Wife Stealer

by F. M. Parker

Leo's face became glum. "You always take first choice. I hope we don't have to shoot any of her relatives. That would make her hate us."

  "Regardless of how we do it, she'll hate us."

  "But perhaps only for a time. If we have a priest perform a wedding ceremony, and then quickly make her pregnant, she will settle down and be a good wife."

  "It'll be hard to wait for a priest," Carlos said, thinking pleasant thoughts about the woman.

  "Yes, indeed."

  "Now's not a good time to take her with it daylight and a man with her. So let's ride to Canutillo and see what that town has to offer us. I've heard the most beautiful women in Texas live there."

  "All the men there have several wives, and losing one shouldn't be much of a loss to them."

  * * *

  Rachel basked in the pleasure of Evan's company. He delighted her with his quick, mischievous wit and she laughed often. How grand it was to be whole with all her memories restored, and to be safe from Redpath. She and Evan sat in the patio of his home on a cut-stone bench softened by a stuffed leather cushion. A walnut tree heavily laden with its clusters of green nuts gave them shade. Flowers of a dozen kinds filled the patio, and the wind was drowsy with their perfume.

  They had arrived at the ranch to be greeted by a joyful welcome from Evan's parents. The mother had cried and hugged her son back safe from the war. The father had watched and blinked back tears as his wife and only son embraced.

  Rachel had stood back, not wanting to interfere with the homecoming. He had told her that he had not seen his parents for nearly two years. How very important an only child, a son, must be to them.

  Evan had introduced Rachel to his parents, and she had felt their genuine kindness when they accepted her into their home. The father was tall like Evan, and given to the same boniness. He was deeply tanned and had heavily calloused hands, easily felt when he had taken Rachel's hand into his. Rachel believed Evan would look like this in twenty-five years if he took up ranching. There had to be a toughness in the father to have built such a large ranch in this harsh land. She wondered if Evan had inherited any of the man's toughness.

  After a period of light conversation, Evan's mother and father had gracefully left and gone to another part of the house. Rachel thought they had assumed there was a romantic relationship between Evan and her.

  "Will you be a rancher like your father?" Rachel asked.

  "Most likely. Would you like to live on a ranch?" Evan asked.

  "Yes, one as pretty as this one."

  Evan's heart beat a tattoo high in his chest at Rachel's answer. He felt the ebb of his life running strong and vital. When just a few days ago he had thought he would die, now he was dreaming of the future like a boy. A thought hit Evan like a rock and his features stiffened and hardened. He would have to kill Redpath for what he had done to Rachel, remove him from the world, before he could ask her to marry him. He turned his face away, afraid Rachel might be able to read his thoughts.

  Then he looked back with a feeling of joy at having found her.

  * * *

  Maude was stocking the shelves of Lester's general store when the two young Mexican cowboys came in from the street. Both removed their sombreros as they approached her. The older one smiled at Maude. The younger one silently stared at her.

  Two wagons loaded with merchandise had arrived for the store late in the day. Maude had volunteered to unload them and place the items on the shelves. Marie had agreed to the arrangement and left for home. Maude was glad to miss the gathering of Lester and his wives and their children. He wouldn't care that she worked late for he was too sore from the beating—Maude was sure Ben had dealt it out—to want her for the night.

  "Señora, or is it señorita, we are looking for work," Carlos said. They had seen the pretty, golden-haired girl through the front window and had come inside to get a closer look. "Have you heard anyone speak of needing riders? We are very good with cattle and horses."

  "No, I'm sorry but I haven't." It was commonplace to see Mexican cowboys come to Canutillo looking for work, for they were hired to help in the fall cattle roundup. However, that wouldn't occur for another three months or so.

  The woman hadn't responded to Carlos's ploy to find out whether or not she was unmarried. He must try again. "That's too bad for we have little money. May we speak to your husband about work?"

  "I have no husband," Maude replied. No man who beat her was a husband. Carlos glanced at Leo. Leo gave a slight nod in the affirmative.

  Carlos fished in a pocket and brought out a silver dime. He spoke to Maude. "We are very hungry. Would you sell us some cheese and crackers?" He gestured at the cracker barrel, nearly full, and the rolls of cheese wrapped in cloth on a table.

  "I have a better idea," Maude said. "I'll give you some cheese and crackers if you will help me unload the wagons out back."

  "That is very kind of you and we accept," Carlos said. "My name is Carlos, and his is Leo."

  "My name is Maude. It's already past closing time, so I'll lock the front door and we won't be bothered. I'd like to get this all done before dark."

  "I'll take our horses around behind the store," Carlos said thinking it was best to get the horses out of sight.

  Maude closed the front door behind Carlos. She returned to Leo and guided him from the store and through a storeroom to a loading platform abutting an alley.

  The men fell to unloading the boxes, barrels, and crates from the wagons and carrying them into the storeroom. Then with hammers and crowbars, they began to open the containers. Maude resumed stocking the shelves.

  "What do you think of this one?" Carlos asked Leo in a low voice.

  "She's as pretty as the other one," Leo replied. "Did you ever see such yellow hair?"

  "Then you would want her for your woman?"

  Leo grinned broadly in anticipation. "I'm glad that you chose the other one."

  "All right. Here's how we'll do it. The sun is down and soon it'll be dark. If we went toward the river, there's only one row of houses to pass. With luck, no one will see us leave. We'll stay off the main road and in less than two hours can be in Ciudad Juarez."

  Maude came into the storeroom for another load of merchandise and saw the two young cowboys talking and smiling. They were very pleasant fellows and good workers. She would give them a bonus of some canned beef and tomatoes to go with their cheese and crackers.

  * * *

  "We're all finished," Maude said to Carlos. "I could never have gotten it all unpacked and stocked without the help of you and your friend. Where is he?"

  "Outside with the horses."

  "Call him in and I'll give you something good to eat."

  "Here he is now," Carlos said.

  Maude saw Leo, looking tense and nervous, entering from the storeroom.

  "The horses are ready," Leo said to Carlos.

  "Good," Carlos said. He spoke to Maude. "The cheese now, señorita."

  "I have a surprise for you," Maude said as she turned.

  "And I have one for you," Carlos said coming up behind Maude.

  She heard the threat in the man's voice. Before she could turn or dodge, a hand clamped down on her mouth and a strong arm encircled her waist. "Hurry!" she heard the man call.

  A rolled bandana came down over her head and as the hand was taken away, the cloth was immediately inserted in between her jaws and tied tightly to gag her. She was lifted and carried kicking and struggling through the storeroom and out onto the loading platform.

  The younger man hastily mounted the horse directly from the loading platform and took a seat behind the saddle. The man holding Maude sat her astride in the saddle. The mounted man pulled her firmly against him with one hand and with the other caught hold of the horse's reins.

  "Go slow and easy until you're clear of the houses," Carlos directed. "Don't wait for me. I'll not be far behind."

  Holding Maude clamped about the body so as to pin her arms to her side, Leo ghosted his horse through th
e early night. He saw nobody outside the houses that went past left and right of him. Then he was clear of them and free of the town, with the Rio Grande just ahead. He turned south, looking for the ford the ranchers used to cross the river.

  The tinkle of a bell sounded ahead, and Leo saw the pale white outlines of a band of sheep grazing in the darkness along the river. The lead sheep saw him and raised her head, and the bell chimed again. Leo looked hurriedly about for the herdsman. He saw no one. Probably the sheep were left by themselves for the night.

  He found the well-used road leading west and veered onto it. In but a few minutes, the road led him to the ford and he waded the horse through the slow current. On the opposite shore, he went south toward Mexico.

  * * *

  Carlos closed the rear door of the store and mounted his horse. He wondered how long before the girl would be missed and a search begun. He considered how he could give Leo the best possible chance to escape undetected with the girl. Two horsemen using the same route through the row of houses might draw attention and arouse suspicion when one would not, so Carlos decided to use a different one. The alley was empty, and he rode slowly along it with the hoof falls of his steed barely audible.

  At the south border of the Canutillo he struck the road leading west and soon crossed the Rio Grande. He saw the wet tracks of Leo's horse, dark splotches on the sand where he had come out of the river. Everything was working perfectly. Carlos chuckled to himself. His brother had a true beauty. In a couple of hours he would be safely in Mexico with her and lost to any pursuers.

  THIRTY ONE

  Dubois entered the restaurant and quickly wound a course among the tables of the several diners. He passed Ben, seated and eating breakfast, and halted at Redpath's table.

  "I have news," Dubois said.

  Redpath pointed at the chair across from him and Dubois sat down. "Talk," Redpath said curtly.

  "I know who has her," Dubois said, pleased with his knowledge. "We can call off the men we have looking for her."

  "Not so fast. Who has her?"

  "His name's Payson. Evan Payson."

  Ben was near enough to hear the man's words, and at the mentioning of Evan's name, focused closely on them. Who was this "her" they were talking about? Had to be a pretty woman to arouse such keen interest in Redpath and Dubois, whom he knew by sight, for they had been pointed out to him when he had gone by the hotel to see the construction. He cocked his ear to hear more.

  "How do you know she's with this Payson?" Redpath said.

  "Because he was just talking to me and said he wanted to speak with you about a woman. What other woman could it be?"

  "Where can I find him?"

  "He's at the hotel right now."

  Ben glanced at Redpath to see how the man reacted to this information. Redpath showed no emotion except for a hard smile. "That's good news. Saves me from hunting him. Who is he?"

  "I knew you would want to know that, so I asked our workers and one of them knew him and told me Payson was a local fellow. That his parents owned a ranch not far from town."

  "What kind of a man is he?"

  "He's young, kinda tall, and skinny. There's something else. He said for you to bring a gun with you."

  "Well, now, that's downright interesting. Anybody else with him?"

  "No, just him. And he acted mad."

  Ben dropped money on the table to pay for his meal and hastened from the restaurant.

  * * *

  Ben spotted Evan sitting on a pile of lumber in front of the Hanford Hotel and went toward him. He had met Davis the evening before and knew Evan had arrived. Now it seemed Evan had gotten himself into trouble in the first few hours after coming home. Ben halted in front of Evan.

  "Hello, Evan," he said.

  "Hello, Ben," Evan said having watched Ben approach. "How are things with you?"

  "Ugly as ever. I want to talk with you."

  "I don't have much time," Evan replied looking past Ben and along the street.

  "I just heard a man being told you wanted to see him and to come with a gun. That true?"

  "I'm going to kill Karl Redpath."

  "Why?"

  "For what he did to a friend."

  "A woman friend, I'm thinking.”

  "I'm short of time, Ben, and can't talk with you right now."

  "I've seen this fellow Redpath you're planning to kill, and I've heard about him. You don't want to fight this man. There's a damn good chance that he'll kill you instead of the other way round."

  "So he's tough, and killed men. I've been told that. But he did the woman terribly wrong and he's got to pay."

  "Is it a young, green-eyed woman?"

  "Yes, how did you know?"

  "I saw one with Redpath two nights ago. She's sure pretty enough to get a man to thinking. But not to get himself killed for."

  "It's not certain that I'll be killed."

  "No, it's not certain. But why not just warn him off? Won't that do?"

  "What he did deserves more punishment than that. Haven't you ever felt you had to punish someone for being mean to a friend? Someone who can't fight for themselves?"

  "Maybe so. But think hard about this man. Tell him what you have to say I'll sit here with you and he probably won't start anything."

  "But I want him to start a fight so I can kill him."

  "Does the woman mean that much to you?"

  "Yes," Evan said. He looked directly at Ben for the first time, and Ben saw something in the man he had never expected to see, a huge hatred waiting to lash out at an enemy.

  "How do you kill a man who is a better fighter than you are?" Evan asked.

  "If you're dead set on doing it, then don't give him an even chance," Ben said. "Do you have a good gun?

  “Do you want to borrow mine?" Ben pulled his pistol from its holster and offered it to Evan.

  "I have one," Evan said. "Wait. On second thought, I could use another gun."

  Ben handed the weapon to Evan. "It's got a light trigger, so be careful."

  "Is it loaded and ready to fire?" Evan asked.

  "It's always ready."

  "Thanks. Now get away from me, Ben. Goddamn it, get away." Evan's voice trembled.

  "All right, Evan." Ben turned and moved away.

  Evan called after Ben. "If I fail and Redpath kills me, will you protect Rachel from him? She's at my parents' home. Davis knows where it's at."

  "Yeah, I'll do that," Ben replied over his shoulder.

  Ben went half the length of the hotel and leaned against the wall to watch the coming battle. He was sorry for Evan. From what had been said about the New Orleans man, Evan had little chance to win.

  Evan's muscles were taut as bowstrings as he watched the street for the appearance of Redpath. Never had his senses been more open to the world around him. His eyesight seemed sharper and he saw a little whirlwind far down the street, spinning and spinning. His hearing was more acute and he heard a pigeon cooing on the rooftop of the hotel above him. He knew the impending danger, and most likely his death, had done this to him.

  * * *

  Redpath strode with long strides toward the man sitting on the pile of lumber in front of the hotel. He was looking forward to killing Payson, after Payson told him where Rachel was.

  Dubois, by his side, hurried to keep up. The man had been brought along to serve as a witness for Redpath, to swear the killing had been in self-defense.

  Redpath saw Payson remove his hat and wipe his forehead and face with a bandana. You'd better sweat, Redpath thought, for you've not long to live.

  "Wait over there by the side of the hotel," Redpath instructed Dubois.

  "Yes, sir," Dubois said, and veered aside to stand near the building.

  Redpath walked swiftly on, and came to a stop a couple of body lengths from Payson. He glared down at the seated man.

  "So, Payson, you've got my wife Marcella?" Redpath said. The man's face was strained and beaded with sweat. The hand holding the bandana
in his lap was trembling.

  Evan looked at Redpath. "Her name's Rachel, and she's not your wife. You found her unconscious and lied to her. You're a bastard, Redpath."

  Redpath was surprised at the man's harsh words. False courage, that's all it was. Payson's hand with the bandana was shaking strongly now. Redpath almost laughed out loud at the pitiful sight. He glanced to the side at Dubois.

  A man horribly scarred was standing close beside Dubois and talking to him. Good, two witnesses were better than one. Now all Redpath had to do was make Payson act first.

  "Is that a pistol I see there?" Redpath said, and gestured at the gun in the holster on Evan's side.

  "Yes, and it's loaded. Is yours?"

  Damn strange question, thought Redpath. "Yes, Payson, and one of the bullets is for you."

  "I don't believe it's loaded, so how can a bullet be for me?" Evan said.

  Again Redpath was surprised at the man's words. He saw Payson's hand, shaking badly, rise holding the red bandana. The man was going to wipe sweat again.

  An explosion ripped the bandana from Payson's hand. A powerful blow slammed Redpath in the chest and a terrific pain erupted. He stumbled backward two steps before catching himself. Payson's actions were all a goddamned trick. Redpath reached for his pistol.

  Evan jumped to his feet and pointed the weapon that he had kept concealed under the bandana. He fired again straight into the center of Redpath's chest. The man sank to his knees, held there for a moment with an unbelieving expression on his face, and then fell sideways to the street.

  Evan sank down on the pile of lumber and stared at Redpath's corpse. He was shaking all over. He put his hands between his legs to quiet them. He did not know Ben had come until he spoke.

  "Damn fine job, Evan," Ben said.

  "It's hell to kill a man," Evan said, his voice quivering like his body.

  "Not if he deserved killing. I guess you figured this one did."

  "You were a lawman once," Evan said, looking at Ben, and all the hatred was gone from his eyes. "What will they do to me now?"

  "Depends on what story the witnesses tell Sheriff Willis. For me, I saw Redpath reach for a gun and you shot him in self-defense."