Mr Pruitt looked at me sharply, as if I said something deceitful or quarrelsome. After a long pause, he turned his eyes away and said with grave conviction, “It has been my greatest honor to serve with him.”
Perhaps I had found an agreeable subject for Mr Pruitt. I told him I would be most interested to hear what it is like to have Allen as commander.
With some encouragement on my part, he described how Allen arrived at Fort Bowie and set to asking so many questions, about the terrain and water sources, the nearby tribes, everything down to the types of grasses that grew there, that the men began to joke that he would next ask about the traits of the dust on the bottom of their boots. All this time he gave no inkling as to what he intended to do with the information.
I laughed, and said that Allen is true to form?—?he keeps his thoughts to himself, and it is only once he has quietly determined his course that he reveals his plans to those around him, soldier or wife. Yet it filled me with pride to see how much this young man admires him. He said Allen always expects the best of his men and never sets them to a task he would not do himself.
“I’ve seen him more than once help to dig a well,” Mr Pruitt said.
“But my husband must have some flaw?” I inquired.
“I have seen his temper, ma’am,” he said.
This was unexpected, for Allen has never displayed to me any fury or undue impatience. When I asked Mr Pruitt to explain, he recalled an incident when Allen received an unwelcomed telegram from a general in Washington, D.C., and he marched into the adobe telegraph office at the fort, seized the machine from the desk, and threw it out the door and into the dusty yard. Mr Pruitt said he and the machine’s operator were dumbfounded.
“Your Colonel smoothed down the front of his uniform, apologized for the disruption, and left, stepping over the machine on his way.” Fortunately, Mr Pruitt said, it was repairable, for during the next days Allen sent many telegrams of his own, but it seemed his commander was unmoved in his decision.
I believe Mr Pruitt thought this story would amuse me, and I smiled and shook my head at Allen’s bad humor, but I was left to speculate about what could anger him so. And how is it that he never told me of it? It did not, however, seem appropriate to discuss such matters with one of his men, and I endeavored to change the subject yet again.
“Allen tells me that you have seen the condor. Is it true?”
He gave me that same look of surprise and doubt, as if I could not truly be interested in such matters. Yes, he said?—?it was a giant, with a wingspan of nearly ten feet and a bald head of many colors.
How I would love to see such an amazing creature! I described some of the less exotic birds I have observed near the barracks and asked him what species we might hope to see during our journey to Alaska. Just as Mr Pruitt seemed to show some sign of enthusiasm for our conversation, however, we were interrupted by one of Mr Tillman’s passionate but brief toasts: “To Alaska!” to which the crowd cheered, “To Alaska!”
As the roar settled, Mr Pruitt leaned closer to me, his eyes on Mr Tillman, and said, “Do you know, Mrs Forrester, that your husband is the only military man I have ever known who is always sober, dutiful, and faithful.”
How could I respond to such a pronouncement?
“Yes, well, it is a lovely evening!” I offered. “So many beautiful gowns, and the music! Allen told me I would enjoy this dance more than most, and he was absolutely correct.”
Any bit of interest or liveliness on his part seemed to wane and he only stared blankly over the crowd. I was preparing to excuse myself, when he said something unexpected.
“You are fortunate, Mrs Forrester.”
What on earth could he mean?
“You still believe everything is golden, all dances and fine stitches and silk,” he said, and here he looked over my gown, which made me quite self-conscious. “But this is all just an illusion, a dream,” he went on. “You have been spared truth. Your Colonel and I, we know. Once seen, it cannot be unseen.”
And then Mr Pruitt urged me to leave him, to dance and enjoy myself rather than have my evening darkened by his mood, and I was all too happy to oblige.
I know Allen says he is an intelligent and hardworking officer and that he is glad to have him on the expedition, but Mr Pruitt seems to me to be an unhappy young man.
All in all, the evening quite wore me out with all the noise and discourse. It must account for this ill feeling that has plagued me all day.
January 15