Under the Distant Sky (25 page)

Walt stared at her in cold silence.

Vanessa Tolliver spoke up. “Mr. Cooper, I’ll drive the wagon for you. Lafe and I were just talking about it. He and I agreed that I could drive it, and he would drive ours.”

Everyone knew the Tollivers took turns driving so Lafe could lighten the load by walking a good deal of the time.

Solomon smiled and said, “Thank you both, very much.”

“I’d like to ride that wagon and help her drive,” Dwight said in a low tone. Walt and the others chuckled evilly.

Ezra Comstock raised his voice and told everyone they would wait until the supply train crossed the river. Then Ezra would deal with the wagon master and get him to take the Landers with him.

When the entire supply train had crossed the Little Blue, the Landers said their good-byes. Elsie clung to Hannah, weeping, while Chuck turned their battered wagon around.

As the supply train pulled away, Solomon talked to Ezra for a moment, then went to his youngest daughter and knelt down. “Honey,” he said, “we’ve waited longer than we really should have to do this, but it’s time to let Mr. Rabbit go back to the wild. He’s well, now. The Lord didn’t intend for him to live his life in a box.”

Patty Ruth dug her fingernails into Ulysses and swallowed hard. “I understand, Papa. But… but—”

“What, sweetheart?”

“Where will Mr. Rabbit live? I don’t want him to be lonely.”

“He won’t be lonely, honey,” Hannah said, laying a gentle hand on Patty Ruth’s shoulder. “You’ve seen all those jackrabbits on the prairie?”

“Uh-huh.”

“Those are his cousins, even though he has never met
them before. He’ll live with them and be very happy.”

Patty Ruth nodded. “All right. Can I say good-bye to him?”

“Of course,” Solomon said. “Look…Mr. Comstock is bringing him now.”

“Well, Patty Ruth,” the wagon master said, “Mr. Rabbit has his tummy full and he’s ready to find his new life on the prairie. He told me he wants to find a home with the other jackrabbits.”

“That’s ’cause they’re his cousins,” Patty Ruth said.

Solomon took the box from Ezra. “How about you and Mama and me taking Mr. Rabbit out here on the grass to let him go?”

They walked some thirty yards from the wagons. Patty Ruth tried not to cry as she reached into the box and stroked the rabbit’s long ears for the last time. “I’ll miss you a lot, Mr. Rabbit,” she said, her voice quavering. “We’ve had lots of good times together in Mr. Comstock’s wagon. Jesus let me save your life so you could find your cousins and live with them. I hope you will love your family as much as I love mine.”

“Would you like to flip the box on its side so he can find his new family, honey?” Solomon asked.

“Yes, Papa. Good-bye, Mr. Rabbit. Don’t forget me. I love you.”

With that, Patty Ruth tipped the box. When the jackrabbit felt the familiar grass under his feet, he hopped away. When he had gone a ways, he stopped and looked back. The furry little animal held his position for a few seconds, wiggling his nose, then bounded away.

As Patty Ruth walked back to the wagons, she hugged her stuffed bear tight and said, “It’s all right, Ulysses. You’re my very best friend. As long as I have you, everything will be fine.”

E
ver since crossing the Little Blue River, the Comstock wagon train had seen great herds of buffalo dotting the Nebraska plains. The land was different too—rough and undulating beneath the wagon wheels. No more rain had fallen, and the grass had changed from green to a tawny gold.

It was sobering to see grave after grave along the trail. The farther they traveled, the more graves they saw, most with no markers except wooden crosses.

Late in the afternoon on Sunday, June 26, the Platte River came into view. This was the thirty-third day since leaving Independence. Ezra said that as soon as they reached the Platte, they would be at the 301-mile point. Thus far, they had averaged just under ten miles per day.

As the train drew near the Platte, they came upon the buffalowallows that dotted the land on both sides of the river. The buffalo, with their young, milled about by the hundreds, paying no attention to the wagon train. The murky water holes were putrid with excrement, and emitted a vile odor.

With the first whiff, Patty Ruth, who delighted in teasing her older brother, said loud enough for Chris to hear, “O-o-o-o-o! Mama! Chris took off his shoes again!”

Chris set his jaw in a stern line, acting as if he were perturbed. “You better be good, little sister, or we’ll leave you here
with the buffalo and you can smell it all the time!”

Patty Ruth came back with, “Once you put your shoes back on, the smell will go away!”

They camped that evening on the south bank of the rolling Platte. After supper and long-awaited baths, Ezra Comstock gathered all the people to outline the rest of their journey and told them that in two days they would reach Fort Kearney, which was not only a military installation but a supply depot for wagon trains. He was glad to see smiles break out as he told them they could buy food and other things they were low on.

Their journey would follow the Platte westward on its south bank until it split in two in western Nebraska. At the junction of the North and South Platte Rivers, the train would cross and follow the North Platte into Wyoming. If they maintained an average of twelve miles a day, they would reach Fort Laramie the last week of July. Fort Laramie was also a supply station for wagon trains.

After that they would pass Fort Caspar, which had been abandoned, and follow the North Platte until it met the Sweetwater River thirty-five miles southwest of Fort Caspar.

They would then proceed past Devil’s Gate, a narrow cleft through a ridge called the Sweetwater Rocks. The cleft was four hundred feet deep, fifteen hundred feet long, and some fifty feet wide. The narrow river passage caused the water to violently rush through the cleft, creating a roaring, boiling effect.

From there the train would climb South Pass, which topped out at seventy-five hundred feet above sea level at South Pass City, another wagon train supply station. At their present rate of travel, they would reach South Pass City by the second week of August.

On the west side of South Pass they would descend through a long sweeping valley of creeks, green grass, trees, foliage, rock-crested buttes, and towering cliffs. This valley
would lead them to Fort Bridger, where the Coopers would be leaving the train.

Then on to California.

The train stopped at Fort Kearney on the thirty-fifth day and replenished their supplies.

Some of the oxen had sore shoulders, where the neck bows had rubbed against their hides. The men cleansed the sores and found ways to pad the bows to make the oxen more comfortable.

At the close of the thirty-sixth day the, wagon train camped on the south bank of the Platte. Its swift, wide current was dotted with small islands. Ezra warned that along this part of the Platte the river bottom was quicksand. Bathing and washing should be done at the edge of the bank only.

The topography of the land began to change. There were fewer trees now, and the fields were dotted with cactus and sagebrush. The men were able to bag antelope and buffalo that evening to provide fresh meat and replenish the buffalo jerky supply.

From time to time, the Coopers had invited different families to have supper with them. On that particular evening, they invited the Armstrongs and Tony Cuzak for buffalo steaks.

While they ate, a spiritually hungry Tony asked many questions about what the Bible taught. The Coopers were glad Tony was showing growth in his Christian life. It was an added bonus that he was asking the questions in front of the Armstrongs. Solomon and Hannah were burdened in their hearts for Stu and Tracie, praying that they would recognize their need for salvation.

When the meal was over and the dishes were washed, Chris asked if he could spend some time with Micah
Comstock. The other children had made plans to spend the evening with their various friends, and B. J. agreed to take Biggie with him.

When the children were gone, Hannah and Tracie decided to take advantage of the time and do some washing at the river bank. With the now familiar banjo and fiddle music playing near the main fire, Tony continued to ask questions about his newfound faith. Stuart Armstrong, who had been listening intently to Solomon’s Sunday sermons, felt something stirring deep within, and he was eager to learn more.

At the river bank, several women were washing clothes. Hannah and Tracie picked a spot upstream. Hannah prayed for a chance to talk to Tracie about her need for salvation, and God gave her the perfect opening when Tracie said, “That Tony is really full of questions, isn’t he?”

Hannah smiled to herself, marveling at God’s timing. “That’s what happens when a person comes to know the Lord, Tracie.”

“I guess it’s more dramatic for some people than others.”

“What do you mean?”

“Well, I’ve never had a sudden change like Tony. I’ve just believed in God and tried to please Him ever since I was a little girl.”

“Have you always pleased Him?”

Tracie smiled ruefully. “No. I’ve done a lot of things that I know displease Him. But…I’m hoping the good things I do will outweigh the bad, and He’ll take me into heaven when I die.”

“Tracie, if I understand you correctly, you believe that missing hell and going to heaven depends on how good you live?”

“Of course.”

“Tell me, how good do you have to live to go to heaven?”

Tracie was silent for a moment, then said, “Well, I’m not sure. I guess that’s something you can’t know until you die and stand before God.”

“Mmm. Be a little late by then if you fell short, wouldn’t it?”

“Guess so.”

“Tell me, Tracie. Do you believe that Jesus Christ came from heaven to die on the cross for the sins of the world… including yours?”

“Sure.”

“Well, if you could go to heaven by how good you live, why did Jesus bother to come down here and die at Calvary?”

Tracie pondered the question for a long moment. “You know, I’ve never thought of it in that light.”

“When Jesus went to the cross, Tracie, He met every demand of God the Father so there could be forgiveness for our sins. The Bible says the wages of sin is death. Jesus died to satisfy the debt that God’s righteousness and holiness demanded. God the Father has decreed that only by the shedding of sinless blood can our sins be washed away and forgiven. So, Tracie, Jesus’ death made it possible for sinners to be saved. But a dead Saviour can’t save anyone. Do you believe that Jesus rose from the dead?”

“Of course.”

Hannah quoted verse after verse from the Bible on salvation. When she quoted Ephesians 2:8ȃ9, Tracie said, “I think I’m understanding it now, Hannah. Let me hear that again.”

Hannah’s heart began to pound. “Listen closely, Tracie. God says, ‘For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God: not of works, lest any man should boast.’”

“Not of works…” Suddenly Tracie’s face lit up. “I see it!
Salvation doesn’t come through good deeds or living right. It comes through faith in Jesus Christ.”

“That’s it, Tracie! That’s it!”

A little farther upstream—past the heavy brush where Hannah and Tracie were doing their wash—Vanessa Tolliver and Lisa Norwood scrubbed some clothes.

“Lisa,” Vanessa said, “my heart is so heavy for you. I can’t even imagine how horrible it must be to lose your mate.”

“You have to experience it to really know,” Lisa said quietly.

“I know your decision to go on to California wasn’t an easy one, but you’ll be glad you made it. Perry’s a fine young man and will see to it that you have a good life.”

“I have no doubt of that,” Lisa said. “I know I made the right decision, thanks to some straight talking by sweet Hannah.”

“She’s that, all right.”

Moments later, Lisa said, “Well, my washing’s done. Can I help you with yours?”

“No need,” Vanessa said. “You go on and get your clothes hung up. I’ll be along shortly.”

“No, I’ll wait. I don’t think I should leave you alone.”

“I’m not alone. There are people close by. You go on, now.”

“Isn’t there something I can wash to speed it up for you?”

“No, Lisa. I’m on the last piece. Go on. I’ll see you in a few minutes.”

“All right, if you insist.”

Lisa headed back to the wagons, and Vanessa finished scrubbing Lafe’s Levi’s. She wrung them out, then picked up the other clothes and rose to her feet. When she turned around, a dark form stepped toward her.

“Oh!” Vanessa said with a gasp. “I didn’t know anyone was—What are
you
doing here?”

“Just wanted to see you alone for a minute,” Dwight Cuzak said, as he pushed his hat back on his shaggy head.

Tension knotted Vanessa’s stomach and she took a half-step back. “Get away from me or I’ll scream!”

Dwight closed the space between them and looked at her menacingly. “You do that and it would bring Lafe. He’d really be mad. Like I told you before, if Lafe makes another move toward me, I’ll kill ’im. You think I’m kiddin’, go ahead and scream.”