The Unknown
by Patricia Henry
Chapter Twenty Two
Slim pulled up his horse. “Something I didn’t like back there.”
The Sheriff looked surprised. “What? Missus Jackson? She ain’t the friendliest woman. She got angry at me. Didn’t think I searched good enough for her husband.”
“It’s not that,” Slim said.
“Well then what?” Muller demanded.
“Every other place we’ve been to. They asked what Jess looked like so they’d know. She had no interest. Didn’t even ask us nothing about the stage robbery. It was like she already knew the answers.”
“Maybe...but I’m thinking she just ain’t friendly, at least to the law. Half the time she crosses the street if she sees me coming.”
“Ain’t like a woman not to be curious.”
The Sheriff grinned. “Oh you know women?”
“I’m quoting Jess. He seems to think that he knows women. But he sure comes up short lots of times.” Slim laughed. Then his laughter disappeared as he said, “But I think in this case Jess is right. She should have been more curious. Ain’t much happening in these parts. You think she’d at least ask us about the robbery. She didn’t even question about how much money had been stolen. Didn’t ask one thing about it. Just seemed to want us off her place.”
“If you knew her then you wouldn’t be surprised. Like I said, she ain’t friendly to the law. I’m surprised she didn’t ask us to leave with a load of buckshot. She tried to run me off before with one. And I guarantee if your friend Harper showed up there, she would have shot him before even asking him a question. She don’t take to strangers either.”
Slim said nothing; he only looked thoughtful.
“Look Sherman, we’ve searched this whole area. I need to get back to town. I got other responsibilities, you know, besides finding Harper.”
“You go ahead. I’ll catch up.”
“You ain’t planning on going back to the Jackson place are you?” Muller asked. “Missus Jackson has always been decent. Standoffish yes. But she’s a respectful God fearing woman.”
“You’re right. She weren’t that friendly. Guess that’s why she weren’t talkative. No, I want to check my horse’s hoof. I think he picked up a stone. You go on to town. Tell Jonesy when you meet up with him that I’ll be there shortly. He won’t mind waiting. He knows how highly I think of this horse. Raised him from a foal.”
The sheriff asked, “You sure?”
“Go on. Jonesy and I will probably catch up with you before you get to town.” Slim dismounted and lifted the horse’s leg
“All right. But you be careful. Them robbers could still be in these parts.” Muller spurred his horse and quickly disappeared from sight.
But as soon as the sheriff had ridden away, Slim mounted his sorrel. It had been the wood pile that Slim couldn’t quit thinking of. He couldn’t get off his mind how much wood was stacked. And the ax was still lying beside the pile as if the wood had been chopped recently. The ax wasn’t rusted from the weather. ‘It had to have been recently cut’ Slim surmised. Slim doubted that the woman had cut all that wood. Still maybe Muller was right. Maybe going back would only be a wild goose chase. And Jonesy was waiting for him. But without hesitation, Slim turned his horse back towards the Jackson’s ranch.
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