Date: Tue, 8 Feb 2011 11:19:07 -0800 (PST) From: Daniel Running-water Subject: Captured Heart / Chapter Five / Incest and Interracial Captured Heart By Daniel Running Water Chapter Five Previously in chapter four: The next morning at the train depot, Seth stood waiting for the train that would take him north, north to New York where his grandmother lived. He looked back toward the town and prayed, prayed that Hawk would come riding up and sweeps him away with him, but alas, he did not come. The lonesome sound of the train's whistle alerted Seth that soon it would be arriving. "Oh Hawk, how crazy I was to think that you did not love me," he whispered as the sound of the steam escaping the train, brought him back to the present. "I do hope that you find happiness in the arms of your wife," he silently added as he turned his attention back to the train. Waiting for the passengers to depart, Seth gave on last glimpse back at the road. He gave out a disheartening sigh and handed his ticket to the conductor. "Headed to New York are you," the conductor asked and handed Seth's ticket back to him. "Ay-uh... I'm sorry, yes I am, I'm going to visit my grandmother," he said before climbing the steps that led up to car. At the very top of the steps, he leaned out and gave that last look, before moving on. After a good ten minutes, the train began to chug and pull, easing forward and away from Seth's old life. "I shall always love you Hawk," Seth said as a single tear rolled down his cheek. Now chapter five: Hawk woke early, even before the sun rose, his mind worrying about Seth. Looking over at his wife sleeping soundly beside him, he sighed. Had marrying her been the final push that Seth needed from him to end their love, he had wondered. Even his uncle had thought that he had been too quick to take Anna as his wife, knowing how he and Seth felt about each other. But Hawk was stubborn, just as stubborn as Seth. Hawk had wanted to honor his father by marrying Anna and preventing her from a life of shame. His people had felt the same way about unwed mothers as did the white eyes, so this was his reason for marrying her, or so he had tried to convince himself, still angry with Seth. He knew in his mind that he had wanted to hurt Seth into coming back to him, but alas, all that it did was drive him further away. He quietly rose from his pallet of furs and went to build the fire, gently blowing on the embers once he had added wood to it. Quickly the dry wood ignited and soon a soft fire was going, illuminating the inside. Hawk sat there alone staring, staring into the fire as if seeing his life with Seth going up in smoke as surely the real smoke was now doing as it rose upward and out of the smoke hole of his lodge. "Go find him Hawk, tell him how much you love him and bring him back," Anna said from where she lay. Hawk quickly turned and gazed into her deep blue eyes. He loved his wife, but not as a man should love the woman that he married. "It is too late White Petals," he sighed and turned back to the fire, gazing into it depths. "His father said that he left this morning for another state." "Gah-ween my husband, it is never too late for love, not when destiny has ordained that you two were to be together," Anna said coming up and kneeling beside him. "I know that you married me only to honor Black Bear and save my reputation," she said now resting her hand gently on his shoulder. "The lodge is big enough for all of us, and once the baby is born, I wish to return home to my parent's home in South Carolina," she said. Hawk quickly turned his head to her, his eyes wide with anger. He could not believe the words that she was speaking; leaving him would only humiliate him, a Choctaw chief, in the eyes of his people. She also would be taking the baby...that too would add much shame to him. "Gah-ween, you cannot return to your parents, you are my wife and it will bring much shame to Hawk in the eyes of his people," Hawk said adamantly and now standing. "I said that I would marry you and give you much happiness, so that was my promise to you and you will not shame your husband by leaving him and taking his child with you," he shouted and then left, hurrying to his stallion. Hawk quickly mounted it and kicked his heels into its side, sending it off into a fast gallop. "Swift Eagle will know what to do," Hawk said as he rode through the forest. *** Seth sat quietly and watched the Mississippi scenery slipping by and with it Hawk's love. As he stared out of the window, his thoughts were on Hawk, and how much he would miss him and his love. "Pardon me, but is this seat taken," a gentleman of about thirty asked. "Huh...gah-ween, go ahead and take it," he said, not aware that he had used Choctaw to say no. "Indian lover huh," the man's voice was sharp and almost hate filled as he looked at Seth. "Excuse me?" Seth asked the man, not aware of what the man meant by his comment. "You used a word in Choctaw, so that means that you're either an Indian lover or a half-breed," he said sarcastically. "And what if I was, what difference does it mean to you?" he replied just as sarcastically as the man had. "My wife was killed by Indians and my daughter abducted and God knows whatever happened to her," he said venomously to Seth, his eyes glowing with hatred for Indians. "I'm sorry for your loss, but I only knew the kind and loving side of the Choctaw people," Seth said sharply and returned his eyes to the window. "Damn half breed," the man said sarcastically and quickly left his seat, leaving Seth once again, alone. "Good riddance," he muttered, watching the man taking a seat further down the isle. *** "Uncle, what am I to do about my heart?" Hawk asked, sitting beside the fire in Swift Eagle's lodge. "You are too stubborn for your own good, as is Red Sun," he said, shocking Hawk with his sharp words. "Gah-ween uncle, Hawk heard his words of anger and hatred," Hawk said stubbornly, refusing to admit that he was stubborn. "He threw away my love like it was dirty to him." "If you want my opinion Hawk, because I think that is why you came to council with me," Swift Eagle said more than asked, looking at Hawk. "I know Seth, and he was hurt, and hurt deeply when he heard about you marrying Anna. He never threw away your love, in fact he regretted not having told you that he was wrong, but it was your marriage to the white woman that truly hurt him. Although I knew the reasons why you quietly married her, Seth didn't. I must say that you were wrong for not telling Seth why, because he at least deserved that much from you." Hawk started to protest, but Swift Eagle held up his hand to stop him. "Seth now knows the truth about everything because I told him. Now if I were you, I would ride as fast as I can to catch him before he leaves," Swift Eagle urged, watching as Hawk quickly stood and left his lodge, hoping to reach Seth in time. *** Finding the passenger car stifling, Seth stepped out onto the small platform at the very end of the caboose. It was a beautiful morning in Mississippi, but he couldn't see the beauty in it because his mind was on Hawk. "Why couldn't you have come for me Hawk, and stopped me from leaving you and your love," Seth whispered as he thought of the handsome chief. Seth nearly fainted when his eyes locked with Hawk's, who was looking at him from beside the track, sitting on his stallion. "Hawk," Seth called out as his heart beat anxiously and waved his hand furiously to him. "You did come to find me," he gasped, his heart pounding with excitement. Hawk waved also, kicked his heels to his stallion's flank and galloped off, racing forward to catch up with the train, his heart pounding also when he saw his man's face smiling at him. As the train slowed for the sharp curve, Hawk caught up with it, riding along the caboose as Seth climbed over the railing. "Come my love, Hawk shall grab you," Hawk shouted over the rumbling of the train. Seth's heart pounded in his chest with fear as he climbed over the railing and held on with one hand to the railing, while he reached outward for Hawk with the other. Seth held his breath and closed his eyes when he felt Hawk's arm encircle his waist, pulling him unto his horse and riding away from the train. Seth let out a deep sigh and wrapped his arms tightly around Hawk's neck when he felt secure in the arms of the man that he loved. Hawk pulled his stallion to an abrupt stop and took possession of Seth's mouth with his and their hearts racing as they both cried, happy to be back together again. "I'm sorry Hawk...so damn sorry for my stubbornness and the pain that I put you through." Seth whispered against Hawk's mouth as his tears rolled down his cheeks like a waterfall. "I should have never doubted your love for me." "Hawk is the one that is sorry Red Sun, and ay-uh...stubborn" he whispered back and Seth cried all the more once he had heard Hawk call him Red Sun. "Never again shall Hawk let Red Sun escape his arms, for this is where you belong," he kissed Seth hard and long as he gently urged his horse to go, turning him back toward his village. Seth was happy to be back in Hawk's strong arms, but his mind drifted back to what he had heard about Hawk having gotten married. Looking into Hawk's eyes, he knew that he had to ask about Anna. "Is it true that you married Miss Anna?" Seth asked as he wiped away his tears with the back of his hand. "Ay-uh, but listen to me before you jump to conclusions," Hawk quickly said. "I only married her to prevent her from being shamed in the eyes of my people, but also those of her people," he explained and waited for Seth's reaction to his words. Seth went very silent and turned his eyes from Hawk's, tensing inside when he knew that Hawk was married now to her. "Look at me Red Sun and listen with your heart," Hawk said, pulling Seth's head back to look at him. "I am here because this is where I belong. Red Sun has captured my heart and even thought I am married, she told me to go find you and bring you back." "She did?" he asked suddenly aware that what Hawk had said, proved his love was true. "But how shall we make love, when she lay in the same teepee?" "Love found us and love will show us the way, Red Sun," he said pulling Seth closer to him. "I love you more than life itself and I will do whatever is needed to prove it, even if I must step down as chief of the Choctaw." Feeling the depths and heights of Hawk's love for him, Seth cried as their mouths met in a kiss that was long and tender. "Ay-uh my husband, love will find a way," he sighed as he laid his head against Hawk's bear chest, feeling the beating of his heart. With his arm wrapped tightly around Seth's waist, Hawk kicked his heels against his horse's sides, sending the stallion into a gallop. *** The awkwardness of having to confront Anna and exposing his secret behind him, Seth took Hawk's hand that evening as they walked together by the river, the moon's light illuminating their way. "I had accepted that we would never be together again," Seth said as Hawk wrapped his arm around Seth's waist and stopped at the shore of the river. "I still cannot believe that I found you this morning before it was to late for us," Hawk said, drawing Seth to him and kissing him tenderly. "Do you now see how much I love you and want to spend the rest of my life with you, Red Sun?" "Ay-uh my chief," Seth whispered... his mouth but a breath away from Hawk's. "It feels like forever since we first made love together...take me now, my husband." Slowly they undressed each other and then Hawk quickly lay Seth down on the softness of the grass that grew beside the river, covering his body with his own, kissing as if they were the only two lovers in the world, and to them they were. Hawk placed the heat of his cock to Seth's rosebud, their lips meeting as he slowly thrusted his throbbing manhood into Seth. Seth hardly breathed as Hawk's manhood slid further into his hot, moist sheath, gasping when Hawk's cock became fully seated deep within him. "Oh Hawk," Seth sighed, wrapping his arms around Hawk's neck and their mouths joining in a tender kiss again. Hawk began his rhythmic thrusts and Seth's hips rose to meet each one, his legs wrapped tightly around Hawk's waist, urging him deeper into his body. When Hawk's thrusts began to move faster inside Seth, in quicker, surer thrusts, Hawk's mouth captured Seth's in a kiss, their tongues dancing together in heavenly bliss. Hawk broke their kiss and leaned away from his Red Sun, looking down at him as he thrust heatedly into him. Hawk loved the way that Seth looked at him when they made love, passion and desire dancing in his eyes, causing a quivering sensation deep in Hawk's stomach. "Feel it Red Sun...feel the love and passion that we share when our bodies are locked together as this," Hawk said, his thrusts quickening as his need increased. "I feel it sweetheart and it's so intense that I feel that I could fly, you lift me that high my love," Seth whispered, his passion about ready to explode. "It will always be just like this for us my man," Hawk promised. "Ay-uh always," Seth whispered again, closing his eyes as his passion and heat rose to such a point that it was consuming him, burning him. It was when Hawk lowered his mouth to one of Seth's nipples and gently nibbled on it that Seth exploded, no longer able to hold back his passion. "Hawk...shooting," was all that Seth managed to get out and he exploded, shooting long ropes of seed between their bodies. Seth could feel the swelling of Hawk's manhood within him as the young chief quickened his thrusts, stopping and then shooting his seed too. After the initial blasts into Seth hot sheath, Hawk began pummeling his manhood feverishly into Seth, filling his with all the sperm that he had. Laying side by side in the coolness of the night, Hawk and Seth gasped for air as their bodies shock from the sweet afterglow of their love making. Seth turned to Hawk, his arm draped across Hawk's hard stomach, his hand fondling his manhood. "If you keep doing that Red Sun, soon Hawk will need to ride you again," he said almost growling from the excitement that Seth was giving him. Slowly, methodically, Seth moved his hand up and down on Hawk's manhood, soon getting it to rise to its full erection. Hawk closed his eyes and moaned as the warmth of Seth's hand gave him pleasure. Soon his breathing became ragged and Seth could tell that Hawk was again approaching another climax. Moving to a sitting position, Seth lowered his mouth down to the throbbing manhood and engulfed it, moving just as fast up and down as his hand had been going. "Red Sun... ay-uh...shooting," he warned panting hard and then fisted his hands in Seth's golden locks, shooting his seed into the warmth of his mouth. "Mmmmm," Seth moaned as he swallowed the sweetness of his man as Hawk's hips thrusted up, spilling more of his elixir into the one that he loved. Hawk's manhood was now sensitive and close to shooting, he pulled Seth off of it and crawled up to his mouth, where he kissed him, tasting the sweetness of his own elixir, still on his tongue. "I love you Hawk," he whispered, still savoring the sweetness of his man. "I love you so much my sweet Red Sun," Hawk said back and kissed him softly and long. *** Eight months later... James stood back and looked up at the rebuilt mansion that now stood on the same spot that his father's had stood. It was a large, two story building with eight large pillars gracing its front and an upstairs porch that ran the length of the front. "Now this is better, much, much better than yours ever was father," James said, happy to be no longer under the tyranny of the man. "Yes'sa Massa James, yo mammy is happy for you," Bessie said standing beside the boy and gazing up at the house. "Ya'll did a mighty fine job rebuilding the mansion," she agreed. "Thank you Mammy and thank you for all the love and help that you gave me when... well thank you," he said and did something that was rarely, if ever done, he hugged her and gave her a soft kiss on her cheek. "Ya'll make your Mammy blush," she said averting her eyes from his and stepping from his embrace. "I just wanted ya'll to know that I truly appreciated what you did for me, and to show my appreciation Mammy, I am freeing you and your people." Mammy's face showed the shock and the appreciation that his words meant and she looked up at him, smiling. "I mean it Mammy, ya'll are free to go if you wish, but if you stay, I will pay ya'll to work for me," he offered. "Yes'sa Massa James, me and ole Billy will stay, but I's can't speak for the rest," she said. "Gather them here and I will talk to them, and if any wish to leave, I'll give them papers, showing that they are free." "Yes'sa Massa James, old mammy will have Billy go at once to summon them here," she said and started to hurry away, but James caught her arm and stopped her. "No longer will you call me master because free men and women do not refer to one another as this," he said, further surprising her. "Oh no sa, mammy could never call you James," she said hanging her head as if still a slave. "If I declare it so, it is said and done," he declared. "Yes'sa ma...James," she said and smiled as she looked up at him, happy that she was free now. She scurried off to find Billy and have him round up the other slaves so that James could speak to them. When twenty minutes later, the slaves had assembled, James stood on his front steps so that all could see and hear him. "Ya'll must be wondering why I called you from the fields for," he said and looked around at the faces of the people. "Well from this time forward, ya'll are no longer slaves but free men and women," he said as a collective gasp filled the air. "We's free Massa James," most said in unison. "That's right, free and no longer will you call me master, but stand with your heads held proudly up as free men and women," he further stated. "But please listen to this which I am about to say," and he waited for them to quiet. "If any of you wish to stay on as workers, I will pay you a fair wage so that you can eventually buy land and build a new life for yourselves," and again another gasp of surprise filled the air. "Sa, what of our children that have been sold to other plantations as slaves," Mary, an older slave asked, who had lost several sons and daughters to other plantations. "I will try to do whatever I can to buy back those children for you," he promised. Slowly at first and then gradually building, applause started, first with Mammy and then spreading out to the others. James smiled at them and knew what this meant, because he had always felt their pain from having lived under his father's hatred. Tears formed in his eyes as he was suddenly surrounded by those that also shared his father's wrath. *** In the village of Hawk's people, Anna screamed out in pain as her labor's pain coursed through her body. With sweat covering her body, she pushed and pushed, trying to free the baby that struggled to be born. Bright Feather, the village's mid-wife, looked cautiously over at Yellow Blossom who was wiping Anna's brow with a soft buckskin cloth that had been dipped in cool water. Bright Feather was alarmed that the baby did not come and that much blood came first. As another strong contraction rose in Anna's body, she pushed with great strength, causing the baby to fall from her womb. "Ay-uh you have a son," Bright Feather said smiling as the baby began crying, but soon the smile vanished as great gushes of blood flowed from Anna. "Quick, go and bring our chief, for I fear that White Petals will die," she said to Yellow Blossom who quickly ran from the lodge. Soon Hawk returned followed by Seth, and they both knelt beside Anna when they saw the worry on Bright Feather's face. Slowly she shook her head to tell Hawk that his wife would not live, and tears filled the eyes of both men. She was softly kissing her son that now rested on her bosom, and when she saw Hawk kneeling beside her, she handed him his son. Weak from her long labor and from loosing much blood, Anna looked at Hawk first and then Seth, before turning her gaze back to Hawk. "I have given you a son," she said her voice weak and strained. "Raise him to grow into a mighty warrior and chief someday, my husband. Please, what shall you name him," she asked watching Hawk looking down at the baby. "I shall call him Strong Bear, for he is very strong to have survived such a birth, and Bear because of my father, for he is truly from his loins." "Ay-uh my husband, Strong Bear is a good name. He will make me and his father proud as he grows into a man." "You shall be by my side White Petals, to see our son grow into a great warrior," Hawk whispered even though he knew that she would not. "Gah-ween my sweet husband, because my body tells me that soon I will be walking beside Black Bear," she said as she struggled to take a breath. "I truly have missed that man and how strongly he loved me," she said and arched her back as pain shot through her. Hawk and Seth each took hold of her hands as both struggled to hold back the tears and both felt the loss already, for it hurt their hearts to lose her. She had shared with Seth, her husband, knowing that Hawk loved him so deeply. "Thank you my husband, thank you for honoring me and Black Bear by marrying me," she said, her voice barely audible as she struggled to breathe. "Gah-ween my wife, it is I that wishes to thank you for the love that you showed for Red Sun and me," Hawk whispered close to her ear so only she and Seth could hear. "Ay-uh Red Sun, thank you for showing such kindness and understanding," Seth also said softly. "You shall always live in my heart and also in your son's," Seth assured her and she smiled as she reached up and brushed a hand across his cheek. "Raise Strong Bear with much love," she asked and then turned back to face Hawk. "I want to be buried beside your father, Black Bear," she asked. "He was my one and only true love, Hawk. I loved you also, but more as a mother than as a wife, so please find it in your heart to bury me with him." "Ay-uh White Petals, I will make it so," he promised and she gasped out once and then closed her eyes, breathing her last. Hawk lowered his face down to hers and cried, giving out a great wailing sound as his pain and grief overtook him. Seth stood and came around to Hawk, taking him into his arms, letting his cry as he too, cried. Soon, Bright Feather came in and along with Yellow Blossom; they began washing and preparing Anna for burial. "Go my chief and take your son to Moon Deer, she has also given birth to a son and has enough milk in her breasts to feed both children. Yellow Blossom and I shall prepare White Petals for burial, in the way of our people," she said and escorted Hawk and Seth to the door flap, holding it open so they could leave. Outside Hawk's people began their mourning of their chief's wife, with loud wailing and many tears. Hawk, still holding his son tightly to him, walked slowly over to the lodge of Moon Deer and her husband Jumping Elk. Jumping Elk held the flap of his lodge open to his chief, and when Hawk entered the lodge, found Moon Deer's son feeding at her breast. She reached out her free hand to Hawk, and he gently placed his son into her arm. She raised him up to her free breast, and the babe began suckling on her nipple. "My son, White Eagle and your son shall grow to be best friends," she said, smiling up at Hawk as if foretelling it to be so. "Ay-uh Moon Deer, they shall have a bond that no other warrior shall break," he said, as if knowing that his son would be loved deeply by White Eagle. *** Despite its small population, the town of Jackson became a strategic center of manufacturing for the Confederacy. In 1863, during a campaign which ended in the capture of Vicksburg, Union forces captured Jackson during two battles; once before the fall of Vicksburg and again soon after its fall. On May 13, 1863, Union forces won the first Battle of Jackson, forcing Confederate forces to flee northward towards the town of Canton. Subsequently, on May 15 Union troops under William Tecumseh Sherman burned and looted key facilities in Jackson, leaving the town destitute. After driving the Confederates out of Jackson, Union forces turned west once again and soon placed Vicksburg under siege. Confederates began to reassemble in Jackson in preparation for an attempt to break through the Union lines now surrounding Vicksburg. Confederates marched out of Jackson to break the siege in early July. However, unknown to them, Vicksburg had already surrendered on July 4. General Ulysses S. Grant dispatched Sherman to meet the Confederate forces. Upon learning that Vicksburg had already surrendered, the Confederates retreated back into Jackson, thus beginning the Siege of Jackson, which lasted for approximately one week before the town fell once again. *** With the battle for Jackson over and most of his help now gone, James rode through his fields, viewing the destruction that Sherman's army had caused. He sighed as he looked upon the fields, vowing that he would replant the fields and again be a chief source of tobacco and cotton. It had been a bloody battle, causing many lives for both sides. James wiped his brow with his handkerchief; the hot noon day sun had caused him to sweat profusely as he rode under its rays. "Damn it is hot and humid today," James cursed, kicking his feet against his horse; he rode off for the shadows of the forest, which bordered his fields. Coming to a small stream, James dismounted and led his horse to its cool water. Lying on his belly, James lowered his mouth down to the water, drinking in several gulps before again rising to his feet. Grabbing the horse's reins, he tied them to a branch, and began stripping. Once naked, James stepped into the coolness of the stream, lowering his hot, sweaty body until only his head was above the water. Allowing the gentle current to float his body along, James closed his eyes and imagined himself as a boy, when he would do this whenever he could escape the tyranny of his father. "Help me," James heard, the voice a painful soft whisper and quickly steadied himself, glancing the brush along the banks of the stream and looking for whomever it was that called out for help. "Help me please," he heard again and this closer to where he was. Forgetting that he was naked, he slowly crept from the water, being sure to stay low so that no one could see him. He approached a large thicket and soon saw the source of the cries, it was a union soldier and he was wounded. The man could be no more that eighteen, or maybe nineteen and his eyes locked together with James as James pushed aside the branches. "Please help me sir...I've been shot," he gasped and then closed his eyes as unconsciousness overtook him. "A damn Yankee," James gasped and hurried away, not wanting anything to do with the man. Running swiftly to where his closes and horse were, James hurriedly dressed. Mounting his horse, James quickly rode away, purposing in his heart to leave the man there to die. Then remembering the kindness that Hawk and his people had showed him, James pulled his horse to an abrupt stop and turned back towards the soldier. Dismounting not far from where he had left the man, James tied his horse to a tree and crept slowly towards the soldier. Finding him still unconscious, James gazed down at him. He noticed the dirt that clung to his face and hair; he truly was a mess as James knelt beside him and felt for a pulse. Finding it to be weak, James hurriedly looked the man over, finding his wound in his right leg. Blood covered the ground all around the soldier, but James hurriedly ripped his own shirt to make a tourniquet, which he tied just above the wound. "If someone finds me helping a damn Yankee, they will shoot me also," he gasped as he struggled to lift the man. "Damn you are heavy," he sighed as he sat beside the man, and it was then that he remembered how Hawk had shown him to make a travois for transporting. He quickly pulled his knife from the sheath at his side, and began cutting saplings, shaping them together, making a crude travois to transport the soldier back to his house. Once he had the man secured on the travois and secured to his horse, James slowly rode back toward his house. He kept is eyes gazing in all directions, not wishing to be seen with the soldier, for if discovered, they both would have been shot, the soldier for just being a Yankee, and he for being a traitor. "My word James," Billy shouted when he came to stop at the front steps. "I do declare that ya'll get yourself a Yankee." "Shhhh," he said, trying to quiet the man. "Lower your voice and help me get him into the house," James ordered and Billy reluctantly came to assist him. "If'n we gets caught, they is surely gonna shoot us," Billy said looking over at James as they carried the man into the house. "They aren't going to shoot no one, because we are not going to get caught," James prayed as they carried the man upstairs to a guest room. "Now hurry Billy, go and find Mammy," he said, placing the man's pistol on the bedside table and beginning to strip the filthy clothes from the soldier. Bessie, along with Billy, came running just as James had removed the last of the man's uniform and quickly handed it to Billy. "Go and burn this and make sure that no one sees you, Billy," he said, but Billy stood there looking at Bessie. "Ya'll hear our master...sorry James," she said glancing over at James, remembering that what James had long ago told her. "Just do as James says, now gets your sorry ass out of here," she ordered and Billy hurried out with the uniform tucked under his shirt. "The only wound I saw Mammy was this one here in his right leg, and it looks as though it came out the back here," James said pointing out the bloody wound to Bessie. "He's powerful dirty and smells awful," he stated, wincing as the breeze from the open window blew the man's stink towards James. "Now you go get Mammy some bandages and bring me that salve, they is down in the cupboard in the kitchen," she instructed. "But first bring me some hot water, a cloth to wash him and don't forget the towels." "Yes Mammy," he said and started to leave the room, but suddenly turned and came back to her. "Thank you Mammy for helping me to save this man's life," he said and gave her a warm hug. "A life is a life and our God made us all James, it makes no mind if'n he's a Yankee or not, he's a living person. Now scat and let Mammy get about patching him up," she said, smiling up at him. James left the room and stood outside the door, resting his back against the hallway wall. "What have I done," he thought and sighed, worrying about the Yankee and what kind of troubles he could have if he were discovered in his house. "Mercy me, would you look at what this man has down there," Mammy said in shock when she looked at the soldiers well endowed manhood. "Billy, ya'll have nothing to brag about," she added and set to fixing up the wounded soldier. *** Just over an hour later, the man was clean, his wounds patched up and resting comfortably beneath several layers of quilts. At first James thought that the man would be to hot, seeing how it had to be close to eighty in the shade, but Bessie assured him that it was necessary to avoid infection or pneumonia. James looked at the man as he slept and he marveled at how handsome he was. His shoulder length brown hair had been washed and now lay about his head in soft curls, as if a frame for his face. His eyes were brown also, because James remembered them from earlier, and his nose was straight, his jaw square and he had one dimple in his chin. He had a soft growth of whiskers, James, himself having given him a shave. "Will he be alright Mammy," James whispered when she slipped into the room, to check on the man before going to bed. "He's gonna be just fine, just fine," she whispered back as she moved her hand away from his brow. "He's got a slight fever, but might be from all the blood that he lost, Mammy sees no reason why he shouldn't recover. Now you go off to bed and I'll sit beside him, ya'll need your rest," she said. "I'm alright right here Mammy, now you run off and get some sleep." Suddenly James awoke with a start as the man began moaning from the bed. He jumped up and hurried over to him and when he stood beside the bed looking down at him, the man's eyes opened suddenly. "Hold it right there rebel, and get your damn hands up in the air," the man said, pointing a revolver at James that he suddenly pulled from under the covers. James looked over at the bedside table where he had left the soldier's pistol earlier and noticed that it was no longer there, but pointing at him. "Now make one false move and I'll shoot you," he said as he pulled the blankets back with his other hand, still aiming the pistol at James. "You shouldn't be getting up, you have lost a lot of blood," James said and took a quick step towards him. The man's arm went up quick, the gun went off, and James fell to the floor. To be continued... Sorry my readers, but this seemed like a good place to leave off. Let me know what you think at danielrunningwater@yahoo.com Thank you, Danny.