The Deserter, Part 2
Howard Gibbons's delirium had led him down the path of haunting memories to the old fort at Table Creek. The post had been subdued in the twilight with soldiers bedding down for the night as Howard reached the women's quarters to bid goodnight to his sister. After their parents had died from cholera, some five years ago, Howard had joined the Army as a way to provide food and shelter for his younger sister. There were only the two of them and he knew he was responsible for her, as she had only been fifteen. For five years the Army had treated them both well.
The preparations for the move to Fort Kearney were underway.
The matronly sister of Major Strickland, Norma, answered his knock. When he inquired about his sister he was told that she had gone for an evening stroll and had not returned but he was reassured she should be all right because, after all, they were in a fort protected by soldiers, weren't they?
Nevertheless, Howard decided to look for Cora and give her the apple he had found while resting on patrol.
After walking through the fort and not seeing his sister he decided to look in the stable. Cora was a great lover of all animals.
As he approached the barn he heard muffled noises and Cora's scream! Howard shoved the barn door open and his eyes widened. In the shadows was Cora struggling in the straw against a soldier! Her scream was partially silenced this time as the man had his hand over her mouth. Howard rushed to her side just as the soldier plunged his knife into her chest. Her eyes widened with pain while at the same time recognition shone in her frightened brown eyes as she saw her brother.
From behind, with his arm around the soldiers neck, Howard pulled the half naked man off of his sister and threw him backwards into the hay. He knelt beside Cora as she lay naked from the waist down with blood gushing from her chest and seeping from between her thighs staining the straw beneath her.
"Cora!" he screamed!
Her eyes were looking into his blue ones and then darted over his shoulder. He turned quickly as the man came after him with the same knife he had used on his sister. From Howard's kneeling position he was pulled backward, and as he landed on his back he felt the knife enter his right thigh.
Without hesitation, he jerked out the knife and thrust it upwards into the soldiers belly. Howard crawled to Cora. Brown eyes open, her lifeless body peered at the roof of the barn.
"Halt! Who goes there?" came the cry of the night sentry.
Panicked, Howard hid in a stall. He quietly haltered a horse, and after the sentry passed on after hearing nothing more, he carefully guided the mare to the fort gate and limped for a quarter of a mile before climbing on and galloping west. He rode as far as he could from the fort, stopping only to drink from a stream or to sleep.
His leg stopped oozing blood but the incessant throbbing in his skull made him wonder if something drastic was wrong. His fever climbed.
One night, outside the perimeter of a wagon train, he heard ladies named Emma and Vada May talking as they sewed new bonnets. He let out a choked sob as he realized that Cora would never sew another bonnet. Because the Army was with the train, a night sentry passing by the women halted and listened in the direction of the woods but hearing nothing more, moved on. When the women went to their wagons Vada May screamed! A snake bite! Howard passed out.
The following morning the train was again on the move. Howard followed far enough behind so as not to be seen, but close enough so as not to lose sight of the train. The soldiers were his biggest worry.
He felt sure he had killed the man who had ravaged his sister and felt he might gain compassion from the women of the train if only he could speak to them. He knew where Emma's wagon was and somehow felt that she--with the same brown eyes as Cora--may help him. But her husband?
After nightfall he entered her wagon and searched it for some soothing syrup--an elixir of opium and alcohol made especially for pregnant women. Fumbling in the dark, he heard a noise outside and froze.
When Emma lifted her skirt and entered the wagon Howard did not want to frighten her, but in desperation he grabbed her from behind and pressed the gun to her side. With his head throbbing and in need of a "fix," he told her he would shoot and that he had shot someone before. It was a lie. He had never shot anyone in his life.
Emma nodded it was all right.
His knees buckled and he went blank.
Howard came to as hands gently cleansed his wound but still caused more pain. Black enveloped him once again.
As his fever raged, thoughts of poor dead Cora arose again.
Water. "Cora." Sleep. Water. "Cora." Sleep.
He awakened to see the steely hazel eyes of Flint. Howard's eyes blurred as the fringed buckskin shirt hovered over him. Fearing passing out again, he braced himself. Over the scout's shoulder he could see Emma come into view. She carried a basin and some cloth. As she knelt down to bathe his face Howard smiled and whispered, "Cora" to which she replied, "I am Emma, not Cora. Who is Cora?"
He began to weep--quietly at first but escalating into heart-rending sobs.
Flint was astonished, as was Daniel who had just stepped in. Why was this wounded man weeping? They were all certain his sorrow was genuine. Emma left to get him some stew while wondering what to do.
The Fazenbaker sisters pushed past her and heaved a double sigh of relief. Fannie rushed to the patient with Ineta right behind her. Daniel and Flint knew when they were outnumbered and sensibly stepped aside.
Fannie knelt beside Howard while feeling his brow and looking into his eyes. She could see the fever had nearly passed. Relieved, she turned to order food just as Emma handed her a bowl. As Fannie fed him, he ate hesitantly at first, then ravenously. Emma went to fetch more and to find some hardtack. He greedily drank the water offered and sank back. He was able to eat the second bowl of stew by himself and all knew he was recovering. He sighed and slept.
Wake. Eat. Drink. Sleep. Over and over.
When he awoke five days later he was staring into the brown eyes so like Cora's and he asked, "Emma?"
Emma replied, "Yes, it is good you slept. We've done much traveling and your strength is returning."
Howard noticed Daniel's long blonde hair behind her and saw his eyes narrow with concern. Looking to Daniel's left, Howard saw the long dark hair, battered brown hat and again the steely hazel eyes of Flint. Behind him was Ian MacGregor whose long mustache drooped below his chin. Ian barked, "Why are you runnin'? Who stabbed you?"
Howard was frightened but sure he was with a friendly group. All eyes were on him. Questioning eyes. He sighed.
"I am Howard Gibbons from the old fort at Table Creek. I was Cora's brother. I deserted after I killed a soldier who raped and murdered Cora. He stabbed me first but I left his own knife stuck in his belly and I am not sorry. I'm only sorry to put all you kind folks through this with me and I'm most grateful to you."
Emma had gasped halfway through the story and turned her head aside as Daniel held her close.
Ian issued an order. "We MUST have a meetin' with all who were involved. Flint, you round 'em up and bring 'em to my wagon. " The scout left immediately.
At Ian's campsite were Howard, Emma, Daniel, Flint, Fannie and Ineta Fazenbaker, Ira and Stewart Wilt, the redheaded Sullivans and Billy.
Howard was seated under Ian's wagon in the shadows. Ian asked, "What shall we do? I need opinions."
Emma spoke up and said, "We have nursed him and listened to him and I think I speak for all of us when I say we believe him. I feel we should continue hiding him and take him to Oregon with us." Fannie and Ineta added, "Here, here."
Ian looked at Daniel who felt his wife had worded it just right and so he nodded his head in acceptance. Next he peered at Flint. As an answer Flint said, "Iffin it was me, I prob'ly would'a done the same."
The two red heads nodded in unison. Given the reality of the situation, the last of the group, Billy, Ira and Stewart concurred.
"It's agreed then," Ian proclaimed.
Go back to our Table of Contents