“Soon.” The monosyllable was all that Gray Wolf offered her, but he put her astride again and walked away.
They had traveled about thirty minutes when suddenly he lifted the rifle in one smooth motion and fired.
The sound of the shot startled Sabrina, and she looked wildly around but saw nothing.
She sat there as Gray Wolf led the way, leaned over, and picked up something. “Food.”
It was, Sabrina saw, a large rabbit.
“Get down.” She got down, Gray Wolf tied the horse, and then, picking up some small twigs, he pulled some matches from his pocket, struck one, and touched it. The fuel was dry, and he kept adding wood until there was a blaze, its crackling a cheerful sound.
Gray Wolf pulled a knife, stripped the fur off the rabbit, and skillfully cut it into two pieces. He found two sticks and impaled half on each stick. He handed her one, and without another word stuck his own half over the flame.
Almost instantly the smell of cooking meat caused Sabrina’s stomach to knot. She quickly followed Gray Wolf ’s example.
Five minutes later Gray Wolf pulled the rabbit out of the fire, tore off a strip, and put it in his mouth. “Good,” he grunted. “You eat.”
The meat was only half cooked, but she was ravenous.
He saw she did not know how to eat it. He took it from her and, pulling out his knife, stripped off small portions.
The food was better than anything Sabrina, who had eaten at the finest hotels in the country, had ever tasted. She ate hungrily, and then when they were finished, they both drank.
“We go now.”
“How far, Gray Wolf?”
“Another hard day’s travel. We get there in the morning if we travel at night. If not, later.”
That was all the conversation Sabrina had with him for the rest of the day. The pony seemed to be tireless, as did Gray Wolf. She herself was exhausted by the time dark fell.
Seeing this, Gray Wolf pulled off and said, “We’ll rest here.” He pulled the blanket off the horse and grunted, “Sleep.”
Willingly Sabrina wrapped herself in the blanket and lay down. As sleep descended on her exhausted body, she once again had an impulse that she should give thanks, but she was not a woman of God and knew that she was not a fit subject to ask God for anything.
The sun was high in the sky when Silas Longstreet, who was sitting in a chair tilted back against the outer wall of the courthouse, came to his feet and said, “Well, by gum, I ain’t seen a sight like that. That woman’s had some trouble.” He knew a bit about Sabrina’s story, for he was the oldest of Judge Parker’s marshals. Parker had told him about the woman and expressed his concern. Now he looked and saw the two, and getting out of his chair, he pulled his hat off. “Howdy, ma’am. My name’s Silas Longstreet. Looks like you had some trouble.”
Gray Wolf laughed softly. “She’s a foolish squaw. She hired the Denver brothers to help her, and they took all she had and left her in the desert.”
Silas, who was a small man with a shock of white hair and pale blue eyes, said, “Ma’am, you had some luck there. They could have done a lot more than let you go. Let me take you to the hotel. You can get some rest.”
“I can find my way.” She turned and said, “Gray Wolf, you saved my life. I have no money here, but I’ll get some from the bank. Later on today I’ll see that you’re well paid.”
“Good.” Gray Wolf watched the woman go and seemed amused. “She’s a proud woman but not so much anymore.”
“You’d better keep an eye on her, Gray Wolf. She ain’t got much judgment. She’s a city woman obviously. She could get mixed up with somebody worse than the Denver boys.”
“Yes. Give me money. I want something to eat. All I’ve had is a stringy jackrabbit.”
Silas stood before Judge Parker, who was seated at his desk, and was just finished telling him the story of Sabrina. “So, sure enough, she got cleaned up and she gave Gray Wolf fifty dollars. More money than he’s ever had in his life, I reckon.”
“He’s probably drunk by now.”
“No, he ain’t drunk. He went to the mission school. He’s a Christian Indian. Don’t act like it sometimes, but he is.”
“Well, she could have been raped and killed out there. I’m glad Gray Wolf found her. I don’t know what she’s going to do.”
“What did she come here for?” Silas listened as the judge repeated the story of how she had come to get her sister free from the clutches of Trey LeBeau and his band.
Silas shook his head then whistled softly. “Well, that’s a bad one.”
“I told her I didn’t have no marshals to send. You’re the only one here.”
“We don’t need to send one man out to get LeBeau. He’s got at least a half dozen killers.”
“That’s right, but I’ve got an idea. She’s not going to quit on this thing, Silas. She’s going to hire somebody, but I think her only hope is one she’d never meet if we didn’t help her.”
“Who’s that, Judge?”
“Waco Smith.”
Silas was surprised and showed it. “Why, Judge, he’s in the penitentiary at Yuma.”
“I know it, but I’ve got a plan. I’m a good friend of Warden Crawford, the warden of Yuma Penitentiary. He wrote me a letter and told me how there was a breakout and he could have been killed. There was a man ready to do the job when Waco jumped in front of him and killed the man with a gun he’d taken from one of the guards. He got shot a couple of times, but he made it. Warden Crawford is right grateful to him.”
“Well, I don’t see how he can help her if he’s in prison.”
“He’s the only one I know who would even have a chance against LeBeau. Let me have a talk with that young woman. Have her come by my office.”
“I’ll do that, Judge.”
“I think I may have found a possible man for you to hire.”
“Just one man?”
“That’s all we’ve got right now, but this one can help if anybody can. His name is Waco Smith.”
“Well, I’d like to talk to him. I’ll hire him if you say he’s a good man. Where is he?”
Parker smiled slightly. “You won’t like this. He’s a prisoner in Yuma.”
“He’s a criminal?”
“I guess he was when he went in, but sometimes prison changes a man. He’s the only man I know who’s tough enough to go with you into the Territory. We can maybe find some more, but you’ll need one man like this.”
“I can’t hire a criminal.”
“You don’t know the Territory, miss,” Silas Longstreet said. He had brought her in and now leaned against the wall. “Waco knows it like the back of his hand. He’s a hard man.”
“I can’t hire a criminal! He’s a dangerous man, I’d think.”
“Yes, he is, but he may have changed since he’s been in prison. Prison either makes a man better or worse or kills him. From what Warden Crawford says, I think we might work something out.”
“How could he help me if he’s in prison?”
“Well, he saved the warden’s life. I think I could let him out on a conditional pardon, and the warden would agree to it. Then you can talk to him and see if you want to take him on.”
Sabrina nodded slowly. She was not happy about the decision to hire a criminal, but yet the opportunity was the only one that seemed to be opening its way up.
“All right. I’ll talk to him, but I can’t imagine going into the Territory running around with a criminal.”
“You need to get rid of that idea,” Silas said. “You don’t need to be going into the Territory with Waco or anybody else.”
“I’m going,” Sabrina said flatly and put her eyes on Silas. “There’s no argument about that. It’s settled.”
“You are a stubborn young lady, but the Territory changes folk.”
“Well, I’ll talk to the man.”
“We’ll have to go to the prison.”
“How long will that take?”
“Just a day’s ride f
rom here. It ain’t far.”
“All right. When do we leave?”
“We’ll leave first thing in the morning. We may have to stay overnight.”
“Silas, you go along with Miss Warren and see she’s all right.”
“As you say, Judge.” Silas nodded. “We’ll be ready first thing in the morning. You want me to rent a buggy?”
“That might be best, or a wagon in case we bring him back with us. But I don’t think that’s likely.”
The sun beat down on the men who were working clearing rocks and breaking them into smaller chunks where necessary. Waco swung the sledge, struck a rock, broke it in two, picked it up, and threw it to one side. He was covered with dust, as were all the men out working on the road, and as always, he was hungry and thirsty. He drew his forearm across his face. He was working without a shirt and had sunburned at first, but now he was burned a bronze color almost like an Indian. He did wear a cap with a bill that shaded his eyes, and now he looked over and said, “Cecil, you okay?”
“Doin’ fine, Waco.”
The young man, Waco saw, was about past going. He was frail, and the road work was more than he could handle. Fortunately the guard, a man named Roberts, was one of the gentler ones at the prison.
Waco had said, “Mr. Roberts, I’ll do some more work if I need to, but Cecil there. . .he’s just not fit for this.”
“Yeah, I’ll try to get him a job in the office somewhere out of this heat. You’re right. He ain’t fit to be breakin’ rock.”
Waco had thanked him, but he still kept a close watch on Cecil.
The two worked until noon, and then the whistle blew and the water wagon came with the noon meal, which was bread and slices of ham that made them thirstier, but the water was worth it all.
“I sure hope there ain’t no roads to do in heaven.” Cecil sighed. He had eaten the bread but had only nibbled at the ham, knowing that it would give him a raging thirst.
“I expect they got angels doing that.” Waco grinned. He had resented Cecil’s preaching at first, but now it merely amused him. “The Lord wouldn’t let a good man like you break rock in heaven. Besides, I heard the streets were made of gold. Like to have a shot at that.”
“That’s right, and the gates are all pearl, bigger than you’d think. Imagine a pearl big enough to make a gate out of.”
“Sounds sumptuous.”
“Oh, it is, Waco. Heaven’s a good place. I’m going to see you there one day.”
Waco smiled. “I doubt that. God wouldn’t want a maverick like me dirtyin’ up His heaven.”
“He’s gonna do things for you. He’s gonna make you all clean and pure and clothed in the righteousness of Christ as the Bible says.”
“Well, I’ve always heard God could do anything, so I reckon if He wants to do it, He could do that for me.”
The two went on until the whistle blew again. Waco got to his feet, pulled Cecil up, and said, “Don’t try to break any rocks. Just go through the motions. I talked to Mr. Roberts. It’s okay with him.”
“Why, that wouldn’t be right.”
“He’s gonna try to get you a job inside. I’m kind of a favorite of Warden Crawford now. If Mr. Roberts can’t do the job, I’m gonna ask the warden to do it.”
“Well, he owes you a favor. You saved his life.”
“Yeah, he hasn’t said anything about it except thank you when I was first comin’ out of it. Men forget, I guess.”
“Maybe not. It just takes time.”
Ten minutes later Roberts came out and said, “Waco, come on with me. You’ve got to go see the warden.”
“Well, what have I done wrong this time?”
“Nothing, I don’t think. It might be somethin’ good.”
“You think that, do you, Mr. Roberts? I’ve about given up expectin’ on something good.”
“You’ve had it tough, Waco, but Cecil’s givin’ you the right advice. I ain’t much of a Christian myself, but he is. I’ve seen the real thing enough to know that it can happen.”
“Well, you sure been a gentleman and a Christian to help Cecil out. I appreciate it.”
“Nothin’ to it. Come along now.”
Sabrina was sitting in a chair in Warden Crawford’s office. She turned when the door opened.
“Here he is,” the man in the blue uniform said. “Call me if you want me, Warden.”
“I’ll do that, Roberts. Thank you.”
The door closed, and Sabrina fixed her eyes on the man who stood there. He had on a shirt and wore a pair of worn jeans. He had black hair and eyes almost as dark as those of Gray Wolf, her Indian rescuer. His face was broad at the forehead and tempered down to a determined jaw, and a slight scar on his right cheek went down to his neck. He was burned by the sun and had wide shoulders and a narrow waist. His eyes went to the warden then came over to take her in. He said nothing but simply stood waiting.
“Waco,” Warden Crawford said, “I’ve been talking with this young lady. This is Miss Sabrina Warren. She needs some assistance, and Judge Parker and I think you are the man that could help her.”
“She’s not going into the prison, is she?” Waco smiled slightly.
Sabrina saw that he had very white teeth. The teeth of most of the men she met were stained with tobacco from chewing and smoking.
“No, I’ll let her tell you what her problem is, and then we’ll talk about it. Have a seat.”
Waco dragged a chair over and sat down facing Sabrina. He was alert as a wild animal, Sabrina saw, and there was a toughness and a wildness about him that she recognized would be excellent qualities in a man-hunter, which was what she wanted.
“I have one sister, Mr. Smith.”
“Just Waco, ma’am. I lost my mister along with other things when I came to Yuma.”
“Well, Waco then. She’s very fragile and naive. She ran off with a man named Trey LeBeau and is being held captive.” She waited and said, “Have you ever heard of him?”
“I know Trey.”
“You know him? How do you know him?”
“Well, I had dealings with him a few years ago. He did me a bad turn. He’s not exactly a friend of mine. What do you want me for?”
“I need somebody to go into the Territory and get my sister away from him.”
“Well, that’s Judge Parker’s job, or his marshals’.”
Crawford said, “You know how many marshals he lost, and those he has left are just bogged down, Waco. He just doesn’t have anybody to send. He’s the one who suggested we might get you to help Miss Warren.”
“How can I help her in prison here?”
“You can’t, but here’s what Judge Parker came up with. He said if I agreed, the two of us together could give you what is called a conditional parole.”
“Never heard of it.”
“Well, that’s because it’s never been done. What it means is this. We release you to Miss Sabrina’s custody. You will help her get her sister back. When the job is done, if you’ve been faithful and done your best, we’ll make the parole a full-fledged parole. You’ll be free.”
Sabrina was interested in the workings of the man’s face. She saw at once that he was interested and said quickly, “I’ll also be willing to pay you to help me. My father has means, and we can pay almost any fee.”
Waco was quiet, and finally Crawford said, “What’s the matter? Don’t you like the deal?”
“Not that. I just can’t believe it.”
Silas spoke up. “It’s true enough, son. You’ve had some jolts along the way, but this woman’s the real goods. We checked into her family. You do what Judge Parker and Warden Crawford ask you to do, and you can get a new start.”
“Well,” Waco said, sighing deeply, “I can use a new start. Sure, I’ll do it, Miss Warren. Can’t guarantee anything, you understand. LeBeau’s a tough hairpin.”
“Well, one man doesn’t seem like enough,” Sabrina said.
“It won’t be one man. You’re gonna have three men
,” Silas spoke up. “I’m going along and so is that Indian that saved your life, Gray Wolf. He can track a buzzard over the desert floor. I swan he can. We’ll be going along so that’ll give us three guns. Maybe pick up some more.”
“The odds are still against us. He’s got a rough bunch, Miss Warren,” Waco said. “I’ve met most of ’em, all killers, and they might not be as nice to you as the Denver brothers. Might not be enough to just rob you.”
“I’m going along, Waco, so don’t argue with me.”
“Just sayin’.” Waco closed his mouth and nodded. “I’ll take the deal, Marshal.”
“Good. I’m releasing you right now. Go get changed into some decent clothes.”
“I don’t have any.”
“Well, we’ll find you some. You can’t go looking like a tramp.”
“Thank you, Warden.”
Sabrina smiled, went over to the warden, and offered her hand, which Crawford rose hastily and took. “I wish the good Lord to help you.”
“That’s kind of you. I’ll thank Judge Parker when I see him.”
“We brought a buggy, so I guess we’ll take him back.”
“Might be best.”
CHAPTER 15
“You think you’ll be able to get along with that woman, Waco?” Silas asked. He had come to the general store and found Waco buying supplies.
The tall man turned to him and grinned suddenly, which made him look much younger. “No, I don’t reckon I can—and I don’t reckon anybody else can.”
Silas could not contain his smile. “Well, you read her about like I do. She’s had her own way pretty much. Comes from a rich family. Her parents probably spoiled her to death. I been tryin’ to talk her out of this fool notion she’s got of traipsin’ around the Territory.”
“So have I, but she’s stubborn as a blue-nosed mule, Silas.” Waco shook his head and looked up at the ceiling for a moment. His face was relaxed, and he was silent, staring at a hornet’s nest that was built in the ceiling. “We had a hornet’s nest in Grandpa’s house where I grew up. I offered to get rid of it for Grandma. She said, ‘No, let ’em alone. They catch flies.’ I never did get to feeling easy around hornets though.” Taking a deep breath, he said, “I’m gonna have one more try at talking some sense into her, but don’t hold your breath.”
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