The Jewel of His Heart

by Maggie Brendan

  Josh paid Smithy and was walking Pete out of the barn when he saw Mark. Great. He was the last person Josh wanted to talk to right now, so he pretended he hadn’t seen him, but Mark spied him.

  “Josh, hello there,” Mark called out to him. “I just heard you were one of the ones affected by the fire. I’m really sorry. Is there any way I can help? Anything you need?”

  Sure is. Leave Juliana alone. But Josh didn’t say what his heart was shouting. “I appreciate your offer.” Josh busied himself with tightening the stirrups before pulling himself astride Pete. “There’s not much one can do but wait for the grass to recover. At least I have most of my herd.”

  “I’m truly sorry.” Mark paused and shuffled his feet as if he had something else to add. “Look, I’ve been meaning to talk to you. I see how it is with you and Juliana, and while I really admire her and like her, I just want to say, well . . .”

  “Well, what?” Josh wanted to be on his way.

  “Just that I’m taking myself out of the picture. I get the feeling it’s mutual with how she feels about you too.” Mark passed his hat from one hand to the other, not meeting Josh’s gaze.

  Josh shifted in the saddle. He was more than a little surprised that Mark would be so open with him like this. “I’m not so sure you’re right about that. I’m not near as confident about her as you seem to be.”

  “It’s just the way I see it. I knew it the night we all had dinner together at the hotel. Well, either way, I wanted you to know my intentions, and I’ll stay out of the way.” Mark put his hat back on and yanked his vest down, smoothing the front. “I respect you and hope we can remain mutual friends. What do you think?”

  Josh shot a hard look at Mark. “Are you sure you want to give up on courting Juliana?”

  “I’m positive, Josh.” The doctor’s dark brows furrowed into a serious line above his large eyes.

  “Well then, let’s shake on it,” Josh said, and reached down to take Mark’s outstretched hand.

  “Take good care of her, Josh, and treat her tenderly. She’s young.” Mark hesitated as though he had something further to say, but he just said, “Be seeing you around.” He turned on his heel and headed toward his office.

  Josh nodded solemnly, watching Mark until he turned the corner. Something he’d dreaded had turned out a whole lot different than he’d expected. Still, where Juliana was concerned, he didn’t feel too much hope. And then there was Marion. He hadn’t made up his mind about her offer. Something about it made him uneasy.

  He guided his horse down the street in the direction of the sheriff ’s office, his mind deep in thought.

  The sheriff was propped up in a chair, leaning against the wall on the front porch, his hat covering his face. Asleep, no doubt. Josh secured Pete at the hitching rail and walked up the steps. The sound of their squeaking boards woke Sheriff Wilson out of his nap.

  “Howdy, Josh.” Sheriff Wilson dropped the front legs of the chair to the floor. “What can I do fer ya?”

  “Mornin’, Sheriff Wilson.” Josh took the chair next to him, watching the road out front as farmers and miners went about their normal workday. “I heard some of the talk about the bank robbery and thought I’d see if I could get some more info.”

  “Out for that reward, are ya?” Sheriff Wilson looked Josh square in the eye.

  “Nope, but I could use the money about now. I might have seen the man in question.” Josh knew that would grab the sheriff ’s interest in a flat second. “But if you need your beauty rest more, then I’ll just be moseyin’ along.”

  Sheriff Wilson jerked around in his wooden chair to face him, his eyes crinkled at the corners. “Doggone it! Now you know you’ve got my attention. Do tell. What’s going on?”

  “I had a little incident at my camp a few nights ago. I thought you’d be interested in knowing about it.” Josh went on to give a brief description of the man who’d rummaged through his camp and told how someone had knocked him out.

  “You don’t say? What were they looking for, gold?”

  “No, I think they were looking for sapphires.” Josh wasn’t even certain his speculation was right. He needed to go see Hoover, but he filed that thought away for the time being.

  Sheriff Wilson squinted from the morning sun when he looked up at Josh. “From your description, they could be the same person. My informant told me his name was Davin. But I have no proof that what he’s telling me is the truth.”

  “I’d say if the man who told you wasn’t looking for the reward, then it’s probably true. Why else would he tell you this?”

  “Beats the devil outta me.” Sheriff Wilson scratched his graying head, and his badge twinkled as the sun struck it.

  “I guess you’re not about to tell me who gave you this information?”

  “You guessed right, pardner. I can’t do that. But I’ll check out what you told me.”

  Josh shook Sheriff Wilson’s rough hand and tromped down the steps to his horse. He had one more stop to make. His clothes had been burned in the fire, so to start with, he’d have to buy at least a change of clothes.

  Josh pulled a sugar cube out of his pocket and gave it to Pete, patting his thick neck. “One more stop, fella, and then we’ll go home, I promise.” Pete snorted, shaking his mane.

  29

  Two elderly men playing a serious game of checkers sat in rocking chairs and bent over a checkerboard placed on top of a flour barrel. Their bony, veined hands shook as they made their moves. They were so intent on their game that they didn’t even glance up as Josh took the steps two at a time, making the boards of the porch groan in protest.

  Josh loved the smell of the general store. It made him think of the times as a child that he was allowed to go to town with his mama. His younger sister, April, always tagged along, whining for this and that as soon as they passed through the front door. Mama couldn’t resist April’s pleading and always wound up buying them sticks of candy, paper dolls for April or ribbons for her hair, and a slingshot or something similar for Josh. It seemed just the other day that he was a child, and he missed his sister, though there were times when she could make him want to pull his hair out. Still, maybe he should write and ask her to come to Montana for a visit.

  The memories were evidence to him of how fast life was passing him by. He wanted his own children to spoil a little. But not as much as his sister was spoiled, for sure.

  Earl was busy waiting on customers but waved to Josh when he walked in. Josh nodded, indicating that he would look around. He walked past rows of canned staples and glass cases that held a variety of hard candy. He wrinkled his nose as he strolled past an area where the smell of liniment, tobacco, turpentine, and rubbing alcohol was almost overpowering. There were shelves of nails, screws, twine, rope, and farming implements hanging on large hooks against the wall. Earl carried the basics, Josh knew, and anything that wasn’t a staple had to be ordered out of the Sears and Roebuck catalog.

  His eyes lingered on a table of ladies’ powder, hairpins, and other feminine paraphernalia. He fingered the lawny fabric of a lacy, embroidered nightgown and marveled at its softness. He visualized Juliana wearing it, her dark hair tumbling about her shoulders as she prepared for bed. Josh shook himself mentally. Perhaps someday he’d be buying things like that, but not now.

  One narrow shelf held a row of books and Bibles. Josh picked up a small, leather-bound Bible, just right for a lady’s hands. He remembered that Juliana didn’t own one. Maybe this could be a peace offering. He tucked it under his arm and continued his perusing as if he had all the time in the world. He needed to get finished here and get back home, because the purpose in coming was to buy another set of clothes. His clothes—as well as nearly everything else he possessed—had been lost in the fire. I’ll give back the years that the locusts have eaten, a voice said in his head.

  Josh sighed and walked over to the men’s area of the store, which displayed shirts, suspenders, vests, hats, and a variety of leather boots. He picked
up a russet-colored chambray shirt, a pair of denim waist overalls, and a couple of pairs of socks. When he looked up, standing across the table from him was none other than Wes.

  “Boy howdy. Fancy meeting you here, sheepherder.” Wes hooked his thumbs in his hip pockets and rocked back on his heels.

  Josh clamped his jaw tight. He didn’t miss the fine, tooled leather belt that held up Wes’s britches and the perfectly rolled brim of his Stetson hat. He may not have decent manners, but it was obvious he liked good-quality belts and first-class hats. From where he stood behind the table, Josh had no doubt that Wes’s boots would speak of the same focus on detail and quality.

  Josh harrumphed. “Last time I looked, the sign outside the store said ‘Open to the public.’”

  “For a fact it is.” Wes held a lopsided grin. “I heard you got hit with the prairie fire.”

  “What if I did?” Josh didn’t feel like spending his time yakking with a cowboy just looking for someone to poke fun at.

  Wes swaggered around to the end of the table to stand in front of Josh. “Contrary to what you may think, I wouldn’t wish that on my worst enemy.”

  Josh’s eyes fell to Wes’s boots out of pure curiosity. Just as he thought. He could spot a pair of Justin boots in a crowd. Fine, supple leather boots with silver Mexican spurs. Josh should know. He used to wear only the best Western wear that money could buy in Colorado, before he became a sheepherder. He groaned inwardly. His fine boots had burned in the fire.

  Josh stared at Wes. “Do I detect a tone of sympathy?”

  Wes’s smile betrayed his sardonic mood. “Call it whatever you like.”

  “What do you want, Wes? I’m busy.” Josh sized up the tall, lanky cowboy.

  “Just wondering how that gal Juliana was. Figured you’d know, after the scene the last time we were here.”

  “She’s fine,” Josh said curtly. “Why do you want to know? She’s not interested in you.”

  “For a fact she’s not. I tried to wrangle a kiss outta her. Didn’t she tell you?”

  “About what?” Josh was getting curious now.

  “The struggle for a kiss.” Wes shifted his weight onto his other boot heel.

  “When did you do that?” Josh laid the clothes back down on the table and folded his arms across his chest, the Bible still tucked under his arm.

  Wes snickered. “I didn’t. Didn’t I just tell you I tried? I was miffed that she wouldn’t go on a date when I asked her twice, so I caught her one day when she was out riding. I wasn’t trying to scare her, I just didn’t like being snubbed. I pressed her too hard for a kiss, I reckon, and we fell. I felt bad about that—”

  Josh was furious. “You did what?” He felt his neck growing hot as he clenched and unclenched his fists. He was trying to maintain calm this time, but what he wanted to do was slug Wes again.

  “Don’t get so danged hot under the collar. It’s clear she won’t have anything to do with me. I think she has her sights set on you, but why a poor sheepherder, I don’t know.” Wes scratched the hair on his jaw.

  “Wes, I’m warning you. Leave Juliana alone.”

  “I’m not that thickheaded. I know when I’m not wanted.”

  “Then why don’t you learn some manners about how to treat a lady?” Josh shook his head.

  Wes rolled his eyes. “My pa taught me everything about how to get attention from a woman. That’s all I know.”

  “And look where it got you.” Why was Wes telling him all this? He looked scruffy, and his face showed two days’ growth of hair. Josh didn’t smell any alcohol on him, but his hair and clothes looked like they could stand a good scrubbing in the trough out front. Josh would have loved to pitch him in there after what he’d just told him.

  “I’m talking about something altogether different. Respect. You need to earn respect, Wes. It isn’t given to you.”

  “I’m not all bad, and I’m willing to learn a few things if it’ll help my situation.” Wes pulled his shoulders back. “Especially if it’ll help me win the heart of a pretty woman.” He had a ridiculous grin on his face.

  Josh reached for the Bible he had tucked under his armpit. “You could start with this.” He shoved it at Wes.

  “The Bible! Come on now.” He looked at Josh like he had just handed him a stick of dynamite. “You’ve got to be kiddin’!”

  “Yes, Wes. This book. Everything you need for life is right here, if you’ll take time to read it. You can read, can’t you?”

  “Of course I can read. But are you telling me it has stuff in there on how to treat a lady?” Wes’s eyes grew large with interest.

  “I wouldn’t lie. It will instruct you on how to treat your fellow man too.” Josh moved away and tucked the Bible back under his arm, then turned to pick up the bundle of clothes.

  “How to treat your fellow man, huh? Well, it might be just a little too late for that.”

  “Now, what’s that supposed to mean?” Josh asked.

  “It’s just that I had to tell the sheriff about a fellow man, and it’s not settin’ well with me,” Wes said, pushing back his hat.

  Josh was all ears now. Could it be that Wes would tell him something about the robbery?

  “It wasn’t somethin’ I wanted to do, but somethin’ I had to do.” Wes paused and took a deep breath. “I know I’m not the perfect gentleman, but I wouldn’t hurt nobody intentionally.”

  Josh was starting to rethink what he knew about Wes, which wasn’t much. Suddenly a thought hit him like a lightning bolt. He glanced over at Earl and noticed he was still waiting on one of his customers. “Wes, would you like to go grab a cup of coffee at the café?” Josh nodded in Earl’s direction. “Looks like Earl’s a little too busy at the moment to help me out with my list of purchases.”

  The look on Wes’s face said it all. “Are you meaning me, Wes Owen?” His brows knit together, and he placed his hands on his hips.

  Josh looked around the store. “Is there another Wes you know of?” He knew Wes was taken completely off guard that anyone could possibly want to get to know him, much less share a cup of coffee. Josh wasn’t sure why he’d even asked. Had he plumb lost his mind since the fire?

  Wes shifted his weight on his boot heels, seemingly flabbergasted. He shrugged. “Uh, I reckon. Yeah, I mean, okay. Let’s go grab a cup.”

  Only a handful of patrons were seated in Maggie’s Café. Josh and Wes took a seat by the window. The smell of brewing coffee and the morning’s breakfast meats wafted throughout the room. They ordered coffee and nothing else, and after an awkward moment of silence, Josh nodded for Wes to take a look outside the window. “That’s a fine horse at the hitchin’ post there,” he said, looking at the chestnut horse with a black mane and tail. He must have been about eighteen hands high.

  “You got that right, mister!” Wes said.

  “Is he yours?”

  “Naw, but I bred him.”

  Josh quickly looked back at Wes. “You don’t say?”

  “I did, for a fact.” Wes smiled with pride. “Looks like you have a good eye for horseflesh, Josh.”

  “I was raised around horses, so I know a little about them. My sister, April, is quite the horsewoman, and even the horses seemed to know it. So, do you raise horses?” Josh took the cup of coffee the waiter poured, handed it to Wes, and then took the second cup.

  “That’s how I make my living. Are you in the market for a horse?” Wes took a gulp of the steaming black liquid.

  “No, I’m not. Just asking the question, that’s all. I couldn’t help but notice your hand-tooled belt and boots. Where’s your place?”

  “I have a small old house and a couple acres about five miles northwest of town along Big Spring Creek. My pa left it to me. It was the one good thing he did.” Wes eyed Josh with a level gaze. “You and Juliana officially courting?”

  Wes’s question took Josh off guard. “Well, yes and no.”

  “So, there might be a chance for me yet?” Wes grinned.

  �
�No. What I meant was, we were, but we had a little disagreement. I’m sure we’ll work it out.”

  Wes’s face fell. “I guess I’m doomed to live alone.”

  Josh blew on the cup of coffee in his hands before taking a sip. “I hardly know you, Wes, but I think there’s somebody out there for you. God has a plan for each of us, of that I’m sure. The problem is that most of us take things into our own hands instead of seeing what He has planned for us.”

  “Get outta here. You don’t really believe that stuff about God and all that, do you?” His eyebrows arched, his eyes squinting in doubt.

  Josh thought for a moment. The way he’d been questioning and railing against God because of the unfortunate fire and turn of events made him feel inadequate to be telling Wes what he should do. And here this morning, God had given Josh an opportunity to tell Wes about Him. Now he felt like a fool for being angry about what had happened. Instead of being disillusioned, he should have remained faithful in his heart, knowing God would see him through anything.

  “Yes, I do, but that doesn’t mean I’m perfect or that I don’t struggle with some things,” Josh finally answered. “You know, you did the right thing in talking to the sheriff if you had any clue about who the bank robber was, or who hit me on the head.”

  “I don’t know.” Wes looked away. “The man is not all bad either. He pulled me away from Juliana when I was trying to plant a kiss on her and we fell. Davin was looking out for her, but I swear I wasn’t trying to hurt her—”

  Shock registered on Wes’s face, and Josh knew he had just let the man’s name slip. Davin . . . Where had he heard that name before?

  “I’ll just have to take your word for it,” Josh said, swallowing the last drop of coffee.

  Wes stood abruptly, pulling out a bill to pay for the coffee, but Josh pushed back his chair and shoved the money back toward him. “I invited you. The coffee’s on me.”

  Wes seemed surprised but tucked the bill back into his pocket. “Well, thanks for the coffee.”