Willow Creek Home by Janice Shefelman

Author:Janice Shefelman
Language: eng
Format: epub
ISBN: 9781940130255
Publisher: Eakin Press

12

COMANCHE TROUBLE

“Mina, what is it?” Lisette asked, a frightened expression on her face.

Mina knew she had to keep calm. Papa had given her the duty of firing the shotgun if need be, and she must keep a level head and a steady hand.

She took a deep breath and then answered, “Oh, I heard an owl down by the road, and it sounded odd.”

“Odd?”

“Ja, like it was not really an owl.”

“Like what?”

Mina didn’t say. She got Papa’s shotgun down from over the door, and went to a place on the wall where she removed a loose stone in the chinking. It left a hole big enough for the double barrels of the gun and a view to the front of the cabin.

Mina poked the barrel through and pressed her face up to the hole. There was still some light left in the sky — just enough to make silhouettes of the trees. Mina watched. Suddenly Tucan whinnied, and Peter began to cry. Lisette picked him up and began to bounce him nervously.

“There’s someone out there, Tante Lisette, I feel it.”

“If only Ernst was here,” Lisette said, bouncing Peter more vigorously.

The shotgun was loaded and ready to fire. Papa always left it that way. Mina pulled the hammer back with her thumb to full cock, and put her finger on the front trigger. She steadied the barrel on the wall, for she was beginning to tremble.

Tucan whinnied again. Mina watched through the hole, scanning from left to right, and then her eyes stopped at the live oak. There was a bump on the right side of the trunk she had never noticed before. Her eyes were intent on that bump. Suddenly it moved, and she heard the owl hoot again. The bump stepped away from the tree. It was an Indian!

Her finger squeezed the trigger. There was a little flash and Blough! came the explosion. Smoke blotted out her sight of the Indian, and some of it seeped back in through the hole, choking her with its rotten smell. She cocked the second hammer, closed her eyes, and pulled the other trigger. Blough! Mina pulled the barrel back out of the wall. It was still smoking. She put her face up to the hole.

Peter was screaming and crying, frightened by the loud explosions.

“Peter, Peter,” Lisette tried to soothe him, absently.

The smoke began to clear, but it was too dark now to see anything. Mina replaced the chinking, and turned to look at Lisette. The alarm on her face showed in the flickering light from the fireplace. She patted Peter, but he seemed to sense the danger.

“The men will come now, Mina, but you must reload the gun.”

Mina fetched the powder horn and the leather bag of shot. She was glad to have something to do other than just wait for help to come. She stood the gun on its stock and poured a measure of powder down each barrel. Her hand was shaking. She stuffed wads of cloth into the barrels and used the ramrod to poke them down.

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