Part 23 (1/2)
We went on about our lives, both of us mighty pleased and content. The next couple of weeks were smas.h.i.+ng. We bathed in the mornings, and danced in the evenings. Between all that, we ate our meals and cleaned the house, worked on the grounds, took horseback rides, had picnics here and there, went into town for supplies, and generally had a fine time at whatever we were up to. It was wonderful even when we only just talked. Sometimes, we did nothing except sit about and read. Taken all around, we couldn't have been much happier.
But then came the day we returned from town and I settled down for a look at the newspaper while Sarah sat nearby with a book of poems by Elizabeth Barrett Browning.
The story I ran across went like this: TOMBSTONE ROCKED BY SAVAGE MURDERs...o...b..tone, Arizona Territory, infamous for its history of gunslinging desperados and marauding Apaches, was stunned on 22 April by the early morning discovery of Alice Clemons (42) and her two daughters, Emma (16) and Willa (18), brutally slain in their room at Mrs. Adamson's Boarding House on Toughnut Street.According to the Tombstone Epitaph Tombstone Epitaph, the three women met their fate at the hands of person or persons unknown sometime during the previous night. They were found by the maid at 9:00 the following morning, whereupon the unfortunate woman swooned at the grisly sight.All who viewed the scene were shocked beyond measure. ”The room looked like a slaughterhouse,” averred Dr. Samuel Wicker, who went on to say that all three women had been most horribly butchered and dismembered. Said Deputy Marshal Frank Dunbar, ”I've seen a few white men who got themselves carved up near as bad by the Apache, but these were ladies. Whoever done this is a monster, pure and simple.”In addition to numerous unspeakable mutilations committed upon Mrs. Clemons and her daughters, it has been reported that all three were scalped. This has led some to suspect that they did, indeed, fall victim to one or more renegade savages. Since the surrender of Geronimo to General Miles nearly three years ago, the citizens of Tombstone had experienced little or no difficulty with the redman. They had considered such troubles to have come to an end, and many are filled with dismay at the possibility that murderous Indians may be lurking in the area.Not so Deputy Dunbar. ”A white man did this,” Dunbar avowed. ”He left bootprints in the blood. You don't catch many redskins shod in boots. He had a long stride, too, that puts him around six feet tall. If you don't count the likes of Mangus Colorado, your basic Indian's usually a short fellow.”Be he redman or white, the vicious a.s.sailant remains at large and no witnesses have come forward with information about his ident.i.ty. The people of Tombstone, so accustomed to acts of b.l.o.o.d.y violence, remain shaken by the unthinkable nature of this outrage perpetrated in their midst.
When I read that story, I felt like the world had caved in on me. I sat there stunned, my breath knocked out.
”What is it?” Sarah asked, looking at me.
”Whittle.”
She shut her book and leaned forward. ”What? They've caught him?”
I could only shake my head.
She set her book aside, came over to me, and took the newspaper from my shaky hands. ”Which piece...?”
”Tombstone.”
She stood there, reading. Then she knelt in front of me, put the paper on the floor, and rested her hands on my legs. ”It might have been anyone,” she said.
”No. It was Whittle. I know know it.” it.”
”You can't know for certain.”
”He's doing precisely what he planned to do-go out west and cut up women. He even considered that his butcheries might be mistaken for the work of Indians. He hoped he might join up with a band of hostiles. And show them a few of his tricks.”
Sarah rubbed my legs gently while she gazed at me. ”You're not responsible for him. None of this is your fault.”
”I should've gone after him.”
”You did what you could, darling. You came here here to save us from him. It would've been foolhardy for you to venture out again that night in the snow, and it was too late to chase after him by the time we found that he'd stolen Saber.” to save us from him. It would've been foolhardy for you to venture out again that night in the snow, and it was too late to chase after him by the time we found that he'd stolen Saber.”
”That's when I should've left.”
”No.”
”If I'd borrowed a horse and pursued him...”
”He was hours away by then. It would've been hopeless.”
”Hardly hopeless,” I told her, feeling just miserable. ”The man's got no nose. I could've asked about, tracked him down. I could've got got him. But I didn't even have a go at it. I didn't want to have a go at it. I was safe and comfortable here.” him. But I didn't even have a go at it. I didn't want to have a go at it. I was safe and comfortable here.”
”Here is where you belonged, Trevor. I know how you feel, but it's never been your duty to stop him.”
”I don't know about duty,” I told her. ”But I had opportunities to kill him and failed. It's my fault he boarded the True D. Light. True D. Light. It's my fault he murdered the folks aboard her. It's my fault he ever came to America at all. Trudy and her family, and those Clemons women in Tombstone, they'd be alive today if it weren't for me. I've no doubt Whittle has killed others, too. Many others. Probably a whole string of gals between here and the Arizona Territory. They likely just didn't make the It's my fault he murdered the folks aboard her. It's my fault he ever came to America at all. Trudy and her family, and those Clemons women in Tombstone, they'd be alive today if it weren't for me. I've no doubt Whittle has killed others, too. Many others. Probably a whole string of gals between here and the Arizona Territory. They likely just didn't make the World, World, or I missed the issues that told of them. Maybe I did read about some of them, but talked myself into thinking it hadn't been Whittle's work. But this time, I can't deceive myself. n.o.body but Whittle could've done this business in Tombstone. I'm afraid I must go after him.” or I missed the issues that told of them. Maybe I did read about some of them, but talked myself into thinking it hadn't been Whittle's work. But this time, I can't deceive myself. n.o.body but Whittle could've done this business in Tombstone. I'm afraid I must go after him.”
Sarah didn't say a thing for quite a spell. She only just held my legs and gazed at me real solemn. Finally, she said, ”It's no wonder that Grandpa took to you. You're so very much like him. Duty. Honor. Set the wrongs of the world aright, or die in the attempt.”
”I'm not the one who'll do the dying. That'll be Whittle's job.”
”Your mind is set, then.”
”I don't want to leave you, Sarah.”
”You won't won't leave me. Do you truly think I would let you go journeying off on such a campaign without me?” leave me. Do you truly think I would let you go journeying off on such a campaign without me?”
That was the second time in a couple of weeks she'd thrown astonishment into me.
”You're joking,” I said. I knew she'd meant it, though.
She gave my legs a hard squeeze. Her eyes were afire with excitement. ”We'll go together. It may take a few days to make preparations. We'll need to close the house...hire a caretaker...set our finances in order...”
”But you're a woman,” I pointed out.
”I am indeed. I am also a Forrest, from a long line of soldiers and adventurers.”
”It's likely to be quite dangerous.”
”Whatever the dangers, we'll face them together.”
”I should do this alone.”
”Indeed?” She hoisted her eyebrows. ”You wouldn't return to England without me. Now you're suddenly eager to journey west alone? Why, the only difference is the direction of travel.”
”Going to England would not have put you in harm's way.”
”You would rather leave me here to fend for myself?” she asked.
”I'm afraid so. Yes. You'd be safe here.”
”I'd be lonely,” she said. ”I'd be destroyed. There would be nothing here for me except an empty, forlorn house. You are are my life, Trevor. So what if we travel into danger? Better to face any peril, and perish if it should come to that, than to stay here without you.” my life, Trevor. So what if we travel into danger? Better to face any peril, and perish if it should come to that, than to stay here without you.”
”It isn't that I want want to leave you behind.” to leave you behind.”
”I know, darling. I know.”
Reaching out, I stroked her hair. ”I've seen what Whittle does to women. If he should lay his hands on you...”
”We won't allow that to happen.”
PART THREE.
Bound for Tombstone