Chapter 2
Awakening first, Mingo carefully eased himself into a sitting position and stretched. Beside him Tempest stirred and sat. He reached down and took her hand, explaining that he would lead her into the nearby bushes to relieve herself. He showed her how the bushes made a natural screen. She stood and waited for him to leave. When she did not hear him walk away, she told him to leave her. Obviously she did not trust him. Again Mingo wondered at the kind of life that she had led before he found her. He frowned as he walked the twenty yards back to camp.
Daniel had awakened and moved the coffee pot to heat. He waited for Tempest to reappear before he went to check their lines that they had placed in the little river. Mingo fished into his pack for the corn meal to make more corn cakes. Tempest came quietly into camp, walking carefully with both hands extended before her. Mingo reached out and took her hand to help her sit safely near the rocks. He gave her a cup of sugared coffee. She sat humming and rocking as she had done the previous night. She seemed much more content this morning. In the bright light Mingo could see that her hair was an unusual light reddish brown, like the outside of a hazelnut. Her blind eyes were a bright sky blue. She was prettier than he had first thought. Again Mingo frowned as he thought of all the possibilities that would have brought her into the Salem alley. None of them were pleasant.
Daniel returned with two ten pound catfish which the men quickly cleaned and spitted. Soon the fragrance of roasting fish permeated the air. Tempest inhaled the odor deeply and smiled. The two men watching her also smiled. Daniel leaned close to his friend and expressed his ideas for dealing with their new charge.
"I think we ought to take her back into Salem to the constable. He will know if someone lost a child."
"Daniel, no one 'lost' this child. She was either abandoned or she ran away. If she was lost by someone in Salem she would not have been as filthy as she was. And she would not have been so angry, either. She would have been frightened."
Daniel looked into Mingo's dark eyes for several seconds then nodded his head in agreement. Mingo was right. This certainly looked like a case of abandonment. Probably because of her blindness. Daniel sighed.
"How old do you think she is?" Mingo whispered to Daniel as he repositioned the fish.
"From the way my own youngun's grew, I'd say between ten and twelve."
"That's the age that I surmise also. Too old to need constant care but too young to be independent. I wonder where she came from?"
"Ask her. She's blind, you know, not deaf ."
Mingo raised his eyebrows as he nodded. He left Daniel to deal with the fish and sat down beside Tempest. She turned her head to him and he saw her inhale his scent and smile in recognition. He smiled in return, a natural reaction to her expression.
She could not see his smile but she could hear it in his voice when he spoke her name. She leaned against him possessively. Daniel glanced Mingo's direction, a warning in his eyes. Mingo understood the concern and shifted slightly. He did not want her to feel rebuffed. She frowned and sat upright, turning her head away from him.
"Tempest, where are you from?"
"I don't know."
"You aren't from Salem are you?"
"Where's Salem?"
"That's the town where I found you last night."
"No."
It was evident to both the men that this child was not going to tell them anything. She did not trust them enough. Mingo nodded his head to Daniel, his eyes conveying his understanding. Daniel nodded in return.
"The fish is done. And if you two are as hungry as I am you'd better come and get some before I eat it all!" The tall man's joking manner relieved the tension that was building. Mingo rose and took a large piece of fish to Tempest. Then he sat beside Daniel and whispered his thoughts.
"I suggest that we do take her to the constable. We must protect ourselves, Daniel. A child this age, evidently abandoned, is something for the law to handle. Though I don't have much faith in the law, as you well know, it is the only solution that I can see to this problem."
Daniel nodded in agreement. It would be a different matter if they had found her beside the trail somewhere in the wilderness, but here in a town the local law could better handle the problem. And the constable in Salem was a decent man, unlike some law officers he had known in his lifetime. Tempest would be safe with him.
After they finished eating Daniel and Mingo tidied the camp and prepared their packs. They would gather the settlers and begin their journey back to Boonesborough by midmorning. Tempest would be safely in the constable's custody by then. Shouldering his pack, Mingo reached down and took Tempest's right hand in his left. He pulled her to her feet and explained that they were going back into Salem. He told her that he and Daniel were taking her to the constable, who would take care of her and find her family.
At that pronouncement Tempest screamed and pulled from Mingo's light grasp. She turned and began to run. Before she had gone twenty yards she stumbled and fell heavily against the trunk of a maple tree. Daniel was nearer to her, and bent to pick her up. She screamed again and pushed against him.
Mingo leaned over Daniel and grabbed Tempest's flailing hands. "Stop this, Tempest! Stop it right now." His voice was commanding and the girl stopped fighting Daniel. She slumped back to the ground and sat, unmoving. The two men saw the bloody bump on her forehead where she had hit the tree. Her chin was raised and her teeth clenched. They could see both hands tighten into fists.
"Don't take me back. Please! I'll do whatever you ask. Just don't take me back!"
Mingo's soft voice replied, "Why, Tempest? Why don't you want to go back to Salem? Tell us. We can't help you unless you tell us what is wrong. Understand?"
The two men waited for the child to process Mingo's words. They could see her struggle with the answer. They exchanged a worried look, and the worry turned to anger as they listened.
Her voice barely audible, Tempest told them her story. Her parents had abandoned her when they discovered that she was blind. She didn't know who they were or where they lived. She had been taken to a local poorhouse and put to work as soon as she was able. Because she could not see she was given the most repetitious and boring work. It was her little hands that scrubbed the kitchen floor and scoured the iron pots used for cooking. She was responsible for washing all the dishes used in the facility. Twice a day she washed and dried scores of dishes, hundreds of forks and spoons, a dozen cooking pots.
She worked in the laundry, washing the bedding, towels and clothing for the entire poorhouse's population. She did the finer laundry of the staff and even laundry from rich people who paid the poorhouse for the service. Finally, a couple came and took her, paying a fee to the state for her services. This man and woman treated her as a slave, underfeeding her and overworking her little body. These two people had decided to come west. They were in Salem now, waiting to go to a place called Boonesborough. She ran away when they were at a meeting. Mingo found her in the alley, and here she was.
Her recitation ended, Tempest bowed her head and waited passively for their decision. Mingo and Daniel looked at each other, angry and distressed by her story. Evidently her guardians were with the party of settlers planning to join Boonesborough's population. At the thought Daniel gritted his teeth and stood. He gestured for Mingo. His Cherokee companion spoke encouragingly to Tempest and touched her shoulder lightly. Then he turned and followed Daniel several yards from the child.
"Mingo, I hate to say this, but the law in on their side. If she's tellin' the truth, and there is no reason for her to lie now, she is legally their responsibility."
Mingo's eyebrows lowered into a frown and Daniel saw the anger building in the Cherokee's deep brown eyes. "Responsibility! I don't accept that Daniel. I can't. They haven't assumed responsibility for her up to this point. Why should they do any better now? It is not just for a child to be used in this manner. It isn't!"
"I agree. And I think that we may have some leverage because of the condition that she was in when you found her. But I want to do the talkin'. Like you pointed out yesterday, there's some would see somethin' unholy in your bein' the one to find her. And be careful how you touch her in front of the constable."
Mingo's frown deepened and he glowered at Daniel. Daniel spread his hands and quickly responded, "I didn't say I thought there was anything wrong. I know you better than that! I'm just sayin' that we need to be careful in every way, or we will lose out before we even begin. Agreed?"
Mingo nodded though his anger did not decrease. He strode to the child's side and spoke to her. His soft voice did not betray his emotion to the girl and she trustingly placed her hand in his and allowed him to pull her upright. Fortunately she could not see his flaming eyes.
"Tempest, we are going back to Salem." Before he could continue, the child leaned against him and grasped his vest in both her hands. He closed his eyes. "Listen to me. Daniel and I are going to the constable and find out what we can do to help you. Do you understand?" He leaned over and from habit looked into her eyes for confirmation. Realizing the futility of the gesture, he asked her again. "Tempest, do you understand what I said?"
The girl nodded her head but continued to hold onto his vest. He reached and took her hand in his, turned and began to walk. She had no choice but to move with him. Carefully Mingo walked beside Daniel, keeping Tempest's hand held tightly in his own. His lips were compressed tightly, and every line of his tall body expressed his anger. Beside him Daniel's eyes sparkled with his own anger as he tried to think of the most persuasive argument to lay before the constable.
Later, inside the constable's comfortable office, Tempest sat on the edge of a chair. Mingo stood behind her, not touching her but knowing she was comforted by his scent. Daniel had explained everything that they knew about the child sitting on the chair, from the moment that Mingo and he found her in the alley until the present. The constable then questioned Tempest. From her he got the name of her guardians, Mr. and Mrs. Devaney. Daniel recognized the name and nodded at Mingo.
"Those two are on my list for comin' over the trail with me to Boonesborough. I'll go and get 'em. Be right back." Daniel strode through the office door, leaving Mingo with Tempest in the constable's office. The constable knew Mingo slightly but was not familiar enough to strike up a casual conversation. He excused himself and left the office. Tempest sat quietly, secure in Mingo's presence.
Careful not to touch her, Mingo bent down and asked if she wanted a drink. The girl nodded her assent and Mingo brought the dipper of water to her where she sat. When she handed the dipper back, she touched his hand. He in turn patted her shoulder, returned the dipper to the bucket and stood behind her chair just as the constable came back into the room. An untidy man and his frazzled wife entered through the door with Daniel behind them. Pointing at Tempest, the paunchy man spoke loudly.
"Where'd you find the youngun', constable? We been lookin' all over for her. Feverish with worry, we was. Tempest, we thought you was lost!" The sweating man touched the child's face and she drew back instantly. She sprang out of the chair and hid behind Mingo, grasping his vest tightly in both hands. He could feel her burrowing her head against the small of his back. Her response was not lost on the other three men in the room. Mingo faced the shouting man, his eyes snapping fire. He opened his mouth to reply but caught Daniel's warning look and closed his mouth, his lips pressed into a thin line of fury.
The constable stood behind his desk. He glanced at the frowsy woman and the disheveled man, then at all that was visible of the child, her hands that were clutching Mingo's vest. He addressed himself to Daniel Boone.
"You say that these two are coming with you to Boonesborough?"
"I said that they were on my list, constable. Whether they come with me or not depends on what we decide here, now."
The man and woman glared at Daniel, then forced their faces into an expression resembling loving concern. No one in the room was fooled. The woman leaned toward Tempest, her whiny voice irritating Mingo nearly to the end of his patience.
"Now, sweetie, you know the mister 'n me want you to come home with us. Didn't we give you the best that we had? Huh, sweetie? You know we love you like our own..."
Mingo could stand no more. He rudely interrupted the whining woman as he turned to face her. Tempest turned with him, again putting his body between herself and her legal guardians. Daniel shook his head but Mingo paid no attention, his voice strong with emotion.
"There is absolutely no evidence that you care for this child in any way. She was filthy, her hair matted and lice infested, her clothing torn and smeared with animal dung. If you kept an animal in such a condition authorities would intervene. I will buy her contract from you, " here Mingo pulled several coins from his belt and held them out disdainfully, "at more than a fair price. And I won't press charges against you for criminal neglect of a child. Take the money now or I will withdraw my offer."
The stocky man sneered. "You cain't do that. We ain't done nothin' agin the law that you could prove anyways. But we'll sell you her contract. Never was much help. Lazy little wench!" He snatched the money from Mingo's hand before he could replace the coins in his belt. His wife complained about losing her "help" but he grabbed her arm and pulled her from the constable's office. As he turned, he flung venomous words at the tall Cherokee.
"Think you got yourself a deal, Injun? I know about Injuns; goin' to use her yourself now, huh? And you other two, you goin' to let that happen? Call yourselves white men..." He spat onto the constable's floor, turned and fled.
The constable turned to Mingo, pushing his hand into the Cherokee's chest to prevent him from following the foul minded man. "I'll go with him and get the contract. We'll tear it up here. I'll be your witness, gladly." The constable left the room and ran to catch up to the retreating couple.
Daniel let out a deep sigh. Mingo pulled Tempest's hands from his vest and sat her back in the chair. The two men exchanged a look of satisfaction before the constable entered his office with the contract. His face wearing a pleased expression, he ripped the paper into thin strips, then lay them in his fireplace to use as tinder in the first fire of fall.
"Well, gentlemen, now what are you going to do with this waif?" The two Kentuckians looked at each other with uncertainty. "May I make a suggestion? Leave her here with me. I will see to it that she is not treated poorly. My wife and I will take her."
"And how will you raise her, constable? As a servant?" Mingo's voice was quiet but there was an undercurrent of an emotion the constable couldn't place. He frowned at the Cherokee as Daniel spoke to the constable.
"You'd take care of her? Teach her to keep clean, give her some learnin'?" Daniel saw a way to help everyone in the constable's offer. Mingo wouldn't feel responsible for the girl anymore, and Daniel and the settlers could start over the trail early tomorrow morning. Tempest would have a good home and grow up to make a fine wife for someone.
His reddish brown eyebrows questioned his friend's attitude. Mingo saw the raised eyebrows and understood Daniel's position. But he was not convinced himself.
Tempest sat in the chair listening to the three men decide her fate. The only happiness in her entire life had come in the past two days. The man called Mingo had brought it with him. Now she understood that she was about to lose it. Tears welled in her sightless eyes. She reached her hands behind her head to touch the tall man behind her. All three men watched the girl as she grasped the Cherokee's vest and held tightly. Not one failed to understand the mute message. Their eyes met above the child's head. Daniel shook his head warningly. Mingo's face relaxed into a slight smile as he took the child's hands in his.
"Constable, thank you. I know that you mean the best for the child. I will give you my answer tomorrow. Tempest and I will discuss your offer tonight." Leaning over the chair, Mingo spoke to the child. "Get up, Tempest. You and I are going back to camp." He turned to Daniel. "Will you be coming back tonight?" His eyes held a plea that Daniel understood. He nodded and Mingo raised Tempest and pulled her toward the door. He turned in the doorway. "And Constable, I would appreciate it very much if you would write out a statement reprising exactly what occurred in your office this morning. I will sign it tomorrow when I give you my answer. Thank you again."
Mingo took Tempest's hand and walked through the door. Daniel and the constable exchanged a cautious look. Both men knew how vulnerable Mingo was, especially since the Devaneys would undoubtedly tell the story to their advantage, painting Mingo as some sort of wicked heathen enslaving a white girl for his pleasure. Daniel knew that if he acted quickly he may be able to defuse the situation, stopping the rumors among the settlers before they started. The constable determined to do the same among the townspeople. They stepped together over the threshold to begin their protection of Mingo before his own protective action could destroy him.