Timecachers (56 page)

He anticipated Alice’s response. “No, getting paid for a job does not justify it, yet it must be a consideration since my family depends upon my income to survive. My decision was not an easy one, and not without the risk that in hindsight I may wish I had chosen differently. But that,” he said in an even voice and unyielding eyes, “is only between myself, my family, and my creator.”

“How long have you been stationed here in Georgia?” Adam hoped he could prevent the conversation from turning into a heated debate.

“Only for about three years. I was offered the commission by General Wool himself, who knew of my service in the United States Army. I was stationed in Tennessee and only a lieutenant there, so a promotion to the rank of captain in the Georgia Guard represented a significant financial increase for us. At the time the mission was to help keep order and prevent unrest in the area. To be honest, I expected the Cherokee nation would be voluntarily relocating to the western territory, and never imagined a forced removal would be carried out.”

“Apparently neither did the Cherokee,” Alice said brusquely.

“I suppose we were all a little too naive. It was hard to understand how Old Hickory could let down the people who fought so valiantly for him. To be fair to President Jackson, I think he honestly believes that this is the best course of action for them. He believes they will never be able to withstand the encroachment of white settlers on their lands, and moving west is their only option.”

“And the only way the Georgians can get their greedy hand on the gold beneath their lands,” said Alice.

“Yes, there is that. There are surely greedy motivations as well,” said the captain. “But it is not true of everyone.”

Constance came to her husband’s defense. “There are many of us, non-Cherokee that is, who do not agree with this forced relocation. Many prominent figures have spoken out against it as I am sure you are aware. One senator from your own part of the country—James mentioned you are from Delaware—Senator Theodore Frelinghuysen, spoke extensively denouncing the bill in Congress. Senators Sprague of Maine and Edward Everett of Massachusetts also rose to support Frelinghuysen’s position. A number of missionaries have even spent time in prison for their support of the Cherokee.”

“Yet the removal proceeds in spite of those efforts,” said Alice.

“Yes, it does,” Constance said. “Our nation is currently experiencing unprecedented growth, and many feel that it is not only their right but their duty to expand the country and claim its resources with no regard for any prior claims, especially by those they consider uncivilized. I fear that future generations will not look kindly upon that attitude.”

“I’m sure you’re right about that,” Alice agreed.

Constance continued. “My point is that not everyone is in accordance with that attitude. The Cherokee people have many friends among the whites, who are outraged by the idea of removal. While we may show support for the Cherokee by continuing to speak against removal, it is clearly going forth, regardless of the outrage being expressed. Is it not also supportive for James to do his part to see that this inevitable removal, as unchristian as it may be, is at least carried out with a modicum of respect and compassion?”

It was obviously a rhetorical question. Alice was by nature a fighter, especially when it came to standing up against the unjust treatment of others. But Constance’s words gave her pause to consider. Was there a point at which it would be better to set aside the protestations, accept the inevitable, and do what you could to make the best of a bad situation? Certainly the Cherokee people did not believe so; it would be much easier for them to give in and accept removal. She understood that the vast majority of them had made a formidable sacrifice to express their indignation through peaceful resistance, by refusing to give up their homeland until they were forced to do so. But what of the whites who had stood on the side of the rights of the Cherokee nation? What would she do if she were a soldier facing this situation; quit or do as Captain Martin had done? The answer was no longer as clear to her as she first thought it to be.

“There is also the fact that the United States is facing a number of internal disputes,” Captain Martin added. “The rights of the individual states are in jeopardy because of the need for a strong central government. The issue of slavery has been a bone of contention between the northern and southern states, and is the cause of a great rift between them. I believe that men must be level-headed enough to work out all of these issues, lest we run the risk of destroying our own country.”

“That’s not exactly the attitude I would expect from a military man,” said Alice. “Don’t you believe that some things are worth fighting for?”

“Of course I do,” he answered. “But are you suggesting we fight against our own citizens? Do you understand how devastating that would be to our country?”

Indeed she did. Unfortunately, she thought, so would he in a little more than twenty years. She hoped he’d be retired from military life by then. “I certainly wasn’t suggesting a civil war. I was just surprised that a military man would be against that option.”

“I think you will find most military men, and their families, consider going to war a last resort. After all, I believe we are the ones who must do the fighting and have the most to lose.”

“And I believe,” said Constance, “that I have been a poor hostess who has not offered my guests any refreshments. Alice, if you would not mind putting aside this heavy discussion for now and lending me a hand, I have some cool drinks and pastries we can serve. I am sorry to impose, but we have no servants…”

“Of course, I’d be happy to help,” Alice replied, following her to the kitchen.

The conversation became more lighthearted when they returned to the parlor with tea and a tray full of baked goods. When Constance heard Adam and Alice intended to return to the fort each day, she expressed a desire to come along with them when she was able, and volunteered to provide supplies that might be needed on days when her household chores kept her at home. Adam and Alice readily agreed. If Captain Martin had any objections, he kept them to himself for the moment.

After finishing the tea and cakes, Constance showed her guests to their rooms. Alice was taken to a very feminine room containing two beds, which was apparently the Martin girls’ bedroom when they were at home. The room was as tastefully decorated as the rest of the house and invitingly comfortable. Several dolls sat on a shelf between the beds, patiently waiting for their mistresses’ return.

Adam was shown to a more neutrally decorated bedroom; a room that served as the Martin’s guest room. Both rooms had brightly colored pitchers of fresh water and a washing bowl, along with a chamber pot for nighttime toilet use.

“I am sure you would both like to freshen up,” Constance said, “and I have taken the liberty of placing clean clothing in each of your rooms. I believe you are both slightly taller than James and myself, but I think what I brought should fit adequately. Please make yourselves at home, and let me know if there is anything else that you need.”

They thanked her for her hospitality and headed off to their respective rooms. On his way, Adam thought amusingly that Constance’s motives may be more than just hospitality. Both he and Alice were still in the same torn and grubby clothes they had been wearing while laboring on the farms, and they both probably smelled as rough as they looked. Constance would no doubt appreciate having them cleaned up and in fresh clothing while they were in her beautiful home.

Chapter forty-six

G
uwaya watched the four men approaching from his lookout atop the ridge, recognizing them and standing in the moonlight to make his presence known. By the time they were close enough to converse, the rest of Guwaya’s family had joined him on the ridge.

“I sent you to fetch a few items, Tom Woody, and you return with a posse of warriors,” he said with a wide grin.

“Thanks to the warriors,” said Tom, “I was able to recover these.” He handed the weapons and coin pouch to Guwaya. “Without them, I may not have gotten back at all!”

There had been no time for pleasantries at their first meeting, when Guwaya told them of Tom’s mission to the cabin. Now there was less urgency and they exchanged proper greetings. Guwaya and Yonah were clearly old friends, and John introduced Sal as Saloli-man, something Sal had begun to accept as unavoidable and no longer bothered to correct. Guwaya welcomed Sal, expressing his gratitude for the assistance he gave Tom. He presented Woyi and Sagi, though he did not mention the infant who was strapped in his usual spot on Woyi’s back. Tom wondered how Ahni would have reacted to Sal’s squirrel-man name; he was certain she would have been quite amused.

Greetings complete, Tom relayed the events at the cabin. Sal interjected details, embellishing his contributions only slightly less than usual. The Ward family listened to them both with polite silence, careful not to interrupt before the tale was complete. At the conclusion of the story, Guwaya and Woyi praised their courageousness.

Little Sagi, not as intimidated by Sal as he had been initially by Tom, regarded him meticulously, giving special attention to the two squirrels Sal still carried.

“Hello there, little dude,” said Sal, picking the boy up and hoisting him to shoulder level. “Osiyo, I mean.”

“’Siyo, Saloli-man,” the youngster replied in a soft voice, drawing a chuckle from those close enough to hear. He was still gawking at the two squirrels Sal was holding.

“These are a gift for your mother,” Sal said handing the squirrels to Woyi.

“Wado,” said Woyi, gratefully accepting them. “What are you doing, Sagi?” she said to the boy. He had clambered onto Sal’s shoulders and was hanging over examining Sal’s back, wiggling so much Sal had to hold tightly to his legs to keep him from tumbling to the ground.

“I am looking for Saloli-man’s tail!” he answered matter-of-factly, getting a big laugh from everyone.

“Hey, little dude, I don’t have a tail,” Sal chuckled. He lifted the squirming boy above his head and gave him a gentle jostle.

“You don’t?” the boy said wide-eyed.

“Of course not. Your name means onion, doesn’t it?”

“Yes!” Sagi answered, surprised that Sal knew the meaning of his name, forgetting that his mother had mentioned it only moments ago.

“Well, I don’t see any onions growing out of your ears,” Sal said to the giggling boy as he turned him back and forth, pretending to examine each of his ears.

John Carter observed that Guwaya and Tom had made some clever modifications to the cave site. From the ridge atop the cave they had installed a permanent attached rope ladder, just below the edge of the cliff, anchored securely into the rocks. It was not visible to anyone standing on the ridge without peering directly over the edge. The rope ladder was rolled and stored in a small niche in the cliff face, and they had attached a set of twisted vines to it, allowing it to be unfurled from either top or bottom. There were vine loops serving as pulleys so the ladder could be rolled back into its niche simply by pulling on the vine, like opening and closing a window blind. Once stored, anyone looking at the cliff face even in full daylight would see nothing more than a few dangling vines. John was impressed; Guwaya’s cleverness together with Tom’s engineering skills had undoubtedly created the ingenious retrofit.

Guwaya led the group to a copse of trees where he and Tom had rolled some rocks and logs to make a comfortable sitting area. This was where the family intended to spend most of their time, using the cave mostly for storage, sleeping, and for cover in times of inclement weather. Woyi excused herself, saying she would prepare some food for them, and headed down the ladder with Sal’s squirrels. She left Sagi with Sal, with whom the boy seemed to have bonded. He still stole the occasional glance at Sal’s posterior, not completely convinced that he wasn’t hiding a tail somewhere.

John noticed there was a fire pit in their sitting area that did not appear to have been used for some time. He asked Guwaya if they were planning to use it to prepare meals.

“The occasional fire would likely be attributed to a hunter’s campfire, but keeping a fire up here would attract unwanted attention,” Guwaya answered. “It was a problem that caused me much concern until Tom Woody constructed our cave stove.”

“Cave stove?” John asked.

“Yes. Tom found a cranny inside our cave with a fissure through which we could feel air movement. We built a small fire inside the cranny and watched as the smoke was drawn into the fissure. After some searching, we discovered the smoke dispersing through several small cracks within boulder piles on the other side of this ridge.” He paused and allowed Tom to continue.

“Once I knew there was a natural flue for the smoke to exit and not give away our location,” said Tom, “I constructed a cooking stove inside the cranny, using rocks and some iron plates Guwaya had in his barn. It has a pot crane to hold heavy kettles over the fire, and even a compartment for baking. We can build a good size cooking fire in it and have all the smoke routed out the other side of the mountain. We’ve only made a few small meals so far, since we haven’t been here full time until today, so whatever Woyi is cooking up for you all will be its first full inaugural meal.”

“Awesome, I’m starving! I hope she’s got more than just those two squirrels to cook up,” said Sal.

“Don’t worry. The cave’s larder is stocked with enough to last the Ward family for months, even if they entertain guests with appetites like yours,” said Tom.