Gather The Children (Chronicles of the Maca Book 2) (22 page)

Anna practically pushed Chalky into a chair and plumped Mina into her high chair. Chalky looked at the table in total disbelief. Everyone had a plate and utensils, and the table held more than a bean pot. He sat in his chair as still as the stunned look on his face.

Like everyone else he bowed his head while grace was being said and gave a low “Amen” when they finished. Then he sat there staring straight ahead. The Rolfe's ignored him, Anna looked concerned, and MacDonald's face showed no emotion, the amusement driven away.

Lorenz was sitting next to Chalky and plopped the beans and two biscuits on his plate. He wasn't sure about the milk, but poured it in the glass anyway. Anna smiled at her son, delighted at the compassion she knew he possessed and at his ability to display it.

“Ah doan want to take any food from yu all,” Chalky stammered out. “Ah can wait until yu all are done and jest eat the leavin's.” He face flamed even redder as he spoke and he bowed his head.

MacDonald looked up, completely dumbfounded, his eyebrows arching upward, and looked to his wife for a response to such a statement.

Anna smiled at her husband and answered for him. “Du don't need to vorry. There is plenty more. Eat now.”

As before, the table became a jumble of people eating, talking, and passing dishes. This was not the fancy meal served when Lorenz came home, but the everyday fare for people working. Soon everyone finished, the chairs scraped back and shoved under the table as the men headed back to the corral to move Rolfe's horses to his ranch.

Chalky stammered out his thanks to Anna for taking him in, for Lorenz's cast off clothes, and the food. His face became a burning red and his dull, blue eyes filled with tears over her kindness.

Anna patted his shoulder. She turned to MacDonald who was setting Mina back down on the floor. “Du must make sure he gets to Schmidt's Corner without getting lost again.”

MacDonald's eyebrows went skyward. “My love, have ye discovered why any would wish to go to Schmidt's Corner?”

She shook her head and replied in German. “It's something about his Ma'am told him to.”

MacDonald sighed and answered in badly accented German. “That means there was no food for another mouth, and she has sent him on a pointless journey.”

Trouble filled Anna's eyes. “If he makes it there, maybe he can go on to the north where there are more farms.”

MacDonald shook his head. “The farmers there are as broke as the rest in this land. They are just now moving back in after the rebels chased them out. They won't have work for another, nay money to give.” He saw the stubbornness settle on her face, gave in and returned to English. “Once we have the wild ones moved, I twill make sure he gets to Schmidt's Corner and has something to travel on.” He followed the rest down to the corrals.

The others were busy saddling their mounts. Chalky had no saddle and was leading his aged mule out of the barn and was about to mount when MacDonald stopped him by saying, “Mrs. MacDonald tis worried that ye may become sun struck again. After we have driven the horses to the Rolfe's, we twill make sure ye get there safely.”

Chalky looked confused and licked at his cracked lips. “My Ma'am said hit was real important for me to get there.”

“We may need ye to help with the moving. Ye can open the gate when we have the horses caught up. Ye twill wait for my saying to open it and then ye twill ride with us. Tis a way of paying for yere vittles.”

“Yes, suh.” The thought of helping and paying for what he had consumed seemed to brighten Chalky's outlook.

Rolfe snorted, shot a stream of tobacco at the ground, and muttered something about, “und he'd better stay out of the damn way.”

Lorenz was wondering how they were going to separate Rolfe's selection without losing the whole shebang of horses out of the corral and asked Martin. “How do y'all get just your horses?”

Martin grinned, “Y'all just watch me, Lorenz. Maybe y'all will learn something.” He swung into the saddle, looked to see if the rest were ready, and shook out his rope.

The rest mounted up, and MacDonald leaned over and opened the gate. They entered the corral single file with Chalky remaining on the outside. MacDonald closed the gate and showed Chalky how the wire held the gate, bottom and top, then he turned to line up with the other two. Martin set the loop on the end of his rope into a swirling motion, kicked his heels into his horse's ribs, and set off at a slow trot.

Lorenz watched in disbelief as Martin's rope swung out and settled around the neck of the horse Mr. Rolfe had picked. Up until then, he'd figured only the vaqueros could handle a rope like that. Evidently it was something that other people did too. Rolfe had raced his horse along the roped one, and they brought it towards the corral rails. Rolfe handed over another rope and kept both his horse and the wild one under control. Lorenz saw how this would proceed and watched MacDonald pull up the rope from his saddle horn.

It was almost four in the afternoon when they had the wild horses corralled at Rolfe's and were watering their horses at the horse tank.

“Friend Mac, I buy du a drink,” announced Rolfe. “Come in for a spell. Olga vill be glad to see du.”

“Rest a wee bit and I twill be right back,” MacDonald said to Lorenz and Chalky before the two headed for the ranch house.

Eons ago, this had been a high plain plateau gradually cut down by a deep river. The river cutting at the ground as the water sank deeper and deeper. Later the river meandered away from the first high bluffs it created and slowly shrank in size, leaving the bluffs standing guard over a flat, grass covered prairie. Rolfe had dug his home into the bluff and then built the front part from wood. The river was no longer a huge river, but a slow moving stream that occasionally rose during the seasonal rains. It was, however, deep enough to supply the household with water. A cistern augmented the supply during the dry months.

“Where did y'all learn to rope like that?” Lorenz asked Martin as they rubbed down their horses. “Can y'all teach me?”

Martin grinned. “Ja sure, but Uncle Mac can teach y'all the basics. He can rope some too. He just ain't as good as me.”

Chalky was beginning to recover from seeing a second, complete homestead with a house, barn, outbuildings, and to his amazement, a chicken house with fencing around it to keep out the coyotes and other varmints. He was certain he had fallen in with the rich folks his Ma'am had talked about being one day. He felt getting rich might be harder than Ma'am made it sound, and he would not even be able to earn any money if he didn't get to Schmidt's Corner. He led his mule out of the shade of the tree and was ready to mount when Lorenz saw him and went over. “Papa said we'd take y'all into Schmidt's Corner. He ain't going to be long.”

A stubborn look came over Chalky's face. “My Ma'am told me to git to Schmidt's Corner and warn that fellar about them really bad men. He might even pay me as much as a quarter for tellin' him.”

Lorenz looked at him in disbelief. “Warn what feller?”

Chalky shut his mouth. “No, siree. Yu folks have been right kind, but I ain't saying, elseways yu all might git the money instead of me, and Ma'am told me to do it.”

“If they're so bad, why'd they let y'all get away?”

Chalky grinned, “Cause they didn't see me. I saw 'em shoot the dawg an' ah knowed they wuz no good; 'specially when ah heard Ma'am and my little sister screaming. Ah wuz goin' to try and sneak in, but jest couldn't figure a way. Ah kept hid till Ma'am got outside to git some water. She tole me to go and warn this fellar theat built Schmidt's Corner.”

“Y'all keep him here,” Lorenz shouted to Martin and he ran for the house. No way could he explain to Martin what he'd seen in Chalky's mind, but he knew this was more than he could handle alone.

“Papa,” he yelled as he ran across the shaded porch, “that boy, Chalky, he's talking about warning the fellow at Schmidt's Corner, and it's something bad.” He was afraid to say more and sent a mental image of what he had seen and banged the flat of his hand against the door jamb.

He could see the bulk of MacDonald heaving himself up from the chair and heard the mug hit the table. “Aye, Lorenz, I hear ye. Friend Rolfe, I believe this needs my attention.”

At the door, MacDonald grabbed his hat and rifle. Behind him Rolfe stood and muttered something in German, but followed his friend. He picked up his rifle as he went out.

As they hurried, MacDonald asked, “Now what tis this about?”

“Two gunmen came to wherever they live and Chalky was outside, but had sense enough not to go in after they shot the dog and his ma and sister were screaming.” Lorenz was practically running to keep up with MacDonald's long strides. Rolfe followed more leisurely, but within earshot.

“When I start to question him, I dinna want ye to say a word.”

Lorenz started to ask why, but thought the better of it. He knew they had to get back to Mama and couldn't see why the bother. Then he remembered Uncle, but figured, hell, he was a man full-growed, and there were other people in town.

Chalky's face had turned a deeper shade of red. Martin was blocking him from getting on the mule, and Martin didn't show any signs of letting him go until the three walked up.

“Lorenz tells me my brither-by-marriage may be endangered, and ye have information about it.” MacDonald saw the blankness cover Chalky's face and he tried again. “It seems ye ken of someone who is planning to…”

“Shoot hell out of Schmidt's Corner,” Rolfe finished the sentence for MacDonald.

Chalky looked from imposing man to imposing man and swallowed. “My Ma'am said hit wuz real important, but she said he might pay me a quarter.”

MacDonald fished a quarter out of his hip pocket. “Here tis the quarter for the telling. If the information tis important enough, there may be more.”

Chalky examined the quarter, scraped the rim, and bit down.

“What are ye doing? That tis nay gold.” MacDonald was trying not to be impatient.

“Ah ain't never seed a quarter before,” Chalky admitted. He pocketed the quarter and told his tale. “Well, suh, ah wuz where we get our water and ah heard two gents ride up. Ah wuz going up to see who it wuz as soon as I got the bucket filled. That's when ah heard my Ma'am scream and when ah looked they shot our dog. He warn't really our dog, but he hung around like maybe we'd have something to feed him. Doan know whar he came from, jest sorta showed up every now and then, but thar weren't no reason jest to shoot him like that, and they kept shootin' hit and laughin'. I jest knowed they'd do the same to me if ah went up thar so ah hid out. When they went back inside my little sister started screamin' too. Hit wuz all ah could do to stay hid.”

“That twas good thinking,” said MacDonald, his lips pulled tight.

“Hit kept gettin' later and later and ah kept wonderin' what to do, and finally about dark Ma'am came out fer water. Hit was still light enough for me to see, and her face looked kinda swelled up and funny, but she said to pay no never mind. Ah wuz suppose to catch up the General, that's the mule over thar, and light out for Schmidt's Corner cause them two inside wuz gonna go there and kill the owner, and ah was to ride night and day and not stop fer anything, cause the man thar might pay me a whole quarter and even give me a job. She said they'd probably stay all night cause they wuz so drunk.” Chalky took a deep breath and straightened his shoulders. It was one of the longest speeches he had ever made, and he had gone over and over everything in his mind so he wouldn't forget Ma'am's instructions.

MacDonald's face grew harder, but he kept his voice gentle. “How long twere ye on the trail?”

“Oh, ah rode all night and most of the day and rested jest a bit when General wouldn't move, and then all night and most of that day yu all found me. Ah jest got so sleepy and thirsty that ah fell off and then ah jest doan even remember.”

MacDonald let out his breath. “Damn, three days.” He spun to face Rolfe. “I must go to Anna and the wee one.”

Rolfe's face was intent. “Ja, Indians she'd shoot mitt out asking questions, but probably not two vhite men.”

MacDonald turned to head for his horse when he spun again. “Damn, I forgot, Kap and Gra Gerde.”

“Don't vorry. Martin and Olga vill take care of things here. They know to look for two men. I'll go varn Kap.” He spat and pointed his finger at Martin. “Du use der buffalo gun if du see two men, Olga the other Henry. Don't try to talk to them, just shoot. If vun of du is doing chores, the other stands guard, and Young James does not go out of the haus. Ja?”

“Ja, sure, Papa. We'll be all right.”

Rolfe's eyes were as hard as MacDonald's and he pointed at Lorenz. “That poy goes mitt me. He shoots good.”

“No, I just found Mama!”

MacDonald laid his hands on Lorenz's shoulders. “I sorrow, laddie, for I would nay put this on ye till ye are elder, but Kap tis Anna's twin. There tis a bond twixt them that nay can break. Ye are of their House, and one of us must go to protect them. Pay attention to what Mr. Rolfe says. There tis nay better man in a fight.” He lowered his head and gently touched Lorenz's head with his, straightened, and turned to Rolfe.

“Bring him back to us, Herman, for he tis our laddie.” He released Lorenz and grabbed his saddle.

“Ja, ve both vill come back. Dem men,” he added to MacDonald's retreating form, “have vasted lots of time. Somebody hired them and they are going to have to finish the job to get paid. They probably ain't going to stop again until they get to Schmidt's Corner.”

“Martin,” he pointed his finger at his son, “du saddle my horse.” He pointed at Lorenz. “Und du saddle yours. Ve ride as soon as I get some more cartridges.”

They rode out of the yard, at a steady pace instead of the wild gallop that MacDonald had pushed Zark into. Lorenz's mind was a jumble, and Chalky's eyes were wide with wonder at seeing such a thing as Rolfe embracing and kissing his daughter and youngest son goodbye. The elder Rolfe had thrown his arms around Martin and muttered, “Auf Wiedersehen,” before mounting. Neither man had shown any embarrassment. Lorenz finally decided that Rolfe must be a strange combination of white man becoming a fur trapper turning mostly Indian, but still keeping the customs of his farming people back east. Maybe people back east were that different. He didn't know. He did know he wanted this over with and nudged Dandy up alongside of Rolfe.

“Shouldn't we be going faster?”

“Vy? I think ve are ahead of them. This vay if Mac runs into them, ve hear the shots.” His blue eyes swung around and drilled into Lorenz. “Du not thinking of telling me how to run things?”

“No, suh.” Lorenz started to let Dandy drift back to Chalky.

“Vhen do du think they'll hit us; tonight or in the morning?”

“In the morning, I reckon.”

“Ja, that's vhat I think. They'll come in first to look things over. Ve'll shoot first.” Rolfe fell silent for the rest of the ride.

They rode into Schmidt's Corner about six o'clock, long before the sun was ready to set and pulled up at the back of the store. “Du poys take the horses to the stables and come on in. I'll tell everybody vhat to expect.”

Chalky roused himself from his stupor. “Ah promised Ma'am that ah'd tell 'em.”

“Don't vorry, du can tell Mr. and Mrs. Schmidt later.” Rolfe stalked up the steps to be greeted by Gerde.

Her apron was on and her face flushed. Worry lines were pulling down her mouth as she looked at Rolfe and the unexpected visitors. “What is it?” Her tone implying that she knew something was wrong. Gerde never learned to like anything about the West. Her youth and her son had died here. The heat was intolerable in summer, the constant fear of Indians and the wild, white inhabitants, the long wait for der Pastor to ride into town, and the loss of relatives and friends who spoke German and read books written in German was a hurt too deep to articulate.

Rolfe disregardedGerde's fears as he wished to impart his news to the man, not the woman. That his daughter accepted the news with equanimity and a readiness to shoot on sight was expected. Rolfe had years ago realized that Olga was more like him than his sons. He doffed his hat and spoke in German.

“Frau Schmidt, good day. The news is not good, but I must speak with Herr Schmidt first. The three of us will need to stay for dinner, but if you prefer, we can get something from Owens.”

“Come in, Mr. Rolfe. Of course, you are all welcome at our table. I'll get Mr. Schmidt.”

At these words, Kasper appeared as though summoned. He had heard the horses arrive and his wife talking. “Welcome, Mr. Rolfe. How may we help you?”

Rolfe looked at him with the knowledge that the scholar would be of little help and gave his warning, still speaking in German. “There are two hired gunmen coming to kill you and Gerde. O'Neal is probably paying them, but we don't have any proof. I've got Lorenz with me and the youngster that brought the news. Mac found him by the roadside. Be careful when you talk to him as he probably baked out what little brains he had. He'd been riding for two days without water.” Rolfe shook his head at the folly and continued. “The boys are putting up the horses, and I'm going to tell Mr. Jackson and the Owens group what to expect. I don't think they'll be here before morning.” He turned and stalked out of the door, leaving two white-faced adults staring after him.

Rolfe visited Tom Jackson just long enough to apprise him of the coming situation and requested that Tom simply wait and watch when the two men appeared and then join Owens in the bar if they needed to make a stand. From there he went to talk to Owens and stayed long enough for one beer. Owens, he knew, would tell Cruz and his women what to expect.

When he walked back into the Schmidt's living quarters, Chalky was telling them about the bad men that were with his Ma'am and the warning she had given him. Gedre had regained her composure, but was more tight-lipped than usual. Kasper, he decided was still far too white around the mouth. He nodded at them all and spoke.

“Ve need to check out the store and vhere ve vill be.” He led the way through the short hall and stood looking at the door, the window by the counter, and the door to the left, slightly behind the counter that led to the office.

“Ve vill leave dot office door open,” he decided. “I can stand behind it. They can't see me if they look in der vindow.”

“I figure they'll come in the front door to check things out. If they don't, they'll be barging in the kitchen door. Vhen ve hear dem, I vant du, Gerde, to go upstairs vhile ve take our positions. Du vill be safe up there.”

Gerde gave Rolfe an intractable stare and crossed her arms under her breasts. Lorenz had a hunch that Gerde was not going to allow any interloper into her domain. Rolfe, however, was oblivious to the female of the species and continued his instructions.

He had been studying the tables and shelves. The first table was really a counter with storage space underneath hidden by doors. “Dot's vere du'll be,” he said to Lorenz. “Vhen they come in, stand and shoot.”

Kasper started as though shot. “No, that is wrong,” he spoke rapidly in German. “I will be standing behind the counter and will be able to determine if they are intent upon murder, or whether they are someone else.”

Rolfe looked at him in disgust and spoke in German. “Yes, just stand there while they shoot you. This is not the time to put the best construction on everything, no matter what Dr. Luther taught.”

Lorenz was looking at his uncle in horror. Did the man want to die? And why was Rolfe talking about some doctor? Chalky stood there, blinking his eyes and trying to figure out what these folks were saying.

Kasper tried again. “I cannot permit my nephew, a mere boy, to do my job; nor perhaps, murder someone unjustly.”

“I ain't no kid,” Lorenz protested. “And from what Chalky said, these two ain't to be fooled with. They're not the kind to leave anyone alive.” He hoped like hell Chalky didn't catch that last meaning.

The adults looked at him with the realization that he understood German. Rolfe pursed his lips, and continued in German. “Good, you understand Deutsch.”

He turned to Kasper. “Kap, I can't stop you from being a block head and standing at the window and making Gerde a widow, but I came here as a favor to Mac, and I'm not getting killed for it. Lorenz is here as a favor to me from Mac, and I'm not letting some fool thinking get him killed. Mac knows why Lorenz is here. It won't be the first time your nephew has killed a man; it probably isn't the second, and it won't be the last.”

Rolfe turned to Lorenz. “You know what you're to do.”

“Yes, sir.” No use arguing. Rolfe was right: Stand and shoot.

“Good. When we hear the door open, you stand and fire. I'll step out from behind that door and fire with the shotgun.”

“I should be where Lorenz has been assigned.” Kasper was still protesting.

“Have you ever killed anyone?” Rolfe roared.

“No, but I will if necessary.”

Rolfe cut him off. “It's different when you are looking at a man. If you see a man and not a target, you are dead. Your nephew knows how to kill a man.”

Kasper stepped towards Rolfe. “I cannot allow…”

Lorenz broke in, interrupting his Uncle, the drawl he spoke with disappearing. “I don't like the idea of Tante Gerde going upstairs. What if they start s fire? They're either going to come in the front or the backdoor. If Tante and Chalky stay in the storage part they should be okay, and we can drag in a box from there for Uncle to hide behind in the kitchen. That way our backs are covered.”

Lorenz turned to look at his uncle. “If y'all ain't used to shootin', then you can use the shotgun. It'll stop them long enough for us to get out there.”

Rolfe's eyes lighted and he spoke in English. “I like du, poy. Ve go hunting sometime. Right now, du practice getting your aim about right, and I'll gauge my distance.” He stalked into the office.

They watched as Rolfe stepped out from behind the door and pointed his shotgun. Then he walked over to the counter, measured the height with his body, shook his head, and went back behind the door. He emerged again holding the gun at a slightly higher angle and sighted. “Dot should do it. It vill hit about chest high. I'd take Lorenz's place, but my knees might creek vhen I stand. Ve take turns vatching tonight just in case. Lorenz takes first vatch, then Kap. Kap vill vake me at four o'clock if I ain't up already. Now ve go find that crate vhile Mrs. Schmidt fixes us something to eat.”

Lorenz never discovered what his uncle thought of the arrangements and he didn't want to know. He was just glad he didn't have to stand there and tell him that Rolfe was right. It wouldn't be the first or the second man he had killed. Somehow he knew Uncle would be disappointed with his character. Just why this was so, Lorenz couldn't fathom. He would always feel there was something more in life to accomplish and the other person was trying to kill him or hurt someone he loved; therefore, the other man forfeited his life. He correctly assumed that Uncle Kasper was a gentle, stubborn man, while not afraid of danger, could not in his heart bring harm to another living being. In some ways, Lorenz felt, Mama was more hardened than her twin.

The sun did not go down easy that evening. Protesting fingers of fire stabbed at the sky while red coals glowed in the belly of grey clouds. Lorenz was squatting on the roof, listening for horse hoofs that might or not come this night.

He had eaten dinner and cleaned his rifle and Uncle Kap's two shotguns before heading up. Dinner had been a hurried affair of beans mixed with a stew and rolls of some kind, sourdough, Lorenz guessed. Chalky was in a state of shock. He didn't understand the speech and he couldn't begin to comprehend the scope of the food available. At first he had pushed at the mixture in his bowl and then almost inhaled it when he realized no one was going to take it away.

Gerde, sour-faced and taciturn, had gone about cleaning up the kitchen after they ate and making sure the crate was positioned for Kasper's advantage should something happen overnight. Somehow she managed to infect them all with her dour mood. Chalky had escaped to the stable to turn in early.

When Lorenz headed for the roof, Kasper said, “The clouds will keep it dark tonight. How will you see? Would you like me to come with you now?”

Lorenz thought fast. “Thanks, Uncle Kap, but I don't think they'll be here until morning. If they do come, they can't see any better than we can and I can hear their horses.” He did not want to listen to Kap's admonition to not be in the storefront tomorrow. He just hoped Tante Gerde would keep Chalky out of the way in the morning.

Kasper looked troubled when he appeared at midnight with his shotgun. Lorenz headed for the stable and sleep. Later he heard Kasper appear in the barn and Rolfe bid him 'morgen,' and tried to go back to a fitful sleep. Lorenz gave up trying after one-half hour and headed toward the outhouse. Filtered sunlight was trying to break through the clouds with limited success. The air hung heavy with humidity and heat, but there was no sound of far-off thunder to offer relief in a coming rain.

He had paused long enough to shake Chalky awake and went inside. Tante Gerde had breakfast ready. Huge biscuits and gravy, the same sort of apple butter Mama served, and coffee. Lorenz headed up the stairs and boosted himself through the access door and ladder to tell Rolfe that breakfast was ready. Rolfe nodded at him and said, “Du und your uncle vill eat too. Mitt daylight they might see us up on the roof. Ve'll get into position as soon as possible. I don't think they'll vait for normal business hours.”

It was not a long wait. Lorenz had sat hunkered down on his heels, figuring that if he sat cross legged he would need more space to unlimber his rifle. He had chased all worry about his mother and Martin out of his mind. He was intent on listening and he heard the two horses long before the men walked in shortly after six o'clock. He had used mindsearch to see if these two were the ones Chalky had told about. What he found made it easy to want to pull the trigger. He had to figure out some way to keep Chalky from going home.

The two men didn't bother to knock. They ignored the “Closed” sign propped in the door and walked in. One of them bellowed, “Anyone up. We need to buy some supplies.”

Lorenz heard the door close behind them and he stood, his back against the wall, and brought his rifle in line with the counter by the door with one swift, sure motion. His eyes and brain registered the sight of the two men, one slightly in front of the other, and he fired. The other man brought his rifle up as Lorenz ducked down, and Rolfe stepped through the door and shot. The man bringing up his rifle also fired, but the shot went over the counter where Lorenz had been.

Lorenz heard Rolfe's shotgun hit the counter or the floor, and he duck walked his way to the front of the counter, peered around the edge, and saw that Rolfe was headed around the end of the counter, handgun in his left hand and bowie knife in the right. Rolfe was upright and fired two shots from the handgun, one into each man. Lorenz stood and saw the two bodies lying in their own fluids and wastes. A stench started filling the air spaces as Rolfe stuffed his handgun in his waistband and knocked the hat off the second man, bent, and took his scalp.

Metal scrapped against the door jamb of the hall, and Lorenz whirled to find a white-faced Kasper standing there. Kasper must have realized what Rolfe was doing and while his mouth formed a protest he sagged against the jamb, his grey eyes wide in disbelieve.

“Du vant the other von's hair, poy?”

“Ah, no thanks, Mr. Rolfe. Ah don't think Mama would let it in the house.”

“Den ve pull these two out of here. Mrs. Schmidt vill fuss about der mess. Ve don't vant to hear about making vork for her.” Rolfe grabbed the man by his heels and pulled him around. “Vone of du open the door.”