and farm safe.
CHAPTER SIX
A few days later, Levi woke at dawn as usual and went to the house for a cup of coffee. He found Em at the stove frying up some eggs and pork steaks. “Good morning,” he said. “What’s on the schedule for today?”
She dished the eggs onto several plates. “I’ll start weeding in the vegetable plots and see how much daylight I have left when I finish.”
“I think Tom and I should go south a ways and look for signs of Price’s men.”
Em paused in her work. “Do you think they’re coming soon?”
“I have no idea when they’ll come. I expected it before now, but my guess is they are gathering more men in Arkansas.”
“I thought Major Clanton sent men south of here to watch for the rebels.”
“He did. But he doesn’t expect Tom and me to sit on our tails and let Price get this close to Springfield. We want to catch them as far away as we can.”
“Do you plan to be gone long?”
He considered the distance they might need to cover, then nodded. “As far as I know, Major Clanton stationed men along the Wire Road. I think Tom and I’ll go southeast toward Nixa. We don’t know which route Price will take when he moves forward.”
“I’ll pack some food.”
Levi and Tom left an hour later. The morning was warm, the air not having cooled much overnight. They avoided the neighboring farms so as not to attract attention, following a narrow path through woods and rolling fields.
Whistling softly while he walked beside Levi, Tom went quiet for a bit before speaking. “Is there something between you and my sister? Something more than just flirting?”
Levi considered his words carefully. He couldn’t deny the attraction between them but didn’t want to worry Tom. “Nothing has been said between us. Besides, I seem to rub her the wrong way.”
“She’s at her happiest when she’s bossy. If you want her to like you, keep getting on her bad side.”
That made him chuckle. “I do that without even trying. Even if she were attracted to me, I couldn’t expect her to follow the army around for a few years. That’s no life for a woman.”
“You could get stationed somewhere where she’d be able to live.” Tom picked up a rock and tossed it down the path.
Levi had considered it one night while lying in his room in the barn. “What would she do all day? She’s used to being busy all the time.”
“I dunno. Take in mending? Sew baby clothes?”
Baby clothes. A family with Em. It was a nice dream, but for now, only a dream. “I can’t think about it until I can offer her more than simply being a lieutenant’s wife.”
Tom scratched the back of his neck. “Well then, you’d better not let her get the wrong impression. She hasn’t had a beau before, so she might make more of your attention.”
Had he been paying her the wrong kind of attention? He thought he’d been keeping his feelings inside. “I’ll do my best not to let her get hurt.”
~*~
A horse came up the drive the next morning while Em was hauling water to the tomatoes. Rufus ran barking toward the sound. Em rounded the house to find Walt Dutton dismounting. Hadn’t he gone to fight with General Price’s men? A wave of clammy chills washed over her. Why was he here? “What can we do for you, Walt?”
“I’m looking for Tom.”
“He’s not here.”
“He’s been gone awhile, and I ain’t seen him with the loyalists ‘round here. Where’s he gone?”
“He’s gone to school in Chicago,” she said, giving the lie they’d agreed upon when he enlisted.
“Chicago? What good is schoolin’ gonna do him here?”
“I’ve got chores to finish, Walt. Was there something else you needed?”
“I heard tell he’d joined up with the Federal Army,” Walt answered.
Em folded her arms across her chest. “Who said that? They obviously were mistaken.”
“It’s just talk around town. Heard the same about the Kellogg boy. Said his family wants to keep Missouri in the Union.” Walt
CHAPTER SIX
A few days later, Levi woke at dawn as usual and went to the house for a cup of coffee. He found Em at the stove frying up some eggs and pork steaks. “Good morning,” he said. “What’s on the schedule for today?”
She dished the eggs onto several plates. “I’ll start weeding in the vegetable plots and see how much daylight I have left when I finish.”
“I think Tom and I should go south a ways and look for signs of Price’s men.”
Em paused in her work. “Do you think they’re coming soon?”
“I have no idea when they’ll come. I expected it before now, but my guess is they are gathering more men in Arkansas.”
“I thought Major Clanton sent men south of here to watch for the rebels.”
“He did. But he doesn’t expect Tom and me to sit on our tails and let Price get this close to Springfield. We want to catch them as far away as we can.”
“Do you plan to be gone long?”
He considered the distance they might need to cover, then nodded. “As far as I know, Major Clanton stationed men along the Wire Road. I think Tom and I’ll go southeast toward Nixa. We don’t know which route Price will take when he moves forward.”
“I’ll pack some food.”
Levi and Tom left an hour later. The morning was warm, the air not having cooled much overnight. They avoided the neighboring farms so as not to attract attention, following a narrow path through woods and rolling fields.
Whistling softly while he walked beside Levi, Tom went quiet for a bit before speaking. “Is there something between you and my sister? Something more than just flirting?”
Levi considered his words carefully. He couldn’t deny the attraction between them but didn’t want to worry Tom. “Nothing has been said between us. Besides, I seem to rub her the wrong way.”
“She’s at her happiest when she’s bossy. If you want her to like you, keep getting on her bad side.”
That made him chuckle. “I do that without even trying. Even if she were attracted to me, I couldn’t expect her to follow the army around for a few years. That’s no life for a woman.”
“You could get stationed somewhere where she’d be able to live.” Tom picked up a rock and tossed it down the path.
Levi had considered it one night while lying in his room in the barn. “What would she do all day? She’s used to being busy all the time.”
“I dunno. Take in mending? Sew baby clothes?”
Baby clothes. A family with Em. It was a nice dream, but for now, only a dream. “I can’t think about it until I can offer her more than simply being a lieutenant’s wife.”
Tom scratched the back of his neck. “Well then, you’d better not let her get the wrong impression. She hasn’t had a beau before, so she might make more of your attention.”
Had he been paying her the wrong kind of attention? He thought he’d been keeping his feelings inside. “I’ll do my best not to let her get hurt.”
~*~
A horse came up the drive the next morning while Em was hauling water to the tomatoes. Rufus ran barking toward the sound. Em rounded the house to find Walt Dutton dismounting. Hadn’t he gone to fight with General Price’s men? A wave of clammy chills washed over her. Why was he here? “What can we do for you, Walt?”
“I’m looking for Tom.”
“He’s not here.”
“He’s been gone awhile, and I ain’t seen him with the loyalists ‘round here. Where’s he gone?”
“He’s gone to school in Chicago,” she said, giving the lie they’d agreed upon when he enlisted.
“Chicago? What good is schoolin’ gonna do him here?”
“I’ve got chores to finish, Walt. Was there something else you needed?”
“I heard tell he’d joined up with the Federal Army,” Walt answered.
Em folded her arms across her chest. “Who said that? They obviously were mistaken.”
“It’s just talk around town. Heard the same about the Kellogg boy. Said his family wants to keep Missouri in the Union.” Walt
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