Brides of the West-Part One

by Hestand, Rita

  "There is no you and me, Joe. We been friends a long time, and I respect that friendship, but you and I are nothing to each other and never will be. I want no part of this. I always thought people picked on you and yours, until now. Now I see it straight. This is goodbye, Joe…"

  "But Callie?" He called as she whipped her horse out of the yard.

  Callie cried all the way home. Now she'd be blamed as part of their gang, she was sure of it. The town already thought she was a no good. All she had was a little dirt shack in the middle of nowhere to call her own. Her Ma killed in another bank robbery she didn't care to remember, her Pa abandoning his family. She had one little brother, Sam was twelve and if it weren't for him, she'd be all alone, and maybe she'd be mixed up with Joe a lot more than she should be.

  Sam was a good boy; he worked hard to keep the place producing something. He worked too hard for a boy his age.

  When she compared her young brother to Joe, Joe didn't look too good.

  She should have seen it sooner. But until today, she had thought everyone picked on Joe, now she knew that what they were saying was true. How many kinds of fool could she be?

  When she got home, Sam came trudging up from the garden patch and looked wearily at her. "Where you been?"

  "It don't matter, I'm back now."

  "The tomatoes are all dried up. Got a couple of cucumbers, and some squash left. I'll dig the potatoes up tomorrow. Won't get much more out of it as the cold will be setting in before long." Sam said and barely looked at her. "You been over at Joe Boggs place, haven't you?"

  "Yes, I was there. Their mother is very sick."

  "Sure, that's why you go over there all the time, isn't it?" He frowned at her. "They are gonna get you in trouble sis. When you gonna learn to stay away from people like that?"

  "People like that? They are just people….more like us than you know. Here now, I was trying to do a good deed is all."

  "I'm sure Joe Boggs didn't figure into that good deed." He wiped the sweat from his brow.

  Callie took her shawl off and got the pail so she could milk their cow. "We're through. Whatever was there is gone. What I felt for Joe was pity, not love, Sam. They are so poor."

  "They wouldn't be if they would work."

  "It doesn't matter. I don't have any respect for him anymore. He's ruined that. I told him he should get a decent job, but he doesn't think $30 a month is enough."

  "You mean that?"

  "Of course I do. You milked Betsy today?" she asked.

  "Nope, haven't had time." He scuffed his boot into the dry ground. "What do you mean, he's ruined it? What has he done now?"

  "I'll milk her, then." Callie rushed off toward the dilapidated old barn.

  Sam stared after her, shaking his head with disgust.

  He put the vegetables away and then went back out to see Callie.

  She was milking ole Betsy. Sam eyed her a minute. "When you go off like that, you could let me know where you are going?"

  "I'm sorry Sam, you are right. I should have left a note." Callie nodded. "I'll remember next time."

  "I guess it doesn't matter. I knew where you were." He said. "You been over there a lot lately."

  She looked up at him. "Honest Sam, I only went to check on their mother…that's all. And I won't be going back. Because she won't make it through the winter. Maybe if I don't go tend her, they'll get some sense and take her to the doctor."

  "Don't make promises you can't keep." Sam frowned.

  "I'll keep this one." She muttered. "I'm through with the Boggs bunch."

  "How come? Something happen?"

  "No…I tended her the best I could and come home."

  "Then why aren't you going back over there?" Sam questioned.

  "I'm through, that's all."

  Sam screwed up his face. "That don't make sense to me, something had to have happened. Did you get in a scrape with Joe or something?"

  "Not exactly, but I told him I wouldn't be back. I tend her more than you. But I'm through. Like I said…maybe if I'm not around they'll see to her more."

  Sam was quiet for a while then he added. "I hope that's the truth of it. And I do hope she gets better, she's a nice lady."

  "So help me Sam. They are gonna have to learn to help themselves." Callie said lowly. "They don't appreciate my help anyways."

  "I hope so, for your sake. Half the valley thinks you are running around with them. And that ain't a good thing." Sam said

  "Then they are wrong. I am not having any more to do with them. And I done told them that." Callie told him.

  "Did something happen? It must have. You wouldn't be talking like that, if something hadn't of happened."

  Callie didn't answer.

  He came around the cow and looked at her. "Are you gonna answer me, or do I have to find out from someone else?"

  "All the men took off from the yard this morning, as I was going in to see their Ma. They were whooping and hollering all over the place."

  "And…."

  "And bragging when they came back about the money they stole. Now…look here, Sam, you have to keep your mouth shut about what I just told you. It's important. We could be in a lot of danger if we don't stay quiet."

  "So that's why. Where'd they go?" Sam said.

  "Alright Sam, I'm going to tell you what happened, but don't you tell another living soul. You hear me. It's important."

  "Alright, tell me!" Sam's eyes rounded on her. "What did they do now?"

  "They robbed the bank in Hard Knocks." Callie seemed to spit the words out.

  "Robbed the bank!" Sam shouted.

  "Shh…not a word to anyone now." Callie shook him by the arms.

  "Okay…okay…not a word. Where were you?" Sam asked.

  "Over at their house, seeing to Mrs. Boggs."

  Sam sighed, "Thank God you weren't with them."

  "Sam," Callie stopped and looked at her brother. "I would never do something like that…you gotta believe me…"

  Sam frowned. "I guess I do…but you better not be over there again, or they'll blame you for sure…."

  "Don't worry. I've learned my lesson. I won't go near them, again." Callie promised. "And if they come around, I'm not home, you hear me? Joe knows not to come here, I've told him enough. But they might think I'd turn them in or something. So you gotta be sure and not let them know you know a thing. Understand?"

  "Yeah, I guess so. But are you sure you won't be going over there anymore?"

  "I'm sure."

  "Cross your heart and hope to die?" He asked.

  "Yes, cross my heart and hope to die!"

  Sam nodded. "Good. Let's go fix some supper."

  "Good idea." Callie said and they walked hand in hand to the house.

  Chapter Four

  "How's Mr. Phelps, Lou?" Gil asked as he walked into the office that morning, and hung his hat on the peg.

  "Doc says he'll be fine in a few days. Got a concussion." Lou answered as he cleaned his gun.

  "You know, I thought maybe I had it figured who the robbers were, except an old man was the leader. That threw me." Gil sat down in front of Lou's desk.

  "Who'd you think it was?" Lou sat up straight in the chair.

  "I thought it might be Joe Boggs and his gang, but I don't have a clue as to the older man, Joe would naturally be the leader of his own gang, so it probably wasn't him." Gil watched him closely.

  "Maybe they got a new leader?" Lou suggested.

  "Maybe, but I know Joe. He's the biggest braggart around. If he done it, he'd be the one to lead them. He wouldn't let some stranger head up his gang." Gil frowned.

  "Yeah, I guess you are right about that. Joe is one to brag." Lou agreed. "Maybe it's not them after all. Guess we should go through the wanted posters some more. Maybe Mr. Phelps can identify them."

  "You know Joe's mother is ailing don't you?" Gil asked.

  "Yeah, I'd heard that. Poor Virginia, she's had it rough." Lou shook his head thinking about the woman who was once
vibrant and beautiful.

  "I wonder if Callie knows anything?" Gil pondered aloud. "She's good friends with his mother."

  "Why don't you go find out?" Lou challenged.

  "Maybe I will…." Gil shot him a quick frown. "Be back directly."

  Lou nodded.

  All the way out to Callie's Gil wondered what he was going to say to her. How should he bring it up? Or should he just get her to talking and see where it lead.

  But he didn't expect her to be wearing a dress, and sewing when he knocked on the door. He didn't expect his heart to thump so hard in his chest either when she turned those soft brown eyes on him. He hadn't seen her in a while and he had to admit, she took his breath away.

  "Why Gil, come in, nice to see you." She beamed.

  Did he have the right house? Was this Callie?

  She was entirely too friendly, what was wrong with her. "Callie…?"

  Their eyes connected for a brief moment and that same funny feeling came over Gil.

  "What brings you out my way?" She asked continuing her darning of Sam's socks. Gil watched her for a second, fascinated to find her doing such a mundane chore.

  "Hadn't seen you in a while." He answered watching her.

  "I went to my Aunt's for a while." She answered quickly.

  "Without Sam?"

  "Yes, without Sam." She answered, her eyes narrowing on him. "He stayed with the Fergusons. He's friends with Tommy. What are you doing out here?"

  Gil was reaching for straws. He didn't know what to say without spilling everything. "Oh, I …thought I'd ask you to the barn raising dance."

  He wasn't sure why he blurted that out, but it was done and besides, he could drill her about Joe Boggs at the dance.

  Shocked Callie's head flew up, and blush crept over her cheeks. Gil looked at her and swallowed hard, she was just so pretty with her blonde hair hanging around her face and her dark eyes searching. He'd always thought Callie was one of the prettiest girls he knew. If she wasn't so hostile.

  "You…are asking me to the dance?" She stood up.

  "Yeah, sure, why?"

  "You never asked me out before, that's why." She frowned, her eyes narrowing on him. "What are you up to?"

  "Nothing. But I waited a bit late to ask anyone. Thought maybe you might enjoy going." Gil tried to sound polite. "Unless you've already been asked."

  She eyed him up and down. "What, am I the last available girl in town?" She snickered.

  He had to think fast. She could read him like a book.

  "No of course not. There's Dora, and Charity, but I just thought maybe you'd like to go."

  "Well, that's right nice of you to even think of me." She answered. "What's wrong with Dora and Charity?"

  "You know Dora as well as I do, she giggles all the time. Drives me crazy. I think it's just her voice, so high pitched and all. And Charity…too prim and proper for me. And her mother's always looking over her shoulder."

  "So I am the last on the list."

  "Then you'll go?" He slanted her a questionable look.

  She studied him a moment, and knew she couldn't pass up the opportunity. She'd never been to a dance with a man before. Any man.

  "Of course, why not? I haven't been to a dance in a long while. I'd love to go." Callie answered. She knew exactly why he asked her.

  It was too quick for him. He was wondering what she had up her sleeve. The Callie he knew wouldn't accept his invitation. He'd taunted her so long, it was a wonder she'd let him in her house.

  He looked about, it was a small shack, but Callie had made curtains for the windows, and picked flowers for her table. Everything was in this one big room, two beds, a couple of sitting chairs and a table to eat from that was it. All of this was new to Gil. Callie never struck him as the girly type. Most of the time she was in britches and not in the best of moods. To find her like this startled him.

  "Well then, I'll pick you up about sixish." He said.

  "Saturday?" She asked.

  "That's right."

  "I'll be ready. And thanks for the invite." She showed him to the door.

  "By the way, where is Sam?"

  "He's out gathering the last of our potatoes."

  "Oh…well tell him I said hello then." Gil said.

  She looked at him closely, "That reminds me, do you mind if I bring Sam along too. I hate leaving him here alone at night. There's a cougar running around out here at night."

  "Alright, that will be fine." Gil nodded. "A cougar huh? Maybe I should come by and see if I could take care of him for you."

  She shrugged.

  "See you Saturday then." She firmed her lips.

  It drew his attention, and he wasn't sure why. But her wet moist lips looked enticing, and before he could stop himself, he dipped his head and said, "Don't be scared, I just want to kiss you."

  "Why…," She barely breathed.

  "I don't know…curiosity…or something…," he murmured just as his lips feather touched hers. She trembled.

  Then he gently touched his mouth to hers again.

  Callie seemed taken by surprise and her mouth began to move against his. His kiss softened like a murmur against her lips. He enjoyed it for a second, before good sense had him pulling away.

  "See you!" He smiled and rode away.

  ~*~

  Callie stared after Gil for a long time. The fact that he'd asked her, of all the girls he knew, to the dance floored her. That was not what she expected. And her acceptance shocked her even more. Gil was usually scolding her for running around with the wrong people. He knew she went over to the Boggs place a lot.

  So why had she so readily accepted? She knew he was probably going to drill her about Joe Boggs, which would definitely ruin the evening for her.

  But maybe she could find out what he knew. Maybe she could get a little information out of him.

  Still, the prospect of going to the dance with Gil did lighten her mood some. She loved to dance. Every time she heard music, she was tapping her foot, and itching to get out on the dance floor with someone.

  Knowing he had an ulterior motive lessoned the thrill of going to the dance with him, though.

  She wished secretly that he would ask her, just because he wanted to go with her. However, that little secret was one she would keep to herself. Gil Sutton didn't feel anything for her, even if he had kissed her. Still in all honesty, that kiss thrilled her to her toes and she'd tuck it in a corner of her heart for another time to think on.

  She thought about Gil for a moment. Most of her life he had tormented her with accusations and she'd been hurt by them. It seemed her tongue was always stumbling over her heart when Gil was around.

  No one understood why she kept going over to the Boggs farm. And she couldn't get it through anyone's head that she was just being a good neighbor. Besides, Mrs. Boggs had always been kind to Callie, and they shared things, like secrets, and recipes and dreams.

  Although at one time she'd contemplated Joe as a suitor, she ditched that idea when she saw he had a wild streak that would lead him to prison. She'd seen enough of that with her Pa. Not that her Pa was turned toward crime. He was a drinker and a lover, but not a fighter.

  She didn't want to think about her Pa and how he'd run out on her and Sam. That wound still hadn't healed in all these years.

  She'd seen Joe's mean side. That was enough for her, but she really cared about his mother. She often wondered how such a gentile woman could live with a family of hoodlums like Joe. Jed, Harley and Billy weren't her sons, but she had fed them, put a roof over their heads and tried to talk sense into their heads, she felt like their mother most of the time. Even though Billy was related, a cousin, the others were just Joe's friends.

  Billy was the youngest, barely past fourteen, young and eager to make an impression. Jed was Joe's age, but much harder and something about the way he wore his gun told Callie to beware. Harley was more like a real friend to Joe, and although he wasn't against anything Joe wanted to do, he wasn'
t mean bent like Jed.

  But it was Mr. Boggs that surprised Callie in every way. On the surface, he just looked like a lazy no good, but deep down, there was something very dark and sinister about him, and when he rode out with Joe that morning, no one was more shocked than Callie.

  She truly wished she could help Mrs. Boggs, but she knew that the consumption was taking her away. That disturbed Callie in more ways than one. With Mrs. Boggs dying, the boys would likely get into more trouble and sooner or later be arrested. They used to listen to her pleas, but since she became sick, they took a dangerous turn. And Mr. Boggs had taken to the bottle more regularly.

  Sam came in with a small load of potatoes. "This is the last of them."

  "Alright honey. I might make a potato soup."

  "Potato soup? How would you know how to make that?" Sam asked taking his hat off and hanging it by the door.

  "Mrs. Boggs has a bunch of recipes written down. She's a great cook. So I copied them on some paper. I thought I'd try to learn to cook. I always had a knack for cooking, watching mom when I was little. I still kind of enjoy it. I got a pile of recipes I can try."

  "What's got into you lately, Callie? You never used to want to learn anything, or make anything pretty. You used to be outside all the time, tending the stock, cleaning the stalls, feeding the animals. Now you got the place clean, and you are cooking every day. You're even wearing dresses now. How come you changed?"

  "You don't like it?" Callie frowned at him.

  "Sure I do. Just wondered what come over you, is all."

  "Well, in case you haven't noticed. I'm a girl, Sam. I'm supposed to know these kinds of things. Ma died too early to teach me much. Just like Pa…left too early to teach you how to do a lot of things." Callie defended herself. "Doesn't mean I don't want to learn. Learning is a good thing."

  "Pa taught me about farming some, about horses some. What more do I need to learn?"

  "Well, did he teach you how to court a girl?" She asked. "He should have, he was good at that."

  "Why no, of course not. What would I want to court a girl for?" Sam frowned at her. He looked sincerely up at her now. "Do you hate Pa for leaving us?"