"Marry Me! Marry Me! Way out in Laramie!" The voices seemed to harmonize as the song was sung. Jonesy played the last note on the piano.
"Jonesy, you wrote that?" Margaret asked.
Jonesy grinned.
"Slim, I want that sung at our wedding." She looked at Slim. "Say, yes, Slim! Please say yes!"
"I can’t say no to you. You should know by now."
"Now, you don’t have to..." Jonesy began.
"No, I insist! And the piano will be here for our wedding won’t it?"
Jonesy nodded. "This here piano is mine. Jess got me this piano from a preacher gal that came through here shortly after he signed on. Keep it in the barn mostly. But when we pull it out, well it’s like an old friend come a calling." Jonesy stroked the piano like he was showing affection to a lover.
Margaret grabbed Slim’s hand. "Come on, Slim. Dance with me. I know. Let’s do the waltz. It’s all the rage."
Slim hesitated. "Well...I’m not sure how to..."
"Now don’t tell me that you don’t dance!" Margaret pretended shock.
"Well, sure, but mostly I just twirl a girl around until she gets tired of me stepping on her toes."
Margaret laughed loudly.
"Margaret, I don’t know how to do a waltz," Slim admitted.
"Here I’ll show you how this dance is done." She did several steps. Slim tried to follow but his feet got tangled up and twice he almost fell.
She only laughed. "Jonesy, play something with a one two three beat."
Jonesy nodded and began plucking the piano keys. She danced with Slim. He tried to follow her steps but through most of the song, he lagged behind or bumped into furniture. Once Slim even collided into Andy, as he tried to twirl Margaret and move in a circle at the same time.
"And that’s the Waltz," Margaret said as Slim finished twirling her.
"Don’t look like much fun to me," Andy said. "In fact, it looks like a person could get hurt."
Margaret hugged the young boy. "Now who’s my next dancing partner?" She tilted her head with invite at Andy.
"Hold a girl that close?" Andy shook his head and took a step back.
"The way you talked about them Cheyenne gals. I thought you’d be the first in line," Jonesy said.
"Jonesy!" Andy whispered loudly, sounding embarrassed.
"Just you wait! There’ll be a time you’ll want to hold a girl in your arms," Margaret teased.
"Not me!" Andy replied. "I think I’d rather even take a bath, than dance like that. Looks awful silly to me."
She turned towards Jess. He was leaning against the fireplace. "What about you?"
Jess’ eyes locked with hers.
"Would you be my dance partner?" Her voice was low.
Jess glanced at Slim.
"Go on, Jess," Slim encouraged. "Why at dances, you can’t keep him off the dance floor."
Jess started to refuse but seeing the look on Slim’s face, he moved forward. His hand clasped her waist.
"Now you can hold me tighter than that," Margaret criticized.
"Go on, Jess. Show me how the waltz is done," Slim said with a smile.
Jess pulled Margaret closer to his body.
Jonesy frowned for now Jess was holding her closer than he should have.
Margaret, though, wasn’t protesting. She could smell horse and leather. Margaret took a deep breath. She felt her heart pound and wondered if his was doing the same.
Jonesy began playing a tune. Jess and Margaret started dancing. Unlike Slim, Jess didn’t step on her toes. He moved gracefully as he led her smoothly across the living room floor. They were in sync as they waltzed. As the song finished, her hand squeezed his shoulder. Though the music ended, Jess didn’t let go of her. She looked up at Jess but he was only looking at Slim as his hands lingered on her body. Jess looked possessive. Slim’s smile faded into a look of confusion. With Margaret’s hand still on his shoulder, Jess broke away from her clutch as if he had been burned. Margaret glanced with uncertainty at Jess.
Jonesy stood up from the piano bench. "I reckon that’s all my back is going let me play." He glanced from Jess to Slim. "No more dancing tonight."
Margaret’s stare lingered on Jess.
"Margaret?" Slim asked.
Margaret laughed nervously before moving to Slim. "Too much dancing, I guess. It can wear a girl out."
"I’m not quite the dancer that Jess is," Slim apologized.
Margaret kissed his cheek. "You would still be my number one choice for a dance partner. I wouldn’t want anyone else but you."
"So, when you are two getting married?" Jonesy asked.
"Well if it was up to me, this Sunday," Slim said. "What do you say, Margaret? The preacher will be riding through then and..."
Margaret chuckled, "Slim can’t understand that a wedding needs planning."
"What kind of planning?" Jess asked.. "Seems if you got the preacher that’s all you need."
"You men!" she flirted. "Why I need a dress."
"You mean you’re holding up the wedding because of a dress?" Slim asked.
"Say Slim, ain’t your Ma’s wedding dress in one of the trunks out in the barn?" Jonesy asked.
Slim’s eyes lit with excitement. "Margaret, you could wear her dress."
Margaret’s smile wavered.
Jess noticed.
Margaret said, "I’m honored that you would let me wear your mother’s dress."
"Oh Ma would be pleased. So what do you say? This Sunday we tie the knot?"
"Slim, I can’t."
"Why not?" Jess asked. "You got your dress."
Margaret glanced from man to man. "Because...because I’ve already have talked to the seamstress. I know it will take her awhile to sew my wedding dress but ..."
Jess argued, "If she ain’t started, I’m sure she wouldn’t mind you canceling the order."
"And my sister! I want my family here too. And it will take weeks for them to get here. Oh Slim, I really want my sister here. Please understand."
Slim couldn’t hide his disappointment. "When do you think she’ll get here?"
"Soon. I’ve sent a telegram. A few weeks."
Slim’s shoulders seemed to sag more. "You ain’t having second thoughts are you?"
She kissed Slim right on the lips. Her hand clasped his head tightly.
Jess whispered to Jonesy, "Don’t act like a teacher to me."
Margaret smiled at Slim. "I hope that answered your question."
For a second, Slim looked dazed from her kiss. He pulled a ring out of his pocket. "I was waiting for the right time to give you this. I reckon now is as good as any."
She fingered the ring.
"I know it’s not fancy," Slim said, sounding apologetic. "It was my Ma’s."
"Slim, it’s perfect. And I’ll treasure it." She slipped it on her finger. "And it fits just right."
"As if it was made for you," Slim said.
Jess looked away.
CHAPTER FIVE
"That a boy, Slim! Ride ‘em!" Andy screamed as he sat on the fence.
The horse bucked. Slim managed to stay in the saddle as the bronc hit the ground hard. The sorrel twisted right then left then did a complete circle. Slim’s body jerked from side to side as he held on to the rope tied to the horse. The horse raced twice around the ring.
"That’s it, Slim! You got him!" Jess yelled. "Stay with him!"
The horse threw his hip to the right as he lunged towards the fence. Slim managed to lift his leg to avoid having it crushed. Again the horse rammed into the fence. This time Slim wasn’t so lucky as his hand slammed into the fence post.
Jess jumped off the fence. He held his hands up trying to stop the rearing horse. "Andy, toss me a rope!"
Slim threw his leg over the horse and leaped to the ground. Jess started lassoing the rope, driving the horse away. Suddenly the horse turned and snorted. "Uh oh," Jess mumbled. Both men raced for the fence. Each climbed the fence just before the horse charged into the rails.
"Where’d you find him? Eating loco weed?" Jess breathed hard.
Slim took off his glove. Squeezing his fingers, he winced in pain.. "Well at least my hand ain’t broken."
"The way it’s swelling, you better get it in cold water," Jess observed. "That’s some bruise."
"Yeah, he got me good." Slim jumped down from the fence and started for the house.
"That was a good ride, Slim!" Andy called out.
"For who? The horse or me?" Slim laughed then headed into the house.
"All right, my turn."
"You go get ‘em, Jess! You can break him," Andy encouraged.
Jess jumped into the ring. "Easy, boy. Easy."
The horse snorted, then pawed the ground.
"I just want to be your friend," Jess cooed, as he took hold of the reins and saddle horn. He slowly put his foot into the stirrup. "That’s a good boy." Jess started to swing his leg over the saddle to sit; but the horse took off, racing around the ring. For a second, Jess rode the sorrel by hanging on to the side of the saddle. He managed to sit in the saddle just before the sorrel bucked four times in a row.
Andy took his hat off and swung it. "That’s the way to do it, Jess! Stay with him!"
No one noticed the buggy pulling into the front of the relay station.
"Jess, you got him! You got him!" Andy let out a scream of joy.
Margaret stood by the buggy watching Jess’ ride in the corral.
The horse finally stopped and panted several times. Again he pawed the ground causing dust to fly up. Jess waited, his knuckles white from holding the rope so tight. He patted the horse’s neck. "Easy...Eas-" The horse jumped, all four feet leaving the ground at the same time, his back in an arc. Jess swung his arm high in the high to help his balance. The horse did two more bucks before he quieted.
Jess slowly tightened his legs and clicked to the horse. The horse took a few steps then begin to gallop. Five times the horse raced around the ring. Jess’ hat flew off his head. Andy ducked into the ring and grabbed it. The horse suddenly skidded to a stop. Jess took a deep breath. The sorrel then raced the opposite direction.
"He’s getting winded, Jess. You got him broke!" Andy yelled, waving Jess’ hat.
Finally the horse slowed to a trot then to a walk.
Andy yelled encouragement. "You done it, Jess!"
Jess walked the horse three times around the ring before he allowed the sorrel to stop. Jess dismounted and breathed a sigh of relief.
Andy jumped into the ring, shouting his praise of Jess’ horsemanship.
"Easy, Andy! He’s still not real sure of us," Jess cautioned.
"That was some ride! I wish Slim could have seen it!" Andy handed Jess his hat.
Though Jess’ hair was soaked with perspiration, he put on his hat. "You want to lead him to the other corral?"
"Can I?" Andy’s eyes lit. "You mean it?"
"Sure. I’ll walk along side you."
Jess wiped the sweat off his face with his sleeve. Horse hair that had clung to the material, he could now taste. He spit and his salvia curled in the dirt. His shirt was marked with rings of sweat under his arms. He took off his shirt and tossed it over his shoulder. "Remember, nice and easy. And go slow. Let’s hope he’s as tired as I am."
As they started out the corral, Jess stopped in his tracks.
"What’s wrong?" Andy glanced back at Jess.
"Nothing," Jess answered in a gruff voice.
Margaret turned and walked to the house.
Andy looked at her. "She sure likes to visit."
"She sure does," Jess agreed. "Come on! Let’s get him to the other corral before he gets his second wind back. I don’t want to have to wrestle him twice in one day."
Andy chuckled.
Inside the house, Margaret rushed to Slim. "Slim, what’s wrong?"
Slim glanced down at his hand soaking. "Oh this? Nothing to fret about. I got in a fight with a horse and lost." As he lifted his hand to show her, he winced with pain.
Worry married her pretty features. "Slim, it’s so swollen and bruised! Can you still use it?"
"Sure! See!" He couldn’t hide the pain as he squeezed his fingers.
She examined his hand, first looking at the palm then turning it over. "It’s very swollen."
"He’s lucky it ain’t broke," Jonesy said.
"This hand will heal in no time. Right, Jonesy?" Her face was marred with a look of worry.
Sliding the hand back into the water, Slim said, "No need to fret, I’ll be better in a day or two."
"More like a week or two," Jonesy corrected as he added a small block of ice to the water.
Slim again winced. "Jonesy, that’s a might too cold!"
"A week or two!" she cried out with alarm.
"Now honey, don’t look so concerned. I just got it a little bruise that’s all."
"Slim, let me see that hand. I got some of my liniment." Jonesy stirred the dark cream.
"Jonesy, what is that?" Slim asked "That’s stinks!"
"Suppose to. Don’t you know the worse it smells, the better it is for you? Now give me your hand." Jonesy patted Slim’s hand dry with a towel then spread a sticky cream over the hand.
"And stings!"
"Of course it does," Jonesy said. "Don’t you know the worse it stings, the better..."
"It is for you," Slim finished. "Well then this ought to heal my hand real quick. ‘Cause it burns like..."He stopped speaking and smiled sheepishly at Margaret. "I mean it stings real bad."
Margaret still looked worried. "Slim, I don’t want you breaking any more horses."
Slim laughed. "You’re sounding like a wife."
Margaret’s face sobered more. "I’m serious! I don’t want you to get hurt."
"That’s right," Jonesy agreed. "Why last month, a horse spooked and ran right over Slim. He had to see the doctor for that."
"Slim, I didn’t realize that you put yourself in so much danger every day. I forbid it."
Slim’s head jerked up as he stared at her. "You forbid it? Forbid what?"
"You have a ranch hand. Let him do all the work. Jess was breaking the horses just fine by himself when I drove up. He knows what he’s doing. So he doesn’t need your help."
Jonesy uttered a low whistle as he moved to the kitchen.
"Now you wait a minute!" Slim said, a touch of anger sounding in his voice. "I can break horses just as good as Jess can."
"Are you sure? He doesn’t get hurt. So I don’t see why you have to..."
"I’m sure! I don’t need Jess breaking all the horses. I’ll do my share."
"Slim, look at your hand. What am I going to do if you get hurt? And it could happen again! So let Jess do the work, at least the dangerous work."
"You saying I’m not as good as Jess when it comes to doing the chores around this place?"
"Slim, you got hurt. He didn’t! I don’t want to see you hurt!" She neared him. She rubbed his arm with affection. "I care so of course I don’t want you to get hurt. And if you cared for me, then you would not put yourself into a situation where you could get hurt. There’s no need to, when you have Jess here to do the work."
Anger showed in each word that Slim uttered, "There’s too much work around here for Jess to take care of it by himself."
"Then hire another hand! It’s no good if you’re so crippled that you can’t even draw a gun!"
"Hoping I don’t need to," Slim replied.
Her face paled. "I just meant...Now we have to depend on Jess. Because you’re hurt, I can’t depend on you."
"What! You saying I can’t protect you?"
"Well, you can’t!" She put her hands on her hips as she faced him with fury. "You can’t even grip the butt of a gun, can you?"
"No, I reckon I can’t, at least not right now."
"Not for one to two weeks. That’s what Jonesy said. That’s a long time, Slim!"
"Margaret, why are you so worried?"
Her face paled. "It’s just that I don’t like having to depend upon Jess if trouble occurs. I’d rather depend on you. You’re my fiancee, not him!"
"Now you listen here. I can take care of you. You don’t have to go running to Jess."
"And if trouble comes?"
"You sound like you’re expecting trouble."
"No...it’s just that...well you read so much in the paper about outlaws and stage robberies and such. Why I read recently that an outlaw named Frank Barron was released. What if he was seen in this area? I guess I’m being silly but...I felt safe with you. But seeing you hurt..."
"You don’t feel safe? Why not?" Slim dried his hand off on the towel. He neared her. "I’d take care of you. I told you that when we first met. I won’t let nothing and no one hurt you. Hurt hand or no hurt hand. I reckon if I did have to shoot, I could."
"Even against an outlaw like Frank Barron?"
"Even again an outlaw like Frank Barron," he repeated with a smile. "Don’t you know I love you?
I wouldn’t let anyone hurt you. I’d lay down my life for you. So don’t you worry about outlaws and stage robbers. We don’t have many in these parts. ‘Sides we got a good sheriff in Laramie, Mort Corey."
"I don’t want the sheriff to have to be riding around here. I want you to take care of me. That’s what a husband should do."
"Honey, I will! I promise!"
Margaret smiled but her smile wavered. "I know I’m being silly but...well I guess there’s always Jess."
Slim studied her.
"And Jonesy," she added. "With all of you around here, I know I’ll be safe. Now let me see what I can do for that pain. Jonesy has his remedy. And I have mine."
As the couple kissed, Jonesy stole a quick look. Confusion was scrawled across the old man’s face.
CHAPTER SIX
He rode in with his hand resting on his gun. He kept his head low, his collar turned up. It was easy finding the boarding house. He was surprised that no one fitting her description was staying there. He almost checked in himself. He could use a good night’s sleep that didn’t involve a bedroll and cold, hard ground. He had some money; but just enough for a few drinks at the saloon and a good meal. He had eaten the last of his food last night. On his way to the saloon, he stopped at the hotel.
"Say, I’m looking for someone."
The hotel clerk stared at him as if he had no interest in his question.
"If you want a room that will be a dollar in advance."
"A dollar! That’s kind of high, isn’t it?"
"We have clean rooms. We change our sheets once a week. We turn the mattresses once a year. You won’t find any bugs in our beds."
"Well as inviting as that sounds, I’m looking for my cousin. I thought she might be staying here."
The hotel clerk looked more disinterested.
"A pretty woman. Way high." He held his hand to his shoulder. "This big around." He put his hands in a tiny circle. "Dark hair. Pretty. Real pretty. The kind a man would notice...more than most." He tried to glance at the hotel register.
The clerk closed the guest sign in book. "What’s your cousin’s name?"
He smiled. "No woman fitting that description, huh?"
"I didn’t say that. There’s one. Margaret Hampton. She your cousin?"
"Margaret Hampton." The man gave a slow nod. "Why that’s the one! She upstairs? What room?"
"You won’t find her there. Probably at her fiancee’s house. Say, are you here for the wedding? We’ve been wondering when they were going to get hitched. Now me, I believe in long engagements; but my wife, well, she would have none of that."
"What room is she staying in?"
"She’s at the end of the hall. Slim made me give her our best room."
"Slim?"
"Her fiancee. Slim Sherman."
"Oh yes. Sherman, that’s his name. Margaret wrote me all about him."
"Well Slim insisted that she have the best room. He wanted to pay for the room himself. But she would have none of that. Independent isn’t she?"
"She likes to spend money," he replied.
"Well the room is worth what we’re charging," the clerk defended. "It costs a little more but it’s right next to the bathing facilities."
He started up the stairs.
"Sir, you can’t go up there!" The clerk moved quickly to block his way.
"I told you that I’m her cousin."
"No men visitors."
"But we’re related."
"No exceptions! I don’t even allow her fiancee to visit her in her room. This is a proper hotel, sir."
He frowned. He glared so hard that the clerk said, "If you prefer to talk to the sheriff about our rules..."
"Mort Corley still the sheriff here?"
"You know Mort?"
"I’ve heard of him. Mister, I don’t want no trouble. I just want to see my cousin."
"Well she’s not here. So I suggest you come back later. Though she spends most of her time out at Slim’s."
He glanced up the stairs but seeing the look on the clerk’s face, he said, " I’ll catch up with her later. You’ve been a big help. Thanks." He turned in the doorway. "Say, how about not telling her that I came by? I want to surprise her that I’m in town. She didn’t think I’d make it for the wedding. I’m real anxious to meet her fiancee."
"All right, sir. It’ll be our secret."
As he walked out of the hotel, the saloon beckoned him to enter. He crossed the dusty street, making sure his head was kept low just in case someone knew him. He was glad that the saloon was dark inside. As he walked to the bar, he glanced quickly around the room to see if he recognized anyone or if anyone knew him. He leaned against the bar. His shoulders slumped, his head hanging. "Whiskey." He put a coin on the counter.
"You’re new in town, ain’t you?" the bartender asked as he poured the drink.
He only nodded, then swallowed the liquor in one gulp.
The bartender refilled his glass. "You look like you’ve been on the trail for a long time."
The man again only nodded.
As the bartender started to walk away, the man said, "Leave the bottle."
The bartender hesitated.
The man tossed a coin on the counter.
The bartender picked up the coin and bit down on it. Satisfied the coin was good, he placed the bottle down in front of the man.
"Say, I got a friend, I think he still lives here. Name of Sherman."
"Slim Sherman?"
The man nodded. "Hear he’s engaged."
The bartender smiled. "You here for the wedding? We’ve been wondering when she and Slim were going to get wed."
"She pretty?"
"Mister, I ain’t seen prettier. He’s a man to be envied."
"I bet she has long dark hair. Slim always did take a shine to brunettes."
"You’re right there."
"So...uh...where could I find Slim?"
"Probably out at the relay station. Though since he got engaged I’ve seen him in town more and more. She’s either out there or he’s in town with her. Don’t usually see one without the other."
"He works at a relay station? For the stage line?"
The bartender frowned. "I thought you were a friend of his."
"I am! Ain’t seen him awhile. A long while. I thought he owned a ranch."
"Does both. He started the relay station ‘bout two years ago. Right after his Pa died."
He drank before he asked, "Big ranch with a lot of ranch hands?"
"Just one ranch hand. Of course there’s Jonesy. But he mostly cooks and takes care of Andy."
"Andy?"
"Slim’s brother. You ain’t never met him?"
"Just know Slim. From the war."
"Oh." The bartender looked satisfied with the answer.
The man smiled, "I reckon if I ride out there, Slim would be there. I mean the stage must come through every day, huh?"
"Sometimes twice a day. Usually morning and afternoon. Sometimes at lunch time. If you’re thinking of catching a ride out there, the depot will have the times posted."
"No, I got me a horse. Just wondering where I’d find Slim, that’s all."
"Well there’ll be someone at the house who can tell you. He won’t be too far away, that’s for sure."
"Guess I’ll ride out there. Be nice to drop by and give Slim my best wishes on him getting engaged. How do I get to this relay station?"
"Take the old Laramie road. ‘Bout twelve miles outside of Laramie. You can’t miss it."
"Thanks!"
The bartender moved away to help another customer. The man poured himself another drink, swallowed it quickly, then left the saloon, carrying the bottle.
CHAPTER SEVEN
Slim drove the nail into the fence post with three hard slams of the hammer." As he straightened up, he said, "Looks like we got company."
Jess stopped hammering and glanced in the direction that Slim was looking.
Margaret pulled back on the reins as she stopped the buggy.
"Well now this is a nice surprise," Slim greeted with a huge smile as he moved towards her. He lifted her from the buggy and then kissed her.
Jess looked away, and began hammering the nail. Still he couldn’t stop himself from peeking at the couple.
"So what are you doing out here?"
"I brought you lunch." She motioned towards a huge basket.
"Smell good." He searched through the contents. "Fried chicken, apple pie. Jess, this beats the lunch that Jonesy packed for us."
Jess only nodded. Again he hammered.
"Well get over here. Ain’t you hungry?"
Jess tossed the hammer to the ground. He grabbed his shirt off the fence. He put it on but didn’t button it. For a second, her eyes slid across his body.
"So what’s the occasion?" Jess asked. "Last time I saw this kind of fare, it was at the fourth of July picnic."
"I did this to win Slim’s heart, of course," she flirted.
"Honey, you already own that." Slim gave her a quick kiss.
"Well I know how fond you are of fried chicken."
"And you baked Jess’ favorite. Apple pie. Looks like we both got what we wanted," Slim observed.
"Really?" Her stare slid to Jess. Her glance again dropped to his chest. "Well I aim to please."
Jess buttoned his shirt. "I guess I better get back to the relay station."
"Aren’t you going to eat?" she asked.
"Someone’s got to greet the stage," he replied. "‘Sides you two probably want to be alone."
Slim smiled but Margaret said quickly, "Surely you have time to eat before you leave."
"Jonesy can fix me something."
She glanced worriedly at Slim. "I brought enough for an army. It seems a shame that just the two of us are going to eat all this food. I hate seeing good food go to waste. Jess, can’t you stay and have at least a quick bite?"
"Not if I’m going meet the stage on time."
"Jess is right. We should have been on our way back before now. Tell you what. Jess take some of this chicken and the pie with you."
"She cooked that food for you."
"See! There’s advantages to getting married!" Slim teased. "You got a wife to fuss over you. And you eat good." Slim handed him a food wrapped in a napkin.
"Thanks," Jess mumbled as he mounted his horse. "Enjoy your picnic." He kicked his horse and rode away.
"Well now that we are alone..." Slim embraced her. "Something wrong?"
"I don’t think he likes me," Margaret said.
"Who? Jess? Sure he does!"
"Well he’s not very friendly." She pulled away from him. "I don’t understand. Have I insulted him in some way?"
"Don’t mind Jess. That’s just his way until he gets to know you. He and I didn’t hit it off when we first met. Now I’m thinking of taking him on as a partner."
"A partner? You never mentioned that. Well you must think a lot of Jess to do that."
"I haven’t had a better friend. And the way he fusses over Andy. Why you think he was his brother too. Don’t know what we’d do without him."
"Do you think he’ll stay on?"
"Why wouldn’t he? Say, this chicken is good. Did you cook it?"
She nodded. "I mean after we’re married, Jess might decide to leave."
"Leave? Why would he do that?"
She shrugged.
"Jess ain’t going no where. His drifting days are over. Now, enough about Jess. I want to talk about us. Sure didn’t expect to see you until tonight."
"Well I missed you. I don’t like when we’re not together."
"You know what they say about too much togetherness?"
She neared him. Her hands clung to his shoulders as she lifted up on tip toes so her lips were close to his. "No, what do they say?"
"Well too much togetherness..."
"I could never get too much of you," she cooed. "Are you tired of seeing me?"
His nostrils flared at the smell of her perfume. He bent his head to kiss her, saying just before his lips touched hers, "Never!"
CHAPTER EIGHT
As he reached the top of the hill that overlooked the relay station, Jess stopped his horse. From here, he could see all of the ranch buildings. He pushed his hat back and studied the place. He couldn’t imagine living somewhere else. Though he had lived here only a few months, each day the itch to drift had become less and less. He saw his work in every building. He helped to paint the barn. He and Slim had built a second corral. He had dug fence posts, more times than he wanted to count.
But it was the time that he had spent with the others that he cherished. The heartfelt hello from Andy every time he rode up. Jonesy complaining about this or that but at the same time making sure he had enough to eat and his socks were darned. He enjoyed playing a game of checkers with Slim in the evening while listening to the plans he had for the ranch. These strangers had become the best friends he had ever had. He’d sure hate to ride away and leave this place and them behind. Living here had filled a need in him that had begun the day his parents had been killed. He wasn’t sure if he could ride away from this ranch and these people.
Jess rode into the yard. The smell of fresh baked bread told him that Jonesy was inside the house. As Jess dismounted from his horse, the cinch on his saddle broke. He slipped but managed not to fall to the ground as he grabbed the horse’s mane. He lead his horse into the barn. It took him several minutes to unsaddle the horse and replace the cinch.
As Jess started to leave the barn, he spotted the man sneaking along the wall of the house. He ducked back inside the barn and pulled his gun from his holster. Jess peeked from inside the barn. The stranger was trying to peer inside the window of the house. Jess walked quietly and speedily until he stood several feet behind the man.
As Jess clicked back the hammer of his gun, the stranger froze.
"Drop your gun!" Jess ordered. "Or I’ll drop you."
CHAPTER NINE
"Go on, drop it!" Jess urged.
The stranger’s gun fell to the ground then he lifted his hands high in the air. Jess moved forward and picked up the gun. He moved back so he stood a few feet from the intruder.
"All right. Turn around."
Seeing the stranger’s face, Jess drew in his breath.
The stranger’s eyes narrowed with curiosity. "Do I know you?"
"I ‘spect most people know you," Jess replied. "Frank Bonnor."
"I ain’t wanted!" Frank said. "I served my time. I got my papers on me." He started to reach into his shirt pocket but the wave of Jess’ gun stopped his actions.
"Still don’t explain why you were sneaking around here."
"I uh...heard this was a relay station. Thought I’d catch the stage."
"Then why not walk in instead of looking through the window?" Jess challenged.
"Because I’m Frank Bonnor. That seems to get a lot of people nervous. Why look at you! You still got your gun drawn on me. Just wanted to see who was inside before I walked in. Might be some cowboy with an itching finger like yours."
Jess holstered his gun.
"Now can I have my gun back?" Frank held out his hand.
Jess opened the gun’s chamber and emptied the bullets. He tossed the gun to Frank. "You got a horse?"
"He’s out back."
"Ride."
Frank frowned. "You ain’t too friendly."
"Stage company ain’t paying me to be friendly."
"No. But the stage line wouldn’t want you chasing away customers."
"The Overland will make an exception this time."
Frank’s eyes again narrowed. "I know you, don’t I?"
Jess said nothing.
"I can’t quite place you. But there’s something about you. Something familiar. We met before?"
Jess nodded. "You know me."
"Well don’t keep me in suspense. Where was it?"
"El Paso."
"El Paso," Frank repeated thoughtfully. "Been a long time since I was in that part of the country.
How did I know you?"
"You asked me to ride with you."
"Well...I see the years ain’t hurt you none. I had heard that Slim Sherman owned this place."
"I work here."
"Why Sherman need with a gun hand?"
"Those days are behind me."
"So are mine. I went to prison. I paid for my crimes. I’m like you. A reformed man."
Jess frowned. "You ain’t like me. Not by a long shot. You’re still a snake."
Frank’s eyes squinted. "What you got against me?"
Jess bit his lip.
Frank laughed. "Oh no! It can’t be over her. Jess, that was a long time ago. You shouldn’t have been sniffing around another man’s wife."
"You weren’t married."
"Not then! But we are now."
Jess paled. "You’re lying!"
Jonesy appeared from behind the house, leading a black and white paint. "I found him in my garden."
"That would be mine. Sorry, Mister." Frank grabbed the reins. "Hope he didn’t do too much damage."
"You always leave your horse behind a house instead of tied up in front of the house?" Jonesy nodded towards the hitching post.
"I guess he wandered away," Frank replied. "Next time I’ll do better tying him."
"You do that." Jonesy eyed the stranger with caution. He said to Jess, "A friend of yours?"
"Just someone passing through," Jess replied. "He was just leaving. So need to fret, Jonesy."
Jonesy looked from one man to the other. "I’ll be inside if you need me. I’ll be cleaning my shotgun. Don’t reckon I’ll see you when I come back out. So I’ll say goodbye now."
As Jonesy entered the house, Frank grinned. "Well it looks like I ain’t making friends here. Don’t understand it. I’m a real friendly guy."
"You ain’t married to her."
Frank’s smile faded. "Yes, I am. Married her back then in El Paso. Was her idea. I never thought I was the marrying type. But she convinced me to say I do. I hear she’s in Laramie. She come running to you? You always did sniff around her."
Jess growled, "I ain’t involved with her. I learned my lesson."
"I guess I did come down hard on you. But you got to understand that a woman like that gets in your blood."
"I learned from her, not you. You don’t scare me."
Frank took out several bullets from his gun belt. He began putting them into his gun.
Jess’ body tensed. His hand dropped to rest on the butt of his gun. He kept his eyes locked on the movement of Frank’s hands.
Frank added, "Funny you should say that. That’s the exact same thing the man in Medicine Bow said and come to think of it, the one in Publeo also said the same thing. Both said that right before I convinced them that it ain’t healthy to take up with another man’s wife."
"I ain’t taken up with her. I got no interest in her."
"How about Slim Sherman?"
Jess’ legs slightly parted. His hand opened and closed as it now hovered over his gun.
"You reckon Sherman is like the others? Maybe he ain’t scared either."
"Slim Sherman is a friend of mine," Jess warned. "A good friend."
"Then you best tell him that it ain’t healthy to take up with another man’s wife. She’s my wife, Jess and no one will have her but me." His voice was deadly. "Since Sherman is your friend, you might want to tell him that, boy. It’d be a whole lot healthier for Sherman if you told him that instead of me telling him."
"I ain’t a boy anymore," Jess countered. "You’re now an old man. I’d be very careful if I were you who you pick a fight with." Jess’ hand still hovered over his gun.
"I’m just giving you some good advice, that’s all."
"Then I’ll give you some. Get off this spread and don’t come back." Jess bit his lip as his eyes locked on the man’s hands. Like a hawk, he
watched Bonnor’s every movement.
"Not without her. Or the money."
"Money? What money?"
"Don’t play dumb with me. She came here to get your help didn’t she? So she had to tell you about the money to get you to protect her. What did she promise you? Half?"
"She didn’t promise me nothing. I told you. I won’t have anything to do with her."
Frank studied him with a hard stare. "Maybe you are telling the truth."
Jess’ body stiffened as if getting ready to be punched.
Frank added, "It’s Sherman that she’s with now, ain’t it? Not you. That must have hurt your pride."
"I don’t care about her."
"Not the same old Jess. Boy, once you were so smitten that we joked about it. She use to laugh at the way you followed her around."
Jess looked as if he had been hit.
"So Sherman is protecting her. Well that money’s mine! I served five years in prison. Five long years. And what kept me going was knowing that she and the money were waiting for me when I got out."
"You talking about the bank money that you stole?"
"So you do know about it."
"I know why you were sent to prison. For robbing a bank. On the front page of the newspaper for days. So it’s not hard to put two and two together. They never recovered that money. You probably got a bank agent following you now."
"He was. He ain’t now." Frank smiled, looking like a cat that ate a canary.
Jess’ body tensed more.
"I got no reason to doubt you. You could have shot me in the back and probably gotten away with it. So maybe you’re not in on it. But I bet your friend Sherman is. I don’t know what they’ve got planned. But you tell your friend Sherman that she double crossed me. And she’ll do the same to him. She was supposed to meet me when I got out of prison. But when I walked out of that hell hole, she was gone and so was the money. I’ve been tracking her ever since."
Jess said quickly, "You got it all wrong. Slim wouldn’t..."
"She ran off with close to twenty thousand."
Jess gasped with shock.
"Now that don’t seem fair, does it? I served my time in prison and got no money in return. I never told on her. So she got off scot free."
Jess’ hand open and closed with anticipation of shooting. "So she was in on the robbery?"
"A pretty woman like her. Makes getting information from a young teller awful easy. I would have given her a share. But she had to have it all. Women! Sometimes you just can’t figure them out. Where did I go wrong with her, Jess? Gave her everything she wanted. But she keeps running to men who ain’t scared. That is until they meet me in person. Then it seems they get awful scared."
Jess said nothing. He only watched like a fox who watches his prey.
"I ain’t got a beef with you, Jess, as long as you stay out of this. This is between me and her."
"And Slim."
Frank sighed. "I’ll tell you what. Sherman won’t have any problem with me if he don’t interfere."
"He will. He’ll step in if she doesn’t want to go with you."
Frank shrugged. "Then him and me will tangle."
"He’s right handy with a gun."
"But he ain’t no gunfighter. Not like me and..." He nodded at Jess.
"I done told you that Slim is my friend. So it’ll be me that you’ll tangle with."
"That good a friend, huh?"
"That good a friend."
Frank put distance between himself and Jess. "You want to settle this right now? Right here?"
Jess moved so he was standing opposite Frank.
"Whenever you’re ready," Jess invited.
Jonesy fired the shotgun in the air. Both men jumped as they looked at the man standing on the porch, pointing the gun at Frank. "Hold it, right there! I don’t hold with gun fighting."
"Jonesy, stay out of this!" Jess ordered.
"Mister, you ride out of here," Jonesy said. "And don’t come back."
Frank glanced at Jess. "I reckon I could take you both."
Jess pulled his gun out of his holster so fast that Frank looked impressed. "You heard him. Ride out of here and away from Laramie. I catch you back here then you and I will see who’s the fastest."
Frank shrugged with a smile. "Well with a shotgun and a colt pointed at me, guess I got no choice."
His expression became venomous. "Jess, you know where I stand. You tell your friend, Sherman, I don’t cotton to someone taking what’s mine. You learned that lesson yourself. And if I need to teach you again I will."
Jess’ hand tightened on the gun.
Frank added, "And make no mistake about it. She’s got my brand on her. And she will never have no one else’s. I’ll see her dead first."
Jonesy’s eyes flew to Jess. Jess though keep staring at Frank. Even after Frank had ridden out of sight, Jess kept his gun out, ready to fire. Jonesy lowered the shotgun. But Jess kept staring at the road as if making sure Frank was really gone.
Jonesy turned towards Jess with fury. "What was that about? Since when do you fast draw on someone here?"
Jess took a deep breath to steady his nerves as he holstered his gun. He then raced for the barn, calling back over his shoulder, "Jonesy, I got to ride into town. Slim’s probably there by now."
Jonesy trailed behind Jess. "That man got something against Slim?"
"Can you take care of the stage?"
"Can I take care of the stage!" Jonesy mocked with anger. "I changed them horses plenty of times before you signed on and still do when..."
Jonesy jumped out of the way as Jess galloped out of the barn as if the building was on fire.
"I don’t like it," Jonesy said out loud to himself as he watched Jess ride away. "I don’t like it at all!"
