There had been no sounds from inside the cabin since her verbal exchange with Engledow. “I wonder what’s going on inside,” she said.
Man didn’t reply. The pain of moving had caused him to lose consciousness. She touched his face with her cold hands and that brought him back.
“I’ll try to smoke him out,” she said. She placed both of his pistols on the blanket beside his left hand.
He clutched one and shifted so he could aim at the cabin door. “Do it,” he said. “I’ve got you covered if he comes out.”
Kate sprinted behind the cabin, found a tree the right height, and went for the ax. It was a pine and the limbs would give her places to use as steps. She cut it and proceeded to trim the limbs leaving the stubs about six inches long, but adequate to use as steps.
She pulled the spruce to the back of the cabin and managed to lean it against the roof. She went back to the barn to check on Man.
He saw her coming and smiled. “I’m doing okay,” he said. “I see empty feed sacks you can stuff in the chimney if he would build up the fire again. Wait till there’s ample smoke.”
She sat on the blanket beside him to rest a moment before checking his wounds. Chopping down the tree with freezing hands had left her fatigued. “The bleeding has stopped,” she said. “But, packing it in moss will have to wait until we have a fire to boil water.”
He groaned in reply.
She walked to the door of the barn and shouted, “We have men surrounding the cabin. There’s no way you can escape. Using Clarice as a shield won’t work. One of us will have a clear shot at you and put you down.”
Silence greeted her. “Clarice, can you hear me?” Again, nothing came from the cabin.
Kate went back and sat beside Man. Her face was a mask of concern and concentration. She explored another option in her mind. She could load Man in the wagon and take him to a doctor. That would be abandoning Clarice, but if Bob hadn’t already killed her, there would be no reason for him to do so after they left. However, he might move on and escape before she could get backup out to capture him and rescue Clarice.
Another thought flashed. She could pretend to leave in the wagon. She could tie his horses to the back of the wagon along with Arabian and Red Bird and he would think they were leaving him stranded in the snow. Bob would hear them and would hopefully come to the door to see what was going on. If Man was able, he might have a clear shot.
She wanted to discuss the option with him, but he didn’t respond when she spoke. Fear surged through her as she felt his pulse and put her ear to his mouth. He was alive, but unconscious again.
Man being able to shoot was instrumental if her plan had a chance of succeeding.
She sat back in thought. A decision had to be made, fast. Either put Man in the wagon and go for help, or stay and try to get a shot at Engledow.
If she took Man and all the animals, Bob would be left without a horse. With waist-deep snow, walking very far would be impossible.
Smoking him out would only work if he built up the fire and she got the chimney clogged. She would have to hurry to get back to the barn before he came out. If he had Clarice in front of him, came to the barn, and saw Man, he would shoot him on sight even if he were unconscious.
It was possible she could hide Man to prevent Bob from shooting him. Still, she’d have to move fast and be ready. Hopefully, she would have an opening to chance a shot. She would have to get a bullet past Clarice and hit Bob hard enough to put him down. Everything would have to work in her favor for that plan to succeed.
The cabin door opened and Bob shouted, “I know it’s only you and your husband, Kate Manchester. Saddle all four horses and bring them and the mules to the cabin.”
“Don’t do it,” Clarice screamed. “I had rather be dead than forced to go with this animal. I’m ruined, anyway. If he has me in front of him shoot me first to give you a chance to kill this bastard.”
The sound of a hand slapping flesh was followed by a moan, and then silence for several seconds before Kate saw the door move again. “Do as I said,” Bob ordered. “Saddle the horses and bring them and the mules to the front of the cabin and then back away. I’m taking Clarice with me. You’ll have to kill her to get to me and you won’t do that.”
Kate decided to try this first. She hurried to the two horses belonging to the outlaws and saddled them, but left the cinch loose on both so that the saddle would turn when Bob put weight in the stirrup. She had no way to know which horse he would choose for himself. She led them to the barn door, and stopped and checked Man. There was no change. He was unconscious.
She was on her own.
She pulled her pistol and led the two horses to the front of the cabin, keeping the horse between her and the door in case he suddenly opened it and fired.
She dropped the reins on the ground and backed toward the barn with both pistols aimed at the cabin door. Her rifle was leaning against the wall and she holstered the pistols and aimed the rifle. It would be more accurate if she only had a small opening.
“The horses are saddled and in front of the cabin,” she yelled. The cabin door opened a crack and she saw Bob’s face for only a second, but she knew he had time to see the horses.
“I said all four and the mules. I’m not leaving anything for you two to ride. With the woman and in this snow, you would catch up.”
She saw no other choice. She saddled Red Bird and Arabian and left their chinch on the saddle loose, as well. She put halters on the two mules belonging to the outlaw, led the four animals to the front of the cabin, and left them beside the other two horses.
“The horses and mules are in front,” she shouted.
She knew she couldn’t let Bob escape. Doing so would be a death sentence to Man.
A few seconds later, the door opened and Clarice appeared in the doorway. Bob was behind her with his left arm around her waist. Her wrists were tied behind her back. He held her close and aimed his pistol toward the barn door. His gaze darted, trying to locate Man. He knew Kate was in the barn from the direction of her voice.
He shoved Clarice to Red Bird and lifted her on the saddle. Thankfully, it didn’t turn. He pulled Arabian to his side and walked between the two horses, using them and their two horses and mules as a shield.
Bob was crafty. He walked farther and farther away from the cabin and so far, Kate didn’t have an opportunity for a shot. He was leading the other horses, keeping them on all sides of him to prevent a shot.
He was at least a hundred yards from the cabin before he stopped. It would be a long shot, but Kate was ready when Bob moved to the left side of Arabian to mount. The instant he tried to mount, Kate screamed, “Clarice, scream and kick your horse, get out of the way.”
Clarice hesitated only a split-second, screamed at the top of her lungs, and frantically kicked the sides of Red Bird. All of the horses bolted at her sudden outburst and Red Bird was at least ten feet away when the saddle slipped to the side and Clarice went to the ground.
Bob was fighting with Arabian, trying to get into the saddle. The horse was frightened and leaped away from Bob. However, he got a foot in the stirrup and put his weight on it. The saddle turned and he hit the ground cursing, but frantically trying to get his pistol out of his holster that was under his coat. He had to use both hands to hold all of the horses and mules.
Kate was ready. Her Winchester moved until her sights were lined up on Bob and she pulled the trigger. The rifle let out a loud bang that echoed through the barn. The bullet took Bob Engledow in the face and hit his nose dead center. The back of his head exploded as the chunk of lead took away part of his skull.
Kate was already running in the deep snow to where Clarice lay on the ground gasping for breath. The fall, even in the snow, had knocked the breath out of her since her hands were tied behind her back and she couldn’t break the fall with her arms.
&n
bsp; Kate pulled her up into a sitting position and saw her struggling to get her breath, but knew she was going to be okay. She pulled her to her feet and cut the rope binding her hands.
“Help me catch the horses,” she said.
Red Bird was standing close and Kate grabbed the reins. He didn’t attempt to run away when he recognized her. She righted the saddle on him and cinched it tight.
Arabian had gone only a few yards from them. Clarice caught him and pushed the saddle upright.
“Take him to the barn while I round up the other two horses and mules,” Kate said. We’ll need them to pull the wagon.”
Clarice walked to where Bob lay in the snow and kicked his body. “You bastard!” she screamed as she kicked him again.
She led Arabian to the barn and saw Al Valdez on the ground. She took a step and kicked his side with all her strength. She saw Man on the blanket, hurried to where he lay, and knelt down beside him. She checked his pulse and opened his eyes to look.
Kate had no trouble catching the horses and mules and led them to the barn. She hurried to where Man lay and saw Clarice examining him.
“I was a nurse before I married Tom,” she said. “We need to get him to a doctor as fast as possible.” She stood. “Who are you? I heard Engledow call him a marshal.”
“I’m Deputy United States Marshal Kate. This is my partner and husband Marshal Manchester. We need to get moving. Man has lost a lot of blood. Valdez shot him.”
The two women made a bed in the back of the wagon and together they managed to load Man.
“Load what we need from the cabin,” Kate said. “I’ll hitch the mules to the wagon. Bring all the bedding. It’ll be cold on the trip back to Boise.”
Clarice hurried to obey and Kate quickly had the mules hitched and ready to leave. “Bring the other horses and tie them to the back of the wagon,” Kate said. She went for Arabian and Red Bird and tied them to the wagon.
“There’ll be no feed for the animals,” Kate said. “Help me load the sacked feed in the wagon.”
Both women worked together putting the bags in the wagon.
Kate went to Al’s body and took his gun belt and pistol, as well as his wallet. The two women climbed on the seat and Kate slapped the reins on the rumps of the mules.
She pulled them to a stop beside Bob’s body, pulled his gun belt from him, and searched his pockets. She took everything including a money belt.
Clarice was watching her. “There’s no need for the weapons to rust away and I’ll turn their possessions over to Chief Marshal Meek.”
She climbed back on the seat and crawled in the back to examine Man. She found no change. His breathing was shallow, but steady, and the bleeding had stopped.
Satisfied they had everything ready, Kate returned to the seat and flicked the reins. The mules had to work to pull the wagon through the heavy snow cover. She followed the path their horses made earlier to go back to their cabin.
“I’m afraid to ask about my husband,” Clarice said, keeping her gaze straight ahead.
Kate glanced at her, not sure how to answer. The woman had suffered enough, but would find out, eventually.
“He’s dead,” Clarice answered for her. “I knew it. I know it. But, I’d hoped….”
“I’m sorry,” Kate whispered.
Clarice nodded and sat swaying slightly, seeming dazed and numb.
Kate glanced back at Man, hoping she wouldn’t soon share this woman’s grief. They drove on in silence, Kate focusing on making distance through the narrow trail in the snow.
“Why are we stopping?” Clarice asked when they arrived at the cabin.
“This was where we were staying while we searched for you,” Kate said. “Our things are inside. Go to the barn and bring our pack mules with their pack saddles,” Kate said. “I’ll load our things from the cabin. Move fast.”
Kate was waiting when Clarice brought the two pack mules. “Four mules will help us make time pulling the wagon,” Kate said. “It was tough on the two getting here.”
“That would be better, but we have no harness,” Clarice said.
“We’ll improvise,” Kate said. “I saw this done when I was on the Oregon Trail.” She tied a rope to the packsaddles on the mules and then tied it to the side of the wagon.
“You ride one and I’ll ride the other to help pull the wagon through the snow. I can use the buggy whip to keep the mules hitched to the wagon moving.”
Kate pointed the mules toward the east and touched the mule she was riding with her spurs. Clarice didn’t have spurs, but she kicked the sides of the mule as Kate flicked the buggy whip on the rumps of the mules hitched to the wagon.
The four mules made much better time in the heavy snow. When they stopped for their first rest, they switched out the mules and Kate fed all the animals a generous ration of feed. She handed Clarice jerky to eat.
The nights were cold, but they had ample feed for the livestock and Clarice and Kate munched on pemmican, jerky and parched corn. The first night, the two women slept on either side of Man in the back of the wagon to keep him warm. Kate wanted to keep moving, the sense of urgency to get Man to a doctor almost overwhelming. But she knew if she ran the mules and horses into the ground, they’d never reach civilization. Still, she slept poorly and woke every few hours to examine him. His breathing was shallow, but he wasn’t bleeding.
When dawn came, Clarice woke and checked Man’s pulse and examined his wound. “Being unconscious is best for him,” she said. “The bouncing of the wagon would make the pain excruciating.”
Kate wanted to feed him, but was afraid he would strangle if she put something in his mouth. Clarice agreed that it was better she didn’t put anything in his mouth except a little snow now and then he could swallow on reflex.
The two women worked getting themselves back on the trail. As they drove forward, Clarice finally spoke. “I don’t want to go back to Mountain Home. My husband is dead and there’s nothing for me there. Everyone will know what happened to me and point fingers and talk behind my back.”
Kate reached for Clarice’s hand. “I’m sure you heard them mention a woman by the name of Lucille. When Valdez and Engledow left Coeur d’Alene, they took Lucille with them as a hostage, like you. She endured what you went through. Lucille escaped and we found her and took her home. Her husband had died a while ago, but now she has met a good man and they’re going to be married.”
“That’s not likely for me,” Clarice said. “At my age.”
“If you want, I’ll say we found you immediately and the blizzard kept us from returning right away.”
She let Clarice think about that for a while. She finally spoke, in a very low tone, “I’d appreciate that. Still, I don’t see how I can go back home. Not without Tom there.”
“You could sell the store in Mountain Home,” Kate said. “Do you have a house there?”
“Yes.”
“Sell it and the store, take the money and go back to Coeur d’Alene with us. Start over where nobody knows you but us. Man and I can keep our mouths shut. With Engledow and Valdez dead, no one needs to know the details. There won’t be a trial.”
She lifted the bag at her feet and handed it to Clarice. The bag contained the money she’d taken off Bob and Al.
“This is yours,” Kate said. “It’s what they stole from your store.”
Clarice counted it and started to object.
“It’s rightfully yours,” Kate said. “It was taken from you and I’m giving it back. It never belonged to them. They stole it from you and Tom.”
Clarice nodded but sat the bag on the seat beside her, as if it were dirty now. “Thank you.”
As soon as they entered Boise, Kate spotted a policeman and waved him over. The policeman turned his horse, rode closer, and looked at the two women riding the mules. Recognition crossed his
face. “You’re that woman deputy marshal.”
“Yes,” Kate said. “Marshal Manchester is gravely wounded and we need the best doctor in Boise to treat a gunshot wound.”
“You’re in luck,” the policeman said. “My wife’s uncle’s a doctor and he has an office just up the street. Follow me.” He turned his horse to lead the way. On the way through town, they passed more policemen who joined the procession.
Six policemen carefully carried Man inside the doctor’s office on a blanket. Kate removed his gun belt and put it over her shoulder. She wasn’t taking any chance the Walker Colts could be stolen. He’d want them back once he recovered.
She backed out of the room to give the doctor and his nurse space to work. Clarice was standing by the door waiting and watching. Kate took notice of her bruised face and went to speak privately. “You should stay and see the doctor while we’re here.”
Clarice shook her head stubbornly. “Cuts and bruises heal. I only need a quiet place to gather myself. I want to put this nightmare behind me, starting now.”
Kate turned to the policeman who seemed to be in charge.
“I need to see Sheriff Updike,” she said.
The policeman turned to one of the others and ordered, “Go get Updike and tell him the two marshals are here and one was shot.”
The policeman hurried away.
Kate turned back to the policeman in charge. “Would you have one of your men take Clarice to the best hotel near here and tell the clerk I’ll be in later with government vouchers. Tell him to honor anything she wants, such as a hot bath and food at the café.”
“Yes, ma’am, Deputy Marshal Kate. If I may ask, is she the woman that was kidnapped at Mountain Home?”
“Yes,” Kate said. “Clarice Carbon. We caught up with them and rescued her, but the blizzard prevented us getting back sooner. There was an awful blizzard on the Snake River. We saw drifts over twelve feet high.”
Mountain Woman Snake River Blizzard Page 19