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Authors: Madeline Baker
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before.
Dr. Henderson smiled as he ushered us down a whitewashed hallway to a small green room. Victoria was in bed, her face pale. There were dark smudges under her eyes.
“Don’t stay too long,” the doctor cautioned. “She needs her rest.”
“Will she be all right?” I asked.
Dr. Henderson nodded confidently. “To be sure, to be sure. She’s young and healthy. A few days of complete bed rest and she’ll be back on her feet.”
I nodded, and the doctor left the room, closing the door behind him.
“Vickie?”
Her eyelids fluttered open and I could see she had been crying.
“How are you feeling, Victoria?” I asked.
“Empty,” she said. “How’s Hawk? Have you seen him?”
“Yes. He’s fine. He sends his love.”
“I lost the baby,” she said, and two large tears welled in her eyes. “Oh, Hannah, it was awful! I’ve never seen Hawk so angry, and then he killed that man and there was blood everywhere.”
She was sobbing now, reliving the horror of the moment. I started toward her, but Shadow reached her side first. Bending, he took Vickie in his arms and held her while she cried.
“Do not think about it,” Shadow said, his voice soft and soothing. “It is over now. Everything will be all right.”
“How can it be?” Victoria cried, her blue eyes frantic with worry. “Jenny Lee said they’re going to hang Hawk for killing that awful man. What am I going to do?”
“Nothing,” Shadow said. “You are going to stay in bed for as long as the doctor says. Then you are going home to take care of your sons. They will not hang Hawk.”
Victoria blinked back her tears, her eyes intent on Shadow’s face.
“They will not hang him,” Shadow said again. “You must trust me and do as I say.”
Victoria nodded. She had always admired and respected Shadow, and if he said everything would be all right, then everything would be all right.
Slowly, Shadow lowered her back onto the bed. “Sleep now. We will be back to see you tomorrow.”
Like an obedient child, Victoria closed her eyes. Shadow took my hand and we left the room.
“Shadow, I’m afraid.”
“Have I ever failed you before?”
“No.”
“I will not fail you now. Do not worry, Hannah.”
I nodded. I, too, admired and respected Shadow. He always knew what to do and how to do it.
We stopped at the jail to tell Hawk that Vickie was doing fine and that the doctor said there was nothing to be concerned about.
“Do not do anything foolish,” Shadow warned Hawk as we prepared to leave. “I will take care of everything.”
Hawk grinned wryly. “Do you read my mind, neyho ?”
“No. But I remember the thoughts that went through my mind when I was in the stockade at Fort Apache. I remember thinking that I would do anything to get out. I see that same desperation in your eyes now. And I tell you again, do not do anything foolish.”
“I understand, neyho .”
“Good. I will send Blackie over to your place to look after your stock until you are home again.”
“Tell him to keep an eye on the wall-eyed mare. She is due to foal soon, and she usually needs help.”
Shadow nodded. “We will see you again tomorrow.”
“Can I bring you anything?” I asked.
“A change of clothing,” Hawk said, glancing at his blood-stained shirt. “And one of your apple pies.”
“You’ll have them,” I promised.
It was hard, leaving my son in jail. I knew how he must hate being locked up, how desperately he needed to see Victoria, to know for himself that she was going to be all right. I prayed that he would listen to Shadow and not do anything foolish. To try to escape would only make him look guilty.
When we got home, Shadow sent Blackie over to stay at Hawk’s place. Blackie was ecstatic at the thought of helping the mares foal, though he was less enthusiastic about staying in the house with Lydia.
Our place seemed very empty with Blackie gone, and I thought how sad it was that my children had to grow up and leave home.
Dr. Henderson smiled as he ushered us down a whitewashed hallway to a small green room. Victoria was in bed, her face pale. There were dark smudges under her eyes.
“Don’t stay too long,” the doctor cautioned. “She needs her rest.”
“Will she be all right?” I asked.
Dr. Henderson nodded confidently. “To be sure, to be sure. She’s young and healthy. A few days of complete bed rest and she’ll be back on her feet.”
I nodded, and the doctor left the room, closing the door behind him.
“Vickie?”
Her eyelids fluttered open and I could see she had been crying.
“How are you feeling, Victoria?” I asked.
“Empty,” she said. “How’s Hawk? Have you seen him?”
“Yes. He’s fine. He sends his love.”
“I lost the baby,” she said, and two large tears welled in her eyes. “Oh, Hannah, it was awful! I’ve never seen Hawk so angry, and then he killed that man and there was blood everywhere.”
She was sobbing now, reliving the horror of the moment. I started toward her, but Shadow reached her side first. Bending, he took Vickie in his arms and held her while she cried.
“Do not think about it,” Shadow said, his voice soft and soothing. “It is over now. Everything will be all right.”
“How can it be?” Victoria cried, her blue eyes frantic with worry. “Jenny Lee said they’re going to hang Hawk for killing that awful man. What am I going to do?”
“Nothing,” Shadow said. “You are going to stay in bed for as long as the doctor says. Then you are going home to take care of your sons. They will not hang Hawk.”
Victoria blinked back her tears, her eyes intent on Shadow’s face.
“They will not hang him,” Shadow said again. “You must trust me and do as I say.”
Victoria nodded. She had always admired and respected Shadow, and if he said everything would be all right, then everything would be all right.
Slowly, Shadow lowered her back onto the bed. “Sleep now. We will be back to see you tomorrow.”
Like an obedient child, Victoria closed her eyes. Shadow took my hand and we left the room.
“Shadow, I’m afraid.”
“Have I ever failed you before?”
“No.”
“I will not fail you now. Do not worry, Hannah.”
I nodded. I, too, admired and respected Shadow. He always knew what to do and how to do it.
We stopped at the jail to tell Hawk that Vickie was doing fine and that the doctor said there was nothing to be concerned about.
“Do not do anything foolish,” Shadow warned Hawk as we prepared to leave. “I will take care of everything.”
Hawk grinned wryly. “Do you read my mind, neyho ?”
“No. But I remember the thoughts that went through my mind when I was in the stockade at Fort Apache. I remember thinking that I would do anything to get out. I see that same desperation in your eyes now. And I tell you again, do not do anything foolish.”
“I understand, neyho .”
“Good. I will send Blackie over to your place to look after your stock until you are home again.”
“Tell him to keep an eye on the wall-eyed mare. She is due to foal soon, and she usually needs help.”
Shadow nodded. “We will see you again tomorrow.”
“Can I bring you anything?” I asked.
“A change of clothing,” Hawk said, glancing at his blood-stained shirt. “And one of your apple pies.”
“You’ll have them,” I promised.
It was hard, leaving my son in jail. I knew how he must hate being locked up, how desperately he needed to see Victoria, to know for himself that she was going to be all right. I prayed that he would listen to Shadow and not do anything foolish. To try to escape would only make him look guilty.
When we got home, Shadow sent Blackie over to stay at Hawk’s place. Blackie was ecstatic at the thought of helping the mares foal, though he was less enthusiastic about staying in the house with Lydia.
Our place seemed very empty with Blackie gone, and I thought how sad it was that my children had to grow up and leave home.
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