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INDIAN DEAMER
© By W. R. Benton
CHAPTER 1
Jeb removed his hat, wiped the sweat from his forehead and looked around as he rode his big bay, constantly scanned the countryside. He was bone tired and from his estimate the three of them had covered about twenty miles since sunup. But, now it appeared they were about to have some serious trouble. He knew they were out there, because he could feel them, but where? For more than three hours someone had been watching them and while he had not seen them, his senses told him he was being watched. He had learned early in the Civil War that just because you could not see an enemy did not mean they were not there and he had learned quickly to rely on his gut feelings. He stayed straight in his saddle and didn't turn his head as he whispered to the old withered black man riding beside him, “Moses, we are being watched.”
“I knows, Masser. Theys been watching us fer hours.” Replied the old man as he lowered his hat and acted as if he was not paying attention to anything.
“Lordy, do you think they is Injuns, Masser Jeb?” A young black woman riding behind the two men asked with a voice quivering with fear.
“We will soon find out. Let's make an early camp and prepare for visitors,” stated Jeb as he rode over to a nearby grow of oak trees and quickly dismounted.
In a matter of a few minutes the camp was established, firewood had been gathered for the night, and water brought from a small clear running stream at the bottom of a slight hill. Faye noticed that neither of the men, white or black, ever left their rifles out of reach. The big 50-caliber rifles, bored for straight shooting, were always in their hands and each man also carried two 50-caliber horse pistols and a Bowie knife stuck in his belt. Jeb carried a second knife in the top of his right boot. Jeb had insisted at the start of the trip that all weapons be the same caliber, so it would make it easier to load. If all weapons were the same size there would be no confusion in battle as a man tried to reload or if he had to borrow ammunition. He had decided on this when he'd bought the guns in Kansas City .
Faye warmed up the beans from the night before in the skillet and put some Johnny cakes to cooking in the Dutch oven. Real coffee was out of question, due to the Civil War back east, but she did fix the closest thing they had, chicory coffee . Make due with what you gots, she remembered her momma saying often enough. She notice Jeb was rubbing the stump on his right leg and she remembered he'd lost the leg in some no name battle fighting for the doomed Southern cause. It must be hu'tin' him again, she thought.
Jeb's leg was sore as hell and it had been for days on end. I ‘spect it will take a long time for my leg to toughen up enough to wear this wooden peg leg without it hurting' all the time , he thought as he rubbed the red and raw stub where his leg used to be.
Moses was taking care of the horses when an unannounced Indian brave suddenly materialized on the horizon and seeing the warrior the old black man calmly said, “There's our visitor.”
Jeb raised his head and noticed him in the corner of his left eye and turned to take a good look at the warrior. He's a fine looking fightin' man, thought Jeb. The Indian stayed just out of rifle range and he remained mounted. Jeb figured the brave had watched them for almost an hour before he slowly made his way down to the campsite.
When he was about fifty feet from the camp, the warrior stopped his horse, remained mounted, but said nothing and did not appear to be hostile. Jeb noticed the lack of face paint on the Indian's face, but he was not sure if that meant anything or not. His uncle Josh, who had been a fur trapper in the old days, said Indians like to prepare before a battle, praying, painting themselves, and their horses. Maybe he could make peace with this one.
“You two stay here and cover me,” said Jeb as he handed an old double barreled shotgun to Faye, “and don't point the guns at him, but keep the things ready to use if you have too.”
Jeb walked out to the Indian taking slow but even steps, while he kept his rifle lowered, and he made no quick moves, none at all. When he was about five feet from the Indian he stopped and said in English, “I am Jeb Patton, those people are Moses and Faye.”
Jeb noticed the Indians face was expressionless, though he was looking intently at the wooden peg leg. Then the Indians face and eyes suddenly centered on Moses and Faye. In a flash the man turned his horse around, gave a loud scream, and bolted out of the campsite. He never reduced speed as he went over the hill. Jeb turned and walked back to where Moses and Faye were by the fire.
“Lordy, masser Jeb, I knows I is ugly, but I ain't never scared nobody like I did that po' Injun.” Moses said with a loud cackle and soon both Faye along with Jeb were joining in the laughter.
“Guess he ain't never seen two niggers and a one legged white man a-fore.” Faye joked in between laughs.
Jeb was almost in tears. It seemed all so serious a few minutes ago, but he realized they must present a hell of a sight to someone who had never seen Negroes before and he would bet there were very few one legged Indians anywhere nearby.
They had an early dinner and for dessert they had some blackberries that Faye had gathered in her apron from the hillside. Jeb had decided to move about a mile further up the trail as soon as they had all eaten, because that would make it more difficult for someone who may have seen the smoke from the fire, or smelled their cooking, to find them during the night. He had also decided he and Moses would take turns standing guard all night, four hour shifts each. Deep inside he knew the Indians would return and it may not be a laughing matter when they showed up next.
It was just after dark when Jeb led the other two members of his small group down the trail. While he could see occasional flashes of lightning near the distant mountains, he suspected it was from the heat and hoped they would have a dry night.
After what he thought was a mile, Jeb stopped and unloaded Long Ears, the old mule that belonged to Moses, and said, “No fires. Moses, you take the first watch. Wake me in about four hours or sooner if you get too sleepy.” Jeb rolled up in his old horse blanket, used his saddle for a pillow, and was soon fast asleep.
“Sho is strange that I ends up wid a white man as mah friend. I hain't had nothin' but hate fer the white man since I was born'd. But, this one heah, he treats me like I is his own equal, so I can't he'p buts to like ‘em. Dis' one is a good white man.” Moses said in a low voice as he sat on a large rock.
“Who is you a talkin' wid Moses?” Faye asked as she rolled up in her wool blanket.
“Jes' myself girl, jes myself. Faye, what do you think of this here masser Patton? He done be different dan a lot of white fo'ks.”
“Moses, he be a good man and he's a kind man, I think. Most white mens would have already tried to have their way with me. I knows I got a young and good body, and it hain't been touched that much. See, my old masser back in Missisip' done had f bunch of pretty women slaves and I was too young fer him to touch me, so he left me alone. I was real lucky, ‘cause I gots to work in the house too. Masser said I was too pretty to work the fields, so he done made me a house nigger. I'm shore glad the Yankee Army come when it did, or I know masser would have raped me in a week or two.
No, Moses all white folk ain't the same and I know some is good and some ain't. Take masser Jeb Patton, heah, I would't mind it too much if-un he did want me. I think I would just give him what ever he ask fer, but he ‘spects me too much to take me. Funny hain't it? The ones I hated would have tooken and used me, but the one I would enjoy bein' took by, why he hain't even interested!” Faye gave a deep laugh and rolled over in her blanket.
Moses just leaned back against the tough bark of an old black jack oak tree that was growing next to the rock, and kept his eyes busy scanning around the campsite. The only sound was of Faye's steady and light breathing. He did a powerful amount of thinking about nothing during his four hours of guard duty. Then, after about four hours, he woke up Jeb, rolled up in his own blanket, and went to sleep.
Jeb took the same spot that Moses had been sitting at and leaned back against the tree. He could hear wolves howling nearby, owls hooting, and the pitter-patter of small game as they ran near the campsite. Suddenly, all was quiet and even the noise of the bugs had stopped. He knew from experience, someone or something was nearby. Jeb took the muzzle of his Hawken rifle and tapped Moses on the ankle. Moses, being survival smart never said a word; he merely looked over at Jeb. Jeb took his right hand and cupped it behind his ear.
Moses understood and thought, where be the night sounds?
A loud bloodcurdling scream from hell came from near the horses and old Long Ears, the mule. Jeb, jumped to his feet and Moses was right beside him. But, before either man could move very far a huge grizzly bear, standing on his hind legs with his arms out-stretched, walked into the center of the camp. Jeb heard Faye scream and the bear stopped moving, raised his nose high and sniffed at the cool night air.
Jeb and Moses raised their rifles and fired at almost the same time. Faye got off both barrels of her shotgun as well. While all three had hit the bear, it seemed to have no affect on the huge animal at all. Jeb then pulled his horse pistols and emptied both of them into the bear with no damage done that he could see. While all of these shots hit the bear, it gave no indication of being hurt in the least and that scared Jeb. The young white man heard a sound near Moses and when he glanced over he saw the old man had thrown his rifle aside in the grass.
Then, suddenly Moses moved in closer and started shooting the bear with his pistol. The bear, moving with lightning like speed, charged at Moses, and with a single swipe of his huge right arm struck the old black man across the chest. Jeb watched as the Moses fell to the dirt near the dying fire and lay unmoving.
In the mean time Jeb quickly reloaded his rifle as well as Moses' rifle, amazed by how much of the powder his trembling hands had spilled. Walking up to about four feet from the huge grizzly, he fired his first shot into the animals open mouth. Then using the second rifle he shot the bear in the left eye. In less than a second the animal was on Jeb and they both fell to the ground. He could feel the animal's tremendous weight and he could smell the rotted meat in its teeth. Strange , thought Jeb, it ain't moving . Wiggling part of the way out from under the bear, he touched its eye with the tip of his Bowie knife. There was no movement or reaction at all, so he knew the bear was dead. It was at that moment Jeb felt the terrible pain in his chest and left arm.
Faye reached under Jeb's arms, locked her hands in front of his chest, and slowly pulled him out from under the huge dead animal.
“Lordy, Masser Jeb. I though you be kilt fer sho and dey be blood all over ya. I ‘supect most of it's bear blood, but cain't tell fer sho yet.” She stated in an excited voice as she opened his shirt and could not be help but admire his well-developed chest muscles. When she finally finished checking Jeb she gave him the bad news, “Masser JP, you gots three broke ribs and your right arm might be broke up too. I cain't be sho', ‘cause of the po' light.”
“Faye, take a look at old Moses right now, I saw a lot of blood on him.” Jeb said and as he took a deep breath after speaking, his chest filled with a deep pain.
Faye made her way to Moses. When she looked down, she wondered how in the world the old black man could still be alive. His face and chest were covered in fresh blood, but yet he lived. Faye told Jeb she needed a small fire so she could check Moses and him both out better. Jeb told her she could make one, but it had to be as small as a coffee cup, because they were deep in Injun country. Faye soon had a tiny fire going and she removed Moses' shirt . Big differences in men's chests , she thought as she looked at the four deep cuts the claws of the big bear had made on Moses.
“Where's the whiskey masser Jeb?”
“It's in the oak cast on the ground near the horses and it's covered with the old tarp. Over there under that cedar tree.” Jeb pointed with his right hand toward the tarp and he noticed his whole arm trembled with the effort.
Faye had no problems finding the keg of rot gut alcohol and she was soon kneeling beside Moses. Jeb watched as she took three cups and filled each half full of whiskey.
“Here masser, this heah whiskey will he'p kill the pain.” she said as she handed Jeb a cup and then raised a second cup and drained it all in one large gulp. She heard Moses moaning from his injuries, turned to look at him, and then slowly made her way to his side.
“W . . .What done hit me?” He asked in a weak voice.
“Here drink this whiskey Moses. That bear done cut ya good wid his paws. I is a-gonna have to sew you up, just as soon as you bleed some of dat po'son out some mo'.”
Moses took the whiskey and started drinking it in small sips. Faye took out a needle and a spool of white thread and said, “I only gots only white thread Moses.” Then laughing she continued, “You gonna look mighty funny when I gets done a-doctorin' you wid it too, a black man with white thread a-holdin' yer black skin together.”
She then threaded the needle, filled her cup with more whiskey, leaned over Moses with the whiskey filled cup in one hand and the needle in the other, and without a word of warning she poured the amber colored trader's whiskey on Moses' torn chest. Though he tried hard not to scream, Moses arched his back and let out a small muffled sound of deep anguish.
“I has to clean it Moses and we both know whiskey is the best thang fer it too. I knows it hu'ts like hell fire, but I ain't got no other way to clean it. You know that bear's claw's is dirty and you might get sick and die if-un I don't clean it good. You don't want to fester up on us and die, now do ya?”
“Damn, girl! Next time give this here old man some warnin' all right? You almost kilt me a-doin' that.”
Moses made no sounds as Faye sewed up his injuries with her needle. She ripped off the lower part of her slip as soon as she had finished sewing and wrapped it tightly around his chest. She was thankful the bleeding had stopped. It was hard work, but Faye pulled Moses over near Jeb and handed the old man a second cup of whiskey and then refilled Jeb's cup as well.
She was amazed by the strength of both men as she watched them drink, but finally she said, “Masser JP, you needs to sit up, so I can wrap your ribs real tight and pull your arm straight and put a splint on it.”
Jeb sat up and took off his buckskin shirt, moaning and groaning as he completed the simple task.
“First we does yer broke arm.” Faye informed Jeb as she walked over the other side of the campsite and using Jeb's big Bowie Knife, she cut two small limbs about two feet long. She bent down and cut off some more of her slip before returning to Jeb and Moses. Moses was already sleeping, so she knew the whiskey had done its job well.
“Masser JP, this here is a-gonna hu't a bit. Here, put this piece of wood ‘tween yer teeth.” She spoke as she waited until Jeb had bitten down on the wood and then she took his wrist in both hands and put her right foot where the arm joins the shoulder.
She gave a nice even steady pull, heard Jeb moan, and straightaway heard as well as felt the bone in the arm snap back into place. She took the two pieces of wood and placed them on opposite sides of the arm and gently wrapped the wood into place with the frayed pieces of her slip. When she looked at Jeb she saw beads of sweat on his face and noticed he had bitten the wood into two pieces.
“Well, the real hu'tin' part is done. Now, let's get them ribs fixed up.” she said cheerfully as she took more of her slip off with the knife and wrapped Jeb's ribs as tightly as possible. Jeb constantly moaned and groaned as the wrapping was being done and just as soon as she finished, Jeb drank the last of his whiskey and fell roughly back to the ground, and then he, like Moses, was soon fast asleep.
It was still a dark but close to daylight when Jeb felt Faye touch him on his leg and heard her whisper in his ear, “Somethin' or somebody done be out dar. I hain't sho' what it be, man ‘er beast. But, dey is somethin big movin' out dar.”
Jeb could barely move, because he was so stiff and filled with a deep aching pain. He heard Moses moving about too, but it was too dark for him to see the old black man. Jeb moved so he could lean back against a fallen log and placed his Hawken across his thighs. He knew there was no way he could stand right now. He noticed Moses had moved beside him and he felt the old black man's hand on his left shoulder. Faye was on the other side of the log covering the rear part of camp with her double barrel shotgun.
An hour later, just as the false dawn filled the skies and a dim light filled the area, Jeb saw them, Indians! Damn, h e thought , there must be at least twenty of them.
They had completely encircled the small camp and were on small beautiful horses, but they did not smile, nor did they threaten. A middle-aged man with a well formed body and a head filled with feathers dismounted his horse and walk over to the dead bear. Looking at Jeb, Moses, and Faye, the Indian gave a sign that asked in a very simple way if they had killed the large beast. All three nodded their heads to indicate they had.
Suddenly, the Indians head went back and he gave a terrible scream into the morning air. As the other Indians joined in with him unexpected chill, followed immediately by an uncontrollable shudder, went down Faye's back. The Indian turned, pulled his knife, and started walking toward Jeb.
As he saw the brave approaching him with knife in hand, Jeb thought, I survived the war to be kilt by a damned Injun. He noticed he did not even have the strength to raise his rifle to defend himself. He could hear Moses cursing and knew the old man was having the same problem. Faye had her eyes closed and was praying out loud.
The Indian knelled by Jeb, took the white man's head in his hands and turned his face toward him so he could look deeply into his eyes. The last thing Jeb saw before he entered the dark void of unconsciousness was a large razor sharp knife being raised high in the Indian's right hand.
