The Peacemaker by Chelley Kitzmiller Page A

thinking she must have left it open. It was closed, but there might as well have been no door at all for her father's voice sounded like he was sitting beside her.
    "Captain Nolan and Sergeant Moseley have reported that you and your men were responsible for the safe return of the mail detachment."
    "You lost three men, Colonel. I wouldn't call that getting your detachment back safely." The cold sarcasm in Shatto's deep voice made Indy shiver with apprehension. No one had ever spoken to her father in that tone before—no one would have dared. He must be seething with anger, she thought, imagining his red-faced scowl. She leaned forward, turning her ear to the door, expecting to hear his angry reply, but instead he seemed almost affable.
    "We could have lost more, including Captain Nolan, but for your quick medical attention." There was a long pause. "Anyway, on behalf of the 1st Cavalry Regiment and the United States Army—thank you."
    Indy couldn't believe her ears; thank you's came hard to her father. He almost never thanked anyone for anything—unless he wanted something . . . .
    "The incident did serve a purpose, however, as it brought you to my attention. Captain Nolan has told me that you've lived with the Apaches for a number of years and you're familiar with their way of living and thinking. Frankly, I need a man like you to help me subjugate the hostiles in this area. Your knowledge and skills combined with your military background makes you eminently suitable to train my troops."
    "Dammit, Nolan! You lied to me—" Shatto slammed a fist on the table.
    "Now, Jim, don't go jumping to conclusions." Behind her door, Indy held her breath. She could almost see the captain leaning forward and raising his hand in his own defense. "We've been friends a long time and you know damn good and well you can trust me. I didn't lie to you. I just didn't tell you everything because I knew you wouldn't come if you thought the colonel knew about your past. You can hit me later if you want, but do yourself a favor and listen to what he has to say."
    "Shatto, or rather, Major Garrity, Captain Nolan has explained your situation. He told me about the four men you killed, your court-martial, your sentence to hang, and your escape. I gave my word that I would not have you arrested . . . regardless of the outcome of our talk."
    "An extremely wise decision, Colonel. I don't take well to confinement."
    With a gasp of surprise Indy bolted to her feet. He killed four men? And he'd been sentenced to hang? Dear God, what kind of man was he?
    "I'm sure Captain Nolan has already told you what the situation is here at Bowie—"
    "The situation, Colonel, is obvious. You've got more trouble here than you know how to handle. You can't get supplies in or take troops out without running into an attack and losing a couple of men. The Apaches have a name for you, doogoyaa da, bini'edih , which, simply translated, means fool. They laugh at you and make jokes. You've become quite a source of entertainment for them."
    "You're impertinent, Major Garrity."
    "Call me whatever you want. I am what I am, and I speak my mind."
    There was a hard edge to his voice that made Indy think her father and Captain Nolan would do well to tread cautiously. After all Shatto or Major Garrity—whatever he called himself—was a convicted murderer.
    "I'm going to ignore your impertinence, Major. But let me make something clear. As soon as Grant won the election, I applied for a post in Washington. The War Department, in their infinite wisdom, made an error and sent me here to this flea-bitten post. I know nothing about the frontier or Indians other than what I've read in Army reports and newspapers. My expertise is in civil engineering, though I did successfully lead a regiment in the Army of the Potomac. But that was an altogether different kind of warfare. Nothing like this. I expect I'll be reassigned soon, but until then I have a duty to perform and I find myself