Killing Cynthia Ann

3 Lost in the Snow

• Lost in the Snow O vernight snow fell, leaving the rut-marked roads icy and smothering the earth in a white envelope that showed no signs of melting. Isaac Parker was put out. The weather meant he and his niece would not be able to start for his home near Fort Worth until it cleared. In the officers' mess at Camp Cooper, Naudah would hardly eat. She sat on a bench, staring at the floor, lost in some fantasy. When Toh-Tsee-Ah got her attention, she would hug her almost hysterically and cry out to the men around her, "Mis hijos! Mis hijos! Porque esconden Ustedes mis querridos?" Why are you hiding my darlings? Then she would hug Toh-Tsee-Ah too tightly, whispering, "Pobre, pobre hermanos. Tus hermanos perdidos. Perdidos, en la nieve." Poor, poor brothers. Lost in the snow. "Damn her!" cried Isaac Parker, then immediately added for the interpreter, "Don't translate that." Horace Jones smiled. "She'll hardly need a translation of that. She may not understand the words, but in her heart, she understands what you're trying to do to her. She thinks her boys are lost in the snow." 28 "Everybody says they weren't there," said Isaac Parker, his stern preacher eyes boring into her. "Tell her again for the fortieth time that they're safe with their father." When Horace had translated, Naudah asked, "LEs verdad? lCreas que sf?" Do you really think so? "Yes, yes," said Isaac. "They're safe with their father." Instead of that comforting Naudah, it set her offin another wail. "0, mis hijos! Mis hijos pobres. Mis hijos Horan por me! Mis hijos lloran por me en la nieve." "She thinks her sons are crying in the snow for her," reported Horace. Suddenly, Naudah jumped up and ran out of the mess hall, into the snow, pulling Toh-Tsee-Ah in tight against her body so she could run. If she could only get to the corral, maybe she had a chance to get away and find her sons. Several of the men chased after her and caught her in the middle of the parade ground. One of them tackled her, sending Toh-Tsee-Ah rolling ahead in the snow. First, Naudah hit her tackler hard in the mouth with a strong right fist, knocking him backward; then she ran for the screaming Toh-Tsee-Ah. Several of the men now stood on all sides of her, hemming her in. Isaac Parker came out in his shirt sleeves. "Oh, Oncle Isaac," said Cynthia, trying to speak English. She fell on her knees in the snow in front of him and embraced his legs with the now-quiet Toh-Tsee-Ah at her side. Breathing too fast, she pourecl out a string of mixed Spanish and Comanche. "Por favor, tio mio. Take me to my sons. Tu puedes. You can do it. When Our People see me with you, they won't hurt you. When they see Toh-Tsee-Ah, they will lower their weapons. I won't let them hurt you. Toquet, oncle. You'll be safe. Mea-clro. Kee-mah. You know the way. Please, please, mi querrido uncle, if you have any feeling for a mother's love in tus corazan, please take me to my sons." Isaac bent over and lifted her by the shoulders. "Look, my dear Cynthia Ann. I understand that you love your sons very much. But it's out of my hands. I don't know where they are." "Oh, mis hijos! Mis hijos perdidos!" "Listen," Isaac went on, talking through the interpreter and leading her back to the mess hall. "We'll send out messengers to look for your sons. We'll have them go everywhere. When they find them, if they find them, we'll bring them to Birdville to be with you. I have a big house. We have plenty of space. You, your sons and Topsannah can live in the other part of my house." When the interpreter had explained that to her, Naudah fell into another of her silences. It was almost as if she had gone into a trance. Toh-Tsee-Ah stood at her feet, waiting. Naudah stared at the strange white man who said he was her uncle. Horace brushed a forefinger across his nose and wondered if there was other work a man could find. He didn...