Soul Catcher (60 page)

^{As he said this, Brown slashed at the air in front of him with the machete:
woof, woof, woof.}

^{"Sounds like a fair amount of killing to be done," Cain said.}

^{"This country needs a lot of killing."}

^{"Are you so sure all those who would have to die would be deserving of it?"}

^{"No, sir, I am not," Brown conceded. "But I would kill them just the same, and leave it to God to sift the innocent from the guilty."}

^{"Like those men out in Kansas?"}

^{Brown's demeanor changed immediately, his eyes ablaze like those of a man staring into a furnace. The old man turned savagely on Cain, though it didn't appear as if he were actually seeing him, but something far off in the distance.}

^{"I would kill them ten times over if I thought it would end this. I would kill you with no more thought than a man would give to crushing a flea."}

^{"Then let's get to it and stop all this blather."}

^{This seemed to incite Brown even more. "You think I wouldn't," he cried. "You think I would hesitate to cut you down like the dog you are?"}

^{"No, I'm sure you would," Cain said. "May I ask a favor of you first?"}

^{"What?" said the other impatiently.}

^{"Would you see to it that the girl is safe?"}

^{The old man continued staring at him for several seconds. Slowly, another change seemed to come over him. His eyes gradually lost the fire in them and they appeared to focus on Cain, to really and truly see him, as if for the first time. He appeared then as a man for the first time, and not some avenging angel.}

^{"Did you put her in that way?"}

^{"No. That was someone else's doing, not mine."}

^{"You were in bed with her."}

^{Cain thought of explaining things, but he saw how useless that would be, that it would make him look like some coward trying to save his hide. Instead, he offered only, "It's not like that."}

^{Brown permitted himself a sly smile. "Then you are an even greater fool than I'd taken you for. Were you planning on bringing her back to bondage?"}

^{Cain shook his head. "I was, at first. But now . . . No."}

^{"You reckon this will save your pathetic neck?" Brown said.}

^{"No. But it happens to be the truth."}

^{"You expect me to believe that?"}

^{"I expect you'll believe what you've a mind to, and nothing I say is going to change that."}

^{Brown rose to his feet, bringing the machete up and over Cain's head. "Any last wishes, Mr. Cain?"}

^{"No." Then he thought for a moment and said, "Just make sure she gets to safety."}

^{Cain closed his eyes, waited.}

^{Instead of the
woof
of the blade, what he heard was, "Which way were you headed, Mr. Cain?"}

^{"What?" he asked, confused.}

^{"Before I came. Which way were you headed?"}

^{"I . . . I was planning on going out to California."}

^{"And the girl? What of her?"}

^{"I was going to bring her along until I reached a free state."}

^{Brown was silent for a moment. Cain chanced looking up at him. The old man stood there, gazing off over the rooftops. He seemed to be chewing on some private thought that gave him pause. Then he turned and looked down at Cain.}

^{"You remind me a little of my son Frederick, Mr. Cain."}

^{"Is that so?"}

^{"It is. About the eyes. He was a good son and he gave his life for the cause. Tell me, Mr. Cain, if I were to let you go, I'm not saying I shall, but if I did," the old man said. "Do I have your word that you will not return her to slavery?"}

^{"I don't know as my word much matters now. But yes, you have my word."}

^{"I lived for a spell in Ohio," explained Brown. "There is a freed Negro settlement by the name of Gist out there."}

^{"I've heard tell of it."}

^{"It's on your way. They give aid and comfort to runaways. You might try there."}

^{At that Brown used the machete to cut the rope tying his hands.}

^{"I'll give it some thought," said Cain, rubbing the feeling back into his wrists.}

^{"The girl was right," Brown said. "You are not like the others."}

^{He offered his bony hand, and Cain shook it.}

^{"You might could try Fredericksburg," Cain told him.}

^{"How's that?" Brown asked.}

^{"If you're looking to get Henry back. The others were supposed to be waiting for me there. A place called the Rising Sun Tavern."}

^{Brown looked at him, touched the brim of his cap in thanks, then turned and started walking toward the others.}

^{"I'll need my gun, sir," Cain said to him.}

^"Why?"

^{"I might have occasion to kill those who would bring her back to bondage."}

^{At this the old man smiled.}

^{* * *}

^{T
hey'd been riding in silence for a spell when Rosetta finally spoke. "What'd you tell that fellow Brown made him let you go?"}

^{Cain was on Hermes while Rosetta sat astride a sorrel gelding he'd traded the livery man for, swapping both the mare and the bay in exchange. While the livery man had gotten the better of the deal, Cain figured it wouldn't look good if they were stopped with a pair of stolen horses, one being that of a murdered man. They'd lit out of town fast, Cain wanting to put some distance between himself and the crookback in case the little man had thought of getting back what he'd lost.}

^{"I just told him the truth," Cain replied.}

^{"Which was?" she asked.}

^{"That I wasn't bringing you back."}

^{He felt the weight of her stare.}

^{"When did you come to that decision?"}

^{"A while back."}

^{"And when was you plannin' on tellin' me, Cain?" she said, raising her eyebrow playfully.}

^{"Soon," he replied, looking over at her.}

^{She glanced back over her shoulder at the rising sun. "We traveling west. Where to?"}

^"Ohio."

^{"Ohio?" she exclaimed. "What's there?"}

^{"The Gist Settlement," he said.}

^{"What manner of place is that?"}

^{"A freed slave village."}

^{He'd never been there himself but he'd heard about it. The place lay somewhere out in the wilds of Ohio. Like Timbucto, it was a refuge for former slaves. The land was bequeathed by a wealthy Englishman, Samuel Gist, who, upon his death, had not only freed the slaves from his Virginia plantation but also provided them with land out in Ohio where they could resettle. People back home in Richmond spoke of the crazy Gist and how he'd left his fortune to his slaves.}

^{"Why we goin' there?" she inquired.}

^{"Because you'll be safe there."}

^{"Cain," she said. When he ignored her, she repeated. "Cain."}

^{He kept riding. Rosetta kicked the gelding and rode up ahead of him. She then turned the animal into his path so that he was forced to stop and look at her. "How come you ain't bringin' me back?"}

^{"Would you rather I did?"}

^{"'Course not. I'm just curious why you changed your mind."}

^{"I'm not altogether sure."}

^{She stared at him fixedly. In the daylight, the resemblance between her and Eberly was unmistakable. He only wondered why he hadn't seen it before.}

^{"Was it account of what I told you?" she asked.}

^{"I suppose that had something to do with it. I couldn't bring you back to that man."}

^{"That the only reason?"}

^{"What difference does it make?" he said. "You just ought to be glad I'm not."}

^{"'Course I'm glad. I just don't understand why you changed all of a sudden. He won't take this easy, you know."}

^{"I know."}

^{They rode on. Over the Appalachian Mountains the morning had broken sharp and crisp. The last stubborn traces of fog lingering in the hollows and blanketing the fields scurried off before the approach of the day's heat. Cain was hoping they could make Cumberland by nightfall the next day. They were following the National Pike, busy this time of day with fellow travelers--wagons filled with goods making for the eastern markets, lumbering Conestogas carrying entire families westward, stagecoaches jouncing and swaying as they surged past, headed in both directions. Every now and then they'd have to make way for someone driving a herd of cattle or pigs or sheep. Once, in a small hamlet called Shady Glen, they had to give way for an entire schoolhouse that was being pulled down the pike. It had been loaded on the beds of two wagons placed side by side and was being transported by two teams of half a dozen oxen each. Another time, Cain spotted off in the distance a large group of men on horses, approaching at breakneck speed. He didn't like the looks of them, so he and Rosetta slipped off into the woods. Hidden, they watched as the men stormed by, spurring their mounts in hot pursuit of something.}

^{"Slave catchers," Cain said to Rosetta.}

^{"You think so?"}

^{"I'd bet money on it. Eberly may have already sent men after us."}

^{Cain figured with any luck they could make Gist in a fortnight. He planned on heading due west to Morgantown, then angling south for New Martinsville or Parkersburg, one of those river towns where he would cross the Ohio into free territory and then try to find the Gist Settlement. He knew, though, that as he approached the river and a free state, he would need to be careful. There were plenty of runaways with the same notion. They used the river as a compass north, following it up from Tennessee and Kentucky. And wherever there were runaways, there would be slave catchers and blackbirders.}

^{At noon they came to a small hamlet where two smaller roads converged with the pike. There was a Baptist church and a dry goods store. Cain went into the store and bought some provisions for their trip: salted fish and jerked beef, a wheel of cheese, some dried peaches, coffee and salt and sugar, bandages, a can of lard, sacks of meal and flour, horse feed and some sugar for Hermes, as well as sundry other supplies, including a bottle each of whiskey and laudanum, his first in some time. They continued on for a ways before stopping in front of a large, empty building, set back some distance from the road. It was two stories with a horse barn in back and, by the looks of it, had been an inn that had fallen on hard times. An ornately carved but now weathered sign over the front door said welcome. They dismounted and made a fire off to the side. After he'd seen to the horses, Cain sat and took off his shirt and removed the bandages over his wound. He poured some whiskey on a rag and began to clean it. His side was still tender from the broken rib, and when he breathed deep it hurt, but the wound was finally on the mend.}