“What’s that?” Sam pointed to movement off in in the distance. Whatever it was moved towards the hills.
John narrowed his eyes in an effort to see the moving object more clearly. “Looks like a rider and horse. Why the hell would a rider be headed that way?”
“Something white is flashing on the side,” Henry said.
The three men watched as the horse disappeared over the horizon.
An overwhelming feeling of trouble gnawed at John’s gut.
“Wonder who it was,” Sam said.
“No idea. Let’s get to the house. Maybe Frank and Cora had a visitor.” John urged Bill into a gallop.
The men dismounted out front of the house.
John looped Bill’s reins over the hitching rail.
Henry asked, “You’re not going to unsaddle Bill?”
“Not until I speak with Frank. My gut’s telling me something’s not right.” The feeling of foreboding grew stronger and John wanted his horse ready to go if he was needed.
Sam and Henry exchanged glances, shrugged and left their horses saddled.
They mounted the steps together.
“Why would the front door be wide open?” John asked no-one in particular. He burst through the door. “Cora!”
The men were greeted with an ominous silence.
“Frank!” Sam hollered. “Where the hell are you?
Nothing.
The men swapped glances, alarm in their eyes.
John dashed for the steps leading upstairs.
Sam and Henry raced for the kitchen being as that was where Frank could usually be found. Their friend lay in a crumpled heap by the stove.
“John!” Sam yelled.
Henry shook Frank’s shoulder. Frank groaned.
John skidded to a halt near Frank. The men were helping him sit up. They propped his back against a cupboard door and checked for injuries.
John crouched. “What happened? Where’s Cora?”
Frank rubbed at a lump the size of his fist on the side of his head. He accepted the mug of water Henry offered and swallowed a huge gulp.
“I was busy getting our meal ready when I heard a noise behind me. I thought it was Cora. I turned to see a man wielding a pan. Next thing I knew, you were here helpin’ me sit up.” Frank groaned.
“Where’s Cora?” John demanded trying desperately not to sound as alarmed as he felt.
“I don’t know. She hadn’t come down. That’s why I thought the noise I heard was her. She must have still been in bed.” Frank gulped down the last of his water.
John stood and dragged his fingers through his hair as he paced. “Where the hell is she? What did this man look like?”
“Dressed all citified. Tall, black hair with lots of grey. That’s all I saw before he thunked me and I passed out. Sorry, John.”
Frank looked so pale, John was worried he was concussed.
“Not your fault. Let’s get you onto the couch,” John said, fighting to keep his anxiety in check.
The men assisted Frank up but his legs threatened to buckle. They carried him into the living room. They settled him on the couch.
“Who do you think it was?” Sam asked John.
“Do you think that flash of white we saw might have been something Cora was wearing?” Henry asked.
John’s heart hit the floor. He must have visibly paled.
“John, you’re as white as a sheet. What is it?” Sam asked.
“I think Cora’s father has her. I think he draped her over the horse and took off with her,” John answered, holding his head in his hands. He couldn’t lose Cora, she was the love of his life.
“Hell on wheels, why?” Henry asked.
“Cora told me, he hates her. It’s the reason she ran off and became a mail order bride.” He gave his friends an abbreviated description of her life.
“For heaven’s sake. She’s so sweet and thoughtful. How could anyone treat her that way?” Sam asked.
“We need to go after her. Henry, can you stay with Frank?” John turned toward the door.
“It’s gonna take more than two of ya to find Cora if they’re up in the hills. I’ll be okay here on my own. I’ve had worse bangs on the head and I’ve barely got any headache.” Frank argued.
“That’s settled. We’re coming with you,” Sam spoke for both himself and Henry.
John swung around. “Are you sure?”
“Yep, go.” Frank urged. “Find that little gal and bring her home.”
The three men dashed from the house.
“We need blankets, lanterns and rope. I know ya wanna race straight into the hills, John but, we need to be prepared.” Sam said.
John reluctantly agreed and he helped to gather the supplies as quickly as possible. They mounted their horses and galloped towards the hills. To where they had seen the horse disappear.
John’s gut turned over. Would they find his beloved Cora? Would she be unhurt, alive? She had to be. He was falling head over heels in love with his feisty, brave and sweet little wife.
He spurred Bill on until he was racing flat out.
***
“What the hell did you do to her? I never agreed to hurtin’ her. I said I’d help ya get her to the train in Sioux City ’cause for some reason ya don’t wanna be seen in Rapid City. But, I ain’t gonna hang if ya kill her.” David rested his hand on his holstered gun.
Pierre straightened to his full height and stood nose to nose with the outlaw he’d hired. “You listen to me,” he snarled. “You’ll do everything I tell ya, exactly as I tell ya.”
“I didn’t agree to this.” David pointed to the bloodied, crumpled heap on the ground. “I warned ya, there’d be no killin’ or hurtin’.”
Pierre glanced at his daughter. “Unfortunate, but couldn’t be helped.”
David stiffened. What kind of man had he decided to team up with? David had witnessed the evil, the insanity in Pierre’s eyes when he’d asked to help bring his daughter home. But, two thousand dollars was too much money to refuse. He was now bitterly regretting his decision.
“We’ll rest here for a day. I need you to go into town and get her a dress, a travelling robe and shoes. We’ll get her other things during the journey.”
“I ain’t never bought a woman’s clothes and I ain’t startin’ now. Why didn’t ya get a dress when ya grabbed ’er?”
“It’s not like I had time to go through her damn clothes and I didn’t expect she’d still be in bed.” Pierre stormed from the cave where they were holed up.
David crouched by Cora’s side and brushed the matted, bloodied hair from her face. She was a mess. The fact she was still alive was a miracle. She wasn’t going anywhere for a very long time. But, if she died, he’d hang, if the law got him.
***
John and his friend’s rode into Gopher’s village and dismounted. Several youths John recognized offered to take care of their horses. The men handed over their reins.
Children swarmed around their legs, tugged at their pants. The men patted their shoulders as they carefully moved through them towards Gopher who stood outside his tipi.
“Iyayekiya (run away).” Gopher shouted at the children. They scattered in several directions.
John shook Gopher’s hand. “Sorry to intrude but my wife’s been kidnapped, and I need your help.”
Gopher shook hands with Sam and Henry before inviting the men into his home. He wrapped his arm around the waist of a pretty Indian woman and drew her to his side. This is Precious Fawn, my wife.
In all the years John had known Gopher, he had never met his wife.
To his wife, Gopher said, “Ayusta” (leave alone). She smiled at her husband, nodded to the men and left the tipi.
“Come, sit.” Gopher indicated animal furs covering a section of the ground and the men sat.
“What’s this about a wife? I haven’t heard you speak of marriage.” Gopher was curious.
John explained. “I placed a notice for a wife in a city pap
er. A beautiful woman named Cora answered. She married me when she arrived in Rapid City and has been at the ranch for a little over three weeks.”
“What happened my friend? Gopher asked.
John dragged his fingers through his hair. He and Gopher had met when John bought the ranch. Over the years they had developed a close friendship and become familiar with each other’s ways. Gopher knew John was a gentle man who rarely became angry or riled. He enjoyed teasing this white man, but now he could see the worry etched on his face, the fear in his eyes.
“Her father came to the house, almost killed Frank and took Cora. We’ve searched the hills for a few hours but haven’t found anything.”
Concern clouded Gopher’s face. “She did not have her father’s permission to come here and marry you? If she has disobeyed her father’s wishes, he has the right to take her.”
“No, No. You don’t understand. I’m scared he’ll hurt her. He’s a brute. That’s why she ran away from him in the first place.”
“Explain it to me. I don’t understand.”
John explained about Cora’s having been at the mercy of her vicious father. When he’d finished, Gopher sat quietly. Deep in thought.
Sam and Henry had both remained silent. It was a show of respect that the matter was between John and Gopher. But, as the silence stretched out Sam became impatient. He stood.
Gopher glared up at the man who had dared to stand in his home without first being given permission.
“Sit down, Sam” John said.
Sam turned to John. “No. We’re wasting time and if the Chief won’t help us, we need to be out there. The longer it takes to find Cora, the more chance there is that she’ll be dead.” He spun around to Gopher. “We’ve been friends for many days and we hoped you would help. You and your men know these hills better than anyone. John has done a great deal to help your people but when he needs help, you refuse.”
John was stunned with how calm Gopher sounded after being insulted by Sam. “Sit down, Fiery Eagle. I have not refused to help. I was giving thought to which of my braves would be able to find your woman the fastest.”
Sam mumbled an apology and plonked himself back on the furs.
Gopher asked the men to remain as he stood and disappeared outside.
“Sorry, John but I was getting impatient waiting for the Chief to offer help. I can see how much it’s hurtin’ ya not knowing where she is or if she’s okay. It must be killing you,” Sam said.
“I understand and I know Gopher does too. I want to be out there searching but these men know the hills better than we do. They know every canyon and cave. We’ve found nothing. We need their help,” John said.
Gopher entered the tipi followed by the eldest of his sons, Whispering Bear.
John, Sam and Henry stood and shook the young man’s hand.
Whispering Bear spoke to John. “Father said, your woman has been taken. He said she is somewhere in the hills.”
“Yes. We need to find her before she gets hurt. Will you help, Bear?” John asked.
“My brothers are gathering braves. We leave soon. We will bring woman here to you.”
“But….” John stayed Sam’s protest with a hand on his arm.
“Did you see man take woman?” Bear asked John.
“No. We saw a horse in the distance and we think it was her. They disappeared through the parting in the hills. It’s directly across from the ranch.”
Bear turned to his father. “pte wani yapi mnikaoskokpa” (cattle canyon).
Gopher interpreted. “My son said it’s cattle canyon. Sometimes your cattle wander in there and my sons herd them back out.”
“Thank you. I didn’t realize our cattle got that far away from the ranch,” John said.
“Many mako hloke.” Bear said.
“Caves.” Gopher said.
“How would Cora’s father know about the caves in the hills? Hell, we’ve lived around here for four years and still don’t know where they all are.” John said.
“He must have someone helping him,” Sam said.
“We leave now.” Bear disappeared through the opening of the tipi.
John was frustrated, he had never felt more helpless. But, he couldn’t risk becoming lost in the twists and turns of the hills. Cora’s best hope for rescue lay with the Indians. He would have to curb his impatience, but it was hard with Cora’s life in the balance.
***
David warmed himself by the fire and sipped at his coffee while he watched Pierre fork the last of his beans from the metal plate.
“Are you sure no-one will find us here?” Pierre asked. He set the plate and fork on the ground beside him and picked up his mug of coffee.
“No, this cave is well hidden and large enough to hide the horses in. The entrance is covered. No-one will find us.”
“What about the fire?”
“The fire is far enough into the cave that the light can’t be seen outside and the smoke is disappearing into the high ceiling.”
“I hope you’re right.”
“I’m right. You have nothing to worry about except for the fact your daughter still hasn’t moved.”
Pierre glanced at where David had settled Cora by the warmth of the fire. She lay on one blanket and was covered with another. For the whole of her life she had given him nothing but grief, ungrateful slut. “At least she can’t cause any damn trouble.”
“Maybe, but we can’t travel with her like that.”
“She’ll be better tomorrow. Well or not, we leave the day after.” Pierre settled himself on a blanket, closed his eyes and drifted off.
David went outside to relieve himself. The sun was disappearing into the hills. It was the last thing he saw before being plunged into darkness.
***
One of Gophers’ braves tied David up and set his unconscious body away from the cave entrance.
Bear signaled for four braves to surround the cave opening. Once in place, he crept forward.
Pierre snorted loudly before rolling over.
Bear allowed himself a satisfied smile as he scanned the cave. The woman’s face was barely visible above the blanket that covered her. Her breathing was raspy and loud in the silence.
He crept into the cave and crouched next to Pierre. “Wake up.” He shook Pierre’s shoulder.
Cora’s father woke with a start and stared straight into Bear’s angry black eyes. His eyes shifted to see a pistol aimed at his stomach. He didn’t move.
“What do you want?” Pierre asked.
“Woman’s man wants her back. You take what is not yours,” Bear growled.
Pierre sat up quickly and glared at the Indian. “She’s my daughter. She’s mine, and I’ll do as I wish with her. You mind your own damn business.”
Bear shook his head. “She is Man with Jagged Cheek’s woman. His wife.”
Pierre was stunned. “That whore married a savage? Well I have a man in the city who wants her. I’ll pay you money if you help.”
Bear shook his head. “Jagged wouldn’t like it. You cruel man. We take woman back.”
Pierre could see his future fast disappearing. He lunged for the gun.
Bear gave the man who lay dead at his feet a contemptuous kick. He whistled for his braves who’d been keeping watch. He instructed them to put out the fire, gather the horses and throw David over the saddle so they could take him back to the village. He gently wrapped Cora in the blanket that had been covering her and lifted her into his arms.
His two brothers joined him for the short trek back to the village.
***
A whistle pierced the silence of the night. John hadn’t been sleeping. He jumped to his feet and rushed from the tipi.
Bear was flanked by his brothers as he strode towards John. A lifeless bundle wrapped in a blanket was handed into his arms when they met.
“Is she….?” Tears streamed down John’s cheeks.
“Your woman is alive but she needs help. Take her to my mother.
I will send Flashing Eyes to help too.”
John returned to the tipi where Gopher and Fawn waited. Gopher lifted the flap. With Cora secure in his arms, he bent over and stepped inside.
“Lay her here.” Fawn pointed to a pile of furs that had been placed close to the fire.
Cora_Bride of South Dakota Page 11