This news does come as a big surprise, but I’m happy with your decision. I think you two have a bright future ahead. Now, I want to hear more about you two meeting and getting here.” His inquisitive gaze focused on his daughter. “What’s this about traveling with a stranger who was dangerous and evil? You should know better, Virginia Marston! What did they teach you all those years in that fancy boarding school?”

  “Charles Avery wasn’t a totally evil man, Father. He was a tormented and misguided one. We liked each other, and I was never in any peril from him. Besides, he couldn’t harm me with Stone and so many people around on the wagontrain. I don’t know if you’ve heard about what’s happening in the South since the war ended. I couldn’t believe what I saw after docking there. The South is like a ca
ptive to the North; they rule it with an iron hand. Many people lost everything because of the war. Husbands, fathers, sons, and brothers were killed. Women, children, elderly parents, and orphans must fend for themselves. There was so much wanton destruction, more than was necessary to win a war. It left people without homes and ways to support themselves. Horrible things are taking place and Southerners are still suffering terribly.”

  She caught a breath before going on. “The North has many secret and dangerous organizations, like the Loyal League. They claim their purpose is to help ex-slaves learn to become citizens, but they also arm, train, and coax resentful ex-slaves to attack vulnerable whites. None of the instigators or villains are ever punished or halted. I can grasp why men like Mr. Avery would become bitter and desperate, but that does not justify what they’re doing to equally innocent blacks and whites. Wicked men on both sides must be stopped, Father, by our government.”

  When Matt didn’t interrupt, she continued. “Some men in the South have formed a secret group whose purpose, they claim, is to fight terrorism and injustices and to protect their lives, families, and homes. It’s called the Invisible Empire, the Ku Klux Klan. They dress in flowing robes and hoods to conceal their identities from victims and witnesses. Mr. Avery was a member of the most notorious Den.” She related the deceased man’s personal motives about becoming involved with the nefarious group, the Red Magnolias.

  “Mr. Avery’s Den wanted money for arms and ammunition for their battles and to locate and murder officers whose orders almost destroyed the South, like Sherman who crushed Georgia. They got the payment for those plans through robberies in the North and in foreign countries, including England— mostly valuable, untraceable gems. Mr. Avery was chosen to. deliver the payment to a man in Missouri who was going to fill their order. The Justice Department assigned Stone to unmask the carrier and stop them. It was a dangerous mission; several agents had been murdered while gathering information, so he pretended to be Steve Carr, our guide for the wagontrain. But things went wrong in Vicksburg.” She explained all that had transpired until their arrival in Fort Smith.

  “Lordy, girl, you could have been killed many times! You shouldn’t have taken such risks, Ginny.”

  “Thanks to everything Stone taught me, Father, I did fine.”

  “I can see that you did. I’m proud of you, Ginny. Stone, too. But what happened to his sister? Why did you continue to pretend to be Anna?”

  Ginny looked at her love as if to ask how much to reveal.

  Stone smiled and replied, “Tell him the truth about me and her.”

  Ginny talked about the close friendship with the girl who had been like a sister to her and the relationship and repercussions of Ben’s love for the Apache woman. “They had a son together: Stone.” She saw Mathew Marston glance at the other man for a moment. She continued the story of the fragmented Chapman family, Stella’s death, then her misadventures as Anna Avery and why she had used that identity on the wagontrain.

  She decided not to confess her Johanna deception with the Chapmans and would ask Ben not to mention it to her father when they met. Nor would she tell him about the many misunderstandings and love affair with Stone since their meeting. “I hid out from the authorities while visiting Johanna’s father. I had left Steve Carr a message telling him where to find me. I knew, if he felt the same way I did, he would come after me when his mission was completed.”

  Ginny knew that Stone would catch the deletions and deceits in her story, would understand, and agree with her motive. She continued to relate the events leading up to the present one that had halted their departure to Denver. She told him the rest of the plan they’d had in mind and finished with a point important for her father to know. “Nandile is still Mr. Chapman’s housekeeper. They love each other and plan to marry soon. She’s a kind, beautiful, and wonderful lady, Father. You’ll like her. You’ll like Mr. Chapman, too. He’s a good man. In many ways, he reminds me of you.”

  “I’m a Chapman by birth and adoption,” Stone affirmed, telling Matt his father had only recently acknowledged him. “I didn’t know I was Bennett’s son until I was ten and overheard him and Stella quarreling before she took off with my half sister. We had problems over the years because I resented how I was born and because he refused to marry my mother, but we love each other and we’ve made peace,” he explained. “Does it bother you that I was born a half-breed bastard? Do you think that makes me unworthy of Ginny?”

  “No, Son, and it helps me understand what drove you. I’m sure you endured a hard life and plenty of troubles. During our Army years, I saw both sides of the Indian dispute, so I grasp your father’s dilemma. I’m glad he’s found the courage and strength to marry the woman he loves. Besides, I can’t speak badly of him for marrying Stella. After I lost Ginny’s mother, I married a woman I didn’t love for all the wrong reasons. I wouldn’t be surprised to learn she and Stella are a lot alike— greedy and selfish women who snare men while they’re vulnerable. My second wife took up with a Yankee carpetbagger after I was reported dead. I have another daughter, six years old, who I’ve only seen once, near the time she was born before I was called away to war. Amanda doesn’t know me; she probably thinks that Yankee who stole Green Oaks is her father. I went back after the war to let them know I was alive. Clay went with me. You were up in Dakota on a long mission. Remember? Everything was lost. She was married and expecting his child. I didn’t show myself. We returned west and started prospecting.”

  Matt stared unseeingly into the forest. “I still haven’t written to my wife and baby. I decided it was best for all of us if I remained dead to them. It didn’t seem fair to Amanda to disrupt her life, and going back couldn’t change anything for me with the plantation and my lost family. Soon, though, I’ll have to contact Cleniece. I’ll need a good lawyer to handle our divorce, or whatever one does under such mixed-up circumstances.”

  “You should do it quickly, Father, before you announce the strike. Once that greedy woman hears how rich you are, she’ll swear she’s still married to you and leave her Yankee mate. Even if she loves her new husband—though I doubt she can love anyone—her son will persuade her. You remember how he is. I told you how they abandoned me after you were reported dead. I was ordered never to come home again. Get the divorce first to prevent problems with her. If she doesn’t want to tell Amanda about you, you can still send money for her support.”

  “From what Ginny’s told me about them, Matt, she could be right,” Stone added. “A strike this size will be news all over the country. She’s bound to hear about it.”

  “I agree and I’ll handle the matter immediately.”

  Ginny wanted to ask how Stone, Matt, and Clay had met and what things they’d done together. She decided those questions should wait until another time when all their torments and losses were less painful. She concluded they had been placed in the same Army unit after they had arrived in the West. His motives for becoming a Galvanized Yankee were probably the ones her love had mentioned that night on the wagontrain trail.

  “We’ll head for town in the morning and put our plans into motion,” Matt said. “I’m sure you two want to leave for Texas next week. If you can hold off for a month until August third, I can finish here and make it to the ranch in time to give away my daughter to a fine man I’ll be proud and pleased to call son.”

  “That sounds like a fine date for a wedding to me, Matt, and I’m sure my parents will agree to that date for theirs. What do you think, Ginny?”

  “Waiting only one more day is too long, but I agree.”

  They talked, laughed, and planned until it was time to cook and eat.

  “Before we begin chores, I’m taking a bath in that freezing water,” Ginny said with a playful grin. “I’m not heading off on a four day ride in this sweaty condition. Why don’t you two chat about old times until I return?”

  Matt chuckled and said, “I see you located my chilly shower.”

  “I saw the soap and d
rying cloth and stuck my fingers under the flow. If you can suffer through something like that, I can, too. I guarantee I won’t take long. Ignore any screams you might hear.”

  The men chuckled, then watched her scale the rickety ladder.

  “She’s very special and precious,” Stone murmured as if to himself.

  “She certainly is, Son. She favors her mother. Lordy, I miss that woman. You never get over losing a love like that; nobody can replace it.”

  “As Ginny hinted, I was too stubborn for a while to recognize and accept what she could give to me. I had a hard time believing she could love and want a man like me or that I could give her what she deserves. I do love her with all my heart, Matt, and I’ll take good care of her. I can’t imagine losing her as you lost your wife.”

  “You two will be fine, Son,” the older man said with confidence. “I’m glad you were here today so we could make peace. It’s time for new beginnings. I look forward to having a happy and close family again.”

  “So do I, Matt, for the first time.”

  The two men looked at each other, smiled, and changed the subject.

  Supper and chores were completed. Matt and Ginny lay on the two bunks. Stone rested on the floor in his sleeping roll. The cabin was quiet except for the sounds of breathing and dark except for the slanting light from a full moon. Through the windows came a cool breeze, the rushing sound of the stream below, and combined noises of nocturnal creatures and insects.

  Ginny enjoyed the tranquility of the moment. It was July Fourth, Independence Day. They were free and safe and content. A bright future awaited all of them. Problems and perils were things of the past. Surely no more dark clouds would appear to hover over and threaten them.