Chapter 6

I must have dozed because Arrow’s snicker roused me in time to see a squad of cavalry riding in my direction. I scrambled to my feet as they rode up but made no move toward my rifle, even though the army tended to look on all Indians as traitors since some of the tribes had fought for the Confederacy. They ignored the fact others made war for the Union.

The sandy-haired lieutenant leading them showed no overt hostility as he gave a casual salute. He wasn’t much older than I was. “Everything all right?”

“Just doing some woolgathering. On my way home to Teacher’s Mead.”

“You’ll be one of the Strobaw boys, then. Met you father at Fort Yanube a few weeks back. You favor him. I’m Second Lieutenant Gideon Haleworthy.”

His blue eyes wandered to my black mop with gold speckles, causing me to clamp my hat on my head. “Pleased to meet you, sir. You new to the command?”

“Been in-country four months now. Hail from Boston originally.”