by Rita Hestand
Shaken she shook her head, "I guess I didn't." She dusted her skirt and kept her head bowed.
"I should have told you, but don't hang your clothes around rocks like these from now on, that's where they come from." He pointed out the small rock formation near her clothes line.
She stared at the rock, silently for a moment. Then her eyes widened as she saw the bloody snake. "What kind of snake was it?"
"Prairie rattler, lots of them in this country."
"I guess I wasn't even thinking…"
"Are you alright, now?" he asked.
Her gaze lifted to his, and although her cheeks colored bright red, she nodded. "Yes, thanks to you."
He moved away from her, smiled, tipped his hat and left, because he realized if he'd stayed any longer, he'd repeat that kiss, and that wasn't wise.
***
She stood there staring after him for a long moment. What had just happened? Cully had saved her life, like he said he would. But more than that, he'd kissed her, and with such sweet abandon, she'd never forget it.
No man had ever been that gentle with her, it was so unexpected, and oh so welcome.
In that moment, she melted into a million pieces, as though she'd waited a lifetime for that very moment. Her heart was still hammering.
She could still feel the warmth of that kiss on her lips. She licked them. Oddly enough, she'd never experienced anything so mind boggling sweet. It shocked her. It made her swoon a bit. How could a man be tough as nails one minute and soft as butter the next?
Even though her goal was well set in her mind, her heart said otherwise. What she'd tried to avoid so many times was the closeness they shared in this journey. It was like they were kindred spirits. But she feared it would be hard to keep her goal in mind now. Even though he'd never know it, she'd treasure that kiss in her heart forever. There was no way around it, she was attracted to Cully and she didn't know how to stop that attraction. She'd found something in him that she wasn't even looking for. She admired him, trusted him, and yet she could not tell him.
Unfortunately, Cully wasn't the marrying kind of man. She knew that. He was much more experienced in the art of kissing than anyone she'd ever met. That made him dangerous… to her heart.
Perhaps the kiss was just a sign of relief that she was alright. Perhaps it was just a reaction from near death. And perhaps it was her destiny to never know.
She had to put it out of her mind, forget it. He probably kissed women all the time, many women. And she feared he was one of those never settling down kind of men.
She could not make more of it than it was.
But in her heart, she knew things had changed for her. Only her, she told herself.
She picked up the laundry basket that overturned in the scuffle and went to put the clothes up.
Cully was talking to a couple from the other train as she set the basket inside her wagon, and she did her best to drag her gaze from him. It wouldn't do to drool over the wagon master, she silently scolded herself.
From then on, Cully seemed to distance himself from her. She understood him.
Still, that kiss lingered in her mind. Had she been too brazen? Had she submitted to the kiss too easily? Of course, she had. She was very attracted to the man. Women believed in romance and love. Men, not so much, she decided.
He seemed to evade her now. Or was he simply using his head and not getting involved with her? Yes, that made sense. She should have known he would. Perhaps she should follow suit.
He was a wagon master he couldn't get involved with the people of the train. He had a job to do, and he'd to it.
She decided the best thing to do was stay away from him too. Less involvement.
Still, she sought him out in the crowd with her glance, she waited anxiously for him to return as he rode out to talk to Hobby. Just the slightest glimpse of him was enough to hold in her heart.
This would never do. She had made plans for marriage with a gold miner. She had started this train. She couldn't abandon those plans. Besides, Cully acted as though the kiss hadn't affected him in any way. Why should she act differently?
She was cooking one evening with Rebecca when her friend blurted, "I think I’m in love with Johnny."
Taken by surprise Abby stared at her. "In love?"
"Yes, he's just so attentive and I know he feels the same. Would it shock you if I didn't marry one of the miners?"
"Well, I…. of course not. I mean, it's your decision. But, are you sure?" Abby asked, turning to stare at her friend.
"Very sure. I just don't want you to be mad at me. He's everything I want in a man, Abby. I can't help myself."
Abby put the spoon on a small tin plate and came toward her, hugging her. "I'm not mad, just surprised is all."
"I know it's sudden. But, it just happened. I couldn't help myself. I've never felt this way before Abby. Never dreamed it could be this good." Rebecca admitted with a slight chuckle.
Abby looked into her eyes. "Has he asked you to marry?"
"No, not yet. But he still thinks I'm headed for a gold miner." Rebecca chuckled.
"Are you going to tell him differently?" Abby asked.
"Well, that's why I came to you. I wanted to see if it was alright with you first. I mean, I did sign on as a mail order bride, but I'm so in love with him."
"You don't need my permission." Abby told her.
"Well, I didn't know. I mean, this changes things and I was sure you'd be upset with me." Rebecca smiled.
Abby could see she was in love, just the look on her face when she spoke his name told her that. She couldn't hold her to the contract.
"The idea of this train was to make a new life for ourselves. And you are making it. Happily, I might add."
"I feel like a traitor." Rebecca wailed, but stared at Abby.
"Well don't. All I want out of this is your happiness." Abby took her hands and held them. "Be happy Becca."
"Oh, I'm so happy, Abby. That is… if he'll ask me to marry. If he doesn't, I guess I'll go through with the contract."
"If he loves you half as much as you do him, I'm sure he'll ask you." Abby chuckled.
"Thanks Abby. What about you?"
"Me?"
"I've seen the way you look at Cully." Rebecca smiled with sympathy.
"Oh, you are wrong. I admire him, yes, he's done a great job, so far, but there is nothing between us." Abby assured her.
"Abby, I know you want everyone to be happy. But we want the same for you." Rebecca told her. "There's nothing wrong with being in love."
Abby whirled around from the stew she was cooking and stared at her in morbid shock. "You are such a romantic."
"No matter, I want your happiness as much as mine. You've done so much for us, given us such hope of the future. We all love you."
"I will be happy, eventually." Abby replied, swallowing hard. Had she been so obvious? If Rebecca knew how she felt, then so might Cully. Oh, how embarrassing that would be. She had to be more careful about her true feelings. She'd die if Cully got wind of what Rebecca said. "I'm just not sure I can be like the rest of you."
"What do you mean?" Rebecca looked at her with concern. "You're no different than the rest of us. You came from the same problems we did."
"But I'm a murderer."
"He had it coming Abby. After what he did to you."
"Perhaps if I'd have told him about the baby, he wouldn't have hit me. I was afraid to tell him."
"With good reason." Rebecca sighed. "You've got to learn how to forgive yourself."
"How long will that take, it's been three years, Rebecca. How long will it take to get over it? Some nights I relive it. And I wake up crying."
"Oh Abby, what can I do to help you?"
"Nothing," Abby gathered her shawl about her. "There's nothing anyone can do."
"You are always thinking how much better things will be for us in California, think it for yourself now." Rebecca encouraged her.
Abby glanced at her,
"You're right. California will be better."
Chapter Sixteen
Ft. Hall was usually a bustling kind of fort, with stages coming and going, traders and mountain men doing business daily, and the Indians, especially the Shoshone and Bannock tribes were there to trade their buffalo robes and hides. But not so now. The Hudson Bay Company had abandoned the fort because of the previous year's Ward Massacre, when a party of twenty stopped to rest along the way and were attacked by the Shoshone's. Men, women, and children were killed. Cully couldn't dwell on the misfortunes of others though, keeping a good attitude went a long way to success.
Ft. Hall was close to the Snake River and afforded weary travelers water from the higher tributaries.
The trains kept their wagons outside the fort and walked inside. There was less traffic from traders now, but the Shoshone still came to sell their Indian robes to the trains coming and going, arguing that the winters in Oregon would make them a welcome relief. But the fur trade was dwindling fast due to so many trappers and the Indians knew the day of the buffalo was short. Too many people came to kill the buffalo, the main hunt for the Shoshone's. The trades weren't as good for the money and disgruntled trappers and Indians came and went.
Since the Hudson Bay was a British Company, the fort had no regular American army leaders. But it provided a chance to get supplies before heading to the more dangerous mountains of Oregon, and the treacherous desert trails to California. There were few soldiers about.
Cully didn't like the way people came and went, there was no authority here at the time and the trains felt deprived of any protection.
"Where is everyone?" Cully asked a young soldier that looked rather strangely as though he didn't know what he was doing.
"Well, you see," the young soldier hesitated to tell him. "Lt. Day is out capturing the Indians that were responsible for the Ward Massacre."
"I heard about that. But that was a year ago. Why now."
"It was bad, them Shoshone's killed nearly all of them, held the young men over a fire, raped and killed the women and only a couple escaped only to die later." The young solider told him. "They killed the children too. How can anyone forget that?"
"But that was a long time ago, soldier. Why now?" Cully frowned.
"Yeah, but we been looking for them for some time. We haven't forgotten and don't intend to."
"I see." Bully muttered, but he didn't see.
"You folks headed for Oregon?" the young soldier asked.
"Some are, we are headed for California." Cully informed him.
"Well, you can proceed south, but the ones going to Oregon better wait up. They aren't letting anyone go without a military escort and it will be a while before anyone returns to escort them." He informed him.
"Your joking, aren't you?" Cully studied to soldier.
"No sir, they are hell bent on capturing the ones that did in the Ward party. Lt. Day got word of who was responsible and where to find him. It's only a matter of time before justice is served."
"Seems like it's a little late, wouldn't you say?" Cully frowned.
"We ain't forgot, and not only will they capture the ones that did it, they plan on having a court hearing and hanging them. Someone must have talked out of turn, because Day got word of who was responsible and he's hot on their trail. He's not a man to give up. He'll find him this time." He nodded. "And they got it all planned out. They are gonna hang them right where they killed those people, as an example, Lt. Day said so."
"Does this Day fella run this fort?"
"Right now, he does. It's just temporary. The Colonel was called to Washington for a full report on the progress."
"I see. I'll let my people know, about the escort." Cully told him, his expression grim as he walked out on the veranda.
The soldier watched him go back to the train.
"Johnson, Johnny, I gotta talk to you." Cully told them. He waved them away from the train.
Everyone from the train watched as the three men went far from the train.
"Something wrong?" Johnson wanted to know as he seemed surprised that Cully would call him out.
"Yeah, we got some troubles."
"Oh, what kind of troubles?" Johnson scratched his chin and waited as he propped his leg on a log.
"Well, for one thing, this is where we part company now." Cully told him.
"Yes, yes, of course." Johnson looked about the fort for a moment. "Is that all?"
"No, I'm afraid it isn't." Cully stared at the impatient man.
Johnson fidgeted a moment, "Alright, tell me."
"It would seem, that the commanding officer, if you could call him that, took some of his men, a good portion of them to round up the Indians responsible for the Ward Massacre last year."
Johnson stared off for a moment. "The Ward Massacre, but that was a year ago, wasn't it?"
"That's right." Cully stared at him.
"But why now?" Johnson and Johnny both asked.
"I don't know, seems kind of strange to me, but the soldiers took personal offense from their actions and have revenge in mind I think. Also, this Lt. Day that took it upon himself to go after them, must be trying for promotion."
"Promotion?" Johnson scrounged up his nose.
"Pretty common out here. You want a promotion you go after the Indians."
"What does this mean for us?" Johnson's frown deepened.
"Well a lot, because of the massacre, they aren't letting trains go through to the Oregon trail without escort. And they aren't here. So, it means you are stuck here for a while."
"How long?" Johnson looked frustrated already.
"I don't know, but it could be a while." Cully informed him. "It sounds like they are settling up for what the Shoshone did to the Ward party. Having a court and all."
"That's not good, if we are held up too long, the winter will be upon us over those mountains." Johnson told him. "I can't take them through that, it would be suicide."
"I'm aware of that, but I have a train to worry about too. Since we are headed for California, south, we can leave."
"If we're held up too long, we won't be able to go." Johnson protested.
"My thinking exactly."
Johnson made a face and ran his hand over it. "What am I going to tell them. They've come this far."
"Two things you can do." Cully told him.
"Two, what?" Johnson fretted. "I'd like to hear them."
"Go with us, stay in California until next spring, or wait it out here. But like you said, if you do, you could be leaving in an unhealthy time. If you get caught during the snows, you might not get a lot of them through. It's tough enough when it's good weather. I sure wouldn't want to take them through in the snow. Too many chances of accidents. Some might just prefer to settle in California. Making your train smaller by next spring if you could see your way through to wait for it."
"Is there any chance we could stay at the fort?"
"I don't know. I don't think there is anyone there that could tell you right now. And I suspicion if they do try those Indians and hang them, there will be retaliation on their part." Cully told him. "They got the pony express and stages coming through, but the train before us is just over the hill, I'm told, and you might have to hold up in your wagons most the winter which wouldn't be a good idea either."
Johnson sighed heavily then stared at Cully.
"What trail you taking out of here?" Johnson wanted to know.
"The California Trail."
"But that's a long trip, I've heard there are short cuts to get there. Have you ever tried them?" Johnson asked.
"No, and I won't."
"Why not?"
"Do you remember the Donner party tried those short cuts and look what happened to them. We won't make the same mistake, instead we'll plan for the desert and make sure every wagon has enough water. We can get there, it just won't be a fun trip. It's hot, and miserable all the way, but there's no other way to do it. We'll get there, and I don't want a bunch of whin
ing people at my throat. Everyone knew this trip wouldn't be easy. You either go with the knowledge it's a rough ride or stay. I don't care, but I'm warning you now."
"What could we do in California?"
Cully almost laughed. "The same thing you'd do in Oregon, find a place, go to work, live until the spring or even summer. Or stay in California. Some might choose to."
"I guess you are right. Would you take us all on, again?" Johnson asked.
"If I do there will be no arguments, we will go, get there and you can settle somewhere along the way. But the trail to California is much different than the trail to Oregon. In Oregon you have mountains and wagons to pull up and down the cliffs. In California's trail you have desert. Water can be a real problem. It's hard land to travel. Then we must cross the Sierra's to get where we are going. But if you come, I figure we can make it there alright. Then when the snow thaws, you can take them to Oregon, if you still want to." Cully told him. "I won't kid you, it's as rough as the Oregon trail in other ways. It will be back breaking work at times. Heat like hell itself. But there is a trail, not a comfortable trail like we've followed so far. And your party is welcome to come along. But you and they will have to talk it over."
"Where in California are you going?" Johnson asked.
Cully thought it strange that Johnson hadn't asked this question a long time ago.
"We're going to Sacramento, although we'll stop in Coloma first, or Nevada City, if they don't want to go on to Sacramento. It's only thirty some odd miles to Sacramento from there, if we stay in Coloma, it wouldn't be that long a trip for your train to go on, if you wanted."
"Isn't that where the gold was first discovered? That Coloma?"
"Yes, but like I said, you could go on to Sacramento, you can stay there if you like or go on to San Francisco. Since the gold strike, Sacramento has become quite a place too." Cully informed him. "I've heard Coloma has become almost a ghost town, so we might not be there but a day or so.
"I'll talk to my people and let you know." Johnson told him.
"Good." Cully agreed. "Just don't take too long."