The Last Patrol

[Scarlet Angel]

Scarlet smirked. "Nobody knows everything Darlin' there a few that come close though." She winked at him then stepped away from him to get her gear so they could be on their way.

[Elegant Ella]

"I ought to be able to make Alan melt, once I start applying the lessons I have learned from Rose, Scarlet and Becca," giggled Ella.  Privately she wondered if those lessons would give her enough leverage to move him out of Boston if she joined him there.  The trouble was that Boston had too many other people around who could counsel him not to be influenced by a wife.

[Scarlet Angel]

"We all have our melting points. You ladies seem to be able to find them easily enough too." Bo Chuckled.

[Elegant Ella]

Ella resolved not to think about Bo melting.  That led to dangerous territory.  She could feel herself blushing when he glanced her way. 

[Scarlet Angel]

"I hope Rose, Scarlet and Becca taught you to recognize when a man was trying to find your melting point." Bo's smile was slightly fliratious "Alan may have learned a thing or two also." He said with a wink.

[Elegant Ella]

"You are a very dangerous man, Mister Bo Corbin," said Ella, feeling very flushed and flustered.  She had gotten through the first two years of Alan's absence by suppressing all feminine feelings.  She had released them when she got the letter that Alan was returning from Europe.  Now that he was staying away longer, she needed to bottle them up again, but Bo was making that harder.  Maybe she was going to have to go to Boston to run away from Bo.  She trusted him not to push her into any relationship she didn't want, but he was awfully attractive. 

[Scarlet Angel]

Bo's smile widened and he chuckled. "So I been told."

"You better watch him close Ella, Bo likes to flirt if you give him half a chance." Scarlet said over her shoulder.

"I've been able to practice with one who has mastered the art." He replied looking right at her causing them both to laugh. 

[Elegant Ella]

"I probably need flirting practice," replied Ella, relaxing.  "That was an area of education my grandmother and aunt neglected to cover.  Rose, Becca and Scarlet have told me how to flirt, but I haven't used that theoretical knowledge.  After all, flirting with other men is not a permissible activity for a proper Jewish matron."  Ella giggled, "But I haven't been very proper for a couple years."

[Tensleep]

Tensleep looked across Buck's saddle at Ella with a twinkle in his eye.
"Honey you might be Jewish, but you ain't a matron by a longshot yet." He winked as Ella blushed.

[1stSgt Fritz King]

Fort Fetterman was located on a plateau above the Platte River.  Tactically, it was a good location, allowing for plunging fire from the fort's artillery.  Logistically speaking, the location was less than ideal.  There was a cistern inside the fort, but relying on the rain to fill it didn't meet the demand.  So, on a daily basis, troopers from the fort drove a buckboard filled with barrels, buckets and canteens to the Platte.  The water party was led by a corporal who guarded the team, and four or five men to gather water.  They'd stripped their blouses off, and rolled their sleeves.  Maybe if they worked hard and fast, the corporal would allow them a brief swim. 

"Rider coming up," the corporal said, picking up his carbine.  The others turned to look.  A single man, riding one mount and leading another, came to the ford.  He wore dirty shirt blue as they did, but there was something different about him.  His gear wasn't right.  The man wore an old four-button sack, with Civil War chevrons.  His McClellan was a rough out type, not dyed black as the regulations required.  Attached to the back of his saddle was a sky-blue greatcoat!  Nobody wore those anymore.  The corporal thought, "old...but well maintained."  The words applied to the rider as well. 

As the rider crossed the river, the men saw his weapons.  The buckskin had two rifle scabbards.  One carried a repeater, the other long-barreled Sharps.  He carried the regulation Colt on his right hip.  He nodded to the corporal and tipped his hat.  One of the men saw a short-barreled Colt on his left hip, in a configuration he'd never seen before.  It was obvious that this man was serious about his profession.  He was a veteran...a fighter.  Nothing was said, no challenge made.  The veteran trooper crossed in good order, and rode slowly towards the fort.

The fort was a simple affair, as all frontier forts were.  There were wood frame buildings for the officers, the infirmary, the armory and the stables.  But the men resided in large fly tents.  Those that were fortunate enough to be stationed at the fort were close to the parade deck, and more importantly, the sutlers' tents.  Their tents had slat wood floors.  The units recently arriving were strung out in columns of twos behind.  The result was a long dusty street in the center, which would churn up to a muddy mess in the rainy season.  Sanitary conditions were horrible.  The smell would be enough to drive most decent people away.  But these weren't "decent" people...they were soldiers.  The officers would have their creature comforts of course, but the men had none.  That would change if Fritz had his way.

The dusty street was a flurry of activity.  Men tended horses, cleaned weapons, and practiced drill.  The sergeants barked orders, and troopers obeyed.  As Fritz rode slowly passed, men grew quiet.  The older sergeants nodded to a kindred spirit.  The younger men gawked unabashedly.  Even the guidons seemed to flap less in the breeze.  This didn't help matters much, as the guidons were the only way to recognize each unit.  There were well over two thousand soldiers gathered here.  Up ahead, the wind picked up slightly, and he saw it.  The well-worn swallowtail, red over white, moved in the morning breeze.  The two rode proudly over the letter I.  The guidon marked the location of the C.O.'s tent.  An orderly stood outside.  He was a young man, who Fritz didn't recognize.  Fritz dismounted and slapped the trail dust from his uniform.  He handed the reins to the young man.

"Please advise Captain Schurmann that First Sergeant King is here to see him."

The man swallowed hard.  He turned and lifted the tent flap.  "Sir...First Sergeant King is here..."

"FRITZ!!!"  The voice bellowed from within.  "Get your ass in here!" 

He couldn't help but grin.  Fritz took off his slouch and entered the tent.  He snapped to in front of a field desk.  "First Sergeant King reporting as ordered, sir." 

The captain stood and returned his salute.  The bear of a man was around his desk in an instant, and grabbed him up in a rough hug.  "How the hell are you?"

"Fritz laughed.  "Fine, sir.  And you?"

Captain Schurman clapped him on the shoulders, hard.  "Well, you know me.  I'm just a..."

"...Long service Captain!"  Fritz finished.  He was glad some things never changed.  He saw a pot of coffee on top of the stove.  "May I?"

"Of course!  I don't drink it as much anymore," Schurmann replied, "but I thought you might be coming today.  My instincts are still good."

Fritz poured a cup.  The coffee was strong, but felt good going down.  There was a bundle of cigars on the desktop.

"Like I said...I figured you were coming."

Fritz pulled one from the bundle, and used his knife to clip the end.  He struck a Lucifer on the desk edge, and lit the cigar.  He suddenly felt twenty years younger.

"So," Schurmann asked, "what's going on in your life?"

"Well, I'm sure you read my report on Mexico.  I gathered enough intelligence on their army and their borders to satisfy the Top Brass, but got captured in the process.  It was pretty bad."  Fritz ran a hand through his stubble.

"I see you still cut your hair before a fight."  Schurmann saw that Fritz hadn't changed much either.

"I was doing time in a Mexican jail, when a posse of Marshals came in and got me freed.  I rode with them back to the border, and covered their crossing with the new Springfield rifle."

"I read your evaluation.  It appears you had a successful field test."

"Yep.  But they took it away from me when I returned.  I'm sure it's in somebody's office right now, collecting dust.  Or maybe it's in a museum.  Springfield has one I hear."

Schurmann nodded and sipped his coffee.  He knew the story wasn't over.

"Anyway, there was this one woman in the posse, like no one I've ever known. She..."

"Wait a minute.  There were WOMEN in this posse?"

"Yep.  And they were good too.  There was this one woman named Scarlet.  She captured my heart.  She's my equal in every respect.  I love her Bill...I married her."

"And you swore after the last one that you'd never marry again.  I told you the first one would never last.  She was a gold digger.  Scarlet is different?"

"As night and day," Fritz replied.  We've got a place in Texas, and we're happy.  I thought the Army would let me end my days in obscurity, serving with the Marshals.  But then I received your telegraph."

"Do I know her Fritz?"

"No, probably not.  But you might just know her dad.  Her last name was 'Longknife.'  Scarlet Angelina Longknife."

"Johnny Longknife?  I remember that wily bastard!  Is he still alive?"

"Alive and kicking.  He wasn't too keen on his daughter marrying a Yankee bluecoat, but we've grown on each other."

"Well, after this is over, you'll have to introduce me to her," Schurmann said.

"So, how is Anna...or should I call her "Trooper George?"

Bill Married Anna after the war.  After he'd discovered one of his toughest troopers was actually a woman.

"She's fine.  Doesn't campaign as much anymore.  But she can still shoot the eye out of a crow flying.  And these days," Bill added, "she wears buckskins."

   
"I've been reading the papers," Fritz said, blowing smoke.  General Crook's winter campaign didn't succeed.  What is the plan?"

Schurmann took his cup and cigar and sat behind the desk.  "From what I've been told, this summer campaign will make up for the setbacks during the winter and spring.  The idea is to put so many forces into the field that the Indians will either have to fight or give.  If they fight, overwhelming forces should be able to subdue them."  Fritz noted the sarcasm in his voice.  They had fought together on the plains before the war.  The Indians would never stand toe-to-toe with a conventional force.  They would attack, run, and melt away into the landscape.  If any units tried to pursue, they would be cut off and ambushed. 

"If they give," Schurmann continued, "the hope is to canalize and surround the enemy on three sides.  Once so trapped, they must either surrender, or be annihilated."  The Captain took a map from a case, and unrolled it on his desk.  "Terry will be coming from the East, Gibbon from the West, and our column will come in from the South.  We should join forces somewhere in the area of the Bighorn River."

"Hmmm.  How many of the men are veterans?  Anybody left from the old days?"

"There are a few, but not many.  Most are just green kids fresh out of Jefferson Barracks.  This leads me to another subject.  I already have a First Sergeant, Fritz."

"Who is it?"  He already knew the answer.

"Scott."  Fritz knew Scott Crisp from the old days. 

"I can't have two of you butting heads."  The captain stood, and picked up a bundle from his desk.  Fritz stood.

"I need a good exec.  You're the man.  You were breveted once.  You are now again.  You are hereby promoted to the rank of First Lieutenant.  Congratulations."  Schurmann extended his hand.

"I'm not sure I want this Bill," Fritz replied, shaking the offered hand.

"It's not a matter of want, old friend.  It's a matter of need.  You're out of uniform.  Get it fixed.  And by the way, your tent is right next to mine.  Make yourself at home.  I'll give you a couple of hours to get cleaned up and rest.  We'll go meet the General this afternoon."

Fritz snapped to and saluted again.

Schurmann smiled.  "Welcome home."
                                   

[Scarlet Angel]

"If you flirt with Alen do you think he will respond well or think he has left you in the hands of folks with questionable backgrounds for to long?" Scarlet asked as she swung up on Lucky's back.

[Scarlet Angel]

Cyrus stopped the group near the gate. "You aren't running out on me already are ya?"

"Just for the day." Bo replied. "When will we be heading out?"

"Haven't gotten any word from the ol' man. Ya know how it is Bo hurry up and wait." Cyrus chuckled. "I'm on my way to see him now. Hey if you find something worth eattin' remember me would ya?"

The horses standing near the gate caught the attention of some of the men who had ridden in with them.

"You're not leaving us are you?" Teddy said approaching the group.

"No, but if I see one more thing on my plate that is floured, fried and is tried to be passed off as meat then see the same thing in gravy the next day for breakfast I think I shall start sharing my horse's rations." Scarlet said with a lopsided smile.

"What ya say Cyrus, maybe between the two groups we could get something decent." Joe said.

Cyrus looked around. It was hard to keep the type of men he'd gathered to behave when they grew bored. They'd behaved for the most part since they'd been here. There had only been a few fights, Chris the only one to end up in the infirmary so far, but he knew they were growing restless. They had been busying themselves practicing and playing games. He'd been worried last night when one of the men asked Bo to practice hand to hand with the knife. Both men were good and luckily no one lost their temper both had a few cuts from it but that was part of the game. His group was getting along well, with the exception of Chris. Some of the other groups had gotten out of hand, he'd heard some of the ones in charge of the groups had been called before the C.O. regarding the conduct.

"What the hell. Just make sure you all come back before dark and I get something. Please."

"We'll head down river." Teddy said.

"Then we'll go up so we don't run over one another." Bo said.

There was a certain sense of relief Scarlet felt when the gates opened and they road out.

Bo watched her while they rode. "Why did you want to come here?" He finally asked.

Scarlet looked at him for a moment, not really surprised at the question. "You know..."

"Before you go any further remember it's me you're talking to."

Scarlet looked at him a moment longer. It was no use trying to dance around him. Besides it was always easier to stick to the truth.

"It was something Grey Eagle said." She said.

Bo raised an eyebrow as if to say "which was?"

"Fritz's time has come."

"That could mean a lot." Bo said.

Scarlet turned and looked at him. "I'm gonna tell you somethin' nobody else ever did Bo, maybe they should have."

Bo looked at her, the tone of her voice made him wonder if he really wanted to know.

"About six months before y'all came home a man came to see your mother; I remember he was in a dress uniform, accompanied by a priest. They told her your dad was killed and the body was unrecoverable."

"Six months? I don't understand, he died not long before we came back, Johnny brought his body."

"You're mom was confused when she got a letter from him, at first she thought it was mailed right before his death. Then she got another. Nobody could answer her questions or would. Then just when she started to believe he was ok dad brought him home. I didn't know anybody here. Who would have brought him home should he be killed?"

Bo pushed his hat back. "That would explain a few things about you and her."

[Elegant Ella]

Boston

Alan strolled slowly home, deep in thought.  What had Mrs. Kaplan meant when she said, "We will all be happy to consult our lady doctor again"?  Alan had managed to reply politely, "I'll be sure to tell her that." instead of blurting out "But Ella isn't a doctor!"

What did he know about how Ella had filled her days in Boston?  He had observed that clothes and house was clean and meals were well-prepared, and had assumed that housework and cooking had kept her busy all day, maybe with breaks to go work with her horse and to read. 

She didn't read novels, though.  At least he had never seen a novel lying around the house.  Her favorite Sabbath activity was reading his textbooks and medical journals.   She had stopped reading in the living room after Dr. Abramson had teased her about choosing material that she couldn't possibly understand. 

But she did understand the books and journals.  That had been amply demonstrated by conversations when they were alone.  Dr. Abramson had laughed at her the first time she had tried to participate in a conversation about science and medicine. 

When they had lived with his parents, the work of keeping house was shared with his sister-in-law.  Ella did nurse his parents through their last illnesses, and delivered Mildred's children.  She probably had nursed the children through their illnesses as well. 

He remembered that Ella had asked to assist him in his practice.  He had turned her down, following Dr. Abramson's advice to encourage her to concentrate all her efforts on keeping house.  Dr. Abramson had high standards, but he never had to criticize anything more than once.  He was careful with the household budget as well, wanting an accounting to the penny of everything Ella spent. 

He didn't really know anything about Ella's relationships with the other women in the congregation.  Men and women worshipped separately at the synagogue.  Ella did tell amusing little stories about them as light dinner conversation, the kind of dinner conversation Dr. Abramson expected from her. 

When he had started making plans to go to Vienna, Ella wanted to go with him.  He had said no, and suggested that she could continue living with Dr. Abramson.  She had proposed instead to live with Widow Erdbeer.  He had not wanted to commit any money to paying room and board for her, so he decided on sending her to her aunt and uncle. 

Alan didn't like the new self-image he was building.  He had palmed his duty to provide for her off on her aunt and uncle.  He had been an inattentive husband.  He had paid more attention to unmarried Dr. Abramson's opinions about the limited abilities of women than to the abundant talents that his wife exhibited. 

He had some time in which to sort out his responsibilies.  A postscript on the letter had said the posse was going to Montana Territory and would be gone at least three weeks.

[Scarlet Angel]

The group rode along the river until they spotted what looked like a good place for fishing.

Bo pulled his horse to a stop. "We could fish here for awhile." He said looking back "or we could split up and one of us could stay with Ella while the other two continue to hunt."

[Elegant Ella]

"Scarlet, are you willing to sit and fish, or are you too restless today?" asked Ella.  "Going out hunting was Tensleep's idea in the first place, so I'm sure he doesn't want to fish." 

[Scarlet Angel]

In all honesty Scarlet didn't feel like sitting and fishing but she didn't want Ella to feel like she was put in an awkward position if she left her alone with Bo. Not that Bo would ever think of trying to make Ella feel uncomfortable but the way she'd been looking at him lately Scarlet wasn't sure how Ella would feel.

"I'd prefer to hunt but I'll stay if  you want me to." Scarlet said.

[Elegant Ella]

"Go ahead and hunt, as long as Bo doesn't mind fishing," Ella replied.  "He's good company.  And now that I've admitted he's dangerous, he's probably willing to pretend not to be."  She smiled at Bo, telling herself that she could think of him as the big brother she used to wish she had.

[Scarlet Angel]

"Bo likes to fish." He said joining in the conversation as if they were talking about someone who couldn't hear them. "But you may want to watch him Miss Ella now that you've admitted he's dangerous he may not see any reason to try to pretend not to be." He smiled rather wickedly and laughed.

"I on the other hand." He said stepping off his horse "am a gentleman."

He approached her and put his hand out to help her off her horse.

"Ella have you ever encountered a southern gentleman? They reek of charm and they can be dangerous given the chance." Scarlet looked from Bo to Tensleep.

Bo laughed then replied. "I will do nothing that would be cause for a duel upon the return of  Mr. Coatsworth, better yet I will not give you ladies much to giggle about in your room this evening."       

"Damn, I guess it's up to Tensleep and I to do that then." Scarlet laughed.

[Elegant Ella]

"Before joining up with you and Patches, the only southern gentlemen I had encountered were wounded prisoners during the War," replied Ella.  "Even under those circumstances, they were charming and courteous even to a gawky girl-child."  She accepted Bo's help dismounting.  He had a good hand for holding, not limp or clammy or hard or too calloused, just warm and solid. 

[Scarlet Angel]

"Good luck fishin'" Scarlet said as she kicked Lucky forward followed by Tensleep.

"If yer not back in three hours we'll come looking for you." Bo called after them as he tied the horses to a near by tree.

Bo dug in his saddlebags. "Look I brought lunch." He laughed as he held the moldy piece of cheese towards Ella. "Think the fish will like it?"