PKept5

Chapter 5

As Buck pulled on his boots he knew that the last 24 hours must have been a dream. He had arrived in Cedar Falls exhausted and dirty from the trail but now felt like the guest of a king or queen. Mrs. Brenan had seen to it that he and Camille received the finest dinner on the Wandering Oaks Hotel menu, steak w/ roasted potatoes and peas. For dessert they had the thickest apple pie he had ever seen. During his years with the express he’d not even seen Rachel or Emma make a pie so full of sweet sugary apple slices. He made sure he ate every bite.

He and Camille had spent most of the evening discussing their past apart, the days and years after the raid on their village and how they had survived after that.

It was when Mrs. Brenan was cleaning the dinner dishes from the table, that she told Buck she had arranged for a bath to be sent to his room. She would see to the cleaning of his clothes, he was to leave them outside his door and she would have them back by morning. He started to protest then saw the look in the black woman’s face. Knowing he would rather stare down the barrel of a gun than try to change her mind, he agreed. She was definitely a strong willed woman. He figured anyone who had disagreed with her in the past had lived to regret it.

Once bathed, he had climbed into the most comfortable bed he had ever slept in. In fact he had slept so soundly, that he took a start when he woke up, not remembering where he was. It only took a second for it all to come back. He had come for Camille. He laid there in that fine bed a while longer, he wanted to soak up the thrill of it for just a few more minutes. This would probably never happen again in his lifetime. It was unheard of for an Indian to stay in a hotel, especially a respectable hotel like the Wandering Oaks. Not to mention the fine treatment that he had received from the hotel owner.

Mrs. Eulala Brenan being of color herself, she was well aware of the treatment one could receive if your skin was not white. She knew what it was to sleep outside, eat your meals in the kitchen and be thrown out of stores. She knew what prejudice was and did not allow it in her hotel.

Now he was on his way downstairs to meet Camille for breakfast. They needed to make plans to return to Rock Creek as soon as possible. He didn’t really want to rush Camille into leaving, but the sooner they left the better. He couldn’t afford to be away from the ranch any longer than needed. Kid and Lou had said to take his time, but that was just the kind of people they were. They would never have made him feel bad about leaving so abruptly. But he knew well, there was too much at stake on the ranch for him to be gone long. There were two horse about to foal, plus he and Kid were scheduled to take four of their finest horses to Blue Creek for their first big sale to the Stage Company. If their ranch was to be a success all hands were going to be needed.

As he descended the stairs, he saw her sitting at the table stirring her tea. She looked so beautiful to him, as she always had. She was wearing a pale blue dress with her hair pulled back in a bow of matching color. The blue of her dress was so close to the blue of her eyes that the reflection made her eyes look like crystal.   She had worn this dress when she and Bill visited Rock Creek. It had nearly taken every ounce of strength Buck had to remember that she was not promised to him anymore.

But that was all changed now. Her fiancée was gone now...six feet under in the Cedar Falls church cemetery. A tragedy but a fact of life in the west.

She had agreed to go back to Rock Creek with him, and he’d been so relieved. He’d known even as he left Rock Creek, that he wanted to bring her back with him. The only thing he wasn’t sure of was if she would want to go with him. He had only hoped she would want to, and when she received the letter from Bill’s family yesterday he feared he would go home alone. It would have killed him to send Camille on a stage back to Denver, but he would have honored her wishes. Instead, she had chosen not to go. She would make her life in Rock Creek, and Buck knew that eventually, that life would include him.

“Good Morning, Buck” she said smiling up at him.

“Morning” he answered taking his seat.

“You slept well?” asked, as she brought the teacup to her lips.

“Can’t remember the last time I slept so well” he answered.

At that moment, Mrs. Brenan approached their table with two steaming plates of eggs, bacon, potatoes and biscuits.

“Good Morning, Camille, Mr. Cross,” she said as she laid the plates on the table.

“Please call me Buck”, he said

“Very well then....”she said, “I trust you slept well Buck”

“Very well,” he said, “I am afraid if I continue to enjoy your hospitality I may forget my way home to Rock Creek”

“ I assure you, that you would be a welcome addition to our community,” she said, then seeing more customers coming in the hotel, she added, “enjoy your breakfast”

“Thank you,” they both said.

“She is a very kind woman,” Buck said referring to Eulala, “This is the only place I have ever been where the color of my skin did not matter, besides the express”

“I have never seen Mrs. Brenan turn anyone away,”Camille commented with affection.

There were a few moment of silence as they both dug into their breakfast. Then as Buck began to butter a biscuit he looked up at Camille very seriously with those dark eyes, “Cam, we need to talk”

She looked at him smiling and without skipping a beat, she said, “ I can be ready to leave by morning.”

He was startled, “How...”

She put her fork down, “I haven’t known you all my life not to know the workings of your mind Buck Cross”

“You scare me sometimes”, Buck said with a glint in his eye.

Raising her eyebrows, Camille said, “I will take that as a complement, to scare a Kiowa warrior like Running Buck is something to be proud of.”

Buck just rolled his eyes at her.

“When do you want to leave,” she added.

“Well.... it just that...we only started the ranch a short time ago, and all hands are needed...the Kid and Lou said to take my time...but there are two new foals coming ...the fence....it's just....”

She interrupted him, “Buck,” then placing her hand over his on the table, “like I said I can be ready in the morning.”

Buck was relieved, “I will go to the livery and start to get the wagon ready. Your horse could probably use some exercise too.”

“Make a list of what we will need,” she said as she poured another cup of tea, “and I will pick it up at Mrs. Ford’s while you are at the livery.”

Buck looked up surprised, remembering their visit to the store yesterday; “who’s the warrior now”

They both laughed.

“Eat”, she said.

With the time of their departure decided, Camille had gone to the mercantile to purchase the supplies they would need for their trip the next day. While she confronted Mrs. Ford again, Buck went to the livery to repack the wagon and exercise Camille’s horse.

The wagon was not terribly full, so packing the contents for travel would not take too long. Camille had sold or given away some of Bill’s thing just recently, as well as things they had brought for the new homestead, that she knew she would no longer need. He was in the rear of the canvas covered wagon, moving a large crate, when he felt a tug at the back of his shirt. Before he knew it he was flat on his back on the ground. Catching his breath he looked up just in time to see a fist rushing toward his face. He rolled away from it only to be hit in the back of the head with what felt like the barrel of a gun. Instinctively he kept rolling toward to back wall to escape his attacker. Then scrambling to his feet, he saw a balding man approaching him waving a gun in the air.

“Mister, I don’t want any trouble,” Buck said gasping for air.

“You shoulda thought about that before you went stealin’ from that wagon,” he said with a sneer.

“I wasn’t stealin’…,”Buck exclaimed as the man advanced on him.

He cut off Buck by saying, “You lyin’ Indian, I seen otherwise.”

“NO…,”Buck couldn’t believe this, “…you don’t understand…”

“Shut up…” the man yelled as he pistol-whipped Buck again.

Buck bent over in pain, as he did, he went to reach for the knife on his boot. Then stopped when he heard the man cock his gun.

“I wouldn’t do that if I were you…” he said to Buck, “…you toss that right over there in the other stall.”

Buck did as he said, then stood and waited…trying to assess the situation and what he should do next.

“Damn Indians,” the man said as he held the gun on Buck and went to get his knife from the stall floor.

“There are only two kinds of Indians…savages and thieves.”, he said, as he spat tobacco on the floor, “At least the savages have enough guts to fight for what they want.”

“You got it all wrong,” Buck tried again, “I know the owner of that wagon.”

The balding man spat at Buck this time, “I know Mrs. Ford over there…but that don’t mean I can help myself to anything in her store.”

“I wasn’t stealing anything,” He shouted, finally realizing there was no reasoning with the man.

“I told you to shut up,” the man shouted back and began to wave his gun around again, “now your gonna come with me down to the jail, maybe some time behind bars will teach you not to take what ain’t yours.”

Buck gave a sigh of relief, knowing that Jimmy was Acting Deputy. He gave no resistance as the man led him through town to the jail.

Chapter 6

Camille was barely surviving her stop at the mercantile. Mrs. Ford had taken it upon herself to remind Camille what a mistake it was for her to be cavorting with an Indian. It was just about the time that Camille could take no more and was going to give the store owner a piece of her mind, that they were interrupted. Little Johnny Ray Taylor came rushing in the store shouting about something going on out in the street. Camille couldn’t have been happier at his arrival…that was until she heard what he had to say.

“He got’em….he got’em,” the boy kept repeating.

“Who,” Mrs. Ford asked as she came around the counter.

“Mr. Jobes…he caught’em stealin,” the winded boy said, “caught an injun’ stealin’ from the livery…I just passed him takin’ the injun to the jail.”

Camille felt like someone had just poured ice water down her back. She rushed to the window of the store with Mrs. Ford close behind her. She looked out the window just as Buck reached the Marshal’s office being led at gunpoint by Mr. Jobes.

“I told you…,”Mrs. Ford said over her shoulder, “an indian is not to be trusted.”

Camille shot her a look, over her shoulder, as she headed for the door. She had no time for the nasty old woman.

“It’s better you found out now, child,” the old lady shouted as Camille slammed the door behind her.

Jimmy had his feet propped up on the desk and was cleaning his gun when Jobes pushed Buck in the door with the barrel of his gun.

“What the hell,” Jimmy said as he slung his feet to the floor, “What’s goin’ on here.”

Buck shot Jimmy a look that said he agreed, but said nothing.

“Where’s Marshal Patterson,” Jobes asked

“He ain’t here, I’m the Acting Deputy Marshal, James Butler Hickcok,” Jimmy said sternly, “now put that gun away.”

“I caught this here Indian stealin’ from a wagon in my livery,” he said ignoring Jimmy with his gun in the air.

“I said put that gun away….now.,” Jimmy shouted

“I ain’t puttin’ it away until you put this theivin’ indian behind bars,” Jobes declared.

Jimmy was done talking, he walked right over and yanked the gun from his hand, “He is no more a thief than I am one of Miss Tilly’s dancin’ girls.”

Then the office door swung open and Camille rushed in, “Buck, are you ok?”

Mr. Jobes stepped up to Camille before Buck could respond, “I caught him stealin’ out of your wagon Miss Camille.” Then he stopped, realizing what Camille had just said to the Buck, “You know this indian, maim?’

“Yes…” Camille spun around to him, “..I know this man, Mr. Jobes.”

Buck looked at Jobes with cold dark eyes, “I told you I knew the owner of the wagon, didn’t I?”

“Well.” he said stumbling over his words, “what was I to think with him rootin’ around in your wagon?”

“All you had to do was listen to me,” Buck said angrily.

Putting her hand on Buck’s arm to calm him, Camille addressed the livery owner, “Mr. Jobes, didn’t Henry give you my message?”

“I didn’t get no message,” he answered.

“We were at the livery yesterday,” she said in her most diplomatic voice, “I spoke with Henry and he was to inform you that Mr. Cross is a friend of mine and he would be helping me prepare my wagon for travel.”

Jimmy stepped in, “Well, that does seem to explain things, don’t it.”

“I guess…” Jobes said, he started to say he was sorry, but stopped himself, unable to show that courtesy to an Indian. He took his gun from Jimmy, then as he turned and left, he threw Buck’s knife on the table by the door.

Jimmy looked at the man as he left, “Patterson told me this was a quiet town, a piece a cake he said… and the first day I got some Jack-a-dandy wavin’ a gun around in my office…I am gonna have to talk to him about this.” Jimmy shook his head as he walked back to his desk.

Camille too had watched as Mr. Jobes had left the office, disturbed by the event that had just transpired. “Remind me to speak to Henry about this”, she said.

“Don’t Camille,” she looked at Buck as he spoke, “let it go…it’s just the way it is.”

She started to protest, but Jimmy interrupted, “Now, what this you said about travelin’”

Buck answered picking up his knife, “We’re pullin’ out in the morning.”

“Already” Jimmy asked.

“Need to get back,” was all he said as he placed the knife back in the pocket by his boot.

Jimmy turned to Camille, “I hear you’re going to be moving on.” then smiling at Buck, “with our prisoner here.”

Buck gave Jimmy a looked that said he wasn’t amused.

She smiled, “I am”

“Rock Creek is a real nice town, and knowing Lou and Rachel, they will enjoy the female company.” He said to her.

“ I am looking forward to getting to know them,” she said

Turning back to Buck he said,“ Well if your gonna be leavin in the morning, how about I go back to the livery and give ya some help with that wagon”

“Thanks Jimmy”

They were well over half way to Rock Creek, but it would take another day for them to get home. The trip would not be made as quickly with a loaded wagon in tow. They left at first light after they said their good byes to Mrs. Brenan and Jimmy. Camille had embraced Eulala and they spoke hopefully of visiting each other in the future. Jimmy had shook Buck’s hand and promised his next stop would be Rock Creek.

They rode hard all day, but it would be dark soon, so Buck found a suitable spot to camp for the night. It was a large flat area with plenty of grass for the horses to graze and a small brook running along side it. Buck was securing the horses while Camille gathered the supplies she would need to prepare dinner. She was doing her best to keep her mind on what she was doing but she was becoming more and more restless. She didn’t want to admit it but she was terrified. This was the first time she had been on the trail in months, and the last time had turned into a nightmare. She hated this place, this lonesome, and wild, unpredictable place between towns, where anything could happen. She never use to be afraid to travel, but she was now. It was going to take all the determination she had to control her feelings because the last thing she wanted was to let Buck know how afraid she was.

It was just about the time she’d convinced herself that she had her fear under control, that it was put to the test.   Buck had finish tending to the horses and he told Camille he was going to gather wood for the fire. She was panic stricken.

“Be Careful,” was all she could say and then she turned abruptly to the wagon. On the outside she did her best to look calm, but inside she was screaming, *Don’t go, don’t you die too* He was only gone for a few minutes, but for her it had seemed like an eternity. Again, she told herself she was over reacting and that he was going to be fine. Before long, Buck walked back into camp with an armload of wood. At the sight of him she dropped the pan in her hand and rushed into his arms.

Buck was more than happy to feel Camille’s little arms around him but a little surprised too. She was fine this morning when they left town but ever since they had begun to set up camp she had seemed to grow quiet and agitated. Buck had driven them pretty hard today and figured that she was tired, but now he wasn’t so sure. Then all of the sudden she pulled away from him as if she gained her composure.

“You all right”, he asked feeling a little confused.

“Sure I am,” she said nervously brushing out the wrinkles of her skirt, “just anxious to get this food started...it’s going to be dark soon.”

Looking at the sky grow dark, Buck nodded, “Yea, I know”. He decided a good night sleep would do them both good.

After they ate a simple, but filling meal, Buck made his bedroll by the fire. Camille was packing away the few kitchen utensils she’d used to make dinner. As she came out of the wagon she noticed where he was planning to sleep.... on the ground. She didn’t want him to sleep there on the ground, the same ground where any number of creatures crawled at night...like snakes. She felt panic well within her.

“Buck,” she said getting his attention, “there is room in the wagon, you don’t have to sleep on the ground”

“I’ll be fine,” he answered as he added more wood to the fire.

He didn’t realize the danger, she thought to herself. She had to think of something… something to keep him from sleeping on the ground.

“But...what if.... what if it rains tonight, you will be soaked”, she said.

Buck knew there was not a cloud in the sky. For the life of him he could not figure out what had gotten in to her tonight.   One thing was for sure, something was eating at Camille and it had to do with his sleeping arrangement. He gave the fire one last poke and stood up to walk over to her.

“Cam, it is not going to rain tonight. What is wrong with you?” he asked, “You’ve been acting strange ever since we made camp”

“I am fine, why do you keep asking me that,” she said as she straightened her back and lifted her chin. She was trying to look convincing, the only problem was that deep down she wasn’t sure if she was trying to convince Buck or herself. She had to try again.

“Please, Buck,” she said realizing her voice did sound a little desperate, “I couldn’t sleep well knowing I was comfortable in the wagon, while you were here on the hard ground. You will sleep much better if you don’t have to contend with all the little animal and nuisances that can bother one when you sleep outside.”

She was wringing her hands now. Would he believe her, he had too, she couldn’t think
of anything else, she was desperate…no not desperate, just plain scared. Suddenly it hit him and he thought he had a pretty good idea what was going on with Camille. He should have seen it earlier, but he had been consumed with covering as much ground as possible and then setting up camp. He had not seen the torment growing within her. He didn’t fault her for her feelings; it was understandable after what she’d seen happen to Bill. But he also knew the best place for him was by the fire and not in that wagon. He took her wringing hands in his and made her look up at him, “I have slept on the ground many times, nothing will happen to me.” She was looking at him with those big blue eyes, pleading with him. *Damn,* he thought to himself, *she is not making this easy for me.* He took her chin in his hand and with a twinkle in his eye he looked straight into hers, “Camille, if I make my bed in that wagon with you, I won’t get any sleep tonight”. He leaned down and kissed her cheek, “I’ll be fine.”

Buck woke to the sound of Camille screaming, he literally leapt from his bedroll to the wagon. He found her sitting up with her hands covering her face as she sobbed hysterically. He sat down beside her on the floor of the wagon and pulled her into his arms.

“Camille, its OK...Camille.... it’s me.... everything is OK....” he said as he brushed the hair from her face.

“No, No its not, “she mumbled in between sobs, “they are out there.... I saw them...crawling...everywhere.” She began to cry again.

“ You were dreaming, there is nothing out there,” he said as he tried to calm her, “we are fine, it was just a dream.”

She looked up at him suddenly, her eyes were red from crying and full of desperation, “you are wrong they are all out there. I saw them they were coming for you too. They were going to kill you, and I couldn’t stop them, I kept screaming your name, but you wouldn’t wake up, you just laid there, they were getting closer and closer. I couldn’t stop them.... I couldn’t save you either.”

“Camille, stop it,” he shouted at her, she was getting hysterical again, “stop it, it was a dream.” He shook her, “Look at me.... I am here, I am fine”

As if coming out of a trance, she realized what he was saying, and then she grabbed at him, almost clawing at him to hold him in her grasp.

“Don’t go Buck,” she begged him, “don’t leave me, please stay, I need you”

“I’m not leavin’,” he said as he rocked her back and forth.

“...please don’t ever leave me...”she said as she was beginning to calm.

He sat there for what seemed like hours, with his back against the wall of the wagon. He stayed there until he was sure she had fallen asleep again. Then he carefully laid her down on her bedroll and pulled the blankets over her. He turned to leave the wagon, but stopped when he felt the light touch of her hand grab his. “Please don’t go”, she whispered.

Her eyes were closed and she had almost been asleep, but she had felt him move to leave. Relief flooded her when he didn’t make her ask twice. He laid in the narrow space beside her and rolled to his side with his chest to her back. He wrapped his arm around her. She took his hand in her two hands and pulled it close to her, holding him tightly. Soon he heard her breathing slow and he knew, now she would rest. He was just drifting off to sleep himself, when he heard her whisper something. He leaned a little closer to try to make it out what she said.

“Safe...now.... Buck,” she said quietly, “...I love you, Buck,” Had he heard her right? He was sure he had. Buck laid there for a few minutes digesting what he had just heard.   As he closed his eyes, he whispered, “I love you too, my Little Bird”