"The Captain is a determined man…." Lee offered.
"Yes, he if any might make it. But rest for now, we will need our strength." Chase cautioned. "We cannot gauge our enemy yet."
Silence filled the shack until the wee hours of the night then Chase and Katherine heard it at the same time.
"What was that?" She raised up against the wall.
"I do not know. But lie still. We cannot move around. We must rest and forget what we have seen and heard."
"It's too much. First at the station, now this…" Katherine cried. "This unbearable silence and not knowing."
"The Captain did not want to hear the truth…" Chase whispered, as they lay against the wall, side by side. "You heard him with your own ears. He would not listen."
"I did not want to kill anyone…" she cried, as tears slid down her cheek. "Why couldn't he understand it?"
"Because he thought you helped me. I'm a breed Katherine, whether you consider that different or not, he does. Most do. I know that your heart is pure Katherine. That is why I will protect you. You are an innocent, and the Captain and others must someday know this."
"But they will never know it. They wouldn't believe it was you who saved me from their wicked clutches." She cried, a tear slipping down her dust stained cheek. "Josh was right about that."
Both of them looked at Josh's still body, he was breathing very shallow, and Katherine couldn't bear to think he might die. She wouldn't think it. Chase pulled her against him, and comforted her with his hand against her cheek, "Someday, they will know the truth."
"I didn't believe Josh when he said they would come after us." Katherine cried.
"Shh…it is all right Katherine. If you believe in your God, you know they will someday see the truth."
"And you…you are not guilty either." She cried. "They blamed you before they even heard the story."
He smiled and looked into her eyes, "Weep no more…."
And then like magic his lips touched her forehead gently. It was but a mere feather kiss, but Katherine sighed heavily and leaned into him as her eyes closed and she fell asleep again. She didn't want to sleep, she needed to stay alert and help, but the weariness bore down on her.
Chase felt his heart stir as he touched Katherine, but there was no time for emotions.
Besides, when this was all over, he'd still be just a breed and she would go to the Shawnee camp whether she wanted to or not.
He would take care of her and Josh, see them to safety but he must remember there could never be anything more than friendship with this woman. He told himself that, but he did not believe it. Feelings for this woman multiplied, and nothing but God himself could stop it. Yet God or Moneto had blessed them. Had Burning Tree done this? Had he put them under a magic spell, for his feelings for this woman were much greater than the young love he shared with White Dove. Perhaps because of the dangers, perhaps because an old man deemed it necessary, whatever the reason, his passion for Katherine grew minute by minute. His desire to see her safe even greater.
The next morning, Josh was almost conscious but not fully. He moaned as he lay helpless. Katherine scrambled to his side. She pulled the canteen she carried around so he could drink.
"Where are we?" he asked, his first words since they left the station.
"Safe for now…."
"Katherine, am I going to die?" Josh asked her, looking into her face, as though he already knew the answer.
"No Josh, you can't leave me…," she cried. "I can't lose you, Josh. Just hold on…please."
"Nor I you…" he tried to smile, but it was weak and he lapsed into another deep sleep.
Chapter Fourteen
Suddenly an arrow hit the outside wall. The whirring echoed through the room. Chase ran to check, that's when he spotted Hawks and the other men coming full speed for the cabin. Hawks had brought the Indians down on them again.
"Fools, they've brought them here," Chase muttered, as he fired at the Indians chasing them.
He felled one and reloaded.
Katherine stood behind him, more bullets in her hand. "Who's out there?" she whispered.