To Dream Anew Read Online Free PDF Page B

General Custer and all of his men are dead, however. Colonel Reno has lost a lot of men as well. All told, some three hundred fifteen men are lost. The article says General Gibbon joined Reno and the Indians left, but …”
    “But what?” Dianne asked, unable to bear the thought of a battle that killed over three hundred men.
    “They’re sure to pursue the Indians. No one can just let them go—not now.”
    Dianne felt the joy of the day slip from her. Her shoulders slumped forward as she closed her eyes in sorrow. “He has to be all right. Oh, how could this have happened?”
    “It happened because we’ve stupidly settled this part of the country instead of leaving it to the savages,” Portia declared.
    Dianne opened her eyes and glared at the woman. “Your own father is among the troops. I thought you said you came here to make amends.”
    “My desire to make amends with my father has nothing to do with the army and its mistakes,” she replied defiantly. “I care about the man, not his job.”
    “Since when do you care about anyone but yourself?” Trenton asked sarcastically.
    “Since Ned died and I realized that life is too short to let anger stand between myself and others.” She pulled the handkerchief back out and dabbed her eyes again. “I’ve been attending church, and I’ve come to realize the error of my ways.”
    “Well, it’s too late,” Trenton answered in anger. “Ned is gone. You can’t make that right.”
    Portia broke into sobs and buried her face in her gloved hands.
    Dianne felt compassion for her. “Trenton, that was rather harsh. You mustn’t say such things just because you’re hurting in your loss. The important thing now is that we need to find out the truth of what’s happening with the army.”
    “Better still,” Cole said, his voice bearing his concern, “what’s happening with the Sioux and Cheyenne?”

    The centennial celebration of America’s freedom from the English was a muted affair. People were afraid. Custer was dead—the very man whom many had hoped to elect that year to the presidency.
    Rumors ran unchecked and Dianne had to admit her fears were bordering on silent hysteria. Inside she felt herself coming undone, like a knitting project unraveling before her eyes. Luke had struggled against sleep because of her unrest. He’d finally settled down for the night, but try as she might, Dianne couldn’t seem to do likewise. Nor could she find any solace in her husband’s words.
    She kept thinking back to her dream, knowing it had been a forewarning of things to come. Perhaps the Sioux and Cheyenne would cross the mountains and wipe out white settlements as they went. They had tasted the blood of victory and were no Doubt driven to continue their rampage.
    “You need to rest,” Cole whispered. They’d made their bed inside the wagon at Dianne’s insistence, but the shelter gave her no more comfort than if they’d been outside.
    “I can’t sleep. I keep thinking of what’s happened. You read that paper. It talked of the battleground looking like a slaughterhouse. That the dead were mutilated.”
    “Stop. It won’t do you any good to keep rehashing the details,” Cole admonished. “We have to trust that God is watching over Zane and keeping guard over the remaining soldiers.”
    “But God didn’t keep Custer and his men from harm. Maybe He won’t keep Zane safe either.”
    Cole tried to pull Dianne into his arms, but she resisted. “I can’t simply forget that, Cole.”
    He sighed. “Then stay awake all night.”
    The baby slept peacefully at the head of their makeshift bed. Dianne knew Cole was only trying to calm her fears, but she couldn’t lie to him. She had no desire to be in his arms when the rest of the world had gone completely mad.
    “I’m so afraid,” she whispered.
    Cole reached out again and this time she let him pull her close. “I know you’re afraid,” he replied. “I wish I could make it all seem right again.”
    She