by Stephen Bly
There was a mumbling of approval among the Indians.
“But I have to give him something,” Retta groaned. “I—I don’t have anything.”
William unbuttoned his leather suspenders and handed them to Retta.
“I can’t give him your braces,” she said.
“Do it. I don’t want to give them a gun,” William replied.
“But he doesn’t have buttons on his buckskins,” Lerryn pointed out.
“He’ll figure out something,” Andrew told her.
Retta folded the braces and presented them to the Indian. Then she pointed to her chest. “Belong to you ... from Red Bear.”
He reached over and held her left arm just below the shoulder. She put her right hand on his muscled bare left arm just below his shoulder.
He nodded.
She nodded.
The Indian stood and in the candlelight laid the braces over his bare shoulders with the crossed piece over his chest.
“No,” Retta said. She motioned for him to bend down. She turned the braces so they crossed his bare back and hung straight down in front. Then she pointed to where they should be fastened on his trousers. “You must fix buttons.”
He stood tall, threw his shoulders back, and strutted in front of the other Indian men. They laughed and began speaking all at once. Then as if on cue, they mounted their horses. The main Indian pointed to the cows and then in the direction of the covered wagon. “Belong to Red Bear.”
“Yes,” she called out. “Good-bye!”
“Good,” the man called out in the dark and repeated, “Good.”
For a minute she could hear their hoof beats and then silence again. The four stood in the flickering light of Lerryn’s candle.
“I reckon they’re Cheyenne,” Retta murmured. “But they looked different from Dance-with-the-Sun.”
William cleared his throat. “Was this a bad dream, or did it really happen?”
Andrew stepped up alongside of him. “I’ve never been so scared in my life.”
“I was so scared I...” Lerryn bit her lip and grimaced. “I need to go back and change clothes.”
William put his arm on Retta’s shoulder. “You keep bailin’ us out, sis.”
“Dance-with-the-Sun told me to show other Indians this coup stick. I didn’t really know what I was doing.”
“Are you kidding me?” William said. “You knew exactly what to do and say.”
“Ah, the legends of Coretta Emily Barre.” Andrew stepped up to her other side. “Someday there will be a book written about her.”
Retta felt her face flush. “That’s a laugh.”
“No, it’s true,” Lerryn said. “I think I’ll write it.”
“I keep thinking I’m testing the Lord,” Retta replied. “I hope He doesn’t get tired of rescuing me.”
“Looks like He’s not tired yet.” William tugged up his trousers.
Chapter Six
The eastern sky turned light gray when Retta woke up.
Her back hurt. Her right hand was numb from the pinch of the rawhide strap of the coup stick. The eagle feather stuck under the collar of her dress. Her toes throbbed from the cold. The acrid smell of a chip fire filled the air.
She sat up and bumped her head on the wagon box. Rubbing her head, Retta crawled out from under the wagon and struggled to her feet.
“Mornin’, darlin’,” her father greeted her.
“Hi, Papa. I could have started the fire.”
“I figured you could sleep in.” He licked his fingers and brushed down her wild hair. “How’re you feelin’?”
“Wonderful ... now.” Retta grinned.
Mr. Barre glanced around the prairie. “Looks like you all had a peaceful night. The boys just took the livestock to the river to water them. You four must be gettin’ used to sleepin’ on the ground.”
Retta stretched her arms and rubbed her back. “Sometimes I wake up in the middle of the night, but I can usually get back to sleep.”
“Did you wake up last night?”
“Eh, just once, Papa.”
“I slept better than I have in weeks.”
She rubbed her hands in the pan of water and splashed some on her face. “Is Mama awake yet?”
Mr. Barre glanced back at the wagon. “I don’t think so, but you can go check.”
Retta climbed up on the covered wagon seat and then into the back.
“Mama?” she whispered.
Her mother opened her eyes and held out her arms. “Mornin’, Coretta. How’s my Indian princess? Oh, look at you. What a beautiful necklace. Have I seen that before?”
Retta crawled over some crates to hug her mother, who felt warm and a little sweaty. There was a hint of menthol in the air. “This is the first day I’ve worn it.”
“I suppose one of your Indian friends gave it to you.”
Retta stroked her mother’s thin cheek. “Yes.”
Mrs. Barre took her daughter’s hand. “I must have slept through that part.”
“I reckon you did.”
Mrs. Barre pulled Retta’s fingers to her lips and kissed them. “I can’t believe I slept through two whole days.”
Retta returned the kiss to her mother’s fingers. “You needed the rest, Mama.”
“Will you hand me my brown dress? It’s the only one I own that still fits. I’m getting very tired of living in a cotton gown.”
Retta retrieved the dress for her mother. “Are we going to try to catch up with the wagon train today?”
“We’ll get back on the trail, but we won’t catch them in one day. That is, we’ll start moving if you can convince your father to go,” Mrs. Barre replied.
“Me?”
“He insists that I should rest one more day, but I know that we fall farther behind each hour that we wait. I feel confident that I can get along fine, but he won’t listen to me. So you and big sis will have to talk him into it. You two can talk him into anything.” She motioned Retta closer.
“Mama, everyone knows you have him wrapped around your little finger.”
Mrs. Barre pulled her close, licked her fingers, and tried to smooth down Retta’s errant bangs. “Coretta Emily, let me tell you something. No man was ever wrapped around a woman’s finger unless he wanted to be.”
Retta mashed her bangs down with her hand and held them against her forehead. “I’ll go get breakfast started.”
Mrs. Barre pulled herself to a sitting position. “Wake up your sister to help.”
“I’m awake,” Lerryn called out from under the wagon.
Mrs. Barre spoke loudly enough for both girls to hear. “I understand you two girls were responsible for making Papa sleep in the wagon last night.”
“I guess so,” Lerryn replied.
“Well, someday when you’re both happily married and have your own children,” a coy smile rolled across Mrs. Barre’s thin lips as she finished, “you’ll know what a precious gift that was.”
“That makes me happy, Mama,” Retta replied.
“And it makes me happy the Lord took such good care of my children last night. He is indeed good.”
* * * * *
William rode scout almost a mile in front of the wagon.
Andrew drove the extra cattle between the wagon and the river.
Mr. Barre walked beside the oxen with the bullwhip. They propped Mrs. Barre up on quilts in the wagon seat. Lerryn and Retta hiked upwind from the dust of the slow-moving procession. There were very few buffalo chips to gather, but the girls toted burlap chip bags just in case.
With the sun straight above them, the worn soil of the trail reflected the summer heat.
Lerryn wore pale green calico and a matching bonnet. Retta wore her buckskins, eagle-feather headband, bone necklace, and moccasins.
“Lerryn, did you ever kiss a boy and not mean it?” Retta blurted out.
Lerryn’s dancing blue eyes sparkled. “Not mean what?”
Retta puffed out her cheeks. The bone choker neckl
ace felt tight on her throat. “Joslyn said she kissed this boy in Missouri a few times, but she had never kissed a boy and meant it. Did you ever kiss a boy and not mean it?”
Lerryn cupped her hand at Retta’s ear and whispered, “You want to know the truth? Brian is the only boy I ever kissed.”
“What about Chet Martin?”
“No.”
“Ellis LeBayne?”
“No.”
“Abner Crossier?”
“No.”
“Surely you kissed Jimmy Trooper?”
“That was the sixth grade.”
“But you said he was your boyfriend.”
“That was the summer Papa took us all to Texas.”
“Was he too old?”
“No. He was too bashful.”
“He could play the fiddle and sing.”
“Yes, he could.”
The two sisters paused and stared at a flat brown object on the dirt.
“It’s your turn,” Lerryn announced.
“I picked up the last one,” Retta objected. “And the one before that and the one before that.”
“You’re more experienced than me.”
Retta scooped up the dried buffalo dropping.
“Here,” Lerryn offered, “you can put it in my sack. That way you don’t have to carry them all.”
“That way Papa will think you actually touched one.”
Lerryn giggled. “You’re a pal.”
“I’m a sucker.” Retta sighed as she shoved the buffalo chip into her sister’s burlap sack.
They hiked in silence for several minutes. The only sounds were the crack of Mr. Barre’s whip and the squeak of the wagon wheels.
“Retta, have you ever kissed a boy and not meant it?”
Retta felt her face flush. She puffed out her cheeks and held her breath. Finally she announced, “You know I’ve never kissed a boy.”
Lerryn poked her with her elbow. “Not even Ben Weaver?”
Retta sucked in her breath. “Especially Ben Weaver. I would never kiss him.”
“Why not?”
“He might think I like him.”
“You do like him, don’t you?” Lerryn challenged.
“Yes, but I wouldn’t want him to think ... you know.”
“No, what?” Lerryn grinned.
“You know.”
“Impure thoughts?”
Retta lowered her chin to her chest. “Yeah.”
“That’s very considerate of you.”
“Okay, so no boys ever wanted to kiss me. But if they ever do, I’ll just say, ‘not unless you really mean it.’”
Lerryn broke out laughing. She put her arm around Retta’s shoulder. “You’re a fun sister. Where have you been all my life?”
“Across the table kicking your shins and spilling milk on your new dress.”
Lerryn’s hand slipped into Retta’s. “You know what I think?”
“What?”
“I think gettin’ left back on our own for a few days is the nicest thing the Lord could have done for us.”
“Mama looks better, doesn’t she?”
“Yes, she does.”
“Lerryn, why do you think Mama has her spells?”
“I don’t know.”
Retta stared at a white cloud cruising the pale blue sky. “Other women go through the same thing and never have spells like that.”
“I know. It makes me wonder what you and I will be like when it’s our turn.”
Retta giggled. “I don’t really think about that very much. I’m not sure I’ll ever have a turn.”
“Well, that’s good.” Lerryn smiled. “Because I was afraid for a while you were going to run off and marry an Indian chief.”
Retta took Lerryn’s arm and skipped along. “That warrior last night was really strong. Did you see his muscles?”
“Yes, and I saw your eyes when you held on to his arm.”
“I didn’t hold on to his arm. That was just a greeting. Sort of like shaking hands.”
“And when he tied on the necklace?”
Retta felt her face blush. “Now I’m starting to look like a real Red Bear.”
“Hmmmm.”
“What did that mean?”
“It means I’m laughing at you, sweet sister.”
Andrew rode over to them. “You two seem to be havin’ fun.”
“I’m telling li’l sis all about boys,” Lerryn said.
“Well, Retta, what’re you learnin’ from the queen of the wagon train?” her brother probed.
“How to kiss,” Retta declared.
“What?” he gasped.
Retta held her suntanned nose in the air. “I’m not going to wait around for you or William to tell me.”
“You’re only twelve,” he scoffed.
“And how old were you when you first kissed a girl and meant it?” Lerryn probed.
He scowled. “That’s not the point.”
“How old?”
“William was almost seventeen.”
“I didn’t ask about William.”
Andrew sat back in the saddle. “Look, I didn’t come over here to discuss kissing.”
Lerryn slipped her arm into Retta’s. “Why did you come here?”
“Papa said one of you could ride Prince and push the cattle along. He wants me to ride up and get a report from William.”
Retta studied the western horizon. “I don’t see big brother.”
“That’s why Papa wants me to check on him.”
“We’ll both ride Prince,” Lerryn declared.
Retta stopped and stared at her sister’s blue eyes. “We will?”
“Yes. Bareback.” Lerryn tugged her toward the wagon. “It’ll be fun.”
Retta trailed along after her sister. “We haven’t ridden together since I was five.”
“Yes, and why did we quit?” Lerryn asked.
“I think it had something to do with me throwing up all over you and Brownie, and he bucked us off, and you said you’d never ride with me again.”
“That was a long time ago,” Lerryn declared. “However, you’re riding in front.”
* * * * *
Prince paid little attention to the two girls on his back as he herded the two spare oxen, two milk cows, a spindly legged calf, and two steers.
“I like it up here,” Retta announced. “I can see a lot farther across the prairie grass.”
Lerryn wrapped her arms around Retta’s waist. “Can you see William and Andrew?”
“No,” Retta declared. “Papa said if we see anyone ride up, we have to turn and ride sidesaddle.”
“These past couple of days have been like a vacation.”
“Last night was a nightmare. Don’t you think we should tell Papa?”
Prince stumbled, and Lerryn clutched Retta tighter. “Only if he asks.”
“What’re we goin’ to do tonight? Will we ask Papa to go inside?”
“I don’t know. The boys said they would keep the livestock close to the wagon, and so it’ll be different.”
“There’s William,” Retta shouted.
“Where’s Andrew?”
“I guess he stayed out in front. William’s probably riding back because he has something to tell Papa.”
They watched as William pulled up to the oxen team and talked to his father. Then he turned and rode over toward them. “Hey, look at the drover girls,” he called out as he approached. “Retta, from a distance you surely do look Indian. Lookin’ at you two purdy gals made me realize that every boy on the prairie, Indian or white, is jealous of me and Andrew.”
“Now, Retta,” Lerryn giggled, “you just watch out for that kind of talk from a young man. That means he’s trying to get you to do something.”
“What do you want me to do?” Retta queried.
“Whoa, you’re gettin’ bum advice, li’l sis. I merely came over here to tell you and Papa that if we cross the river to the north, we can save ten miles off the trip and catch up with
the wagon train a day earlier.”
“I thought Mr. Bouchet said never to go on the north side of the river because that makes the Indians angry,” Lerryn maintained.
“That’s true,” William chuckled, “but we have Red Bear with us, and so it’ll be all right. Besides, the Mormons travel on the north side of the North Platte.”
“I’m serious, William,” Lerryn challenged.
“So am I. Papa said that if the river looks fordable, we would do that.”
“When could we catch up?” Retta asked.
“Sometime tomorrow evening.”
Lerryn clapped her hands. “That would be wonderful.”
“Now I need you girls to do something for me.”
Lerryn chortled. “Aha, what did I tell you?”
“What do you want us to do?” Retta asked.
“I’m goin’ to stay with the cattle. I want you to ride over that next rise and then drop down to your right. You’ll see two dead cottonwoods near the river. Ride up there.”
“Then what?” Retta asked.
“Andrew’s waiting for you.”
“Why?”
“To show you something.”
“What?” Lerryn probed.
“Go on, he’ll show you.”
“It better not be a snake or something like that,” Lerryn warned.
“Now, big sis, go on.”
“If it’s a snake, I’m goin’ to put it in your bedroll,” Lerryn declared.
William slapped Prince’s flanks. The big brown horse broke into a trot and kept that pace all the way to the top of the rise. When they crested, they could see the winding course of the river and the two dead cottonwoods. As they approached, they saw a couple of horses.
“There’s Andrew,” Retta called out. “But someone must be with him.”
Lerryn stared over Retta’s shoulder. “I can’t see anyone.”
“That’s a beautiful pinto,” Retta cried. “Do you think Andrew and William found a horse out here on the prairie? It’s chestnut and white.”
“No one finds a tame horse on the prairie.” Lerryn leaned her chin on Retta’s shoulder blade. “Not with prairie pirates and Indians all over.”
“Andrew,” Retta called as they rode up, “where did you find that beautiful horse?”
Andrew pulled off his hat and grinned. “William found him right here.”