Everett studied the horizon ahead. “Look over there.”
“Smoke?”
A faint breeze caught the scent and carried it in their direction.
“Do you think it’s them?”
Johnny mounted and kneed the gelding forward. “Stay close.”
“Don’t worry. You couldn’t lose me if you tried.”
Within a hundred yards of the outlaw’s camp, they slid out of their saddles and crouched low. Male voices and laughter carried clearly. The smell of fresh coffee scented the air.
“Don’t seem too worried, do they?”
That’s what bothered Johnny. They didn’t appear worried at all.
Everett dropped to the ground and pulled himself on his belly to peer around a bush. The ring of mesquite surrounding the small clearing provided almost no covering. “That’s them, all right. I see Jo.”
Johnny eased closer. Puet and two other men stood around the campfire, eating and drinking coffee from tin cups. Jo, her hands and feet bound by thick rope, sat at the edge of the clearing.
“What do we do now?” Everett whispered.
“Why, come in and join us, gentlemen. We’ve been expectin’ you.”
Johnny glanced behind to see a fourth outlaw with a gun trained on him. His hand automatically dropped to his holster.
“Don’t try it, McAllister. One shot, and the girl’s a goner.”
Johnny and Everett stepped into the clearing a moment later, hands above their heads.
Jo’s eyes widened when she saw them, and she struggled against the heavy ropes.
“Well, well, well.” Puet stepped away from the fire. “You took the bait. Had you figured to be smarter than that, McAllister.”
Jo whimpered, her fingers trying to work free of the ropes. One of the gang members leaned over and smacked her hand. She gave him a withering look, and he backhanded her. Tears welled in her eyes.
“Stay where you are, McAllister.” A hammer clicked, and Johnny froze. He couldn’t help Jo with a bullet in his chest.
“Let the girl go.”
Puet laughed, and his eyes fixed coldly on Johnny. “I want my money.”
If they knew it’d been returned to the bank, he’d have nothing to bargain with. “Let Everett take the girl and you can take me. I’ll lead you to the money.”
The outlaw’s eyes blackened with fury. “I’m tired of your games. You’re a burr under my saddle, McAllister. If Pete hadn’t been so stupid that day, he wouldn’t have mistaken you for me; that money would be in my saddlebags, and I’d be long gone from here.”
Pete took the slur personally. His lower lip jutted out. “I told you, I was jest tryin’ to get out of there—”
“Shut up!”
“You fellas will never get away with—” Grunting, Everett toppled to the ground when Pete struck him from behind with a rifle butt.
Johnny’s eyes locked with Puet. “Let the girl go.” They’d kill him when they discovered he’d lied, but at least no one innocent would die.
“You’re giving me orders? You’re not in any position to give orders.”
A fist slammed into his gut, and Johnny doubled over.
“Let the girl go,” he repeated tightly. “She doesn’t have anything to do with this.”
He saw the next blow coming. Ironic. I’m going to die by an outlaw’s hand after all.
“Where are your people, McAllister? That gutless town that refuses to help their own?” Pain coursed in black waves, and Johnny realized he was losing consciousness. He couldn’t…had to rescue Jo…
“Come on, Puet. He ain’t got the money. Let’s kill him and the girl and git outta here.”
“Not yet, boys. He’s kept me around these parts far too long.” Puet laughed. “First he’ll tell me where that money is.”
Johnny moaned in pain. “Touch the girl and you’re a dead man, Puet…”
The outlaw jerked him by the hair of the head and yanked him upright. “Fun’s over. Where’s the money?” A vein bulged in the side of the Puet’s neck.
“If you kill me you’ll never find it.”
Puet shoved him down, and the kick connected solidly. “You like this, boy? I can keep it up all day without killin’ you.”
The air filled with the sound of triggers clicking into place.
Puet glanced up. The men of Barren Flats pointed double-barrel shotguns, Winchesters, and pistols straight at him. A fraction of a second later, an egg splatted in the middle of his forehead. He blinked, raising his hand to the sticky yolk. “What the—”
A row of wagons rolled from the line of mesquite as women and children, toting large pans, buckets, and slingshots, advanced on the campsite.
“Uh-oh.” Pete’s hand dropped to his holster.
The other outlaws moved in closer. Squinting, the youngest one stretched to study Puet. “That egg on yore face?”
Chaos broke loose.
Gunshots pinged, wounding one of the bandits in the leg. The outlaw dropped to the ground, holding the wound. The citizens of Barren Flats stood up in their buckboards, defending their positions. Bullets flew, some missing the mark, but others severely wounding. Arms flailed the air as the outlaws tried to shield themselves from the onslaught.
Then the women took over. Eggs with yolks as thick and sticky as gelatinous glue flew through the air. Rolling on the ground, the gang shouted obscenities as the unrelenting attack kept up.
“Make ’em stop, Puet!”
“Shut up! Ouch!”
“Shoot ’em!”
“ You shoot ’em!” Puet shielded his head with both arms. “I cain’t get to my… ouch!…gun!”
Mazilea and Minnie crawled into the campsite on their hands and knees, scooping up the men’s weapons, swiping pistols from holsters, and utilizing their bargain day shopping skills to disarm the hoodlums.
Ragan dashed toward Johnny, dropping to her knees to check his injuries. When he opened his eyes, she smiled. “Hello, darling.”
He struggled to focus. “Are you wearing a bridal gown?”
“I didn’t have time to change.”
Struggling to sit up, he fell back. “What is going on?”
“The town is ready to defend you.” She leaned down, about to kiss his bloody forehead, but she gave him a loving pat instead. “Lie still. I need to see about Jo.” She rose, gathered the folds of Mary’s lovely satin and lace skirt in a wad, and bolted off to untie her sister.
“Mess with my Jonathan, and you mess with me, misters!” Julia Curbow stood up in her surrey, loaded another egg in her slingshot, and then hauled back and let fly.
Martha, perched daintily on the seat beside her, clapped with delight. “Atta girl, honey. Let ’em have it!”
Shorty Lynch and Carl Rayles galloped by on horseback, balancing a hornet’s nest on a long pole between them. As they reached the floundering outlaws, Carl dropped one end of the pole, Shorty leaned over, pulled the rag out of the hole, and tossed the nest. Angry hornets boiled from the paper womb and Carl and Shorty grinned as they galloped off.
The outlaws hammered their heads, batting at the stinging insects.
The youngest one’s highpitched wails troubled Blanche Payton.
“Poor child,” she tsked. “Poor, poor child!”
“Don’t feel sorry for that boy,” Martha admonished. She loaded a slingshot with a rutabaga. “His mama’s prayers are the only thing that’s kept him alive so far.”
In the midst of the pandemonium, Jo and Ragan lifted Johnny to his feet. Clifford Kincaid and Austin dragged Everett to a nearby wagon. The telegraph clerk opened his eyes long enough to grin before passing out cold again.
A wagon wheeled by carrying Jim Allen and his sons. Ragan heard the unmistakable sounds of “oinks” and whirled to see the wagon rattle to a halt beside the writhing outlaws. Jim’s two oldest boys sprang from the bed, dragging a barrel between them.
The gang’s eyes widened when they spotted two curly-headed boys racing toward them
. Flinging their arms over their heads, they shouted curses as slop rained down on them.
“You little hoodlums!” Puet bellowed. “We’ll get you for this!”
Then the boys dropped the gate on the wagon, adjusted a wide plank, and hogs poured out.
The pigs squealed, making a beeline for the dinner table. The men’s screams equaled the rooting sows’.
As Ragan and Jo supported Johnny past Judge McMann’s wagon, they paused briefly.
“Jo, you all right, girl?”
“I’m fine, Judge. Just a little shaken.”
“Johnny?”
“Fine, Judge.” He grinned, trying to focus with eyes that were swelling shut. “Glad to see the town’s decided to stand up for themselves.”
“Me too.” The old judge beamed. “You look a sight, boy. You sure you’re all right?”
Ragan smiled. “He just needs a little tender loving care.”
“Which you’ll be only too delighted to provide.”
Ragan smiled from ear to ear. “Only too happy.”
“Well, don’t just stand there, woman. Get your man home, and see to his wounds. Then take Mary’s dress off.” He looked at the soiled gown, shaking his head. “Pitiful.”
Ragan blew him a kiss, and the three hobbled on.
The judge sat back, drawing on his pipe. “Well, Alvin, I have to say it does my heart good to see the town finally take a stand.”
Alvin cupped his ear.
“Stand up for—never mind, Alvin. Let’s go home. I’m getting too old for this kind of excitement.”
Alvin flipped the reins on the horse’s rump. “Cold? In this part of the country? You losing your mind, Judge?”
Chapter Fifty-Two
My, my.” Estelle stepped back, taking stock of the damage the next morning. The townswomen stared at Mary’s soiled wedding gown, woefully shaking their heads.
Ragan frowned. “It’s bad, isn’t it?”
Minnie nodded. “Curdles the blood.”
“Mary will be devastated.”
“Oh, my, yes…and with her weddin’ only a few days off.”
Minnie dipped a cloth in a pan of wood ash, lye, and water and dabbed at a splotch of yellow egg yolk. “Estelle, I hope you can sew fast.”
“I don’t like the thought of it, but I can make a dress in three days if I set my mind to it. I’m just thankful the men let us let off a little steam toward those hoodlums. Land knows, we’ve had to clean up after ’em for years.”
The seamstress fussed about at her sewing table. “Never saw such foolish goings-on. Why didn’t someone think to defend the town with guns alone? Eggs? Rutabagas? Pigs? And a hornet’s nest ! Never saw the likes. It’s a wonder they didn’t get their own fool heads stung off. What’s this world coming to?” She measured off a length of fabric and carefully stretched it out on the table.
Ragan didn’t know what the world was coming to either, but she sure was proud of the citizens of Barren Flats. They’d stood up to Puet and his no-good gang in a remarkable show of solidarity. But best of all, they’d stood up for Jo and Johnny. Their loyalty made her heart sing!
Fireworks went off outside, and a cheer went up. Barren Flats was in a festive mood this morning. Puet and his gang were prominently displayed in a large jail cage in the middle of Main Street. The four men sat in the bottom of their wagon, reeking of pig slop and muck, and nursing some pretty ugly welts.
“How’s your young man this morning, Ragan?” Estelle cut into a length of silk, critically eyeing the measure.
“Johnny’s fine. He has some cuts and bruises, but he’ll heal.”
The way he’d responded when she’d gently kissed each abrasion before applying salve assured her he was none the worse for wear. He’d insisted his injuries were well worth the trouble, considering all the attention she gave them.
“Good heavens, will you look at that? Those outlaws are carrying on something awful,” Minnie exclaimed.
“What’s going on now?” Ragan moved to join her at the window. Below in the street, Puet let out a string of curses that fouled the air. Julia Curbow calmly walked over to the water barrel, dipped up a bucket, and doused the salty-talking outlaw. The women at the window cheered.
Stumbling backward, the dripping victim sat down hard on the floor of the wagon. His cohorts doubled over laughing and then shrieked when Julia dipped a second bucket and doused them.
Ragan shook her head at the commotion. “I guess Alvin’s not going to do anything to stop this public debacle.”
Minnie giggled.
“Minnie!” Ragan scolded.
“They’re only gettin’ what they got comin’.”
“Julia’s not about to give up her post anytime soon, either.” Ragan frowned as the judge’s elderly neighbor dipped yet another bucket of water and stood waiting to administer punishment to the next prisoner who acted up.
The band below struck up a merry tune. Warren lugged his tuba across Main Street to join in, and Hubie Banks and Austin Plummer locked arms, breaking into a merry jig.
Toward the end of Main Street, Shorty Lynch held a ladder while Rudy Miller nailed up a crudely lettered sign. It read:
AIN’T GONNA TAKE IT ANYMORE! ENTER AT YOUR OWN RISK.
Ragan anxiously scanned the area. Where was Johnny? He was already gone when she arrived at the judge’s this morning. She wanted to celebrate Barren Flats’ unqualified acceptance of him.
Minnie let the lace curtain drop back in place. “I think we finally have our town back—thanks to Johnny.”
Estelle turned to look over her shoulder. “Hand me that thimble, will you, dear?”
“Ragan Ramsey!” Johnny’s voice roared from the street below.
Ragan whirled and hurried back to the window to see him striding toward the building. Behind him, Everett and a contingent of male supporters urged him on.
Estelle left the sewing table, frowning. “Who’s doing that caterwauling?”
Ragan grinned, so proud she thought she just might burst. “That’s my man.” She watched behind the curtain as Johnny paused before Estelle’s stairway, looking up at the second floor. “Ragan? Are you up there?”
Ducking back with a teasing gleam in her eyes, Ragan motioned for Estelle and Minnie to keep quiet. “Shhhhhhh.”
“Why? What’s goin’ on? Is he angry with you?” Minnie whispered.
If he was, he hadn’t mentioned it while she nursed his injuries last night.
“Ragan Ramsey!”
Everett, Shorty, Austin, and Rudy cheered Johnny on from the street.
“Go after her, McAllister!”
“Show her who’s boss!”
Estelle frowned. “Oh, my. There’s gonna be trouble. I can feel it.” She gathered the cut material and scooped scissors and spools from the table in the center of the room.
“Law, now he’s taking the stairs two at a time.” Minnie backed to the wall.
The door burst open, and Minnie’s hands flew up to cover her mouth. Johnny towered in the doorway, his bruised and battered face a mask of determination.
Ragan slowly backed up.
Covering the distance between them, McAllister scooped her off her feet and kissed her, a long, red-blooded, totally improper kiss that made Estelle drop into a nearby chair, looking faint.
When their lips finally parted, Ragan sucked in her breath, staring back at him wide-eyed. “Were you calling me?”
He set her down and gave her a stern look. “You could have been killed out there.”
“So could you—and I wouldn’t have wanted to go on living without you.”
His eyes softened. “And I wouldn’t want to go on without you.”
“Honest?”
“Honest.”
Tittering, Minnie returned to lean out the window. The men below were hooting and catcalling, making a royal nuisance of themselves. “Stop all that racket, Carl Rayles! Have you lost your mind?”
Carl waved a flag in the air, grinning up at his sp
ouse. “Come on down here and join us, Minnie Winnie.”
“Minnie Winnie!” She slammed the window shut. “That old fool’s been in the spirits again.”
Estelle fanned her face with a hanky.
Ragan was oblivious to the commotion.
Johnny’s gaze held hers. “There was so much going on yesterday, I think I forgot to mention how pretty you looked in that wedding gown.”
She blushed. “Oh, that. Mary wasn’t feeling well, and Estelle knows we’re about the same size, so she asked me to put on the dress while she pinned the final fitting. I didn’t have time to change back into my clothing when the trouble started.”
“Humph.” Estelle had recovered enough to return to the sewing table. “Seems to me there’s a lot of yakking going on. Seems a certain young man around here ought to ask for a certain young woman’s hand in marriage. Then, that certain young woman could have her own bridal gown—providin’ I ever find the time to make it.”
A slow grin started at Johnny’s eyes and moved to the corners of his mouth. “Well, Miss Ramsey? What do you think about me staying on in Barren Flats and making the town my home?”
Ragan caught her breath. “Oh, Johnny! Are you serious?”
“They tell me I’ll be a free man in a few days. Sheriff Lutz says Everett is eager to testify that Puet confessed to robbing the bank and that I had nothing to do with it. There’s a sizeable reward on the outlaws’ heads. Seems the bank at Canyon City was only one of many they hit. Everett and I are going to split the money.” His voice softened. “My share will be enough to buy a small spread and get a new start.”
Ragan sighed. A new start. That sounded so nice. She affectionately traced his nose with a fingertip. “What about Bledso?”
“There’s only one thing I want in my life. And I’m holding her in my arms.” He caught her closer to him and held her tightly. “You’re the only thing that matters to me.”
“Oh, darling, how I’ve longed to hear you say those words.”
They hugged, and Ragan thought she might burst with happiness. Johnny was staying, and Bledso was finally in the past.
“Oh, there’s something else you should know. Alvin wants me take his badge.”
Outlaw's Bride Page 23
