Part 18 (1/2)
”Why, son, you don't know anything about this town at all, now, do you?”
”Let him go,” Jamie repeated.
”He needs to be taught a lesson,” one of the light-haired men said with a nasty snarl.
”Yeah. A fatal lesson.”
In a flash, the man released the bartender. He drew his gun.
He was fast, but not fast enough. Before he could aim he had dropped the gun, howling in pain. His friends tried to draw.
Rapid shots sizzled from Jamie's Colts. The second man was on the floor, clutching his leg. The third grasped an arm. The fourth was on the floor.
He might have been dead. Jamie didn't know or care.
He looked at Edward Clancy.
”Thanks for the drink, friend,” he said quietly.
Then he left the bar, walking over his fallen enemies.
Chapter Seven.
By nightfall the wagon had been unloaded except for the printing press, which would be taken into town in the morning. Tess had even managed to fill the hip bath in the kitchen with steaming water and soak for a long time, was.h.i.+ng away the dust and dirt from the trail. She kept reminding herself that von Heusen was coming back, but she felt strangely calm, despite the fact that Jamie had deserted them.
Von Heusen wasn't going to come right up to the house and murder her. He hadn't the guts for that. She dressed in a soft summer-green cotton and set about making dinner with Jane and Dolly to help her. She was accustomed to Jane, but it was really nice to have Dolly with her. Dolly kept up a steady stream of conversation, mostly about her husband, Will, and their days in the military. Her stories were spicy and fun, and Tess enjoyed them thoroughly.
They cooked a huge wild turkey on a spit and summer squash and green beans and apple turnovers. When the table was set and everything was ready, Tess went out to find Jon.
He was leaning against a pillar, a band tied around his dark hair and forehead, a repeating carbine held casually in his hand. He looked over the landscape. ”Dinner's on, Jon.”
He glanced her way, smiling.
”Thanks, Tess, but I think I'll wait out here a while longer, keep an eye on things.”
”It's turkey and all kinds of good things. I'd like to repay you for the trip.”
I'll eat soon,” he promised. She nodded and left him. Halfway inside the house she paused, wondering if he was looking for yon Heusen or Jamie.
She hoped Jamie was eating stale, weevil-fiddled bread somewhere.
She'had a feeling, though, that he was not.
She walked into the house and to the dining-room table. Hank had come in, and he was smiling.
”The boys are out at the bunkhouse and they're pleased as peaches that you're home, Miss. Tess. Well, them that's left. We've still got Roddy Morris, Sandy Harrison and Bill McDowell. They won't be going anywhere.”
”Wonderful!” Tess told him.
”Bring the boys in for dinner, will you, Hank?”
”They're already fixing. their suppers in the bunkhouse, Tess. We'll have a big Sunday dinner for them all, that's what we'll do.”
”Fine. That sounds good, Hank. Now, let's all sit.” Dolly offered to say grace. She thanked G.o.d for His bounty, for their being alive and being together, then she asked G.o.d to take a good look at their enemies and see if He couldn't do something to put bad men in their proper place.
”Amen,” she finished.
”Amen,” they all chorused.
Tess was about to take her first bite of dinner when she heard the sounds of horses' hooves. She set down her fork.
How many of them had come with yon Heusen? It sounded like five, r! o more.
”Excuse me,” she said primly, setting her napkin carefully on the table and rising casually. It didn't matter. Dolly, Hank and Jane all catapulted to their feet, and they attached themselves to her like shadows as she walked to the door. She could hear voices before she reached it. Jon's first.
”That's close enough, fellows. Close enough.”
”It's an Injun!” ”I said close enough.”
Someone must have moved. A barrage of shots went off, followed by a startled silence.
Then yon Heusen started to talk.
”Hold it, boys, hold your fire! I've just come to talk to Hank and Jane about removing themselves from the prop” There no need for them to gemove themselves from the property,” Jori said.
”This is private property, and the owner seems to want them here. One step nearer, boy,” he warned someone, ”and there'll be a hole in your chest where your heart used to be.”
”Who in the blazes are you!” von Heusen thundered, losing his control.
”A friend.”
”A friend! Well, listen here, you red-faced monkey. The Smarts are dead.
They were attacked by Comanche or ” Apache?” Jon interrupted. She could hear something cold and dangerous in his voice.
”Tell me, which Apache?
Which Apache do you think did it? Or don't you know? I'll tell you, I'm d.a.m.ned sure it wasn't any Apache. Apache, any Apache, make war, or they go raiding. They make war to 'take death from their enemies.” They raid to fill their bellies. I haven't met an Apache yet who would leave dead cattle scattered with the corpses of men.”
”Who the h.e.l.l knows or cares what Apache!” von Heusen thundered.
”It doesn't matter. Maybe it was Comanche” -- ”Running River denies it.”
”There are more tribes of Comanche!” ”Yes, there are,” Jon said softly.
”But the Comanche know what doin too.