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  The soldier saluted them and left. Other soldiers followed and all stared at Cale and Hodge.

  Cale saw the disgust in the soldier's eyes. He had no feelings at all for those people. How could man be so hard?

  The Huaco's were good Indians, and a soldier should know the difference.

  It took two hours for the Indians and soldiers to form a line and start marching toward the Brazos. Iron Kettle led his people, his head high, his shoulders squared, as though he had headed up his last battle. However, there was hope in his eyes. A hope of peace and better times to come. It was a sad picture in some ways. Cale knew that the army would try to make white Indians out of them, teach them the white man's ways, and the Indian ways would some day fade away, but Cale wasn't sure it was the best ways.

  So many times there had been treaties, and so many times the white man had broken those treaties. The white man had cheated the Indians out of the land, giving them the worst places to live. It was unfair, but Cale knew he couldn’t change things. At least the killing was over, he hoped. The Huaco's would go peaceably, but the Comanche he feared would fight like the Apache…until the end.

  The soldiers were eager to get home.

  The dust stirred a long while and Hodge packed his horse with everything Sarah brought to him. She brought one fine fury blanket that looked soft and warm. Hodge smiled. "That will make the floor softer."

  Cale shook his head. "Hey, you could have a bed?"

  "No…floor better. But now I have something soft and warm to cuddle up to."

  Cale burst out laughing.

  "We really going to fish?" Hodge glanced at Cale.

  "Nope that was just an excuse to hang around a while. We need to make sure they are all gone. Could have left one or two to make sure we leave, you know? Maybe we better be chopping some wood for poles just in case they snoop some more. I don’t think that soldier believed me."

  Hodge nodded. After he spoke to Sarah, he and Cale scouted out the soldier's camp.

  Once they satisfied themselves that they were all gone, they returned to the Indian campsite.

  "We gonna get her down?"

  "Not yet, we need to wait until dark." Cale informed him. "Just in case."

  Hodge nodded and Sarah handed them wood to make poles with.

  Sarah had prepared them a meal and they sat around in a circle to eat.

  Cale kept glancing over his shoulder at Amelia, but she still hadn't moved.

  "Something wrong?" Hodge asked when he saw how restless Cale was.

  "I feel kinda funny, eating when she's up there with nothing. I wonder if she's anxious."

  "She chews Bitterroot to calm. She is fine." Hodge explained. "She take chamomile too, help sleep. Keep her still for long time."

  "Bitterroot? Chamomile? What does that do?"

  "Relaxes…helps sleep."

  "Well then, that's good." Cale smiled.

  Sarah cleaned up their mess and packed the rest of her stuff on her horse.

  Cale watered Amelia's horse and glanced up at her. Her eyes looked closed, and she was resting.

  But she had to be hot, swaddled in the deerskin.

  Hodge came up to him.

  "We'll leave about an hour after the sun goes down." Cale told him.

  Hodge nodded and went to tell Sarah.

  Cale watched them, as they walked toward the river and held hands. When they were close to the bank, Hodge took her into his arms and kissed her. Cale marveled at the love they seemed to share. He silently envied them. He'd wanted a wife at one time. Still, the only girl he ever liked enough to ask wouldn't have anything to do with him. She found herself a pretty boy and never spoke to him again.

  Maybe marriage wasn't so bad…with the right person.

  Chapter Five

  As darkness fell over the camp, Cale walked over to the scaffold. He glanced up and moved to climb the ladder.

  She was very still, hardly breathing.

  "I'm going to hoist you down now." Cale told her.

  "I'm ready…" She whispered.

  Cale glanced around, Hodge joined him, ready to help guide Amelia's body down from the ladder. Sarah watched out for them.

  Cale pulled her body closer to the edge, moved the bowls of food, and glanced down at Hodge. "When I start pulling her down, grab hold as soon as you can, so she doesn't fall."

  Hodge nodded.

  Cale cradled her head against him. Because she was tied up, she couldn't grab hold and help, they'd have to catch her before she fell.

  "Ready?" Cale hollered to Hodge.

  "Ready." Hodge nodded.

  Slowly, Cale scooted her to the edge; he could tell she was trying to help. Cradling her head, he took hold of her and let her body begin to slide. "Here she comes…"

  Hodge reached to grab her feet and Cale walked down the ladder with her head in his arms. As they reached the bottom of the ladder, they laid her on the ground.

  Hodge began untying the leather straps that bound her; she wiggled free and stood up. Still groggy, she rubbed her eyes and tried to shake the strange sensations.

  However, she was totally unsteady on her feet and swayed against Cale.

  Cale reached out his arms to steady her. She smiled up at him as though she were drunk.

  "How much of that stuff did you take?"

  She giggled.

  "Enough to keep her quiet and sleepy. It will wear off before too long." Sarah explained.

  "Good." Cale smiled. "I guess we are on our way. Let's get your horse. Do you feel like riding now?"

  "Just let me catch my breath." Amelia tried to shake herself but the effects of the medicine hadn't worn off yet.

  She wobbled again and this time fell into Cale’s arms. She sighed and smiled up at him.

  "Maybe I better carry you…"

  He picked her up in his arms and began carrying her toward her horse and she wrapped her arms around his neck and sighed. When he turned his head to look down at her, she reached up and kissed him on the lips.

  It wasn't a peck or a thank you, this was a full blown, kiss and Cale was stunned into reacting.

  Warm, soft, and so appealing, he couldn't do anything but respond in kind. He wasn't the sort of man to flirt or even kiss a girl unless he was interested, but this kiss caught him off guard and nature took its place.

  Cale tried not to respond. He tried to remember she was drunk on the stuff they gave her, but her lips assuaged an ache so deep in him he didn’t know what hit him. And he naturally responded to her kiss. They were so into the kiss that Sarah and Hodge just stared with smiles on their faces.

  She finally pulled away and smiled into his eyes. "Oh…that was nice…it’s been a long time since I was kissed."

  "Yeah…me too." He responded.

  Clearing their throats to let them know they had an audience, Hodge and Sarah began to look off, giving them a few minutes to compose themselves.

  Hodge stared at the scaffold. "We take it down?”

  Hodge and Sarah tried not to notice the action, but they were secretly smiling at each other.

  However, just as they would have, three men rode up and watched them, first from a distance, then closer.

  All three of them had scruffy beards, and looked as though they hadn't bathed in a while. In the moonlight, their guns shone clearly. "So now, what we got here?" One of the men asked, eyeing Amelia with interest.

  One of the other's laughed. "A white squaw! And pretty too."

  "What's going on here?" The leader asked looking straight at Cale for an answer, as though he deserved one.

  "This doesn't concern you mister." Cale's lips firmed with a purpose. He had a hard time adjusting from kissing Amelia, to this ill-mannered cowpoke.

  "Oh now, I think it might. We saw them Indians leaving. She one of them white squaws?"

  "She is not! And yes, that's right; they are headed for the Brazos reservation."

  "So who is she?" The leader asked, his mouth snarling into a strange sort of smile
as he eyed Amelia with interest.

  "She's my wife…" Cale replied his voice no longer friendly as he saw the look in the man's eyes. A look that he must have had after Amelia kissed him.

  Realizing Amelia still wore her deerskin dress he went on to explain.

  Amelia couldn't stop her head from turning toward Cale in surprise.

  Hodge didn't react nor Sarah.

  "Your wife…what was she doing on that scaffold? We saw you dragging her off. And we saw you kissing her too. You don't kiss a wife like that unless you're newly married or something. What's going on?"

  "The Indians thought she was dead and buried her, their way. But she wasn't dead, and I'm taking her home." Cale explained.

  "Well now, ain't that something. So why she got that Indian dress on her, if she's your wife?"

  "I told you, they thought she was dead and held a ceremony for her. Naturally, they would bury her in Indian gear if they put her on a scaffold. I got here just in time to find her 'not so dead.' She’s drunk…."

  "Drunk huh?"

  The leader chuckled and looked at his friends. "Now ain't that some story. Where you from farmer?"

  "Up north, got a farm, but I trade with the Huaco every year, especially this year since there is such a drought."

  "What was your woman doing down here with them in the first place?"

  "She was visiting a relative when the Comanche's captured her."

  "Comanche now, huh? So what was she doin' in the Huaco camp, mister? I don't get it?"

  "Comanche's are starving, they wanted to trade, gave her to the Huaco's. They got word to me through Hodge here that she was alive and down here. I came as fast as I could to get her. When I arrived, they were building the scaffold. If I hadn't heard her groan, I'd have never known she was still alive. But you gotta respect the Indians and their burials, or they get a might upset. So I waited until they left to take her down. That's all there is to it."

  "What did they think killed her?" The leader was still smiling.

  "Food poison. The Comanche food was bad, half the tribe was dying."

  "I might buy that story, but why were you kissing her like that?" The leader smirked.

  "Hadn't seen her in a while. Missed her. Besides, she's awful pretty, don't you think?"

  "Well, you got that part right. She's a looker." The leader scratched his chin and then stared boldly at Cale. "But the rest of that story, I don't believe a word of it, mister."

  Cale's jaw tightened. "Well friend, I don't much care if you believe it or not…"

  "Take him boys…" The leader muttered.

  But before anyone could move, Cale drew his gun and aimed it at the leader, leaving him a bit shocked at how fast Cale drew his gun. "Back off friend if you want to live. This is no concern of yours."

  "Easy fella…we were just funnin' you a little. Ain't no harm in that, is there?"

  "I think there is something you boys should know, right off."

  "Yeah, what's that?"

  "I don't have a sense of humor…" Cale tightened his jaw and cocked the gun.

  The leader stared at the gun for a moment, his smile fading. "Well, let's move on fellas. This clearly ain't our night to have a woman. He's right, he don't have no sense of humor, does he?"

  The men started to ride off, but the leader turned at the last minute and aimed his gun straight at Cale. Cale fired his gun; the man fell to the ground with a thud. The other two men stared at him.

  "You had no call…." one of them shouted.

  Both of them dismounted and ran to their friend.

  "Didn't think he'd shoot…if he is just a farmer…" The injured man yelled. However, he was either dead or passed out as they tried to rouse him again.

  "I had every call, now get the hell out of here." Cale gritted his teeth.

  "We're going, but you ain't heard the last of us…," the other one threatened.

  "I wouldn't advise you fella's following, as I deal in lead too when I have to." Cale told them, his eyes keenly on them.

  Hodge pulled his rifle on them and nodded at them.

  They picked their friend up and rode slowly out of the camp.

  Amelia drew breath. She looked stunned at Cale.

  "Did you have to kill him?" She asked, her face a wad of concern and frowns.

  "I'm not sure I did. I did hit him. Maybe it will knock some sense into him, if he isn't dead." Cale told her, as he put his gun away.

  She stalked up to him, "I didn't realize a farmer could be so deadly."

  He turned slowly, staring into her beautiful eyes, "How do you think a farmer keeps his land in this country, lady. He has to protect what is his…"

  "Well….maybe your right….but I'm not yours!" She informed him.

  After that kiss, he wasn't so sure.

  "No, I guess you aren't. Nobody's more aware of that than me."

  He walked off.

  Cale knew the woman didn't approve of his actions, but right now, that wasn't his concern. His concern was her safety and getting her back to her fiancé. And the sooner the better, he told himself. After that outlandish kiss, he didn't know what to think of her. He hadn't kissed a woman like that in all his born days, and he wouldn't be forgetting it, either.

  "Want to tear the scaffold down now?" Hodge asked once more.

  "I guess we should but I don't know. Leaving it up might be better, if we leave it on the ground someone might wonder what happened. Just leave it as it lay."

  Cale and Hodge were busy, and Amelia kept close to Sarah now. She was still staggering and she began crying. Sarah asked her why and she blurted out.

  "He killed that man with a gun. Didn’t you see him? Shot him dead. He had no call to kill him, Sarah."

  "He was protecting you…And the man did not die."

  "How do you know?"

  "He was breathing…."

  Amelia cried harder. "Well…that’s no excuse…"

  "You need some sleep now…You angry at Cale for shooting man?" Sarah grunted as they picked up some firewood for the camp. "Man not dead. If Cale wanted to kill him, he'd be dead. But man not dead."

  "He didn't have to be so brutal." Amelia cried.

  Sarah shook her head. "Cale promise Iron Kettle to take care of you. Cale keep promise. He protected you. Those men…they would rape you…"

  "I don’t believe they would do that!"

  "They would. You not thinking good. They think you were an Indian lover. They would rape you. Haven't you learned yet, white men have no respect for a white woman that likes the Indian ways."

  Amelia whirled around to look at Sarah…

  "How do you know that?"

  Sarah grunted at her. "Just know…Cale did right. He knew too. What else they want with you?"

  "He didn't have to shoot him."

  Sarah spit and eyed her keenly. "If he not shoot, others would not leave. Others saw he meant business and knew what he was doing. Cale did right."

  "Sarah, using a gun is a bad thing…"

  "You young, have much to learn about life…" Sarah said and walked away from her. "Cale protect…that's all."

  Amelia didn't seem to want Sarah mad at her and followed her. After all, Sarah was her friend, right now her only friend.

  In the meantime, Hodge had killed a wild turkey for supper and had an idea. "I put bones of turkey there and I save blood to put up there, make it look like the buzzards picked her clean."

  "Good thinking. Alright, go ahead and spread it up there then we'll be on our way." Cale told him.

  Hodge worked meticulously to make it look as though something had died there.

  "How'd you save the blood?"

  Hodge glanced at Sarah. "You don't want to know. She saved. Not much, but enough to make it look as though there is death here."

  "Good trick, thanks Sarah." Amelia smiled at her.

  "Are you and Sarah friends?" Cale asked glancing at the two of them.

  Amelia looked at Sarah and smiled.

  "Yes, Sa
rah was one of my first friends when I joined the Huaco's. I like the Huaco Indian’s, especially Iron Kettle and Sarah. She speaks English well, only a few spoke English in the tribe, the chief, Sarah and his son." Amelia explained.

  "It's good that you know each other well, as we will be living together for a while. It's going to take a little time to locate your family." Cale explained.

  "Yes, I suppose it will." Amelia's expression changed from satisfied to concern once more. She held her head and grunted. “Oh my head hurts…”

  Cale made a mental note that Amelia didn't seem too happy to talk about her family or even to see them again. He wondered why she was so adamant about them, but it wasn't his business. As soon as he delivered her to them, his responsibilities were over, and after having to explain to her about the shooting, he was anxious to be rid of her. But the memory of that kiss kept creeping into his head. Her lips had been butter soft and warm and he enjoyed the kiss more than he cared to admit.

  After all, he hadn't kissed a girl in some time, especially like that. But…he had to forget the kiss. She wasn't for him.

  When Hodge finished with the scaffold, he was well pleased and Sarah nodded with a smile.

  "Let's ride then…." Cale told them.

  "Are you starved?" Cale asked glancing at Amelia as she joined his side.

  "A little." Amelia explained. She staggered a bit and when she got to the horse, she practically fell into Cale’s arms again.

  He caught her, and she looked up into his face. Before he knew what hit him, she kissed him again.

  Soft lips explored his as though they knew what they were doing. Her lips were not those of a stranger, but of a friend, a very good friend. Cale couldn’t stop the reaction he had either.

  So when they came up for air, they both looked flustered.

  "Sorry," she muttered miserably.

  "Yeah, me too…"

  "We'll ride on a while, then stop and fix you something to eat." Cale told her. "Until then, here's some jerky." He handed her some out of his saddlebag.

  "Thanks…" She took it and ate.

  As they traveled, she seemed to sober.

  He handed her a canteen and she drank for a bit.

  "Feel better?"

  "Yes, I'm fine." She assured him. "Where are we going?"