The Courageous Brides Collection

by Johnnie Alexander, Michelle Griep, Eileen Key, Debby Lee, Rose Allen McCauley, Donita Kathleen Paul, Jennifer Uhlarik, Jenness Walker, Renee Yancy

  Billy winced as Adrianne applied a wet cloth to his aching head. As soon as the bleeding stopped and a bandage was applied, he’d ride into town and find out what was going on with Daisy and their former boss.

  He didn’t know Russell, Majors, and Waddell very well, but they had a spotless reputation for moral behavior. He couldn’t fathom them doing anything unscrupulous with Daisy.

  “Here you go, Mr. Cook.” Adrianne patted her handiwork. Billy’s head ached more at her gesture, but he said nothing and stood up.

  The kitchen spun a few times before righting itself. He reached for the table, inhaled deeply, exhaled, and blinked a few times. When a measure of strength returned to his legs, he staggered from the room.

  Once outside, he took another minute to steady himself. The summer sun beat down hot and heavy, causing sweat to break out on his brow. He wiped it with the sleeve of his shirt and shuffled to the barn.

  Before he had the chance to grab a saddle from the shelf, a horse galloped to the barn doors and lurched to a stop. Johnny jumped down from his mount and sprinted toward him before thrusting a letter into Billy’s hands.

  “What is this?”

  “A man from the army, said his name was Jake Hunter, asked me to deliver this to you.” Johnny leaned over and puffed a moment. “Mr. Hunter said not to ask how he got his hands on it. The fellow paid me handsomely to give the message to you, and only you.”

  Billy tore open the missive. He paid Johnny no mind as he read through the pages. His heart convulsed in spasms of fear. In the letter Jake explained how he’d come across a contract, penned by Butch. The contract said he would kill Daisy, gave details on how he would carry out the plan and how much he’d paid his cohorts.

  Were the men who had taken Daisy earlier part of Butch’s evil intentions? He hoped not, but what if? He had to save her, and hopefully not get himself killed in the process.

  Billy shoved his meandering thoughts aside and focused on the task at hand. “When you’re done putting Little Joe in a stall, head on in to the main house and get yourself something to eat. Lay low if you can, but go ahead and take a run if one comes in.”

  Johnny nodded and jogged toward the house. Billy wasn’t officially the station manager anymore, but he’d see to it things got taken care of anyway.

  After saddling his horse and cinching the straps down, Billy climbed on and headed toward town. He didn’t know what he’d find when he got there, but he wasn’t about to let that deter him.

  While riding along, he said a prayer for Daisy. “Lord, if anything happens to her I’ll never forgive myself.” Perhaps there was something to this religion after all. Funny how he thought of God when he had nothing left. He’d lost his job, the means to help his nephew, and now it looked like he’d lose Daisy, too.

  Gripping the reins tighter, Billy kept the horse at a full gallop. He had to get to Daisy before any harm came to her.

  The town appeared on the horizon. Billy kicked the flanks of his horse and urged him to go faster. He detested being hard on an animal, but someone’s life was at stake. The woman he loved, Daisy. Yes, he loved her and would do anything to save her.

  What if he was too late and the men took advantage of Daisy? No, he wouldn’t think that. The men who took her could in all likelihood be with the Pony Express. Surely they would protect her from Butch and his ilk. Billy prayed again for Daisy’s safety. As he did, a sense of warmth enveloped him. Peace, so deep he couldn’t comprehend it, settled into the depths of his heart.

  His horse shrieked. The weary animal reared and twisted as it fell onto its side. Billy berated himself for pushing the poor beast too hard. He pulled his bandanna from his pocket and wiped the sweat from the horse’s head. He poured some water from his canteen into his cupped hand and allowed the animal to lap it up. After ensuring the horse would survive, he focused on getting to town.

  In the distance he could see the buildings, but he was still a good half mile away, and he was on foot now. It would take him longer to get there, but get there he must.

  Billy double-checked to make sure his pistols were loaded, and after a few deep breaths and another prayer, he sprinted toward town.

  Chapter Eleven

  Daisy couldn’t believe her good fortune in running into a Pinkerton detective. Granted, the man hadn’t been honest about bringing her to town to meet the Pony Express owners, but at least he’d protect her from Butch and his band of no-account crooks. But who would protect Billy? She uttered a prayer on his behalf and beseeched God’s aid.

  Daisy introduced herself to Mrs. Tully. The woman spoke kindly of her deceased son. She said he died because he threatened to turn Butch in for raping an Indian girl. Mrs. Tully related the news of how the investigators found Green Grass’s jewelry in Butch’s belongings. After hearing the story, Daisy knew that Butch had raped her friend. Butch killed her, too, in an effort to cover his crime and to keep her from testifying against him.

  Anxiety twisted so hard in her middle it caused a spasm of pain. Daisy winced and clutched her stomach. How could one person be so evil as to wreak such anguish and misery on humankind? She almost felt sorry for Butch, that his mind could be so warped he’d resort to such treachery. Her thoughts could have rattled around in her head and driven her mad, but she chose to silently surrender them to the Lord and let them go.

  “Your son was an honorable man, Mrs. Tully. You must be very proud of him,” Daisy said. She patted the woman’s hand. Mrs. Tully dabbed at her eyes with a handkerchief. Tears swam in Daisy’s eyes, as well.

  “I’m going to the sheriff’s office. I want to ask when the circuit judge will be in town next. You folks stay put,” Mr. Andrews said. He placed his hat on his head and strolled out of the hotel room door.

  Daisy crossed to the open window and leaned out to watch him. She saw Butch sneaking behind Mr. Andrews. Butch had a gun, and if she knew anything about Butch, he was about to waylay the detective. She wasn’t about to let that happen.

  Daisy yelled to warn Mr. Andrews, but her cries were swallowed up by the noise of a stagecoach rolling through town and the vulgar shouts flowing from the saloon.

  “Butch is following Mr. Andrews. He’s going to shoot the man. We’ve got to stop him.” Daisy pleaded with Jake to go help.

  “I can’t leave you here unprotected. I’m following orders and staying put. They’ll have to handle Randall Butchovick.”

  Daisy fumed as she formed a plan with Mrs. Tully.

  “You pretend to fall into a faint, and when Mr. Hunter is distracted, I’ll knock him over the head with this lamp,” she whispered. She didn’t know if the harebrained scheme would work, but she had to try, and judging by the grin spreading across Mrs. Tully’s face, the woman liked the idea.

  A gasp flew from Mrs. Tully’s lips and her eyes rolled back in her head as she slid to the floor. For a second, Daisy almost believed the fainting spell was for real. Mr. Tully and Jake Hunter dashed to the woman’s side.

  “Let me get some water,” Mr. Tully said as he hurried across the room to the pitcher sitting in the stand.

  Daisy’s fingers latched on to the glass lamp. She was ready to strike. Jake was leaning over the matronly body of Mrs. Tully when Daisy let him have it. Shards of glass flew in every direction as Jake dropped to the floor. She considered it a wonder that her hands weren’t cut in the process. She grabbed the pistol from Jake’s holster.

  “Run and get the sheriff, Miss Hollister,” Mr. Tully ordered. “We’ll stay here with Mr. Hunter.”

  Daisy nodded her head at Mrs. Tully who had made a speedy and miraculous recovery from her faint. Jake moaned from his spot on the floor, and she was grateful that he hadn’t been harmed too badly. She asked God to forgive her for what she’d done to Jake, and for strength to deal with Butch as she ran outside to face him for what she hoped would be the last time.

  The steel revolver was cold and smooth in Daisy’s trembling fingers. Heavy, too, so she used both hands to steady the weapon. Whi
le hiding behind a rain barrel at the corner of the hotel, she checked to make sure the gun was fully loaded. A shiny bullet sat ready in each of the six chambers. She rolled the gun’s barrel back into place until she heard it click.

  Mustering courage, she peered around the corner and spotted Butch pushing Mr. Andrews into a back alley.

  They exchanged harsh words, but she wasn’t close enough to hear exactly what they said. Judging by the way they pushed and shoved each other, Daisy sensed their disdain. Neither Mr. Andrews nor Butch had spotted her, so she would have the element of surprise.

  “Lord, give me strength,” she prayed as she inched along behind the building toward the alley. Verses from Psalm 121 seeped into her mind.

  My help comes from the Lord.

  Power and courage surged through her. With God’s assistance she would set things right. Keeping her back to the side of the clapboard structure she inched along, hoping to avoid detection.

  A cat screeched and darted off in pursuit of a rat scampering toward a pile of wooden boxes. Daisy bit her lower lip to keep from screaming. She hated rats. Especially the one who killed her parents, raped her friend, and was about to kill a man who stood for justice.

  Daisy knew the Bible said, “Thou shalt not kill,” but she felt duly responsible to protect others from this crooked skunk. She pushed the scriptures from her mind and crept nearer.

  She had sneaked close enough to hear their voices more distinctly.

  “If you shoot me, Mr. Butchovick, you’ll just go down for another murder. The army already knows all about what you’ve done. If you give yourself up, you can get a fair trial, and at least you’ll have a chance to live.”

  Daisy cringed. The fine hairs on her body tingled and her stomach churned.

  “How about I just kill you, and then ride down to Mexico and avoid a trial, and a probable hanging,” Butch said.

  “Personally, I think hanging is too good for you,” Mr. Andrews muttered.

  The sinister chuckle that rolled out of Butch’s mouth seared Daisy’s ears. So the varmint planned on killing yet again and heading for Mexico to avoid facing his consequences? What a coward! Did this insufferable weasel really think he could get away with what he’d done to Green Grass, her pa and her ma, and Private Daniel Tully? That was the last straw for Daisy.

  The gun clicked softly when she pulled the hammer back to cock it. Squaring her shoulders, she stepped from her hiding spot to face the cruel and heartless murderer.

  Billy gasped and sucked in air as he sprinted the last few yards into town. Sweat dripped down his brow and neck. He knelt before a water trough and plunged his head into the cool refreshing water.

  When he came up for air he slicked his hair back and took another deep breath. Now that he was cooled off, somewhat, he scanned the town in search of Daisy. He had to find her before Butch did. He could only hope and pray that the men who had taken her were not in cahoots with the creep.

  Movement along the side of the hotel snagged his attention. He narrowed his eyes to make out the dim alley. The blood in his veins nearly congealed. It was Daisy.

  Billy stood and spotted Butch holding a gun on Mr. Andrews. Daisy lurked close by. What on earth did she think she was doing? He didn’t know what was going on, but he knew it had to be something bad. He sprinted toward her.

  When he reached the hotel he saw Daisy with a gun in her hands, and his heart rate stuttered. He had to get to the woman he loved before she got herself shot and killed.

  With a mighty shout he raced into the alley just as Daisy jumped in front of Butch and aimed the gun at him.

  Daisy stared at her parents’ murderer. He didn’t seem so tall now that she faced him in daylight, with a revolver in her hands.

  “Hello, Mr. Butchovick. I’m the woman who’s going to take you down, if not here in the streets then later on at a trial.” Daisy took two steps toward him. Judging by the hard glint in his eyes, he wasn’t afraid of her, but then again she wasn’t scared of him, either.

  “Drop your gun,” she ordered.

  “You drop yours, missy, or we’ll all be dead.”

  “Mr. Butchovick, please, there’s no sense in making a bad situation worse,” Mr. Andrews pleaded.

  His appeal didn’t do any good. Butch kept his gun aimed at the man’s heart.

  Daisy kept her gun pointed at Butch, but a noise distracted her. She turned her head and saw Billy. He skidded to a stop next to her.

  “What’s going on here?” Billy asked.

  “Don’t try to stop me,” she said. “I’ll be hauling this snake to the sheriff’s office; that is, if I don’t kill him first.”

  “The only way you’re taking me in is if I’m dead.” Butch sneered and shot a wad of tobacco at her feet.

  Not about to give Butch an inch, Daisy clenched her jaw in disgust but held her ground.

  “Daisy, don’t shoot him. That would be murder, and it would go against what you believe. You’d never forgive yourself. I understand now that God knows and wants what’s best for us, and killing Butch isn’t it.”

  Daisy could not believe the words that came from Billy’s mouth. She never thought she’d hear him speak so highly of her faith. Her heart jerked and then resumed beating in a rapid-fire rhythm that warmed her clear through.

  “I care a great deal about you,” Billy continued. “Please don’t murder Butch. What about the law?”

  “I can tell the sheriff that it was self-defense.” Even as she said the words, she knew her logic was flawed.

  “Not with me and Mr. Cook as witnesses,” Mr. Andrews said.

  “You don’t really want to kill him, do you?” Billy asked.

  A huge chunk of Daisy’s heart told her Billy was right.

  His words rolled around in her head like a tumbleweed, eager to take root in spite of the thorns that might cause pain. Her stomach churned at the memory of her dead pa and ma, soaked in blood on their bedroom floor. For a moment she wanted to forget about being a follower of Christ and render her own measure of justice.

  “Daisy, please.” Billy’s soft words caressed her ears.

  He was right. “Lord Jesus, help me,” she whispered.

  She was about to escort him to the sheriff when a loud commotion reverberated in the distance, followed by a gunshot from the saloon. The noise startled her. The gun in her own hands fired.

  Blood poured from the gunshot wound in Butch’s left leg. Mr. Andrews helped Billy wrestle Butch’s gun away from him before he could shoot anyone. Billy thanked the Lord nobody had been killed. He wrapped his bandanna around the wound, but the small cloth did little to stop the gush of blood.

  “Look what you just did. You stupid woman. You haven’t seen or heard the last of me yet,” Butch hollered.

  “You hush up. You’re under arrest,” Mr. Andrews said.

  He joined Billy in treating the injury. When they had stopped most of the bleeding, Billy hoisted Butch from the ground. Each took one of the criminal’s arms. Together they hauled him in the direction of the sheriff’s office.

  Billy silently thanked God for protecting Daisy in the midst of danger. He glanced behind him and noticed her following them.

  They staggered down the boardwalk with Butch cussing every step. He vowed to escape and run to Mexico and ranted until Mr. Andrews told him to shut up or he’d gag him.

  Billy chuckled, happy that Butch couldn’t hurt anyone else.

  “Here you go, Sheriff,” Billy said when they pushed through the door to the lawman’s office. The sheriff promptly sent one deputy for the army officials and another for the doctor.

  The jail doors clanked as the sheriff opened them and dragged Butch to the cot. The doctor rushed in a moment later. Billy watched as the doctor cleaned and dressed the wound in the crook’s leg. When Butch screamed in pain, he felt a twinge of sympathy. Butch was a human being after all, and God didn’t want him relishing in another’s pain.

  The army officials, along with Jake Hunter and Mr. and
Mrs. Tully, finally arrived. Billy stood back and listened as they informed the sheriff that they would testify at the trial.

  “Mr. Butchovick,” Jake said. “You’ll get a fair trial and will most likely be found guilty and court-martialed. After that, you’ll be sent to prison for the rest of your days.”

  Billy dropped into a chair by the sheriff’s desk and let relief flow through him. It was over. He rose from his seat and left the office with Daisy and the detective.

  At a water pump he washed Butch’s blood from his hands. He splashed some water on his face. The cool liquid refreshed him.

  Daisy sidled up to Billy. His heart rate accelerated at the sight of the loose curls bobbing around her face and the serene look in her eyes. Once he ditched the detective he would get Daisy alone and profess his love for her. He wanted to ask her to marry him, but he needed a job first.

  Mr. Andrews and the Tullys marched down the boardwalk, toward him and Daisy.

  “What do you suppose they want?” Billy asked.

  “I don’t know,” Daisy replied.

  “So, Mr. Cook, you and Miss Hollister will be rich now,” Mr. Andrews said. A grin lit up his face.

  “What do you mean?” Billy’s curiosity piqued.

  “Why, the reward money, of course,” Mr. Andrews continued. “The Tullys are very wealthy people and have put up a reward for the capture and conviction of the man who killed their son.”

  Billy let out a whoop that could have echoed all over Wyoming Territory.

  “There’s more,” Mr. Andrews continued. “Mr. Hunter has informed us that Butch is wanted in five states. There will be reward money coming from them, as well.”

  Billy pulled Daisy into his arms and kissed her.

  Epilogue

  Daisy’s heart flipped when the Pinkerton detective explained the details of the reward money. God really did provide for them after all. Now Billy could get his nephew from the orphanage, and Green Grass’s family wouldn’t have to fret over food or medicine this coming winter. Overcome with contentment, she laid her head on Billy’s chest and cried tears of joy.