Quicksilver Passion (121 page)

Aren’t you forgetting something, Evans?”

Very slowly, Cherokee turned around and gave him a deliberately insulting salute.

He went up on deck where Dowdy sat in chains.

The blacksmith raised his head.
Well?”

Cherokee shook his head.
I still think he’s bluffing. I think at the last minute tomorrow, he’ll commute your sentence. I just can’t believe he’d overstep himself to the point that he’d execute a U.S. soldier without going through proper channels, which takes months.”

From the other end of the ship, they heard the sound of hammering.

Dowdy looked scared.
Cherokee, you’d better tell the colonel that if he’s bluffing, he’s wasting a lot of time and good lumber havin’ the boys build me a coffin.”

I reckon I got you into this, and I’m sorry. We’d both been better off to have stayed in the Yankee prison.”

Now, Cherokee, you couldn’t know this would happen. If I was you, I’d watch my step. I hear rumors you’re next on his list because you’re my friend and someone the men would follow.”

Cherokee spat contemptously.
That wet behind the ears pup wouldn’t dare execute two men on this trip. I don’t even think he’ll execute one.”

Cherokee, he’s running scared—afraid of an uprising out here in the wilderness. A scared man’ll do just about anything.”

Reckon so,” Cherokee said.
Can I get you anything, boy?”

Dowdy’s hands trembled.
I’d like to have a glass of cold buttermilk and a hunk of hot cornbread dripping with melted butter from one of my mama’s Jersey cows. I been waking up nights dreaming about that ever since I was captured. You ever dream over and over about something you love and know you most likely will never have again?”

Cherokee thought of Silver and nodded.
I’m sorry I can’t get you any buttermilk, son. And I don’t imagine these Yankees know anything about cornbread. Us Cherokees like to fry it in deep fat along with fresh-caught catfish.”

And a mess of greens,” Dowdy said wistfully. ”Poke, picked early in the spring when it’s tender and fresh; with a hunk of salt pork to flavor it. And fried green tomatoes. Law, I’d give anything for a plate of fried green tomatoes.”