The Outlaw Takes a Bride (41 page)

“Of course.”

Ma moved into his spot and began to help Eph work the wet clothing off her father’s body. Sally turned away and walked with Johnny the few steps to her kitchen.

“If I’d known, I would have stopped when we came through,” Johnny said, gazing down at Flynn’s inert form.

“I know, and I wanted you so desperately to help Pa. Guess I should have made that clear. But it happened so quickly.”

He shook his head. “I didn’t even know your folks were here. What’s been going on while I was gone, Sally?”

“They came on the train to keep me company until you came back.”

“Well, your pa has paid dearly for that decision.”

“If they hadn’t come, I’d be dead, or in the outlaws’ camp. Pa held them off.” She brushed a stray tear from her cheek. “They shot him through the window, and then Cam threw him down the well.”

Johnny clenched his jaw and eyed the back door. “Looks like the leader busted in through the back—that right?”

Sally nodded. “Ma was right here by the stove with Pa’s Colt, and she blasted him.”

Johnny stared at her. “Your ma shot that man?”

“Yes.”

“I saw another’un in the barn when I went to get the ladder,” Johnny said.

“That must be the one that tried to come in the front window. Either that or Pa got another when he was shooting through the window.”

“Come here, girl.” Johnny pulled her in against his chest and held her so tightly Sally could barely breathe, but she didn’t want him to let her go. “Seems I owe your folks a big debt.”

“Where’s Sheriff Jackson?” she asked.

“Taken the prisoners into town.”

“So, the posse got them all?”

“There was three left standing when we got done over at Caxtons’.”

“Cam was riding with them when they came here,” Sally said. “He tried to get me to open the door. He didn’t know I had Ma and Pa here—thought I was all alone.”

“If I’d known that, I’d have killed him for sure,” Johnny said. “As it was, I couldn’t pull the trigger when I came face-to-face with him. I was so shocked, to think he would do this.”

“Who shot him?”

“Eph. Good thing, too. He was drawing down on me.”

“We’ll have to thank him properly after things settle down,” she said.

Johnny nodded. “I still can’t believe it, hardly. I asked Cam about Colorado before he died. Told him about the notice Fred Jackson got. He admitted it, Sally.”

“He killed that man up there?”

“Yeah. Why didn’t I realize it right away?”

“You thought Cam was a decent fellow.”

“It’s funny in a way, because we were never that close at the Lone Pine. Cam wasn’t one I’d have picked for my best buddy. But you work with someone day after day, and you get to know them, and you know they’ll stand by you if something happens. And then something did happen, and I didn’t think twice about trusting him.”

“I guess that’s something we can learn from.” Sally put her hand on his back and rubbed it in small circles. Was it so different from her trusting Johnny the day he met her at the depot, because she thought he was Mark? She probably should have been more cautious as well. “I’m sorry. But I sure am glad you’re the one who came back in one piece.”

Johnny was silent; then he straightened. “When the shooting was done at Caxtons’, one of the gang told us there’d been a fracas here. I lit out when I heard it.”

“I’m glad you did. I couldn’t have held Pa up much longer.”

“Come on, let’s get that water heating.” Johnny opened the lid of the firebox. “I’ll build up the fire. Can you get more water?”

“The well water’s a mess now,” Sally said. “And I dumped the bucket I had in here on the fire outside. There’s a little in the teakettle, though.” She picked it up and judged its weight.

“Make the tea, then.”

The bedroom pitcher still held a quart or so of clean water, so Ma used that to clean her husband’s wound. Meanwhile, Johnny and Eph loaded the outlaws’ bodies into the wagon next to Cam’s. Sally got her comb and hand mirror from the bedroom and put her hair to rights then walked out to where Johnny was covering the bodies with an old blanket.

“I’ll ask the doctor to come out here,” Eph said as he climbed to the wagon seat. “And I’ll bring you a barrel of water later.”

Johnny waved in acknowledgment. He took off his hat and slapped it against his thigh as he walked over to join Sally on the stoop. “Now, Mrs. Paynter, you have a lot more to tell me.”

“Yes, I do,” she said. “But you need some dry clothes, and I believe there’s still chicken and dumplings on the stove, if it hasn’t burned on or dried out.”

“I don’t care if it has,” Johnny said. “I’ll eat it anyway. And I need a proper introduction to your mother.”

D
r. Neale made a return visit to the ranch two days after the attack and pronounced Jeremiah Vane well enough to take a little solid food and sit up if he felt like it.

Johnny joined Sally in the kitchen while Mrs. Vane had a final word with Dr. Neale.

“Looks like your pa will be all right,” he said.

“In time.” Sally picked up the bucket of water by the stove and poured half of it into the wash boiler on top. The well water was almost clear now, but they were still hauling what they drank from the Caxtons’.

“It’s been a shock to see Pa so weak,” Sally admitted.

Johnny nodded. Sally was as solicitous as her mother in tending Jeremiah, but he could tell it pained her to see her father in his present condition. “He’s getting better, though.”

“The doctor says he needs to stay in bed a couple of weeks, at least. He won’t even consider letting him travel before that.”

“We’ll see how it goes,” Johnny said. “I can’t see him riding a train, even as far as Abilene, for a while. He needs to get his strength back.”

She smiled. “You know, five years ago, before I left Texas, he was a strong man. He could load or unload a ton of freight in less than an hour. That’s how I remember him. Now he seems to have aged more than five years.”

“Sweetheart, he was shot two days ago. Give him time.”

“I know.” Sally walked to the table and sat down. “The day I met them at the depot, he had seemed older to me, but not
old
.” She glanced at Johnny. “Was that the same day the outlaws came? It all seems such a jumble.”

“I reckon it was. And the day I came home.”

“Mmm. Well, Pa’s hair is much grayer now. I don’t think it was that gray before the shooting. And he’s so frail.”

“That will change, especially if you and your ma feed him up like Doc Neale said.”

“I guess so. But I’ve sort of realized my folks are getting older.”

“So are we, when you get right down to it,” Johnny said.

“Well, yes, but…” She shook her head.

Dr. Neale came out of the bedroom, carrying his bag. “Well folks, I’m off.”

“Won’t you stay and have a meal, Doctor?” Sally asked.

“No time. I need to stop in at the Hoods’ and check on old Bill and also on Mrs. Bill’s new baby.”

“Mary had her baby?” Sally cried.

“Yes, a healthy little girl.”

“How is Mr. Hood doing?” As Sally talked, she went to her worktable and wrapped a couple of biscuits and a slice of cake in a napkin.

“He’ll be all right if his wound doesn’t get infected. Bill’s a hard man to keep down, though. He’s already fussing about all the work he can’t do.”

“Take this.” Sally held out the napkin package. “You must get hungry, driving around to see everyone who’s ailing.”

“Thank you kindly,” Dr. Neale said. “Sheriff Jackson’s still got a wounded outlaw at the jail. He sent the others on to Houston. I hope we can get the last one fit enough to send him off.”

“I sleep a little easier, knowing that gang’s been caught,” Sally said.

Johnny walked out to the corral with the doctor. When he returned, Sally was back at work in the kitchen. “I’ll put dinner on the table in fifteen minutes for you and Ma and me.”

Johnny nodded. “And I’ll spell your ma while she eats. Do you need anything now?”

Sally glanced around the kitchen. “I hate to say it, but I could use more water.”

Johnny grabbed the bucket and went out to the barrel near the stoop.

A short time later, Sally persuaded her mother to join her in the kitchen for the meal, while Johnny helped Pa eat his dinner.

“Pa’s getting pretty good at feeding himself,” she noted as she put a tray with two dishes of beef stew in Johnny’s hands.

“I’ll let him do as much of the work as he wants to,” Johnny said.

He carried the tray into the bedroom, and Jeremiah, propped up on pillows, smiled wearily.

“Got a mind for some stew?” Johnny asked.

“Maybe a little.”

Johnny settled him with his bowl and sat down in a chair beside the bed to eat with him. When Johnny finished his own bowl, Jeremiah was only halfway done with his. Each time the older man lifted the spoon to his mouth, it seemed to take a great effort.

“Want some help?” Johnny asked.

“No, I’m fine, but thank you.” Slowly, Jeremiah managed to get another spoonful to his lips.

“It’s probably good for you to do it yourself,” Johnny noted, remembering how helpless he’d felt when his arm was broken.

A couple of minutes later, Jeremiah let the spoon rest in the bowl and sighed. “Guess I’m done for the time being.”

Johnny took the bowl and set it over on the tray on top of the washstand.

“Sir, I just want to say how much I appreciate that you were here when Sally had the trouble with the outlaws.”

Her father smiled faintly. “It’s not like we planned it.”

“Oh, I know, but…I’m just glad she didn’t have to face them alone.”

“So am I. Things would have gone badly. That is, worse than they did.” Jeremiah looked down at his bandages. “The doc says I’m lucky. The bullet didn’t hit anything vital. And they could have shot me again. I believe they would have killed me outright if Sally hadn’t spoken up. She stood up to the fellow—the one they called Cam.”

“She’s a stout one, your Sally.”

“She’ll make you a good wife, son. I guess you know she’s the kind that will stick by you, no matter what.”

“Yes, sir, I’ve found that to be true.” Johnny wondered how much Mr. Vane knew about Sally’s earlier marriage. Or maybe he was only talking about her decision to stay with him after she learned of Mark’s death.

Their gazes caught and held for a moment, and Johnny’s gut tightened.

“You be good to her,” Jeremiah said quietly.

“Yes, sir.” Johnny took a careful breath. Now was the time for frankness. “I won’t lie to her, ever again. Or to anyone else.”

“That’s real fine. I hope you mean it.”

“Oh, I do, sir.” Johnny hoped he wouldn’t have to prove his honesty and dependability to Sally’s family all his life, but he couldn’t fault her father for being a bit wary.

Jeremiah sank back into his pillows with a sigh. “I expect I should telegraph my son and tell him what’s happened.”

“Sally sent me yesterday to do that very thing,” Johnny said. “She and her mother worded it carefully so as not to cause undue alarm.”

“Good. We don’t want the boys showing up here on your doorstep, thinking I’m about to die.”

Johnny chuckled. “No, sir, though I’m sure Sally would be glad to see her brothers. She’s been a mite homesick, I think, and not just this summer.”

“You’ll have to bring her up to see us before too long.”

“I can do that.”

Mr. Vane’s eyelids closed again.

“I’ll let you rest, sir,” Johnny said. Mr. Vane showed no sign that he’d heard.

Johnny rose carefully and picked up the tray. When he entered the kitchen, Sally and her mother were still at the table, lingering over coffee and cake.

“You sure do make a good marble cake,” Mrs. Vane said.

Sally laughed. “It’s your recipe. I just wish I could bake without heating up the house so.”

“Soon,” Johnny said, thinking of the half-finished oven outside.

They both looked up at him expectantly.

“He’s sleeping.” Johnny carried the tray to the worktable and eyed the water level in the boiler. He judged that Sally had enough hot water to do the dishes in. “I ought to ride out and see if the cattle are getting enough water, if you don’t need me here.”

Sally nodded. “Go ahead. I suspect the creek is nothing but a trickle now.”

“What will you do if it dries up?” Mrs. Vane asked.

“That’s the big question all the ranchers are asking,” Johnny said.

Sally stood and gathered her dishes. “I’ll walk out to the barn with you.”

She and Johnny had slept out there in the harness room for the past two nights. Sally admitted she felt less secure there than in the house, but he reminded her that Cam and the outlaws could no longer hurt them. Johnny slept on the floor between her and the door, with his pistol beside his pillow.

As they crossed the yard, he whistled, and Reckless and Lady came trotting to the fence.

“I’m glad we got Lady back.” Sally walked over to pat the mare’s nose while Johnny got his saddle.

He brought it from the barn and plopped it on the top rail then opened the gate for Reckless. Lady tried to crowd through behind him.

“No, you stay in there, girl.” He pushed her head back and quickly closed the gate. “Had a talk with your pa,” he said as he spread the saddle blanket over Reckless’s back.