Chapter 11

We cut the women loose, and they just collapsed where they were. They did not have the strength to move from their current positions. We got some of the Indian sleeping blankets and made crude bedrolls for the women. When that was done, we pulled the dead Indians away from camp, since it was obvious that the women were not going anywhere for a while. We set up our usual two-hour watch rotation and got what rest we could for the rest of the night.

The next morning, it was obvious that the women were still in no condition to travel, so we debated what to do. Our solution was for Running Fox to take the paper I had been given by the Colonel and find one of the Army search parties. He should be able to show the note to an Army man and get all of the cooperation we needed.

Running Fox left, hoping to find one of the Crow scouts, but he would settle for any Army man he came to. Meanwhile, I took three of the blankets and cut holes in the middle to make serapes for the women to use, since we were very unlikely to find dresses. Their skin was turning very red from serious sunburn, so they were going to need some sort of protection. When they woke up, I fed them some water and some of the pemmican, but I tried to keep the amounts low enough to make it easier on their stomachs. Very late in the afternoon, the women did have to get up to piss. At this time, they had lost all of their modesty, but they were very afraid of Indians, so they wanted me to be with them while they pissed. I did turn my back, and that was more than enough for them.

They spent the whole day in bed, and that was where they were when a dragoon detail rode in behind Running Fox. The lieutenant who was leading the detail was somewhat embarrassed by the whole situation, especially with the fact that the women had been raped and were naked under the blankets. Fortunately, the sergeant with him had a lot of experience with rescued captives, so he discretely guided the lieutenant through the things that needed to be done.

First of all, he did take my word that the women were in good enough shape to travel in a wagon, provided the bed was padded with a mattress. I suggested that he send for three wagons to use as ambulances and to request that they be padded with two mattresses each. He immediately sent three troopers back to the fort for the wagons and ordered the sergeant to settle the rest of the men well away from the women. This done, all we could do was to wait for the wagons which would not arrive until sometime in tomorrow's late morning.

Running Fox settled down with the two Crow scouts, while I spent time with the women and the lieutenant. I sat facing the women so that I would know immediately if anyone needed anything, but the lieutenant, very embarrassedly, sat with his back to the women. I wanted to laugh, but I didn't want to hurt his feelings. It was only later that I found out he was engaged to one of the women, but was going to cancel the engagement because she was no longer "pure." Had I known it at the time, I would probably have cut his throat!

Every hour, I woke the women up to have them drink a cup of water. I was afraid that they would be in serious trouble from dehydration, and I was trying to fight that as best I could.

I also found out later from Running Fox that this lieutenant was a real ass. The Crow scouts said that they had picked up the trail that first day and would have found the quarry before nightfall, but the lieutenant had ordered them in another direction and caused them to loose the trail. I planned to tell the Colonel about that stupidity. This was one lieutenant who needed to be shot by "accident" at his next meeting with Indians!

The wagons showed up the next morning, along with a doctor. Well, the doctor wasn't needed, but he couldn't hurt anything at this late date, so I was not too irritated. We gently loaded the women into the wagon after I had led each one out to piss one more time—they had insisted on that. Not only that, but Running Fox and I got kisses on the cheek from each woman before the wagons started back to the fort. A lot of the White men were scandalized that the women had kissed an Indian, but the Crow scouts were amused and impressed by Running Fox. We didn't want to dawdle with the speed of the wagons, so we rode on ahead. That's when Running Fox told me the story about the lieutenant, so I wanted to stop by and talk to the Colonel before we returned to the wagon train.

At the wagon train, Alice welcomed me back as a returning hero, and I was very happy with the greeting. Running Fox got the same treatment from Sunshine, so we could see the permanent bond forming there.

This was when I got the full story from Alice about what she wanted to do with the children we had rescued: she wanted to adopt them all! My God! I was going to have a full family without the fun of making my own! However, I came around to Alice's way of thinking when I heard the full story. There was nowhere else for the children to go. They had no relatives in Yuma, so they would be living as beggars on the street if somebody did not take them in. We had the money, so we could afford the cost. What we didn't have was a place to put all the kids!

I knew damned well that I didn't want to share the wagon with several kids, because I wanted to go back to all of the privileges that go with being a husband. Alice agreed to that, but we would have to work out something to accommodate the children. I could stand having Adam sleep with us, since I was not embarrassed by a 1 year old, but something would have to be done about the rest of the kids.

There was no question that we needed another wagon. I would have to talk to Mr. Jackson about our problem. I was on my way to find Mr. Jackson when I was stopped by a messenger from the Colonel. The women had arrived at the fort, and he would like for Running Fox and me to come out there for a discussion at our earliest convenience. The messenger looked kind of antsy, so I found Running Fox, and we went to see the Colonel.

We were both ushered into Susan's bedroom which was now her sickroom. Susan gushed her thanks to us for her rescue. Her mother and father both echoed her words, so we were somewhat embarrassed by all of this thanks and praise. We spent nearly an hour in Susan's room, but we left when she obviously began to tire.

We went into the Colonel's office, and that was where the next bombshell dropped. He wanted to know if we would consider leaving the wagon train and becoming full time scouts for the Army. Of course, we would be stationed at the fort, and would have on-base housing. I turned to Running Fox for his comment, but he threw it right back to me with the statement, "I'll follow you anywhere you want to go. As far as I am concerned, you are my chief and leader. It is entirely up to you."

Now, what the hell could I say to that? I thanked the Colonel for the offer, but said that I would have to talk to my wife about it. "Frankly, I am inclined to stay with the wagon train and Mr. Jackson. He has been so kind to me, I don't want to let him down. I'll just have to let you know a bit later after I have had a chance to talk to my wife and to Mr. Jackson."

The Colonel said he understood my position and would wait for my answer. I assured him that I would have an answer by tomorrow afternoon. Very shortly after that, we left to return to the wagon train. Back there, I told Alice about the offer from the Colonel, and I wanted to know what she thought about it. It only took her a minute or two to decide that she had rather remain with the wagon train. That was when I told her that I agreed, but would have gone along with whatever she decided. After a few hugs and kisses, she let me go to find Mr. Jackson, but she promised to send the kids to sleep somewhere else tonight.