Heart of a Hero (H.O.C. #3)

Chapter 14

Titus awakened from an afternoon rest with aching muscles reminding him of the past few days and a painful bump on the back of his head that bore the starkest reminder. “Lottie.” He whispered. If only he knew how to save her.

A fist pushed the barracks door open, and a man shouted: “Kirby! Report to Headquarters. Now!” And with that announcement, Titus heard the boots turn and stomp out of the room.

Titus wasted no time getting dressed. Headquarters? What could the Colonel want with him? Maybe they had information on Sergeant Harmon and Lottie. He could hope. He donned his Cavalry hat and pulled his boots on, rushing to the door while checking that all was in place. Titus raced towards Headquarters as fast as his boots could carry him. He stopped short in front of the building where he was expected. “Sergeant Kirby! I was told to report!” He saluted the Master at Arms at the front door.

“Colonel Dudley wishes to see you. I’ll announce you at once.” The man turned and walked inside, shutting the door behind him and leaving Titus to stew in his thoughts for a moment.

He thought long and hard into the night about the evening of their disappearance. Only one detail stood out in his recollection.

“Kirby? I get a funny feeling. I think something’s about to happen.”

“How can you know, Stone? I think it’s just too dark out here and that’s getting to you, especially since you haven’t been out here on the real prairie for very long. Have you any reason to be afraid?”

“I guess not. It’s an internal feeling; something I can’t shake.”

That was only moments before they were attacked. Titus’s last memory of that night was hearing Lottie and Corinne scream for help.

“Kirby, get in here.” The Colonel bellowed from behind his desk. “I think we need your help after all. We’ve had no word from Austin or Foster and, of course, Stone is still missing. I’ve managed to send word to delay the train at the Salina depot until tomorrow, but we need you to ride out immediately. We’ll have several other men to escort you. Unless we get a message from Austin today, we’re assuming they were overtaken and need our aid. I suppose I should let you in on at least part of what is happening.” The Colonel motioned for Titus to sit in a chair as he lit a cigar. “This is the only place I can enjoy one of these. The wife strongly disapproves of cigar-lighting in the home.” He chuckled, offering one to Titus as if they were of the same rank, upbringing, and race. Titus declined with a short wave of his hand. “Now, as I know it, Stone is a scout on loan from Fort Riley…”

*****

“Patrick Stone, not River Dancer? So you lied to me?” Corinne gasped in shocked disbelief.

“No ma’am. I didn’t lie to you. My native name is River Dancer.” He assured her. “I am half Neosho and half white. My father is very fair, thus the lighter hair and pale eyes.”

“Why did you…? How could you have? I want answers. How does a Cavalry Scout turn crooked and kidnap two helpless ladies? How could you?” Corinne’s tears broke every male heart in the box car.

“I will explain, if you’ll allow me?” The match had burned almost down to his finger, so he shook it out.

“You’ll only need to explain to one person, and hopefully they’ll have you swinging from a rope shortly thereafter!” David hurt incredulity spoke his heart’s true desire. “Someone will pay for the kidnapping, beating, and rape of my wife.”

Quietly, he responded to the accusations, feeling all eyes in his direction. “I did none of those things. I feel terrible about those events.”

“You LIED! You told me she was well when the truth was that she had been beaten nearly to her death and had lost my child! SHE WAS WITH CHILD!” A man’s hand, whose, he didn’t know, rested on David’s shoulder.