Chapter 4
Brunnel, Thompson and Haskins approached Alkini's cabin carefully. Through the trees they saw three figures approaching. Soon it was evident that one of the three was Roark Logan's nemesis. Haskins gestured with his hand and the three men split apart. Taking their knives in their hands, each man picked a target and stealthily slipped through the woods. Brunnel placed a foot wrong and wobbled off balance. When he put his other foot down for steadiness a twig snapped underneath.
Instantly Mingo and Daniel crouched and turned to place their backs to each other. Mingo pulled Tsiya close beside him. Logan's three rushed at them through the trees. Brunnel, the closest, slashed at the Cherokee boy. Mingo blocked the blow with his gun and slashed the big German's throat with his own knife.
Daniel caught Thompson's knife hand and threw the Irishman onto his back. He kicked the downed man hard in the stomach and the attacker rolled onto his face and vomited. Haskins launched himself at Mingo's unprotected back and brought his knife down hard. Off balance, the man's knife had little force and the blade caught in the Cherokee's leather tunic. Though cut, Mingo was not stabbed. He whirled and clubbed the cowardly attacker beside the head with his gun. Haskins dropped like a stone and lay still, his head seeping blood from his lacerated scalp.
Breathing hard, the three looked at each other. Tsiya's eyes caught the spreading stain on Mingo's back. The boy cried out in alarm. Daniel quickly examined the wound and dismissed it as an inconvenience and nothing more. He pulled a handful of moss and pressed it inside Mingo's vest to stop the bleeding. Then the two men quickly tied the two live attackers with lengths of twisted vines. Brunnel they left where he lay. They continued on to Logan's cave.
After another six hours walk the three came to Logan's cave. Tsiya refused to leave the other two and Mingo frowned in annoyance. He exacted a promise from the youth that he would not stir any farther and if he and Daniel failed he was to go to Libertyville and take Alkini and her two babies to Rebecca Boone in Boonesborough. Then Mingo and Daniel left the boy with affectionate pats and soundlessly moved closer to the cave.
The two were familiar with each other's methods of fighting and comfortable together. They formed a very efficient team. This gave them a distinct advantage over Roark Logan's cobbled gang. They sat down to wait for the inexperienced men to weaken themselves. After about an hour they saw two men exit the cave with a bottle of whiskey. They each took a long swallow and separated. After a few minutes two different men appeared before the cave's entrance.
Nodding to each other, Daniel and Mingo likewise separated. Within a half hour they were both back at their lookout. The two sentries were firmly tied and gagged, sleeping the sleep of the surprised. Roark Logan's gang was now reduced by five. The odds were beginning to shift in their favor.
After two hours another two men exited the cave and went to relieve the guards. Mingo and Daniel swiftly overtook them and after a quick fight they too were bound and gagged. But the first guards would now be missed and the two friends knew that Logan would be alert to their presence. Mingo held Daniel's eyes for several seconds, then nodded and placed his hand warmly on his friend's shoulder. Daniel returned the gesture, then patted Mingo's back as the tall man left his gun in Daniel's possession and walked proudly toward the cave entrance. They were counting on Logan's hatred to cause a fatal mistake.
At the mouth of the cave Mingo called loudly. "Logan! Far away in Boonesborough I have heard your call. It is said that you wish to take my life. Come and get it, Breed."
Mingo's taunt had the effect that he wanted. Out of the cave mouth burst Roark Logan, his eyes flaming and his jaw clenched in hatred. Around him stood the remainder of his men. The five men bunched together behind their leader. Beside the cave entrance Mingo could see a rack. Instantly he understood that it had been prepared for him. Nearby in an area cleared of brush a large stake was driven into the ground. A pile of green wood was placed around the stake. Logan intended to torture him, then slowly burn him alive. Against his will Mingo swallowed as a wave of fear washed over him. He knew what a man like Logan would do to prolong the torment. Only his trust in Daniel allowed him to remain as calm as he was.
"Cherokee, I know you for the coward that you are. You flinch at the sight of blood. Tonight you will flinch. You will moan. You will scream. You will beg for my knife to end your agony. And I will laugh at you."
Mingo looked into the diabolical face and cringed as he thought of Alkini Mathews lying in his brutal arms. The thought of what she would endure if he failed, and her babies with her, stiffened his spine and he flung his own taunt at the smirking pale face.
"Only my disdain for you stayed my hand before, Roark Logan. There is no honor in taking the life of a dog. "
Mingo saw the tremor pass over the other man's face as his hand snatched his knife from his boot. Mingo's knife was instantly in his hand and he crouched to circle his enemy. The wheel of life was now in play, and the two men understood that there could be no end other than death.
As Mingo passed before the five men one reached out to grab Mingo's knife hand. Roark Logan's screech of rage split the still evening air as his knife flew true and imbedded itself in the man's throat. He was dead before he fell. Mingo spun around and slashed at the remainder of the men. They all backed away from his flashing blade. Mingo bent and withdrew Logan's knife from the twitching body. He tossed it back to his opponent who grinned and continued to circle.
The long minutes passed as each man vied for an advantage. They were well matched in height, strength and age. In pure experience Mingo had the advantage, but Roark Logan's advantage was his complete commitment to the contest. He boldly slashed and thrust toward Mingo's body, his face twisted into a sadistic grin. In his fevered brain he could see his opponent's body writhing on the rack as his sharp knife cut away the skin inch by inch.
The thought of Mingo's agony was like a fire burning in his cold heart. His eyes were so involved in watching his opponent that he failed to see the small man approach from the night's gathering darkness. Behind Mingo one of the watching men pushed out a foot to trip the circling Cherokee. Mingo stumbled and Roark Logan saw his chance. With a scream of vengeance he plunged his six-inch blade high into Mingo's left shoulder.
As he pulled the blade free to stab again Logan crouched like a rattlesnake ready to strike, seeking the killing stroke. Mingo, trying to recover from the blow and resulting pain, continued to slowly circle as all his skills at preservation came into play. Suddenly a sharp blast rent the still air and the puff of smoke from the pistol drifted past Thaddeus' white face.
True to his office, the Justice of the Peace had administered true justice at last. The small red hole in Roark Logan's chest spread into a wide, bloody circle glistening wet in the starlight. Roark looked down at his own bloody chest as his knife dropped from his limp hand. He sank to his knees as his eyes sought Thaddeus.
"I see...that you... have finally...found your voice...old man." With his last strength Roark Logan spit at his hated Cherokee enemy, then spilled over onto the ground and lay still.
The remaining three men scattered. One turned to deliver a final wound to the hated Cherokee. Daniel's rifle answered his hateful action and he fell dead at Mingo's feet, his knife still clutched in his twitching hand. Mingo swayed as a shrill yell of victory escaped his throat. His fist still held his Cherokee knife. His breath came in gasps and Daniel ran to grab his arm in support as Mingo's knees weakened.
Daniel helped him to the cave entrance and eased him inside. Tsiya cautiously approached and slipped into the cave. Thaddeus followed slowly. They all walked deeper into the protection of the cave. About fifty feet inside Daniel risked making a small fire against the wall with the wood that he stumbled into in the darkness. As the flames threw their light against the rocky walls he could see many sacks of provisions and several candles. He lit one and gave it to Tsiya to hold as he bent over to investigate Mingo's wounds.
Mingo sat silently as Daniel lifted his vest over his head. In the candlelight Daniel could see the deep wound made by Logan's long knife blade. Mingo's blood ran down his muscular back in a steady flow. The cut made by Haskins several hours ago had already closed.
"Mingo. Mingo! Can you raise your arm?"
Silently Mingo complied. No tendons or nerves seemed to be damaged. The blood flow was not pumping which indicated that no artery had been struck. Daniel released his pent breath and Tsiya glanced at him with worry. The tall pioneer smiled at the boy's look of alarm and patted his arm. Thaddeus sat slumped against the cold cave wall, his eyes turned inward as he remembered his killing shot and Roark Logan's eyes.
"Don't worry son, Mingo's come through worse. I'll have him all doctored in a jiffy. Hold the candle steady now."
Tsiya looked at Mingo's back in the candlelight. There were many scars crisscrossing his brown skin. Tsiya closed his eyes in sorrow. The scars were evidence of a vicious whipping. The knowledge caused the boy to catch his breath in pain. Mingo turned his head and spoke to the boy, his voice weak and sad.
"Tsiya, the scars are mine to bear. Do not take them upon yourself. Hear me, son. Forget that you saw them. For your sake. And for mine." Mingo's dark eyes held Tsiya's for many seconds and the youth's filled with quick tears. He nodded and dropped his eyes. He felt Mingo's warm hand on his leg in comfort. Setting the candle down on the cave floor Tsiya fled several feet to stand against the wall near the cave opening, his back to the man that he had quickly grown to love.
Daniel poured a measure of whiskey onto a clean piece of cloth. He also poured a measure into a tin cup and handed it to the silent man before him. Mingo drank the entire measure with an expression distant and troubled. Daniel cleaned the wound with the whiskey filled cloth. Mingo's muscles jumped with the sting but no sound escaped his tightly held lips. Daniel understood that the pain of the knife wound was nowhere near the inner pain that his friend was enduring.
He couldn't stop his gesture of affection and he squeezed Mingo's arm as he finished bandaging the damaged shoulder. Then he helped the wounded man stretch out on a spread blanket as the cupful of whiskey coursed through his veins and brought sleep. He covered Mingo warmly and investigated the supplies for a pot. He mixed a measure of corn meal with torn pieces of jerky and left the pot bubbling over the fire. With a shovel he quickly buried Roark Logan and his companions. Then he dismantled the rack and fire ring so that Mingo wouldn't see them upon leaving the cave in the morning.
Tsiya was sitting beside his friend when Daniel reentered the cave. The boy had his hand on Mingo's chest as though reassuring himself that the man was truly breathing. Daniel smiled at the gesture and spooned the mush onto a tin plate. The boy ate hungrily, then rolled in a blanket and lay down beside Mingo. Thaddeus had already fallen into a troubled sleep, his head resting on his crossed arms. The empty pistol lay beside his thin body. Daniel fed the fire, then took Ticklicker and sat near the cave entrance all night, his protective heart guarding his friend's fretful sleep.
The journey back to Alkini's cabin took two days. Mingo's weakened body had not recovered its full strength and the three other men walked slowly and stopped often. Though Thaddeus did not say so, the other three knew that he was not his usual vigorous self either.
On the afternoon of the second day they approached Alkini's cabin and were alarmed to see the cabin's door swinging wide. Mingo began to trot and Daniel rushed ahead of him into the open door. Mingo rushed panting through the opening before Daniel could get back onto the porch. The cabin was all in order. Alkini was not there, but there did not seem to be any sign of violence.
Allowing Mingo to rest and catch his breath, Daniel circled the cabin looking for evidence of foul play. There was none. When he returned to the porch minutes later Mingo met him and they continued on into Libertyville. With Tsiya and Thaddeus beside them they walked through the settlement gates and straight to Alkini's inn.
Opening the door, they quickly surveyed the neatly kept room. Footsteps sounded from the hallway and Alkini emerged with her duster in her hands. Tsiya rushed forward and hugged her strongly. Beside his head Alkini smiled into Mingo's strained face. Daniel pressed his friend's unwounded shoulder. Thaddeus waved weakly at Alkini, then turned to his own office. Once there the small old man spent the rest of the day pondering his own deed and the resulting emotions of sorrow and disbelief. But there was no regret in the small blue eyes. As the afternoon wore on he laid down on his bed and fell into a deep, dreamless sleep.
Daniel and Mingo sat at one of the smaller tables. Alkini released her brother and brought the two men tall mugs of cool ale. She then noticed the dark red stain that discolored Mingo's back from his shoulder to his waist. The slit made by Logan's knife blade was plainly visible. Her face paled and she suddenly sat down in a nearby chair. Both men noticed her reaction and understood.
Mingo reached for her hand and told her that Roark Logan was dead and the other members of the gang were either dead or scattered. Her long nightmare was over. Tears dripped unnoticed off her soft cheeks. Daniel excused himself and walked out the inn's door. Tsiya followed. Mingo stood and took Alkini into his arms, his good arm hugging her tightly. She sobbed for several minutes as her heart released all the strain from the years of Roark Logan. Her babies were safe. She was free to live her life as she wished.
The emotions took their toll on her body and she weakly sank into the chair. Mingo pulled his chair close beside her and put his arm around her trembling shoulders. She laid her head on his shoulder and they sat quietly together as the minutes turned into hours and the day passed into night.