Part 12
A shadow was creeping along the outside alley of the jailhouse shortly after the sun had set listening quietly to the conversation that the lawmen were having inside. A sneer appeared in the quiet gloom as the man outside heard the doubts the lawmen had. O’Leary thought he had them fooled. ‘Damn’ he thought. ‘I’m going to have to find and take care of those two before the law does.’
Hearing the door open he quickly stepped further into the shadows and watched as Deputy Cord walked over to the hotel. Knowing he didn’t have much time to lose he headed back to the camp for supplies before he headed to the livery to bridled one of the eight horses from the wagon train. He would have to ride bare back since there was no time to fit a saddle to the horse.
As he led the horse to the edge of town a smile slithered across his face. Tomorrow they would most likely head north following the false trail he had set after the boys ran off. Only he knew that they were headed southwest. He would cover his own tracks and pick up on the trail of those two little maggots and find them.
Little did Mr. O’Leary know but he too picked up a shadow. Joseph had been unable to sleep, he kept thinking about the boys he had met earlier and found himself wondering how they were. As he came out of the back of the hotel and down the alley beside it, he noticed a figure moving away from the camp. Not being able to tell who it was in the gloom of the night, he followed, fearful that it was one of the boys from the orphan train attempting to sneak off to find his young friends. When the figure went around to the back of the barn, Joseph quickly snuck into the front and scurried up to the hayloft to hide. When the back door opened he carefully peeked over the edge of the loft and peered into the dim light to see who was there.
He was shocked and confused to see it was one of the men that were hired to drive the wagons. ‘Why is he leaving now? Everyone else is setting out at sunrise.’ He continued to observe the man and watched as he placed a bridle on one of the horses that pulled the wagons. The man silently walked the horse outside. Joseph followed a few seconds later and from the doorway he could see the man walk the horse several feet from the town before scrambling up onto it’s back and heading out of town to the northeast. He was just about to exit when he heard noises coming from the front of the livery. It was too late to hide and in the short time it took him to turn around at the sound of the door opening he was spotted. For an instant he just stood there, wide eyed and breathing fast at being caught until he noticed the same expression on the face he stared at across the way.
“Come on Josiah, move it before we are seen out here.” A harsh whisper came from behind the tall boy frozen in the other doorway. He was pushed from behind and stumbled fully into the livery.
“Buck…” Josiah tried to warn the boy behind him but the hissed words were lost in the sound of shuffling feet.
“Were gonna get caught if your just goin’ to stand there all….oh.” Bucks whispered rant slowed to a halt when he saw that they were not the only ones in the stables.
Soon three other bodies came in behind the other two and the one boy and the other five could only stare at each other, no one dared to move. Chris was the first to be broken from the spell and he moved past his friends and headed towards Joseph.
“What are you doing here?” He asked in surprise and suspicion.
Joseph was momentarily stunned but his mind quickly wrapped around the question and moved forward to meet the other boy in the middle. “I saw someone from your camp come in here and … I thought maybe one of you were trying to leave so I followed them in here.” He mumbled out. He was a bit intimidated by this other boy.
The quiet murmurs of the others stopped when they heard Chris’ voice rise slightly in volume and menace. “Someone from camp? Who? Who did you see?” He stood as tall as he could to try to intimidate Joseph more.
Joseph became angry at the tone and harsh questioning of this boy who was his age. He didn’t care that he was out numbered, straightening his shoulders and standing up tall he put enough challenge in his voice to let Chris know he was not going to push him around.
“It wasn’t one of the kids from camp. It was one of the drivers.”
“Which one?” The urgency in Chris’ voice and the disappearance of his rigid body posture convinced Joseph that he wasn’t seen as the enemy. Whatever was going on he was going to help them anyway he could.
“I don’t know his name but I know that my Uncle Ethan talked to him a bit longer than he did the others at the camp.”
“Damn!” Chris muttered under his breath as he turned around to look at his friends behind him. “Mr. O’Leary, that bastard has gone after them and I doubt it was to bring them back.”
“What do you want to do?” Josiah asked, worry clearly evident in his tone.
“We stick to the original plan. Buck you stay here with JD and Nathan. Josiah, you and me are going to see if we can follow and find them before he can.” Buck was about to protest but Chris gave him a look that said no arguments. He turned back around to head towards the orphan train horses and bumped right into Joseph. Every time he tried to step around him Joseph would make the same move.
“Joseph. Thank you for the information but we have to get going.”
“No.”
“No? What do you…”
“ I am not letting you go out there. You’ll get lost!”
“Listen, Joseph, I appreciate your concern but you don’t understand.”
“Then explain it to me.” He pleaded.
“We don’t have time for this!” Chris was beginning to lose his temper.
“Make the time.” Joseph calmly demanded as he crossed his arms over his chest and continued to block Chris’ way.
Chris made the effort to rein in his temper. Running a hand over his face and pulling his features down with the motion, he blew his breath harshly out through his nose while his eyes slowly opened to stare at Joseph.
“You don’t understand. I can’t explain it other than to say that the man that left here tonight is most likely the same man we think to be responsible for Ezra and Vin disappearing from camp in the first place.”
“You really think this man is the reason they left and that they didn’t just get up and leave or go off with someone?”
“There was no one else out there for them to go with, nor a way for anyone to know they were making their way west. They wouldn’t have gone off on their own unless something forced them away. We are the only family they have.” Chris’ anger deflated as his sorrow came to the front. His head seemed to bow with the weight of his worry for his friends.
Joseph considered Chris’s words. Though he didn’t know exactly what was going on he could clearly see that these boys unmistakably thought that the man that left was not only responsible for the disappearance of their friends but would also hurt them if he found them.
“Ok.”
“What?” Chris wasn’t sure what he meant by ok.
“Ok, I believe you. I will let you go without a word but I am coming with you.”
“Now wait a minute!” Chris was about to protest.
“No, listen. I know the area and I know which way that man went. I can help and if you want to find your friends before him then you need all the help you can get.” Seeing that Chris was still hesitant Joseph all but pleaded. “Please, let me help you.”
Chris looked over his shoulder at Josiah. “What do you think?”
“Like he said we need all the help we can get and he would know the area better than we would. It couldn’t hurt.” Chris looked back at Joseph and assessed the other boy. Coming to a decision that Joseph seemed sincere he shared his agreement.
“Alright. You can come along.” Joseph smiled and Chris and Josiah quickly returned it. Chris turned and the natural leader in him came through as he started to give orders.
“Buck, take Nathan and JD back to camp and try to cover for us. Josiah, start saddling some of the horses. We better take three.”
“Do you have some canteens and blankets or bedrolls?” Joseph asked.
“We have a couple of canteens and our bedrolls.” Josiah clarified as he held up said items.
“We better find a few more canteens and a few more bedrolls. Ideally we should have two canteens a piece for us and to share with the horses. The bedrolls will be good if we are out over night. It gets very cold out in the open at nighttime. We best find some jerky or hard tack, biscuits or other nonperishable foods to take with us. Unless they headed in a direction to the north it will be few and far between areas of water or to find food out there.” Joseph easily showed his knowledge of the area and a little of what they can expect.
Chris turned to ask Buck to find the items but Buck beat him to it.
“Me and the boys will go and see what we can find back at camp. We’ll meet you behind the livery here in about fifteen minutes.”
“Thanks Buck.”
After about twenty minutes six boys and three horses made their way as quietly as possible to the end of town.
“Be careful out there.” Buck offered his hand to Chris, Josiah and then Joseph. “I don’t want anyone else getting lost.”
“We will Buck. Take care of each other.” Josiah put them each in a bear hug before climbing up onto the back of one of the horses.
“Don’t worry we will be here when you get back. We’ll watch each other, just bring those two yougin’s back with ya.” Nathan encouraged as he wrapped an arm around JD.
“Thank you for helping us Joseph!” JD offered as the three boys now on horse back began to head off in the direction that Mr. O’Leary had traveled in.
The three boys gave one final look back at the friends they were leaving behind before disappearing into the black of the night.
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Part 13
Joseph once again mounted his horse after checking to see that they were indeed on the same path that Mr. O’Leary was taking. They were all tired and weary but their journey was half way over. In two hours the sun would rise and then they would have another five hours of traveling by day light before reaching the orphan’s campsite of a day and a half ago. Chris had once mentioned that they lost the boys at Stinking Springs and the trail that O’Leary was taking led right to that local. He sat upon his horse a bit longer and scanned what he could see of the area. Chris and Josiah who had already started forward stopped and looked back towards their “guide.”
“What’s wrong?” Chris asked as he watched Joseph look around.
“You said that Stinking Springs is where they disappeared?” He wanted to be sure before he made his decision.
Josiah was nodding his head in the affirmative even though Joseph would have been hard pressed to see it at this distance. “We camped there the other night and that was where they up and vanished from.”
“Well that is the direction he is headed in.” Joseph was more thinking out loud now than he was communicating with the other boys. “I can’t see where he would head any other way. He must need to head back there to track the boys and he has at least a half hour start on us…” His rambling quieted as he once again looked around the area. Chris, not known for his extreme patience was dealing quite well with the delay in their travel. He turned to Josiah and gave a small shrug of his shoulders as he noticed the same questioning look on his face.
“If we turn here and take the creek bed we will save at least three hours on our journey. The road is of a less rocky terrain that takes you north a bit before heading east to the springs. This way is a little rougher but as I said it will cut down our travel time greatly.” He looked to the other two boys who had come closer as he explained his thoughts. “But it’s up to you two. Do you want to take the risk of not following him and getting to Stinking Springs earlier or do you want to continue to follow his trail and still be behind by at least a half hour?”
Chris and Josiah once again looked at each other. What should they do? Do they take the chance of getting to the springs not only before Mr. O’Leary but early enough to set out after the boys and reach them ahead of him. What if he knew where the boys were and didn’t go to the springs? How would they ever find Vin and Ezra and get to them on time? They would have to backtrack at least a half days ride to get back to this point. Was it worth the risk?
Chris could clearly see the trouble Josiah was having trying to weigh the options. Knowing that this was taking valuable time from them he turned and addressed Joseph. “We’ll take the shortcut.”
Seeing Josiah about to argue the point he continued with his reasoning. “I know it’s a risk but sitting here arguing about it is just giving him more time to pull away from us. He is one man, which gives him the advantage of traveling faster. He doesn’t know this part of the country any better than we do and none of the horses seemed used that night before we broke camp and headed to Paradise. If he did do something with the boys it would have to have been within walking distance of the springs. If we follow Joseph through the creek bed we can get there before him and look around for any sign of where they are.” Seeing all argument gone from Josiah he turned to Joseph again.
“Take us through the creek bed.” Joseph studied Chris for but a moment and then he turned his horse towards the sound of trickling water and led the boys on a path few have taken.
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Part 14
Pre-dawn found Sheriff Travis and Deputy Cord tying down their supplies and saddle bags in preparation to go in search of the missing boys from the orphan train. Neither man talked as they went through the motions by rote. The other men from the town that were going with them to help in the search were all quietly talking, speculating about where the boys could be or what had happened to them; their voice just mere murmurs.. The near silence was broken with the loud sound of the livery barns doors flying open and a petite Miss Wells storming into the confines of the dusky space. She hurried along to the back of the barn where the horses that dutifully pulled the wagons of the orphan train were stabled and gave out a small whimper at what she saw. Orrin and Ethan looked at one another before taking a couple of lanterns and making their way to her.
“Miss Well is something wrong?” Orrin tenderly asked the obviously distressed woman.
“We have a bit of a problem I fear.” An unease and tremor of fear evident in her voice. “I awoke to check on the boys before I began breakfast and noticed that two of them are missing. They were part of a small group that had seemed to bond to each other. I woke up the remaining boys and asked them where their friends were but they would answer none of my questions so acting on a suspicion I came out here only to find….” She could not continue as a sob escaped and she once again looked to the stalls of the orphan train horses.
“These boys you are talking about, who are they and why would they have left?” Orrin asked as his gaze fell on the four empty stalls of the eight that were once occupied, an ill at ease feeling settling in the pit of his stomach.
Ethan quickly caught on to the unease of his friend. “Miss Wells, why are you here?” He was afraid he already knew the answer but needed to be sure.
Taking a shaky breath Nettie voiced every ones fears. “The two boys are Josiah Sanchez and Chris Larabee. They were among a group of boys that started off on this trip from Pennsylvania; they bonded fairly quickly and looked after on another. They basically ignored the other boys as they were picked up in various locations, not out of cruelty but they just seemed content to be left alone in their group. They hadn’t taken anyone else in until we stopped in Alabama where we took on our last child for the trip.”
She paused as she tried to gather together her thoughts but Orrin already caught on to her meaning. “The two boys that disappeared up at Stinking Springs wouldn’t happen to have been a part of this group, would they?” His answer was a small nod. Sighing in resignation and swiping a hand across his face and around the back of his neck Orrin attempted to rein in his frustration. “I want to meet these other boys.” The look he gave her expressed the urgency in his order.
“Their at the camp. I made sure that they weren’t going anywhere by waking Mr. Shea and having him watch over the boys until I checked, well you know.” She gestured to the horses.
“Alright, the rest of you,” he indicated the volunteers in the stables, “finish getting your gear together and your horses ready to leave. Deputy Cord and myself have a few things to take care of and then we will meet you outside of the corral in about twenty minutes.” That said he motioned for Nettie to move ahead and followed her out of the livery and towards the camp.
The three remaining boys of this small group of seven were being very stubborn. Ten minutes after arriving in the clearing by the church Sheriff Orrin Travis was no closer to getting answers from them as he was at the beginning of their conversation. “Listen boys,” he began once again in exasperation. “I know that they are your friends but you are letting them put their selves in danger if you don’t tell us where they are. Don’t you care about them, what could happen to them?”
JD paled at the remarks and Nathan and Buck both became angry at such a suggestion. Buck’s temper finally got the best of him. “Of course we care! Their safe though, they have a guide…” As soon as the words were out he knew they were a mistake. ‘Damn, didn’t Chris warn me in the past that I let my temper get the better of me?’
Orrin looked to Ethan and seeing the puzzlement at the boy’s words looked to Nettie. “Is anyone else missing from the camp?”
Just as Nettie was about to answer in the negative, Mr. Shea spoke up. “Mr. O’Leary seems to have taken off already...” Getting a bit nervous from all the attention he continued with the information he had. “I figured you knew Miss Wells since he gathered all his gear. I thought you two would have already spoken and that he resigned or something.”
“When did he leave?” Ethan questioned with urgency.
“About eleven last night.”
“Why didn’t you inform…” Ethan’s question was cut off by the sound of this niece, Claire, shouting his name as she and her two youngest brothers came barreling out of the hotel. He turned just in time to catch the young girl as she ran at full speed right into her uncle’s arms.
“He’s gone Uncle Ethan. I woke up and he was gone!” Claire brokenly sobbed. Behind her Ben and George were both in tears and being comforted by Miss Wells.
“What do you mean he’s gone?” Ethan pushed her out to arms length and stared into the wide and swimming blue eyes.
“Joseph, he wasn’t in the room and I can’t find him anywhere. He’s just ….gone!” the tears continued to fall from her eyes as one of her greatest fears seemed to be coming true, one of her brothers had disappeared.
Ethan pulled her close to him and looked at those gathered around him. Orrin couldn’t meet his eyes as the raw pain of loss was so vibrant that it reminded him of a time not so long ago when that was all that stared back at him in the mornings. As he adverted his gaze he noticed the guilt and worry in the three boys. That’s when it hit him.
‘They have a guide…’ The words that the oldest, Buck, had spoken. “They had a guide…” his whispered repeating of the declaration shattered the near silence of the situation. Ethan looked to Orrin but saw his attention drawn to the three children huddled together, scared of something. That is when it occurred to him what it is Orrin meant. He was so going to kill Joseph when he brought him home.
“Is Joseph the guide you were talking about?” Orrin asked with maybe just a touch too much anger in his voice. Buck’s protective instincts kicked in and he maneuvered the two youngest boys behind him as he faced the three adults before him. He held Orrin’s gaze and said nothing.
Calming himself, knowing that he would get no answers from them if he alienated them with harsh words and accusations, he tried again. “Please, we are worried. Worried about those two that disappeared the night before last, worried about the two that disappeared last night and now about Joseph. Please, we just want to help.” Orrin was on his knees begging to the three boys that held the answers.
Buck was beginning to waver as he sat looking at Orrin while keeping himself as a barrier between the two younger boys and the sheriff. He could see the genuine concern and worry in the man’s eyes, the only thing holding him to his promise to Chris and Josiah was his fear that once they knew everything then they would harm them. Himself he didn’t care about, he had been beaten before, as he is sure all of them making this trip out west had experienced but he did not want anything to happen to JD and Nathan. True, Chris would be mad if he told them where they went but he would get over it but he was sure Chris nor Josiah would ever forgive him if he let anything happen to the two boys he was left to look after.
Claire looked at the young and handsome boy from the Orphan’s camp. From what she understood, this boy knew something about Joseph’s whereabouts. She disentangled herself from her uncle’s grasp and made her way over to him.
Buck saw movement out of the corner of his eye and watched as the pretty blond girl made her way over to them. She knelt down on the grass beside him and smiled a sad smile as she fussed with a pleat in her skirt.
“Do you know where my brother is?” She asked in a watery voice.
‘Damn,’ Buck thought, ‘I am so screwed.’ He looked down to the ground, as he could not meet the very sad and very gorgeous set of blue eyes that pleaded with him for an answer. He was such a sucker for a pretty girl.
“Please.” She whispered brokenly. “Please, if you know where he is or where he went, please tell us. Please, I don’t want anything to happen to him.” Her plea was drowned out as she could no longer keep the tears at bay and began to sob once again. This time into her hands as they came up to cover her face.
He couldn’t do this. He couldn’t stand to see a girl cry, not if he could do anything to stop it. He knew Chris would be angry with him but he would deal with that when the time came. He reached out a tentative hand and placed it gently on her shoulder.
“Hey, don’t cry. Everything is going to be just fine.” He pledged as he softly ran his hand up and down her arm in comfort. Looking up he saw Sheriff Travis and Deputy Cord standing overhead. “If I tell ya, you won’t hurt JD and Nathan?”
Orrin once again sank to the level of the three boys, his heart breaking because the child had to ask for such reassurances. “No one is going to hurt you here.” He softly stated.
Buck, JD and Nathan, the two younger looking over Buck’s shoulder, all gave him a jaded look of disbelief. His heart about shattered. He had never in his life given any child any reason to be afraid of him and it killed him now to know that there were some out there who had lived such a hard life that they looked for that kind of behavior in everyone. They expected it.
“Buck, JD, Nathan.” He addressed each boy and held each boy’s gaze briefly before moving on to the next and then returning to Buck. “I swear on my life that no one in this town is going to harm you as long as I can prevent it.”
Orrin was a bit unnerved at the assessing eyes that took stock of his soul. Whatever Buck saw there he must of accepted it because he slightly nodded his head before turning to his two companions and seeing their agreement he turned back. “Ok, I’ll tell you what I know.”
The next ten minutes were spent with Buck and occasionally JD and Nathan relating everything they knew of what happened over the last few days and often even further back to when they had first picked up Ezra to last night when Joseph, Chris and Josiah rode out in search of their missing friends. Orrin and Ethan would ask questions here and there to clarify points and in the end they rode out with ten other men in their search party. Miss Nettie assured the upset deputy that she would look after his children and Claire insisted on staying to help the kind woman with the group of boys. It would be a long days ride for the worried men.
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