Part 5 to be continued
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Part 5 Teaspoon looked at the man, who was keeping them covered with his rifle, and then his eyes looked over at his two companions, who by now also held their guns ready. "Now don’t do anything stupid", he said calmly, hoping that Buck would stay calm. He could see the tension in the boy, and he knew that he was probably fighting to keep his composure. Finally Mr. Craven seemed to come to his senses and he lowered his gun. "Get in off my lands," he muttered. "Mount up, Buck," Teaspoon ordered quietly keeping an eye on Craven and his men. Buck obliged without a word. "Remember something, Mr. Craven", Teaspoon said sternly, "If you don’t start to change your attitude around here, you might end up in some serious trouble." "Is that a threat, marshal?" Craven spat out. "See it whatever way you want, Mr. Craven." Teaspoon replied and turned his horse around. "Let’s get out of here, Buck." As they rode off, Teaspoon made sure that he was covering Buck’s back. He didn’t wanna get Craven or one of his men any chance to get a shot at Buck. When they were out of sight he rode up next to Buck. "Sorry ’bout that, Buck." "Ain’t your fault, Teaspoon," Buck replied between his teeth. They continued in silence, Teaspoon occasionally glancing at Buck, seeing that the incident had made an impact on the boy. He could understand why – it was not easy being threatened simple on behalf of the color of your skin. Finally Teaspoon decided to try easing the tension. "Did you see any tracks while we were there?" Buck shook his head. "Only after shoed horses. There was no signs of any Indians, Teaspoon." "So what do you think?" "Maybe the horses run off, maybe something scared them." "What about the boy’s story?" "He’s lying." Buck’s reply was short. "What the hell are you talking ‘bout, Buck? I spoke to the boy myself! There’s no way he could have made that story up by himself!" Jimmy threw an angry glance across the dinner table. "There was no sign of any Indians around that coral," Buck insisted. "Well, if he’s lying, then how the hell did he get shot?" "I don’t know, but he wasn’t attacked by any Indians." Buck refused to budge. "You’re sure, Buck? I mean you weren’t there for a very long time?." Kid asked. "What do you mean?" Buck frowned at his friend. "You’re sure you weren’t mistaken or just missed something?" "Why would I miss something?" Buck was getting irritated and Lou tried to change the subject: "When was Noah supposed to be back Rachel?" But Jimmy wasn’t so easily dismissed. "Maybe you just didn’t look carefully enough? You sure as hell wouldn’t get your brother into trouble now, would you?" Jimmy’s words caused a tensed silence to settle over the table. "You think I'm lying?" Buck half rose from his place. "Hold it boys!" Rachel rose and tried to calm them down. "Now, Jimmy, the boy was very upset, and he might have been mistaken, and Buck, you were only there for a short time. Maybe you missed something, unintentionally?" Buck threw an angry glance over the table at Jimmy, but sat down. Jimmy muttered something inaudible and started pecking his food. Rachel looked disappointingly at them as she sat down again. "Now, let's end this dinner quietly, shall we?" she requested. "Sorry, Rachel." Kid was the first to apologize, feeling that he sort of had started the discussion. Rachel nodded her approval and looked hard at Buck and Jimmy. The clock on the mantelpiece ticked away a few seconds to the past before Buck opened his mouth. "Sorry, Rachel." Jimmy threw a glance across the table at Buck as he said his apologies, as Teaspoon walked through the door. "Sorry, I'm late Rachel. Is there any food left or have all been eaten? "I saved you some." "Thanks," Teaspoon grinned and placed himself at the head of the table as Rachel went over to get some stew from the stove. As Teaspoon with a deft hand tucked his napkin under his chin he looked at the boys. "You're unusually quiet this 'ere evening. Anything I should knew 'bout?" Three pair of eyes turned to Jimmy and Buck. "It's nothing, Teaspoon," Jimmy mumbled. "Just a disagreement, that's all." "And what's this disagreement 'bout then?" Teaspoon asked suspiciously, eyeing the two sullen riders sitting opposite each other. Jimmy shrugged and Buck chose to look down at his plate. Kid cleared his throat. "It's 'bout what happen over at Mr. Craven's, Teaspoon," he said, only to receive an angry glance from Buck. "I see." The stationmaster raised an eyebrow. "And I assume that this 'ere disagreement concerns whether or not the boy's story is true. Am I right?" "There's no way that boy's lying." The statement was repeated with all the intensity of a man being wronged. Jimmy looked defiantly at Buck. Buck returned his look with a frown on his face. "There were no Indians 'round the coral," Buck said silently. The two opponents stared at each other over the table. "Take it easy, boys." Teaspoon said watching them in disbelief. He knew both of them could be stubborn and that none of them would admit to being wrong. "We have no clue to what happened out there, so I think it's a bit soon to start jumping to conclusions." "You were there with me, Teaspoon, did you see any sign of Indians being out there?" Buck asked calmly. "No, not around the coral. But we never got a chance to look the edge of the forest over." A smile lurked in the corner of Jimmy's mouth. He refrained from looking at Buck, not wanting to show his satisfaction over Teaspoon's words and maybe start another argument. At least he'd been right - the boy hadn't lied. He might have seen Indians at the homestead. Buck looked disappointed at Teaspoon, and pushed his plate away from him. He knew that the stationmaster was right - they hadn't looked in the forest. But it didn't make sense. There were no reasons for any Indian braves to venture that close to the farm unless they had decided to attack it. And then a discovery by a small boy wouldn't have changed their minds, on the contrary it would have been the reason for starting an attack. "You haven't finished your meal." Rachel looked at him. "Sorry, just ain't hungry." Buck said pensively and Rachel decided not to push it. At least they were all sitting down, and nobody had stormed out of the room. She took that as a good sign as she placed a large portion of food before Teaspoon. Cody looked expectantly at her and she sighed. "You want another helping?" "Sure wouldn't mind it," Cody said with a big smile spreading on his face. Normally Rachel would have scolded the boy for his appetite, but right now she was pleased that somebody seemed unaffected by the tension in the room, so she gladly complied. Lou looked at Cody with a surprised frown in her face. How come he could be so oblivious to all that was going on, she thought. Sometimes she felt almost jealous. It sure would be nice to be able to shut out reality now and then. James Craven looked up at his mother's worried face. So far nobody had told him that he'd been a bad boy, and his father hadn't even talked about any punishment for him using the gun. Maybe this wasn't so bad after all. He'd even had a visit from Wild Bill and he had listened to him. Nobody had really listened to him before. He had been so scared that he would be beaten or worse if they found out what he had done, that the lie finally had become the truth. He almost believed himself that there had been Indians at the coral. He could even describe them, but the fear of being caught with a lie, had made his story unstructured and nervous. Somehow, this had made them believe him even more. He didn't really understand why, but he told himself to remember that. Everything that kept him from a beating was good to remember. He was feeling exhausted and the pain in the arm slowly came back, when the opening of the door made him jerk. "It's all right, James, it's just your father," his mother said. "How is he?" "He's still upset." James watched in scared anticipation how his father crossed the room and placed himself on a chair by the bed. "He'll be up on his feet in no time," he said. "Right, James." "Yes, sir, I'll try." James voice trembled. What did his father want? "That's my boy. Ain't no Indians gonna scare you." His father smiled at him and James felt a ray of hope. Maybe his father wasn't going to beat him up for borrowing the gun. "I'm sorry I took your gun, father," he said, still not sure of this new side of his father. "You did what was right," his father assured him. "You defended your home and your mother and sister." "But I ---," James hesitated, then another lie left his mouth, "I'm sorry I couldn't hit any of them," he mumbled. "We'll see to that. Maybe you and I could start some target practise." James shone up. Maybe this adventure really would end in something good. "Maybe we could ask Mr. Hickok?" he asked and regretted it immediately as a dark cloud seemed to pass his father's face. "I think I'm capable to teach you how to handle a gun, son," he said sternly. James shrunk. "I'm sorry. I'll look forward to it." "Good. You better get some rest. We need you on your feet, boy. There's a lot of chores to be done and school is 'bout to start." "Where are you going?" Mrs. Craven looked at her husband. "See to it that we have some men posted around the yard. Don't want any more unwelcome visitors. We'll add a few surprises round the trees, too." "Thomas, you're sure we're safe here? The marshall said---" "The marshall." Thomas Craven sneered. "Don't trust that man at all. He had the nerve calling my son a liar and then he showed up on my property bringing a half-breed to look for evidence. Evidence, ha! As if my son's word weren't good enough. And to have a half-breed searching the premises." "You didn't do anything stupid, now, did you?" Mrs. Craven asked anxiously. "Just told him to take that In'jun off my property. If that In'jun comes snooping around here again, I'll show him how we treat those half-breed bastards where I came from. Thieves and murderers, the lot of 'em, if you ask me. Nothing good can come from mixing blood like that." James listened with fascination to his father's words and wished he one day could be able to act the same way. He would learn from his father and he would never allow an Indian, half-breed or black to treat him with anything but respect. They were inferior to the white man, he'd heard his father say so on numerous occasion, and he wanted to be just like his father. "Be careful, Thomas," his wife asked with a nervous voice. She wasn't pleased at all at having to stay at the farm with Indians all around. "Don't worry. As I said, we've placed a few surprises round the grove and there's no way anybody gonna get through the woods tonight. If they do we got some fellows from town watching the yard. There's nothing to be nervous 'bout." Buck looked hesitantly at the door to the marshall's office. It was the second time he walked past it and he knew he had to make up his mind soon. "Stop pacing around outside my office, Buck, and get inside." The deep voice made the decision. Buck opened the door. "What's on your mind, son, that forced you to wear the porch down like that? Folks might think I haven't got enough job for you." Buck sat down on the desk opposite Teaspoon's. Normally the deputy, Barnett occupied it, but Teaspoon had sent him to check on the men keeping watch outside town. He didn't want any of them to risk a ride into Indian territory. There was enough talk of retaliation as it where, without any one being killed for being in the wrong place. "It's this business with the Cravens, right?" Teaspoon reached for his cup of coffee and sipped it as he looked at the boy. Buck nodded. "I know we didn't looked in the forest, Teaspoon, but I'm sure there were no Indians around." "What do you base that assumption on?" "I just have a feeling---" "Feelings don't prove anything, son." "I know. So maybe we can have another shot at it. I'm sure if I only could take a quick look--". Teaspoon scratched his chin. "I don't like the idea of you goin' out there again, Buck," he admitted. "You saw how Craven reacted." "What if we bring Kid went with us? Craven isn't crazy enough to get all of us. We can even ask Jimmy." Teaspoon shook his head. "I still don't like it. If he decides to start a fight, well, I don't like the idea of shooting a family man. And besides, there's no reason for us to upset him any more than we've already done." "Then what do you suggest we do?" "We'll try and find those horses. If what you say is true they shouldn't be too far away. If we can return them to Craven, I'm sure he'll calm down." Buck looked at Teaspoon. "I still think that ---" "I know," Teaspoon interrupted him, "but trust me on this, will you? Just wait, and I'm sure it will sort itself out." Buck looked doubtfully at him, but then he shrugged and rose. "If you say so. I s'pose I better get back to the station." "You're scheduled for a run?" "Not until tomorrow. I just hope Noah's back before my run. I want to knew what he found out 'bout that broker." "Your run scheduled for the afternoon, he? Where you're goin'?" "Willow Springs. Why do you ask?" "No particular reason," Teaspoon mumbled. "All right, you better get back to the station. And remember what I told you," he added as the boy went out the door. He was relieved that Buck's run was to Willow Springs. That was the opposite direction of Mr. Craven's homestead and he had a feeling that it was safer if Buck wasn't passing in that direction. At least for the time being. Buck rode deep in thoughts back to the station. He'd hoped that Teaspoon would have been more co-operative, but he supposed the old stationmaster had his reason. Buck really wanted to check that grove for any tracks. If he was wrong and some Indians really had been watching the family, then an attack might be imminent. And an attack would be followed by the army's retaliation. Buck hoped it wouldn't come to that. If Indians had been there, it wouldn't matter if it turned out be another tribe than the Kiowa. The Kiowa was the closest tribe to Sweetwater, except for the Sioux, and while the Sioux had been willing to discuss peace, the Kiowa had stubbornly refused to enter into negotiations on the white man's terms. Therefore the blame would first fall on the Kiowa. If he, Buck, could prove that there hadn't been any Indians around when the boy was injured, then something else must have happened. And if Indians had been around, he was sure it wasn't the Kiowa or the Sioux. They had too much to loose for risking such an event. It had to be another tribe. It was likely that it was a band of renegades. The war between the Indians and the white had caused fractions within tribes and now and then renegades looking for honour and kills roamed the territory. If he could prove this to Teaspoon and the others, they could talk to the townspeople, he thought. Tell 'em that it was no need for any worry from the nearby tribes. He could tell that Mr. Craven's story had scared them - he could feel it in the air as he'd walked down the street earlier. Suddenly people had walked out of his way and he'd heard them whisper after him. He tried to ignore it, but it certainly didn't make him feel any better. "Glad you're back, Buck!" Rachel greeted him with a basket of laundry in her arms. "You can help Kid fix the barn door. Seemed it got a real bang when Lollipop made that attempt to get out this morning and now it won't shut properly. Kid been complaining he can't fix it on his own." "Where's the others?" Buck asked. "Ike's on a run, and Cody took an extra run for the army. Lou promised to take Lightning to the blacksmith. Seems one of his shoes is wrong. God knows where Jimmy is, haven't seen him all morning." "I'll just tend to my horse, and then I'll help Kid." Buck promised. Jimmy looked at the man pointing a rifle at him. The man was obviously not used to handle the new rifle and the uncertainty show. "I just wanna see Mr. Craven, Ambrose," he explained to the older man. Ambrose Emery was well-known in the town for his hatred for Indians and it was no surprise to Jimmy that he had joined the group deciding to help Mr. Craven defend his home. "Now, why should I trust you, Hickok? Everyone knows that you're a gunfighter, and you're a friend of that half-breed." "His name's Buck, Ambrose, and yes, he's a friend." Jimmy was loosing his patience. Ambrose Emery had always been a pain, but a harmless one. He showed up, drunk, once a month, on the saloon and argued for a war against the Indians, but people had long ago stopped to listen to the man's ramblings. Even Buck had learned to ignore him. Now, it seemed that Ambrose Emery suddenly had found a chance to be more than just a harmless pain. "Come on, Ambrose, let me through." Jimmy said, tired of the game. "You better give me a reason why I shouldn't shoot you right 'ere and now!" the man bragged. Jimmy leaned forward and looked the man straight in the eyes. "Because you know that you haven't got a chance," he said slowly. "The moment you're finger as much as touch that trigger, you're dead. And I ain't bragging." Ambrose Emery suddenly turned white and slowly removed his finger from the trigger. "Sorry 'bout that Mr. Hickok," he smiled sheepishly. "Craven is over by the stable." "Thanks," Jimmy sneered and urged his horse forward. He halted in front of the house and decided that he should see how the boy was doing before seeing Mr. Craven. He tied his palomino by the stable and walked up to the house. He was just about to knock when the door opened and a small girl looked up at him with big blue eyes. "Hi," she said shyly, "who are you?" Jimmy smiled at her. "I'm Jimmy," he said, " and who are you?" The girl giggled and put her hand in front of her mouth. "That's my brother's name," she said between the laughs and rushed back into the house. Jimmy removed his hat and stepped in through the now opened door. "Hello? Mrs. Craven?" he called as somebody walked into the room from behind the drapes with the girl, still giggling, hidden behind her skirt. "It's Mr. Hickok, right?" "Yes, Ma'am. Just thought I'd see how James doin'." "Sorry 'bout Mary, Mr. Hickok. 'Fraid she ain't used to visitors out here." The woman's voice still held the fear and insecurity as at his last visit and he wondered about the man that put his family through this risk. "That's OK, Ma'am. How's James?" "He's better, thank you." "Can I talk to him?" "Well, I ain't sure -- my husband ain't here right now…" "I just gonna say hello, Mrs. Craven," Jimmy assured her. He had no wish of asking for Mr. Craven's permission before he spoke to the boy. However certain he was 'bout the boy's story, Buck's stubborn insistence that there was no Indians around the coral, had spark a ray of uncertainty. Maybe the boy was mistaken. "I s'pose it's OK," Mrs. Craven said slowly. "Just don't stay to long, Mr.Hickok," she added as he started to walk over to where the boy was resting. Because I'll tire the boy or because you're afraid of your husband, Jimmy thought to himself as Mrs. Craven picked up the girl and went outside. Good, then I can talk to James without any disturbances, Jimmy pondered as he removed the curtain from the separated area of the room. There the boy was laying in a bed, looking out the small window of the room. "Hi there," Jimmy said. The boy turned his head and then he sat himself up in the bed. "Good day, Mr. Hickok," he said shyly, almost bowing. "It's Jimmy," Jimmy said smiling and placed himself on the chair close to the bed. "I just came to see how you're doin':" "I'm fine, but ---" The boy hesitated. "Have you ever been scared, Mr. Hick -- Jimmy?" "Many times," Jimmy nodded. The boy swallowed. "I thought only cowards that were scared," he said with a frown. "No, but only truly great men have the courage to admit being scared," Jimmy said. "Can you tell me what happened yesterday?" "I was so scared," the boy mumbled. "I thought hey were goin' to kill my mama and sister, so I had to do something. But then I was so scared he was going to kill me. You ain't gonna tell my father, are you?" James looked up at Hickok with tears in his eyes. Jimmy smiled back and regretted that he had doubted the boy's story. Every word reminded him of his upbringing after his father had died. Fear of anyone hurting his mother or sisters. Fear of another man in his mother's life, an abusive man, that torn his family apart. He saw himself in this boy and he really wanted to help him out. Besides it would take his mind of Lou. Or Lou and Kid. So he stayed and talked. They talked about what had happened and a little about the boy's family, but Jimmy noticed that it was not a favourite subject so finally they talked about Pete, James best friend back in Tacoma. Finally Jimmy realised that he had to go, and told the boy he would be back later. When Jimmy had left, James sank back in the bed. This was better than he'd expected. For a moment he felt a pang of bad conscience over the lies he had told Hickok, but life had taught him a harsh lessons. Without the lies he was nothing. And with one lie, his life suddenly had taken a real turn for the better. Now his father liked him and he'd got a new friend in Wild Bill. He hadn't thought of telling Wild Bill that he'd been scared, but somehow he'd felt that that was what Hickok wanted to hear. The boy had been an expert on tuning into to other people's feelings for so long that he by now was an expert. Now all he had to do was to make as much as possible out of this lie, then everything would OK. |
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