by Duane Boehm
“Sheriff Johann, we’ve been expecting you,” Gordon said.
“I see that you have,” Gideon said as he purposely glanced at the men in the windows.
“Charlotte has something to say to you, Sheriff,” Gordon said.
The girl hesitated in speaking and the pastor started tapping his foot in agitation.
Finally looking up, Charlotte said, “Sheriff, I’m sorry for any inconvenience I’ve caused you, but I wanted to go home where I belong. I’ve decided to marry Cecil.”
The pastor took a step towards Gideon’s horse. “See, Sheriff, you stuck your nose where it didn’t belong. ‘And they may come to their senses and escaped from the snare of the devil, having been held captive by him to do his will.’ You can leave now.”
Finnie reached into his saddlebag and pulled out the bow. “You lost your bow,” he said and held it out to Charlotte.
“You must be mistaken, Mr. Finnie. It is shameful to wear one’s hair with adornment,” Charlotte said.
Gideon climbed down from his horse and stepped towards the girl. He could see the sunlight reflecting off the rifles of the men in the windows now. Charlotte looked so miserable that his paternal instincts kicked in so that he wanted to hug her and tell her that everything would be all right. “Charlotte, you do not have to stay here. I’m the law and they can’t kidnap you like this. I will take you back to Last Stand and do a better job of protecting you this time. I promise,” he said, emotion rising in his voice.
“Mr. Gideon, I came back to Paradise of my own freewill. I appreciate your concern, but you can go. I want to stay,” Charlotte said.
“What have they threatened you with? Damn it, I’m the law and they can’t do this,” Gideon yelled.
Charlotte, crying loudly, turned and ran into the church.
“Sheriff, do not swear in my presence. Now get out of here before we are forced to defend ourselves,” Gordon spat out.
“Go to hell, you charlatan,” Gideon yelled as he climbed onto Buck and rode away.
Finnie didn’t catch Gideon until the sheriff had slowed the horse to a walk.
“What are we going to do now?’ Finnie asked.
“There’s not a damn thing that we can do. They succeeded in putting the fear of God into that girl,” Gideon said, anger still in his voice.
“What if we arrested her for something so that we could hold her at the jail?” Finnie suggested.
“That might work until the judge showed up and then all hell would break loose. We’d probably end up locked in our own jail. And besides, I was wrong. I believe they would’ve killed us today,” Gideon said.
“They beat us,” Finnie said with resignation.
Chapter 19
Tears streamed down Mary’s face as she sat at a table in the saloon with Finnie, Doc, and Gideon the day after Charlotte’s return to Paradise. The crying took Finnie a bit by surprise. Mary usually took adversity with grit and seldom gave in to crying, but Charlotte’s blight had upset her terribly.
“Charlotte’s arranged marriage is not much different than those poor girls forced into prostitution at the Lucky Horse last year. It might as well be slavery,” Mary blubbered out.
“There’s nothing that I can do if she says it’s what she wants,” Gideon said, trying to sound more convincing than he felt.
“You’re being a tad bit emotional about it, don’t you think?” Finnie said.
“Of course, a man would say that. You’ve never been in a situation where you have to be with somebody that repulses you. It can make you hate yourself,” Mary cried.
“I just meant that usually you get mad and ready to fight instead of crying,” Finnie said defensively.
“I know. I don’t know what’s wrong with me. Usually I’d be ready to grab my shotgun and go to town,” Mary said.
“It’s the baby. It did the same thing to Abby. She’d cry at the drop of a hat,” Gideon said.
“You men think you know everything,” Mary remarked.
“He’s right, at least this time,” Doc said with a smile. “I’ve doctored enough pregnant women to know that the baby does something to them to make for mood swings. You’ll get back to being your mean old self after you give birth.”
“Yes, and I might put an end to everybody at this table when I do. You’re certainly not a sympathetic lot today,” Mary said.
John walked into the Last Chance. He had just gone on a shopping spree and entered the saloon dressed in clothes that could have been borrowed from Gideon’s wardrobe, right down to the hat and boots. Only the lack of a gun strapped to his side and his neatly trimmed hair prevented him from passing as Gideon’s stockier built double.
Mary looked up and smiled. “Looks like Last Stand has us a new cowboy.”
“Don’t make fun of me. Doc is taking me for a ride in his buggy and I didn’t think a banker’s suit would be appropriate clothing. This is much more comfortable,” John said in his defense.
“You just need a little sun and windburn to look the part. If I hadn’t given up the bottle for Mary, I could teach you the finer points of cowboy drinking,” Finnie said.
“I think I’ll pass on that. Banker drinking is bad enough,” John said.
Doc smiled at his son. “You’ll be moving your family out here and going into the cattle business before you know it. I bet your wife would love that.”
“She’d probably adjust better than I would. Boston society wears on her sometimes,” John said.
Mary turned to Gideon. “Are you sure that there’s nothing that you can do for Charlotte?”
“Mary, I don’t think they’re going to let her out of their sight this time. I can’t just go in there and take her. If I had tried yesterday, I believe they would’ve killed Finnie and me. That bunch is not rational,” Gideon said.
Standing up, Doc said, “John and I are going to go for a buggy ride. We best get to it.” He and John then departed the saloon and headed for the stable.
After leaving town, Doc’s buggy moved smartly down the road as he and John took their first ride together. Much of John’s color had returned to his face and he had begun walking the town to regain his strength. His excitement over the excursion was palpable and had spread to the doctor as well. The pair had been near giddy as they climbed into the cart.
“My God, this land is beautiful. No wonder you came out here and stayed,” John said as they traveled away farther from the town.
“That it is. Sometimes I take it for granted and then something will catch my eye and I realize that I’m in God’s country,” the doctor said.
“I would say so. No book or picture can do this panorama justice,” John said.
Before them loomed the highest peaks surrounding Last Stand. The mountains stood bare of vegetation, reflecting shades of white and gray in the sunlight. Sheer cliffs dropping hundreds of feet covered the sides and gave the impression that even a mountain goat could not navigate the terrain. Snow coated the highest peaks and hinted at what lie in store for the coming winter. Down below in the tree line, a bull elk grazed, raising its head to sniff the wind and showing off its magnificent antlers.
“Look at that beast. Have you ever eaten one of them?” John asked.
“Well, not a whole one, but yes I’ve eaten elk. It’s taste somewhat like beef but has a wild taste to it. It’s quite good,” Doc said.
“I need to try that before I head back,” John remarked.
“I’ll see to it that it happens,” Doc promised.
“What was it like when you first moved out here?” John asked.
“As wild as things can get these days, it used to be a lot worse, especially after the war. A lot of riffraff headed west to make their fortunes. Sheriff Fuller cleaned things up back then. An outlaw named Durango Dick showed up at my doorstep with a gunshot wound and waving a revolver in my face. I tried to get him to put the gun down so that I could treat him, but he would have no part of it so I grabbed my shotgun behind the door and blew him int
o the street. Nobody messed with me after that,” Doc said.
“You killed a man?” John asked in astonishment.
“I did. I wasn’t about to go probing a wound with a gun pointed at me,” Doc said.
“Did it bother you?”
“Not really. I figured one dead outlaw prevented at least two innocent people from losing their lives,” Doc answered.
“Amazing. I can tell everybody that my father is a doctor and a deadly gunman. That will catch their attention. Sounds a lot more interesting than being a banker,” John said with a laugh.
With eyes misting over at John’s mention of ‘my father’, Doc turned his head away as if gazing to the west. After all the years of burying the knowledge that he was a father with a son back east somewhere that he had never seen, that illusion was now shattered as suddenly as a teacup dropped to the floor. The juxtaposition seemed almost dizzying. Inhaling a big breath, he steeled his emotion. “It was a long time ago,” he said meekly.
“I have to talk Kate and the kids into coming out here. Everybody needs to see country like this,” John gushed, oblivious to what had just transpired.
“You think she will?” Doc asked.
“I don’t know if I can talk her into spending that much time on a train with a toddler. That would be a challenge,” John said with a laugh.
“I sure would like that,” Doc remarked.
“You need to come to Boston too. Is there a photography studio in Last Stand? We should have our portrait made together,” John said.
“Hiram Howard has a back room in his general store where he makes portraits. Most of the families around here have their picture made there,” Doc said.
“We need to do it then,” John said.
The two men arrived at Gideon’s cabin in the early afternoon. Abby answered the door with Chance in her arms, surprised by the arrival of company.
“Doc, I wasn’t expecting you,” Abby said.
“Abby, I would like you to meet John,” Doc said and hesitated before adding, “This is my son.”
Extending her hand, Abby said, “Good to meet you. I wondered when I would get the opportunity.”
John held out his arms to Chance. The toddler smiled and willingly came to him. “Nobody would have to tell me that this is Gideon’s son. He looks just like him. I miss my little one terribly.”
“Do you think so? Sometimes I’m not so sure,” Abby said as she led the two men into the cabin.
“I would bet he’s the spitting image of Gideon at this age. Doc should remember,” John said.
“Do you know how many babies I’ve doctored in my lifetime? Too many to remember what they all looked like. I believe you are correct, but I can’t say for sure. I do remember Gideon’s blue eyes and Chance certainly has those,” Doc said.
Abby made coffee and dished out pieces of apple pie as the three of them talked. John told Abby all about his family and Boston while she talked about her life in Last Stand and her daughters, Joann and Winnie. Doc barely spoke as John and Abby carried on as if they had known each other all their lives.
Interrupting the conversation, Doc said, “We need to get going. We still have to see Ethan and Sarah.”
“Doc, you old dog. You came here first so that you could wrangle a meal out of Sarah,” Abby said.
“Abby, you are a fine cook. You know I adore it,” Doc said.
“I wasn’t talking about my cooking and you avoided commenting on what I said,” Abby said with a smile.
Doc grinned mischievously. “I’m not in the habit of comparing women’s cooking. I’m much too old and wise for that. I will say that that apple pie you served might have been the finest I’ve ever eaten though.”
“I’ll serve you boiled shoe leather the next time you show up,” Abby said.
John held out his hand to Abby. “Abby, it has been my pleasure to meet you. You are a lovely person. If I would have been in Gideon’s place, I assure you that I wouldn’t have waited eighteen years to return.”
“Get out of here, you two. Flattery will only get you so far. You are much sweeter than your father,” Abby said and stuck her tongue out at Doc.
The two men waved goodbye and headed towards Ethan’s place. Ethan sat on his porch blowing plumes of smoke from his pipe as the buggy pulled into the yard. Zack sat beside him scratching the ear of the family dog. The two men had finished culling cattle a little earlier than Ethan had expected and had called it a day. Upon seeing the buggy, Ethan stood and hollered for Sarah to come join them.
“Did you give up doctoring and take up the carriage service business?” Ethan hollered out.
“No, John needed to see some mountains,” Doc said as Sarah walked out onto the porch.
“Hello, Doc,” she called out.
“Sarah and Zack, I want you to meet John,” Doc said.
With the greetings out of the way, Doc looked at the three men standing before him and said to John, “Can you guess what you have in common with these two?”
John looked the two over before saying, “I can’t say that I can. I would guess that they are capable of doing a whole host of things that I would be ill–equipped to perform.”
“I’ve treated all three of you for gunshot wounds. If Gideon were here, it would make four,” Doc said.
“Really?” John said in amazement. “That’s incredible. This really is a wild country. And which one of us came closest to dying?”
“That would be Ethan. A lesser man would’ve never survived. He had me scared. Gideon came in a close second. His was from lack of treatment. If Benjamin hadn’t found him, he would have ended up a pile of bones that the wolves dragged off,” Doc said.
“The good Lord needed me to keep educating Ethan before he sent him on to Heaven. I made him into the man that he is today,” Sarah said to a round of laughter.
“John wants to try elk. Do you have any?” the doctor asked.
“No, we’ve eaten all that we have. Sarah and I were just talking about me needing to go shoot us one,” Ethan said.
“I got a great idea. This Sunday after church we will invite Gideon’s family, Zack and Joann, Finnie and Mary, and you two over for an elk feast,” Sarah said.
“That’s providing that I can get an elk between now and then,” Ethan said.
“You’re always bragging about your hunting prowess and how you’re a better shot than Gideon. I can’t imagine that you’ll let us down,” Sarah said to seal the deal.
Ethan grinned at his wife. “This is the thanks I get for being kind enough to give you a son.”
Sarah let out a laugh. “I’m sure that the men here believe that about as much as I do. I don’t think giving me a son was what you were worried about accomplishing.”
“Okay, you two. John might not be used to such conversation from where he comes from,” Doc said.
Sarah laughed again. “I bet he is if he’s your son. Why don’t you stay for supper? Benjamin will be home soon and John can meet him.”
“Sarah, you know I never turn down your cooking. That’s the only reason I came out here when you were nursing Gideon back to health. It probably saved his life,” Doc said.
Chapter 20
Ominous clouds had rolled into Last Stand the previous day. The skies looked so dark and threatening that the mood of the town turned somber and slowed business at the Last Chance. By evening, the rains started and sometime after midnight turned to snow. Gideon traipsed through six inches of the white powder with ice beneath it to get to town the next morning. He threw extra wood into the stove and lit a roaring fire, knocking the chill out of the air by the time that Finnie trudged in, stomping the snow off his boots in the doorway.
“It’s a sad day when I can ride all the way from the cabin in this weather and have this place warmed before you show up from down the street,” Gideon said irritably.
“I’m afraid it is true, but I couldn’t bring myself to climb out of the covers this morning. Mary and our bed felt a whole a lot warm
er than this jail. You know how I hate snow and cold,” Finnie said.
“Well, you picked the wrong place to live then. Maybe you should move to Texas,” Gideon snapped back.
“And it makes you grouchy,” Finnie said.
“Do you want some coffee or not?” Gideon said as a peace offering.
“I’d love some. With a little sugar, please,” Finnie said with a smile.
An hour later, Paul Sellers walked into the jail, his face red from the cold and his beard icy from his breath. He was an area rancher with a big enough spread to have a couple of full–time ranch hands. Known as a taciturn man with little sense of humor, he nonetheless remained well respected in the community.
“Paul, what brings you to town on such a miserable day?” Gideon asked as the rancher clapped his hands to aid circulation.
“Bad news, Sheriff. My ranch hand, Theo Sullenger, didn’t show up today so I went looking for him. I found him and his woman hanged. They look to have been there all night. I had let them build a little cabin on my place. They were good people,” Paul said.
A chill washed over Gideon and he shuddered. His gnawing fear that the hangings of Roy and Sissy would not be an isolated incident had just been confirmed. He felt powerless to get out of his chair and looked at Paul blankly before collecting himself.
“Is their cabin within view of your place?” Gideon asked.
“No, it’s a good half–mile away over some hills,” Paul answered.
“Did you see anything unusual yesterday?” Gideon inquired.
“No, but I certainly didn’t spend any time outdoors last night,” Paul said.
“We’ll ride back with you and you can show us where they are,” Gideon said in resignation.
“I’ll go get my horse,” Finnie said as he put on his coat.
The three men made a solemn ride back to the ranch. The scene looked much the same as the previous hangings. Both bodies had their hands bound behind their backs and looked to have put up a gallant struggle before their death. Their bodies showed signs of bruising and had busted lips and bloody noses. One of Theo’s arms bent down at an unnatural angle. The only tracks in the snow were from Paul having discovered the bodies earlier in the day.
