When Starbright trotted back, Lilac announced, “There’s a creek a mile or so ahead with some big trees. It’d make a great stopping place for dinner and watering the animals. A mile or so beyond that is a town, and after that is Columbus. We can turn off and bypass Columbus and pick up the route west again, or we can drive right on through. I remember Anders talking about the Columbus Arsenal. Said he’d heard it’s a mighty busy place. The railroad’s already there, probably because of the military.”
“Thanks, you did well.” Lark nodded. “We’ll go on through and check at the post office to see if there’s a letter from Anders. We’ll stop where you said, but not for long. I’d like to put Columbus behind us before we stop for the night.”
The road grew busier the closer they came to Columbus. Farms with fields of hay and grain lined the roads, of which there were several running north and south. Buggies and riders on horses passed them going both ways as they plodded along. The dust hung in the humid air, coating everything so that the sweat running down their skin left streaks. The clouds that blocked the sun held their moisture, killing any breeze.
While most folks waved, one rider slowed to ride beside them. “Where ya headin’?”
“Oregon Trail.” Lark, now riding Starbright, answered for them.
“Got a ways to go, that’s for sure. You lookin’ for work? There’s plenty goin’ on here, what with the building of the arsenal this side of town. Government orders, ya know.”
“Why now, when the war is over?”
“Troops still head out, and there’s people movin’ west like you folk. They’re buying rifles but not paying much.”
“Thanks for the information.” Lark nodded a farewell and urged her mare forward. Getting out of Ohio was paramount. Especially since the railroad made travel this far easy and thus even more dangerous.
What if they’d been so careful for nothing? The thought tensed her shoulders. Keep your eyes on Independence. “I think I’ll go on ahead and find the post office,” she told Forsythia.
Nudging Starbright into a trot, she pulled away from the others. Perhaps she should have sent Forsythia ahead, but her sister didn’t like riding in public without a sidesaddle.
Lark found the post office without difficulty, and after wrapping Starbright’s reins around the porch railing, she paused to read the wanted posters on the wall. Folks asking after boys who had gone off to war and so far not returned. Most probably never would. Thinking of the young man who’d sat with them the night before, Lark shot a thank-you heavenward that she had been able to bring Anders home.
“After you, ma’am.” She nodded to the older woman who came up behind her as she stepped toward the post office door, tipping her hat at the same time.
“Thank you, young man.” The woman fluttered her fan, and the tiny breeze that passed over her shoulder made Lark wish for the one she used to have at home. It was a shame they hadn’t put a couple in the wagon. They wouldn’t have taken up much room.
When it came her turn, she nodded at the woman behind the counter. “You have any mail for the Jimsons?”
“I’ll look and see. Might take a minute or two.”
Lark waited, listening to the conversation of the two ladies behind her. “Blue uniforms—that’s all we see around here anymore. This is far worse than during the war.”
“It’s not safe to travel these roads at all.”
Lark picked up the letter slid across the wooden counter to her. Anders had kept his word. “Thank you, ma’am. Lord bless you.”
She almost paused in shock that she had said that. All because she was so thrilled to see her brother’s handwriting.
She stepped to the side. “Excuse me, please.” She tipped her hat to the two gossipers. “Thank you for the warning.” She strode out of the post office, their tittering following her through the door.
When she caught up with the wagon, Lark waved the letter. “We’ll read it when we stop for the night, so keep your eyes peeled for a possible spot. I’ll scout ahead.”
Dusk had fallen, drawing the moisture from the soil to create wispy bits of fog, when they finally turned off the westbound road to set up camp along the banks of the Scioto River. The animals set to grazing as soon as they were hobbled, only pausing when led down a gentle slope to the river. Starbright drank, then raised her head, ears pointing at something across the water.
“What do you see, girl?” Lark stared too.
“Something is bothering her,” Lilac said softly. The horse dropped her head and drank again. Lilac guided the oxen from standing knee-deep in the water back up the bank so they could graze where the grass was thick. “Did you see anything?” she asked Lark when she brought the horse to join the cattle.
“No.” But Lark’s scalp still prickled.
8
A scream shattered the night chorus.
Forsythia rolled to her feet before the scream ended abruptly. Lark was up before her, gun poised. Lark ratcheted a shell into the chamber and then eased around the back of the wagon without making a sound. Forsythia stood back in the shadows, knife in hand.
They both froze and held their breath in order to hear where the sounds were coming from. Scuffling and a grunt told them where to go. Starbright snorted, then screamed.
Lark motioned Forsythia to go around one way while she went the other, stopping behind a tree. Another grunt and an expletive.
Forsythia rounded the front of the wagon to see Del in the moonlight, one man trying to hold on to her as she slammed an elbow into his stomach and kicked him in the shins. A second ruffian was struggling to bring the mare under control, but Starbright reared and
