Cole's Redemption (Love Amongst the Pines) (17 page)

             
Crossing the street, Greene approached the single figure
who
had escorted the woman from the sheriff's office.

             
"A minute of your time, sir," Greene called out to him. "You
needin
' something, Mister?" "Just a little information. I have been traveling on the same stage as Mrs.
Remmington
. I must confess I am more than a little smitten with her. Such a tragic thing when one's own child takes the path to Hell. I was wondering if you could tell me any information the sheriff might have given her. I do pray that it's not bad news."

             
The other man looked at him cautiously, "Well, I don't know. Donnelly didn't say it was no secret."

             
"Perhaps I can convince you with this." Greene pulled out his wallet from inside his riding jacket. He produced a crisp, five dollar bill."

             
"I am convinced, sir." The other man nodded.

             
"Good morning, Judge!" Natty threw herself into his arms and gave him a bear hug. Pulling back, she examined him closer. "You don't look so good."

             
"I drank a little too much corn whisky and spent the night listening to Lester
Biggins
bramble on about how he once faced off three bears and a mountain lion. It was three hours before the man shut up and fell into a stupor. That's enough to plow any man. Dermott and I drank too much to risk a late night walk back to camp, so we stayed over. I'm a little sore, is
all.
I don't know which hurts worse, my back from sleeping propped up in an old wooden chair, or my head. I think that
Biggin's
cuts his whisky with whatever he uses to clean his saddles."

             
"Might be, Judge, you do look awful poorly."

             
"But you look radiant. Is it a good morning, Natalie?" He asked after shooting a glance at the still sleeping figure on her cot.

             
"Oh, yes it is!" She pulled him off to one side of the cabin. "I have a big favor to ask you, Judge. I hate
puttin
' you out any, but I need to know if any of those church ladies is good with a
sewin
' needle. Ma's dress is all pretty, but it's a might too tall for me, and I need to get some help
puttin
' it up."

             
"I don't see that as a problem, Natty. Bessie Watkins can sew silk to a hog's ear. We can go to town this afternoon. Plus, I think it's about time you started picking out furnishings for your new home."

             
"You mean it? I don't have any money for stuff like that. I just thought we'd make us a comfortable pallet in the floor. Maybe, when
             
Cole's hands get better, in between digging the mine, of course, he can build us some furniture."

             
"It just so happens that I may have a better solution. I've
been wanting
to clear out my house.
Tildy's
been gone for five years. Sometimes I come home, and it's hard to remember that she's not
gonna
be there. Seeing all of her belongings and knowing she's gone for good tends to give me a heavy heart.
Especially all of those women things.
A man doesn't need any of those."

             
"Aw, Judge, if it'll make you feel better. Let me get cleaned up, and we can head out as soon as possible." With that, she gave him another quick peck on the cheek and was out the door.

             
Judge watched her through the broken window. Her small form was literally skipping down the path to the water.

             
"She certainly has a bounce in her step today," he commented, looking over at the figure on the cot.

             
Slowly, Cole sat up, rubbing the heel of his hands against his eyes.

             
"You have to get me out of here!" Cole rose from the cot and pulling on his trousers. He didn't look at Judge when he spoke.

             
"Now, why would I want to do that? I swear I have never seen a girl so happy."

             
"She's happy now, but later..."

             
"Why are you so set on worrying about later? Son, you need to live in the present."

             
Cole sighed. "I guess it's no good fighting both of you." He walked to the fire and began stirring the smoldering wood into a gentle flame. "I'm just not strong enough."

             
"What is it, boy? What's wrong now?"

             
"I lied to you when I came into town."

             
"You lied. About what?"

             
"I told you I didn't know anything about any wanted posters; that I didn't know that anyone was chasing after me."

             
Judge shrugged. "That's hardly of any importance now. To half the wilderness you're a dead man, and to the other half,

you're
married. Same thing, I'd imagine."

             
Cole gave a halfhearted laugh. "I suppose." He paused a moment then taking a deep
breath,
he met Judge's eyes dead on. "There is someone who wants to see me dead. Other than the righteous citizens of this territory, that is."

             
"Someone wants revenge for your killing those outlaws?" "One of those men was Jared Greene."

             
"That's what it said on the death certificate." "Do you know who his father is? I'd bet not. Wesley T. Greene. If you've never heard of him, he's a Texas Ranger. He also owns one of the largest cattle ranches in the nation. With that kind of muscle behind him, I'm nothing but a fly he could whip with a horse's tail."

             
Judge watched him a moment before speaking. "And, you think this man's coming after you."

             
"I know he is. It was the last thing his murdering son told me just before I put a bullet into his chest."

             
"I hear Rangers are fair men who fight on the side of the law."

             
"I broke the law."

             
"It certainly looked that way. Just why did you kill them,
Remmington
? You never did own up to it during the trial."

             
"And I'm not going to tell you now. Suffice it to say that I'm no better than they were."

             
"I doubt it. For what it's worth, I heard things about that boy.
Number one; that he was as wild as a polecat with its tail cut off and twice as mean.
I'd heard that he fell in with a bad crowd.
That they'd been shooting up settlements over half the territory.
Those other three fellas you shot? It turns out they had their own wanted posters. Now, it's pretty clear to me, that if that had been another man's son that was shot, it might have been ruled as justified. Since it was Greene's offspring, things turned out different. In fact, I'd be willing to bet that if I could prove you had reasonable intentions towards killing those lowlifes, I could plead you a case and get all of the charges dropped."

             
"It won't matter. Greene's father won't stop until he sees me dead."

             
"You can't say another man won't see reason. Just tell me why you shot those men, and I'll take care of the rest."

             
"No."

             
"I'll tell you!" Both men turned. Natty stood, framed in the doorway. Her arms were crossed, and her jaw set in a hard line.

             
"Natty, please. Don't do this," Cole asked quietly.

             
"You were justified, Cole. Anybody can see that."

             
Judge walked over to stand in front of her. "Tell me, Natalie. I'll decide for both of you."

             
Natty glanced at Cole. "He killed those men because they attacked his family. When his wife was trying to run away, they shot her in the back and killed their baby son."

             
Judge looked back at Cole, but the other man stood with his eyes closed. In the next instant, he stormed past them out of the cabin.

             
"Cole, wait!" Natty called after him, but Judge touched her shoulder.

             
"Just leave him be, Natalie. He needs some time to heal. He can't get far. When we go into town today, I'll start writing some letters. Maybe it'll help."

             
She shook her head. "I'm afraid for him, Judge." "Yeah, me, too. Don't worry; we'll do what we can." Natty looked out the still open door. "I hope it's enough."

             
The ride into town went by in a blur. Natty was torn between worrying for Cole and being scared half to death of what the town's women might be thinking about her. Remembering her first night as a new bride didn't help. She was sure that Judge knew what had happened between her and Cole, but he said nothing. It was just that twinkling look he gave her. She half suspected that she needed to check a mirror to make sure she hadn't turned green.

             
The first house they stopped at was Judge's. A two story colonial design, the surrounding yard was kept as neat as pin. The grass was newly cut, and the fence around the yard sported a fresh coat of whitewash. Also, she noted that the prim windows were covered in white lace curtains.

             
"It's beautiful," she stated breathless, feeling like a fairytale princess entering the King's castle. When she journeyed down the long foyer, she tread cautiously, careful not to mar the polished wood floor. Entering the dining room, Natty let out a slow breath.

             
The table was covered with a cream lace cloth and on the center of it sat a vase of fresh cut wild flowers. The cupboards were full of fine china, and brass lamps were mounted on each of the room's walls.

             
"It's so clean." She shook her head in amazement. "I guess it is better to have real floors."

             
"It's not because of me, Natty. Widow Thomas and Widow Vance have made it their life's duty to take care of me since
Tildy
died. Damned uncomfortable living here; is what it is."

             
"I'd be scared to get anything dirty."

             
"I live in fear." Natty ventured into the parlor, inspecting the sofa and chair that sat in the farthest corner of the room. On a table beside it were several polished bowels. Next, she examined the fireplace. On the mantle above it were several pictures. One was of an attractive dark haired woman. The other was an infant, wrapped in fine, lace blankets.

             
"That's Mrs. Cummings. I remember how beautiful she was. I bet you sure do miss her."

             
She turned back to see Judge staring out the window, with an odd expression on his face. "I miss her more every day."

             
"Who's this?" Natty picked up the picture of the child.

             
"That's our son, Nathan. He died of yellow fever about two months after that was taken."

             
"So you lost your family, just like Cole."

             
"I had my
Tildy
a lot longer. We never did have another child, though."

             
"I'm sorry." She set the picture carefully back up on the mantle. "How come you never did remarry, Judge? It
ain't
right for a man to not have a wife. A man has needs."

             
Judge shot her a sly glance. Seeing it, Natty quickly covered mouth with her hand. She felt her face warm and could swear that her ears must have burned off.

             
"I mean, uh..."

             
Judged leaned forward. "I know what you mean, Natalie. And, yes, men do have needs. I never found another woman who did for me what
Tildy
did. I doubt that I ever will."

             
"What about Widow Thomas or Widow Vance, they seem like good women. I mean they come over and take care of you and all."

He smiled. "They do, but I can't make feelings that aren't there, Natty. Just the way you couldn't when those other boys came to your door last summer."