“I don’t know if I really saw her, or not,” Josh said. “But after touching her face, I’ve made the decision to get well. I’ve heard it said,” he added. “That it’s a big step when someone makes the decision to try and get well.”
“It’s the biggest step,” Doctor Chandler said. “But Josh,” he added. “That wasn’t a dream. Ana really is here.”
Josh tired to open his eyes, but just couldn’t do it. “Where is she?” he asked.
“I’m right here, Josh,” Ana said as she picked up his hand and held it to her face.
That’s all it took. Josh opened his eyes and stared hard at her for a long moment. “Get my clothes,” he mumbled. “I want out of here.”
“Not so fast, Cowboy,” Doctor Chandler said. “I’ve heard of miracles, but this is the first time I ever witnessed one. I’ve no doubt you’ll survive now, but you need to stay here a few more days.”
Five days after the battle at Dendy’s Saloon, Josh’s face remained haggard and pale, but now for the first time he managed to sit up. He looked quizzically at Ana for a moment then mumbled, “Let’s get out of here.”
Her ebony black eyes stared at him with excitement at the first sensible words he’d spoken in several days. She smiled a tired, happy smile, turned and walked over to the closet and returned with his hat, boots, and clothes.
“Put these on while I get you a cup of coffee,” she said.
“Thanks, sweetheart,” he said, softly.
“Would you like to sit out on the front porch for a while?” she asked. “You can see all the way down the road from up here. Laredo is a pretty town.” He dressed then took the cup she offered him and begin to sip. It was a sunny afternoon, just the kind he liked.
Through the days that followed, Josh sat in an old wooden chair propped back against the side of the post hospital in the sun. With the help of the hospital’s hot meals, he gained enough strength to take short walks down the wooden sidewalks of Fort McIntosh with Ana.
“Did Sheriff Guthrie go back to San Antonio?” he asked.
“Yes, he did,” Ana said. “I already told you, but I guess you were still out of it. Sheriff Duncan assured him he’d see to it that you and I were well taken care of if he had to go back to San Antonio, so he left several days ago.”
“The next time Sheriff Duncan comes by here,” Josh said. “Ask him about my horse, and also about Olsen’s Paint horse.”
“I already did,” Ana said. “You talked about that Paint horse several times while you were unconscious. The sheriff was here one time when you said you’d like to buy him so he told me to tell you that you could have him. He said you’ve earned the right to him.”
“Then, I’m givin’ him to you,” Josh said. “He’s a good one and I think you’ll get along just fine with him. You can also have Olsen’s saddle and rifle.”
“Thank you, Josh,” she said. “I miss my palomino Dinero, but I like the Paint. I always pet him when I go down to the livery stable to check on him and Concho.”
“There’s somethin’ I’ve thought hard about,” Josh said. “As soon as I get released, I’d like for us to saddle them two horses and ride all the say back to Victoria together.”
“I’d love that,” Ana said, with a smile. “I rode one train and that’s enough for me. Besides, you’ve ridden off without me too many times already.”
“Well, I need to be more careful about ridin off in the future,” he said. “I ain’t goin’ nowhere without you.”
CHAPTER TEN
The day Josh and Ana rode out of Laredo, the Laredo Daily News printed a story about them. Other newspapers picked it up and people from Laredo all the way to Victoria were keeping an eye out for them.
When Sheriff Frank Deeson read the story about Josh and Ana leaving Laredo and heading toward Victoria, and that Josh and Ana planned on getting married as soon as they got to town, he notified the parson to be ready. Then he got six wagon loads of volunteers to go out to Josh’s ranch, the women going up to the house and the men going down to the barn.
By late evening, the women had opened up the house, washed all the windows, swept and mopped the floors, washed the bedding, cleaned the yard, and painted the fence. The men had cleaned out all the stalls and pens and alley way, trimmed brush and tree limbs and hauled it all away, and painted the corral fences.
As their journey began, Josh knew there would be long stretches without water, so they followed the stage route for about forty miles to Encinal. The caretaker at the livery and feed stable had heard about them and wouldn’t take any money for keeping their horses. And when they went to the hotel, their meals were free and the owner gave them each a room with feather mattresses at no charge.
The next day they saddled up right as the sun was coming up and headed northeast for another forty miles to the Nueces River. Josh picketed the horses near the water and built a small fire to boil coffee. They rolled up in their blankets and sat by the fire until it went out, then leaned back against their saddles to sleep.
Just at daylight Concho raised his head and pointed his ears. Out of habit, Josh automatically reached for his gun, but before he could draw, a man rode out of the trees with his pistol aimed at him.
“Toss that six-gun away,” the man yelled as he rode up to the campfire.
Ana was still rolled up in her blanket with her head on her saddle. She pulled her rifle out of the scabbard and racked in a shell.
“You toss yours away,” she said.
“You wouldn’t pull that trigger, little lady,” the man said. “You know it, and I know it.”
“Wouldn’t I?” she said, firing off a shot, the lead slug brushing the side of his face. Without a word, the man slowly backed his horse into the trees then whirled around, riding off as fast as he could go. Ana fired one more round just to the right of him. As the bullet ricocheted through the trees, the man spurred his horse harder and disappeared out of sight.
“Damn outlaws,” she said with a wide smile.
“I swear, Ana,” Josh said. “Maybe I should have had you with me all along.”
“No doubt about it,” she said. “I grew up shooting a Winchester. That fellow didn’t have a chance when I pulled down on him and he knew it.”
The next day they followed the Nueces River all the way to Oakville. Just like it happened at Encinal, their stalls were free, their meals were free, and they each had another clean room with a soft bed.
People all across that part of Texas knew Josh and Ana had left Laredo and were riding toward Victoria, so there was a big crowd that met them when they arrived in Oakville and followed them down the street to the livery stable. And many of those same people were on hand to shout and wave good-bye when they pulled out the next morning.
It was about thirty-five miles to the San Antonio River, but instead of pitching camp when they got there, they rode on into Charco. Ana was tough and enjoyed camping along the way, but Josh figured a hot meal and a bath and a good bed when one was available would be best, especially since she was along.
Willie Sneed picked up the morning paper and read where Josh and Ana had reached Charco and were coming their way so he hurried up to the sheriff’s office with the paper in his hand.
“Sheriff Deeson,” he yelled as he came in the door. “Josh and Ana are ridin’ this way. Let’s saddle up and go meet ‘em.”
“Good idea, Willie,” Deeson said. “I’ll tell the Mayor to keep a couple of scouts out, so he’ll know when we are gettin’ close to town. Josh will probably stop off at the Circle N Ranch to get his horses,” he added. “So let’s ride out there and wait for ‘em.”
“You’re in charge, Chester,” Deeson said. “Me and Willie are goin’ out to the Circle N Ranch. We’ll be back sometimes this afternoon.”
Rancher Chalky Newsome saw them coming and waited by the corral gate for them to get there. “Hello, Frank,” he said. “What brings you and Willie out here?”
“Josh Logan and Ana have made it to Charco an
d are headed this way,” Deeson said. “Me and Willie wanted to come out meet ‘em and escort ’em on into Victoria.”
Newsome yelled at Will Jenson who had just stepped up in the saddle and was riding off. “Josh Logan and Ana just left Charco and are headed this way. Go tell the boys and we’ll all go meet ‘em.”
A few miles out of Charco the next morning, Concho pointed his ears to the east and Josh noticed it. “Let’s get out of this road,” he said, not wanting Ana to get hurt in case it was a group of outlaws headed their way. “Someone’s coming,” he added. “Until we’re sure who it is, we don’t need to take no chances.”
Will Jenson saw Josh and Ana ride into a patch of cottonwoods so he drew his pistol and fired up in the air and let out a yell.
Josh recognized his voice and wheeled around and rode back into the road.
“Hello, Will,” he said, as the group of cowboys rode up to him. “What are you doin’ out here? Lookin’ for strays?”
“Yeah,” Will said, with a loud laugh. “Strays like you. No,” he added. “We heard you and Ana was comin’ this way so we figured we meet you and escort you on down to the ranch.” By then, the rest of the welcome party rode up.
“Yeah,” Josh said. “You knew I couldn’t go by here without gettin’ my horses. Hello, Mr. Newsome,” he added. “We’ve come to get our horses. I hope they ain’t been too much trouble.”
“No trouble, at all,” Newsome said. “I sent one of the boys out to the horse pasture to bring ‘em in so they’ll be in the pen by the time we get back to the ranch.”
“You gonna drive ‘em on into Victoria or lead ‘em?” Will said.
“We better lead ‘em,” Josh said. “Just in case we meet somebody who wants to try and take ‘em off our hands.”
Concho raised his head and looked back to the east, so Josh looked in that direction, only to see Crazy Chester came trotting up the road. Everyone greeted Chester with friendly comments and grins.
“What are you doin’ out here, Chester,” Frank Deeson said. “Didn’t I tell you to stay at the sheriff’s office and watch over things.”
“Yeah,” Chester said. “But I wanted to come and meet Josh and Ana, too.”
Ana took the saddle off the Paint horse, turned him into the pen, and put her bridle on her palomino Dinero and led him out. “Come on, Pretty Boy,” she whispered. “I’ve been waiting a long time to see you.”
Josh unsaddled Concho, turned him loose in the corral, and saddled his good black horse, Macho.
Frank Deeson eased up beside Willie Sneed and whispered. “Willie, head on back to Victoria and spread the word that Josh and Ana are comin’ in. I told the Mayor to keep scouts out so he’ll know when we get close to town. Get the Parson ready and try to have it all arranged before they get there.”
“Boss,” Will Jensen said, as he rode over beside Chalky Newsome. “Would it be alright if I rode on in with Josh and Ana to help ‘em get their horses to Victoria?”“
“I’ve a better idea,” Newsome said. “Go get the rest of the boys and we’ll all ride in with ‘em.”
“Where’s Chester?” Frank Deeson said.
Ana looked around and spotted him out in the middle of the horse pen petting the ugly, long-headed white horse someone had given Josh.
“Come on, Chester,” Deeson yelled. “We’re ready to go.”
When Chester turned and started walking back, the white horse followed along right beside him.
“I swear, Chester,” Josh said. “If I didn’t know no better I’d say that white horse has took up with you.”
“Yeah,” Chester said. “And I took up with him, too.”
“Well, you can just have him,” Josh said. “Mr. Newsome,” he added. “Do you have an extra saddle I could borrow so Chester can ride that white horse to Victoria?”
“Yeah,” Newsome said. “There’s a couple of extras in the tack room. I’ll get ‘em out here so Chester can decide which one he wants, and he can have it.”
As they rode toward Victoria, Josh rode up beside Sheriff Deeson. “Sheriff, Willie said him and Chester were both sleepin’ in one of your empty cells. Is that right?”
“Yeah,” Deeson said. “The livery stable and the diner both sold, so Willie didn’t have a job and Chester couldn’t get no more free food, so I let them stay at the jail. I got the City pay them a little bit for keepin’ the place clean and doin’ odd jobs. I really don’t need ‘em, but just hated to see ‘em in a situation like that.”
“Well, me and Ana have been talkin’ and we’d like to hire both of ‘em if you don’t need ‘em.”
“I don’t need ‘em,” Deeson said. “Like I said, I just hired ‘em because they didn’t have no place to go.”
“Alright then,” Josh said. “I’ll go tell ‘em.”
Willie and Chester were riding side by side. Chester’s feet were dangling along the sides of the white horse and he had a death grip on the saddle horn.
“Chester, put your feet in the stirrups,” Josh said. “And turn loose of the saddle horn. You don’t need to be afraid of Old Spook. I rode him all over this country and he never once offered to buck one single time or do anything crazy…er, well, I mean, stupid. You can turn loose of the saddle horn and ride with your feet in the stirrups, can’t you?”
“Yeah,” Chester said, as he stuck his big feet in the stirrups and let go of the horn.
“That feels better, don’t it?” Josh said.
“Yeah,” Chester said.
“Willie,” Josh said. “I talked with Sheriff Deeson and he said it’d be alright if you and Chester could go out to the ranch and work for me, that is if you wanted to. You’d have a bunk house all to yourselves and good bunks. You’d also have a kitchen, and I’d furnish all the beef you could eat.”
“I’d like that, Josh,” Willie said. “But you know me and Chester ain’t cowboys.”
“You don’t have to be cowboys to work for me and Ana,” Josh said. “All you’d have to do is keep an eye on the place when we’re gone, and ride through the mares and colts every day to make sure none of ‘em are hurt or crippled.”
“We could do that,” Willie said. “I thought you meant ride buckin’ horses and ropin’ wild cattle.”
Josh laughed a little. “I’ll take care of that part of it, Willie. Are you interested, Chester?” he added.
“Yeah,” Chester said, with a wide grin.
“Alright then,” Josh said. “Consider yourselves hired.”
“Josh, I’ll keep your horses at the livery stable ‘till you want ‘em brought out to the ranch,” Willie said. “The new owners will let me do that.”
“Thanks, Willie. I could always count on you.”
When they rode into Victoria, the band was playing and the Parson was standing on the sidewalk in front of City Hall. A group of ladies handed a bouquet of flowers up to Ana. The Parson motioned for Josh and Ana to ride over in front of him and immediately proceeded with the marriage ceremony. When he finished he nodded and said, “You are now man and wife.”
Suddenly there was silence, then Chester stood up in a wagon bed and yelled out, “Who’s gonna kiss her? I’ll kiss her, if no body else is gonna kiss her.”
Ana raised her dark eyebrows, so Josh put his hand on her saddle horn and leaned over and gave her a long, sweet kiss, and the crowd went wild, whooping and hollering.
They turned their horses around and rode down Main Street, stirrup to stirrup, side by side, heading for the ranch with big smiles on their faces. Suddenly Macho backed his ears and looked over his shoulder. Chester had ridden old Spook right up behind them.
Josh felt as if someone had knocked the wind out of him. He glanced back at Chester and grinned. “Wait a minute, Chester,” he said. “You know me and Ana just got married, don’t you?”
Chester ran a hand through his long hair. “Yeah,” he said.
“Well, then, what are you doin’ followin’ us?”
“You said I was workin’ for you.
”
Josh smiled at the choice of words. “You are,” he said. “But work don’t start for several more days, so go help Willie take care of the horses. You’ll do that for us, won’t you?”
“Yeah.”
“Alright then,” Josh said. “We’ll be seein’ you.”
“You sure are pretty, Miss Ana,” Chester said.
She smiled. “Thank you.”
Josh looked over at his new bride. “He’s right, you sure are pretty,” he said. “The prettiest think I ever saw.”
When Crazy Chester turned the ugly, long-headed white horse around and headed on back to Victoria, Ana almost laughed out loud. “I was afraid he was coming home with us.”
“Me, too,” Josh said, with a smile of his own. “Come on let’s hurry, before someone else decides to.”
The End
About The Author
Chimp Robertson is a former rodeo contestant, rancher, private pilot, auctioneer, song writer (songs recorded by Chris LeDoux), army veteran, and skydiver. He has had articles and stories, published in various magazines and newspapers and is the author of twelve other books.
Born and raised in the panhandle town of Dalhart, Texas, he is retired and currently living in Hooker, Oklahoma, where he is pumping wells, working at a feedlot, and team roping.
BOOKS BY CHIMP ROBERTSON
Tall Tales and Short Stories: Family Legacy
Mortal Secrets: Mystery Novel.
Killin’ Time: Collection of Short Stories
POW/MIA-America’s Missing Men: Men We Left Behind
Rodeo Stories: Collection of True Rodeo Cowboy Tales
Rodeo Stories II: All Events
Rodeo Stories III: Glory Days
Billy Howard and the Buckskin: Western Novel
Billy Howard and the Palomino: Western Novel
Billy Howard and the Appaloosa: Western Novel
Billy Howard and the Pinto: Western Novel
Six-Gun Redemption: Western Novel
Josh Logan's Revenge Page 18
