Page 66 of Wherever My Heart Roams

She frowned at him.

"This ain't exactly the time to go visiting people, sis. Good grief."

When she shrugged he smiled, "So how long you staying?"

"I'm not sure…"

"Pa ain't gonna like havin' another mouth to feed. Two mouths." Jacob said belligerently.

"Three actually, he sent one of his employees to bring us here. He'll be going back soon though. Wade sent some money, it should take care of things for a while." Beth told him.

"He sent money, to us?" Jacob's face snarled up.

"He did."

"Wow, is he rich or something?" Jacob almost laughed.

"No, but he's not poor like us." Beth told him.

"Is the riverboat nice?" Jacob asked.

"Yes, it's beautiful." Beth said dreamily. "It is so nice; I wish you could see it."

"I want to get out of here, you think your husband would give me a job on the riverboat?" Jacob asked.

"Jacob, there's a war going on, and things are bad right now, but maybe later when things settle." Beth smiled.

"There's a war going on here too, with those Indians, they are worse than ever, because the forts aren't manned right now, some of them are closing or are already closed."

"I hadn't realized until we were in Texas about the Indians."

"They won't be back for a while. We gave them one hell of a fight yesterday." Jacob told her. "So is your husband in the service or what?"

"No, but they are using his boat. He's a spy."

"No kiddin'?"

"It's the truth." She sighed.

"For the south?"

She shrugged, "I'm not sure he knows for sure yet."

"What do ya mean?"

"The northern General is more considerate of him, than the southern one." When her brother didn't understand she went on to tell him. "The southern officer threatened me, that's why I'm here."

"To kill you?"

"Well, they aren't about to bake me a birthday cake." She laughed.

"But why, he's no Yankee, is he?"

"The south wants him to enlist and enlist his boat, he won't do that. That makes them mad and they don't trust him because he won't."

"Then are you tellin' me that your husband is a Yankee spy?"

"This is secret stuff, you don't go spouting it off, do you understand me? Anything I tell you is not to be repeated to anyone, not even Mama and Daddy."

---