Blood spurted from his nose. Nelson drew back and drove his fist into Daniel’s stomach several times. When he sagged toward the ground, Nelson kicked him in the ribs.
“Get him up and drag him to the jail.”
Rosemarie ran to Daniel, but one of the soldiers grabbed her arm. “Ma’am, it’s best if you go about your business. Like Captain Nelson said, if you want to visit him in the jail later, go see the sheriff.”
With one soldier on either side of him, Daniel was dragged to the sheriff’s office and pushed through the door. Captain Nelson already stood in the center of the room rubbing his jaw, which had already started to bruise.
“This the man?” The sheriff stood and snagged a ring of keys from the wall.
“Right. Military prisoner.” Captain Nelson glanced in Daniel’s direction, a smirk on his face. “He’ll be hung in the morning, once we get him back to Camp Morton. My men and I will be at the hotel overnight.”
The sheriff led Daniel and the soldiers down the short hallway and opened a cell door. One of the soldiers placed his palm against Daniel’s back and shoved. He landed on his knees, next to a small cot. No one spoke as the sound of the cell locking sounded in the air.
• • •
Rosemarie watched the two soldiers haul Daniel away. Suddenly sick to her stomach, she clutched her middle, and eased herself down onto the saddle alongside the road. Daniel was to be hung for stealing the horse.
Her heart thudded and she pushed away the hair blowing into her eyes with a cold, shaky hand. She had to do something. The first thing was to get Dr. Kennedy to take a look at Daniel in the jailhouse. After the beating Captain Nelson had given him, Daniel would need medical attention.
Leaving the saddle where it sat, Rosemarie hurried back into town. After a short visit with Jedediah, he agreed to collect the saddle she’d left behind. The next stop was the doctor’s house.
“Back already? That was quick,” Mrs. Kennedy said, her smile faltering as she took in Rosemarie’s appearance. “What’s the matter, dear? You look upset.”
“I need Dr. Kennedy to take a look at someone in the jail. He’s been beaten, and I doubt the sheriff would send for your husband because the prisoner is a military detainee.”
“Come in, let me get the doctor.”
Rosemarie followed Mrs. Kennedy down the hallway and entered the infirmary. All three children were fast asleep.
“How are they doing?”
“Just fine. The doctor and I bathed them in the oat water, and he gave them a little something to help them sleep. Only Amelia still has a fever, but it’s slight.” She patted Rosemarie’s hand. “Let me tell the doctor you’re here.”
Rosemarie sat on a chair next to Jace’s bed, where the boy peacefully slept. The rash had spread to his face and arms. Thank goodness they were in the care of the doctor. Even though chicken pox was one of the lesser evils in childhood diseases, it eased her mind to have them here when she needed to focus on Daniel.
“Now tell me about your young man.” Mrs. Kennedy bustled into the room. “The doctor will be right down.”
Rosemarie paced, wringing her hands. “Daniel is a Confederate soldier.” She cast an uneasy glance at Mrs. Kennedy. When the woman’s expression didn’t change, she continued. “He came to our farm looking for a place to bed down for the night. I had a serious cut on my leg.” She stopped her pacing and looked the woman in the eye. “He saved my life. The cut had become infected.” After taking a deep breath, she went on. “Then, he stayed for a while, helping with the chores, teaching Chandler how to hunt, making scrambled eggs for Amelia … ”
Unable to continue, she pushed her fist into her mouth, holding back tears. The image of Daniel swinging from a rope overwhelmed her.
“What’s this about someone needing attention at the jailhouse?” Dr. Kennedy entered the room, rolling down his shirtsleeves.
“It’s a friend of
“Get him up and drag him to the jail.”
Rosemarie ran to Daniel, but one of the soldiers grabbed her arm. “Ma’am, it’s best if you go about your business. Like Captain Nelson said, if you want to visit him in the jail later, go see the sheriff.”
With one soldier on either side of him, Daniel was dragged to the sheriff’s office and pushed through the door. Captain Nelson already stood in the center of the room rubbing his jaw, which had already started to bruise.
“This the man?” The sheriff stood and snagged a ring of keys from the wall.
“Right. Military prisoner.” Captain Nelson glanced in Daniel’s direction, a smirk on his face. “He’ll be hung in the morning, once we get him back to Camp Morton. My men and I will be at the hotel overnight.”
The sheriff led Daniel and the soldiers down the short hallway and opened a cell door. One of the soldiers placed his palm against Daniel’s back and shoved. He landed on his knees, next to a small cot. No one spoke as the sound of the cell locking sounded in the air.
• • •
Rosemarie watched the two soldiers haul Daniel away. Suddenly sick to her stomach, she clutched her middle, and eased herself down onto the saddle alongside the road. Daniel was to be hung for stealing the horse.
Her heart thudded and she pushed away the hair blowing into her eyes with a cold, shaky hand. She had to do something. The first thing was to get Dr. Kennedy to take a look at Daniel in the jailhouse. After the beating Captain Nelson had given him, Daniel would need medical attention.
Leaving the saddle where it sat, Rosemarie hurried back into town. After a short visit with Jedediah, he agreed to collect the saddle she’d left behind. The next stop was the doctor’s house.
“Back already? That was quick,” Mrs. Kennedy said, her smile faltering as she took in Rosemarie’s appearance. “What’s the matter, dear? You look upset.”
“I need Dr. Kennedy to take a look at someone in the jail. He’s been beaten, and I doubt the sheriff would send for your husband because the prisoner is a military detainee.”
“Come in, let me get the doctor.”
Rosemarie followed Mrs. Kennedy down the hallway and entered the infirmary. All three children were fast asleep.
“How are they doing?”
“Just fine. The doctor and I bathed them in the oat water, and he gave them a little something to help them sleep. Only Amelia still has a fever, but it’s slight.” She patted Rosemarie’s hand. “Let me tell the doctor you’re here.”
Rosemarie sat on a chair next to Jace’s bed, where the boy peacefully slept. The rash had spread to his face and arms. Thank goodness they were in the care of the doctor. Even though chicken pox was one of the lesser evils in childhood diseases, it eased her mind to have them here when she needed to focus on Daniel.
“Now tell me about your young man.” Mrs. Kennedy bustled into the room. “The doctor will be right down.”
Rosemarie paced, wringing her hands. “Daniel is a Confederate soldier.” She cast an uneasy glance at Mrs. Kennedy. When the woman’s expression didn’t change, she continued. “He came to our farm looking for a place to bed down for the night. I had a serious cut on my leg.” She stopped her pacing and looked the woman in the eye. “He saved my life. The cut had become infected.” After taking a deep breath, she went on. “Then, he stayed for a while, helping with the chores, teaching Chandler how to hunt, making scrambled eggs for Amelia … ”
Unable to continue, she pushed her fist into her mouth, holding back tears. The image of Daniel swinging from a rope overwhelmed her.
“What’s this about someone needing attention at the jailhouse?” Dr. Kennedy entered the room, rolling down his shirtsleeves.
“It’s a friend of
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