Chapter 4

The wagon pulled up beside the freight wagons. It was a busy hour getting everything moved around, tied and tarped down. While Broken Knife and I were taking care of that, Lucy and the others where putting together a shopping list for Milt to take with him. The last thing we took out of Milt's wagon was the Governor's son and the other prisoner.

Broken Knife and I walked them over to the place where we had buried the other members of their murderous little band. "What are you going to do with us?" The Governor's son asked.

"Well, the boy we questioned said that you had something that you liked to do with the children that survived your little attacks. I thought that since you seemed to take so much pleasure in it that I'd extend the same privilege to you." The words were hardly out of my mouth when the other man fell to his knees and started begging us not to do him that way.

"What? You mean to tell me that you don't want me to cut you up one joint at a time like this sick bastard did?" I was still mad from hearing what they had done to as many as a dozen children, "Why didn't you ever try to stop him? I know; you didn't because the boy said the only man that ever spoke out about it was shot in the back. By the time I'm through with you you'll wish he'd shot you in the back."

Red Hand and the others returned from their task of spreading Mr. Damron to the four winds and they helped us tie up the Governor's son so he was spread eagled on the ground. He was making a lot of noise and we hadn't made a cut on him. Red Hand had decided that his crimes against children were not so very different than rape, so Red Hand asked for my Bowie knife and then he removed the man's equipment and stuffed it in his screaming mouth. The Governor's son bled out in a few minutes, lucky for him that we didn't do like he had with the children and press a red hot iron to the bloody stumps to keep him from bleeding to death. In the end I just cut the throat of the other guy and we dumped them in the hole with the others and finished filling it up. Then we went down to the stream and washed the blood off.

Did I feel bad about killing those two? Not even a little bit. Milt had told me that in one wagon train six children had been found that had suffered through the Governor's son's brand of fun. Cutting up children one joint at a time, it sounded like something a serial killer from my time would do, not the picture of the old west I'd read about. It did however remind me of a verse that my grandmother always quoted from the Bible, Ecclesiastes 1:9, "there's nothing new under the Sun."

When we got back to the wagons the first thing I noticed was that our seven wagons had grown to nine. We rode up and got off our horses. I was surprised when Elizabeth Damron ran up to Red Hand and threw her arms around him. Poor Red Hand didn't know what to do and was looking at each of us hoping for some help. Broken Knife was the one that ended up coming through for him. He simply told him to wrap his arms around her and hold her and she would get better. Red Hand looked pretty sceptical but followed his instructions and was soon smiling from the result. Elizabeth's girls, fourteen year old Susan and twelve year old Becky, had been waiting for that smile. When they saw it they too joined Red Hand and Elizabeth's embrace and once more I saw the stereotypical picture of the Native American shatter. The cold, hard warrior who had fought his own demons for so long, standing with his arms around three broken women, had tears streaming down his face. But after looking around, I saw he wasn't the only one.

Two men walked up to me and offered their hands; Jase Trammel and Simpson Jones were like peas in a pod. They had met in St. Jo and become fast friends. Simpson had known that there would be trouble with some of the people in Milt's train. He had already heard some things said about his friend's daughter earlier that morning that had convinced him that it would be better if Jase and his family left the train. Leaving the train for his friend was no sacrifice for him; it was just something he had to do. He had been unsure about the Comanches but after watching the one they called Red Hand take in the Damron family those doubts evaporated like dew in the late morning sun. "We'd like to come with you Mr. Dunlap," Simpson said

"That would be just fine. I guess you know that right now my only plans are to go back and find Red Hawk. After that ... well after that we'll just have to see what happens. For right now you two are going to have to teach me about handling a team. Believe it or not, I've just not been around them much."

Simpson just smiled, "Well, we'll learn you soon enough, but for today why don't you just let my boys drive for you?"

Jase chuckled, "I'd have offered my boy David to drive for you but he's had his eyes on that oldest Damron girl since we left St. Jo and I expect he's over there right now trying to talk Elizabeth into letting him drive for her."

"Well that sounds good to me, let's see if we can get this show on the road." The three of us walked over to where the others were gathered. I called Simpson's sons to me, "Men, your dad kind of volunteered you to drive some of these wagons. I won't hold you to that but if you can't will you at least teach me and any of the others that want to learn?"

Josh, the oldest of the boys, looked at the others as each and every one of them nodded their heads, "Mr Dunlap we'd be glad to drive for you and if anyone wants to learn that would be fine too."

"All right folks it's getting late but I'd sure like to get away from here. What say we go ahead and leave and not stop for noon but then stop around five? There's a spring and Broken Knife is pretty sure we can make it by then."

Everybody agreed and the boys sorted out who would drive what. Sam stayed on the wagon with Josh, so she could learn what to do. Broken Knife had built a travois for Beth to ride on and we got her out of the wagon. With me on one side and Broken Knife on the other I allowed her to walk over to the travois. Lucy had taken one of her old hoop petticoats and using some of the whale bone that was in it for support she had made a shade to keep the sun off Beth as we travelled. Lone Elk led the horse with the travois and we were off

Tim Jones, Simpson's next oldest, would bring up the rear, Broken Knife thought it prudent to try and erase as much of our trail as was possible. He had cut some brush to drag behind the last wagon to try and confuse our trail. When we had made this trip we had brought extra horses. We did this because we were travelling pretty fast. With the wagons we weren't going to be making even a third of the speed. Broken Knife decided to send White Wolf ahead to Red Hawk. White Wolf left out at a slow lope leading a spare horse, I expected that he would be there and back in less than a week.

We had been on the trail just over three hours when I noticed that Red Hand wasn't on his horse. I had been walking beside the travois that Beth was on checking to see how she was faring. When I got back on Jack I didn't see Red Hand out to the left side of our wagon train. I was about to go ask Broken Knife where he was when I found him. He was sitting between Elizabeth and Becky Damron, driving their wagon and grinning like a fool. I don't know why I was surprised, but I was and pleasantly so.

Overall things went pretty smoothly on that short day. We pulled up to the spring a little after six. The men took care of the livestock and the women started on supper. Fran and Jana got Beth up and walked her around a little. Frankly I was amazed at how fast she was healing, happy but amazed.

I had noticed earlier that Jase and Simpson were both carrying single shot pistols. After thinking about it I decided to give pistols not just to them, but to their sons. After, of course, getting my J's lined up.

Oh, 'my J's', that was little miss Jana's doings. She thought it quite funny that all of my animal's names started with a J hence getting my J's lined out. Jana, I had found, was full of life. I know that she had been repressed some by her circumstances, but she was in full bloom now and growing and it was a delight to see.

I decided that I would give Jase's son, David, as well as Simpson's two youngest boys Morgan and Garret, the .36 caliber pistols. I called the men together and handed out the pistols. Simpson it turns out was, among other things, an expert leather craftsman. We had, in the wagon his oldest boy Josh had been driving, three full sides of leather. He promised everyone a belt and holster and after grabbing one of the full sides he disappeared, along with Tim and Morgan, his two middle sons who shared his love of leather work.

Supper was delicious; Two Bears had slipped off from the wagons and found a small herd of buffalo. He came back and borrowed Jasper and Jake and showed up with both animals loaded down with fresh meat. Supper then was fresh buffalo, fried taters, and Johnny cake. Elizabeth still had plenty of dried apples and she used some of the precious things to make two Dutch ovens full of apple cobbler. The cobbler was out of this world and a certain Comanche warrior that had a thing for a certain cobbler making lady made a pig out of himself.

It was obvious to any and all that Red Hand was quite taken with the recently widowed Mrs. Damron, and she with him. I'm sure some folks would not look too kindly on her brief, perhaps even non-existent, period of mourning. And in that day and time I am equally sure that they wouldn't approve of her choice of boyfriends. But it looked like mixed race unions were going to be pretty common on this small wagon train.

Broken Knife and Lucy sat together at supper tonight as did Red Hand and Elizabeth. It was interesting to me to watch the couples. In my time with the Comanche I had watched the last stages of a young couple's courtship. So I actually had a better idea of the Comanche rituals than I did on circa 1847 courting rituals for whites. But at supper tonight it was like being back home and surrounded by giggling teenagers even though the four people that were doing all the giggling hadn't been teens for years.

After supper the courting was put on hold as Broken Knife, Red Hand, Two Bears and myself took off in opposite directions to make sure that we didn't have uninvited guests show up. All of us but Broken Knife got back right at dark. It was almost two hours after the sunset when he made it back and I don't mind telling you Lucy wasn't the only one that was worried

Broken Knife had gone in the direction that we would head in the morning and just before he turned around he had seen campfires. He felt pretty sure that because of the number of fires that it was probably whites, and probably white men that worked for the governor, so it would be a long restless night for us ... Since we had to put out our fires to avoid being spotted, it would be a cold and dark one as well.

We had made a pallet for Beth and sat her up against the wheel of the wagon during supper and it was good to see her smiling. Now that it was dark and we were getting ready to go to bed she begged us to stay with her. It took some work but we managed to add on to the bed in her wagon so that tonight, for the first time, I was in bed with four women. Four women that felt very strongly for me. Beth grimaced as she pulled me towards her. "I want a kiss," she demanded, the light from the full moon casting an eerie glow on her face.

I kissed her and started to feel my heart melting, but why? Was I so fickle that I fell in love with every girl I kissed? I ended the kiss and flopped back on the bed, "What's wrong with me?" I said out loud.

"What do you mean what's wrong with you? Nothing is wrong with you," Fran gently caressed my face as she spoke.

"You must think I am pretty damn fickle. Not being able to make up my mind who I am in love with."

"Who you love?" Sam asked.

"That's just it. I love all of you but..."

"But what?" Beth started, "Do you love us?"

I looked at each of the beauties in front of me and started nodding my head, "Yes I do, I love each of you. But can we do this?" I looked from one to the other, "Jealousy is a very powerful emotion. If it ever begins it will tear us apart."

The girls looked from one to the other before Beth began, "We know that, we also know that if we get around other Whites that there will be problems. We accept that. What we can't accept is living without you, just having a part of you is better than losing you."

I looked at each one waiting for confirmation, Fran started by saying, "I love you and I want you to be my husband."

Jana took my hand in hers, "I love you and always will, I want you to be my husband."

Sam reached across for Fran's hand. She took it and placed it on top of Jana's. Then she placed her hand on top of theirs, "I love you Tom, and I want you for my husband."

Beth smiled and placed her hand on top of Sam's, "I love you, you saved my life and stole my heart, and I too want you to be my husband."

I looked down at the hands piled on top of mine. I felt their weight in more ways than one. If I became their husband they would become my responsibility. Was I ready for that? That was one question that didn't take long to answer because I already felt responsible for them. I had no doubt that I loved them. I found that I loved them so much that it seemed strange to even question it.

Four beautiful women, each different but with one thing in common: me. God help me but they all loved me and I them. "I love you Fran and I want you for my wife."

I kissed her and turned to Jana, "I love you Jana, and I want you for my wife." I kissed Jana.

Turning to Sam, "I love you Tiny Bird, my lovely Sam, you have been my friend, my teacher, my helper and now I want you to be my wife." Sam leaned forward and we kissed.

"Beth, I love you and as sure as the sun will come up tomorrow I know that I can't live without you in my life. I want you to be my wife." I bent down and kissed Beth.

When I broke the kiss Fran looked at me with tears forming in her eyes, "Sam and I can't give you our virginity, but..." I stopped her and pulled her into my arms, "Virginity is not something that can be taken, it must be given. Do you give yourself to me?" She couldn't speak, I felt her nodding her head in my shoulder, "Then I will be the first man to receive that from you." I laid her down beside Beth and with Sam and Jana's help we undressed her.

I was a virgin as well, oh I had read everything that I could get my hands on but I had never had vaginal sex with a woman. Oral sex, now that was something very different. Sally Grant had seen to that part of my education. Living out in the country the way we did meant that I didn't have a lot of neighbour kids to play with. Sally Grant had been the exception. She was three years older than me but during the summer we spent every waking hour riding our horses and skinny dipping in the dirt tank at the back of our place. Because of the remoteness of the ranch, she and I had no one else to pal around with. It was no wonder that we became the best of friends. I had taught Sally what felt good to guys and she in turn had taught me what felt good to girls. After that we practiced. Oh all right, we practiced a lot. Even after she had graduated and gone to college, when she came home for the summer we practiced every chance we got. We practiced, on and off, right up until I left on my trans-Texas trip back into a history that wasn't quite mine.

As a result of diligent practice, it was a well versed tongue that began to explore Fran's body, and soon moans were filling the air. When her orgasm hit it came out of nowhere. She didn't build up to it slowly the way Sally had, it was bang and she was there. If not for Sam's quick thinking we would have awakened the entire camp. Sam saw that Fran was about to scream out her pleasure and covered Fran's mouth with hers. When I heard the muffled sounds I looked up to see Sam kissing Fran. I am here to tell you it shot a bolt right through me, I kissed my way back up to the now panting Fran, but I still had my clothes on. Sam and Jana promptly took care of that problem and, for the first time in my life, I entered a female body. I recommend it without reservation to any who have not tried it and from the look on Fran's face, she would too.

I only had to look at the body lying next to Fran to realize that my actions could have consequences. "Where are you in your cycle?" "Don't worry about that Tom. I want to have your babies." Fran's response only served to urge me on. And I made love to Fran until I came, I wanted to roll off of her but she held me tight. As she did, first Beth and then Sam and Jana kissed us both, which only served to stimulate me.

I started getting hard while I was still inside Fran and she laughed, "Sam, he's ready." We rolled over so that I was on my back and Fran got up, my sperm running down her thighs. She helped Jana scoot me back over next to Beth. I was kissing on Beth, but Sam was waiting for me to move too, so she could lay down where Fran had been. I just motioned to her for her to sit down and go for a ride. Being on top was a new experience for Sam but I had something I wanted to try, "Jana come here." I turned Jana around so that she was facing Sam and guided her virgin pussy to my waiting lips.

"OH! My God! Oh My God! OhMyGod! OHMYGOD!" Jana exclaimed as my lips met her lower lips. After that Jana was pretty much reduced to moaning and groaning.

Jana moved off of me and I felt a hand on my face. I turned my face to see Beth smiling at me, "I wish you would do that to me, but I'm afraid I'd pull a stitch."

"I'm afraid you would too," I leaned across and kissed her. In spite of Jana's juices all over my face, Beth eagerly returned my kisses. Sam had found that being on top was lots of fun but it was also very tiring especially after having two climaxes.

Sam lay across my body and kissed me, "Tom, hold me please." I pulled Sam into my arms and held her. Jana moved from beside me and I rolled over on top of Sam. My diversion with Jana had helped me hold out for Sam. Now with me on top I did my best to send Sam over the edge.

It only took a few minutes for Sam's already heightened senses to push her over a third time and this time I went with her. I kissed Sam and then rolled off of her towards Beth.

"Now my sweet Beth, what do you need?" I was lying on my belly propped up on my elbows staring into her beautiful eyes.

She smiled, but behind it I saw she was hurting. I got up and pulled out the bottle of Laudanum mixed with water and gave her a spoonful, "Listen, I know that you hurt and I don't want you to hurt but I'll tell you a family secret. About three greats back one of my grandfathers got in trouble with this stuff. I don't want you to get in trouble with it. All right?"

Beth reached out and touched my face, "All right, you're the doctor. Could I get some kisses?"

I lay down beside Beth and started kissing her. Jana slipped in at my back and Sam slipped in behind her. Fran had cleaned herself up and slipped in behind Beth. I went to sleep holding Beth.

The next morning we were up and moving at daylight. Since we were worried about the folks that had the campfires the night before, we had planned to disappear on them. Broken Knife had found a depression that was big enough to hide the wagons. So we hustled our butts to get all the wagons there and out of sight. Once we had the wagons out of sight, Broken Knife, Red Hand, Two Bears, Lone Elk and I rode to meet them.

It turned out to be a wagon train. It was plain that they recognised that most of us were Comanche. It was also plain that they were scared shitless so we approached them very slowly and very carefully stopping about two hundred yards out.

The wagon master and scout rode out to meet us. I guess they didn't really notice me being white so I lay back to see what they did. Normally I have a pretty dark complexion and being in the sun every day for the last month had just darkened me up that much more. So I didn't look all that different from the Comanche unless you noticed my blue eyes, but I almost burst out laughing when the scout started speaking Comanche. I mean he couldn't speak it as well as I could and so he was quite comical with some of the things he said.

Broken Knife told him that White Bear would speak for us. So I rode up from behind Broken Knife, "You know, no better than you can speak Comanche you'd be better off with sign language."

"You're white! Are you a captive?" the wagon master seemed to be even more irritated than he had been.

"No! These are my friends, this is Broken Knife."

Broken Knife smiled broadly, "Howdy partner."

I nearly fell off my horse. I introduced the rest of the men to the wagon master who still hadn't told us his name so I thought I would point out his rudeness, "Well you know who we are. Now what are we supposed to call you two?"

"I'm sorry, I'm Jacob Thomas, and this is Seth McGee our scout. Have you seen any..." his face turned real red and he started laughing, "I was about to ask if you'd seen any Indians."

"Don't laugh! We've fought two bunches of Crows, thirty five all total, and a bunch of white men that have been attacking wagon trains and trying to make it look like Indians had done the work."

The laughter evaporated from Jacob's face, "Was that the bunch that butchered up the children?"

"Yes it was. We caught the sick son of a bitch that was doing that, he didn't seem to like it when we did the same thing to him. In case you're curious, he just happened to be the son of the governor of Santa Fe."

"You're shitting me!" Seth exclaimed, "We got some friends of the governors on this train."

"Oh really! Do they have some freight wagons?" I was getting a really bad feeling about this. So I explained my fears to Broken Knife in Comanche.

"Yeah they do, is that a problem?" Jacob asked.

"I want to look at those wagons and I don't mind telling you why." I explained to Jacob what we had found out and he was like Milt, it offended his basic sense of right and wrong.

"I think we better go check those wagons out," Jacob said.

"Yeah, well be sure and tell your people not to shoot my friends and understand that we'll probably have to shoot the owners of the wagons."