Gage looked at the boy, “How about you keep it for me Paaka. A brave needs a knife, yes?”
Paaka’s lips formed a grin as he replied, “It is an honor to keep it for you, brother of she who was my mother.”
Gage looked at Jenny, “Was your mother. I see. So she was shamed or did you father decide the baby wasn’t his?”
Itsee blushed, “Shamed by him. He had no choice but to speak for her.”
Gage walked over to Jenny and slowly took her hand, “Now there sister. You didn’t put me aside did you? I still remember. Do you?”
Jenny looked at the hand that held hers. It was tan from being in the sun like she was. Jenny felt it’s warmth. He was living, not rotting flesh in some placed called Judsonia. She looked at Bryan and back to Gage wondering who she belonged to now.
Bryan stooped down to her level, “Mine. Always and forever Jenny. I said so and I meant it.”
Gage looked at Travers, “You meant what Travers?”
Bryan stood up, “Your sister and I, well we’re hand fasted. I gave her my name.”
Gage stood up, “The HELL you are. Where’s the proof?”
Dallas said, “Well, I married them Gage, but things happened so quickly today, I haven’t filed it yet.”
Gage nodded, “I remember Dallas. I remember you married Lacy how many times and still some how you weren’t married were you. Now you expect me to believe you married them legally? Just how. She can’t talk much less consent to something she doesn’t understand is happening.”
Bryan said, “We consummated it. We both understood what was happening and she’s my wife Colonel.”
Gage swallowed, “Consummated it. Nahuu, did you let him take you or Sparrow Hawk give you to him?”
The boys eyes grew large. He must stop calling her Nahuu. It would bring a terrible retribution by the spirits. John said, “She is not that name. This man tells the truth. This man tells the truth. She is now white and he has claimed her with a new name for his own and he took her to his lodge and slept.”
Bryan looked at the boys and nodded, “Witnesses to the fact. She is mine and those boys are my step-sons like it or not.”
Gage said, “Really, even if they’re no longer in line to inherit the ranch? You still want my sister Captain?”
Dallas tried to get between them, “Your old man is a stubborn ass hole. I thought if he saw her face, he would know it was her and he’d take her in. I wasn’t trying to shame anyone. But I did, then I didn’t realize she thought she was stolen goods and now my second wife. I made a mess of it, alright? Bryan is as good a man as any. I trust him with my own son and daughter and she’s lucky to have him.”
Gage looked at Dallas, “I was working on a plan to try to let her stay with Sparrow Hawk before you stirred up things. She’s been Indian too long Dallas. I found her over three years ago. I decided it was best to leave her, let her live her life with him and the boys. I hear there’s talk that Sparrow Hawk is about to go on the war path and not just with the Union. You should have left her. I would have taken care of it.” Gage’s voice dropped off. He wasn’t meeting Jenny’s eyes or Bryan’s. There was more in that statement than Gage wanted to say. Especially in front of enough men that it wouldn’t take long for it to make it’s way into every Cantina in Southern Texas. That was personal and he wanted it to stay that way.
Dallas said, “Maybe if I’d known you were alive I would have waited. But I didn’t. As far as anybody here knew, you were that faceless piece of meat Lacy and Doc Rayburn retrieved not ten feet from where their cannon blew the bloody hell out of us.” Dallas stopped shouting and took a breath. He lowered his voice, “You are my best friend. I would have gone to hell and back to get you if I knew they had you Gage. You know that don’t you?”
Gage took Dallas and clasped his arm with his and pulled him into his body, “I know Dallas. But you weren’t exactly in any condition to be following anyone by then. Gage looked at his leg, “I thought for sure you’d be on one leg the way that leg was broke. I guess we both got lucky that day. Maybe you got a little luckier, but I won. You know I won that bet.”
Dallas relaxed a little, “Yea, I know you won, We all knew you won. Damned Gage, how long did you say you’ve been home? Why didn’t you say something. Come present yourself if you’ve got orders? Why didn’t I get a dispatch saying …” Dallas didn’t finish. He knew the answer to that one. He wasn’t here with the blessing of General Lee or Beauregard. He was PIU and needed an alibi that would explain how a man dead and buried could be back in the flesh. He’d disappeared alright, but maybe not to some hell hole up North.
Gage’s eyes met Dallas’s for the briefest of moments but enough that he knew. Bryan saw it too, “Hell no, not again.”
Dallas shook his head and chuckled. If he wanted to play like he came from a prison, then he would accommodate him, but damned if he was giving up his command. Two could play this game. Gage might have killed more Yankees that day and save his life at least one more time that he had saved Gage’s, but he’d earned every stripe on his shoulders and this bet was his until Gage proved him wrong. Dallas said under his breath just in case he was wrong, “Damned Gage. Who’s uniform is that anyway?”
Gage’s mouth turned up on one side ironically and he clicked his tongue and bit down on his lower lip, “I thought for sure I had you there Dallas. Truth is it’s some poor bastard that died in that hell hole. Mine was a little torn and worn through and it didn’t pay to be picky about the rank at the time. Not bloody likely Jefferson Davis was sending us replacement uniforms so we took anything that wasn’t needed. Just like I took a couple pie pans right before we left from camp.”
Dallas chuckled, “You were wearing armor under your jacket?”
Gage grinned, “Well, it wouldn’t have stopped a cannon ball, but it stopped enough. I had one that took me in the shoulder right here, and some grape shot right there, but the one over my heart, just knock me clean off my horse. That’s the last I remember until some Union doctor was looking at me behind the lines.” Gage frowned, “You say you found my bowie knife?”
Dallas confirmed, “Yes, Lacy brought all of them back. She and Doc Rayburn’s boys traded burying the Union dead for getting our men and the bowie knifes. Scared them with stories about them being cursed and sending them to a museum for the Alamo.”
Gage thought about that, “Can’t trust no one can you. Not even dead yet, and he robbed me. Shoot, I ought to go dig myself up and see who robbed me of my pig sticker.”
Bryan looked at Gage like he’d lost his senses and maybe he had, “I should drag you out by your ears Captain Travis for scarring her like that. What if she’d lost the baby. But somehow I was hoping you might really know Sparrow Hawk.”
Gage said, “Oh I do. Can’t say some of the braves are overly fond of me but Sparrow Hawk thinks highly of me.”
Paul grinned, “He father many that night that don’t die of measles. Many daughters but sons too.”
Bryan swallowed, “You did what?”
Jenny swallowed and looked at Bryan. It was only a matter of time before the rest of that question came out.
Bryan looked at the color rising in Jenny’s checks and turned back to Gage, “You have Indian children. Of course you do, the boy’s question about the ranch. He knew?”
Gage turned to Itsee and grinned, “Sons?”
Itsee said “At least two must be yours.”
Gage asked, “Daughters?”
Paaka said, “Temuqit, Tosabite, Jahtzu, and Ueyahcora have your eyes and smile, some your light skin too.”
Gage looked at Jenny and confessed, ” You think our Paw was upset with you? You should have heard him when I told him who I woke up with that morning and me not knowing if Jenny was one of those squaw I laid with.” Gage cocked his head to the side looking at Jenny, “At least until I saw where she was in that stack of women, then we both knew didn’t we Jenny?”
Bryan frowned, “I don’t believe it. She could have
been sent in to feed you or something. Surely Sparrow Hawk recognized your face.”
Itsee said, “Wasapi could be his or not his, She was gifted to him to keep him warm so not a problem either way. She expected to offer herself. Very upset if she didn’t please him many times.” Itsee cocked his head like Gage had and told Bryan, “Why you upset? Not her shame. He act like snake wrapped around her. She could not leave like many who he took. Some stayed anyway for more and their braves have to drag them out.”
Gage’s mouth formed a lopped sided smile, “God my balls hurt, but one has to do what one has to do. Orders you know.”
Paaka was grinning as he looked back between Gage and Bryan, “No worry father Bryan, she like you better. Never hear her yell like that with him. Good bath yes?”
Gage’s eyes were blinking quickly and his Adam’s apple went up and down as he tried to swallow down the thought of Bryan Travers bathing and making love to his sister. Gage looked in Bryan’s eyes, “This must have been how Luke felt. The difference is Jenny’s already with child so I don’t have to imagine that one with your face like Dallas might have been when you took Lacy hostage?”
Bryan countered and spit out what he was thinking before he had a chance to consider how it sounded, “No it won’t be my face this time. And by the way, I wouldn’t have done that to a girl I lived with as brother. But it won’t be your face on the that child either will it?”
Gage said, “Brother? Don’t think Lacy thought so did she Dallas?” What peyote was left in Bryan and Dallas was working overtime. If they only knew how it gave the men a false sense of bravado. If they had only known that Gage had spent the last few days in Sparrow Hawk’s camp eating wokwave with his braves working on the current Indian crisis with the Comanche. But they didn’t, and all three were seeing red.
Dallas glared, “It’s not a secret she waited for you Bryan. You knew she’d wait and used her just the same. Brother? Maybe you should have told her before you left you thought of her like a brother and she wouldn’t have been carving hearts with your name on it all over Crocketts Bluff.”
Sergeant Major Vincent looked at the three of them and frowned, “Now Sirs, no need to disparage Mrs. Sander’s name like that or even the Squaw. You might scare that child right out of her if you’re not careful.”
Gage looked at Jenny and took a breath. Once he thought he could talk and not put his hands on Bryan’s neck he said, “No. I didn’t father that one. Sparrow Hawk made it very clear it’s his and he wants it back now.”
Gage asked Paul, “So, was it my imagination or does Wasapi and Oaui look like me?”
Paul grinned, “Like you, yes your hair color, your mouth and eyes, but like hers too. So does Peekwi.”
Gage sighed, “Thank God for small favors. Maybe they’re not mine after all. That’s it. Travers is right. Not likely that one night would get her with child.” Gage wasn’t admitting he wasn’t talking about himself. He had bragged about this squaw called Nahuu to Bo Callahan a sixteen year old Private at the time. He had never seen her face or her his, but Nahuu’s hands were magic and a legend in Sparrow Hawk’s village. Her hands were light as a feather and could create sensations he had never experienced before and never experienced since. Gage had sent the boy into her teepee to become a man, and then there was that trip West where Bo had plenty of time and opportunity to be with M before any of them realized who she was.
Dallas just muttered, “Don’t you dare say another nasty thing about me and Lacy you hear me Gage?”
Itsee’s brow rose and looked at Dallas as if to question why he was so upset, “Did you refused your wife when she who was my mother’s brother was a visitor in your camp? If so he have right to say you not treat him right.”
Gage looked at Itsee and grimaced, “White man think different than Indian. Green eyed monster strong in our blood. Best not to talk of such things.”
Itsee looked at Dallas, “He learned. He shared his wife with she who is not my mother. Must do so with Sparrow Hawk, then maybe he smoke peace pipe if she give him son like you give Sparrow Hawk sons.”
Dallas took a breath, “Not happening. I’ve shared her enough. Too soon for another child Itsee. There wouldn’t be enough milk for both.”
Jenny’s lip quivered. She thought to herself, “So you think that it doesn’t matter you give this boy back to Sparrow Hawk’s new wife. He will starve fighting for his share of food too.”
Gage saw Jenny reach for her own stomach when Dallas mentioned how bad it would be for Lacy to have another child so soon. Jenny knew that was exactly what was going to happen to her unborn son or daughter. They would be given to another squaw that still nursed their own child. It had one advantage that Sparrow Hawk wanted the child, but it would suffer having to share what was left of a decreasing milk supply and hope the squaw chosen didn’t dry up too soon. Well that sobered him up some. Speaking of surviving the night, this ravine was a death trap.
Gage looked at Dallas, “I hate to break up this little reunion, but if I could sneak up on you and see your fires, what do you think the odds are that Sparrow Hawk has their ponies by now?”
Dallas looked at Jenny, “You feel up to a ride Jenny. Gage is right, we should find a safer place for the night. If nothing else, those bats will be back before dawn. Jenny shuddered and tried to rise. Bryan gave her his hand and helped her get to her feet.
Luckily the moon was bright and there were no clouds. Once they walked the camels out of the ravine, Bryan and Gage were able to rig a stretcher for Jenny at the back of Gage’s horse. Bryan rode Daisy and boys were turned loose to continue toward the mountains mounted on two of the pack camels as gifts for Sparrow Hawk with instructions to deliver the message they had discussed before their Uncle came back from the dead. Gage had whispered something in their ears as he checked to make sure they were carrying a canteen of water and a haversack. Itsee nodded that he understood.
While much of the men’s conversations had been said in jest like an inside joke, neither John or Paul considered their Uncle’s appearance anything other than the great spirits raising him from a grave far away as a Ghost to help solve the dilemma they faced on how to name the baby if the tribe had to move before Jenny’s baby was born. Then there the other thing that came up in Itsee’s mind as he and Paaka traveled toward their father’s camp. If Wasapi was actually Gage’s son, then he was white, not Indian and should be sent away according to the treaty? There was no provision of keeping any white person. Was he actually a hostage being kept to spit in the face of the White Chief that he did not control the Comanche? Should he be treated as one? And what of his Uncle’s offer to provide more ‘Aah Ha’ for the village if they would forgive the Major for stealing their father’s wife without honor. It wasn’t fair to expect them to risk measles and infecting the entire village. He should have stolen her from his father’s teepee honorably or fought him to the death for her release or just waited like the coward he was for her to give birth and she would have walked out. There was very little that a Comanche brave loved as much as making war or stealing his enemy’s weapons or treasures. The thought of growing as old as Red Cedar with your skin wrinkled and manhood limp was a thought worse than death. If he hadn’t been a Shaman, surely he would have taken his own life by now.
Father Bryan said they would have many riches if they walked with their mother again someday. After living on the fort, there were things to be said about having more cattle than you could slaughter to feed your family or having adobe homes with fireplaces with soft beds to sleep on. No more trips to the creek for water, but a well to pull it from. Others who did your chores. Yes it might be worth wearing the cotton britches and shirt. The shoes were another question, but he had seen whites wearing moccasins so why not them? Matter of fact why not all his village. If the land was his, he would invite them all to stay as his guest and make war on the ranch north or south of them. They would steal their cattle and weapons for their own. Wasn’t that what the Major’s friend did
when he rounded up the cattle all over the open plains of Texas and drove them North? Even his Uncle Gage seemed to have stolen someone’s clothes and probably their weapons and horse once the Great Spirit gave him his body back. This must be a great war for so many warriors to have a chance to prove their worth to the Great Spirit. He must have been very pleased with Gage to give him another chance to die. The sooner his new brother was named, the sooner he could go fight.
Itsee was feeling good about their trip as they came into the Mountains of their father’s territory. They found their ponies grazing at a water hole and approached from down wind. Paaka had his camel cush or sit and he gathered the pony’s ropes before they could run. They weren’t happy, but gradually after they got accustomed to his own smell with camel on his clothes, they tolerated the beast until he gave them a chance to run free, then they ran for home not looking back. This might be a problem. Comanche loved their horses more than any other possession including most wives. Maybe they should have asked for horses. Itsee led the other camel and Paaka rode one of the ponies and led the others until they were at the edge of their father’s camp. It was dark but their eyes were accustomed to the moonlight and quickly found where they could turn their ponies loose.
Itsee tied up the camels and quickly ran to Red Cedar’s teepee and called out from outside. The old man lifted his flap and smiled, “So you bring an offer and gifts for your father from the Chief of their army and her brother. They must feel we are powerful to make such an offer and send you so late. Your father will be pleased.”
Paaka looked at Itsee and back to Red Cedar, “Grandfather there is one thing you must know. This Gage is a ghost. Our white father Bryan said he died and there was a hole with blood in his coat. He is flesh, but a ghost. The one that was our mother but is no more was very frightened when she saw him. He only convinced her not to run when he touched her arm. He bewitched her and their Major by touching them. It was only father Bryan that seemed to question what he saw and heard. If any white man should father Comanche, he would be who I’d choose, not the man who had many girls and now is a ghost. What would Gage’s unborn children be? What if they were born ghosts?”
Camp Camel: The Heart of Texas Page 10