The Encounter (22 page)

              Lawrence extended his hand. Henry shook Lawrence's hand, but his eyes were on Margaret. Well, any friends of John and Erma are certainly friends of mine... What brings you all the way up to Wyoming Territory? That's a long and dangerous trip these days, what with all the Indian unrest."

              Lawrence took Margaret's hand. "Well, with Maggie along, the trip seemed to take just minutes."

              She squeezed his hand. A couple of knuckles popped. He turned a flinch into a quick smile.

              "We haven't been married very long", Lawrence continued. "This trip has sorta been our honeymoon. We were gonna try our hand at prospecting, but we lost our horses and equipment in the mountains a few days ago."

              "Indians", Henry asked?

              "Don't know", Lawrence answered. "Something spooked the horses and everything else went with 'em. It was just luck we happened onto the McKenlys. They gave us a ride."

              Henry turned his attention to John. "Somebody said they saw the McKenlys at your place, somebody sick?"

              Erma broke in. "There was an accident. Martin's been hurt."

              "Nothing serious, I hope", Henry said in a sympathetic tone.

              “Sarah and Joseph are with him... and since when did you, or anybody else down here, give a damn about what happens to anyone on that mountain."

              The Mayor took his wife by the arm. He didn't want to get caught up in this conversation. "Well, we need to keep mixin', another election comin' up." Looking at Lawrence, "it was nice meetin' you and your lovely wife. John, Erma..."

              "Same here", Lawrence replied.

              The Mayor's wife just smiled and walked away with her husband.

              Henry had been as congenial as he needed to be to find out what he wanted to know. "I'm here with Ben Kramer and his boys. I'd better get back." He looked at Margaret. "Why don't you and your husband come over? Ben's the largest rancher in the valley."

              "Which one is Josh", Margaret asked.

              Henry gave her a curious look, and then looked around to the bar, "the young one with the black hair".

              Before Henry could ask why she wanted to know, she said, "I heard his name mentioned a while ago."

              "Well, I gotta get back. John, Erma... Mr. and Miz Casey." With that, Henry started back to the bar.

              Margaret watched Josh. After Henry returned to the group Josh started for the tables. She looked at Lawrence. "I think I'm gonna see what's to eat." She looked at John and Erma, "if you'll excuse me." John nodded. She walked off toward the tables.

              Lawrence knew she'd no more eat what was on those tables than he'd ask for another taste of that stuff she carried around with her. What was she up to and who was Josh? A name
he'd
never heard until this moment. There was a sudden twinge in the pit of his stomach. If he didn't know better he'd think he was jealous, or something.

              Margaret made her way toward the tables. She and Josh arrived at the same time. He glanced at her, smiled, and then looked back at the table. He was thinking of something to say when she surprised him.

              "Sarah wants to see you. She's at the doctor's office." With that, she turned and walked off.

              He just stared at her back as she walked away from him. How could Sarah tell anybody, he thought, especially a stranger. He forgot about eating. He looked around at the bar. His father was caught up in conversation with Henry, and the others. Frank was drinking and laughing at everything. No would miss him, at least for a little while.

              Margaret rejoined the others, saying she didn't find anything she wanted. Lawrence wasn't surprised. He watched her, watch Josh, work his way around to the door and leave.

                                                        ***

              Josh stepped outside. There were several people standing around, but no one took particular notice of him. He walked back towards Main Street.

              Sarah was still sitting with her father. Joseph was somewhere in the house. She dozed on and off. Her day usually started before the sun was up so her bedtime came early.

              A light tapping at the window brought her around. She opened her eyes and sat up straight in her chair. She immediately looked at her father. Nothing had changed. The tapping came again. She looked at the window.

              "Who's there", she asked?

              There was no answer, just the tapping again. She eased out of her chair, walked to the window and pulled back the curtain. Josh looked back through the glass. She smiled and raised the window.

              "Hi", he said. "Can I come in?"

              She glanced around at the door. "I don't think so. Joseph is around somewhere."

              "I'm not afraid of your brother."

              "It's not that. I just don't want any trouble here. I've been wanting to see you so much."

              "I heard 'em talking at the school. I know about your father. Listen, there's something you need to know. Mr. Morton and my father are real mad about your father not wanting to sell out to 'em."

              "What's happened doesn't change anything", she interrupted. "We're not giving up our home to anybody."

              "I know. All you McKenlys are stubborn, but my father's been talking about letting Frank do something."

              "What?"

              "I don't know. You know Frank. When he's been drinkin' he could do anything. I don't want you gettin' hurt."

              "Don't worry about us. Joseph and me can take care of ourselves."

              "I'm not worried about your brother. Why don't you at least think about lettin' 'em cross your place to the high range? They'd be willin' to pay. I heard Mr. Morton say so."

              Before she could answer the horses shifted behind him. He glanced around and was shoved away. Sarah gasped and Joseph stepped in front of the window.

              "My father already told you and your friends, no", Joseph said angrily, pointing his finger at Josh, "why you botherin' my sister?"

              Sarah left the room and headed outside. She didn't want either one of them hurt.

              Josh was right back in Joseph's face. "That stubborn streak's gonna get her hurt."

              "Stay away from my sister", Joseph came back, shoving Josh with both hands, "or you're the one's gonna get hurt.”

              Josh threw a straight right. It caught Joseph off guard and landed on the point of his nose sending blood in all directions. The punch stunned him. Josh went for his legs and they both went down.

              Sarah made the corner of the building. Joseph and Josh were tangled up in the legs of their team. Joseph got his boot against Josh's chest and shoved him back. They both scrambled to their feet. The next thing they knew, Sarah was trying to push them apart. The adrenaline was running so high in both boys; she was almost crushed between them. She kicked out at both of them and they backed off.

              "What are you two doin'", she yelled, out of breath.

              "He started it", Josh yelled back.

              Joseph looked at Sarah and demanded, "What's he doin' here? Why you talkin' to him?"

              She was mad because all this was goin' on under her father's window. Her voice was strong and direct. "Daddy's lyin' in there barely alive and you two are out here tryin' to kill each other", looking directly at Joseph, "and who or why I talk to anybody, is my business. Now, go inside and do something with your nose." She couldn't believe she took that kind of stand with her brother. He couldn't either. It was confusing to him. She'd never sounded like that before.

              He rubbed his nose with his hand and glared at Josh. "Just stay away from us. You and yours, been nothing but trouble. Next time, my sister won't be here to stop it."

              Josh took a step toward him, but Sarah put a stop to it once and for all. "Joseph, go..." She looked at Josh. "You too..."

              Joseph walked a few steps away, but he wasn't losing sight of his sister until Josh was gone. Sarah walked over to Josh and touched his arm. He looked at her, then at Joseph still standing close by. He leaned over and kissed Sarah on the forehead. Joseph took a step in their direction and Josh turned and walked off.

              The kiss was unexpected. With all the walking and talking they'd done he'd never touched her like that before. She turned and faced Joseph.

              He was mad at her, mostly because she stopped the fight while he was losing. He knew the kiss was meant to make him mad. What actually got to him was she seemed to like it. He turned and left the alley feeling a little betrayed.

              Sarah felt confused, and she knew talking to Joseph about it would be impossible. That is, if he ever spoke to her again. She started out of the alley. She needed to talk to another woman. She needed Maggie.

              Joseph wouldn't talk to her and wouldn't let her take care of his nose. He went to bed and she went back to her father's room.

                                                        ***

              The town social finally began to break up. Josh had rejoined his family. No one, but Margaret noticed his clothes were messed up and he was favoring his right hand. Frank, and some others, had left earlier. Henry, with Ben and Josh, left a little while after Josh got back.

              It had been an interesting get-together. Lawrence had met a real life Town Marshal (who looked more like Grandpa McCoy), the Mayor, the School Teacher, the Minister and several other town's people.

              The Cassidys were hanging back. Margaret and Lawrence decided to go back on their own. As they walked along the wooden sidewalk he wanted to ask about Josh. Everything she did seemed to be for a reason. He concluded that when she was ready to let him in on it, she would.

              They passed several horses tied to a hitching post. One of them had his tail up depositing the by-product of his dinner on the ground behind him.

              Lawrence grabbed his nose with his thumb and forefinger. "Whew... They have their own forms of air pollution."

              Margaret glanced at the freshly deposited pile. "You should smell this place with my nose."

              "Earlier, I was wondering how you knew it was me. You can tell us apart?"

              "Sure, all of you smell a little different."

              "Through the door,” he asked?

              "From a hundred feet away."

              "Anyone ever take you quail hunting?"

              He was trying to be cute. She disarmed him. "An interesting thought. We'll have to try that sometime."

              The sounds from the saloon filled the air. The sidewalk had become crowded with people coming and going. Lawrence and Margaret had to pause at the entrance to let several men stumble out.

              Frank Kramer and his buddies had retired to the saloon for some serious drinking. Frank glanced toward the doors just as Margaret and Lawrence passed by. The sight of all that black hair jogged his memory.

              "Hey little filly", he shouted, and staggered toward the doors. "Wait for me."

              Several of the men drinking with him followed him out. Frank was after a good time and they wanted their turn.

              Margaret and Lawrence were past the saloon by the time Frank and company made it to the sidewalk.

              "Hey, you... with the black hair", Frank shouted. "I wanta talk to you."

              Margaret and Lawrence both turned. Lawrence knew the look. They were all drunk and weren't going to take "no" for an answer to anything. She could handle it, but not in front of so many witnesses. It was on him, which was the way he wanted it.

              Frank didn't wait for introductions. He reached for Margaret and took her by her left forearm. "Me and the boys here wanta have a little poke." He looked at those around him and grinned. "Now, we can do it here or find someplace where these good folks and he", looking at Lawrence, "don't get to watch."

              Lawrence didn't say anything. The instant he touched her it had gone past words. He took the back of Frank's hand and with a single, twisting motion, the hand came away from Maggie’s arm, and Frank went to his knees. Frank screamed, as the joints in his hand, and wrist, popped. The man standing closest to Lawrence made a move. The loose fitting clothes allowed Lawrence all the flexibility he needed. His foot came up to the man's throat taking his feet out from under him. Lawrence released Frank, planted his right foot and struck out with his left. It landed squarely in the back of Frank's head sending him sprawling into the street. The first man was up. Lawrence continued on around with a crescent kick to the side of man's head putting him on top of Frank.