When Sunday came round, Wolf decided they needed to spend some time together and they definitely needed a day off. He thought a ride in the country towards Jim Ellison's place might do them both a world of good. He knew he might have some problems with Darby because of the last time he saw Jim Ellison and Blair Sandburg, but he felt both Jim and Blair were decent sorts and would quickly see that Darby was on his way towards a new life as a law-abiding citizen.
He knew the most opposition would come from Darby himself. He decided not to tell the boy exactly where they were heading, just that they were going to look over the countryside and get to know the area around the ranch. He told Darby to pack a lunch, as they probably wouldn't be back until dinner time.
Darby had grown sullen since Wolf had caught him crying in the grove. He seemed pre-occupied most of the time while he worked. On Sunday morning, seated next to Wolf on the wagon his mood hadn't improved all that much. Most questions Wolf directed at him were answered in one-syllable words or mumbled phrases. Finally Wolf gave up trying to draw him out and satisfied himself with enjoying the cool autumn air and the bright sunny landscape.
They came upon the small homestead of Jim Ellison around noon. Jim Ellison came out the front door, followed by Blair. Wolf noticed the big rancher put a protective arm around Blair as he recognized Darby Cole. He felt Darby stiffen on the seat next to him.
"Good afternoon," Wolf said. "We were checking out the territory and I thought I'd drop in and say 'hi' to my neighbors."
"Hello, Wolf," Jim Ellison greeted the ex-Marshal. Then Wolf saw his eyes shift suspiciously towards Darby.
"Hi, Mr. Stoddard" Blair said in greeting, but Wolf noticed the young man still blushed in embarrassment at the memory of the street scene. He probably also realized that Wolf had been staying at the hotel and had heard his punishment, hell, the whole hotel probably heard.
Wolf nudged Darby and pointed a finger to the ground. Both men got down from the wagon.
Darby cautiously stayed along the side of the wagon. Wolf came around to the front of the horses and turned motioning for Darby to come forward. Wolf immediately reached an arm around him; all of sudden feeling as protective of his young charge as he noted Jim Ellison was being of his.
"Darby, here, has something to say to you."
"Darby," Wolf said firmly.
"Mr. Ellison, Blair, I'm sorry for the trouble I caused you."
Wolf looked Jim Ellison directly in the eyes. He would explain the situation to the rancher when the two young men were not within earshot, but at this moment a silent communiqué had been telegraphed between both men.
"Okay," Jim said, "I'll accept your apology, but Blair had to make amends to Mr. Brady by buying him a new saddle. You owe him more than an 'I'm sorry.'"
"That's another reason we're here. Darby will be staying with me for a year. I thought perhaps an arrangement could be worked out where Darby could work off his share of the saddle."
"Well, Darby's share of that saddle is $30." Jim said, eyeing the scared boy as he stood with his head down.
"How about I pay you the money, and Darby can work it off doing extra chores for me," Wolf suggested trying to make amends to his neighbor, yet, offering the somber youth a way to save face and take responsibility for his foolish actions.
"Blair," Jim turned to his young friend, "how does that sound to you?"
"Yeah, Jim, I'm fine with that." Then Blair, being the easy-going, forgiving mediator in most conflicts moved forward to shake Darby's hand. Wolf watched as Darby tried to step back, somewhat shocked at the quick reprieve. He must have thought Blair was going to beat the crap out of him, Wolf thought.
"Hey, Darby, come on with me I'll show you my garden. I'm just about ready to harvest. I have a watermelon you would not believe," Blair said as he pulled the stunned fair-haired boy out from the protective shelter of Wolf's arm.
"Wolf, why don't you and Darby stay for supper. Blair and I usually eat around one, we're having fried chicken today. Blair makes the best biscuits," Jim said as he relaxed his stance a bit, now that the air had been cleared.
"Why, thank you, Jim. I think we'd like that. We don't have fresh eggs or chickens, yet. It'll be a real treat."
Wolf and Jim both tended to the horses and immediately entered into an easy conversation. Wolf was eager to learn as much about Jim's methods of catching and training the horses as he could.
"Wolf, you mind if I ask you how you came to have Darby Cole staying with you. I thought you hated the kid," Jim asked as they positioned themselves on the porch, waiting for their companions to return from the trip to the garden.
"He got himself into a peck of trouble. He was on his way to Laramie for a year of hard time. I...I guess I...."
Jim Ellison burst out laughing.
"What's so funny?" Wolf asked startled by the outburst, warily waiting for an explanation.
"I'm sorry, I was just remembering the last time I saw you and Darby together, the little hellion kicked you and bit your arm and you were threatening him with a good hiding. Today, you were as protective of him as an old mother hen."
"Tarnation, Ellison, I'm not protective, I...I...I just didn't want him running off. He's a skittish colt most times, I need to keep him on a short halter."
Jim just smiled and nodded his head as though agreeing with Wolf's assessment, and then Wolf saw the barely concealed smile and started laughing himself.
"Yeah, I guess you're right. Darn brat grows on you."
"Well, I think you might be just what the boy needs to turn him around. Blair seems to like him, although he wasn't speaking too highly of him after I tanned his hide for that little prank they both played on Brady. I've had to impress upon Blair's backside enough times what behavior is acceptable out here and what's not. I think Darby will pick up easily enough, with the right incentive."
"It's just, well, I've put him over my knee once. The only way I could get the kid's attention. I just don't want to bully him. He seems so young and inexperienced. He needs protecting most times. I don't want him to be afraid of me, but I won't have him getting himself into any fixes that could get him or someone else hurt. I won't tolerate his running away either, then I imagine he'll be face down across my lap again."
"I don't think you'd brutalize him by spanking him. I know he would have been in for a lot harsher treatment at Laramie from the guards as well as the other inmates. It's your responsibility to keep him from ever finding out what that experience would have been like,” Jim said as he saw the object of his own concern walking off in the distance with the fair-haired boy with the wild locks protruding every which way.
Jim knew he would do anything he had to, paddle Blair until he couldn't sit for a month of Sunday's, to keep him from ever doing anything that would send him to prison, not that he believed for a minute that Blair would ever be in that position. Still he'd rather hold the sobbing youth afterwards, hear the hiccuping cries of apology, and offer his forgiveness than visit his young friend in a prison one Sunday a month.
Darby hunkered on down to the huge watermelon. He patted it gently like a big baby and he squinted up at Blair in the noon sun and a huge grin cracked his face. It was the first smile to cross those soft features in days and he marveled at how the smile seemed to lift his spirits.
"Man, this is some melon. How'd you get it so big?"
"Don't tell Jim," Blair said conspiratorially, "but I used his leftover coffee grounds for fertilizer. He likes to usually reuse the grounds a couple of times, but I like to steal them fresh after one use. I think they make a world of difference."
Darby laughed at this, then his face grew serious. "You and Jim seem to really get along well. How long have you known him?"
"Not long. It's hard to explain, but I've felt real comfortable with him from the start. I mean, well, we didn’t get along great in the beginning, but I’ve always felt he was a man I could trust. He's my best friend, and pretty easy going, when I pretty much obey him," Blair said, smiling mischievously. Seeing the look on Darby's face, Blair jumped in to correct the impression immediately, "Don't get me wrong, he's no tyrant. He's just pretty strict about what I should and shouldn't do out here." Blair stopped a moment and considered where this line of conversation was going and the reason for it's initial creation.
"It's rough country out here, Darby. It's easy to get hurt or do something foolish and not live long enough to regret it. Jim's just trying to keep me safe. He cares about me." Blair looked down at the ground before looking back at Darby with a shy grin. "He's my Blessed Protector."
"I noticed that, the first time I ever saw you two ride into town together. You looked like you belonged next to him." This was said in a quiet, wistful manner, filled with hope and longing.
"I can't imagine my life without Jim now," Blair said as both men started making their way back to the cabin.
"How'd you come to stay with Wolf?"
"Oh, I tried to steal a horse and I was on my way to Laramie. Wolf decided he'd get himself a free ranch hand by taking me to live with him for one year. It's still a prison sentence, just working my ass off for him."
"Darby, you don't mean that. Why did you do something that stupid? Laramie prison is a really bad place. You'd probably never even survive a week there."
"Oh, yeah, that's right, Blair, side with him. I'll thank the man kindly for making me his servant. First chance I get, I'm out of here. I ain't going to be beholden to him. He don't care about me, he hates me, he..." then Darby turned away as the tears threatened to fall.
"Hey, it's okay. I understand. But I think you're wrong about Wolf. He seems like a fair man, and I'll bet he just wanted to help you out."
"I don't need his help," Darby said petulantly.
Blair put his hand on the boy's shoulders. He saw the tears threatening to spill over. "Hey, Darby, come on, what's wrong?"
"It was my birthday this past week. I just miss my ma and all the ladies. I always had such nice birthdays with them."
"Well, did you tell Wolf?"
"No, of course not. I asked him what day it was, the date. He keeps this old farmer's almanac in the kitchen. I didn't realize it was this far into October," Darby lied not wanting to tell Blair that he couldn't read.
"Look let's get back to the house. We're having Jim's fried chicken. He makes the best fried chicken, and wait until you taste my biscuits...man, you are going to want the recipe." Blair draped his arm around the smaller youth and they both walked back to the house. Darby dried his eyes and matched Blair's easy step, forgetting his sorrows with the anticipation of fried chicken and biscuits a childhood favorite of his. It was the only dish Delilah Cole, the star, ever cooked for her son, and she only cooked it on his birthday.
The meal was a happy occasion. Jim sat at one end of the small table, Wolf at the other. Blair and Darby were each seated to their friend's right, across from each other. Darby was quiet and awkward since entering, seemingly unsure of his welcome in the home of the hard rancher, but Blair quickly picked up on that and adeptly pulled Darby into conversation. Soon all four men were happily chatting away about their own childhood experiences with Sunday dinners, fried chicken, pot roasts, and biscuits.
When dinner was over, Blair pulled Jim aside as he told Wolf and Darby to sit on the porch. They would have their coffee out there in the cool, autumnal breeze.
Moments later Jim came out on the porch. "Hey, Wolf, Darby, why don't you come with me. I have a horse I want to show the both of you." Both men fell into step beside the big rancher. Jim Ellison and the horses that were in his barn, especially Bud, fascinated Darby. He had only seen the big Chestnut the first time Blair and Jim had come into Happenstance with their horses trailing the wagon. The next time, they only had the buckboard. Darby wanted a horse like Bud more than anything in the world. A horse like that meant freedom to the young man, it meant his future would be secured as a real cowboy.
Wolf watched his young friend hang on every word that Jim Ellison said. Wolf could tell that he was eager to ask questions, but without Blair there as a buffer, he realized Darby was still in fearful awe of the rancher. Wolf tried to ask the questions he felt Darby would and should ask, and he was also in need of some answers himself.
"There are plenty of wild herds out here. I take my time breaking them, because what I do is actually gentling them. I don't take to harsh methods of fitting a horse to saddle," Ellison said, and Wolf's opinion of the man went up a few notches. He was not a very tolerant man himself towards any abuse whether it be towards animals, women, children, or weaker men. He realized any punishment meted out to the curly-headed young man, was given with love and in the hopes of correcting unacceptable behavior. He knew now that he needn't worry about Blair Sandburg suffering any abuse from this man. There was too much love and honor in Jim Ellison.
He began to rethink his own methods in guiding his young charge. Blair certainly seemed to worship the ground Ellison walked on.
When they made their way back to the house, Blair poked his head out. "Sorry, folks, but I think coffee will be better in the house now."
Wolf and Darby cast questioning looks at one another; Wolf shrugged and motioned for Darby to proceed him into the house once again.
On the table, split in two, with a small wax candle lit in the center was the huge watermelon. Jim went around the table and put his arm around Blair and both men started singing: "Happy Birthday to you, Happy Birthday to you, Happy Birthday dear Darby, Happy Birthday to you."
Darby's face turned several shades of red as Wolf stared at him with his mouth open. Why didn't the kid tell him, he asked himself.
Darby put his head down and Wolf saw his ears start to flame, the kid blushed from his ears probably all the way to his toes.
"How old, Darby?" Wolf asked quietly, but in a tone that suggested no more lying.
"Seventeen. What's the difference of a year or two."
Wolf bent low and softly whispered in the confused young man's ear, "No more lies, little mite. Not one more." Darby looked up. The directive was given firmly, but the term "little mite" was said with a soft affection that Darby found incongruous.
"Okay, Darby, make a wish and blow out the candle," Blair said enthusiastically. Jim stood by proudly watching his young friend offering up the prized watermelon that he had been saving to give this boy a proper birthday celebration.
"Go ahead, boy, that watermelon is making my mouth drool." Wolf pushed the wire-haired youth forward.
Darby paused over the candle, making his solemn wish with closed eyes, then he blew the single candle out and everyone applauded and laughed.
The men took their portions of the watermelon on the porch and each man's chin was running with the juices. Darby and Blair were in a spitting contest trying to hit a can with their seeds. Wolf was watching his young charge, enjoying himself despite his initial anger at Darby's lie. Wolf realized that if Darby had told Simon and Judge Green his age at the time of sentencing, he might not have been on his way to Laramie. He knew Judge Green didn't believe in sending boys under 18 to hard time in prison, but Darby's simple lie had gotten him a peck of trouble and could have gotten him killed. He was going to have to impress upon the boy that no more lies would be tolerated.
Now he was Wolf's responsibility and he was in for some learning whether he wanted it or not. Blair quickly put down his plate of watermelon and raced into the house. Moments later he came out with a book.
"Here, Darby, Happy Birthday."
Darby took the offered gift and quickly locked eyes with Wolf. His eyes begged Wolf not to give his secret away. Wolf motioned for Darby to bring the book to him. "What is that Darby?"
Darby showed the book cover as Wolf read out loud, "The Count of Monte Cristo by Alexander Dumas."
Darby quickly turned to Blair, "Thanks, this is great. I'm going to enjoy this, Blair." Wolf could see the hurt in the boy's eyes, the disappointment of not being able to read the book, but he also saw the surprise and joy at getting an unexpected present for a birthday no one even knew about.
Darby took the book and laid it gently in the back of the wagon, safely tucking it out of harm's way. The coffee drunk, the watermelon all but finished, the contented men sat on the porch, watching the ending to an unexpectedly wonderful day.
"Darby, why don't you sing us a song? Blair said out of nowhere.
"Aw, no, not now."
"Come on. I'll bet Wolf's never even heard you sing." Blair persisted, having heard the boy sing as he did his chores around town, impressed with the beauty and power of his young voice.
Darby looked up into Wolf's clear blue eyes, he saw the older man nod his head. Then Darby started to sing Green Grow the Lilacs. Wolf had never heard such a clear, strong voice in a man so small as Darby's lithe frame. He remembered hearing opera in Boston with his mother and father when he was growing up, but he never heard a voice so beautiful as the one he listened to now as he gazed upon the lowering sun and flaming landscape. It was another side to his young charge that confirmed Wolf's initial impressions, the boy had lived a life of song, dance, and laughter. Now he only needed to find the dark corners of Darby's soul and figure out why the boy was hell bent on defiance and disobedience and insistent on riding straight into a life of crime.
After Darby sang 3 songs, Blair called him in to show him his small room and desk. Darby was seated at Blair's desk looking over some old photographs in a book and Blair was standing over his shoulder explaining each photo. Darby listened intently still uncomfortable with his secret about not being able to read.
"Darby, come on, boy. We've got to get a move on it." Wolf's strong voice invaded the small cabin, interrupting the pleasant camaraderie between the two men. The command had broken the evening air for the third time in the past 10 minutes.
"Hey, Darby, you'd best get going. This time he sounded like he really meant it," Blair said as he continued to lean in over Darby's shoulder trying to close the book in front of his guest and thus urge him on his way. Blair had learned the subtle nuances of Jim Ellison's directives, when resistance wouldn't be brooked and when surrender was in the best interest of sitting comfortably. He could hear the same warning pitch to Wolf's last call.
"No way. I know how to handle him. I don't want him to think I'm going to jump at his every command," Darby pulled the book out of Blair's reach. "Let him learn I don't take orders from him," Darby said with bravado and determination.
"Oh, do you really think that's the way to handle me?" came a quiet voice directly behind them.
Both young men turned quickly and saw the tall ex-Marshal leaning against the doorjamb to Blair's room with his arms folded across his chest, his face giving nothing away.
Darby quickly rose with his back to the desk. God, how does he do that? he thought.
Wolf jerked his thumb indicating Darby's only route of escape. The black eyes stared defiantly for 10 seconds, then lowered as he moved cautiously forward. Wolf followed him outside.
They all said their good-byes amid promises to visit each other once a month.
"We'll be making a trip into Happenstance by month-end," Wolf said as he and Darby were seated on the buckboard, "perhaps we'll see you in town. I'd like to buy you a beer, Jim."
"Sure, Blair and I will be there for our last supply run before the snows, I'll take you up on that, Wolf," Jim Ellison said as he once again put an arm around Blair who came to stand next to him. "Bye, Darby," Jim said.
"Bye, Darby, Wolf," Blair said as he smiled up at his friend. He had come to know Darby a little better in the afternoon they had spent together and was just as sorry to see the blond-haired man leave as Darby seemed displeased to be leaving.
"Bye, Mr. Ellison, Blair," Darby returned the farewell.
Wolf nodded his adieu and added, "Thanks again for a great meal and a nice relaxing day."
As they made their trip back home, Darby reached back and pulled out the small basket of sandwiches he had made that morning. The metal pale had kept them cool and Darby offered one to Wolf who took it while nodding his appreciation.
Darby started happily munching on his sandwich and Wolf noticed his leg keeping time to some unknown rhythm only he could hear. There was a contented smile on the boy's face, the first one Wolf had seen since the time in the cave when Darby had his first spanking, a good cry, and a warm supper before him. He looked contented, happy, and relaxed, a far cry from the sulking youth Wolf had to share a home with for the past week. I have to get him out more often, he's obviously used to other people and he likes socializing.
Wolf waited until they had both finished eating their sandwiches before asking the one question that was uppermost in his mind. "Darby, why did you lie about your age and not tell me about your birthday. Is that why you were crying on Wednesday?"
"You don't care, so what's the big deal," the petulance popped up like the devil and kicked the easy-going little Darby right off the wagon. Now Wolf had the smart-mouth, tough hombre to deal with again.
Wolf sighed. "Darby, I care, if you had told me we could have done something special."
"It's no big deal."
"Well, I think it is and I think you feel it is, too. How about I treat you to a special dinner in the hotel when we go to town at the end of the month, make it a proper celebration."
Darby looked suspiciously up at the older man, their eyes locked. Darby shrugged feigning indifference, "If you want."
Wolf could see the soft tilt to the corners of his mouth and he turned back to watch the road pleased with himself for giving Darby something to look forward to.
Now for the hard stuff, Wolf thought. "Darby, why did you lie to me about your age?"
"Damn it, why are you making such a big deal out of this?"
"I'm making a big deal out of it because your foolishness and lying has gotten you into serious trouble that could have been avoided. Judge Green is known for not being too partial in sending boys under 18 to prison. He probably would have handled the whole thing differently."
"You mean I might not have been sent to Laramie and I wouldn't have had to come live with you for a year?" Darby asked as the new light on this situation finally dawned on him.
"So I don't really have to stay with you for a year. I'm free to go."
"Whoa, nobody said that, boy. That's not true at all. Judge Green sentenced you and he'll stand by his sentence now, I've worked with him before and he'll agree you serving time with me will do you some good."
To that Darby gave a disbelieving grunt.
Wolf turned to him and scowled. "You still have a hard time grasping the concept of right and wrong, lying seems as natural to you as breathing, you think life is some easy song and dance routine and the best performer wins. Well, that ain't the way it is, boy. An attitude like that is only going to get you an early grave."
"Who are you to tell me what works in life and what doesn't," Darby countered angrily. "I've survived, I've traveled all the way from San Francisco and maybe I had to steal, cheat, and lie to eat most times, but I only took from rich folk and I only took what I needed to get by. I don't know why you even made that agreement with Judge Green, you hate me, you've hated me since that first day. You're just a tired, burnt out, old lawman, you don't want to have any fun and you don't want anyone else to either. I'll be damned before I take orders from you."
Darby was close to tears when he was through and he angrily turned in his seat and gave Wolf as much of his back as he could in the close quarters.
Wolf did his usual count starting with the first ten, then moving on towards the more realistic hundred. Damn the kid, he thought, he still doesn't think he did anything wrong. He thinks I want to ruin his life.
"If that's the way you see it, then fine, Darby. But you will and I do repeat will stay with me for the year sentence, you will do your chores, and you will stop lying to me. And, you will stop cussing. This is your last warning. No more lectures. The next lie and any attempts at escape wins you the grand prize, a place over my knee. Do I make myself clear?"
When Darby didn't answer, Wolf pulled the horses to a halt. He hated to ruin the pleasant day. He hated having to be harsh with Darby when moments ago the kid was happy and content, but he knew from hearing his comments to Blair that he was in for a fight with Darby one way or the other. It was best to get back some footing as early as possible.
He said nothing only stared at Darby who shifted uncomfortably on the wagon seat, fearing his fate was closer at hand than even Wolf had imagined. The he heard the soft voice, almost a caress in his left ear, "Well, do I, Darby?"
Darby gulped at the quiet threat in the silken tenderness, and slowly turned his dark eyes to look at Wolf. He nodded his head, and when he saw Wolf's frown, he quickly amended, "Yes, sir."
Part 5 of Story Two