Out of the Crucible

by Marian Wells

  “The letter is from a man who doesn’t fit the description. Also, the information is worthless. Our men have already engaged the enemy at Glorieta Pass.” He tossed the letter to the desk.

  “This is war. Your actions indicate a hostile mind, favoring the enemy. You are under arrest. Because of the crowded conditions of the prison, you will be allowed the freedom of the post, but under no condition are you to leave the fort. Good day, sir.”

  Daniel stood on the porch of the colonel’s office and took a deep breath. “Well, that is that. Until Chivington gets here, that is.” He studied the concrete walls of the prison and a grin tugged at his mouth. “Oh, boy, is Chivington going to be surprised!”

  He walked slowly past the prison. The tiny cubicle was windowless, except for a narrow band of barred vents near the top of the wall. Taking a quick glance around, Daniel circled the prison. The parade grounds were still empty. Once more he passed behind the prison. With another quick glance behind him, he walked close to the wall and said, “Hey, you in there. Is Matthew with you?”

  There was a pause and then a weak voice. “That you, Daniel?”

  “Yes, how ya doing?”

  “Fever’s come back.” Daniel chewed his lip and Matthew spoke again. “Haven’t had the rag changed today.”

  “You oughta be in the hospital. I’ll see what I can do.”

  Walking back the way he had come, Daniel examined the various small log buildings. There was one larger than the others. As he hesitated, the door opened and an enlisted man appeared. “Is this the hospital?” Daniel asked.

  “As such,” the youth replied. “Infirmary is the name. Want to see the doc? He’s just come out of surgery.”

  An older man appeared in the doorway. His face was lined with fatigue, but his tired eyes were patient. “Doc,” Daniel said, “we arrived yesterday with a soldier. He’s in the prison and I don’t think he’s doing too well—”

  “And you want me to check on him,” the doctor said with a tired sigh.

  “What I’d really like,” Daniel hurried out the words, “is for you to release him to me. My wife and I spent a couple of days nursing him along. We’d be glad to continue caring for him as long as we’re here. We’ll be leaving as soon as Major Chivington arrives, but until then—”

  “It will be a blessing to me. I know the fellow and he’ll make it if he has someone to dress that wound about six times as often as it’s getting it right now.” He came down the steps. “Come along, I’ll have him out of there in a minute.”

  He cut briskly down the row of buildings and stopped at the commandant’s office. Daniel’s heart sank, but by the time he reached the steps the man was inside. He was addressing the young lieutenant. “I’ve a volunteer to nurse that Reb with the hole in his arm. Please release him to—”

  “Gerrett, sir.”

  ****

  When Amy returned to their cabin, she opened the cabin door and gasped. “How did you get here?”

  A grinning Matthew was propped up on a bunk built into the wall. Daniel turned from the stove. “Simple, my dear. We’re all prisoners of the United States Army. Somehow it didn’t seem to matter to them whether we have bars around us, just as long as we don’t intend to go anywhere. I think the doc was convinced Matthew wasn’t anxious to run.”

  “We are prisoners too?”

  He nodded. “But just until Chivington arrives. Meanwhile, we have a pile of bandages and some strange salve to use on Matthew. Also, I have a piece of deer meat and some potatoes and carrots—prisoner’s rations.”

  With a smile Amy said, “I can only claim one wild story about rat hunting. I suppose that doesn’t impress you at all.”

  “And that’s all you’ve done all day?” He grinned wryly and winked at her. “Come cook this stuff while I take care of Matthew, and you can tell me all about it.”

  By the time Amy had the vegetables cooking and the meat ready to go into the skillet, Matthew was comfortably drifting toward sleep, and Daniel returned to the bench.

  “You look a mite uneasy, Amy—what’s the problem?”

  Amy glanced at the bunk and saw Matthew’s arm was across his face. She took a deep breath. “Uneasy? I guess that’s what I’m feeling. I was with Mother and Father. Some things were said, but that wasn’t as important as what I’m feeling,” she brooded as she carefully placed the meat in the melted fat.

  She studied Daniel’s face. “It’s Mother. Daniel, all the spunk has gone out of her.”

  “She’s different than when you knew her at Buckskin Joe? Amy, life’s dealt her a pretty hard line this winter.”

  “I don’t think that’s it.” She turned the meat and came to sit beside Daniel. Seeing the concern in his eyes, for a moment she nearly regretted speaking out her thoughts.

  He prodded, “Go on, I’m listening.”

  “She—seemed to feel deeply about the war, more than that, about reasons behind. I could see it was important, and Father—”

  Daniel sighed and nodded, “I see. Amy, I don’t want to criticize Father, but I get the feeling he’s walking on pins and needles, fearful—”

  Amy said it slowly, “That Mother is going to disgrace him?”

  “At least entertain ideas he can’t handle.” But immediately, he added, “Don’t forget, we haven’t spent much time around them.”

  Amy spoke slowly. “Mother thinks, and she isn’t afraid to own her thoughts. I’d like to be that way. Sometimes the words burst out of me, and then I’m sorry. Not sorry I have them, just sorry I said what I did. It…causes problems, especially with Father.”

  Matthew stirred and said, “That meat sure smells good.”

  “And I’m not about to burn it,” Amy declared, jumping to her feet.

  Their opportunity for real conversation was interrupted by Matthew’s waking, but Daniel rose and went to stand beside Amy at the stove. “Give it time, sweetheart,” he whispered as he put his arm around her. “Both for your mother and yourself. God’s still on the throne.”

  Chapter 15

  Two more restless, pain-filled days passed before Matthew’s fever subsided and the wound began to heal. On the day he was up and wearing the tattered gray uniform for the first time since Amy had washed and mended it, he asked the question they had all avoided.

  “Your friend Chivington will be through here any day now. I suppose you’ll be heading for home. Have you heard what they intend doing with prisoners of war?”

  “No,” Daniel said. “I’ve tried to find out. Mostly there’s just a shrug and a vague wait-and-see answer. Frankly, I don’t think the fellows around here know.”

  “Have you any news of what’s happening out there?” Matthew asked the question with a jerk of his head.

  “The Confederates have pulled back to Santa Fe and Albuquerque. I’m guessing, since they’re still there, it’s an indication neither army is giving up.” Daniel paused, then added, “I’ve had a little more information about the attack on Johnson’s ranch.

  “Major Chivington started out with a detachment of four hundred men. He had orders to approach the Confederates from the rear, and that’s what he was doing when we saw him. It was only by accident he discovered the supply train and destroyed it.”

  Matt’s face twisted. “Any details?”

  “The fellows behind the cannon were shot. That accounts for the abrupt silence. It was confirmed that eighty wagons loaded with supplies were burned. They said it was all of their guns, ammunition, food and clothing.”

  “The idiots,” Matthew muttered. “Foolhardy and over-confident to have brought them into the canyon.”

  “All this might be why it’s taking Chivington so long to get back here,” Daniel stated.

  Matthew continued to sit with his chin resting on his chest. “The fellow that got away—” Daniel said, “remember we saw one flying out of there early on? Well, he carried the news to the battle going on up the way, where our men had just about lost out when the Confederates got news of t
he battle at the ranch. That was a blow they couldn’t recover from. Your man, Scurry, sent a flag of truce, and that was that.”

  Amy joined the conversation. “Katherine’s husband has just left to join Colonel Canby’s men, so there’s an indication something is being planned.” There was silence. She added, “Katherine said the quartermaster in Albuquerque destroyed all the food and arms stored there. He did it to prevent the supplies from falling into Confederate hands.”

  Matthew sat up and looked at Amy. His eyes were dark, unreadable. “The Indian agent in Santa Fe opened up his stores to the Confederate troops. So it sounds like there’s a little sympathy for the cause.”

  “It seems,” Daniel spoke slowly, “the territory is equally divided in their loyalties. Perhaps that’s why there’s been so much apathy on the part of the people. Can’t make up their minds who should be supported, Union or Confederacy.”

  “Did you have that problem?” Matthew asked, studying Daniel with the dark question still in his eyes.

  Amy caught a glimpse of movement as Daniel’s head jerked. “Because I’m not in the Army? No, Matt. Matter of fact, for a time I thought maybe it was God’s will for me to enlist, seeing nothing else seemed to be coming together for me. It was back last year when the fighting began.” Amy sucked in her breath and Daniel looked at her with the expression in his eyes softening.

  In a moment he began to speak again, but Amy was thinking, Daniel didn’t know where I was. He thought I’d left forever. What if—

  Then Amy realized Daniel was speaking and turned to listen. “That was when the verse in Ezekiel began to mean so much to me. There the Lord tells Ezekiel the nation of Israel has become sinful, from humble man to king. He reminded Ezekiel that when He didn’t speak, the people turned away to do evil.

  “The Lord summed it all up by saying He looked for a man to stand in the gap before Him to build up the crumbling wall of defense against spiritual enemies. I was convicted by His words, ‘I sought…but I found none.’” Daniel’s chin sank down against his chest.

  Studying his brooding face, Amy began to feel a new emotion, something apart and separate from their life together, and yet somehow linking them. The feeling blossomed in her with a strange joy. She could not restrain the hand that had to touch him. Is it love or a deeper kinship—something that comes through knowing God? She couldn’t answer the question.

  “Found none,” Matt echoed the words as he lifted his head, sighed and said, “Those are terrifying words. I’m glad I didn’t live in Old Testament days.”

  “Is there a difference?”

  Early the next day, they were at it again. Words were parried back and forth, building up questions and answers Amy couldn’t understand. When Amy had the dishes washed, she sat down to listen and watch their faces. She wanted desperately to pick apart their words, to understand the ideas about slavery and God and fellowmen and freedom they were tossing around. The arguments built up until Amy’s head was in a whirl and she wanted to flee.

  But before she could move, Matthew was on his feet. Although a head shorter, and nearly frail compared to Daniel, he shouted with a strange anger that left Amy trembling. “Who is the adversary; who is responsible? Who separates brothers? Why must there be this ugliness? Do you realize, my friend, we’ll never heal this wound as long as the country exists?”

  “You are wrong.” Daniel paced the room. “I don’t know politics, and I’ve no book learning, but I know God somewhat. This is a great nation. He will not let us down if we sincerely want the right.”

  “Right? What is right?”

  “I guess if you believe there is a God, and if it follows that He’s loving, just, and righteous, then we find right by aligning ourselves with Him.”

  “Simplistic. No educated man would buy that.”

  Heavily, Daniel said, “Probably not, that is until he’s tried everything else. But I want to be around to say the words over and over. There’ll be a day—”

  Matthew was speaking as if he had not heard. “We are both smug, both sides, thinking we are right and that our way is Christian. See, Daniel, that’s why I had to go back home. There’s too much behind me. Traditions. A hundred years of believing in a way of life. You can’t throw over loyalties and family ties just like that. You don’t toss out all the values you’ve cherished simply because someone questions your beliefs.” With hard, quick steps, Matthew paced to the window and stood with his back to Daniel.

  “I know how you feel,” Daniel said slowly. “But, Matt, at some point we both have to sit down and struggle through our beliefs. I hope we’re both man enough to admit errors and throw them out.”

  Amy jumped to her feet. “I see Mother coming. You men are on your own; I’m leaving.” She swished through the door and forcefully closed it behind her.

  For a long minute there was silence in the room. Then Matthew slowly turned from the window. “Daniel, that woman, what is her name?”

  “Mother?” Daniel stopped and looked at the strange mixture of curiosity and dismay on Matthew’s face. He hesitated a moment as he paced back and forth across the room. This is the situation we’ve all dreaded. The past has come back to haunt Silverheels. He faced Matthew again, saying, “Her name is Amelia Randolph. I would appreciate your saying no more.”

  Matthew threw him a startled look, and immediately Daniel realized the man had no intention of saying more.

  “Sorry,” Daniel muttered as he resumed his pacing. The conversation was flattened and their words stilted. In a few minutes, Matthew headed for the bunk, and Daniel said, “I’m going over to see the folks, to give you a chance to rest.”

  “Do me a favor?” Matthew’s voice was muffled. “Don’t mention my name to her.”

  “Sure, fella.” Daniel carefully closed the door behind him.

  ****

  Amelia had been at the well on the edge of the parade grounds when Amy rushed forward, crying, “Oh, Mother, it is terrible! Those men have been arguing for two days now. At least when Matt was ill he didn’t feel obligated to defend the whole Confederacy.”

  Amelia blinked with surprise. “Amy, what are you talking about?”

  “That Confederate soldier we’ve been taking care of. You’ve been so concerned with Father that you’ve paid no attention. Is Father feeling better today?”

  “That’s why I’m here. The fever is gone and he’s been fussing for food and you. He wanted me to bring Daniel too, but since he’s occupied, we’ll see him later.” Linking arms they strolled down the path together.

  Eli was dressed and seated on the edge of the bunk. Amy hugged him and then sat down beside the bunk. “The gripe,” he explained. “Didn’t want you and Daniel to come down with it. The doctor is saying I’m well enough to travel about any time.”

  “You mean your leg is healed?”

  Amelia interjected, “The doctor is willing for him to travel as long as he does so in a wagon and without putting his weight on the leg. Come see the contraptions they’ve built for him. Because of the fighting, they’ve run out of crutches.”

  Amy examined the crude crutches. “Then you won’t be able to continue visiting around the territory like Father Dyer wanted you to do?”

  Eli said, “No, it’ll be months before I can sit a horse or do much walking. Besides”—he hesitated as he looked at Amelia—“I’m thinking of filing for a piece of property. A homestead claim. In Colorado Territory. We’ll be eligible for a section big enough to support us.”

  “Father, you a farmer?” Amy cried. Then turning to her mother, she asked, “How do you feel about this?”

  Amelia averted her face but Amy saw the dismay as she looked toward her husband, “Eli, I thought you’d forgotten about that.” She caught her breath and faced away from Eli. “It was bad for me to come back, disrupting your life; but this is worse, knowing I’ve taken you from your first love.”

  “Amelia,” Eli’s face flushed, “we’ve gone through this before. Please, no more.”


  “But—”

  “Father,” Amy protested, “don’t Mother’s feelings matter? I mean, I don’t think you’re being fair.” She saw the frown on his face and turned her back. “I’m supposed to be grown up, yet I can see you think I’ve no right to express how I feel. But for Mother’s sake, let’s talk.”

  “Please, Amy.” Amelia’s hand was warm on her shoulder. “I’m just sorry I spoke. I’ve no right to dig up the past. It was just that I was taken by surprise. That’s all. It is his decision; it’s only—”

  “You don’t like it because of what it means,” Amy said bitterly. “And we’re not allowed to voice our opinions.”

  There was a tap on the door and Daniel pushed it open. “Thought I’d join you.” Amy saw his puzzled face as he looked from her to Mother.

  “We’re having an argument,” she explained. “Father’s decided to take up farming.” Daniel’s eyebrows went up. “You don’t think he’s a farmer either,” she added, while Daniel moved his shoulders uneasily.

  “Well, since I’m not the one doing the farming, how can I complain?” he said with a shrug.

  “Daniel.” Amy saw him wince, but she pushed on. “It’s because of Mother, and she doesn’t want him to give up the ministry. Why can’t he see it is only making matters worse? I know how guilty I would feel. That is, how I did feel when you said you’d give up preaching all because of my selfishness.”

  Eli protested, “Amelia, I didn’t say you were forcing me.”

  Amy wheeled around. “Father, this is a bad situation, but don’t make it worse!”

  “Daughter!” His voice cut through hers, and Amy stopped. It had been a long time since she had heard this stern note. When he had their attention and the room was so quiet that they could hear only the crackle of fire in the stove, he said, “This is not a bad situation. It is a promise fulfilled. One that the Lord gave me years ago, and one that sustained me when I didn’t think it was possible to keep going.”

  He hesitated a second, dropped his head and then began quoting softly, “‘Therefore, behold, I will allure her, and bring her into the wilderness…. I will give her a door of hope.’”