The Dawn of Fury (40 page)

Weary of the confines of the
Queen of Diamonds,
Stumberg's men wasted no time in reaching the main deck as the vessel neared the Natchez landing. It was a fuel stop, but still it offered a half-hour respite from the incessant pitching of the craft and the throb of the engines. Stumberg himself stood at the rail, watching as cord after cord of wood was loaded to feed the greedy fireboxes. Late as it was, the arrival of a steamboat was still sufficient to attract some townspeople, and that was Stumberg's reason for being forward, near the rail. His eyes missed nothing and he was suspicious even of the men who brought the wood aboard. But he saw nothing to suggest there was anything amiss, and that made him wonder all the more. Was it possible he might face a blockade farther south, near New Orleans? So be it, he thought grimly. He had the utmost confidence in his men armed with Winchesters, but he was prone to stack the deck in his own favor when possible. Mounted on the forward deck, under wraps, was a well-oiled, fully loaded Gatling gun, and at least four of Stumberg's men were trained in the use of the formidable weapon.
¹⁷

Nathan had to fight the current so that he didn't drift past the
Queen of Diamonds.
He wanted to board her as near the big paddlewheel as possible, keeping him well within the shadows and well beyond the activity on the landing. Having been to and from St. Louis on the vessel, Nathan had some idea as to how long it would take the crews to load the necessary fuel. There was a chance he might free the captives from the cabins on the first deck and get them over the side before the steamboat left the landing. The sooner they were out of danger the better were Nathan's chances of escape without discovery. Eventually, by skillful use of the oars, he managed to get the dinghy on a line with the shadowy stern of the Queen of Diamonds. Once he secured the dinghy, it must be far enough from the big paddlewheel that it would not be caught in the undertow when the
Queen of Diamonds
departed. There was a small chance that Nathan might free the captives and cut the dinghy loose during the fuel stop, but he couldn't count on that. He had the line ready and when the dinghy bumped into the hull of the Queen, he cast a loop at an iron stanchion that secured the rail of the lower deck. When his loop was secure, he took up the slack until the dinghy was snug against the side of the
Queen.
Using the heavy rope, Nathan cast and secured a second loop. This line he would use to reach the lower deck. Hopefully, the freed captives would use this same line to descend into the water or the dinghy. To the loose end of the heavy line he secured the canister of powder. This he would hoist to the lower deck when he was aboard. He tested the heavy line, found it secure, and began his ascent.

Reaching the first deck, Nathan drew up the heavy line, released the canister of powder, and dropped the end of the line back into the dinghy. The canister of powder he shoved into a shadowy alcove along a catwalk that led behind the enormous wheel. From there Nathan hurried toward the point where he would enter the closed portion of the deck, his only access to the series of locked cabins. Nathan could hear the crackle of flames and the clatter of wood being chunked into the fireboxes. He noted with satisfaction that the space on either side of the fireboxes had been stacked high with wood, meaning that the firemen had no ready access to the rearmost part of the deck. There was virtually no chance of his being seen by the firemen or the crew loading the wood. Discovery, if it came, would be from the upper deck. The critical moment was at hand. Would Silver's key fit? Nathan ran to the far end of the corridor and began with the first door on the right. At first the key seemed not to fit, but slowly it turned. The latch yielded to pressure and Nathan swung the door open. A terrified girl with blonde hair sprang off the lower bunk.

“Don't you dare scream,” Nathan warned. “I'm here to free you.”

“Thank God,” the girl sobbed.

“I'll need help,” Nathan said. “Do you know how many others are locked in these cabins?”

“I ... I ... let me think ...”

“Make it quick,” said Nathan. “We don't have much time.”

“There was fifteen of us to start,” she said in a quavering voice, “but there were stops. I ... don't know if there ..”

“We'll find out,” said Nathan. “Help me calm the others. We don't have time for tears.”

Nathan led her into the corridor and began unlocking doors. Fortunately some of the women were quick to realize they were being freed and were helping to quiet the others. The garments of some were in tatters, some were stripped to the waist, and from their cuts and bruises, all appeared to have been in some way abused. Once they were on the open deck, there must be no delays. Nathan spoke rapidly and the urgency in his voice got their attention.

“All of you are going to have to climb down a rope into a small boat,” he said. “It'll be crowded. When I cut you loose, take the oars and push your boat away from the steamboat until the current pulls you downstream. A government boat is waiting to take you aboard. Now let's go.”

Minutes counted. Nathan dared not tell them that should the
Queen of Diamonds
back away from the landing before the current carried the dinghy away, the little boat would be sucked under and demolished by the huge paddlewheel. While some of the fearful women had bare feet, most of them wore slippers, and it seemed to Nathan the clatter must surely be heard on the upper deck. Nathan began to breathe again when they reached the point on the open deck where the heavy rope led to the dinghy below. Its shape was barely visible in the dark and some of the newly freed captives were looking fearfully toward the dark water that seemed farther away than it was.

“You can see the boat down there,” Nathan said quietly. “Who wants to go first?”

“I will,” said the girl who had been freed first.

Nathan helped her over the rail, gripping her shoulders until she was able to take hold of the heavy rope. She went down the rope too quickly and her feet struck with such force she almost capsized the dinghy. It righted itself, and Nathan could see her pale face below.

“She made it,” Nathan said, “and so can the rest of you.”

They loaded the dinghy surprisingly well, with Nathan keeping one eye on the forward deck. When the last of the captives had joined the others in the boat, Nathan pulled the slipknot, gratified to see them using the oars to propel the dinghy away from the hull of the
Queen of Diamonds.
Slowly, the eddying current pulled the dinghy toward open water. Close to the farthest bank, the packet lurked without running lights and was all but invisible. The blast of the steamboat's whistle rent the night. The
Queen
was about to depart. By now, Nathan hoped the small government vessel had taken aboard the women occupants of the drifting dinghy. Nathan now had but one task remaining. Taking the canister of powder, he crept along the narrow catwalk until he was directly behind the huge paddlewheel. He was outside the deck rail, and he hoisted the cannister of powder up onto the deck, next to an iron upright that supported the rail. With a length of rope that he'd brought for that purpose, he bound the canister to the iron upright. That put the charge where, if it did nothing else, it would permanently disable the craft. Nathan made his way back along the catwalk, trailing the fuse until it ran out. He was but a few steps from the open side of the lower deck, and here he would remain until he'd lit the fuse.

Nathan thrilled to the sound of three shrill blasts from the packet's whistle. It seemed Captain Powers was about to get Stumberg's attention. Almost before the echo of the whistle had died, there was a babble of voices on the main deck almost above Nathan's head, then French Stumberg's angry voice.

“Get your rifles ready. When they're close enough, fire.”

But Captain Tolliver had expected that. He remained just far enough behind to make shooting uncertain but near enough for Captain Powers to issue his challenge through a megaphone.

“This is Captain Powers, representing the attorney general's office of the United States of America. We have a Federal arrest warrent for French Stumberg and Federal John Doe arrest warrents for every man on board. If you refuse to submit to arrest, we'll sink you.”

“We have hostages aboard,” Stumberg shouted. “A hostile move from you, and they die.”

“You have no hostages,” Powers responded. “This is your last chance.”

“Danvers, Odom, Dawson,” Stumberg bawled, “bring me three of the women, and do it fast.”

From the deck of the trailing packet, Grago cocked a Winchester and fired a single shot. Nathan waited only to hear Stumberg's reaction when he was told his hostages were gone. He was in a position where he couldn't be seen unless they came looking for him, but the three men Stumberg had sent to the lower deck didn't think of that. They hastened to report the shocking news.

“Gone!” Stumberg bawled. “Gone! Damn it, Frazier, you and Watkins get the wraps off the Gatling gun and be prepared to fire. They won't come to us, then by God, I'll turn this boat around and we'll go after them.”

Nathan heard no more. He had no idea how swiftly the
Queen of Diamonds
could reverse her course, but if she were close enough, the blast might take the government packet with it. As swiftly as he could, Nathan again crept along the catwalk until he reached the end of the trailing fuse. Stumberg's Gatling gun on the main deck had tilted the odds and they no longer had ten minutes. With his knife, Nathan cut away a third of the fuse and lighted the rest. It greatly reduced his escape time, and his life was in the hands of Captain Tolliver. Reaching the open deck, he leaped the rail and plummeted into the cold, dark water. Slowly the stern of the
Queen
began to turn to the farthest bank, as Stumberg made good his threat. But again old Captain Tolliver was ready, and the packet, too, had changed course. She glided as near the far bank as possible, neatly escaping Stumberg's cumbersome craft. Nathan ceased fighting the current and drifted with it. He wished to be as far downstream as possible when the explosion came. He tried to estimate how much time had elapsed. While Captain Tolliver wouldn't know of Stumberg's intention to use a Gatling gun, there was no mistaking the intended pursuit. And Tolliver
was
aware of the coming explosion, perhaps only seconds away. He should be fleeing downriver, seeking to distance his craft from the
Queen,
nearing Nathan's position.
And there she was!
Still without running lights, she came near enough for Nathan to see Grago throwing him a line. Nathan caught it, thankful for the harness, for his arms were numb with cold and exhaustion. They hauled him aboard, gasping for breath, trying to speak through chattering teeth.

“Ease up,” Grago said. “The worst is over.”

“No ... time,” Nathan gasped. “No ... time. I shortened the ... fuse ...”

“My God,” said Grago, “they're comin' after us. Captain Tolliver, give it hell. He shortened the fuse and she could blow any second.”

“He has a ... Gatling gun on the ... main deck,” Nathan said. “Something I didn't ... know ...”

But turning the big vessel had taken some time, and for the Queen, time had run out. When the explosion came—though she was half a mile distant—the force of it shook the government packet, shattering some of the glass in the pilot house. Upriver, flames leaped toward the moonless heavens, stretching ghastly, dancing reflections along the surface of the dark water. Every soul aboard the little vessel huddled on the main deck, awed by the enormity of what they were witnessing.

“Great God Almighty,” Captain Tolliver breathed, “I've never seen the like of this, and I hope I never do so again.”

“Captain Powers,” Grago asked, “will there be a search for survivors?”

“No,” said Powers, “I see no need. We will report no survivors.”

Nathan promised to meet with Powers and Grago before leaving New Orleans. He then took his horse from the livery and for what might be the last time, rode to Barnabas McQueen's place. He took some satisfaction in having Cotton Blossom come running to meet him. McQueen and Bess stood on the porch, watching him ride in.

“Well,” McQueen said, “we're glad to see you, for several reasons. This friend of yours has been hard as hell to keep abed, even with a bullet hole through him. I swear, he's worried about you like he's your old granny.”

“I reckon I needed somebody to worry about me,” said Nathan. “There's a lot to tell, so let's all get together so I don't have to tell it but once.”

Silver sat up in bed, looking every bit as fidgety and out-of-sorts as McQueen had implied.

“If I ever step into your boots again,” Nathan said, “I aim to know more about your commitments.”

Silver laughed. “Sorry. They swore me to silence. Tell me what you did and how you did it. Maybe I can learn something.”

“I doubt that,” said Nathan, “but I'll tell you what I did. God only knows how I did it.”

He began with the sending of the coded telegram and ended with the destruction of the
Queen of Diamonds.

“God,” Silver said, “that took sand. With Powers, Grago, and me behind you, you could name your own price with the Federals.”

“I reckon not,” said Nathan. “Why don't you saddle up and ride with me?”

“It's a temptation,” Silver said, “but this easy living is gettin' to me. Bein' from Texas, cowboying and bein' shot at is all I know. Cowboying, after you've been throwed and stomped a few times, kind of loses its appeal.”

“I'll be riding out tomorrow,” said Nathan, “and it may be a long trail. With my Daddy's dying breath, he asked me to pay a blood debt, and I swore on his grave I would. If it's the last thing I
ever
do, I'll do it.”