Woman of Courage (23 page)

The sun shone brightly, and the summer air felt warm and inviting as they set out one morning in early July. Jim led the procession, riding his spotted horse. Amanda and Mary followed on their horses, with Little Joe strapped safely to Mary’s back in his cradleboard. Behind them were Amanda’s two pack mules, Jake and Jasper, loaded down with some of their supplies and all of Jim’s furs. Amanda’s father’s horse went, too, carrying the rest of their things. Alongside Mary’s spotted horse, Thunder ran friskily along, barking at every squirrel or small critter he managed to stir up.

Amanda smiled. She was glad Jim had agreed to Mary’s request to take the dog with them. It seemed that Jim was much more pleasant these days. Their little boy had tamed his daddy quite a bit. Jim had begun to ask Amanda more questions about the Bible, too. She hoped it was just a matter of time before he would open his heart fully to the Lord.

At midday they stopped beside a narrow creek where the water ran clear and swift. The warm sun had been beating down on their heads all morning, and the baby was starting to get fussy. Amanda was certainly ready for a break from riding and a refreshing drink of cold water. It had been several weeks since she’d been on horseback, and it would take a few days to get accustomed to being in the saddle again.

She watched as Mary unlashed the cradleboard and handed Little Joe down to his father. They both seemed in good spirits.

Jim knelt by the creek and sponged the baby’s face with a piece of cloth he’d dipped in the cool, refreshing water. Mary and Amanda knelt at the creek beside him. Amanda splashed some cold water on her face and rubbed the back of her neck. Then she cupped her hands and took a long, invigorating drink. Her dry, parched throat felt the welcome relief that only clean water could provide.

“Guess we should’ve stopped sooner,” Jim said. “I plumb forgot that women and babies need to stop more often. I’ve been used to bein’ on my own for so long, reckon I don’t always think straight about some things.”

Mary smiled at him. “We be fine now. Cool water refreshing.”

Amanda watched as Thunder, the horses, and the mules took their share of water from the creek. Then she sat on the grassy bank and drew in a deep breath. It felt good to stop and rest awhile. Thankfully, since she wore her father’s trousers under her dress, she was able to ride like Jim and Mary rather than sidesaddle. She almost wished her clothing was made from animal skins, being so much softer than her own, but she’d have to make do.

Amanda turned her gaze from the water back to Jim. He was playing peekaboo with Little Joe and had the baby laughing at his funny antics. Mary sat nearby, watching with a smile. There was no doubt in Amanda’s mind—the baby had changed this couple’s lives. Jim had become gentler and much kinder since the birth of Little Joe, and Mary seemed more content and at peace with herself. Little Joe seemed to fill a special place in Jim’s heart, just as he did in Mary’s.

Amanda’s thoughts were interrupted when Jim touched Mary’s arm and announced, “We’d best be goin’ now.”

“Me feed Joseph first, then be ready to travel,” Mary said, taking the child from his father.

They set up camp that night near another gently flowing stream. Jim busied himself building a fire and putting up a small lean-to, while Mary and Amanda got supper started. The clearing where they’d made camp was surrounded by tall trees. The pine and fir were a deep, verdant green, and they gave off a woodsy scent that brought a heady sense of peace and tranquility. It was so pleasant that Jim found himself wishing they could build a new cabin and stay right there. A slight breeze blew through the pines, giving it a whispering, soothing sound. Crickets soon chimed in, making their camp seem one with nature.

Jim usually had no trouble sleeping during the night in the wilderness, and he hoped the womenfolk would adjust quickly, too. For him, all it took was a day of fresh clean air, and when he bedded down, he was asleep before he knew it. This time might be a little different, having the women and baby along. Although Jim needed the rest, he wouldn’t allow himself to fall into a deep sleep in case something unwelcome ventured into their camp. What was more, it was a comfort to have Thunder along, because Jim knew the dog would alert him to any danger that might be out there, lurking, because in the wilderness most anything could happen.

By the time they’d eaten their evening meal and were getting ready to retire for the night, a light rain had begun falling.

“No wonder everything is so green around here,” Jim said. “Hope it’s just a short summer shower and doesn’t last too long.” A gentle rain could turn torrential in a matter of minutes and change an easy-flowing stream into a raging river.

Morning came slowly, with a dull gray sky hanging over the area. Little light filtered through the thick cloud cover. There was still a steady drizzle of cool rain, and Jim was anxious to get started. They’d been lucky so far that the rain hadn’t turned heavy. He wished they didn’t have to travel in the rain, but not knowing how long it would last, he didn’t want to wait around the campsite any longer. So far, good fortune had been with them.

Jim was glad he’d brought his family along on this trip. He found himself enjoying Mary’s company more all the time. He even had visions of them having more children, raising them in the serenity of the mountains, and teaching them the ways of wilderness survival.

He wasn’t sure how, or even when it had happened, but Jim had allowed himself to fall in love with the Indian woman who had put up with his cantankerous ways and had given him a son. Not only did she cook and perform other household chores, she also did the tedious job of stretching and scraping the beaver and otter pelts he trapped. The young Indian woman was a hard worker, and Jim felt fortunate to have married her when he did. Though he didn’t love Mary the same way he’d loved Lois, she was a friend and companion for life, and he hoped they would have many good days together in the years to come. Maybe one day she would love him, too.

They traveled about fifteen miles that morning, and the rain continued. Very little was said as they rode along; their horses’ hooves plodding through the mud. Little Joe slept soundly in his cradleboard, lulled by the gentle sway of the horse’s gait and the sound of the rain.

Jim could tell his son would grow up to become a strong man. He thought about how Mary had chosen Little Joe’s Indian name, Little Wolf. The wolf symbolized strength and endurance, along with intelligence as part of its instinct. Jim would teach his son all these principles, and if he taught them well, Little Joe would grow to be an honorable man, respected by all who would come to know him.

Jim’s thinking shifted to the price he would get for his furs and pelts at the Rendezvous. The American Fur Company would be there, ready to pay good money for high quality furs and hides. He had a family to think of now and needed to provide for them in the best way possible.

Later that afternoon, Jim heaved a sigh of relief when the rain finally let up and the sun showed itself. The air was still humid, and a light fog drifted up the path, but it would make for easier traveling now that the rain had quit.

Jim thought about Mary again and hoped that she wouldn’t decide to run off if her family was at the Rendezvous. He had a hankering to tell his wife a few things that had been on his mind today, but she looked awful tired, so what he had to say could wait till tomorrow.

T
he sun streamed into the makeshift tent Jim had erected, where the flap had been folded back to let in some fresh air. Pushing her lightweight blanket aside, Mary rose from her mat, being careful not to disturb her sleeping son. She noticed that Amanda was already up and stirring around their campsite. Jim was not in the tent, and she wondered where he could be when the sun had barely risen.

He’d probably taken a walk or gone to the river to wash up. She would help Amanda with breakfast, and by the time it was ready, Jim would no doubt be back, hungry and ready to eat.

“Have you been to Rendezvous before?” Amanda asked as she placed the coffeepot over the hot coals.

Joining her friend at the campfire, Mary nodded. “Went with family sometimes.”

“What’s it like?”

“Many trappers. Also Indians. Men. Women. Children. Everyone go.” Mary smiled, remembering the things she and her family had seen at the Rendezvous. “People sing, dance, tell lots of stories. Trappers trade and sell furs. Lots to look at. Lots to buy and sell. I like pretty beads.”

“It sounds like an interesting event,” Amanda said. “I’m looking forward to going.” She touched Mary’s arm. “But when I leave there, I shall miss you, my friend. It’s like you are family, and I have known you for a long time. I will miss our long talks, and the time we’ve spent reading the Bible. Now that you have accepted Jesus as your Savior, our hearts are linked through the love of God.” She glanced over at the baby, sleeping in his cradleboard. “And I’ll miss Little Joe something awful.”

“You wish to have a baby of your own?” Mary asked, rubbing her hands close to the fire. Since they were working their way down to the Rendezvous site in the valley, it was a little warmer than mornings up in the mountains. Even so, it was a bit chilly, and the warmth of the fire felt good.

“Someday I would like to be a mother,” Amanda said, “but I’d have to find a good husband first, and I’m not really looking for one.”

“You wish to marry strong mountain man?”

Amanda laughed. “Not necessarily, but he would have to be a Christian.”

“Believe in God, like you?”

“Yes, he must be a believer, and someone I can trust.”

“Buck no good husband then,” Mary said, slowly shaking her head. “He not even want to hear about God.”

“I know.” Amanda’s shoulders slumped. “I had hoped to reach him with the Gospel before I left Jim’s cabin, but I guess it wasn’t meant to be. I will pray that God will soften Buck’s heart. Who knows? Maybe someone else will come into Buck’s life, and they’ll be able to reach him.”

Jim had enjoyed a few minutes of solitude at the river as he washed up and spent some time alone with God. Last night Jim had seen Lois in a dream. She’d encouraged him to make peace with God, confess his sins, and acknowledge His Son, Jesus. Kneeling at the river, Jim had done just that this morning, and now he felt like a new man, ready to be the kind of father and husband God intended him to be.

Jim hadn’t told Mary yet, but he’d decided that before winter set in, making it difficult to travel, he would take her and Little Joe to see her family at their winter home along the Clearwater River in Oregon Territory. As soon as he got back to the camp, he was going to surprise her with the news.
Maybe I’ll even agree to act as Amanda’s guide and take her to the Spalding Mission
, he decided.
From what I’ve been told, it’s not far from where the Nez Percé camp
.

He dried his face on a piece of cloth, and was about to start back for camp, when a sudden chill went up his spine. He cocked his head to one side and listened. It was a dreaded noise that he’d hoped he’d never hear. The unmistakable vibration of a rattlesnake’s tail caused him to look down. He held very still, watching the coiled snake a few inches from his foot and wondering why he hadn’t seen it before. They weren’t up in the higher elevations anymore, and Jim scolded himself for not watching for this type of danger more common in the valleys.