One More Sunrise (34 page)

Tag’s face was suddenly mottled with rage. He uttered a sound that sounded like a wild animal’s growl. “You remember when Darryl was shot, Doke, I suspicioned that Logan had let him die because he was an outlaw.”

Doke closed his eyes, then opened them. “Yeah. I told you it wasn’t so. But now I believe you were right.”

“Well, this confirms it! Logan did the same thing to Gib!” Wrath flamed in Tag’s eyes. “I owe Logan double! I’ll get him if it’s the last thing I do! He’s gonna die!”

Doke bit his lips.

Bart looked at Tag. “You gonna kill this doctor before or after we rob those two banks in Cheyenne?”

“After. We’re gonna go ahead and leave for Cheyenne on Tuesday, May 10, as planned so we can hold up both those Cheyenne banks on Thursday afternoon, May 12.”

Doke bit his lips again. “Uh, Tag …”

“Yeah?”

“Could I talk to you alone for a minute?”

Tag frowned. “I don’t have to keep any secrets from my boys, here.”

“Well, this is just something between you and me, as old friends.”

“Oh, all right. Let’s go outside.”

Kathryn was sobbing heavily, soaking the shoulder of Lucinda’s dress as Tag and Doke moved out onto the front porch.

The old friends crossed the porch, moved down the steps, and walked slowly toward the dense forest.

“Okay, what is it?”

“Uh, I know Dr. Logan did wrong concerning Darryl and Gib, but—but—”

“But
what?
”

“Well, do you have to kill him? Couldn’t you just find out where he lives and burn his house down, or something like that? I felt I should let you know what happened with Gib, but I don’t want to be responsible for the doctor’s death.”

They drew up under a towering pine tree. Tag looked down and shoved a few pine cones around with the toe of his boot for a long moment, then looked at his old friend. “I appreciate you telling me about what the doc did with both Darryl and Gib, Doke. If it wasn’t for you, I wouldn’t know it. I really want vengeance on him. But since you’re squeamish about being responsible for his death by what you’ve told me, I’ll find a way to get
even with Logan without killing him.”

Doke started to say something, but before he could get it out, Tag said, “I
will
find a way, though, to make him suffer severely for what he did to Darryl and Gib.”

Doke let out a shaky breath and touched Tag’s arm. “Thank you. I couldn’t stand to have the doctor’s death on my conscience.”

Tag nodded and smiled thinly. “Well, let’s get back to the cabin. Lucinda will be fixing supper with whatever food is left. You want to stay the night with us, don’t you?”

“Sure do,” said Doke, feeling like a thousand pounds had been lifted from his chest.

When they drew near the cabin in the dying light of day, they saw Kathryn sitting in the old rocking chair near the door. The air was getting chilly, and Lucinda came out carrying a shawl. She was placing it on Kathryn’s shoulders as the two men made their way up the steps.

Tag frowned. “What’s this?”

“She wants some time alone,” explained Lucinda. “I brought the shawl out to keep her warm. Supper’s about ready. Go on in and get washed up. I’ll be there shortly.”

When Tag and Doke had gone inside, Lucinda leaned over and took both of Kathryn’s hands in her own. Tears choked her voice. “I’m so sorry, Kathryn.”

Kathryn raised her swollen eyes and looked at her friend. “Lucinda, I knew in my heart this was going to happen. From the very beginning of this outlaw life, something just told me it would end this way.”

Lucinda didn’t know what to say.

A fresh wave of bitter tears coursed down Kathryn’s cheeks. “Go on in now and give the men their supper. I’ll be all right here. I just need some time alone.”

Lucinda gave Kathryn’s hands a squeeze. “I’ll check on you later.”

With that, she headed toward the cabin door. When she stepped inside, she held the door open and looked back over her shoulder. She saw Kathryn lower her head and put her hands to her face. Tears were trickling between her fingers.

After giving way to her anguish, Kathryn wept for a long time. Then wiping her face and eyes, she rocked the chair slowly and stared out into the forest in the gathering twilight. “What will I do now? Will the gang give me the money that would have gone to Gib?”

She took a short breath and frowned. “Or do I even want it? It was taken at gunpoint. But—but if I don’t take it, how will I live? Then again, if I do take it, I’ll be just as guilty as these men are.”

Her thoughts on the subject went round and round until darkness and a penetrating chill filled the night. Pulling the shawl up tight around her neck, Kathryn glanced toward the cabin windows. Lantern light shone through them and splashed a warm glow on the porch floor.

At that moment, footsteps were heard and the door came open.

Lucinda moved to Kathryn. “Honey, it’s freezing out here. Come on in now and let me get some hot coffee and some potato soup in you. It’ll help you feel better.”

Kathryn nodded and let Lucinda help her out of the rocking chair.

A bit reluctantly, she allowed her friend to lead her into the warmth of the cabin and the presence of the gang.

At the federal building in Denver, Chief U.S. Marshal John Brockman was about to leave his office for the day when Deputy Charlie Wesson tapped on the door. “Chief, Dr. Dane Logan is here to see you.”

John closed the desk drawer into which he had just placed some papers. “Send him in.”

When Dr. Dane stepped into the office, he thanked Charlie, then moved to the desk while Charlie closed the door.

John stood up behind his desk and offered his hand. “Good to see you, Doc. How’d it go in Fort Collins?”

“The hip replacement went fine, Chief, but something else happened while I was there that I need to tell you about. I just got in on the late afternoon train.”

“Well, sit down and tell me.”

When both men were seated, Dr. Dane told John about the shooting incident on the Wells Fargo property in Fort Collins earlier that day; that Deputy Clint Haymes was wounded; and that Gib Tully was killed.

Brockman called for Deputy Charlie Wesson and had him send another deputy immediately to both of Denver’s newspapers with orders to bring reporters so Dr. Logan could tell the story of the Fort Collins shooting to them.

Very little time had passed when the deputy returned with a reporter from each paper. Both were very glad to see Dr. Logan, and they told him that just today they were given information on his upcoming marriage to bank president David Tabor’s daughter on May 21. They congratulated him and assured him that both papers would carry the story of the forthcoming wedding in tomorrow’s edition.

Dr. Dane thanked them, then gave them the details of the shooting in Fort Collins when outlaw Gib Tully was killed. He told them of treating the wounded Deputy Marshal Clint Haymes and assured them he would recover.

When the reporters were gone, John said, “Well, Doc, you’ve had quite a day. Are you heading for Central City right away?”

Dane grinned. “I plan to stay over and spend some time with Tharyn this evening. I’ll ride to Central City in the morning.”

“Good. May I remind you that you have a standing invitation to stay in our guest room?”

Dane nodded. “I’ll take you up on it, sir. I’ll show up at your place by ten o’clock, if that’s all right.”

“That will be fine.”

“Okay. Well, I guess I’d better go get my horse at the stable and head for the Tabor house.”

When Tharyn greeted Dane at the front door in response to his knock, she opened her arms and gave him her brightest smile. “Here’s the man of my dreams!”

“Hello, sweetheart.” He gathered her in his arms.

She cuddled close. “We saw you coming, so Mama and Papa went to the kitchen to give us a private moment together. Mama and I have supper cooking. We started it after I got home from work. You
will
eat with us, won’t you?”

“Oh, of course!”

He kissed her soundly, then while he held her, Tharyn sensed a tenseness in him. When they let go of each other, she took his hand, and while leading him into the parlor, looked deeply into his eyes. “Darling, you seem a bit on edge. Is something wrong?”

Dane spied the flames dancing in the ornate fireplace. “Ah, the fire looks good on this chilly spring evening.”

Tharyn batted her eyelids at him. “Darling, you are not quite yourself. What’s wrong?”

Before Dane could answer, Kitty and David came in, smiling. Kitty was carrying a tray with cups of fragrant tea.

Both warmly greeted Dane, then as Kitty placed the tray on an inlaid oak table, she said, “I thought we could all use this on such a cool evening. Dane, you are going to have supper with us, aren’t you?”

Dane smiled. “I wouldn’t miss it. And this tea sure looks good to me, Mrs. Tabor. This has been quite a day.”

Tharyn poured a cup for Dane and handed it to him in a saucer. “So what happened today that has you not quite yourself?”

David and Kitty looked at each other, then at Dane.

“What happened, Dane?” asked David, accepting a cup and saucer from Kitty. “Anything you are at liberty to share with us?”

Dane took a sip of tea. “Oh yes, sir. I can tell you. It will be in both of Denver’s newspapers tomorrow, anyway.” He took another sip of tea. “You know, the British may have something here. A cup of this bracing brew really is therapeutic.”

Kitty smiled. “Tell you what—supper will be ready in about twenty minutes. Let’s all sit down here and Dane can tell us about his day.”

When they were seated, Dane told them about the shooting incident in Fort Collins which left Deputy U.S. Marshal Clint Haymes wounded and in the Larimer County Hospital and resulted in the death of Gib Tully, a member of the Tag Moran gang.

David shook his head. “Well, my boy, indeed you have had quite a day. Praise the Lord you were able to save the deputy’s life. Now how about some of Mrs. Tabor’s good cooking?”

“Sounds wonderful to me! I didn’t even have a bite of lunch today, and I am ravenous!”

During supper, Tharyn asked about the hip replacement Dane had done in Fort Collins that morning and was pleased to hear that it went well.

After supper, Dane and Tharyn spent some time alone, talking about their wedding and their future together.

The next morning, after Breanna Brockman had fed her family and their guest a good breakfast, Dr. Dane rode into the mountains, heading for Central City.

At the Moran gang’s hideout in the mountains west of Fort Collins, Doke Veatch rode away after a slim breakfast while the men and women watched and waved.

When Doke vanished from view, Lucinda turned to the men. “Well, since the wagon has been repaired, Kathryn and I will head for Fort Collins to buy groceries and supplies as soon as we get the dishes done.”

When the dishes were done and the kitchen was cleaned up, Kathryn told Lucinda she needed a few minutes in her room before they headed for Fort Collins. Lucinda told her she would work on the grocery list and they would leave as soon as Kathryn was ready.

In her room, Kathryn quickly wrote a note on a piece of paper that she would slip to someone at the general store while they were in Fort Collins:

When Lucinda and Kathryn arrived in Fort Collins, they entered the general store, each carrying half the grocery and supply list so they could both pick up goods and place them in the handbaskets they carried.

Kathryn immediately made sure to go as far as possible in the store from where Lucinda was picking up goods, and began looking for just the right person. She quickly spotted a well-dressed middle-aged man in the hand tools section who appeared to be some kind
of businessman.

Slipping up to him, she kept her voice low. “Good morning, sir. Are you a resident of Fort Collins?”

He smiled. “Yes, I am. I own the Spalding Furniture Store. My name is Howard Spalding. Is there something I can do for you?”

Kathryn moved a step closer, looked around to make sure Lucinda was nowhere in sight, then took out the folded slip of paper. “Mr. Spalding, will you please deliver this note to Sheriff James Hoffman as soon as possible? It is very, very important.”

Spalding’s brow furrowed, and a quizzical look captured his eyes.

“Sheriff Hoffman?”

“Yes, sir.”

“I don’t understand.”

“There is no time to explain. Will you do it?”

“Why … ah … yes, of course.”

Kathryn placed it in his hand. “Please, Mr. Spalding, don’t let on to anyone but the sheriff that I am giving you this note, or I will be killed.”

Spalding’s face paled. “Really?”

“Yes, sir. Really. Now I must keep moving. And thank you, sir.”

With that, Kathryn hurried away and moved into another aisle between rows of shelves.

Howard Spalding watched her disappear, then opened the note and read it. He gasped and hurried to the counter with his groceries.