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“I heard of this bunch up in Tennessee. Men in white ridin’ through the night to murder and torch places. Never seen it though, not ‘til now.” Lee glanced at Joe. “They know you’re still here, don’t they?”
“Oh yeah, but they don’t pay much never mind to me, ‘cause I treat them the same way. She ain’t no squatter. That’s part of what’s burnin’ their hides, she got this land legal and there ain’t nothin’ they can do about it, except kill her. And I reckon they ain’t above that neither.”
“I know. And there’s gonna be trouble because of it. Damn water rights, that’s all it is.”
“Always is. But you know Joe…I been thinkin’…water rights ain’t really a cause to die for. She needs to let them have ‘em.”
“Are you serious?” Joe’s eyes were round and big. “After all this time, you just gonna hand it over to them…”
“It ain’t enough to die for Joe, and someone is definitely gonna die if this keeps up. War teaches you pretty quick that a man should pick and choose what he wants to die for. I’d die for the land, I’d die for you or Hattie or Sam, but water rights…?”
“But she ain’t gonna give ‘em them rights.”
“Yeah, I see that. But maybe I can reason with her, make her see…”
“Then you gonna tell her who you are?”
“No…not now at least. Maybe someday. And its best she don’t know. But with me dead, there is less reason to fight over the water…don’t you see?”
Joe studied on it for a minute. “Yes sir…I guess you is right about that.”
“Man…I been fightin’ for so long, I guess its habit. I sure did want to come home and settle down though. Has she ever done anything to upset anyone around here? Is it some kind of vengeance they are after?”
Joe thought on it for a minute, then nodded as though it just occurred to him. “Well, now that you mention it. The first time Frank came out here, she turned her nose up at him and he tried to get too friendly and she pointed a gun at him. Tears came into her eyes, but she didn’t let them fall. She stood there, bit her lip and put the gun to his head and told him to get or she’d blow his head off. Course he did, for the time, but he came back a lot. He’s more determined than ever to take an advantage just to put her in her place. She turned him down and don’t nobody turn Frank down. He’s determined to rub her nose in it now. Like she some kind of scum. But no sir, she ain’t done nothing Mr. Lee. Nothing at all. When she first showed up, the judge told the Jeffries they’d have to ask for water rights from her.”
“Did she give anyone else the rights?”
“Mr. Harvey. Him and his Missus came and she granted them rights and had a paper drawn up by the judge that just made the Jeffries madder.”
“I can see where it might, yeah.”
“That shore did set them off, because after Frank treated her the way he did, she told them they couldn’t have her water, she’d die first. That set things to movin’. It’s pretty crazy, they need that water, and they are bound and determined to get it. Frank, he thought he could just waltz in here, romance her a little and take it. But he found out different, and he shore don’t like it. Now he’s set on takin’ her down, any way he can.”
Joe shook his head. “Someone mumbled, ‘That could happen too.’”
“Seems like there is always someone wanting to get rid of someone else around here. Hasn’t anyone told them that the war is over? You’d think fighting would get old.”
“That was before the war. Before the war, things weren’t so bad, ‘til the north decided they needed to free the slaves. A decent man did his work and the master of the house treated them fair most times. Course there was always the ones that was too lazy to work and they got beat. Now things have changed. They hanged a couple of Negroes over in Mobile area. I think it’s your friends the Jeffries that keep stirin’ this up though. He’s tied in with ‘em.”
“I wouldn’t doubt that a bit. Is she okay?” Lee asked, his eyes straying to the house once more. He wished he’d got a better look at her but he was too far away to see or hear much.
“You shore do love that gal, don’t you?” Joe asked with a smile.
“Joe,” Lee looked at him seriously. “You’re right, I’m not at all sure I can keep my hands off her. I love her. I love the way she stands up for herself, the way she takes those kids as her own, the way she says no to the Jeffries. What’s not to love? And that is by far the biggest war I’m fightin’. If she’d find her a black man, maybe things would settle out.”
“Won’t never happen. She’s got it in her head that she loves you and that she’ll be true to your memory. And ‘cause you love her?” Joe twisted his head. “I think you two must belongs to each other. Guess God made an exception…”
“God, help me I do.” Lee sighed. “And I love her more for standin’ her ground. I’ve just got to teach her that she don’t have to fight everything. Sometimes you gotta know when to give in.”
“Let’s not worry over it tonight. Not tonight you don’t have to do a thing about it. You hungry?” Joe glanced up at him.
“I could eat a bear.” Lee smiled.
“I’ll see what she’s got cookin’, be back soon.” Joe slapped him on the back. “We’ll eat in the barn.”
“Alright.” Lee nodded. Lee sneaked his way over to the barn and made himself comfortable. He thought about the figure on the porch, he couldn’t see her well from the trees and the very fact that she faced those men had Lee admiring her spunk.
When Joe brought out Lee’s supper, Lee was in better spirits and appreciated the food, mightily.
