Ten days after the Battle of Cupula Mountain, the Kiowa-Comanche Detachment arrived back in the Indian Territory. The unit had to go from the railhead to Fort Sill for Captain Mack Hawkins to make an official report about the deployment to Texas.
Lieutenant Ludlow Dooley, because of needing medical attention on his wounded arm, made sick call at the post surgeon’s office. A hospital steward at Fort Duncan in Texas had done what he could for Ludlow’s wound, but it was obvious he would need more than first aid if it were to heal properly. Because of his extreme fatigue, the lieutenant was confined to the post dispensary overnight. Hawkins decided to wait for him until the next morning for the ride back to Fort Lone Wolf.
~*~
When the detachment appeared at their home garrison, the people who witnessed their arrival noticed that every man displayed an appearance of sorrow and extreme fatigue. They had been unable to bring back the bodies of Corporal Swift Horse and Charlie Wolf. There was no undertaker available in that part of Texas to preserve their corpses and the bodies would have evolved into acute decomposition during the long trip home. Consequently the pair were given proper military burials complete with an honor guard at Fort Duncan. Ranger Sergeant Jesse Buford’s body was taken by the Texas Rangers for internment at their cemetery in Austin.
Captain Mack Hawkins went to the Southern Kiowa-Comanche Agency with Sergeant Eagle Heart to inform the families of Swift Horse and Charlie Wolf of their deaths. Ludlow had wanted to accompany them, but Hawkins ordered him to remain in his quarters for some additional resting up.
~*~
The next morning Ludlow walked slowly over to the post trader’s store carrying a clean uniform. Upon arrival, he breakfasted with the other officers, giving brief answers to the questions they asked about the mission and his wound. After eating, since he was in dire need of a good washing, he paid for a bath in one of the tubs at Trader Gerald Weiser’s bathhouse to clean up before donning the fresh uniform
An hour later, dressed and with his arm in a sling, he made his way down officers’ row to Major Berringer’s quarters to visit Miss Bess Simpson. The proper thing to do would have been to send her a request for a visit, but Ludlow was in no mood for propriety.
When he stepped up on the porch, the young man was emotionally braced for a scowl from Mrs. Major Berringer. He knocked on the door and the maid answered the summons. “Yes, sir?”
“Is Miss Simpson at home?” Ludlow inquired.
“Please come in, sir.”
When the young officer stepped into the foyer, Mrs. Major Berringer appeared from the parlor. Much to his surprise, she exclaimed, “My dear Lieutenant Dooley. How nice to see you. And I am…oh! You have been injured! I am so sorry!”
“It’s been taken care of, ma’am. I would like to see Miss Simpson, if I may.”
“Of course you may!” the Mrs. Major cooed. “And there is someone else here you’ll be glad to see. Please come with me into the parlor.”
A very puzzled Ludlow followed her through the curtained entrance and stopped short in surprise. His uncle Senator Delmar Livingston, his mother’s brother, was sitting in an easy chair, chatting with Major Thomas Berringer. The senator quickly stood up and walked over to Ludlow.
“I thought I was going to miss you, nephew,” he greeted, holding out his right hand.
“We’ll have to shake left-handed, Uncle Delmar.”
“That is—“
“Ludlow!” The exclamation from Beth Simpson interrupting the senator as she hurried across the room. “You have been hurt!”
“You certainly have,” Major Berringer said, joining them. “Was this the result of a battle, Lieutenant?”
“Yes, sir,” Ludlow said, wanting to impress Beth. “I was wounded during an attack on an enemy position.” He paused. “I might add that we were able to report ‘mission accomplished’ to the department headquarters at Fort Sill.”
Senator Livingston showed a broad smile. “Well done, my boy!”
Ludlow was curious. “What are you doing here, Uncle?”
“I am with a senate committee making the rounds of various army posts on the frontier,” the senator replied. “I took advantage of a chance to visit you here at Fort Lone Wolf. When I arrived they informed me you had been sent to Texas to deal with bandit raiders crossing over from Mexico.”
“It turned out to be bandits and soldiers of the Mexican Army who were committing the outrages.”
The senator showed surprise at the news. “Are you sure the Mexican military was involved?”
“Yes, sir,” Ludlow replied. “It’s all in the report Captain Hawkins turned in at Fort Sill.”
“I must look into this when I pass through that garrison,” the senator commented. He smiled. “I believe you would like to visit with Miss Spencer for a bit.”
“Yes!” the Mrs. Major brightly agreed. “We’ll excuse you youngsters to renew your friendship.”
Ludlow and Beth wasted no time in going out to the veranda in the back of the house. They sat down side-by-side on the porch swing. Beth gave him a gaze of sincere fondness. “I did so much enjoy your letters, Ludlow. Thank you for thinking of me.”
“I thought about you a lot.”
“A lot, Ludlow?”
“A whole lot, Beth,” he replied. “By the way, Mrs. Major Berringer seems to be inordinately nice to me.”
Beth laughed. “Of course! When your uncle arrived and visited her and Uncle Thomas, she learned that you were from a wealthy New York City banking family.”
Ludlow was also amused. “So that’s what it took, hey?”
“You can be sure she will keep those other lieutenants at bay,” Beth told him. She looked at his arm in the sling. “Are you in pain, Ludlow?”
“No, not a bit.”
“I think you must be, Ludlow. You are so brave.”
“I am more sad than anything. Two of our scouts were killed. We couldn’t bring their bodies back, so they were buried at a fort in Texas.”
“I’m sorry to hear that,” Beth said, now much more aware of the dangers he faced while he was gone. She wanted to change the subject. “Since you’ve just gotten back, you probably aren’t aware there’s a military ball this Saturday evening. It’s in honor of your uncle.”
“Beth, would you allow me to escort you to the dance?”
“Of course!”
~*~
Ludlow’s morale flared up as he and Beth continued to enjoy each other’s company. Both were aware there was a sort of magic in the air as they became lost in each other’s presence.