The Coming Storm (44 page)

Koko pulled away and noted his friends. “You’re very warm and you look tired. All of you look tired.” She felt her brother’s face and grimaced. “Are you ill?”

“We’ve been traveling without much rest. We tried to hunt, but the game is far to the south. Now we’re heading back north. Canada.”

“So you won’t go to the reservation?”

The man met his sister’s gaze. Dianne saw the defiance in his expression but also noted the pain in his eyes. “No.”

“Well, come inside. We can discuss this later.”

“Stands Tall Woman says we must wash up first,” Takes Many Horses said in a teasing manner.

Koko nodded. “It would be best. You smell as bad as . . .” She grinned. “Well, you smell bad. Come. I’ll get you soap and towels.” Koko turned to her brother’s companions and spoke in Pikuni. Dianne easily translated the words in her mind and waited as the trio moved off with Koko.

George started to follow, then stopped. Looking up to where Dianne stood on the porch, he asked, “Is this your child?”

Dianne held her son up for the warrior to better view. “Yes. This is Lucas—Luke. He was born just before Christmas.”

“You should put him in a cradleboard. It would be much easier to get work done with him on your back or propped up beside you.”

She smiled. “I enjoy the feel of him in my arms. I couldn’t stand to lose that.” She nuzzled the baby and kissed his neck.

“You are a good mother—I can tell by the way he is calmed by your touch.”

“Mostly he’s hungry,” Dianne said, “as you no doubt are. Go wash up. We can talk about him later.”

Takes Many Horses stood fixed for several moments, his gaze fixed on her, before he finally nodded and followed after the others. Dianne felt troubled by his scrutiny. Cole knew of the Indian’s love for her, but he also had told Dianne that the man’s honor was stronger still. She felt safe enough with Koko’s brother, but there was something of his pain—something of the longing that he hid away just below the surface of his conscious thought—that gave Dianne a feeling of discomfort. It was rather like watching her uncle suffer after the bear attack. There was nothing she could do to ease his suffering. Nothing.

At noon they sat down to an abundant table of food, but the Indians seemed to have little appetite. Dianne tried not to worry or fuss over them; in fact, she kept her place near the opposite end of the table while Koko plied her brother with questions. Dianne tried not to seem too eager for their comments or answers. She tried too not to worry that they looked flushed, even feverish.

Excusing herself, Dianne went upstairs to nurse Luke and put him to bed for a nap. She cherished this quiet time alone with her baby. It seemed to her to be the very best time of the day, next to her evenings with Cole.

Lucas nursed greedily, making smacking, gurgling sounds as he ate. He watched his mother with dark blue eyes that seemed wise and intelligent. Dianne thought he looked as though he had many things to speak on, but then his lids grew heavy and he settled into a deep sleep. Apparently his declarations could wait for another day.

Dianne smoothed back his soft brown hair. Luke made her feel so very different. She thought of the times when she’d been a girl playing dolls. Though she had known the first stirrings of love for her doll babies, her feelings for Luke were something so fierce they were almost frightening.

Dianne got up and put the baby in his cradle. She stood watching her son for several minutes, not at all eager to leave him. He was so vulnerable—so helpless. Baby animals were able to do much for themselves when they were born, but not so baby humans.

“We’re all vulnerable,” she whispered, thinking of the troubled times about her.

Dianne crossed to the window and looked out across the valley. Thick, dark clouds were moving in from the south. No doubt it would rain again. She could only pray that Cole would hasten the drive and make his way back to her soon.

“Some days are just so hard,” she said aloud. “I look at the work ahead and know I can never rise to the responsibility. Other times, I feel completely confused by what’s expected of me.” She looked heavenward. “Lord, what is expected of me?”

She was thankful Cole assumed the responsibilities of heading up the family, but some of the ranch hands still looked to her for approval and direction. Gus listened to Cole and respected him greatly, but Gus still honored her with discussions and asked for her opinion. Maybe he was just being nice, but Dianne felt he truly wanted to know what she thought.

Cole said it was because she was a natural at ranching. Dianne didn’t know how natural it was. She felt there were certainly enough times when common sense eluded her and she failed at her tasks. She’d been thrown from many a horse and had gotten herself into more than one bad situation with equipment and gear.

“But you have a heart for this business,” Cole had told her in his most serious tone. “Ranching is in your blood. Your uncle picked wisely when he set you up to help run this place.”

Dianne rubbed the back of her neck and yawned. A nap sounded like a wonderful idea right now. There was really nothing pressing, and if she remained up here, Koko would have time alone with her brother.

Sitting on the edge of her bed, Dianne slipped off her shoes and stretched atop the covers. Closing her eyes, she whispered yet another prayer for her husband’s safety, but this time she added a prayer for Takes Many Horses and his friends.

“I will not live as a caged animal. I will die a free man.”
The words resounded in her head. She’d always known it would be that way—so had Koko.

“Oh, God, you alone know tomorrow. Please, Father, please direct our steps. The path is rocky and strewn with obstacles. I know we’ll not be able to survive save by your mercy.”

“Dianne! Wake up!” Charity stood over Dianne and shook her gently but with a firm determination that suggested something was wrong.

“What is it?” Dianne struggled to sit. She rubbed the sleep from her eyes and glanced at the cradle. Luke was still asleep. “Is something wrong?”

“Yes. Oh, it’s terrible,” Charity said. Dianne could see the fear in her eyes.

“What is it?”

“Smallpox.”

That single word had been known to strike terror in the hearts of entire communities. Dianne scooted to the edge of the bed. “Smallpox? Where?” “Here. The Indians. Takes Many Horses and his friends. Koko just figured it out. Two of the Indians are already showing signs of the pox. The other two have the fever. In fact, they’ve had it for days. The pox will soon be marking them as well.”

Dianne was sickened by the news. She buried her face in her hands.
How can this be, Lord? Why would you allow this pestilence to come our way?

“We’ll have to be cautious,” Dianne said, finally looking up at her friend. “What’s to be done?”

“Quarantine,” Charity said. “At least I’m certain that’s required to keep others from getting sick. We need a doctor to be certain about the pox.”

Dianne nodded. “You’ve not been around the Indians much, have you?”

Charity shook her head. “No, I just found out about this when Koko sent me to tell you. I was helping Ben with some notes for his Sunday service.”

“Good.” Dianne struggled to think clearly. “We need to get word to the others—to Faith and Malachi. They need to stay away from the house. Everyone needs to stay away. Koko and her children have been very close to Takes Many Horses and his friends. Jamie sat beside his uncle at lunch, and Susannah was on and off his lap. They’ve no doubt had a good exposure to the sickness.”

“What about you?”

Dianne shook her head. “We’ve maintained a good distance. I sat at the opposite end of the table, then came up here with Luke. I don’t know how bad this might get,” she said, looking to her friend, “but I know the time to act is now.”

“I’ll go tell Faith and Malachi the situation. I’ll tell them from a distance, just in case,” Charity declared.

“Good, then come back here if you would, and watch Luke. I’ll ride for Dr. Bufford and see if he can help us.”

“You’re going to leave?”

Dianne jumped up, unfastening her skirt as she did. “I’ll be back as quick as I can. I’ll take Pepper. He can manage the distance in a short time.” She took up an altered pair of Cole’s trousers and pulled them on. She started to take hold of a wide full skirt she often threw over the top of these, then stopped. “I’ll just go like this.” She took up a long jacket and slipped into the sleeves.

“Get the word out,” she told Charity as she hurried to pull on her boots. “I’ll be back as fast as I can.”

Dianne was uncertain whether Hezekiah Bufford would be any help to them or not. After all, the only ones who were sick at this point were Indians. Still, she couldn’t sit by and do nothing. If anyone would help them, it would be him.

Dianne pressed Pepper to race across the hilltop road. They ignored the pelting spring rain that started in a gentle sprinkle. By the time she neared Bufford’s place, the rain came as a downpour and she struggled to keep her seat, while Pepper worked to keep his footing.

She saw the doctor’s cabin and much to her relief spied his horse in the lean-to out back. Dianne barely brought Pepper to a stop before jumping from his back. She dropped the reins, knowing the horse was used to being ground-tied. She prayed the storm wouldn’t spook him into running off.

“Dr. Bufford!” Dianne pounded her gloved fists against the door.

The man came quickly, barely containing his surprise at her appearance. “Mrs. Selby. It’s not fit weather for you to be out there.” He pulled her inside and closed the door. “What in the world prompted you to get out in this weather?” He noticed her method of dress and frowned even more.

“I think we have smallpox at the ranch,” she said, dripping water onto the doctor’s well-worn rag rug.

“Smallpox? Are you sure?”

“That’s why I’ve come to you,” she said, taking a deep breath before continuing. “Koko’s brother showed up today with a couple of friends. They appeared tired, even feverish, but I didn’t see signs of the pox. Koko did, however.”

“So they’re heathens?”

Dianne lowered her head and prayed for the right words. “They’re very sick. Not only that,” she said as she looked back up, “I’m afraid for the others. For my son. Please, can you come and help us? At least tell us for sure if it’s smallpox, and if it is, show us how to help them.”

Bufford stood fixed in place for a moment. He seemed to be considering her words. Turning rather quickly, he pulled on his coat. “I’ll come, but I don’t know that I can do much to help. If it is smallpox, then we may be looking at a long spell of sickness as it passes from person to person.”

“Will everyone get it?”

Bufford took up his bag. “Hard to tell. Disease never acts in a predictable manner. Indians have had it much worse with the smallpox. Might be they’ll take it and nobody else will suffer.We won’t know for weeks.”

“Weeks?” Dianne asked, her voice edged with fear. “But what about the men? They’ve not returned from roundup, but they will. They should be home any day.”

He shook his head. “We need to keep them on the other side of the quarantine line. That’s very important, Mrs. Selby. Otherwise we might just have an epidemic on our hands. Do you understand?”

Dianne nodded. “I suppose I do.”

Cole could only remember one other time when he’d been happier to see the Diamond V ranch, and that had been when Takes Many Horses had brought him to safety after the Sioux had nearly killed him. Now, sitting atop his horse, reading the word
QUARANTINE
on a crude sign across the lane leading to his home, Cole’s disappointment was turning to anger.

“Who posted this? Is this some kind of joke?” He turned to Gus and the other boys.

“What’s it mean, Cole?” Gabe asked from behind.

“It means there’s sickness here,” Gus answered before Cole could speak. “It means we’d best find out what’s going on before we cross the line.”

Just then a rider approached from the direction of the house. Cole’s eyes adjusted to the sun and he could make out the figure of his wife as she rode up the lane. She halted a good ten yards away.