Chapter X
By Joanna Phillips
"What do we do?" Cody whispered as the booted feet milled outside of the window.
"We don't do anything. Just lay here, pretend you're unconscious," Teaspoon whispered.
"I don't really think that's going to work," Jimmy hissed.
"You got to have faith, son," Teaspoon said, but then laid his head down when he heard broken glass crunching and saw a booted foot step inside the train.
"Everybody up, or we'll start shooting," A gruff voice called out.
When the passengers hesitated, one of the men discharged his rifle into the side of the train. The roar was ear splitting, and everyone on the floor jumped, giving away any hope of playing dead.
With resignation, everyone climbed sorely to their feet, many people having to lean on others for support.
"Alright, that's more like it, now outside! And if anyone tries anything funny, it'll be a bullet in your brain!"
Lou moved closer to Cody and Teaspoon as the people began hurrying for the exit. Jimmy stumbled along beside Buck.
Outside, the bruised passengers were forced to stand in a line, and keep their mouths closed. Lou found herself in between Jimmy and Teaspoon. Her heart was in her throat as she glanced up at them constantly for reassurance. Did they mean to execute them all as a firing squad?
"Okay, listen and listen good, and you might live to remember never to travel by train again." The leader of the group said when most of the passengers on the train lined up behind the people from the dining car. Lou studied the bandits closely and thought they were more deserters, although a larger group of them, because of their raggedy gray uniforms. "Any second now, those fools in the armed car are going to come out blazing their guns. We're gonna kill them and get those guns and ammunition where it belongs…to Robert E. Lee. If you cooperate, we'll leave you be! And then you can tell your grandkids that you were held up by Brewer's Raiders!"
Jimmy and Buck exchanged a look. Brewer's Raiders? They'd never heard of them, but apparently the title was supposed to command some fear. At least they were not, in fact, deserters. Bandits and misfits, yes, but they still aided their cause.
"Ain't never heard of Brewer's Raiders, Reb! Don't you mean Mosby's Raiders?" Someone in the crowd snickered.
The leader's face turned a furious red, "Another comment like that will get you killed!"
He then stroked his beard and looked over the crowd more closely. He motioned to one of his men and a torch was brought to him. He walked up and down the line, as if trying to make a careful decision. He finally spotted what he was looking for, and finding scarce among the predominantly male passengers…a beautiful young woman.
Lou raised her chin defiantly when the man stopped in front of her.
"I'll be requiring your assistance, ma'am," the man said in a thick accent, and bowed low.
"I'll be declining your request," Lou said evenly.
The man chuckled and raised his eyebrow, but his grip brooked no argument as he reached out his glove hand and grabbed her under the arm. Cody, Buck, Jimmy, and Teaspoon instantly leapt forward, only to have rifles shoved under their noses.
"You don't need her!" Jimmy growled, "There's more of you than them! Just take your guns and leave us!"
"And you think you are giving orders now, boy?" The man asked, his voice making it quite clear that it wasn't so, "We're going to borrow her just for a minute. Just as insurance that none of my men get hurt. Don't worry, son. Yankees aren't even cruel enough to shoot a pretty little thing like her, are they?"
"Take me, I'll make a bigger shield," Teaspoon urged them.
"Sorry, grandpa, but I don't think the Yanks would hesitate too long to shoot an old codger like you."
"Come on, darlin'," The man said to Lou, and his grip was gentle, but firm as he pulled Lou away from the boys.
"Wait!" Cody started, trying desperately to think of some way to stop them.
"Cody, it'll be all right," Lou said quietly, not wanting anyone to get hurt. She turned up to the man holding her arm, "Do I have your word, as a Southern gentleman and as a comrade of my husband, who fights under the same cause, that I will suffer no harm in your hands?"
The man looked a little awed at her composure at the prospect of becoming a hostage. He nodded, "On my honor ma'am. We just want the guns."
"Seems like you could have picked a less harmful way of getting them than to send us tumbling down a hillside in a train," Lou pointed out, but didn't resist as the leader, who she took to be Brewer himself, escorted her away.
"Damn it," Jimmy swore softly, "why her?"
"She'll be all right," Buck said, in an effort to convince not only the others, but himself.
Lou walked at Brewer's side, her mouth in a straight line. She wasn't exceptionally angry at the man, but she clearly wasn't pleased to be with him. They topped the embankment the train had rolled down, and Lou was surprised to see the back half of the train still on the tracks.
She hesitated as she saw people peering out of their compartments in fear, and prayed no one would be a hero and take a shot at the men, and mistakenly hit her instead. They reached the back of the long train, and Brewer called out, "Okay, Yanks, we know you are in there, and we know there are more of us! We've got a little lady out here who we'll kill if you try anything funny."
Lou glared at Brewer, "You gave your word, remember," she reminded him.
"Been known to lie," the man grinned, "but don't worry. I'll do everything I can to make sure you live…as long as the yanks cooperate."
"Listen, I'm expecting a child," Lou began softly, hoping for sympathy.
"What a coincidence. So is my wife, but this is business, and more important than any baby."
Lou was infuriated by the remark.
Brewer continued to demand that the yanks come out, but nothing happened.
Finally, he motioned to a few of his men, "Go open it up."
They obeyed him, and Lou cringed as the doors were thrown open, expecting a barrage of gunfire.
There was no need to worry, because the car was devoid of not only men, but of guns.
"What! Where are they?" Brewer screamed.
"Maybe this is the wrong train," Lou suggested sarcastically.
Brewer gave her a mighty shake, "Shut up!"
Suddenly, he flung himself around at a noise, only to see the top of the hill lined with men holding guns trained on them. Not only soldiers held the guns he'd been trying to steal, but passengers as well. Cursing, he realized his mistake too late. The yanks had crept out of the car the moment the train stopped. It had taken Brewer some time to get down to the site of the wreckage from where he'd watched the train hit the barricade his men constructed. He only left a few men with the passengers when he discovered the rifles were at the back of the train, and in the mean time the yanks had made it to the dining car and subdued his men easily. The soldiers then increased their number with passengers.
"Give it up, Brewer," A blue coated man demanded, "You're outgunned!" The man suddenly laughed at the pun, "in more ways than one!"
Lou shrieked in surprise and fear as Brewer suddenly jerked her in front of his body and pressed his revolver into her throat, "No body make a move, or I'll kill her!"
Both the soldiers and the passengers lowered their weapons slightly.
"Let her go, you have no way out!" the Yankee yelled back.
"I'll let her go as soon as I get to my horses and get out of here!" Brewer assured him.
"Please, let them go!" Jimmy said worriedly, his eyes on Lou and his gun trained on Brewer's forehead, "He'll kill her if you don't."
"Son, you don't realize who those men are! They've been causing a lot of trouble with shipments going to Washington," one of the blue coats told him.
"Just promise you won't put the girl's life in danger," Teaspoon said quietly.
"We'll do everything we can," The Union soldier assured him.
"That's not good enough," Cody pointed out.
"There ain't one of us that's gonna help you until that girl's safe," one of the passengers insisted.
The soldier sighed, "All right, but if we let them go, they'll probably be back in a bigger number."
"We'll worry about that then," yet another passenger replied.
Meanwhile, Brewer had been backing up rapidly, still holding Lou in front of him. When he was at a safe distance from any bullets, he yelled at his men to run for their horses and gave Lou a mighty shove before turning and high-tailing it for a wooded area.
Lou felt the breath leave her body at the unexpected fall, and she cried out as she rolled down a small hill and came to sudden stop at the bottom. Unspeakable horror filled her when she felt a slight pain in her abdomen. Instant sobs choked her throat and she cradled her stomach with both hands, as if she could stop anything bad from happening that way.
"Oh no, Lou looks hurt," Jimmy yelled as the line of men surged forward to pursue the raiders.
Jimmy was at the front of all of them, his head pounding with every step, but he, Cody, Buck, and Teaspoon all stopped at Lou's side while the others pressed on.
"Lou, sweetheart, you all right?" Teaspoon wondered, brushing her hair back and alarmed at the tears on her face, "It's over, honey, he's gone. You're okay."
Lou, still terrified over the slight pain in her abdomen, didn't sound quite herself when she whispered, "Find a doctor. I think it's the baby."
"Oh no," Jimmy breathed, and stood up on the grassy bank and yelled at the train, "I need a doctor! A doctor!"
"Come on, Lou, let's get you inside," Cody said softly, and he leaned down to pick Lou up gently. She cried out in fear and pain, and sobbed into Cody's neck.
"Is there a doctor on this train?" Jimmy's edgy voice called up to the people remaining on the back half of the train, "There's a hurt woman here!"
Jimmy continued to jog alongside the train, desperately seeking a doctor, while Cody carried Lou inside the train and quickly made it to their compartment.
"Easy there, Lou," Cody murmured to her as he laid her on the long velvet seat, "Jimmy's gone to get help."
Lou turned her face into the soft velvet and sobbed.
A few minutes later, Jimmy, covered in a light sweat, appeared. He motioned Cody, Buck, and Teaspoon outside, "I couldn't find a doctor. Most of the men on the train are out chasing down Brewer's men."
Jimmy suddenly took several steps sideways and reached for the wall to keep himself from falling. Teaspoon was instantly at his side, supporting the boy, and looking at the gash on his head.
"Lou's not the only one who needs a doctor. Jimmy, go inside and stay with Lou. We'll go after the men and see if we can find a doctor. Or at least a woman who can help."
Jimmy nodded, wanting desperately to help find the doctor, but knowing that he would probably pass out from dizziness if he ran any further. Using Teaspoon and the wall, he made it back into the small room where Lou gasped and looked up hopefully to find someone coming through the door.
"Lou, honey, we're gonna go look for a doctor. Jimmy is going to stay with you, okay?"
"Please, hurry!" Lou begged and closed her eyes as Teaspoon came to kiss her cheek gently and assure her they'd get her help.
Jimmy went to the water basin and wet a cloth, coming to sit beside Lou as she lay on the seat. He gently brought the cloth over her sweating forehead.
"Lou, I'm sure the baby is going to be just fine," he attempted to soothe her.
Lou shook her head, "I knew I should have stayed at home. I knew it! I can't do this! I can't go through this again!"
Jimmy instantly straightened and his eyes bore into hers, as she continued to speak, unaware of what she'd said.
"What do you mean, 'again', Lou?" Jimmy asked in confusion.
Her eyes attained the look of a trapped animal, "What? I didn't mean anything," she began, but he shook his head ever so slightly to let her know it wasn't going to be that easy. The fear that gripped her now convinced her to utter the next words, "I was pregnant before, Jimmy, and I lost the baby."
Jimmy's face twisted painfully as he used the cloth to smooth her hair away from her flushed face. Her eyes miserably searched his.
"When?" He finally wondered gently.
"When Kid and I were in Virginia. I was running around, working at the hospital, tending to the animals. I guess I wasn't careful enough that time either. Because one morning, I just fell down in the snow, and…"
"Shhh, you don't have to talk about it anymore," Jimmy whispered, grabbing her hand when her voice grew shaky.
Lou went on as if she hadn't heard him, as if she were trapped in the memory, "there was so much blood. I can remember how bright it all was, there in the snow. Our neighbor found me, and got me inside, but it was too late to save the baby. I nearly died. I wanted to die."
"Rachel never told me that," Jimmy said quietly.
"Rachel never knew. No one in the world but my neighbor did. Kid didn't even know. He never got the letter I wrote him telling him about the baby, and by the time I was ready to write him another, it was all over. But I'm so glad he didn't know! It would have devastated him."
"Lou, you should never have had to go through that alone," Jimmy said, his eyes filling with tears, "Kid would have wanted to know. Oh, Lou, I wish you'd told me, even if you couldn't tell Kid."
"You weren't responding to my letters, Jimmy, it hardly would have been fair for me to drop that burden on you," Lou saw the guilt on his face, and wiped the tears rapidly falling from her eyes. "Oh, Jimmy, I couldn't have told you anyway. I couldn't tell anyone. It was too painful."
"The doctor said I'd never have children again, and part of me was very relieved."
"No wonder you acted so terrified that day I told you."
"Yes, I was terrified. I knew then, just like I know now, I'm not strong enough to stand it again. I can't do it. And if I lose this baby, and Kid too, I will never, ever be able to go on," Lou suddenly lost the control she'd maintained and burst into sobs, reaching out to Jimmy, "I can't lose this baby, Jimmy!"
Jimmy wrapped Lou in a tight embrace, and cradled her head as if she were a child, "You won't, Lou, I won't let you!"
"And neither will I," a new voice suddenly announced, and both Jimmy and Lou jumped and turned to find a middle aged man with thin gray hair and a bushy mustache standing in the doorway.
"I'm Dr. Witherspoon," he announced, and progressed into the room, "Mr. and Mrs.?"
"Oh, we're not married," Jimmy began awkwardly, and at the doctor's surprised look explained hastily, "Her husband is in Maryland. I'm a friend of hers, theirs…both of them," Jimmy paused and cleared his throat awkwardly, well aware of the fact he'd made himself look horribly guilty for no reason, "This is Louise. I'm James."
"All right, young lady, let' s see what's going on," Dr. Witherspoon smiled gently at the girl, and eyed Jimmy, "Sir, if you could leave us a minute…"
"No, please, I want someone here, in case something…" Lou swallowed hard, reaching out to grab Jimmy's shirt, "in case something goes wrong."
The doctor raised an eyebrow, but nodded, "All right. You can sit up there with her, just give me room."
Jimmy sat with his back to the doctor as he began gently pressing on Lou's abdomen, and faced Lou. She winced slightly as the doctor prodded, and Jimmy lay one hand on her cheek, and held her icy hand with the other.
The doctor quietly went about his examination, and finally came to stand over Lou.
Her eyes were fearful, and Jimmy squeezed her hand hard, ready to deal with the worst possible news.
"Louise, you are very lucky. So far, there is no sign of a miscarriage, and the baby seems fine. However, there were a few spots of blood, and that is not a good sign. I think the worst of the danger is past, but I want you lying down right here, and carried anywhere else you might have to go, for at least four days. I don't want you on your feet for longer than five minutes a day. They will be sending out a locomotive to tow the rest of the train in, but it won't be here for two days. I want you right here resting, and I'll come by to check on you often. I mean it! No moving around!"
Lou didn't protest at all, and tears of relief filled her eyes as she squeezed his hand, "Oh, thank you sir!"
"I didn't do anything, ma'am. But I tell you one thing. Although that fall down the hill was dangerous, the train rolling was much, much more dangerous. I've already been told by your other companions that this young man is responsible for making sure you weren't hurt during that fall. I think he's the one you should be thanking! Which reminds, me, young man, you need some stitches in that wound. Come across the way, and I'll sew you up. This young lady needs her rest. At the first sign of discomfort, you send one of these men to my car, day or night."
Lou nodded her thanks, and as soon as the doctor and Jimmy left the room, and Teaspoon poked his head in to be sure she was comfortable, Lou cradled her stomach protectively and sobbed her heart out with relief, offering thanks to God.
Outside the small room, Dr. Witherspoon turned to Jimmy, Teaspoon, Buck, and Cody, with a worried look in his eyes.
"I didn't let on, but I'm still concerned about the baby, and the mother. I meant it when I said I didn't want her on her feet at all. I'm afraid it wouldn't take much for her to lose the baby. And something else is bothering me too," he admitted.
"What's that?" Teaspoon wondered with concern.
"Well, if she does carry the baby to full term, I'm concerned about the delivery. She is very, very small, and I'm not sure how she'll fare with the labor."
"Are you saying that Lou's life could be endangered if she has this child?" Cody asked with a wrinkled brow.
"Maybe son. Women are amazingly strong, but quite frankly Louise just isn't built for giving birth. It's just something to be aware of, to warn her husband of. I'd suggest you make sure there is a doctor in the vicinity when she goes into labor."
They all nodded slowly, worried sick by the news.
The few warm days that the prisoners had enjoyed at Point Lookout were obviously only a mild preview of a spring that was still far away. In two days the temperature dropped forty degrees, and heavy clouds rolled in, blanketing the area with snow. Kid, who had fought his cough all winter, took a chill, and grew very ill, and too weak to fend for himself in the breadlines.
Had he not been lucky enough to have run into Marty and Barney, he would have been one of the unfortunate souls they hauled out of the camp on stretchers every day. Kid shuddered whenever he thought of the rows upon rows of coffins lining the entrance to the prison. They were just waiting for the next day's dead, and a foreshadowing of what was to come for prisoners marching past those coffins on their way into the prison.
Kid felt that he might as well be dead, especially after news that the Union refused to trade any more prisoners. Even officers were declined exchange, and the news was heavy. For however long the war lasted, he would be stuck in this yard of milling humanity. He eagerly strained his ears for his name when guards occasionally brought letters into the yard, but his name was never called.
Tonight he was lying cold and miserable against the back wall of the tent. Marty was close at his side, busily trying to patch his sock together. Barney was fast asleep with his arms resting behind his head.
Slowly, with trembling hands, Kid reached into his pocket and brought out the filthy piece of paper that Lou had written him so long ago. His eyes crossed over it four or five times, and again he felt the devastation he always felt when he thought of Lou, all alone, losing the child he'd never known.
Marty eyed his friend worriedly, but said nothing. He seemed to read the letter more often as he grew weaker.
"Hey, Reb, what you always reading that for? Ain't it about time it got put to some real use?"
Kid looked up with daggers in his eyes to see a guard. A closer look quickly told him it was the guard he'd attacked a few weeks ago. Although Barney and Marty insisted he not go back over to the side of the yard where the guard usually patrolled, it seemed that he'd decided to seek Kid out.
"It's none of your damn business," Kid growled, starting to tuck the letter safely in his pocket.
"Give it to me," the guard demanded.
"No," Kid said flatly.
"Leave him alone!" Marty growled standing up, "Don't you have something better to do besides harass us?"
"Stay out of it, Reb," the guard warned Marty, and suddenly delivered a hard kick to Kid's side. Kid gasped and quickly broke into his ragged cough. While Kid wheezed, trying to get his breath back, the guard quickly reached down to wrestle the letter from him.
Kid was suddenly fighting to get his feet under him, although Marty, and now Barney, who'd awakened during the struggle, tried to convince him to stay down and let it go.
"Aw, isn't this sweet?" The guard began, skimming the letter, "Reb's gonna have a little reb baby. Of course, I hear yanks is marching through that part of the country, so they'll probably bash its brains against the wall. Probably kill your wife too, after they have some fun with her."
Kid rushed at the man with all the strength and fury he had. Unfortunately, his fury far exceeded his strength and the guard hit him hard before Kid touched him, sending him sprawling back to the dirty ground, in between Marty and Barney who helped him sit back up.
Kid wiped at his bloody nose with the back of his hand, and watched as the guard deliberately brought the paper to his face, and used it to blow his nose. He then tossed the precious letter into the tiny fire in the center of the tent and began striding out of the tent, chuckling to himself. Kid crawled to the fire and attempted to save the letter from the flames, but his efforts only resulted in burns on his hands.
A growl from the bottom of Kid's furious soul rumbled in his throat as he again pushed himself up, and began half running, half stumbling after the guard.
"Wait Kid!" Marty demanded as he and his father scrambled up to go after him.
Kid's breath rasped in his throat as he caught up with the man and he threw himself on the back of the guard, securing a choke hold across the man's neck. The guard spun around and attempted to hit Kid with his stick. The blows fell on unfeeling limbs as Kid tightened his hold.
The guard finally got Kid off his back by smashing him against the high wood wall of the yard. Kid was on his feet again almost instantly, charging him again.
The other prisoners, who'd at one time or another all suffered abuse at the hand of a guard suddenly rushed forward in a frenzy, reaching for the man with bloodthirsty hands. Kid was pushed forward by the mob, and found himself looking into the eyes of the guard as the men began the process of beating him to death.
Kid's cries to stop were lost in the barbaric screams of the prisoners. The guard's dark brown eyes bore into Kid's, even as frothy blood and spittle spotted his lips.
Kid screamed at the sheer horror of watching a man torn to bits in front of him.
"Kid! Let's get out of here!" Barney was suddenly at his side, taking a firm hold of his arm and trying to fight his way back through the crowds.
Kid followed blindly, pushing just as hard as Barney in his need to flee the scene.
And then, as was expected, a gun shot roared from the parapets, stopping the mob in its tracks.
Kid screamed as blood suddenly splashed into his eyes, and for what seemed like forever, he found himself falling.
To Be Continued…Chapter XI
Copyright 1998-This work is not to be reproduced without the permission of the author
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Campfire Tales