Chapter 6
Andy emptied his haversack onto his cot. It contained everything he carried that was sacred to him—Mary’s letters from home, Sam’s one missive from St. Louis with the promise of soon scrawled at the bottom in dark ink, a lock of his sister’s hair, a deck of cards, his mother’s Bible, and all the money he’d managed to save from his pay since joining the army. Sam’s letter went back into the haversack, along with the money. Unlike other soldiers, Andy never spent every paycheck on alcohol and food and women. He bought what he absolutely needed to in order to survive, what he couldn’t live without, and the rest of his pay was tucked away, ready for the day when he would head west in search of his lover.
Only he’s here now.
In the familiar setting of his darkened tent, it was ha
