(With Hody)
By Naomi Cheshire
April 28, 2001
Dedicated to : Dave Wilson
By Naomi Cheshire
April 28, 2001
Dedicated to : Dave Wilson
Ham reached his arms up to take
the sling holding Hody off of my neck. His face was grim. He would not
look at Coon; when he saw Hody. So I knew that he was plenty angry at Coon.
There were tears in his eyes as he looked at the cuts and deep bruises on the dog that had risked his life to bring us a few vegetables. I had a feeling that not many people had ever helped Ham.
"Ham," I said, "dont be mad at Coon. Hes all-broke up over it and he didnt mean for it to happen. Too, just a little while ago he saved my life; at the risk of his own. If he hadnt followed me, well, both me and Hody would be dead. I," I hung my head. Well, I did a very dumb thing. I used up all my shells shooting a dead man. I guess that I just went crazy. Seeing Hody bloody and starved and beat. And I didnt think we could bring him around." My weary shoulders slumped and I nearly fell off the horse. I was about as done in, as poor Hody.
Coon had his arms around me, in a flash. And was helping me down and half dragging me into the cave. While Ham gently laid Hody on a soft bed of clean blankets and went to work on him without saying another word.
That Coon was a strange one, I knew that he was as sorry over Hody as anyone could be and his heart was filled with pain and regret. The pain was there in his face, but not once did he try to excuse himself or say any thing in his defense.
I guess Ham realized words were a waste of time, because he shut up about us. As he put his secret medicines on Hody, he said, "der be coffee in tha pot," to Coon.
"Shore can use dat! And Ill pour Davey some, too."
I didnt know that I was so weak. But Coon had to pour the hot drink down me. Then I slept around the clock.
Hody and I, both were awake early, but we were content to just look at eachother.
The leaves and plants that Ham had made his medicines from seemed to have eased Hodys pain, at least some. His eyes were a little clearer and the desperation in his face was relaxing. He was so happy to be back with us. I wanted to hug him, but I knew that he was still to banged up and cut up for me to hold him, yet. My heart wept for him.
"We cant risk staying here much longer. Been here far too long. After all dis, somebody gonna come long thet remembers dis here cave and we gonna be trapped in here." Ham took a long swig of his coffee and then let out a long breath. There was a deep frown between his eyes.
"Mans, ye cant be fer from right. And I seed old Hermans track dis morning. Thets a sign thet he aint fer from heres." Coons dark eyes shined and a wide grin spread across his face.
Ham and I looked at each other. Coon had been quite about his mule for awhile. I had hoped that his mind had become more settled. But the guilt that he felt over Hody might have caused him a set-back.
Listen to me, Coon," Hams voice held just a touch of alarm, "dis aint no time fer youse to be running off from us, a looking fer dat mule. You gits us all killed. You hears me, now?"
I sat up straighter and looked hopelessly at Coon. Because when all was said and done, Coon would go looking for that mule; just the way that I had Hody. Because he thought for sure that mule still had his wife and two children on his back. Now that I had been through so much with my own family; I could understand and hurt for him. That mule was all the hope that he had.
"Dat old mule, he done crossed too many buffalo herds a mile wide wid me on his back. He haint gonna get runs over by no buff. He knows how to side-ways through. We,uns done it lots o times." Coon glared at us.
"Coon," I said, "please wait a little and I promise to go with you to the end of this earth, hunting your mule and family." I felt Hams cold eyes on me. He knew that the buffalo had killed them and he didnt like for me to encourage Coon in this. But I just couldnt help it. What IF Ham was wrong?
But one thing that we all knew, that we had to move out. And I was afraid that it might kill Hody. He wasnt strong, yet. He couldnt stand or roll over or even eat unless we put it down his throat with that hollow cane. I looked at Ham and saw that he was reading my thoughts.
"We left thet wagon, back thar at tha pass. Hit may still be thar. Dont knows about tha old mule we left on thet weak stake, He may have been eat by them injuns or walked off to no telling." An uneasy look was upon Hams face.
And I knew that he got these feelings or fore sights or something. And a chill went up by back. I felt it, too.
And I hoped that no one was spying on us at this very moment. One bullet hole in my chest was enough for life, for me. And a pain of regret that Mama had seen me shot filled me. Now she didnt know if I was still alive. I had to get on to the Yieldings and get them to go after Mama for me. I sure couldnt go back on my black horse and thick, curly black hair. I would stand out like a nude at church.
I looked down at pitiful Hody and knew that as much as I didnt want to risk moving him, it would mean death for us all to stay. If we got out from here alive, it would be a miracle.
"When we leaving, Ham?" I asked. At the same time letting him know that I would risk Hody. There wasnt a choice, really.
"When it gets dark enough, it be our best and maybe our only chance to go," he was worried, "get every thing gathered and clean dem guns and fer shore dat Winchester."
Coon s eyes gleamed and his white teeth shined as he grinned. He wanted to move, so that he could watch for his mules tracks. Coon never looked on the dark side. Life was hope to him.
He held up Hodys sling. And to my surprise, he had washed it clean of all the blood that had been on it. He was a jump ahead of us all the way.
"Guess what wid Hams dope ourn little dogie can ride fine." He jumped up and slung his old hat around and danced a jig.
Worried as I was, I couldnt keep from laughing and slapping at him.
We finds thet ole mule whats we left staked out , too. I be thinking. Lazy old mule like him aints going very far from all dat grass and water. And den Mr. Hody, he be riding like a king on dat old wagon." He howled and jumped around some more.
Until Hams shot nerves couldnt take it any more. Why donts ya gets one o dem things dem politicks gets and holler louder. Dat way every body in Two miles can hears youse!"
"Youse jest be jealous. Cause they runs out o tar to put much on youse. HEEHE! I gots all of its and you anit nothing but a near pale face as Davey and no loud voice lack Ise gots."
"You be crazy as a ding bat. What yer means I se a pale face. Runs outa tar. Nevar heard sech nonsense." Ham glared at him.
"Dat de truth. When dey painted me all black and shiny and wid thick skin and happy and a full black mans, dey jest runs out o tar, befor dey gots to youse." Coon hopped around, happy as a lark to have got under Hams skin.
Before Ham could get too mad, I started talking. Truth was, I had never been around blacks before and it had surprised me to find out that the blacker they were the better they liked it. And considered me, just plain short changed on pale skin that was too thin in their way of thinking. No color a tall.
"I sure hope we can find that mule and wagon and get to Abilene soon." I said.
I dreaded to see Hody put back in that sling, being on his back was painful for him. But Ham doped him up and he made the ride asleep, to my great relief.
We found the wagon, still hidden under the brush, but I didnt see any sign of the mule. And my heart was raceing; Hodys life may depend on that mule.
But it didnt take Coon but about an hour to trail him out. About a mile south of where we had left him. His stake that he had yanked from the ground was still trailing after him. He didnt look too bad, there had been plenty of grass and water and he hadnt been working. But he did seem glad to have humans back again. And Ham rewarded him with three lumps of sugar that he had been saving.
Coon made a soft bed for Hody. And we were soon on our way to find the Yieldings and my mother. The trail hadnt been used much since we had left the Yieldings at the crossing. Ham primed the rusty old pump and we waited until good, cold water gushed out, to drink.
My thoughts went back to those mean men that we had met here and how Yonder Yielding had whipped that big one and Hadnt had killed the short one.
I had my fingers crossed that none of them would show back up while we were resting here. I had a dead white man and two injuns worrying me, now.
And I knew if they showed there would be more.
And Lord help us if them Comances caught up to us.
I ached all over and just wanted to get off this squeaking saddle and get a cold bath and eat a hot meal. I hoped Coon had some meat to roast over a blaze and some sourdough biscuits. My mouth was watering. But first the horses had to rubbed down and taken care of and that was usually my job; while Ham got the fire going for Coon to cook. Then I intended to make me a soft bed in the wagon beside Hody and watch the stars shine as our roof. I was Thankful for the simple but good things. Id had my fill of killings, except for that Killer Gypsy. His or my days were numbered.
The soft cool breeze and full stomach and Hody warm beside me, under the shining sky; just filled me with homesickness. Maybe it was because my Grandpa was buried not to far from here. And it just hit me with pain in my heart for all of us.
"Git up, boy, you gonna sleep till noon?" Coon handed me a hot cup of coffee, which I was almighty glad to get.
"I jest might."
"Well put on yore pants and shooting arm, cause here comes trouble."
My Lord! There was a big show wagon and a smaller wagon, stirring dust and rushing at us.
The Killer! I felt it inside. A cold black rage filed my guts. And Hody raised his head and growled deep in his throat. He even managed to wobble up on his weak legs. He knew who it was! He remembered the night in the rocks, while I was out cold and this devil had killed Grandpa and hurt Mama and no telling about my sister and Paw. They had even hung the folks that came with us. Even fifteen year old Buckwheat Turner.
Coon looked at me as I jerked on my clothes and guns, the same as they had done. The Killer would kill us all quick, if the snake got a mite of a chance.
Hams face was stone and Coon was nervous for me. I knew they would kill the killer fast, but it was my show.
Coon grinned all across that dear, black face, and said, "Dis be yore High Noon, Son. Dont try too fast, just aim straight and no talking. Talk to a snake and hit will bite. Here is the judgment fer that skunk." His eyes filled with fury. If I died, I knew the Killer was a dead man, either way. I thought of Grandpas cold body and hell knew no anger like mine.
He was a huge man and he jumped off his wagon, as though, he was much lighter. With a big grin on his black breaded face, and his two guns tied down. He was smiling. Thinking that he had more dumb fools to rob and kill.
I turned toward him and a flicker crossed for an instant in his eyes.
Did he sense something? Or remember something? I werent no kid to be tossed into the rocks now. I was as tall as he, only forty pounds lighter. And some kind of devil rose up in me. Suddenly, I wanted my hands on him. I wanted to squash his evil neck and watch him slowly smother too death.
Coon and Hams warning sprang in my head. But I wasnt listening any more.
Before I knew that I was gonna do it; I hit him a right to the jaw with all of me.
He barely moved. But he sure was surprised and stunned for a moment. And I was remembering all that the Yieldings and Coon and Ham had taught me about fighting. I didnt give him time to get set. I was all over him, like smoke on a fire.
We were rolling in the dirt, while he tried to get a bowie knife into my guts. I bowed my belly up higher and sprung to my feet, kicking him in the head. He was up like lightening and knocked my left ear plum off, it felt like. My head reeled. I was still not over being shot. And just like he could read my mind, he plowed one to my chest. And I went down and he kicked me in the nose, I felt it break and the hot blood spew. His boot hill came down on my left eye and I went blind in it. There was so much blood that I was choking on it, and nothing but thunder roaring in my head. I did hear Hody make a sound of pure rage. But I didnt think that he could help me, but from somewhere with in; he drew on his last inner strength.
He used his last strength to lunge on The Killers back and latched on to his throat with his deadly teeth.
My blood frooze. Hody couldnt take a hard lick. He would die!
I was off the ground in an instance and hitting that Killer like I had seen Yonder do. I busted his nose and kicked him in the groin. And he doubled up fell on the ground, and Hody fell with him, still on his back and shoulders whining. He rolled to his side to try to dislodge Hody, but it was too late. He wavered. Blood was spewing from the hole Hody had put in his neck.
He tried to scream, but only a gurgle came out. He held his throat and moved from side to side, blood was spewing from between his fingers; he was terrified!
Not me, but Hody had killed him. And he knew that he was dying. Hody had hit the jugular.
I stared to pull my gun. Then I saw his horrible fear on him and put it back. Let him go slow and knowing it. Any way Hody had earned the right the same, as I had to kill him.
Coon picked Hody up off the ground and gentle laid him back on his bed in the wagon. Then he turned to watch the devil kneel on his knees and try to scream, holding his ripped throat.
Coon was keeping a close eye on the dude that was driving the smaller wagon. But he never moved an inch, just like he was frozen to that wagon seat.
Ham walked up to him and said, "youse asked for it, now youse got it. You wont be murdering any more good folks and we is gona leave youse unburied for tha wolves to gnaw. Thets all youse deserves."
He began to gurgle and gasp and a rattle came up in his throat. So Hody raised up to peer over the wagon at him. To be sure that he had finished the job.
Finally all was quite as The Killer laid dead and his murdering soul had fled to hell.
I hung on to the wagon until my head and chest cleared enough for me to stumble over to the fire; for coffee, but I was too weak to pour it. And I could barely see out of either eye.
Coon came over to me laughing. You and dat dog is shore nough mean."
He fixed me some coffee and a wet cloth to clean off my face, then he yanked my nose straight and I almost fainted.
Ham went over to look in each wagon. There were six women; three in each wagon and the gaunt man that looked like an undertaker on the smaller wagon.
Ham made sure that the man would deliver the women alive and turn them over to the nearest sheriff to be sent back to their homes, from which they had been stolen. He told him he would hunt him down and kill him, if the sheriff had not seen him. He was one happy devil to get out of there.
Coon said, "Dat sheriff gonna keeps dat dude, youse knows." And laughed aloud.
We were forced to spend another night there, while Hody and I mended. Ham never scolded me for not shooting, but I knew that he thought that I had been foolish to have my first grown up fight with a killer that was experienced in fighting and killing.
I looked as bad as poor Hody. One eye was closed and my nose and whole face was black and blue and my chest wound felt like it had all torn loose.
But it was Hody that Ham was worried about. He wouldnt eat and just lay there in pain. He had torn his stitches loose when he had leaped from the wagon on to that awful Killers back. He may have saved my life, at the cost of his own. Ham stayed up all night with him. He seemed a little better at day light.
"We gots to get outa here, son. Well do alls we can for that brave dog. He loves you nough ta die fer youse. But if we stay here, trouble gonna find us soon," Ham scratched his curly hair and looked around. "Bones telling ole Ham to move."
I looked at him in surprise. Ham seldom ever talked sorta down, about himself. He had surprised me more than once talking just like an educated white man. Ham just didnt look like a black. He was a black because he wanted to be. And he was the one man in the world that I wouldnt want to have to face in a draw down. He was sudden death.
Coon appeared to be a gentle, kind soul, that the loss of his wife and two children had rattled his mind just a mite.
But I would never forget the moment that he out drew his friend, Ham, over Hody. Was it just the luck of the draw, because Ham wasnt expecting it?
I didnt want to ever find out.
We hit the cow trail to Abilene at dusk. Ham wanted to put a few quiet miles behind us and the bodies that we had left behind. Never mind the bank that we had robbed and the three men still hanging in that awful tree of death that The Killer had murdered. We figured that he must have cold bloodedly killed over a hundred men and sold that many women and children.
It was rough riding all night. I hurt all over. But we made a few good miles.
And then we met up with an old man that was going back home to Missouri. He had six of the best looking horses that I had ever seen.
Ham bought three from him. He didnt want our horses, because he said that he doubted that he would get home alive with the three that he had left. Besides the one that he was riding. He wanted to sell all of them.
So I bought them. A little thought had been in back of my mind to go back to Grandpas place and put my Paw, when I found him; to raising horses. Start us a horse ranch. And then I wanted to then high tail it to where those beautiful wild horses roamed. And me and Paw could have a horse ranch.
It felt so good to dream of a better life and all of us, but Grandpa back together again. Where you didnt have to kill or be killed all the time.
Ham thought that I was nuts to take three horses extra along with us. And we had the three that we were riding to get rid of at, at that.
Ham said,"we cant sell des horses. We gets some nice person in trouble. So we gonna turn them loose and hope that they headed back to their homes." I sure hated to say goodbye to Blackie. But it was nice to see him kick up his heels and take off like the wind.
We made the trip without any more trouble and I paid a farmer to keep my extra horses. So all was well as we headed for the down town part to look for the Yieldings.
I was riding a blue roan and Ham had taken the dun and Coon had a big gray stallion. I knew that we stood out, but we had to find those Yieldings.
And there they stood. Right on Main Street. And a man was talking to them. He was tall and thin and he looked like he may have something a little wrong about him. The stiff way that he stood and the expression of a person that wasnt just right.
My heart stopped.
My Lord, It was Paw!
To Be Continued.
Thank you for reading. Dont miss the next chapter where Davey begins to put his family together again. It should be posted by Monday, April 30.