Alex was left standing alone and didn’t know what to do. He needed to talk to someone, so he went to his father. Marl and Vard were in the barn pitching hay. Alex told them what had happened, and they listened with stony faces until he completed his story.
“Has Cindy been hurt?” Marl scowled, trying to choke back his anger.
“She was roughed up a bit and frightened,” Alex muttered with downcast eyes. “She was crying so hard she couldn’t talk, so I took her home.” he looked at Vard. “Father, I failed. I promised to protect her, and I didn’t.” Then he faced Marl and said, “Marl, I’m sorry,” and he put his head in his hands and wept.
Neither Marl nor Vard blamed Alex, but nothing they could say would convince him that it wasn’t his fault.
“Could you identify the men?” Vard asked.
“They were big men,” Alex said, looking up at his father. “One of them had a reddish beard and bushy eyebrows, and the other had a black gunfighter’s mustache and black, stubby beard. Here are their guns. I think they fancy themselves to be gunfighters, and their horses bore Bar H brands.”
“These guns look like guns professionals would use. I’ve seen men like that riding for the Bar H,” Vard said. “The owner of the ranch lives somewhere back east, but I know his foreman. I’ve had to talk to him a time or two about Bar H Ranch cattle eating my crops. he can be contrary if he wants to. I’m not surprised that his men allowed themselves to be stood down by you,” Vard continued. “Most people around here have heard of your ability with a gun. Those men deserve to be hanged, but there’s no law in these parts, so if anything is to be done, we’ll have to do it.”
Looking at Alex, Vard said, “They were right about one thing, though. You are still a boy, and it’s too early for you to be getting into a shooting scrape with the likes of them.”
Marl was boiling mad. “Let’s go tell that foreman to get rid of those men or keep them off our land, but first I want to see how Cindy is doing.”
With his eyes still filled with tears, Alex said, “Father, I’ll do whatever you say, but I told those men that I would kill them if I ever saw them on our property again, and I meant it. Why should Cindy be a prisoner in her own house? We’ve always played in that canyon, and we don’t want to give that up.”
“This is open range,” Vard replied, shaking his head. “We can’t legally prevent them from grazing their cattle on our land. If we owned the land, we could stop them.”
“Then let’s buy it,” Alex said emphatically.
“How am I going to buy it?” Vard asked with a pessimistic smile.
“I think I know a way,” Alex said. “That’s why I talked to Talking Drum yesterday.”
“You mean you’re expecting to find more gold in that dry cave?” Vard laughed. With the skepticism still in his voice, he added, “That’s a long shot.”
“I know it’s a long shot, but it’s a possibility. Cindy and I want to dig farther back in the cave while you all go for supplies next week. This time I won’t let Cindy out of my sight.”
“I hate to see you do all that digging and then be disappointed, but if that’s what you want to do, then it’s okay with me. But Marian and Marl will have to decide if Cindy can dig with you.”
“If that’s what Cindy wants to do,” Marl said, “she has my permission. I don’t want this incident to mar the rest of her life. Let’s go ask her. I want to make sure she’s being taken care of.”
* * *
Cindy had told Marian and Eva what happened, and they were angry that Cindy had lost her virginity to some unknown men. Eva and Marian had bathed Cindy and given her a change of clothes. When the men walked in, Cindy ran to her father and hugged him as she looked over his shoulder at Alex. She had been terribly frightened and would never forget how relieved she was when Alex rescued her, but now she wanted to be alone with Alex and have him confirm that he still loved her in spite of what the attackers who had humiliated and defiled her had done. Her eyes searched his.
“What are you going to do about the men who raped our daughter?” Marian asked Marl in a scolding tone.
All eyes went to Cindy, who was now hugging her mother and crying again. The men had not known that Cindy had been raped. Alex was devastated that he had allowed this to happen to his childhood friend.
“What!” Alex cried. “I didn’t know they had raped you! Oh, Cindy, please forgive me!”
Vard and Marl looked at each other and knew what they had to do. Marl knew that Marian wanted him to satisfy her need to punish the men, and revenge would be sweet, but a small army of Bar H cowhands, all of whom owned guns, would protect those rapists.
Marl had no choice; he had to face the offenders, and he was pleased that Alex and Vard would be going with him. Alex was good with a gun, and if necessary, he might make a difference.
“Let’s go to the Bar H right away," Marl replied, stamping his foot. “Alex will identify the culprits, and we shall right the wrong.” He kissed Cindy and hugged Marian while Vard and Alex looked at each other, ready to support Marl and punish the rapists.
“Vard,” Marl said, “if you and Alex are ready, let’s ride. The quicker we establish the guilt of these snakes, the better it will be for everyone.”
Alex filled the cartridge loops in his gun belt and rolled the chambers to make sure his revolver was working properly, and then he made certain that the gun wouldn’t stick in the holster.
“I’m ready,” he said.
“Then let’s ride,” Marl said as he strode to his horse.
Cindy ran to Alex with tears in her eyes, threw her arms around his neck, and asked, “Do you have to do this?”
“Our fathers are doing what men have to do in situations like this,” Alex said as he hugged her. “I’m going along to identify the rats. I’m sorry, Cindy, I wasn’t there to protect you.”
“But you told those men that you would kill them if you ever saw them again.”
“I told them that I’d kill them if I ever saw them on our property again, and I meant it.” Alex pushed her away gently. “I’ve got to go now,” he said as he hurried to join their fathers.
* * *
The day was almost gone, and the men rode in silence, each alone with his thoughts. They were on a dangerous mission, but it had to be done.
People may die tonight, Alex thought. I don’t want to kill anyone, but if they draw their guns, come what may, they’re going to die for what they did.
Cindy was safe at home with her mother. But she knew that Alex’s life was in danger, and she was almost as afraid for him as she had been for herself when the men were raping her.
* * *
Vard, Alex, and Marl arrived at the Bar H a few minutes before sundown. A man standing on the porch ran into the house to notify the foreman that he had visitors.
Frank Fadden, the foreman, came out immediately. Fadden was a dark, well-built man with square shoulders and a trim black mustache. he walked over to Vard’s horse and extended his hand.
“What brings you here, Vard?”
Marl spoke up without waiting for Vard to answer. “Two men riding horses bearing Bar H brands raped my daughter today. We’ve come to see if they’re here.”
“And what makes you think they’re here?” Fadden asked, turning to Marl.
Vard’s eyes penetrated Fadden’s, and he answered this time. “My son saw these men, and they were riding Bar H horses. He came to identify them. If they’re here, my son will point them out, and we’ll expect you to deal properly with them.”
Fadden knew he was talking to a determined man. “Vard,” he quietly responded, “you know that rape is a hanging offense in the West. Do you want me to hang two of my men for raping a young woman on the say of a boy?”
“This boy is a man in every way that counts and he had to do a man’s job today. Two men from this ranch violently raped a girl who has been his companion since they were children. I expect you to do whatever is necessary so that they never do that again
. Do you think I should expect less?”
Shrugging his shoulders, Fadden said, “Your request is justified.” Turning to Alex, he asked, “What did the men look like?”
Alex was thinking of the man who was on top of Cindy when he replied, “They were big men, with dark hair and eyes, wearing big, black felt hats. One had a bushy red beard, and the other had a black mustache and black, stubby beard. One wore two guns in low-hanging holsters, and the other had his guns on the ground since he had his pants down. Anyway, I took their guns away from them.”
“That sounds like Tor Larkin and Carl Binder. You say you took their guns away from them? That’s incredible,” Frank replied, looking much closer at Alex. “They rode in here from the panhandle a couple of weeks ago looking for work. I needed men, so I hired them. Tor got into an argument over a card game with one of my best riders a few nights ago and killed him in a gunfight. One of my other riders told me he had heard of them and that they had been riding with a gang of outlaws from the border region. They’re known gunfighters, and I don’t have men good enough to go up against them. I’d appreciate it if you’d take them off my hands, but you’d better be careful— that Tor is fast. What’s got me worried is—when you identify them—what then?”
“We’ll deal with that problem when the time comes,” Marl said, not very convincingly.
Fadden turned to the man standing on the porch. “Joe, go roust the men outta the bunkhouse and tell them that three of our neighbors want to talk to them.”
Fourteen men walked out of the bunkhouse, followed by the swaggering Tor and Carl.
Carl walked to the right end of the line and stood facing them, and Tor stood near the other end with his legs spread and his hands poised over his revolvers. Alex noticed that Tor and Carl had come prepared with another set of shooting irons, no doubt taken from men they had previously killed.
Alex dismounted and stood facing Tor; a distance of eight paces separated them, and a dozen paces separated him from Carl.
Vard dismounted and stood to Alex’s right, facing Carl, while Marl remained seated in his saddle. Death hung in the air like a wet mantle.
Alex stepped forward two paces, pointed his finger, first at Tor, then at Carl and, without taking his eyes off the man he saw forcing himself on Cindy, said, “That one and that one.”
Marl sat seemingly mesmerized. The action seemed slow at first, and then it was a blur. Tor drew his guns, but a bullet from Alex’s revolver penetrated Tor’s forehead before he could raise them, and both of Tor’s guns discharged into the dirt at his feet. Five shots were fired. Carl’s bullet grazed Vard’s cheek. A bullet from Vard’s gun struck Carl dead center in the chest. The two swaggering gunmen lay dying in the dust while the last rays of the sun were erased by the lengthening shadows of the mountains.
Fadden stepped forward. “Vard, let me check that wound.” After looking carefully, Fadden said, “It’s a crease, but you’re going to carry the scar for the rest of your life.” Then he turned to Alex. “Son, your father is right, you’re a man in every way that counts, and I doubt that you’re aware of how good you are with that gun. I saw a lot of gunfights in Dodge City when I worked as a deputy there, but I’ve never before seen a man draw that fast and shoot that straight. Is your stomach feeling a little queasy?”
“Yes, Mr. Fadden, it is,” Alex replied, wondering if he were failing the test of manhood.
Vard put his arm around his son’s shoulders. “Son,” he said, “being sick after killing a man is a good thing, not a bad one. If you didn’t feel sick, I’d worry. You did something that had to be done, and you did it well. I’m proud of you.”
Marl slumped in his saddle. “I felt so useless; I didn’t even fire my gun.”
“That gun lying across your saddle made a difference. You faced the issue with courage. That’s what counts,” Vard replied, trying to make Marl feel better.
The rest of the cowhands stepped forward. “You killed the man who killed our friend,” a tall, lanky one said. “We want to thank you. The name Alex Vanor will flash across the West like a bolt of lightning. Watch out for two-bit gunmen wanting to make a name for themselves. They’ll seek you out.”
“Maybe we can keep it quiet,” Alex commented.
“There’s no way to keep this quiet. It would be like trying to keep a gold strike quiet.”
Feeling even sicker, Alex said, “Father, let’s go home.”
“Men, bury this stinking scum deep, so it won’t foul the air,” Fadden said.
“If it was up to me, I’d let the buzzards have them,” the tall cowboy said. “They killed Rankin without giving him a chance.”
“Well, Alex and his father gave these rapists a chance, and the would-be gunfighters failed the test. They can ride the trail with me anytime they want to,” another cowboy noted, smiling.
* * *
Heavy clouds hid the moon, and the dark ride home was even quieter than the ride out. Coyotes howled in the distance, and the night birds were calling down by the creek. The horses plodded along as if they, too, were deep in thought.
Alex wondered how Cindy would feel when she found out that the men who had raped her were killed. The thought of killing a man plagued him, but he knew they had no other choice—it was kill or be killed—they would be dead if they hadn’t done what had to be done.
Chapter 5
The women had prepared supper at the Vanor house and were waiting anxiously. As the men walked in, each woman ran to her man, asking questions in excited voices.
“Vard, how did you get that strange cut on your cheek?” Eva wanted to know.
“Alex, were they the ones?” Cindy whispered.
“Marl, are you all right?” Marian questioned.
“We’re hungry,” Marl said and held up his hands. “Let’s all sit down at the table, and I’ll tell the whole story.”
After eating, Marl pushed his plate aside, rocked back in his chair, and began. “Vard and Alex did what had to be done. They made sure those men will never harm an innocent girl again. I had the rifle in my hands, but the other men did not try to interfere.”
“Alex,” Cindy asked, searching his face, “did you kill the man who was on top of me?”
“Yes,” Alex replied, nodding slowly, “and Father shot the other one.”
“The man with the bushy red beard was named Tor,” Marl said, “and the other was Carl. Tor had a reputation for being fast, but even though he drew first, Alex beat him. Tor had killed one of Bar H cowhands a few days ago. Alex will have a reputation now, and he’ll never again be thought of as a boy. Manhood has been thrust upon him, and he’ll have to remain vigilant at all times. Unfortunately, there’ll be other men wanting to test their skills, and they’ll come hunting him. It seems that’s the way of the West.”
“I don’t want a reputation,” Alex said, “but if that’s the price I’ve got to pay to make you safe, Cindy, then I pay it gladly.” He got up from the table. “Thanks for supper. I know it’s late, but I need to take a walk. Will you please excuse me?”
Cindy grabbed his hand. “May I walk with you?”
Alex looked first at Marian, then at Marl; they both nodded.
“I’d be pleased if you would walk with me, Cindy,” Alex said. They had walked together many times, but this was the first time that Cindy wouldn’t release Alex’s hand. They walked to their secret place and sat on the rock. Tor and Carl had betrayed her faith in men, and both men deserved to die. Alex’s eyes had glared with rage when he dragged Tor off her, and now she desperately wanted him to hold her and reconfirm his love, but he seemed hesitant, and she didn’t know why.
Alex wanted to hold her, but he knew that Cindy had lived through an experience that some women need months to recover from. He didn’t want her to be repulsed by him.
The last few days had changed Cindy from a girl to a woman. She had seen how the need for a woman could drive men crazy. She knew that Alex would never violate her, but she didn’t understand
his reluctance to hold her.
While clinging to him, Cindy said, “You’re the man I want, Alex. I’m sorry you had to kill a man. I can see that you’re troubled by it, but why are you holding back from me?”
“I wasn’t sure how you would react to having another man wanting you so soon after your terrible experience.”
Cindy continued holding him while she tried to understand. Who could she talk to? Alex wouldn’t understand. How could he? Her brow wrinkled, and her eyes were downcast. I know he wants me, so why doesn’t he take me? Is he repulsed by the fact that another man has taken my virginity? She pushed the thought from her mind. Maybe in time it would all make sense. She knew she would have to wait a long time for Alex to make love to her and wished she didn’t. She wanted him to love her tonight.
Alex held Cindy at arm’s length, looked into her eyes, kissed her gently, and said, “I think I’d better take you home.”
* * *
After Cindy got home, she went straight to bed, but again she lay awake staring at the ceiling. Today had been a defining moment. Alex was a man now, and she was a woman. They would still swim in the pond, but they would never again play with the carefree delight of children.
Legend of the Lost Page 5
