“How long would it take ’em to ride back to Laramie?” Hector Adams called.
“Well, they’d need to take the wagon, unless you want to put the prisoners on horses, and that, to my way of thinking, is asking for trouble.” Rob shook his head. “I think the safest way is to take them along with us.”
“Did you recover all our livestock?” Mr. Binchley asked.
“I’m happy to say our delegation did that. However, they also found a few oxen and a couple of horses that didn’t belong to our company in the canyon. And of course, back at Schwartz’s trading post, there was quite a bit of stock in his pens. We can’t just leave all those animals with no one to care for them.”
“So what are we going to do?” Abe asked.
“I’d buy one of the oxen,” Binchley said.
“Who would you pay?” asked Nick Foster’s father, James.
“You should just take it,” Wilbur said. “They stole from us. That’s restitution.”
“Now, folks, let’s not let go of our morals and common sense.” Rob looked out over their heads. “Eb, can you speak to this issue, please?”
Rob got down, and Eb climbed back up on the box.
“We figure we’ll release the first man we captured and leave him in charge of the trading post.”
“But he’s a thief,” James Foster shouted.
Eb raised both hands. “Folks, hear me out. There are other wagon trains behind ours. One of them is camped two miles east of Schwartzburg. Their scout came to the trading post this morning while we were there. We told him what was going on and that we’d have someone there by noon to open the store for his people. He gave his word that they’d do things in an orderly manner. Now, that’s a good thing. They could take advantage of this situation. But we’re not that kind of people, and neither are they.”
A murmur ran through the gathering, and Elise shivered.
“Hear me out,” Eb said. Although he didn’t shout, people quieted to listen. “The young man we caught last night is as close as we’ve got to an honest man from Schwartzburg. I believe that if we go with him today and open the store, he’ll behave himself. Mr. Whistler will get behind the counter with him, and he’ll sell goods and livestock to all of you at fair prices. I’m talking fair—enough to allow that young man to restock the trading post after we leave. We’re not going to steal from him. And then the folks in the next wagon train can come in and buy from him.”
“That sounds all right to me,” Dan Adams called.
Eb nodded in his direction. “Thanks, Dan. Folks, as near as I know, we’re all Christian people. We don’t want to turn around and steal from anyone. We’ll see that Schwartz and the other three men who stood against us this morning are turned over to a marshal or an army officer, and we’ll leave the young man who’s in Abe Leonard’s wagon to run the post. Rob and I will write out statements for him to keep by him in case the law wants proof later that he has a right to be there. And we’ll also give statements when we turn the prisoners over, telling exactly what happened and how that one fellow helped us get back our own livestock.”
He stood still for a moment while the people absorbed what he’d said.
“All right. Let’s get the prisoners accommodated, and then anyone who wants to trade can ride back with us. Mr. Harkness won’t be able to haul folks in his farm wagon like he’s done before, so you’ll have to ride or take another wagon, but I reckon we can get our business done by noon and leave Schwartzburg to the next company of emigrants. We’ll get on our way this afternoon and push on into the evening.”
He jumped to the ground before anyone could raise more questions.
Anne grabbed Elise’s arm. “I’m going to see if I can use Mrs. Libby’s saddle on Chick.”
“You want to go back to Schwartzburg?”
“Yes! I’m going to get a few of those eggs if I have to raid the henhouse myself. I’ll ask Eb how much it would be fair to pay for them.”
She hurried away.
“Do you want to go back and trade?”
She whirled to find Eb at her elbow. “Oh, no thank you.”
“This may be your last opportunity before we get to Oregon. It’s chancy along the Snake these days.”
Elise smiled. “Take Anne. She wants an egg or two. Since we’re going to stay here several more hours, I think I’ll do some baking.”
“All right. We found Rob’s horse in the canyon, you know.”
She stared at him. “You mean…”
“Yes. The one Costigan stole.”
“Thomas wasn’t with them, was he?”
“No. I asked Schwartz, but he won’t talk to me.”
She thought about their options. “I’d like to know where he is.”
“Me, too,” Eb said. “Always better to know where your adversary is.”
“I could ask the young man before you release him.”
He nodded. “I was going to see if you’d talk to him anyway, so we’d be sure he understood what we’re going to do. I want him to realize we’re putting him in a position of trust. We’ll give him papers, like I said, in case the law comes out here. But he’ll be alone for a while. It could be dangerous for him. Indians or some other no-good like Schwartz could come and try to take over.”
“He may not want to stay here alone.”
“That’s true. If he wants to go with us, he can, but that would mean abandoning the post and taking the extra stock with us. Still, I want him to know what he’s up against if he stays. Maybe he can get someone to help him before too long. I just can’t think of a better plan.”
Neither could she.
“Eb, have you thought any more about digging up that grave?”
He hesitated. “I’ll ask Miss Anne if she wants us to.”
“Thank you.”
Eb rode out to the cemetery with Hector Adams. He’d left Rob in the store with the young German man, who Elise had learned was named Georg Heinz.
“You think that young fella will be all right here?” Hector dismounted and unstrapped a shovel from his saddle.
“There’ll be enough traffic along the trail for the next couple of months that he should be,” Eb said. “If someone who wants a job comes by, he’ll make out.”
“If that someone is honest.”
“Right.” Eb let Speck’s reins fall and reached for his own shovel. “Let’s get this done. I don’t want to hold up the train, and I don’t want to keep Miss Anne wondering any longer than needed.” He looked back toward the buildings. “I was afraid she was going to insist on watching.”
“Dan will take care of her while we do it. He’ll make sure she stays up yonder.”
Eb strode to the board cross marked DAVID STONE. He looked at it for a long moment. Hector gave a long sigh and removed his hat.
Eb took his hat off, too, and looked skyward. “Lord, we mean no disrespect. I’m asking that You let us know for sure if this grave belongs to Mr. Stone.”
After a moment’s silence, Hector said, “Amen.”
Eb grasped the crossbar of the grave marker and pulled it from the ground. He laid it aside in the grass. Hector put the blade of his shovel to the earth and stepped down on it hard.
CHAPTER 23
Elise carried the two plates carefully, mindful of her calico skirt swirling in the wind. At least it wasn’t so hot up here on the mountainside.
“What’ve you got there, Miss Finster?” called Charles Woolman, who had drawn one of the first watches over the prison wagon.
“Dinner for the prisoners. I’ve got two plates here, and I’ll bring two more.”
The second guard, Landon Clark, lowered his gun from his shoulder and walked toward her. “What are you giving them?”
“Mr. Whistler didn’t say nothing about feeding them,” Woolman said.
“It’s very plain food. Just beans, cornbread, and a few dried apple slices.”
“That’s better’n what I’ll likely get,” Clark said.
Elise frown
ed at them. “You have to feed them. I wasn’t sure the men had thought about it before they rode off, so I decided to provide their dinner today. Someone else can contribute at suppertime.”
Woolman shook his head. “I’m not sure we can let you give that to ’em, Miss Finster.”
“Why ever not? You’ve got to treat them humanely. We can’t haul them all the way to Fort Dalles or someplace in between and hand them over malnourished.”
Clark shrugged. “Don’t see why not. They stole from us, and they’d have killed any one of us they had a chance to kill. They shot the Foster boy, you know.”
Elise winced. “Yes, I know.”
“I think we should hold off until the captain gets back.” Woolman looked at Clark, and his companion nodded.
Elise hovered between tearing into them and retreating meekly. A shout from the other side of the camp drew her gaze.
Rebecca Harkness waved toward the trail. “They’re coming back.”
Elise hurried to her fireside and set down the two plates. She gathered her skirts and hurried to where Rebecca and several others had gathered to meet those returning from the trading post.
Anne rode in on Chick at Dan Adams’s side. Elise waved, and they veered toward her.
Dan hopped to the ground, but before he could reach Chick’s side, Anne had slid off the saddle, carefully balancing a small basket.
“Elise! It’s not him.”
“Not David?”
“No. It’s someone else,” Anne said.
Elise folded her into her embrace. Dan caught Chick’s reins as Anne let go of them.
“I’ll take care of the mule,” he said.
Elise drew Anne toward their wagon. “Where are Rob and Eb?”
“They’re talking to the leaders from the next train. They said there’s at least two more companies behind them. Rob told that young German fellow to be polite and treat them fairly. He seemed to understand. Oh, and Rob made out a price list for him to use while he trades.” Anne laughed. “You should have seen him, wearing an apron and measuring out groceries.”
“Rob Whistler is a good man,” Elise said.
“Yes, he is. He saved out half a dozen eggs for me. I paid a dollar for the lot.” Anne held out her basket.
“How delightful! We can make a cake next time we stop if you’d like.”
“Or feed them at breakfast time to the men who’ve helped us so much.”
“Whatever you wish, my dear.”
Anne’s face sobered. “And Eb and Hector dug up the cemetery plot.”
“What did they find?”
“They wouldn’t tell me, but Eb says he’s positive it’s not Uncle David.” Anne drew in a deep breath. “So. We’re going onward, as we planned.”
Elise squeezed her shoulders. “We’ll trust God to bring us to David in Oregon.”
Anne nodded and glanced about. “Oh, you have dinner ready.”
Elise grimaced. “I made those plates for two of the prisoners.”
“That was kind of you.”
“The guards wouldn’t let me give it to them.”
“What? That’s awful.” Anne glowered toward the prison wagon. It was drawn apart from the circle, and the two guards stood talking near the tailboard. “Well, when Rob gets back, you take it up with him.”
“I shall. I suppose you and I might as well eat in the meantime.”
Elise fed Dan Adams, too. Afterward he hovered about Anne so closely as she washed the dishes that Elise decided he would soon wear out his welcome. She handed him a bucket and asked him to bring more water. Finally the wagon master rode up with Eb and Hector.
After a quick consultation with the guards, Rob came to Elise’s fireside.
“I understand you’re willing to feed the four prisoners.”
“Yes, if Mr. Woolman and Mr. Clark will let me.”
“That’s good of you. Of course we have to meet the prisoners’ basic needs until we turn them over to the law.” Rob noticed Dan approaching with the water. “Dan, will you give me a hand, please? We’ll get some of this food over to the prisoners.”
Quickly Elise filled the plates she had. “We only have three,” she explained. “I can borrow another, or they can take turns eating.”
“I’ll get you another one,” Dan said.
He hurried off to his wagon and returned a moment later with a tin plate. Elise loaded on the beans and apples, and she added an extra slice of cornbread to each plate, partly out of spite to the two unsympathetic guards.
“I’ll ask another family to pitch in tonight,” Rob said. He and Dan took the meals to the prison wagon.
As Elise began to wipe out the pans, Eb strolled over.
“Good day, Mr. Bentley,” she said.
He eyed her for a moment, and she couldn’t decipher the odd look on his face. At last he pushed back his hat and said, “Good day, Miss Elise.”
Her cheeks grew warm. So that was it. She busied herself with rinsing out the bean pot. “Eb. I understand things went in Anne’s favor at the cemetery.”
“Yes. We’ve eliminated the possibility that her uncle is buried in that grave.”
“Do I want to know how you are so certain?”
He hesitated. “Probably not.”
“She said it was someone else.” Elise glanced up at him. “So the grave wasn’t empty?”
“Oh, it had an occupant, all right. But unless Mr. Stone was…shall we say, of unusually small stature…then it most certainly wasn’t him.”
“A child,” Elise whispered, staring down at her hands.
“That or a small woman. The bits of clothing contribute to the evidence that the unfortunate soul was female.”
She nodded. “Mr. Stone was as tall as yourself, sir. A well-proportioned man.”
“You knew him well?” Eb asked.
Again she flushed. “Yes. As well as one might when working in his brother’s home. I saw him frequently before he left England.” She turned away and carried the pot to her dish crate.
Eb followed her. “I’m sorry we had to go through this, but it seemed to relieve Miss Anne’s mind.”
“It must have been a chilling experience for you and Hector. Thank you for doing it.”
Eb nodded. “Elise…”
“Yes?” She wiped her hands on her apron and looked up at him.
He didn’t say anything for a long moment. They stood looking at each other, and though she couldn’t fathom why, she felt her heart was near breaking.
“You think young Heinz will be all right?” she said at last, to break the silence.
“Yes, I do.” Eb shifted and looked away. “Rob said there was a family in the next wagon train who’d been sick and were worn out. They wanted to rest for a while. Their captain suggested the man might work with Heinz for a while, to pay for their keep while they stay there, and they could move on with a later company when they were ready.”
“That makes me feel a little better.” She glanced toward the fire. “I’ve a bit of cornbread left. I’m afraid I gave away all the beans. I ought to have kept some over for you and Rob.”
“No matter. I’ll find something.”
“And you’ve no more word on Thomas Costigan?”
“No. He’s gone on, I’m guessing. We may hear of him farther along the trail. I’m glad Rob got his spare horse back. Binchley got a stout pair of oxen, too. We’re in pretty good shape now, I think.”
Elise pried the last pieces of cornbread from the pan. “Here. If you take this, it will save me putting it away.”
“Much obliged.”
He ambled away, chewing the meager offering. Elise hoped some other woman would take pity on him and give him something more substantial to eat.
He was back a half hour later, when Rob had blown the horn and passed the word to hitch up the teams.
“Can I help you ladies?”
“Thank you, but we’re just about ready,” Elise told him. She ran her hand over Zee’s flanks as she visual
ly checked all the straps and buckles on the near side of his harness.
“What’s that?” Eb asked.
“Hmm?” She looked where he was pointing.
“That sparkly buckle.”
Elise chuckled. As usual, he’d found her out, but this time she felt no embarrassment. “That, sir, is a buckle off a bejeweled evening purse. We were lacking one buckle when we needed to harness all six of our mules, and I found that amongst our things.”
Eb shook his head. “I don’t know how you do it—you and Miss Anne both. You seem to go at everything sideways, but it works.” He bent over and peered more closely at the buckle.
“They’re not real jewels, if that’s what you’re wondering.”
“It did enter my mind. If I’d have known, I could have brought you a buckle from the trading post.”
“Yes, or Anne could have, if she’d thought of it. Don’t you worry, Eb. We’ll get by.”
He straightened and smiled at her. “Yes, I reckon you will.”
Eb rode Pink ahead of the wagon company as far as South Pass. Their train had made good time since Schwartzburg, and none of the other groups had caught up to them. One band of freighters had passed them, and he’d seen a couple of Indians from a distance, but the trail seemed quiet compared to last year.
He sat for a while on his horse, scanning the western horizon. If only he were heading home to Jeanie.
He lifted his gaze to the cloudless sky. Up here, the breeze was cool. Tonight they’d need their wool blankets, even in mid-July.
Rob would need him today to encourage more folks to lighten their wagons, so he turned eastward. This slope was not the steepest they would encounter, but the long, steady climb would take its toll on the livestock. So far Elise and Anne’s team seemed to be holding up well. Most of their heavy supply of feed was gone now, but the extra rations they’d used had stood them in good stead.
THE Prairie DREAMS Trilogy Page 26