Earthbound: Science Fiction in the Old West (Chronicles of the Maca Book 1) (24 page)

Kasper pulled the cart to a stop by the Blue Diamond Freight loading area. MacDonald's letter had stated he would be riding with the freight coming in from Missouri.

He had been wounded, and was returning home. Anna wasn't to worry as it was just a thigh wound, and the doctor had extracted the bullet. They had threatened amputation if the infection didn't heal. He had managed to keep some of the medication from the
Golden One
with him and then use it without the doctor's knowledge. He wasn't proud of it, but he had used his mind to make the doctor write him a discharge and a pass. Anna's letter about the hostility of the Texans had driven him homeward. He was stopping at Blue Diamond Freight as the logical place in Arles to lie low if he needed to rest.

People had stared at Kasper and Anna who was holding Mina when they drove through Arles. She had rarely visited Arles after her marriage. She had convinced Kasper to take her along. People wouldn't recognize her. Two barrels of cornmeal and one of flour had come through. It was better than nothing and he could not let Anna traipse around the countryside alone. Jackson and Jesse might be Rebs, but they wouldn't hurt Gerde or the Rolfe family. Herman Rolfe would watch over both ranches and the town.

MacDonald stepped out of the building as they approached the loading dock. He was using his cane in his right hand, cradling his Henry with his left arm, and carrying his satchel in his left. He favored his left leg as he walked. Kasper swung himself down from the large cart. Anna was fuming. She had to wait for him to come around and take Mina before she could climb down. MacDonald solved the problem by walking over to her side and taking Mina. The smile on his face and his eyes told her how much he valued them and she almost jumped the distance to be in his arms. Kasper came over to shake his hand when a shout interrupted their reunion.

“I told you all it was them damn Yanks. Git 'em.”

MacDonald turned and faced them, handing his cane and Mina to Anna. He stepped forward and braced himself. Anna shoved Mina into Kasper's hands as MacDonald swung one massive fist into the first man's face. He pivoted and brought his left smashing into the other's face. The first man had dropped, but by this time the third was at his other side and he couldn't swing around as rapidly with his bad leg. This assailant landed a blow to his cheek.

The second man shook his head and moved in, fists cocked, his right arm coming back to swing a haymaker at MacDonald.

Anna swung the cane into the back of the man's knees, knocking him downward. She lifted the cane and swung it again, clipping the man on the side of the head. He keeled over in the dirt. The red rage was in her and Anna raised the cane again, oblivious to the screams of their daughter. She cracked the cane down on the man's ribcage and raised it again, this time aiming for his head when a force stopped the cane from moving.

“My love, if ye do that, ye may well kill the man.”

MacDonald had knocked the other two out and was now holding the cane. He found himself looking into a pair of slate grey eyes that saw nothing but the enemy. Dear Gar, he thought, she tis ready to kill. He smiled.

“Mrs. MacDonald, I still have need of this cane. Twould be a shame if ye break it.”

For a moment her eyes fixed on him, and then she released the cane and hugged him, not saying a word, just holding him as though assuring herself that he was alive and safe, and hating the clothing that kept her from touching him. For a brief moment he held her.

“Now we need to leave. I'll hold our lassie when it tis safe. Mayhap ye should be in the back of the cart and I twill hold my rifle.”

Freighters had thrown the three barrels into the cart not caring whether they broke or not. Damn Andrew for making them load the damn Yankee's cart. It seemed the damned Yankee had paid months ago and he, Andrew, was honor bound to deliver it. They felt differently. Why should it go to Yankees when supplies were getting low at Stanley's General Store?

“I advise a steady pace.” MacDonald sat beside Kasper balancing the Henry rifle on his right thigh, his finger on the trigger.

“Ja.” Kasper flapped the reins. “Yo, team, up.”

Neither man looked in the back, but Anna had pulled her shotgun up into her lap with Mina. She knew how to use it and would if they were attacked. If there had been more men in town, they might not have been able to ride out, but this was January 1863 and the South needed men.

Towns and farmlands had been depleted of young and middle-aged men. Even boys were enlisting. General Lee had inflicted heavy losses on the North, but the damn Yankees just kept coming. It was rumored that they would be using slaves to fight for their side. Weren't the Irish enough? And England still hadn't declared for the South. Instead England was talking about slavery like it was the issue. Everybody knew it was for States Rights and the glorious South to maintain her traditions.

“Should I quicken the pace a bit?” Kasper's knuckles were white, but his face was stoic with no change of color.

“Nay, ye should wait until we are a good five miles away and then stop to let me get into the back. Wait till the road curves a bit and I twill make the transfer. I shall watch to see if we are followed.”

There was no way for Kasper to know when exactly five miles had been reached, but years of living here honed a man's senses. One-half hour later he cracked the reins against the team's back and they went into a trot. He knew they couldn't stay at that pace and within the hour, he slowed them for MacDonald to switch places with Anna.

“We twill nay camp at the usual spot, Kasper. I want ye to keep going. There tis a place further on that tis one of the false fording areas. The willows and cottonwoods grow thick there. Twill help hide the cart.”

“Do you think they'll come after us?” Kasper let worry creep into his voice.

“Oh, aye, but it twill take time for them to get up their courage. How are they for man power?”

“Most of the able bodied men have joined the Confederate forces. Those that were captured and agreed not to fight for the Union have gone to Nevada to work in the mines. Some of the freighters might be under the same terms and “officially” based elsewhere. There are people like Marshall Franklin and Elias Clifford that are in their 50s or late 40s.”

“They are still capable men, but I canna see Marshall Franklin going on a raid.”

“They hate us.” Anna's voice was hard and strong. “They chased the farmers off in parts of eastern Texas.”

MacDonald turned slightly to look at her. “How do ye ken that?”

“The cobbler, Diest, came through and told us.”

Anna felt she must confess. “I had him make both of us a pair of shoes. Mine were breaking down and he didn't know when he would come through again. If it isn't rebels, it's Comanche or Kiowa, and now there are white raiders too. The country isn't safe anymore.”

MacDonald turned back to watch the trail. “Dinna feel bad about the shoes. Ye needed them and ye are correct. I may need them ere he returns.

“Kasper,” he lowered his voice. “The people in Arles ken that it takes us about four and one-half days to make the trip. If we push on an hour longer and start an hour earlier, we can make it in less time. We twill stay at the ranch one evening and come into Schmidt's Corner the next day. Ye can tell Rolfe what has happened. If he is nay there, I twill try to find him without straying too far.”

“We can't leave our ranch to the mercy of them.” Anna was adamant.

“By ourselves, we could lose. I want ye and the wee one safe. If it twas just us two, aye, we twould make our stand there.”

“Why not come straight into Schmidt's Corner then?”

Kasper's question caused a strained silence. He did not see his sister's cheeks redden.

“I have been gone for over a year. I have missed our wee one's first steps and first words.” Such a thing twould nay have happened in Thalia, but he did not mention it. “I want one night in my own house, one meal with my wife and wee one, and one night in my own bed that tis built for someone my size.”

It was a brutal pace for the horses, but they pulled into the Rearing Bear Ranch a day early. Kasper knew he had to discharge his passengers, water the horses, and head towards Schmidt's Corner. Daylight would slip away within three hours and he wanted to be home.

Mina had been fussy all day. It had done little good to pass her between MacDonald and Anna. When they pulled into the yard, Mina tugged at her mother's sleeve.

“Mein potty, Mama.” Mina would mix English and German until she started school lessons with Uncle Kasper.

“Ach, she has not been for three days.” Anna picked her up and ran for the outhouse.

MacDonald tossed his satchel and cane over the side. “Did ye wish the rifle or the shotgun for yere drive to town?”

Kasper shook his head. “No, I wouldn't be able to hit anything with either one. I do have a shotgun at home. Maybe if they attack there and I know Gerde is in danger, I would be able to shoot someone.”

MacDonald grabbed Anna's shotgun and boosted himself over the edge of the cart. His leg was on fire and dropping to the ground added to the pain. He needed Anna to clean the wound and apply the salve that he knew was in one of the kitchen cabinets. That is, it would be there if Anna had not used it for some other purpose. He was also hungry and kenned that his lassie twould be too. It twould be better to eat and have Mina in bed before Anna tended to his leg.

He hobbled into the house carrying the shotgun and rifle. Kasper followed behind him with his bag. It was an annoyance to MacDonald that he could not carry everything at once, but he needed the support of the cane. It took another trip back-and-forth to bring in Anna's bag and the cooking utensils.

Anna still had not returned with Mina when Kasper drove off. MacDonald pumped water into the bucket for the evening's drinking water and began carrying in wood for the kitchen stove and fireplace. Then he saw that Anna had carried in the wood before leaving. He started the fire in the kitchen stove and the fireplace in the great room. He heard the kitchen door close.

“We wash our hands now,” came Anna's firm voice.

She appeared in the doorway speaking German. “Bread and clabbered milk are in the springhouse. The bread will be dry, but there are still some jars of the applesauce I made from the last shipment of apples that Papa was able to send. Do you want some coffee?”

“Nay, save that for morning. How do ye still have coffee?”

“We don't,” retorted Anna. “It is nothing but chicory and bark.”

He grimaced at her retreating back. Mina was standing in the doorway watching. She decided this was a good time to toddle to this huge man who had held her so much of the way home so she wouldn't feel the bumps and jolts of the wagon.

MacDonald caught her with a flourish and held her over his head while she went into gleeful giggles.

“Now wait patiently whilst yere fither finishes starting this fire to warm the home. Then I twill get a blanket to warm our bones till it tis warmer in here.” He was well aware that this was an inefficient way to heat a room, but that was all they had. Another small iron stove was in the bedroom, and he planned to start that after dinner.

Anna returned to the kitchen and then left again. He picked up Mina and the cane and started to follow her outside when he realized she had taken the extra bucket. She planned on washing the dishes this evening. The woman didn't stop. MacDonald considered. He couldn't carry Mina and the bucket right now. He decided to set the table in the kitchen. The iron stove would put out heat faster than the fireplace. He set Mina down.

“Be patient whilst yere fither helps yere mither.”

Mina was too young to realize that men in this world didn't set out bowls and utensils when there was a woman around. MacDonald was opening the applesauce when Anna returned. She frowned at him, but dumped the water into a metal dishpan sitting on the back of the stove.

“I did nay object as ye twill need hot water to clean my leg once Mina has gone to bed.”

Anna nodded and slipped off her coat. ““Why did you set the kitchen table, Zeb?” She was puzzled. Breakfast was the only meal eaten here.

“Tis warmer in here for me and the wee one.” He picked up Mina and sat in one of the chairs.

“Yere fither shall have the pleasure of holding ye and feeding ye…” His voice trailed off as Anna carried in the highchair and lifted the tray section upward.

“She feeds herself, Zeb. She isn't an infant.”

He shook his head. “The wee ones grow so fast here, but on the trail we twere feeding her.”

“That made sense and less dishes.” She tied a bib on Mina and sat. She folded her hands and launched into a prayer thanking God for the food and for bringing them safely home.

After dinner MacDonald started the fire in the bedroom stove while Anna dressed Mina for bed. Mina's crib was in their bedroom against the west wall and several feet from the stove. Mina would sleep in their bedroom until she was older. Then her bedroom would be in the room across the hall until she was old enough to be upstairs. This room would become the formal living room and the other bedroom theirs.

MacDonald had the pleasure of holding his wee one, telling her some nonsense story, and putting her into the crib after she fell asleep. He checked the fire, put in another log, and returned to the front before collapsing into the rocking chair.

Anna appeared with a washbasin of warm water, a roll of bandages, and a towel.

“I twill need the salve in the blue can if ye have nay used it.”

“Ja, it is in my apron pocket. You need to drop your britches.” She smiled as she used his word.

MacDonald stood and undid the canvas flap and let the britches fall down around his ankles. Anna noticed the bloodied bandage. The bleeding must have stopped once they were out of Arles for it had not come through on his trouser leg.

“Zeb, you have been bleeding. Is it safe to use this salve?”

“Aye, tis the other one that heals the scars. This one twill pull out any infection and help it to heal whole.” He looked at the small container. “I hope there tis enough; else I twill need to return to the
Golden One
. I did nay wish to do that till the danger tis over.”

“Stay where you are and I'll get my scissors. I need to cut that bandage away. If you sit down I won't be able to clean it properly.” When she had her scissors, she cut away the bandage and set her lips in a straight line before she began cleaning and bandaging the wound.

Anna looked up at him as she tied a knot in the bandage. “There, that should hold it. I'll clean up and you rest. Mina should be sound asleep by then.”

She rose and picked up the dirty bandage and towel. She turned more slowly than normal to keep from spilling the water and went into the kitchen and then outside to toss the water.

MacDonald shook his head. She had to be as tired as he was from that trip, possibly more so and now that the salve was soothing the wound a more pressing need arose. He picked up the scissors, returned them to the sewing machine drawer, and grabbed his coat before stepping outside. Ye gods, Anna had carried the water clear out to the garden. She was running back.

“What are you doing outside?” Moonlight streamed around them.

“I'm going to the outhouse before bed.”

“Ach, you could have used the pot.”

“I prefer this, and ye need to put on a shawl or coat ere ye come out here.” He rushed off toward the small building set below the garden.

* * *

He entered the bedroom while Anna was putting the dishes away. After he disrobed, he considered putting on what Anna called a nightshirt, but rejected the idea. He would just need to remove it in a few moments. He put another log into the fire and looked down at his sleeping wee one. How he longed to show her to his elder Lamar.

Anna entered and began removing her clothes. The moon provided sufficient lighting and she was undoing the button on her last long slip when she realized a very nude MacDonald was looking down at their child.

“Zeb, what if she sees you?” The horrified words hissed out.

He turned, a wide smile creasing his face. “She tis too young to remember.” He walked over to her.

“Let me help ye with that.”

“Zeb, we might start the bleeding again.”

“Ye twill have to be gentle with me my love. I have been too long away from ye.”