The Plain Prairie Princess Read online

  The Plain Prairie Princess

  Stephen Bly

  Retta Barre’s Oregon Trail

  Book 3

  SMASHWORDS EDITION

  * * * * *

  PUBLISHED BY:

  Bly Books on Smashwords

  Copyright©2002,2015 by Janet Chester Bly

  Smashwords Edition License Notes

  This ebook is licensed for your personal enjoyment only. This ebook may not be re-sold or given away to other people. If you would like to share this book with another person, please purchase an additional copy for each recipient. If you’re reading this book and did not purchase it, or it was not purchased for your use only, then please return to Smashwords.com and purchase your own copy. Thank you for respecting the hard work of this author.

  Cover Design: David LaPlaca

  Cover Illustrator: Bill Dodge

  For a list of other books by Stephen Bly write:

  Bly Books, P.O. Box 157, Winchester, ID 83555

  Or check website: http://www.blybooks.com/

  Dedication:

  For

  Amanda Carter

  Have I not commanded you?

  Be strong and courageous.

  Do not be frightened, and do not be dismayed,

  for the LORD your God is with you

  wherever you go.

  Joshua 1:9 ESV

  Chapter One

  Along the North Platte River, three days west of Robidoux’s Trading Post near Scotts Bluff, Wednesday, June 29, 1852

  Dear Diary,

  I think that someday when I look back on this journey, meeting Dance-with-the-Sun will be the most important event, but everyone here is more excited because I killed the poor old buffalo. I didn’t really kill him, but a girl gets a certain reputation, and they all believe it to be true.

  Coretta Emily Barre, 12 1/2

  For over an hour a steady line of spectators with lanterns hiked out to gawk at “Retta’s buffalo.” Ben Weaver and Travis Lott acted as tour guides while Retta and the girls stayed with Gilson and Mrs. O’Day until they talked things through. Retta left mother and daughter embracing with tears and resolved to keep trying and praying.

  When she returned to her own wagon, Retta was surprised to find William, Andrew, and Lerryn perched on boxes and crates around a small fire. A lamp burned inside the wagon where she could hear muted voices.

  “What’re you all doing out here? What’s going on in there?”

  “Where have you been, li’l sis?” Andrew asked.

  “Eh ... at the Gilsons’ wagon. I told William and Lerryn I’d be there.”

  Andrew held his hat in his hand and rolled the brown felt brim. “I went to find you, and you weren’t there. The wagon was empty.”

  “We...” Smoke from the smoldering fire engulfed Retta. She coughed before she finished the sentence. “... we had to go out on the prairie and look for Gilson.” Lerryn tugged on the lace cuffs of her dress sleeves. “It would have been a good time to stick around the wagon instead of playin’ hide-and-seek. Or was it a scavenger hunt?”

  “You sent me off. Besides, I wasn’t playing. Gilson needed help, and then there was this buffalo ... What do you mean, a good time to be here? What’s going on?”

  William pulled off his spectacles and rubbed the bridge of his nose. “Mama had a bad spell.”

  “She’s bleedin’,” Andrew murmured.

  Retta felt as if someone kicked her in the stomach. “Oh no...” She burst into sobs.

  William strode to her side and put huge, strong arms around her shoulders. “It’s okay, Coretta. She’ll be okay. Mama’s stronger than you think.”

  Retta dried her eyes on her dress sleeve. Lord, next to Papa, William has the nicest hug in the world. “Who’s in there with her?”

  Lerryn brushed the corners of her eyes with her fingertips. “Papa and Mrs. Weaver. Christen’s mom has had experience with this sort of thing, you know.”

  Retta stared at the tall shadow cast on the inside of the white canvas wagon tarp. “Is there anything I can do?” Andrew stretched his long legs out in front of him, his boots only inches from the smoking fire. “Papa said for all of us to wait out here.”

  “And pray,” William added.

  “Lord Jesus, this is Coretta Emily Barre ... and Lerryn and Andrew and William. Our mama’s in there sick, and we want her well. And we can’t do anything about it without Your help. So... well, You can do it. I guess that’s about it. Bye. In Jesus’ name, amen.”

  She lifted her head.

  William was grinning at her. He gave her another hug and dropped his arm to his side. “I didn’t mean that you had to pray right this minute.”

  “Oh...” Retta puffed out her cheeks. “Can I go up and see Mama?” she finally blurted out.

  William squatted down next to the fire and poked the coals. “Papa said for us to stay out here. He needs to talk to us.”

  Retta moved over in front of her sister. “Everything will be all right, won’t it?”

  She noticed Lerryn trembling and tears trickled down.

  Retta glanced around at her brothers. “What is it? What’s happening?”

  Andrew hugged Lerryn as she dropped her head on her brother’s shoulder and broke out sobbing.

  Retta felt tears rolling down her own cheeks. “I’m crying, and I don’t even know why. What is it? Please tell me.” William slipped his hand in hers and walked her out in the darkness away from the wagon. “Let’s go where no one can hear us.”

  Retta tried to wipe her cheeks, but she couldn’t stop crying. “William, I’m really, really scared.”

  “We all are, Coretta. Listen, Lerryn was with Mama when she had that spell and started bleeding. Mama had a lot of pain and said some things she didn’t mean. Lerryn took it hard.”

  “What did she say?”

  William took a deep breath. “This is tough on me too, little sis.”

  “Please, I want to know what you all know.”

  “Mama was hurtin’ bad ... and she said...”

  He paused, and Retta put her head on her brother’s chest. He put his arm around her shoulders.

  “She said she didn’t know why the Lord didn’t take her home because she couldn’t go on livin’ with such pain. She ... darlin’, she asked Lerryn to pray that the Lord would take her to heaven.”

  “And Lerryn couldn’t do it?”

  William held her fingers tight. “Of course not. Could you?”

  Retta puffed out her cheeks and shook her head. “No ... never.”

  “Mama begged her. When Lerryn refused, Mama told her that she was a rebellious and uncaring daughter.”

  Retta couldn’t hold back the sobs. Her knees were weak.

  He pulled out his bandanna, wiped his eyes, and then patted her face with it. “She didn’t mean it. We all know that. It was the pain talkin’.”

  “But why does Mama have to have such pain? She’s such a quiet, gentle, sweet lady. Everyone says so.”

  “I know, Retta. I know. I guess we just have to trust the Lord in this.”

  “Poor Lerryn. No wonder she feels so bad. I should have been there with her. ”

  “You want to go back now?”

  Her voice was soft, yet firm. “Yes, I do.”

  When they trudged back to the Barre wagon, Andrew and Lerryn were still standing arm in arm.

  Retta cut in and slipped her arms around her sister. They were almost the same height. Lerryn clutched her tight. Retta laid her cheek against her sister’s. Lord, never in my life has Lerryn needed to hug me. But now it’s like we’ve hugged all our life. Maybe we have ... in a different way.

  All four Barre children were still huddled next to the fire when Mrs. Weaver
crawled down out of the wagon. “My goodness, it looks like a stump revival meeting out here.”

  “How’s Mama, Mrs. Weaver?” William asked.

  Mrs. Weaver fastened the top button of her high-collared black dress. “She should be fine now for the night.” Andrew stepped over to her and lowered his voice. “How about tomorrow and the next day?”

  “One day at a time, Andrew Barre.”

  “Can we go see her now?” Retta asked.

  “Your papa said he had things to talk to Julia about. Then he wanted to talk to you all together. Give them a little more time by themselves.”

  Retta clutched Mrs. Weaver’s arm. “Mama’s going to live through this, isn’t she?”

  Mrs. Weaver shoved blonde bangs back and rubbed her forehead. She patted Retta’s hand. “Now, Coretta dear, we’re all in the Lord’s hands. No one has any guarantees. I’ve never known any woman who trusted the Lord more than your mama. So I reckon you can trust Him with her. Tell your papa that Mr. Weaver will be waitin’ up to talk to him whenever he wants to.”

  “What about?” Retta asked.

  Mrs. Weaver strode off into the darkness, but her words floated back. “Your papa will tell you.”

  William stooped down and stirred the fire. “We might as well sit down and wait.”

  Lerryn and Retta sat arm in arm on the trunk.

  “You know what’s funny?” William said. “In the past couple months the four of us haven’t sat still in one place more than three or four times. We’re always busy going somewhere else. Yet here we are, all sitting around the campfire.”

  “Do you ever wish we were back in Ohio?” Retta asked.

  “Oh, yes, sometimes,” Lerryn replied. “Especially when I think about our house and my room.”

  “And our barn,” William added.

  Retta laid her head on her sister’s shoulder. “Do you ever think about the lane down to the river?”

  Lerryn leaned her head against Retta’s hair. “Sure. Remember how sweet it smelled when the trees were in bloom?”

  “Well, I’m glad we’re here,” Andrew blurted out. “We prayed about it all winter. Remember, every mornin’, day after day after day? It seemed like the right thing to do, and so we did it.”

  Lerryn sat up. “You’re glad we’re here even though Mama’s so sick?”

  “We have no guarantee Mama wouldn’t be sick at home,” Andrew replied.

  Retta sided with Lerryn. “But at least she’d be in her own house with a real roof over her head and Dr. Ossimo living just down the road.”

  William kicked at the fire. “If you think it’s tough on us, think what it must be for Papa.”

  “Have you noticed how he’s aged on this trip?” Lerryn pointed out.

  “We’ve all aged.” William rubbed the light brown stubble on his square chin. “Why, look at Coretta Emily. She looks about twelve years old.”

  “I am twelve,” Retta declared.

  A wide grin broke across her oldest brother’s face. “See?” he laughed.

  At the sound of boots pounding toward them, all four stared west until Bobcat Bouchet came into view.

  “Missy, I’m glad to see you up. Your Indian is up at Colonel Graves’ wagon wantin’ to talk to you.”

  “Two Bears?” Retta stood and braced herself on William’s shoulder. “I ... I need to stay here. Mama’s sick, and Papa said to wait here.”

  “You can go on, little sis. We’ll all be here,” William assured her.

  “No, I’m not leaving Mama. I’m not going to be left out.”

  “I’ll go with you.” Lerryn stood beside her. “I haven’t met your Indian yet.”

  Retta looked over at her sister’s bright blue eyes. “Really?” Lord, it’s the first time in five years my sister has wanted to do something with me, and I can’t go. “I can’t leave Mama. I’m too scared of missing something again. What does Two Bears want?”

  Bouchet reached down and brushed biscuit crumbs off his brown leather vest. “He wants to talk to you about your buffalo.”

  “I figured all that wagon-train talk was just another wild Retta Barre story,” William mumbled.

  “Little Sis has a buffalo?” Andrew asked.

  Bouchet nodded. “A dead one. Rumor is, she killed it with her coup stick.”

  Lerryn brushed her blonde hair back. “Her what?”

  “You know, my rock hammer that Dance-with-the-Sun gave me.”

  Lerryn’s mouth dropped open. “Who?”

  “I told you all about it.”

  “You mean it was all true?”

  “Yes. Mr. Bouchet, can Two Bears come see me here? Tell him my mama is sick, and I can’t leave her. I think he’ll understand. It won’t be the first time he has come to our wagon.” They all stared at Retta.

  “Well, really, just once before.”

  “I’ll tell him, Missy.” Bouchet hesitated in the shadows. “Tell your mama I’m prayin’ for her, too.”

  “Are you a prayin’ man, Mr. Bouchet?” Lerryn asked. “I reckon if the good Lord ever had a healin’ touch for anyone, it would certainly be for someone as kind as your mama,” he replied.

  “The Lord bless you, Mr. Bouchet,” Retta said.

  “Well, Missy...” The scout coughed and then continued, “I reckon He’ll do just that since you asked Him.” Bouchet slipped into the black night, his boot heels revealing his direction.

  Retta finished telling her sister and brothers about the ordeal of looking for Gilson O’Day and about the wounded buffalo that followed her.

  A dark-skinned, barefoot man in buckskin trousers, white cotton shirt, and a red bandanna around his forehead appeared behind their wagon.

  “Is that your Indian?” Lerryn asked.

  Retta jumped up, scurried to Two Bears, squatted down on her haunches, and drew in the dirt. Two Bears did the same.

  “Who are the others?” he asked.

  “You know my brother William. He helped us look for Ansley and Shy Bear. The younger one is my other brother Andrew. The girl is my sister Lerryn.”

  He studied the three who sat next to the fire staring back at him and Retta.

  “The girl does not look like you.” Two Bears’ voice was low, showing no emotion.

  Retta drew a sun in the packed mud at her feet. “No, Lerryn looks a lot like our mother.”

  “That is too bad for her.” Two Bears traced a moon next to Retta’s sun.

  “Too bad for her?” Retta formed stars in the mud sky. “Lerryn is the pretty one.”

  “You are mistaken.” Two Bears drew a coyote head howling at the moon. “You are the one who looks Shoshone. There is no higher compliment than that.”

  “Thank you very much.”

  “You are welcome. Your sister merely looks like Missouri.”

  “We’re from Ohio,” Retta corrected.

  “You see, Missouri, Ohio—they all look the same. Rather pale and weak, if you ask me. I am sorry your mother is sick. My mother died from smallpox that she contracted when washing clothes at Fort Bridger. I know what it is like to have a mother sick.”

  Retta started to puff out her cheeks, but pressed them in with her fingers. “We’re waiting for my father to come out and tell us how she is. That’s why I couldn’t leave. What can I do for you?”

  He leaned forward until his nose was only a couple of inches from hers. “I hear you killed a buffalo.”

  “Oh, he had been shot. I think he was dead before I accidentally hammered him.”

  “Do you know who shot him?” Two Bears asked. “No.”

  “Did you see the buffalo alive?” he probed.

  “Oh yes. He followed me across the prairie.”

  “And you were the last to strike him with a weapon?”

  “Yes, but it was an accident. I was just trying to help my friend Gilson get up. The coup stick bonked him on the nose.”

  “It is his misfortune. The buffalo is yours,” Two Bears declared.

  Retta glanced over her sh
oulder to see her brothers and sister straining to hear every word. “It is?” she replied.

  “That is the rule of the prairie. The final blow that kills the animal signifies the owner of the animal. Would you like to trade for him?”

  “You want a dead buffalo?”

  “Of course. There is much meat for my family. Do you want to trade?”

  “Yes ... eh, no!”

  Two Bears pulled back. “No?”

  “I don’t want to trade. I want to give him to you.” Two Bears nodded. “Yes, and I will give you something in return.”

  When Retta shook her head, her bangs bounced from side to side on her forehead. “No, you don’t have to do that. You’re my friend, Two Bears. Can’t Red Bear give her friend a gift?”

  “Yes, most certainly.”

  “Good. That’s settled.”

  “And Two Bears will send his friend Red Bear a gift.”

  “But you don’t need to do that.”

  The Indian folded his arms across his chest. “You mean, it is allowable for you to give a gift, but I may not give you one?”

  Retta glanced back at her brothers and sister. Then she turned back. “You’re allowed to give any gift you like.”

  “Thank you.”

  “You’re welcome.”

  Two Bears rose up and Retta stood with him.

  “Are you going to take the buffalo in the morning?” she asked.

  Two Bears rubbed his chin. “No, we will butcher him now.”

  Retta glanced across the pitch-black prairie. “Tonight?”

  A slight grin penetrated his leather-tough face. “Yes. Would you like to help?”

  “Eh...” Retta puffed out her cheeks.

  “No, you need to stay with your mother. I remember. Good night, Red Bear.”

  “Good night, Two Bears.”

  He walked over to the fire. “I am sorry that you are sick.”

  “Oh, I’m not sick,” Lerryn explained. “It’s our mother.”