“He told us he had found Indian sign. He was going to show Sully the next day, but that evening he went out and didn’t come back. We never saw him again.”
“Surely there was some sign of what happened to him?” Peter asked.
“Sully took Liford and Blayne and they searched for Norton for days. But they didn’t find him.”
Nate had a few questions that needed asking. He interrupted with, “What about that Indian sign?”
“Pardon?” Philberta craned her neck and rose slightly to see him. “Who are you? I’ve never seen you before.”
“This is Mr. King,” Erleen said. “A mountain man who helped us find your cabin.”
“Oh. What was it you wanted to know?”
“You mentioned Indian sign. Did your husband and your other sons find any when they were out?”
“No. None.” Philberta sniffled. “We were all so sad, losing Norton. Sully made us stay close to the cabin. And pretty soon practically all our elk meat was gone. They had to go hunt again, and that was when Liford vanished.”
Erleen gasped. “Your middle son too?”
“It gets worse,” Philberta said. “Sully and Blayne searched and searched but couldn’t find a trace of him. Sully was heartbroken. Two of his boys, gone. He insisted Blayne stay with me at all times.”
Peter impatiently demanded, “But where are Sully and Blayne now? Don’t tell me they disappeared as well?”
“I’m coming to that.”
“Hush, Peter, and let her tell her story.”
Philberta closed her eyes, her face a portrait of sorrow. “We began to feel as if we were being watched.Sully was convinced that something, or someone, was spying on us. Blayne said he felt the same at times. I felt it least, but I wasn’t outside as much as they were.”
“The savages, I bet,” Peter growled. “They killed Norton and Liford, and they were after the rest of you.”
“I won’t tell you again to hush.”
Philberta’s lower lip quivered. “We had no food left. It got so we were reduced to eating mushrooms and weeds—”
“How awful!” Erleen said.
“But Sully didn’t give up. He went off after another elk. Blayne stayed home. Along about the third day, he went to the stream for water and never came back.”
Peter shook a fist. “Those damned heathens! Mr. King, Mr. Ryker, we must find out which tribe is to blame.”
“Honestly, Peter.”
“Sorry, dear.”
“Go on, Philberta.”
Philberta struggled to compose herself. “When Sully came back from the elk hunt empty-handed and found that Blayne was gone, something changed inside of him. He ranted and raved about taking revenge. I tried to reason with him. I pleaded. I got down on my knees and begged. But he wouldn’t listen. He filled his powder horn and ammo pouch and went off to find the slayers of our children.”
“Good for him!” Peter declared.
A tear trickled from Philberta’s right eye. “He never came back. I waited and waited, praying hour by hour. Finally I couldn’t deny the truth any longer. I was all alone in the middle of these vast mountains, left to fend for myself without a weapon or a mount.”
Nate couldn’t stay silent. “Wait. Where were your horses?”
“Gone. Before Norton disappeared. That’s partly why we didn’t just saddle up and leave.”
Erleen held her sister-in-law’s hand to her bosom. “The horror of it all. You have my utter sympathy my dear. But take heart. We are here now, and no further harm shall befall you.”
“I am glad you have come.”
“We will take care of you, dear,” Erleen said. “We brought two pack horses with plenty of food.”
Peter nodded. “And we have Mr. King and Mr. Ryker. They know these mountains well and will keep us well supplied with meat.”
Ryker took a swig of brandy. “Maybe Mr. High and Mighty will hunt for you. But not me. I’ve heard enough. I’m leaving.”
“What are you talking about?” Erleen asked
Upending the bottle, Ryker smacked his lips and wiped his mouth with his sleeve. “Haven’t you people been listening? Hostiles killed your precious Sully and his boys. They will kill us if we stay. The smart thing to do is pack whatever you want to take and get the hell out of here while we still have our skin.”
Erleen turned. “I am tired of asking you to watch your language around my children.”
“And I am tired of you asking.” Ryker wagged the empty bottle. “Don’t any of you have a lick of sense? Do you all want to lose your hair? Because I sure as hell don’t. I’m not staying a single night in this cabin,or this valley. If we leave within the hour we can be shed of it by sundown.”
Aunt Aggie straightened. “You keep forgetting, Mr. Ryker. Abandon us, and I won’t pay the rest of the money.”
“Lady, at this point I don’t give a good damn about being paid. I care about my hide.”
“You are despicable,” Erleen said.
Ryker pointed the bottle at Nate. “Don’t just stand there like a lump. Tell them, damn it. You know I’m right. If they don’t leave, they’re all going to die.”
Specters
“Are you sure we can’t talk you out of this?” Peter Woodrow asked.
Edwin Ryker, astride his sorrel, shook his head. “Not a chance in hell. And before your missus starts in on me again, I have cussed since I was ten and old habits are hard to break.”
Aunt Aggie squinted up at the sun, which was well past its zenith. “At least stay the night, Mr. Ryker. I promise you there will be no hard feelings.”
“Maybe not on your part, lady, but there are on mine. It’s wrong of you not to pay me the rest of the money I’m due.”
“We have been all through that.”
Ryker swiveled in the saddle toward Nate. “The offer to ride out with me still holds.”
“I’m staying,” Nate said.
“What for? To be turned into worm food like Sullivan and his boys? Whether it’s the Utes or some other tribe, they’ve made it plain they regard this valley as theirs and they don’t like trespassers.”
Erleen tried a last appeal. “Give us a week, Mr. Ryker. A week to search for Sully and the others. Then we can all leave together. Is that too much to ask?”
“It is for me.” Ryker scratched the scar on the side of his head. “I’ve been Injun shy ever since I lost my ear.”
Tyne put a hand on Ryker’s stirrup. “Please don’t go. We don’t want anything to happen to you.”
For a moment it looked to Nate as if Ryker was about to change his mind. Not that Nate blamed him for wanting to fan the breeze. Four people had disappeared without a trace. That usually meant they were worm food.
“That’s sweet of you, girl. But my ma didn’t raise lunkheads. I am doing what I think is best for me.”
“Keep your eyes peeled for those Blackfeet,” Nate cautioned. If the warriors were still there. Finding Black Elk’s horse had given him grave doubts.
“Don’t you think I won’t,” Ryker assured him. “I’ll be damned if I’ll fall into their infernal hands twice.” He gigged the sorrel, and without a back-ward glance or a wave, trotted across the clearing. Soon he was lost to view around a bend in the trail.
“I wish he hadn’t done that,” Peter remarked.
