Candace McCarthy (26 page)

Everything was falling into place perfectly. Cameron smiled as he, Captain Milton, and Private Holton rejoined the regiment.

“Captain Milton!” A young soldier raced up to him, gestured back to a stranger that Cameron had never seen before. “The goods are here.”

Cameron turned in time to see Milton’s eyes gleam.

“Excellent!” A grin curved the officer’s lips. “Mr. Holton,” he said, “you come with me. And, Cameron, tell the men that they may have their fire now.”

Cameron nodded, amazed by the transformation within his commanding officer. “I’ll tell them, sir.”

As he watched the captain and Holton disappear with the stranger, he realized that these goods were what Captain Milton had been waiting for.

He turned to the men with a smile. “Fellows, the captain said it’s okay for us to have a fire.” And while the captain was gone, he had another fire to light, one that would ignite a brawl among the inebriated members of Captain Milton’s regiment.

“Smith, apologize to Rogers,” Cameron said. “That’s no way to talk about a man’s mother!”

“What?” Rogers exclaimed angrily as he turned to the soldier named Smith. “You’ve been insulting my mother again? I told you what I’d do if I ever heard you say anything bad about her again!”

Cameron backed away as the two men rose to face each other with fists raised. The first punch came from Rogers, clipping Smith on the shoulder. Smith swung back, hitting Rogers in the nose, sending the man sprawling into a group of soldiers who had a taste for liquor but no tolerance for having a body hurled at them. Soon, others came into the brawl, and it became a drunken free-for-all, with some of the men circling to watch, cheering for their favorite fighters.

Daniel turned to Black Hawk. “That’s it. Let’s go.”

The men scrambled to help the women and children. There were four Ojibwa and Daniel; there were three women captives and two children to escape with the men. The numbers would have been even, but one of the braves had slipped out of camp to get to the horses.

In the excitement, their plan of who was to rescue whom went awry, and each man was forced to rescue the nearest captive. Daniel grabbed for the boy Johnny, and ran toward Thick Head who stood on the fringe of the
camp with the four horses he’d managed to secure. Black Hawk had already swung into a saddle with Miriam up in front. Daniel handed Johnny up to his friend, who placed the boy into Miriam’s arms.

“Go!” Daniel said as he prepared to return. “Go and don’t look back.”

Black Hawk’s dark gaze glistened as he nodded. Daniel could see in his eyes that Hawk didn’t want to go, not without exacting vengeance. But the brave knew he’d have to wait for his revenge. “May the Great Spirit protect you, Dan-yel. I will meet you where the stream forks in the forest.” He didn’t kick the horse into a wild gallop but eased him on slowly, so as not to draw attention to the others.

Behind them, the fight continued with the noise of solid thuds, the occasional outburst of vicious curses, and the wild cheering from the onlookers. Daniel searched for Jane, Susie, and Amelia. With a feeling of relief, he saw Amelia and Jane being urged toward the horses by Rainfrom-Sky. Broken Bow was going in for Susie. Thick Head had moved the horses closer to the camp.

One of the soldiers turned, saw the horses and the fleeing prisoners, and shouted. Thick Head swung up onto a horse. The beast shifted restlessly beneath the brave, who fought to control his mount as well as keep hold of the other two.

Daniel caught Walters’ glance, knew he had little time as the soldier slowly raised his gun to fire it into the air. He understood that Cameron had given them their chance, but that the soldier had no other option but to fire his gun soon, to alert his commander or else risk having his role in the escape discovered.

Cameron shot off the gun. Running to help save the
two women, Daniel prayed that Broken Bow had reached Susie and made their escape in time.

A soldier fired his gun, hitting Broken Bow in the heart. Jane screamed as the brave fell dead, leaving Susie behind and helpless.

“Go on!” Amelia shouted at the woman. “Run! I’ll get her.”

Rain-from-Sky, Black Hawk’s brother, turned back to help.

“No, go!” Amelia cried. “See to Jane!” The woman sobbed hysterically, as she fought to get back to her baby. “Please, Rain.”

The brave took Jane to the horse.

Daniel raced forward, his heart in his throat, as he saw Amelia turn around and rush back toward the danger. “No, Amelia! No!”

There was another gunshot. The bullet whizzed by Daniel’s head, just missing him by inches. He watched Amelia pick up little Susie, saw her spin and run to escape. A soldier jumped her from behind, catching hold of her skirts and dragging her down with him as he fell. Amelia released Susie as she tumbled to the ground, shoved her in Daniel’s direction. “Run, Susie. Run to Pa!”

“Pa!” the child screamed, running, obeying without question.

Daniel scooped his niece up into his arms and ran to thrust the child at Thick Head. Rain-from-Sky was already in the saddle with Jane. Daniel spun to return for Amelia, saw with horror that the man who’d tripped her had risen to his feet and held a gun to Amelia’s head.

The soldier grinned as he saw Daniel coming. Amelia turned then, saw Daniel, and her eyes widened in horror. “No, Daniel! Leave! Go! Damn it! Save yourself and the others!”

“Dan-yel!” Thick Head said. “Come.”

“Amelia!” Daniel cried.

Amelia saw his indecision, prayed that he’d make the right choice and leave. She saw the other soldiers scrambling for their weapons. “Go!” she screamed. She’d never be able to live with herself if he’d gotten himself killed while saving her. It was too late for her rescue.

“Dan-yel,”
the brave urged.

“Pa, please!”

Susie’s plea reminded him about the others who depended on him. He wanted to stay for Amelia. He had to leave for the others, but he’d return. He’d be back for Amelia, and no one would be able to stop him then.

I’ll come back for you, my love!
he cried silently.
I’ll be back.

She had risked her life to save Susie and Jane … and now himself.

His heart squeezed painfully.
I love you, Amelia. I love
you
…

Amelia saw him turn toward the horse and felt an overwhelming wave of relief as he escaped with the others. She closed her eyes and cried happy tears. If she’d nothing else good in her life, at least, she had this. Daniel and the others were safe. That was all that mattered.

“Well, well, well,” a soldier said, and she turned and saw with shock that it was Cameron Walters, who had taken over for the soldier holding the gun. He jabbed her in the side with the barrel. “Move, woman,” he growled cruelly, loudly.

She stiffened, glared at him in fury, then slowly obeyed him to wherever he ordered. The fight had stopped at the first sound of gunfire. Several soldiers, she saw, lay on the ground, groaning from their injuries. Another was puking
up his stomach contents, while a second soldier laughed at the other man’s sickness.

Nice friend,
Amelia thought. Then, she jumped and cried out as Cameron hit her in the back with his gun.

“Keep going,” Cameron commanded harshly.

She kept going, but her anger at him nearly blinded her, making her stumble and almost fall to the ground. Cameron grabbed her arm and hauled her to her feet. “I’m sorry,” he whispered, before he let her go, and Amelia understood. She’d been caught, so now her friend had to play his part, so no one, especially Richard Milton, would realize that the young soldier had been instrumental in the prisoners’ escape.

She released her anger toward Cameron, gathered it up for Richard Milton instead. She should have been afraid of the man, but right now the only thing she could think about was how vile the captain was, how he’d hurt people she cared about … how she’d love to see him pay and the authorities get their hands on him.

She heard the sharp bellow of rage before she saw the officer. He must have only returned to see the destruction and hear about the missing prisoners.

“Walters! Barker!” he screamed angrily.
“What is the meaning of this? “

“Rogers and Smith got into a fight, sir,” Barker volunteered, and Amelia recognized him as the man who’d nearly accosted her, who demanded that she ride with him instead of with Cameron. “It sparked off the others.”

The captain looked livid. He didn’t realize that they still had one prisoner, Amelia thought. She saw him in the firelight—a devil with bulging demonic eyes, fury on his face, and his hands clenching and unclenching at his sides.

The man stared at Barker in such a way that the soldier cringed and backed away. The captain reached into his
holster, grabbed his pistol, then raised it toward the soldier’s head.

“I caught one of the prisoners, Captain,” Barker said in a fearful, quivering voice.

Milton froze. “One of them didn’t escape?” Barker nodded, then sighed with relief as the officer lowered the gun. “Who?” the captain asked calmly, more rationally.

Cameron Walters stepped forward. “I’ve got her here, sir,” he announced loudly as he prodded Amelia in Milton’s direction with his gun.

Richard Milton’s expression cleared of his anger, and he was suddenly the charming, handsome officer again. The quick change in him made Amelia shiver and hug herself with her arms.

“Why, Miss Dempsey, is it?”

She nodded, controlling her emotions as she gazed into the laughing eyes of the dark devil himself.

He turned his attention from Amelia to smile approvingly at his two men. “Excellent,” he said. “Trahern will be back. They’re lovers.”

Amelia opened her mouth to object, closed it again when she saw Milton turn a mocking light glance in her direction.

The officer then barked orders to his men to organize a party consisting of half of his men to recapture the escaped prisoners. When the band of fear-sobered men had left the camp, Milton turned to Rogers and Smith. While Amelia and his army watched with horror, he fired his pistol into Smith’s neck. He then ordered the shaken Rogers to care for the wounded soldier and bury the man if he died.

Captain Milton returned to Amelia, who stood with Cameron behind her, his gun now held to her nape. The
horrible memory of Smith’s neck injury had turned Amelia pale and queasy.

“Now, Miss Dempsey,” Milton said with extreme politeness. He waved Cameron away, before he smiled at Amelia. “I think we should get to know each other better.” He held out his arm for her to take, as if they were a gentleman and lady at a ball instead of two adversaries in the wilderness.

Amelia stared at the navy coat sleeve, then took the man’s elbow, because she knew she had no other choice. She wouldn’t cross the army officer, for Captain Richard Milton was a madman and a cold-blooded killer.

“I’m going back for her,” Daniel declared to the others.

“No, Daniel!” Jane cried.

“No, Pa!”

He caught his sister by the shoulders. “I am going back for Amelia,” he said. “I love her.”

A flash of awareness entered Jane’s eyes. “Oh, Daniel.” He released her, and she turned away to hide the onslaught of tears. “It’s not that I don’t want her saved.”

“But you’d rather see one of the others do it?” he said quietly. “Miriam perhaps?”

She spun with a hurt expression. “You know that I didn’t mean her.”

Daniel studied his sister with sympathy in his blue gaze. “Who then? Black Hawk? Thick Head? It’s all right if one of the savages go, but not me?”

Her face reddened with shame. “I’m sorry,” she said miserably.

Oddly enough, it was Black Hawk who comforted her. “He will not go alone, my sister. I will go with him.”

She blinked as she looked at him. “I didn’t mean for
you to put yourself in danger. I …” She glanced away, feeling helpless.

The brave touched her arm. “This man wishes to go. I have a score to settle with the white man.” He smiled when she again turned to him. “A score to settle for all of us.”

“He’s an evil man, Black Hawk,” she said softly.

“I am not afraid of the white man’s devil. I am not afraid of the white army officer. Dan-yel and I will rescue Tree-That-Will-Not-Bend, and we will return safely to our villages and to the people who love us.”

Despite the fire in his gaze, Black Hawk’s expression was gentle.

Jane nodded. “Go with God then.”

The Ojibwa brave inclined his head. “And may
Gichimanidoo
protect you as well.” The group had never made it to their original agreedupon meeting place in the forest. The others caught up with Black Hawk and the child Johnny within miles of the regiment, in the first hiding place where the brave could keep watch for the others without being seen by the enemy.

Just moments ago Sleeping Bird had found them. He’d brought Ojibwas and their friends, the Ottawas, to help rescue the remaining captives. It had been a surprise to see them.

Sleeping Bird’s party decided to split into two groups, one that would go with Daniel and Black Hawk, one that would stay and protect those who remained.

Daniel hugged his sister and niece, then embraced Miriam briefly. “Take care of yourselves. Listen to Thick Head and Rain-from-Sky in the event of danger. They’ll know what to do.”

He went to climb on top of his horse. Black Hawk
would ride with him, so they could leave behind the remaining three animals for the others. Black Hawk climbed into the saddle behind Daniel, but allowing Daniel full control of the animal. The two men would act as scouts while the others followed on foot.

“Good-bye,” Daniel said softly. “Keep safe.”

“Danny!” Jane ran to the horse just as Daniel had nudged the animal forward with a gentle kick to the gelding’s side.

Daniel drew up on the reins and turned to his sister.

She placed a hand on his knee. “I love you,” she whispered achingly. “Please, please, come home safe. I’ve only just found you again.”

Her brother grinned. “Just try to keep me away,” he said. He bent and touched her cheek. “Give Susie another hug for me.”

She nodded, unable to control her tears. “I never thanked you for taking such good care of her.”

“I love her,” he said simply. “And I love you.”

Daniel straightened in the saddle, then with a jaunty wave, he spurred the horse into a gallop, and he and Black Hawk disappeared as the first hint of dawn brightened the new day’s sky.

“I don’t know what your game is, but you’re never going to get away with this,” Amelia said to the army officer.

“Game?” Milton’s smile was cruel. “Who said this is a game, Miss Dempsey? This is serious business here. Government business.”

They were breaking camp and heading out. The captain stood with Amelia close to his side, watching his men put out their campfire and gather their things.

Amelia heard a low rumbling of wheels and from the woods a soldier manned a horse-drawn cart that she’d never seen before.

Shortly after the others’ escape, she’d overheard a conversation between Milton and Holton, the young private. She’d learned that the goods were being sold and traded for money to pay Milton’s soldiers, not dispensed to the Indians for free as stipulated and promised by the March treaty. Amelia realized then that this army’s current actions weren’t sanctioned by the United States government. Only its soldiers didn’t know that. As long as they received solid pay for obeying orders, Milton’s army believed that the captain’s commands were direct orders from the army superiors.