Evil Plans
Carey was encamped with Quantrill and his band of raiders, which numbered nearly two hundred, in a wooded area north of Lamar, for several days before they finally rode out to meet up with a few stragglers who had been out visiting family. Quantrill had been corresponding with Col. Warren Lewis of the Missouri State Guard, and they both had their eye on the outpost located in Lamar at the courthouse. On November 4, Quantrill gathered up his forces and began the ride north. Carey and the few men who had come along with him were instrumental in giving information about roads and the location of troops, etc. Carey also suggested that they try to take out the prominent businessmen in town and their families, hoping to use the famous rebel as a means to get revenge on those he believed had done him wrong. Quantrill agreed. Any permanent scars they could leave on the face of the town would be well worth it. Carey sketched a rough map of the town, placing an “X” on the homes of the town leaders, and Quantrill made sure his marauders knew precisely where to strike.
After one last night of planning, Quantrill began to get his men into position. It was agreed that he would bring his troops in from north of town. Lewis’s men would come in from the south. They would convene on the town square around ten o’clock that night. The plan was to raid the outpost, set fire to the courthouse, and burn as many other houses to the ground as possible on their way out of town. Quantrill would take his men south, as they would be on their way to Texas for the winter.
Knowing they would have to cross Muddy Creek, Carey attempted to convince Quantrill to use the smaller of the available bridges, explaining that it was located in a portion of town where there were fewer houses and that there would be less possibility of detection. Quantrill considered the possibility, but in the end, he thought the bridge was too narrow. He would use another avenue of crossing Muddy Creek, though he wasn’t opposed to his men using that secondary bridge as an escape route. They had specific orders of where to meet up once the raid was over.
Bill Nance was frightened for the safety of his wife and children. Carey had assured him that their own homes wouldn’t be harmed, but he did not know how it was possible to be so sure. As crazy as some of these fellows were that had joined Quantrill’s band, he thought there was a good chance the entire town could be burned to the ground. No one seemed to notice when Bill snuck off later that afternoon, compelled to warn the 8th Cavalry and get his family to safety before the Devil rode into town.
Cordia was starting to feel comfortable with her role as the frontier housewife. She was beginning to do some of the cooking, could handle the cleaning, and even helped with some of the repairs on the outside of the house. Despite missing her family and friends, she was perfectly content to live out here alone, with only Will to keep her company, for the rest of her days. Even after spending almost an entire week seeing and speaking to only each other, they were every bit as much in love as they had been over the course of the two years when they had not seen each other at all. She had never doubted her love for him, and now she was assured that they made the perfect couple.
Thursday, November 5 was a chilly day. In fact, it seemed to be growing colder as the day grew long. They had attempted to work on gathering firewood and mending another section of the fence, but they had not made much progress before noon when they returned to the warmth of the little cabin and a stew that Cordia had put on that morning.
“My fingers are frozen,” Cordia complained, bending her fingers over and over again as she stood by the fire trying to thaw them out.
“You were wearing gloves,” Will replied, questioningly.
“I know,” Cordia admitted. “Maybe I need some new ones.”
“Maybe you should knit some mittens,” Will said, teasingly, making a gesture as if his fingers were all stuck together except for his thumbs.
She couldn’t help but laugh at him as the blood began to course back through her hands enough for her to ladle out the stew. “I’d be a lot of help to you out there with no fingers,” she declared. “Not that I’m that much help to you now,” she remarked setting the bowls and spoons down and pulling out her chair.
Before she could sit down, he wrapped his arms around her from behind. “You are an amazing help,” he said quietly, kissing her softly on the cheek.
She wrapped her arms around his and smiled. “Oh, yeah?” she asked, enjoying the feel of his lips as he continued to kiss her.
“Most definitely,” he confirmed, his teeth tugging gently on her ear.
Just as she began to think perhaps the stew could wait, they heard an approaching rider outside. Will grabbed his rifle from where he kept it mounted on the wall and gently pushed Cordia behind the door. He opened it cautiously and peered outside. Realizing it was his Uncle Arthur, he set the gun down and motioned for Cordia. He felt a lump growing in his throat as he stepped outside. There was only one reason why his uncle would be there, and he prayed it wasn’t too late to say goodbye.
“Better come quick,” he said without dismounting.
Will nodded and looked back at Cordia, who already had tears in her eyes. Without saying anything, he went back inside to put the fire out and grab his revolver, just in case they ran into any guerrillas on the way to Lamar.
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