Cowboy Homecoming

by Louise M. Gouge

  Late in the afternoon and a few miles down the road, Mrs. Foster confessed to weariness, so Tolley turned the horse back toward town. Soon they drove past the church, and the lady eyed the building longingly.

  “How I miss hearing Reverend Thomas’s fine sermons. I’m so grateful for his daily visits.”

  “We miss hearing you play the organ,” Laurie said. “But here you are, out for a buggy ride. No doubt you’ll be ready to attend services next Sunday.”

  Laurie understood how Mrs. Foster felt about the church. She would miss her home congregation when she returned to Denver. The church she’d attended there had a more formal atmosphere, and many congregants seemed more concerned about fashion than faith. More concerned that no one usurped their pew. The pastor spoke from an elevated pulpit, appropriate for the way he spoke down to his congregation as though he loved to impart his superior wisdom to them. Very different from Micah’s friendly sermon delivery. Yet Laurie had enjoyed singing in the choir and playing piano for a children’s Sunday school class. If she weren’t leaving in September, she might consider organizing a choir right here. For a small town, Esperanza boasted many fine singers.

  Oh, bother. Why couldn’t she stop thinking of the good things about her hometown? How foolish it would be to turn down the position at the conservatory when she’d worked so hard to earn it. She must return to Denver, and that was that. She must not let family and church hold her here, no matter how much she loved them.

  Even more important, she must reject Tolley’s winsome ways, a little hard to do when he kept doing such generous things for others and smiling at her so charmingly. To defend herself from those appealing smiles, maybe she should step back from their friendship. Seeing Micah had helped Tolley overcome whatever bothered him, maybe she could begin to look out for herself. She wouldn’t turn a cold shoulder to him, but she could make herself a little bit less likeable.

  And she knew exactly how to do it.

  Chapter Eleven

  Tolley appreciated Laurie’s fine job of tending the house and cooking and teaching piano lessons. Those jobs should have kept her too busy to poke her nose into his construction of the bathroom. But all that week, to his annoyance, she still managed to inspect the room several times a day and make comments and suggestions, usually contrary to his decisions. She particularly bossed Adam, who always took her orders with good humor.

  Viewing the pipes sticking up from the floor where the plumbers installed them, she said, “I thought I told you to put the bathtub over there.” She glared at Adam, who wiped dust from a section of the freshly sanded floor in preparation for laying tiles, and pointed to the spot nearer the stove. “Now Mrs. Foster will have to carry the hot water across the room.”

  “Yes, ma’am.” Adam gave her an apologetic smile. “I’m sorry.”

  “But surely you can change it.”

  “As you can see, the pipes are already in.” Tolley tried to keep the irritation from his voice. “Can’t change them now.”

  “Oh, you!” She posted her fists at her waist, looking mighty pretty in spite of her protest. “You did that on purpose.”

  Was she trying to start an argument? She’d been a mite grumpy since their buggy ride last Sunday, though Tolley couldn’t imagine why. He couldn’t seem to do anything right, so he’d postponed thoughts of courting her. She’d even stopped trading companionable looks with him over the supper table when the other boarders made their annoying complaints.

  “The plumbers did it this way,” he said, “because it means only one drain pipe is needed for all three fixtures. And being deeper inside the house, it means they won’t freeze in winter.”

  “Oh.” She blinked those big blue eyes at him.

  Something inside his chest kicked like an unbroken colt. Sure, she was being awful prickly, but she could also be real sweet when she wanted to be.

  Laurie looked around, apparently trying to find something else to complain about. “I do wish we could have a gas heater attached to the tub. Some Denver hotels have them.”

  “Maybe one day,” Adam said, “if Esperanza brings in gas for the whole town.”

  “Or electricity.” Tolley had read about electrical plants being built in some cities.

  “Now what about the windows?” Laurie continued her perusal of the room. “Do you plan to seal them up or leave them so they can be opened for airing?”

  Tolley glanced at Adam, who appeared to be stifling a grin.

  “We’re leaving them...for now.” Tolley counted out the tiles for the first row under the north window. “When winter comes, we can seal out the cold same as we do in any other room.”

  “Oh,” she repeated as she dropped her hands from her waist. “Very well.” She spun on her heel and marched out of the room.

  Adam chuckled. “Glad that’s over.”

  “Whew.” Tolley also laughed, then felt a tad bit disloyal. “She’s not so bad, just opinionated. You seem to get along with her.”

  “A handyman shouldn’t argue with a customer.” He shrugged. “Besides, if I see a plan won’t work, I do it the right way and folks are usually pleased.”

  Tolley grunted his agreement. Adam’s easygoing acceptance of Laurie’s bossiness helped him feel better about it. Adam probably put up with a great deal of nonsense from folks, but his attitude was always cheerful.

  “How’s your law business going?” Adam spread a patch of glue, then reached for a small, six-sided white tile and placed it snugly in the corner, adding tiny wooden pegs as spacers around it.

  Tolley counted out more tiles. “I have one client, Jud Purvis.” Several people had already made known their disapproval when Tolley met them on the street, but Adam merely nodded as he worked.

  He was glad to work with someone who didn’t condemn him. Maybe he should pay a visit to the Starling family to see if they needed anything. He didn’t have much available money, what with paying Adam and the plumbers. But he might be able to help in some other way.

  “How’s your pa doing?” Adam paused in his work. “I meant to ask first thing today.”

  As always, Tolley repeated what Doc told him that morning. “Still taking only broth. Still not able to talk.” Doc also said the Colonel had begun to focus his eyes on Mother’s movements around the room, but Tolley’s throat closed on the words.

  “Sorry to hear it.” Adam shook his head. “I have a lot of respect for the Colonel.”

  Tolley could only nod. Everyone respected the Colonel. If he were looking in from the outside, he would, too. But he had a hard time thinking well of a father who rejected his son, a man who became sick when he learned that son planned to return home after being away for two years. Tolley considered it the ultimate rejection. Perhaps even hatred.

  He shook off the thoughts. After his talk with Reverend Thomas, he’d promised himself he wouldn’t dwell on the Colonel’s rejection, a difficult promise to keep. Maybe he should turn his attention to helping out Adam’s family.

  “How’s your father?” Tolley set some tiles on the floor beside Adam.

  “He has his good days and bad days.” Adam shifted his shoulder, maybe to hide his face...and emotions. After a few minutes, he coughed softly. “Sort of sad how we both have pas who are laid up.”

  “Uh-huh.” Tolley grunted. “I’ll pray for your father.”

  Adam shot him a sad smile. “I’ll pray for yours.”

  What an odd thing to bond over, yet Tolley felt closer to Adam right now than he did to his own brothers.

  On Friday afternoon, after another day with no new clients at the law office, he joined Adam in laying the flooring. The process was slow because the tiles were barely an inch across, like tiny mosaic pieces. Adam clearly knew how to do it, so Tolley did the legwork, handing him tiles and spacer pegs, making sure the glue didn’t dry out, fetchin
g lemonade and cookies from Laurie when they needed a break.

  “I told my pa about that fella Purvis.” Adam stopped working and looked at Tolley. “We don’t generally bring up bad news to Pa, but he always asks me about my day. I told him you were representing the prisoner accused of shooting the sheriff. When I mentioned Purvis, Pa just about jumped out of bed.”

  A sick feeling crept into Tolley’s belly. “Doesn’t sound good. Is he all right?”

  “Yeah.” Adam went back to work, apparently finished with the topic.

  “Does he know the man?”

  “Pa said when the gang beat him and stole the railroad payroll, one of the men said something like, ‘Be sure he’s dead, Purvis.’” Adam shrugged. “I suppose a lot of people could have that name.”

  “I suppose.” Tolley shook off the dread trying to take hold of him. He’d need to talk with Bob Starling about this matter. “Say, I’d better head over to the bank before it closes. I’ll bring your pay over after supper.”

  Instead of withdrawing the cash before he came home for lunch, he’d waited until midafternoon so he’d have an excuse for visiting the Starling home in the evening. While he took Adam’s weekly pay to him, he’d see if he could do anything for the family.

  After supper, he walked the three blocks to the small house the Starlings rented. As he drew close, he could hear the laughter of children and the happy squeal of a baby. He paused at the front door, enjoying the pleasant family sounds. A deep longing welled up inside of him. Would he ever know such happiness? Finally, he knocked. Instead of the merry noise ceasing, it crescendoed, accompanied by the percussive sound of running feet.

  The door opened with a bang, and Molly and her little brother, Jack, greeted him, each grabbing a hand and dragging him into the living room. “Comp’ny, comp’ny,” they cried gleefully.

  “Do come in, Mr. Northam.” Mrs. Starling sat in an overstuffed chair, her baby daughter on her lap. “Adam, fetch some coffee for Mr. Northam.”

  “Please don’t trouble yourselves.” Tolley waved Adam back to his chair beside his mother.

  “Have a seat.” Adam picked up the book he’d set down. It appeared to be a volume of Mother Goose stories. “Just reading to these little pests.”

  Molly and Jack giggled in protest.

  “Don’t let me stop you.” Tolley sat and gathered his young escorts onto his lap. My, it felt good when they leaned trustingly into his embrace. What a truly happy home. He swallowed down the bothersome emotions rising in his chest and throat. Once upon a time, his own family enjoyed such laughter and love. Had he caused the end of their happiness?

  Without a hint of self-consciousness, Adam finished the last few pages of “Jack the Giant Killer,” making vocal sounds for everything from rolling wagons to honking geese to a giant ogress, while the little ones giggled. Mrs. Starling then read a Psalm from her Bible, and they all shared a bedtime prayer.

  While Adam and his mother put the children to bed, Tolley waited in the parlor, envisioning such a scene for Laurie and him. Laurie had a way with children, so he knew she’d be a good mother. Would he be a good father? Would a man who’d been rejected by his own father even know how to be a good father himself?

  Adam returned, his face expectant. “I’m grateful to you for hiring me, Tolley. It’s enjoyable work, and we sure can use the pay.”

  “Don’t know what I’d do without you. You do most of the work.” Rising from the chair, Tolley fished the folded bills from his pocket and handed them to Adam. “Do you think your pa is up to talking to me this evening?”

  “Is something wrong?” Mrs. Starling entered the room, her face now lined with worry.

  “No, ma’am.” Tolley gave her an easy grin. “I want to ask him about Jud Purvis.”

  While Adam slipped out of the room, her expression tightened. “Adam already spoke to him. If it turns out he’s the same man who tried to murder my husband, Bob will leave his sickbed to testify against him.”

  “Hmm.” Tolley tried to appear calm, but his insides churned.

  Adam returned and beckoned to Tolley. “My pa will see you.”

  Mrs. Starling gave him a reluctant nod, and Tolley followed Adam into the dimly lit back room where Bob Starling lay on an iron-frame bed. The man had a feeble handshake, but he made the effort, which caused an ache deep inside Tolley. If only he could touch his own father’s hand that way.

  “My family never tells me anything.” Chuckling weakly, Bob gazed at Adam with unfettered love.

  How Tolley longed for such a look from the Colonel. The Starlings didn’t own much, but he’d trade his financial security for the same kind of love so evident between this father and son.

  “We do, too.” Adam sat on the edge of the bed and nudged Bob’s shoulder. “I told you they caught the man who shot the sheriff.”

  “You didn’t tell me his name.” Bob coughed, a harsh sound from deep inside that brought a frown to Adam’s face. When he could talk again, he spoke to Tolley. “When they attacked me, I only heard his last name. First name might not be Jud.”

  While his insides continued to tumble around, Tolley pasted on his lawyer face. “Maybe this will help.” He pulled a wanted poster from inside his jacket and handed it to Bob.

  He studied the page and then let out a long sigh. “That’s him, all right. A man doesn’t forget the face of the person who’s tried to kill him.”

  “Very well.” Tolley took the poster in hand. “Thank you.”

  “You still gonna defend him?” Adam’s eyes held no accusation, only sadness.

  Although he wanted to say no, Tolley recalled his training. He mustn’t make promises when he might be forced to change his mind later. “Remains to be seen.”

  He took his leave of the Starlings and headed home. Tomorrow he’d confront Purvis with the news he had a witness to a past attempted murder. With a history of violent attacks with deadly intent, he’d have a hard time proving he didn’t shoot Sheriff Lawson, the man he’d threatened to kill for putting him in prison. At the least, he was an accomplice of whoever did the deed.

  The next morning after breakfast, he went to the kitchen to fetch the full egg basket he’d collected earlier. “Laurie, these eggs aren’t wiped. Mrs. Winsted has a hard time selling them when they’re covered with—”

  “Well, then—” standing at the sink and up to her elbows in suds, she withdrew one soapy hand, snatched up a tea towel and threw it at him “—you clean them.”

  Tired of her crossness and dreading his necessary talk with Purvis, he tossed it right back. “Look, I don’t mind gathering the eggs and feeding the chickens, but this is women’s work.”

  She jammed her wet fists to her waist in her feisty way and scowled at him. “Don’t be ridiculous. We both must do anything and everything necessary to help Mrs. Foster.” She tossed the towel back to him. “As you can see, I’m busy. You do it.”

  Tolley stared at her for only a few seconds before taking on the task of gently cleaning the sticky straw and other debris from the fragile eggs. Jumping frogs’ legs, this woman could be irritating. If he wasn’t careful, she’d have him cooking meals and cleaning house.

  After delivering the eggs to Mrs. Winsted, he stomped across the street to the sheriff’s office, dodging wagons and pedestrians in town for their weekly shopping. He wasn’t in the best mood for confronting his client with his new and damaging information, so he paused at the door to calm himself. Inside, he found the inner door open and Deputy Justice Gareau seated outside the cell playing checkers with the prisoner through the bars.

  Gareau jumped three of Purvis’s checkers and reached the opposite side of the board. “Crown me.”

  Purvis briefly scowled. Catching sight of Tolley through the open door, he jumped to his feet, knocking over the board and scattering checkers—a clever ploy by a
man clearly in danger of losing the game. “Northam! You gonna get me outta here?”

  Ignoring him, Tolley said, “Morning, Deputy.” He removed his hat and left it on a peg before entering the cell area.

  “Morning, Tolley.” Gareau retrieved the checkers within his reach and put them in a small cotton bag. “Hand me those,” he ordered Purvis, pointing to the game pieces on the cell floor. The outlaw scowled again but obeyed. “What can I do for you?” Gareau reached out to Tolley, and they shook hands.

  Laurie had told him that Justice, a former Texas Ranger, had been hired by banker Nolan Means as a bodyguard last year when Hardison’s gang terrorized the town. After Hardison was shot and his partner died, Nolan no longer needed a bodyguard. Then Grace married the reverend, and Justice took Grace’s place as the town deputy. A tall, broad-shouldered man of somewhere between twenty-five and thirty years, with dark blond hair and piercing gray eyes, the deputy exuded an air of uprightness and authority.

  Tolley gave the man an easy smile. “If you don’t mind, I’d like to speak to my client.”

  “Sure thing.” Justice gathered the checkerboard and checkers. “I’ll be right outside the door if you need anything.” He gave Purvis a dark, meaningful look.

  Purvis stiffened, but Tolley could see he understood Justice wouldn’t allow any guff.

  Once the door closed between the rooms, Tolley sat in the chair the deputy vacated. “Sit down, Purvis.”

  Perhaps still under the lawman’s influence, the outlaw did as he was told. “What’ve you got for me?” He crossed his arms over his chest.

  “I won’t waste time. There’s a man in town who says you and your gang robbed and beat him and left him for dead.”

  A sly look briefly crossed Purvis’s face, quickly replaced by a fabricated confusion. “Can’t imagine who that could be. I ain’t never left nobody for dead.”

  Clever man. From his present demeanor, one would think him the very image of innocence.