Читать книгу Shaman's Dream: The Modoc War - Lu Boone's Mattson - Страница 80

John Meacham, now Klamath agent, would get right on it. He and Ivan were ready. He had sent a message through Modocs visiting at Yreka asking for a meeting with Jack at Lost River. The army wasn’t after him for the crime, John Meacham told them to tell Jack. Keep cool, he advised, until a meeting with the Superintendent could be arranged. That would have to be delayed. In the meantime, he was willing to come over to Lost River to talk. He would wait for Jack’s reply.

He waited.

No answer from Jack. John Meacham waited some more. Sent John Fairchild: Jack trusted him. Only silence. Got Old Schonchin down there: even an Indian elder urged talks. Nothing.

No response. Nothing, except from Jesse Applegate. Rent, for the land the cattle were on. Rent for the ranch. That was what Jack was demanding if the man he asked for wouldn’t come, not talk with someone else. Applegate told Jack to go whistle.

John Meacham was doing that himself, as if to let off some of the steam, when word of the raid on the wagon train came in.

“Black Jim,” the man said, furious. “Jack sicced him on it, I’d guess. Right by Applegate’s place. Made a demonstration. Nothin’ but supplies. But still, goddammit! …”

John Meacham knew what he meant: … it could have been otherwise, could have been people’s lives. It was a reminder of the old days. Not too long after the raid, before things could get organized to go after the Indians, the word came in:

“Captain Jack, he say he talk now. He meet you and Ivan Applegate and two others, Jesse’s ranch. That’s all he want to see coming. Else, no more talk to no one.”