Camp Camel: The Heart of Texas

by Eaton, Rosemary

  Lacy said, “Well that explains a few things about why she acted like that doesn’t it.”

  Bryan replied, “Explains Mouse Dog Lacy. He was on it that day too. So do you have any questions about what Dallas would like me to help you with?”

  Lacy said, “I think I might not need help.”

  Bryan said, “You’re in your monthly?

  Lacy blushed, “No, I think I have morning sickness. I was sick before the trip Bryan. Is there any way to tell for sure?”

  Bryan looked at her, “Already with child. Not just. Oh my. I guess we start with have you and Dallas been having relations without condoms?”

  Lacy said matter of fact, “He never uses them and yes the man can have relations in his sleep. I thought nursing stopped that.”

  Bryan said, “Oh, well sometimes, but this is your first and the answer is you can’t count on it to always work. But given how long it took before, maybe you’re just suffering some type of virus, or nerves, not morning sickness. You were a little stressed before he left.”

  Bryan took another sip, “This is really good, you put something else in it didn’t you?”

  Lacy took her cup and sipped, “Whiskey, your bark is a little more woodsy than chicory, but not a bad hot toddy.”

  Bryan looked at Lacy with amusement, “My bark? You made Irish coffee?”

  Lacy drained her cup, “I think it’s working. I feel better already Bryan. My muscles feel better. Do yours?”

  Bryan tried to breath in, “Ribs are still cracked, but my back and legs do feel better. But Lacy you know there are side effects from Irish coffee. That whiskey can pass through your milk the same as peyote could. Maybe you shouldn’t drink another cup tonight.”

  Lacy asked, “Did Jenny say if she regretted having any of those children?

  Bryan said, “I don’t think she did. Pretty sure the at least two of those might have been fully white, but she loved them all. But I don’t think they were the same as in your case Lacy. Being gifted by her husband isn’t considered shameful. She only did what they expected of her. I don’t think she would want to see any of Red Eagle’s men’s face on a child. I’d want the same thing for her, that Dallas wants for you. A clean start without any possibility that the child was his.”

  Lacy said, “It would mean Brianna having to use a bottle?”

  Bryan answered, “Yes, most likely your milk will dry up, but how much longer do you think you will nurse. She’s starting to eat mashed simple foods. You might still have to give her a bottle. Two children this close, one is going without and it’s usually the older one that gets kicked off when the baby comes along isn’t it.” Bryan grinned, “Plus, you could tell Dallas to get up and fix the bottle. No more excuses that he’s not equipped to help. “

  Lacy grinned, “That would almost make it worth it Bryan.” Then Lacy said more seriously, “I don’t want to slip a baby and I don’t think Jenny would either. What if that’s the last chance we have and I throw it away?”

  Bryan said, “I wasn’t talking about slipping a baby. I was only suggesting if you weren’t, there were ways to encourage you to have your time early so you never got that way. I don’t think Dallas held with killing a child or JC wouldn’t be here now would he?”

  Lacy replied, “All that sounds good, but fact is I might be over a month now.”

  Bryan thought about it, “How about bacon for breakfast. I really missed it while I was gone Lacy.”

  Lacy asked, “You feel like bacon now. I could cook some.”

  Bryan hesitated, “It’s late, maybe in the morning. I think my appetite will be better then. I might even eat a sausage link with fried eggs, bacon, and butter slathered on bread.”

  Lacy took the tray and cups, “All right. Should I fix chicory or your coffee?”

  Bryan said, “How about chicory. It’s stronger.” Lacy left and cleaned up the dishes just in time to hear Brianna wake. Well there was no rest for the weary tonight, but Bryan was back safe and she felt better after their talk. She took Brianna out and decided she’d drop in on Mary Jane and see how Cole and Hope were doing tonight. After all, they weren’t used to bottles either, and Lacy remembered what a pain a child with colic could be. Her little sister Candace had colic for months keeping everyone in the household up, then eventually out grew it. Certainly made her Dad swear off relations for a while until he forgot about the nights with out sleep and decided there were other things he missed more.

  Lacy found Mary Jane and Mrs. Tyler both trying to get Cole and Hope to take a bottle of milk with little success.

  Mrs. Tyler smiled, “Just the woman we need muchacha. You come to help?”

  Lacy nodded, “Brianna was up, I thought I’d come see how those two are doing before she nurses. I remembered something that we used to do back home. A nursing mother would put some of her milk in the bottle so it didn’t taste so different. Would you like me to try that?”

  Mary Jane held out the bottle, “Well, he didn’t care for the cow’s milk. I haven’t tried goat’s milk yet, but sure why not.” Cole was making faces an pushing away the bottle.

  Mrs. Tyler rose up and took her bottle too, “Princess, no I think stubborn might be a better word. She is too good for us. Perhaps you mix the goat milk with yours. You can not feed three of them Mamacita! Brianna was not so picky as these. She took to my goat milk when nothing was there but it.” Mrs. Tyler looked down, “I am sorry. I know I should wait on you, but I think you dead and the child was so hungry. I only fed her a little and gave her oatmeal with applesauce to keep her strength up until we know. But these they have not tasted any other food yet. We get them used to the rubber nipple, then we try my apple butter. It sweet and babies will take it off our fingers.”

  Lacy asked, “Brianna took a bottle? Huh, my little girl is growing up.”

  Mrs. Tyler smiled, “Si, do not fret, you see another soon enough. Better she is not so jealous of the one who replaces her place.”

  Lacy asked, “You seem very sure.”

  Mrs. Tyler said, “Yes, you see. I think you have baby in seven months. Maybe a Christmas baby. It is time you stop worrying so much and let the Major help with this one. They are not helpless you know, you just have to let them hold them like Captain Travers has. Is he not good with the children?”

  Lacy grinned, “Yes, very good. But the Major, he is a Ranger. Not so good being home to help.”

  Mary Jane said, “Rangers, what can you do. Here today, gone tomorrow. But I’d still take one of them over a layabout.”

  Mrs. Tyler agreed, “Or like those men who take care of the camel who think a wife is just another name for a slave. We’re lucky we have better men.”

  Lacy handed Mary Jane a bottle and one to Mrs. Tyler, “Well, keep your fingers crossed.”

  Mrs. Tyler squeezed the nipple a little and let some of the milk drip on her finger then tried to get Hope to take it in her mouth and taste. Next she offered the nipple and led the little girl’s mouth to it with her finger still wet with mother’s milk. She took it. She fussed a little then once she figured out how hard to suckle, she settled down and drank.

  Next Mary Jane looked at Cole, “All right young man, you’re going to like this so don’t look at me like I’m trying to poison you. She tried what Mrs. Tyler did. The boy didn’t bite for the trick.

  Lacy said, “Show him what he’s missing right after I get Brianna drinking some from the bottle.”

  Brianna took to the bottle and promptly sucked. It came out faster than she expected, but she had no problems. Cole looked at the girl and reached his greedy little hands out trying to pull her away. Lacy plopped the nipple out of Brianna’s mouth. Mary Jane offered it again. This time the boy grabbed and held on and took the nipple.

  Mary Jane frowned, “You little squirt. Wasn’t good enough until someone else wanted it? Now drink up young man. How you ever going to fight off all these girls if you don’t stop complaining and get down to business.”

  Lacy looked at Bria
nna, “Maybe she’s ready even if I’m not. Looks like we’ve got three to wean.”

  Mrs. Tyler agreed, “Your body it need all it has to offer soon for the new one. You would not wish to loose all your teeth so young. Milk and bones both need your teeth.”

  Lacy grinned, “Never thought about that. I always wondered why those women who had one baby after another seem to have rotten teeth or no teeth. I just thought they didn’t know enough about what to eat or how to clean their teeth.”

  Mary Jane said, “I thought their husbands beat them to where they fell out.”

  Mrs. Tyler burped Hope, “Aye, they might have if their men deemed them foolish or not worth their salt. But better you understand now that nothing is promised whether it is mother’s milk, or the peace our men have earned this day that does not come with a price.”

  Full Circle

  Dallas had put out a net of soldiers behind Sparrow Hawk as they pushed toward Indian Territory. He had sent a dispatch to the commander of Camp Davis that he should be alerted to the movement of the band and they were currently under Albert Pike’s guarantee of protection. As soon as Lieutenant MacLeod arrived, Dallas could escort him back to meet up with Gage.

  It wasn’t long before he found himself being reinforced by fellow soldiers stationed at Camp Davis along with a special PIU unit to assist in the gold’s removal. Lieutenant MacLeod introduced himself along with Sergeant Long, Corporal Gibbons, Private Anderson, and Private Garner. Dallas turned over his command to Captain Bowman with instructions to proceed home. He would go south with Lieutenant MacLeod and get them started on sealing up the cavern openings.

  Dallas and his fellow PIU agents camped on the hill looking down into the valley where they had found Sparrow Hawk abandoned camp. There was no campfire where Gage and Jenny had entered the caverns. Gage’s horse and the one they left for Jenny were still hobbled grazing down below them by the stream. Lieutenant MacLeod asked, “So how many openings you think they had?”

  Dallas said, “There are at least three, maybe more. There’s the one under that falls, one in the ravine, and an old one on the Travis ranch in an abandoned dry well, that looks like it caved in years ago. That’s what Captain Travis is doing now. Trying to get familiar with the caverns and where all they lead.”

  Lieutenant MacLeod said, “Along with the gold. He’s going for the gold first?”

  Dallas said, “I’m sure he’s doing his best. His guide thinks they’re going to visit where they went as kids, and he’s going to help her buy Texas so she can make their father live in his barn. She’s a little touched so let him handle her.”

  Lieutenant MacLeod replied, “Touched. He’s in there with a crazy woman as his guide? I guess better him than us. You think she’s dangerous?”

  Dallas replied, “No, confused, but not dangerous. She’s never tried to hurt anyone, pleasure, but not hurt, not even when I took her from Sparrow Hawk.” Dallas thought about that a little more, “Well, I take that back, she helped stone a Comanche named Mouse Dog and cut off his prick and scalped a few dead Comanches, then she killed several of Red Eagle’s braves, but otherwise, I haven’t noticed more than the normal issues with the opposite sex.”

  Lieutenant MacLeod confirmed, “She was one of Sparrow Hawk’s wives?”

  Dallas replied, “Yep. Second wife.”

  Lieutenant MacLeod clarified, “You say Mr. Travis killed Sparrow Hawk’s mother too?”

  Dallas confirmed, “That’s what the old man said. Blood war from the day he kill his first wife in front of the boy when the old man found her.”

  Sergeant Long commented, “Pawn, she was a fucking pawn for how long?”

  Dallas said, “Long enough to give him four live boys and one that didn’t survive after I took her. I figure she’s not that far from thirty-five now. She remembers things from when she was white, but he didn’t let her speak so her English is pretty stilted still.”

  Sergeant Long swore, “How do they expect to re-home her? Excuse me Sir, would you like a middle age woman to clean your boots and if you’re lucky, she might not scalp you tonight?”

  That brought out a snicker by Private Anderson, “That’s a good one Sir, but I think I’d lead off with do you need a whore for your salon and a right feisty one at that. She laid with Comanche so she can’t be too picky. And if you want your brother to share, well, there you go, two for one.”

  Dallas frowned, “Private, this woman is married to a Captain in our army. The only reason he’s not here is because he’s the only doctor we have. We had wounded and sick that needed him back at Camp Verde.”

  Corporal Gibbons asked, “He married her knowing she was a war chief’s second wife? We’re talking about the Knife? That’s who we heard you got Major. You got his Knife. Surely you told him.”

  Dallas asked, “You from here Corporal? You act like you know her.”

  Corporal Gibbons swallowed, “I’ve served under Anderson and Lee. Done my time on one of those camels when they first got here, so I’m familiar enough to know what a feather that’s going to be in your cap, Sir. Just like us, we ought to get a nice promotion if Captain Travis comes through.”

  Dallas swallowed down a little bile. The memory of watching those braves take Jenny and knowing something similar would have happened to Lacy if Jenny hadn’t helped defeat Mouse Dog didn’t sit well, even if he knew it was important they break the Knife’s bond with Sparrow Hawk completely. From the nightmares he heard her screaming out, Dallas was pretty sure they had succeeded this time. They had moved the babies quickly and it had taken all three of them to hold her down at times along with Bryan quickly recognizing this was different. Her heart was racing like a steam locomotive on a straight track. She had screamed out at Lizard that he would die from Red Cedar’s revenge. He had swallowed her knife and he would die as surely as her tonight. What ever was in her honor piece, it was strong enough to be lethal. If one knew they were dying, there would be no reason to hold back. Apparently Sparrow Hawk didn’t intend for his Knife to be used against him either. Dallas told the Corporal, “Yes Captain Travers knew what he was getting into as a PIU agent as did we all. He definitely took one for the team and earned his keep last night. She needs help, and he knows it.”

  Lieutenant MacLeod asked, “Is her mother still alive?”

  Dallas replied, “Yes, Sister Abigail is what she goes by now. I’m pretty sure’s the one who told us where we could get her. She knew the two older boys. They were educated at the mission school. Although, I don’t think Jenny has seen her since she was taken.” Private Garner wasn’t saying a word. If the Major didn’t know, he wasn’t telling him.

  Private Anderson smirked as he suggested, “No chance they’d take her?”

  Dallas said truthfully, “They kicked the boys out, so probably not.”

  Private Garner quizzed, “This is the same mission with all those gold crosses and chains around that Friar’s neck? The one that sells those ugly clay pots at the port for import over to England? Never could figure out why some rich Earl would care to have one of those myself.”

  Dallas said without thinking too hard, “Bryan suggested the army setup an export shop ourselves. Might make things easier to keep enough men at Camp Verde in case another tribe of Comanche or Apache decide to move in.”

  Sergeant Long said, “Put some of the camels there. Maybe another relay point at San Antonio to transfer the loads, barter for trade goods. I could see that.”

  Lieutenant MacLeod said, “What if those pots aren’t all clay? Her older boys knew there was gold right?”

  Dallas said, “Yes, Itsee gave Bryan a coin to give to Gage. He said it was cursed, but then the boy used the same coins to try to win a challenge of wits with his father. Bryan said he melted the coin into lumps of gold so you couldn’t tell it was the Spanish gold.”

  MacLeod grinned, “Really? How about that, the Good Friar using those boys at the mission to sneak out gold. Maybe we should check who’s buying it. I don’t think t
he Church would approve some how.”

  Back in the caverns Gage could feel the ground slanting upward as Jenny called back, “Right, right, left, straight 100 paces, left.”

  Gage thought the tips of his fingers were rubbed off and bloody as he tried to feel for openings as he followed her instructions as he held onto her waist letting her use him like a crutch to take the pressure of her leg. Gage called out, “Come on Jenny. I’ve got a cramp in my calf! May fingers are bloody.”

  Jenny said, “Good, you can follow your blood back if I die. You think this easy for me? One leg cut bad and snake bite in calf.”

  Gage said, “You’re doing this on purpose aren’t you.”

  Jenny said, “Right now and again right!”

  Gage felt the air on his right fingers and turned up the slanted pathway to the right, then another right not twenty feet further down the path took a steep constant slop toward what seemed must be the middle of the earth.

  Jenny called, “Left and straight 100 paces, then left and quickly stop.”

  Gage held on to her waist as he tried to catch his breath, “How much further?”

  Jenny reached down, took a rock and made sparks fly until what appeared to be a torch on the floor caught fire. She lifted it toward the cavern below and pointed, “In there.” Jenny looked quickly to the left and back to the right along the walls before she quickly crossed over a rock bridge that lead down into the center of the cavern. There in the middle was an open chest, with two more by it’s side. One had chains, goblets, golden crosses, gold and silver plates, spoons, forks, and knives. A smaller chest was full of: turquoise jewelry, loose emeralds, sapphires, and garnets. There were women’s silver hair pins, turtle shell combs, silver rings, men’s arm jewelry, and beaded breast plates. The third chest was full of coins. There to the side was the remains of an old carved horse, a small pail half filled with coins, and a velvet pouch containing different types of rocks and geodes. Jenny reached down and picked up the wooden horse and put it in Gage’s hand, “Yours. You played here. You remember?”