Posted May 12, 2018
Inside the station house, Ralph jumped up and grabbed the shotgun next to his cot as he did so joining the doctor.
"What's the fuss? Got us some visitors?" he asked.
Matilda had woke up too at the doctor's voice, she was normally a light sleeper anyhow but had passed the night with some reasonable comfort. Sitting up she glanced at the young mother and babe, both asleep. She spoke in a whisper then.
"Is everything alright?"
Sit down, shut up, don't touch anythin'
Posted May 12, 2018
Barn
"Oh, they got weapons, all right." Addy drew her Colt slowly, cocking it as it cleared the holster. "Just gotta keep an eye...for more..." The small group seemed focused on the cabin and didn't seem to be aggressive...yet, but they could be unpredictable. "Let's go out th' back window, make sure there ain't more hidin' in th' woods.'
Where there were a few there were likely more, it paid to be wary, but also to hold back so you didn't trigger something.
"Ya think you can make it out that." She nodded to the window that was large enough for her to shimmy out, but might be a tight squeeze for the man. "Might wanna get yer boots, too."
Posted May 12, 2018
Cabin
"Depends on what 'all right' is." Peering out the gap in the shutters, Jonah frowned, then backed up a few steps, bringing his gun up at the door. "Yes, visitors of the Native ilk..."
And the door opened, three of the men walking in as though it was nothing, followed by the woman and the last man. There were no visible weapons and they didn't move any farther into the small building. But the lead man gestured to Mrs. Ford, who was just waking up.
It didn't take the groggy woman long to come around and realize what was going on, and she let out a small cry, sitting up, her infant clutched to her chest as she scooted to the back wall.
"The law is the law."
"Mining's not everyone's choice of hobbies, it just happens to be mine."
Posted May 13, 2018
Speed eased the hammer down on the Henry, looking at the window. "Yah, that one I can make." He rushed to where he'd slept and laid his rifle aside, pulling on his boots. Then deftly dropping his spurs, as the jingle-bobs would certainly make too much noise. He scooped up his gunbelt and slung it around his waist. Buckling it, he looked toward Addy. "Okay, ready." and moved to the window.
Posted May 13, 2018
CABIN
Indians? That tensed up both Ralph and Matilda. The woman scrambled to her feet to and secured the pistol the stage driver had lent her, cocking back the hammer. Ralph did the same with both barrels of the shotgun. Then the door opened and in walked first three male Indians, then a squaw and a fourth man. They seemed to be unarmed, which was lucky for them or Ralph might not have even waited for any of them to try something, he'd have blasted them with both barrels. None of the Indians seemed surprised by the sight that greeted them with the group of whites within. One simply pointed to the young mother and her babe, much to her chagrin.
"Alright...any of you speak English? We don't know any Indian words. If you can understand me, why are you here?" Ralph decided to be the spokesman for those in the cabin for now.
Meanwhile Matilda deliberately stepped between Mrs. Ford and the Indians in case any of them had an idea to close that distance, she let them see the cocked revolver in her hand too.
Sit down, shut up, don't touch anythin'
Posted May 13, 2018
Outside
Addy handed her pistol to Speed so she could scramble out the window, where she fell pretty unceremoniously to the dirt, but she was up quickly, trying to maintain her composure as she reached in for the weapons, then crouched down, her back to the barn as she surveyed the treeline.
Once Speed was beside her, she waited a minute, then muttered, "Don't see nothin' more out here. Let's move in behind 'em." It was, at least, a good sign that there wasn't any shooting from the cabin, yet. She just hoped the folks in there didn't get caught too unawares.
Posted May 13, 2018
Cabin
For several long moments there was very uneasy stillness that hung in the air, and Jonah wondered if maybe they were just going to stay like this forever.
But finally, one of the Indians, an older man, weather-worn and grizzled, took another step forward, then spoke quietly in his native tongue, gesturing toward the ladies, the reaching back and nudging the young woman forward beside him, then speaking again.
Timidly, the woman opened the blanket that was draped over her shoulders to reveal a tiny infant.
"Am I understanding this right?" Jonah muttered...
"The law is the law."
"Mining's not everyone's choice of hobbies, it just happens to be mine."
Posted May 14, 2018
"Don't believe it's a raiding party." Speed said as he scanned the treeline behind them, out of habit. "They'd be on us by now. This is something else." He started after her toward the cabin. There was no gunfire, no screams, nothing. He did not believe for a moment that those inside would be taken without a fight, so, indeed, this was something else. Yet he eared back the hammer on his Henry repeater.
Posted May 14, 2018
Ralph kept the shotgun leveled thru the tense silence, unfortunately it seemed none of their uninvited guests spoke English but he really had no desire to make some feeble gestures or hand signals to communicate. That's when the squaw revealed she had an infant in her possession? Matilda probably matched Ralph's look of surprise. The doctor spoke up but did not finish the thought.
"Well, if you do have an idea, spill it out for us, Doc. I have no idea what they want," Matilda piped up then too.
Sit down, shut up, don't touch anythin'
Posted May 17, 2018
Outside
Addy nodded to Speed's observation, glad at least that all seemed peaceful so far -- even if the Indians attacked with hand-weapons, there would be noise, screams, defensive shooting...
"Give 'em a chance, but be ready...they c'n be all nice an' happy then turn on ya...got th' mind that anyone c'n kill an enemy, but it takes more ta kill a friend...don't understand that, but..." She shrugged, moving around the side of the building, then toward the cabin.
The door was open, the visitors could be seen inside, and the man at the back of the group was keeping watch...he spotted Addy and Speed and tensed, taking a single step toward them...