“No,” Lieutenant Murphy said, quickly. “The major wants to see both of you.”
“Both of us?” John asked. He wasn’t sure what this was about, but he wasn’t sure he liked it. If the major planned to give him some trouble because he was married to an Indian woman, he wasn’t going to put up with it. Taking Claire by the arm, he led her into the commanding officer’s office.
“Mr. Jackson, Mrs. Jackson,” the major said with a broad smile. He was standing and he came toward them with his hand extended. “I’m Major Clinton. Thank you so much for coming.”
The major’s demeanor allowed John to dismiss his apprehension. He wasn’t acting like someone who was going to give him any trouble.
“Please,” he said, “I know you have had a long ride. Have a seat.” He extended his arm toward the side wall, where there was a sofa and a chair.
John and Claire sat on the sofa, and she held Kirby on her lap. Kirby stared at the major, his dark brown eyes open wide.
“I know you are wondering why I asked you here,” Major Clinton said. “I have a favor to ask of you and, if you choose not to do it, I will certainly understand. In the meantime, I’ve made quarters available for you here, on the post, for the night, so you can start back, rested, tomorrow.”
“What do you want, Major?” John asked.
“I want you and your wife to be an emissary for me,” Major Clinton said.
“What sort of an emissary?”
“A peace emissary to the Crow Indians. I thought, with your wife, you would be an ideal ambassador.”
“My wife is Lakota, not Crow,” John said. “The Lakota and the Crow are traditional enemies.”
“Can you speak the Crow language?” Major Clinton asked.
“I can speak,” Claire said.
“It could save hundreds of lives,” Major Clinton said. “All I need is for the Crow to understand that we will not encroach on their land, that we will in fact protect their land from any white men who try to violate their borders. Try and make her understand that.”
“I won’t try to make her understand anything,” John said. “She will make her own decision, and I will honor it.”
“I understand,” Major Clinton said. “Well, I do hope you and Mrs. Jackson will be our guests for dinner this evening. And I promise you,” he said, holding up his finger and smiling, “I will make no further petitions. As I said, whether or not you and Mrs. Jackson consent to do this, will be up to you.”
“Thank you,” John said.
The major’s wife was a rather plump, blond woman with bright blue eyes. “Oh, it is so wonderful to have dinner guests,” she said when John and Claire arrived.
“I must apologize for our dress,” John said. “We had no idea we would be invited to your beautiful home.”
“Oh, nonsense, you are dressed just fine. And what a lovely thing you are,” she said, gushingly, to Claire. “Oh, may I hold the child for a moment? Our own son is back East, attending the Military Academy at West Point,” she said. “It’s been so long since I held a little one.”
“Yes, you may hold him,” Claire said, extending the baby to her.
“Oh, my, what a handsome creature you are,” Mrs. Clinton said. “Yes, you are. Indeed, you are.” Kirby smiled at her and a line of spittle trailed from his mouth.
True to his promise, Major Clinton made no more mention of the mission he wanted John and Claire to undertake. Instead they talked about St. Louis. John and Claire had just come from there, and Major Clinton had been stationed there at Jefferson Barracks.
After a pleasant dinner, and because Kirby had fallen asleep, John made his excuses, and said they needed to get the baby to bed.
“In regard to your request, Major, I will give you an answer in the morning,” he said.
“Good, thank you, that’s all I ask,” Major Clinton replied. “I’m gratified that you are still thinking about it, rather than an outright dismissal of the request.”
The empty quarters of what would normally be the residence of an unmarried junior officer, was for them. As they walked back to the quarters John heard the first note of the bugle.
“What is that music?” Claire asked. “It is so beautiful. But it is sad.”
“It is called ‘Taps,’” John said. “It is the bugle call that puts the soldiers to bed at night. Would you like to know the words?”
“Yes.”
John sung the words, softly, as the bugler repeated the call.
“Day is done,
Gone the sun,
From the lakes, from the hills, from the sky.
All is well, safely rest,
God is nigh.”
“Those are good words,” Claire said.
Looking around the garrison, John saw that all the buildings, the officers’ quarters, and the soldiers’ barracks, were dark and quiet.
“Come,” he said. “We must be to our bed.”
Later, after Kirby was asleep, John and Claire lay together in bed, with Claire’s head on John’s shoulder.
“John, do you want to do what the major has asked us to do?”
“It is up to you, Claire. You are the one who will have to do the talking.”
“Yes, I will do the talking, but you will give me the words to say.”
“As I said, it is up to you.”
“If it will make peace, I say we should go.”
“All right,” John said. “I’ll tell the major in the morning. We’ll go.”
CHAPTER TWENTY-THREE
In the village of Iron Bull
When John, Claire, and the baby rode into the village, every villager crowded around them, men, women, and children. One of the older boys, who was about fourteen, ran up to touch John’s leg. Then, with a loud shout he ran back into the crowd.
“I have counted coups! I have counted coups!” he shouted, proudly.
“Claire, where do we go now?” John asked quietly.
“They will lead us to the place of the village council,” Claire replied.
Almost immediately, two men came up, and one took the bridle of John’s horse in hand, as the other took the bridle of Claire’s horse. The two men led them through the camp until they stopped in front of a teepee. There was a council fire and several men were sitting around the fire. One was sitting by himself, just in front of the teepee opening, making it obvious that he was the head.
“That is Iron Bull,” Claire said.
John held up his hand. “I come in peace, Iron Bull.”
“Ta
ya yahípi,” Iron Bull replied.
“He welcomes us.”
Iron Bull spoke again.
“He asks that you join the council, but I cannot, as I am a woman.”
“Tell him I must have you beside me, because you are my words.”
Claire translated John’s words.
Iron Bull nodded, and made a motion indicating Claire could join them.
“Philamayaye,” Claire replied, thanking him.
“Tell him that we come from the soldier chief. That the white man wants to live in peace with his Indian brothers.”
Claire translated, then Iron Bull spoke, and she gasped.
“What is it? What did he say?”
“He said that you have killed some of his people. That you, and one called Smoke have killed Crow.”
“That is true, but only because we were attacked by Crow. That is why we are here now, to make peace so that our people will not kill each other anymore.”