Once again the sun crept up over the horizon. Everyone in the cabin gave thanks for the end of that terrible and bloody night. Everyone except for Peter that is; by that time he had passed out from blood loss. Two Rivers walked over to inspect the condition of his patient by the light of day.
“He is fine. His breath and heartbeat are strong. Someone will have to stay here and keep watch over him though.”Cassius volunteered for the task. After all, without Peter’s selfless courage he would either be dead or praying for death by that time. Two Rivers showed him how to change the wounded man’s bandages and keep the wound clean. He instructed Cassius to make sure Peter drank plenty of water and ate something once he awoke. Then Jacob and Two Rivers walked outside. The dead bodies of overseers lay strewn across the landscape in an awful scene of death. Jacob shook his head in sadness and regret. Two Rivers had a suggestion.
“We should take their scalps and lay them at Jones’ doorstep. Send him a message”Jacob was so traumatized that he considered it for a moment. But then the better angels of his nature won out.
“No, it is not for us to judge. God will judge these men, as only He is wise enough. Besides, taking revenge will only lead to more violence and bloodshed. I fear I have already seen too much of that for one lifetime. I will give these men
62 a Christian burial. Whatever their sins, they are human beings and deserve that much at least.”
Two Rivers shook his head at his friend’s na¨1vet´e.“You saw what that damn Jones tried to do here. Those men were trying to kill us in our sleep, without warning. If we did not shoot first, then we would be the ones who lay dead here. He doesn’t want talk; he wants war. He will stop at nothing, and this will not end until either you or he goes into the ground. You are going to see a lot more violence and bloodshed before this is over.”
Jacob did not say a word. He just picked up a body and started walking towards the south. By now Two Rivers had realized how stubborn his friend could be when his mind was made up, so he picked up another body and helped. Once they were all laid out far from the cabin, they procured shovels. They began to dig graves out of the cold, hard ground. Two Rivers had a difficult time letting go of his anger.
“Cassius took revenge.” At this Jacob nodded.“Yes he did, and I fear the implications of that action. Had we nursed the wounded back to health and returned them to their families, then Jones would have realized that murder is not our objective here. Perhaps then we could have found a diplomatic solution to our problem. A wiser man would have found a way not to start a war. Now the gloves have come off, and there will only be more dead bodies. Still, perhaps I will be able to find a way to win without further acts of violence. I must try at the very least.”
All day the two labored. The sun was going down as they finished the final graves. Jacob bowed his head to say a few words, as was his ministerial obligation.“Lord, we commend the souls of these fallen men unto Thee. We ask that you judge them wisely and fairly as only You are able. We, the living, pray for Your wisdom. We pray for Your light that we might somehow see a way out of this terrible darkness that has fallen over us. Most importantly, we pray that You will build in our hearts a spirit of forgiveness, Lord. We pray for the courage to forgive others as You forgive us, that somehow we might bring an end to this endless cycle of killing. That these dead might not have died in vain. In Your name we pray. Amen.”
