Man of Justice
I do not own The Big Valley or any of the original Barkleys.
Chapter Fourteen
Jarrod opened his eyes as the sun hit his face. It took a moment to remember where he was and why. He quickly shut his eyes, as if it would help the reality of his situation go away. Unfortunely, he didn't get to lie and pretend everything would be all right once he opened his eyes for good. Before he knew it one of the Modoc men was grabbing his shoulder, shaking it and talking rather rough. Since the brave spoke in the tongue of the Modoc people, Jarrod could only assume the man wanted him to wake up and get up. Reluctantly, he did just that.
The man who had awakened him pointed to the blanket, said something and then pointed to the horse. Jarrod could only guess the man talking expected him to pick up the blanket and get on the horse. Once again, he found himself on the same horse as he'd ridden the day before. When one of the other men handed him a piece of dry meat, Jarrod wanted to throw him back at him. He didn't though. How could he? His stomach was growling as it was. He figured it was all he'd be given until they stopped again and he needed to keep his strength up.
As the scenery changed from flat land, to hills then to mountains, Jarrod again thought on Nick begging for someone to believe that his dreams meant something. He felt horrible for not listening, but told himself over and over to stop thinking about it. There was nothing he could do about his situation at the time. Though, he held onto the hope that someone, if not his father, was tracking the men who had taken him away from the wagon train.
When the men he was with stopped, but remained seated in their saddles, Jarrod looked around. It took him a moment, but he soon saw why the men had stopped. Not four hundred yards off to their left sat two more Indians. However, while the Modoc men were dressed from head to foot in buckskin, the two Indians Jarrod saw were in a *loin cloth around their waist, one that was secured in place by a belt; they also wore moccasins. He wondered what was going on.
Jarrod didn't have to wonder long. Before he knew it, Jarrod found Horse Breaker leading him towards the two waiting Indians while the other Modoc men hung back. Jarrod's heart began to race as, the closer they got to the other Indians. What was going to happen?
Once Horse Breaker, who was leading him stopped in front of the two waiting Indians, the three men started talking. Had Jarrod known the words being spoken, he would have found out that the Modoc owed the Indian closest to Jarrod a great personal debt. The man's late son had given his life to save him. Now, Horse Breaker handed the reins to Jarrod's horse over to the Shoshone man in front of him.
Jarrod watched as Horse Breaker and his men left, helpless to do anything. The Modoc had actually secured his hands behind his back before starting on their journey that morning. His attention then went to the Shoshones in front of him. The one holding the reins to his horse was looking him over. He shocked Jarrod when a sad look came into his eyes and he made his way to Jarrod's side.
Jarrod felt the ropes on his wrist being loosened and removed. The moment they were free, Jarrod started rubbing his wrists. Though the man shocked him when he handed him the reins and said, *** "Kim." Kim? Jarrod was puzzled until the man started to leave, turned and waved at him and sad 'Kim' again.
"He wants me to follow him," Jarrod spoke low as he sighed, "What choice do I have? It's not like I know the way home." Only when he did as he was directed did the two Indians start their own horses up the path they were on.
0000
Tom knelt on the ground looking at the hoof prints that had been left behind the raiding Modoc. Jim sat on his horse saying nothing. The two men had been tracking the Modoc who attacked the train for days now, eating jerky and a few rabbits they'd been able to kill. They'd found the Indians camp and now had come to the spot where the there were signs that the group had split up, only to have signs show up that said they were together again. He assumed they had simply been looking for food.
`When he saw a white man riding their way, Tom stood up and waited for him to approach; Jim too continued to sit on his horse and say nothing. They hoped, maybe, the stranger would have some piece of helpful information. After all, he was coming from the direction the tracks that Tom and Jim had been following. Maybe, he had seen Jarrod.
"Hello, friend," Jonathon Pierce, a local trapper and hunter, stopped his horse in front of Tom and Jim, "how are you this fine morning?" The man was all smiles and full of life. Tom wished he could feel the same way.
"I'd be better if I could find my son. I don't supposed you've see a white boy, almost fourteen, traveling with some Modoc have you?" He kept his eyes on the man's face. He wasn't surprised when the man stiffened and the smiles left his mouth and eyes. It was a reaction he himself might have had had he been asked the same question.
"I passed some Modoc last night, but they had no boy with them; Modoc or white." Mr. Pierce paused and then asked, "How long have you been looking for your boy?"
Tom held onto the horn of his saddle as he felt his stomach churn. "Two weeks, the Modoc took him after attacking the wagon train he was on. We've," Tom nodded towards Jim and added, "been tracking them ever since."
Jonathon didn't like it. He'd been in Modoc country for a month now and he hadn't seen any white boy with them. "Well, keep in the direction you're going and you'll wind up in the Mt. Shasta area. There are Modoc in that area; you might find your son there."
"Thanks." Tom remounted his horse following Jim, who was again headed in the direction they'd been going before they'd stopped to look at the tracks. Unfortunely, because they did this, they missed Jarrod's wallet, the one Tom had given him for Christmas. It lay not ten feet down the path where the other set of tracks lay.
0000
Nick was sitting on the top of the corral fence when McCall walked up. He didn't have to look to know his friend was not happy with him. "Mother must have talked to him." Nick thought as he waited for McCall to speak. However, he was surprised when the man jumped the fence instead, walked over to the other side and picked up some small, thin boards and began hitting them against the fence, breaking them in the process; the man was also letting out a string of cuss words and turning the sky blue. Only when he was through did McCall turn and look at Nick, who had crossed the corral and sat on the other side waiting for the temper tantrum to cease.
McCall, his breathing a bit heavy but getting back to normal, held out a board to Nick and shocked him. "You're turn."
"What?" Nick was confused. "You WANT me to act like that?"
McCall gave him a serious look, one that got Nick's attention and held it. "I don't want either one of us to act like that, but if it's a choice between that and what yer doing; raising your voice to your mother…" he paused as he thought on the day Tom came back, "Or your father, then yes. Punch, hit and break anything, say anything, but don't ever raise your voice to either one of your parents ever again. Don't you think they're hurtin' over this? Haven't you taken time to listen, I mean, really look at your mother and listen? That mother of yours is a real lady, a duchess if you wish; she doesn't need to be worryin' 'bout Jarrod and tryin' to handle your outbursts at the same time." He stopped to take a breath and to give Nick time to think. "Don't you think your parents ain't already blamin' themselves and shedding tears? Now here!" He handed Nick the thin board in his hands.
Nick looked at the board then at McCall and over to the house. He remembered the look on his mother's face, how it changed from a serious look to one that was filled with heartache and then how he'd simply jumped up and had his fit. Within seconds, he was breaking the board and doing just as McCall had shown him.
TBC
Author notes:
*1. Shoshone clothing changed with the seasons, ranging from a simple a Breechcloth held on by a belt fastened around the waist for the men and aprons for the women to rabbit fur pants and jackets, and larger animal hides used as capes and coverings.
The Western Shoshone tribes lived in Oregon and western Idaho, and ranged from central Idaho, northwestern Utah, central Nevada. Some were also located in California.
*"From early accounts it is clear that the only constant allies of the Snakes were the Datci'ba, a subdivision of the Flathead, who joined their fishing-parties and accompanied them on their hunting excursions into the Plains. The Bannock, though never hostile, do not seem to have afforded their contenders any protection against their eastern foes in the early days.
From my research on the internet (see above note), I will assume that relationship between the Modoc and the Shoshone was an off and off again relationship, I have them being peaceful enough with each other at this time.
*** VOCABULARY of THE SHOSHONE LANGUAGE/George W. Hill/ Printed at the Desert News Steam Printing Establishment 1877. Reprinted in 1986 with a cover By Little Red Hen Inc./Pocatello, Idaho. I will be using this book, one I checked out from the college library, to get any Shoshone words I use in the story.
Kim= COME in English.