Chronicles Of The Maca Collection

Chapter 21

Captain Lewis was trying to interrogate the women found in the Comanche camp. It was late morning, and most of his men were preparing for their ride back to the fort. The younger woman (he assumed she must be younger as her hair was not white or grey streaked) sat cross-legged on the ground, holding her youngest of three children, rocking back and forth, and refusing to look at him. Her lips were compressed and almost white. The white-haired woman was looking at him with a strange glowing light in her grey eyes. The younger woman"s buckskin dress was clean and intact. The older woman"s was dirty, a bit ragged, and too short.

“We can return you to your family if you will tell us your name and when and where you were captured.”

Anna was standing and she looked first at the other woman and then at him when finally the English words came back. “I am Mrs. Anna Lawrence. She has so primitive become she vill not tell anyvon her real name. The babies have savage names.” Anna continued, slipping back into German.

“I was taken in August of 1854 from a small farm in central Texas. We were about five miles out of Wooden.” She saw the puzzled look on his face and bit her tongue. English, she thought, speak English like Kasper. She repeated her words ending with, “Ve vere about five miles out of Vooden. I had four children then. My daughter has red hair. Has the army found a girl named Margareatha Lawrence and a dark-haired boy named Lorenz?” Her grey eyes were intent on his face.

“No, I"m sorry to say we have not found any children like that, but thank you, Mrs. Lawrence. Would you be able to get her to speak?”

Anna"s face stiffened to hide the bitter disappointment. She then turned to the woman and in halting, garbled Comanche words tried to ask the same questions. The woman looked first at Anna and then at the Captain before turning to Anna and spewing out a string of hate-filled words.

“She says du her home have destroyed.” Anna did not add the part about the woman wishing all of them emasculated, dead, and rotting.

Captain Lewis turned to Anna. “Do you know her name or where she is from?”

“Nein, no, she vas going to von of the forts up north. Her father vas a trader. She said her Comanche (Comanche came out like a dirty word) name is her name.”

He leaned back in his chair. “I"ll be sending you both to Fort Davis under escort. From there you will be transferred to Fort Lawrence. You will be able to contact your relatives and return home. Be ready to leave in the morning.” He stood.

“Has MacDonald returned from his scouting?” he asked one of his Sergeants.

“Yes, sir, he said he would like a word with you concerning one of the captive women. It seems her brother is in Texas and has been looking for her.”

Captain Lewis almost heaved a sigh of relief and caught himself. “Good, I was planning on him guiding the rescued women to Fort Davis while we finish here. He can return her to her family from there and it won"t cost the command anything.

“Return these captives to the cooking wagon and post a guard for them.” He waved a hand toward the women and children. I don"t want them running off when the men are in such high spirits. Then, have MacDonald report to me.”

The Sergeant motioned the corporal and private closer. “Nobody comes near them. Understand?”

The two men hid smirks and answered, “Yes, sir.” They both looked at the women like they were somewhere between dirt and maybe a good roll. White women who lived with Indians weren"t no better than Indians in their minds. Their families weren"t likely to want them back and if they did, they"d probably lock them away.

“Anyone that so much as disturbs them is court-martialed. Tell MacDonald that Captain Lewis wants to see him.”