“Yes … I can understand.” In his mind appeared the vision of that heartrending scene replayed every time he himself had to bid farewell to his own mother following a visit back home. “How’d you find yourself out in Kansas, Mr. Brewster?”
“Thought it best for me and my sister to get a fresh start out this way.”
“Yes. A fresh start in a new land …”
“I happened across a nice parcel up on the Solomon River, about a two-day ride from the Smoky Hill. Then I sent for Anna Belle—my sister, General.”
“Ah, it was your sister, after all.”
“Sir?”
“The patches,” he explained, pointing at Brewster’s elbows.
“Oh, them.” Daniel grinned. “Sewed by my sister just before she got married back in June. Man named John Morgan—nice fella—lived up the river from us. Carpenter by trade. From the east too. Trying his hand at working the land. A kind, good man for Anna Belle.”
His voiced trailed off as he stifled a sob, head falling onto arms he crossed atop his knees. His whole body shook with a long-pent sorrow. “They … they come and shot my sister’s husband! Been married but a month … shot him as he ran back to his cabin … cut down not far from his own door. Running for his rifle.”
“Who shot him?”
Brewster raised his head, wiping the back of a hand across his face, wrenching tears and sniffles away on a wool sleeve. “Indians shot him right in front of my little sister.”
“Your sister tell you the story?”
“No! The same damned red niggers drug Anna Belle off with ’em after burning the place! John was hurt something fearful. But he lived. Wanted to come find Anna Belle with me, but he’s still bedrid and weak.”
“You don’t figure on joining the Seventh to even the score … do you, Mr. Brewster?”
“General, I only want to find my sister. That’s why I’m here to beg of you, sir—” he grabbed hold of Custer’s tunic in his huge, trembling hands, “Let me go with you when you head back after the rest of them murderers. I’m gonna find my sister.”
Custer rose slowly. “It’s not as simple as all that. Let me put this in the kindest possible way, Mr. Brewster. My orders are to put an end to the Indian depredations—their marauding, murdering, stealing, and kidnapping white prisoners.”
“Like my sister—”
“I feel for your plight—really I do. After all, it’s due to sad, sorrowful cases such as yours that I’ve brought my Seventh Cavalry in the middle of this winter to the heart of Indian Territories. I’ll find and punish the guilty Indians. Still, I cannot allow any civilian who feels it his right to use the Seventh Cavalry and the U.S. Army to exact his private revenge.”
“I ain’t asking you for no special treatment!” Brewster blared, leaping to his feet. “Said I’d work for my keep, even if you can’t pay me no wages while we’re on the march. I ain’t out after none of them savages. Just want my sister back.”
“It’s quite out of the question, taking you along with this fighting force. While we hope to free any and all white captives … that’s by no means the priority of my orders. I’m concerned with the punishment of those Indians responsible for crimes the likes of which your sister—”
“Afraid you didn’t understand. It ain’t just that she’s all I got, sir … I’m all Anna Belle’s got in this whole world. Lord God in heaven knows she’s counting on me in her every prayer. Being all my sister has, I can’t stop trying to rescue her.”
“Afraid my mind’s made up, Mr. Brewster.” Custer sipped at his coffee, finding it had grown cold on him. He sloshed it toward the fire ring. “In any event, you’re free to remain here at Camp Supply until our return. If we locate any camps holding white prisoners, we’ll promptly return those captives here. It’d be my fervent prayer that we’d find Anna Belle safe and as sound as could be.”
“Thank you anyway, General.” Brewster dug out a pair of threadbare wool mittens from the deep patch pockets of his mackinaw. “Gotta go ahead on my own. Already decided if you didn’t see fit to take me with you, I wasn’t about to wait no longer. Been almost a half-year now. Gotta do something. She’s counting on me.”
He surprised Custer by taking two long steps around the fire so he stood nose to nose with the Seventh’s commander. Something wounded and pinched had come over his face.
“Maybe no one ever counted on you, General. So you don’t rightly know how it feels for me to be all she’s got left in this whole dang world. I know the Lord God’s gonna help me. Well, I spoke my piece. All I come to say. Thank you for your time, sir.”
Awash in thought, Custer watched Brewster go, studying the strong, wide back, the thick arms stuffed like sausage into his bulky wool coat, and those cracked, flop-eared boots crusted with red clay.
“Brewster!” Custer was still not sure why he hollered out.
“To hell with you, General!” Brewster stopped, whirled about.
“Come here, Mr. Brewster. If I have to, I’ll call the guard.”
He lunged forward, glaring at Custer. Jaws clenched, both big hands tensing at his sides. “That’s what you figure to do, huh? Throw me in irons so I can’t go after Anna Belle on my own? Damn your cowardly hide. If you don’t have the backbone it takes to go after them murdering red savages, there’s men who will.”
“Done, Mr. Brewster?”
“Go ’head. Fetch the guard on me!”
“You’re on army land, within a federal territory ceded to the Indians. Calm yourself—”
“Calm myself? My sister’s out there!” He pointed into the darkness.
“As a civilian employee of the Seventh Cavalry, Mr. Brewster, you’d better cease your noisy tantrum this instant—or I most certainly will be forced to clamp you in irons.”
Brewster’s mouth gaped. “A
“I used those exact words.”
“You mean, work for the army?”
“Unless you figured this was to be a free ride.”
“Why … no, sir. It’s just that—”
“I’m assigning you as a substitute teamster.”
“Thank you, General!” He scooped up Custer’s hand, pumping the whole arm enthusiastically.
“You thought you had me figured out, didn’t you, Mr. Brewster? That’s your first serious mistake. Learn from it.”
“Why’d you change your mind?”
“That’s something I can’t begin to answer.” Custer stared into the firelight thoughtfully.
“Where’re the teamsters camped, sir?”
“We’ll get you there straightaway. Moylan!”
“Yessir!”
Custer watched his young adjutant trot into the light. “Take Mr. Brewster with you. Introduce him to Bell. Give the lieutenant my compliments and have him get Mr. Brewster outfitted.”
“You’ve hired him on, sir?” Moylan’s voice rose with excitement.
“As substitute teamster. He’ll earn his keep while we attempt to free his sister. Isn’t that right, Mr. Brewster?”
“Yes. Absolutely, sir!”
“C’mon, Dan.” Moylan slapped the young farmer on the shoulder. “Let’s go find you a warm blanket to roll up in tonight. You’re in the army now!”
“Not just the army, Myles!” Brewster cried. “By damned—I’m part of the Seventh Cavalry now!”
CHAPTER 13
CUSTER wasn’t all that sure why he found himself standing here in the dark belly of the captured buffalo-hide lodge, his eyes growing accustomed to the tar-black night.
