Santa Fe Woman (32 page)

“I feel like a blasted baby,” Rocklin grumbled. But he opened his mouth, and she gently gave him a bite of the delicious stew. “That’s great. What is it?”

“That’s what Kate calls her ‘What is it?’ stew. She claims anything that comes along goes in it, so just enjoy.”

Rocklin ate the entire bowl and then suddenly became very weary. “Thanks for taking care of me,” he muttered and then dropped off so quickly it frightened Jori. She felt his pulse and was relieved when it was strong.

“It’s all right, my dear, you’re just tired,” she whispered. She sat there for a long time watching him. She was very tired for she had stayed up most of the night, too. Finally she got up and left the wagon. As she stepped down, she saw Herendeen standing there hulking large in the morning sun.

“How’s he doin’?”

“He’s doing fine, Grat.”

“That was somethin’, the way the doctor took his skull off and scrambled his brains.”

Jori suddenly laughed. “Yes. It was something.”

“The doctor tells me we can leave in a couple of days if we take it easy.”

“I think it is time to move on. How’s Mark doing?”

Herendeen grinned, his wide mouth twisted slightly. “You know that tenderfoot fooled me a lot. He’s growed up on this trip. He’s still green as grass, but I could make a mule skinner out of him if I had time. Maybe I will.” He hesitated, then said, “When Rocklin wakes up, you tell him not to worry. Everything’s being taken care of.”

“I’ll tell him, Grat.”

* * *

ROCKLIN HAD MADE SPECTACULAR progress, and Paul Molitor had reluctantly agreed to let him sit up in the wagon seat. Rocklin had protested, “I can’t lie down anymore, doc. Just let me sit up.”

“You sure you’re not having any pains in your legs anywhere?”

“Wasn’t hurt in my legs.”

“I know, but you got nerves that run all the way up to your brain. One of them could have been hurt. As a matter of fact, you could have been totally paralyzed.”

Rocklin was sitting on a box beside the fire. He was wearing the lightest weight shirt he had, and his color was good. “I’m fine, doc. I’m going to bring you lots of customers.” He reached up and laid his hand lightly on the bandage on the top of his head. “I still can’t hardly believe it that I’m packin’ a silver dollar in the top of my head.”

“Don’t fool with that. It’s got to heal completely, and please don’t get hit on the head again. That wouldn’t be good.”

“I’ll do my best.”

Molitor lifted his head. “Looks like we’re starting up. I’ll check you at noon. That’s probably as long as you need to sit up for awhile. Then you can lie down and rest during the nooning.”

“Sure thing, doc.”

Molitor left, and Jori climbed up in the wagon seat. “I’m surprised you talked the doctor into letting you sit up and ride.”

“It feels good to me. Thanks for the cushion.” Jori had made a cushion of blankets. Rocklin was sitting there loosely. He was alert now and keen-eyed. “I sure hope somebody’s taking care of my horse.”

“Callie’s taking care of him. He’s all right.”

At that moment Mark went by. He stopped his horse and lifted one eyebrow. “Well, the patient’s sitting up. How do you feel, Chad?”

“Better than average, Mark. I had a good doctor and a good nurse.”

Mark studied the face of the big man and said, “I don’t want to think too much about what we did with Santana’s men.”

“I’ve got memories like that. I keep them locked up in a big box. Sometimes you have to do things for other people, and that’s what you did, Mark.”

“Yes.”

“Just think about Carleen and what would have happened to her if you hadn’t come.”

“I’ve had nightmares since we’ve been back. I guess it was just shooting that Indian without giving him warning.”

“You don’t give Kiowa warriors warnings. You’re dead if you do,” Rocklin said. He saw that the young man was troubled, and he said, “I hear you’re in charge of this outfit now.”

Mark laughed. “Don’t be foolish. I’m just helping Grat. He’s the boss until you get back.”

“Not what I hear. He rates you pretty high.”

The praise reddened Mark’s cheeks. “I’m learning,” he said. “I hope I don’t get us lost.”

Rocklin laughed easily. “Well, if you miss Santa Fe, you’ll know it because you’ll run into the ocean. If you do, you just turn around and come back.”

Carleen came scrambling into the wagon, climbing up the wheel. She clamored over Rocklin and sat down between him and Jori. “What are you talking about?” she demanded.

“About naughty little girls that interrupt,” Mark said. He laughed and pulled his horse around. “I’ll see you when we stop at noon.”

“Let me see your head, Chad,” Carleen said.

“Look all you want.”

“No, I mean the hole in your head.”

“Carleen, will you hush!” Jori said. “You have no manners whatsoever.”

“I want to see the silver dollar.”

“You can’t see it. It’s covered up.”

“I seen the whole thing, Chad. I seen Paul pullin’ bones out and messin’ your brains around, and then I saw him put that silver dollar in. It was really something. Maybe I’m going to be a doctor when I grow up.”

“I thought I told you that there are no women doctors,” Jori said with a smile.

“There’ll be one when I get growed.” She reached over and took Chad’s hand and held it in both of hers. “Tell me again about the raid. About how you found us and how you got us away from that old Santana.”

“Not much to tell. We just came and got you. Couldn’t do without you.” He squeezed her hand, and she looked up and smiled at him.

They heard Mark give a call, and the wagons began to move forward. “When we get to Santa Fe, Carleen, I’m going to take you to a fandango.”

“A fandango? What’s that?”

“It’s what the Spanish folks call a big ball.”

“I’ve never been to a ball.”

“Are they nice?” Jori said.

“Well, they’re not much like the balls you have in Little Rock, but you’d enjoy it, I think. I hope you like Santa Fe.”

Jori was thinking,
He’s all right. He’s not going to die.
A great relief had come to her over the last few days. She thought back to the time when she had leaned over him in the Indian camp and seen the horrible wound in the top of his head. She breathed a prayer,
Thank You, God, for Your tender mercies.

* * *

THE COUNTRY HAD TAKEN on a different look. It was a long land but not a level one. It looked to Jori like a land that time had somehow forgotten—vast and empty with endless sand and clumpy grass and sun. It reminded her that the earth was a large place, and she had seen only a small part of it. There seemed to be no end to the country, as day after day they moved ever westward. The sun, of course, was a pale source of heat, but it was a pitiless heat.

As the days passed, Rocklin grew stronger, and he would point out the spots on the trail—Round Mount, Rabbit Ear Creek, Point of Rock, Wagon Mound. They all looked about the same, the scenery changing little. They were headed almost due south and finally, after many days, Rocklin, who had begun riding for short periods now, had come to sit beside her on the wagon. He pointed ahead saying, “San Miguel is up there. We’ll cross a little river there, the same river that comes around close to Santa Fe down through the Sangre de Cristo Mountains.”

“Sangre de Cristo. What does that mean?”

“The blood of Christ. I don’t know why they call it that except sometimes the sunset there is red as blood.”

Two days later Jori was aware of a changing scene. The vegetation was changing. Mostly it was composed of a small bush, dark green. “What kind of bush is that, Chad?”

“Piñons. You’ll see a lot of them. The Spanish can’t do without ’em. They burn the wood and eat the nuts.”

That night they made a fire over piñon wood, and it gave off a pungent odor that she liked. They cooked steaks over it, and they had a delicious flavor.

As they ate, Callie had joined them along with Molitor. The two had spent a lot of time together, and now they sat there talking quietly, eating the steaks. “What’ll you do when you get to Santa Fe, Callie?” Paul asked.

“Work, I guess.”

“Work doin’ what?”

“I’ll find something.”

Molitor grinned at her. “You know, I think I’d better take you to raise. Kind of like you was my kid sister.”

“I’m not your sister!”

Paul lifted his eyes at the vehemence of her answer. “Well, I know that,” he said. “Maybe I’ll be kind of like your daddy. You might need a switching once in awhile.”

“You’re not my daddy either!” she said shortly.

“What are you mad about?”

“Nothing.”

“Look, I just want to help you. If it wasn’t for you, I’d still be a drunk ex-doctor. How about this? I’m going to set up there as a doctor. Won’t make much money, but it’s a start. Maybe you can be my housekeeper, and I’ll teach you about nursing.”

“Me be a nurse? I couldn’t do that.”

“Sure you could. What do you say?”

Suddenly Callie turned her face away. Paul stared at her. He saw that her shoulders were trembling slightly. Quickly he reached out, drew her around, and saw tears in her eyes. “Why, you’re crying. What’s wrong, Callie? I didn’t hurt your feelings, did I?”

“No. You didn’t hurt my feelings.” She smiled brilliantly and said, “I feel just fine. Now, tell me some more about how it will be when we get to Santa Fe….”

* * *

JORI HAD NOTICED THAT Kate had been unusually quiet. She was a quiet woman anyway, more or less, but there was a despondency about her that was very unusual. Kate Johnson had always been a cheerful woman, able to put up with almost anything and keep her smile. She thought about it and several times almost asked Kate, but instead she observed the woman closely. She saw that Kate was always happy and laughing when Good News was around, but as they grew closer to Santa Fe, she seemed to be losing this. She also saw that Kate’s eyes followed Good News wherever he went, and finally she put two and two together and found the time to talk with Kate.

It was late at night, and Kate had stayed up sitting by the fire. Almost everyone was asleep except the guards and those watching the animals. Jori came and sat down across from Kate, picked up a stick, and began to poke the fire. She watched the sparks fly upward and then said, “You’re not happy, are you, Aunt Kate?”

“I’m as happy as most, I guess.”

The answer was short, and Jori threw the stick in the fire. It began to burn, throwing off the acrid odor that burned her eyes. She moved around, sat down beside Kate, and put her arm around her. “I know why you’re unhappy.”

“I tell you I’m not unhappy.”

“Yes, you are. You’re unhappy because you love Good News.”

Kate started and shook her head violently. “That’s foolishness!”

“No, it’s not. I’ve been watching you. You’ve been different around him. I’ve never known you to take such an interest in a man.”

“I don’t want to listen to this talk.”

“Well, you’re going to, Aunt Kate. Remember the talks you gave me? Remember when I fell in love with Ronald Barker, how you sat me down and talked to me like a dog?”

“Well, you deserved it.”

“Yes, I did. So, now it’s my turn. You listen to me. Good News loves you.”

“No, he doesn’t.”

“Yes, he does. You’re just being bullheaded and stubborn. That used to be me. He loves you. It’s written all over him.”

“Then why doesn’t he
say
something?” Suddenly Kate seemed to collapse, her shoulders slumped. “I’ve been waiting for him to say something for a long time. I think he likes me, but he never says anything like that.”

“Don’t you know why?”

“He doesn’t love me, that’s why.”

“No. He thinks you’re better than he is.”

“Better?” Kate came up. “What are you talking about?”

“He doesn’t have any education, Aunt Kate. He doesn’t have any money.”

“Neither do I.”

“But you come from a good family. To him that’s money. You’re educated.”

“Not all that much.”

“Aunt Kate, stop arguing with me. I’m telling you he loves you, and you’re going to lose him if you don’t do something.”

“A woman can’t do anything about that.”

“Yes, you can, and here’s what you must do….”

* * *

GOOD NEWS HAD WANDERED down the length of all the wagons and then had taken the rifle out in the hope of potting a prairie dog or something to eat. He had found nothing, and he was surprised to see Kate come walking toward him. “Hello, Kate,” he said. “What are you doing out here?”

“I came to talk to you.”

Surprised, Good News lowered the rifle and put its butt on the ground. “Sure,” he said, “what is it?”

“Good News, I want to marry you.”

If Good News had taken a shot directly in the stomach, he might have been more surprised but not a great deal. He opened his mouth to speak but said nothing. He stared at her wildly for a moment and then stuttered, “Why—why—Kate—”

“I’ve grown to care for you on this trip, Good News. I’d like to spend the rest of my life being as good a wife to you as I could. Will you have me?”

Good News dropped the rifle, and it fell to the ground. He leaped forward and grabbed her shoulders and held her. “Why, Kate, I don’t know what to say.”

“Say yes or no.” Kate was looking up at him, and there was a hurt expression in her face.

Suddenly Good News shook his head. “I’m a blamed fool, that’s what I am, makin’ you ask like this. Why, Kate, I’ve cared
for you for weeks now. There’s never been a woman like you, but I couldn’t ask you to marry me.”

“I know that. That’s why I asked you.”

“Think what people would say. An educated woman from a good family. I’m nothin’ but an ignorant mule skinner.”

“I don’t care about that.”

“You don’t?”

“No, I don’t. I care about you.”

Good News was not an educated man, but he had a deep wisdom, and it came to him suddenly what a tremendous thing this woman had done. She had always been one of the strongest women he knew, but he realized it had taken every bit of determination to come and say what she had. “Why, it’s with you like it is with me, ain’t it, Kate?” He reached forward, and as he pulled her closer, he saw a small smile loosen and soften her lips. He saw the pride in her eyes and the vitality and knew that she was the kind of woman that could, if necessary, draw a revolver and shoot a man down and not go to pieces afterward. She had courage, but at the same time it was a woman’s courage and not a man’s. He pulled her forward, kissed her firmly, and said, “Kate, I want to marry you more than I ever wanted anything in my life. Will you have me?”