The Hen House

by Sharon Sala

  “Mind if I tag along?” Robert Lee asked. “Just to pay my respects to the mother and all?”

  Eulis smiled, pleased that Robert Lee would think of that.

  “That would be just fine. The mama’s name is Alice Mellin. She’ll be real honored you wanted to come.”

  Robert Lee fell in single file behind Eulis’ horse. The silence between them was one of reverence. There was nothing to be said that was more important than the little box riding on Eulis’ saddle. The absence of bird song and squirrel chatter only enhanced the gravity of the procession.

  About halfway up, the drizzle stopped. An easy breeze appeared, slipping lightly between the water-laden leaves, sending a shower of droplets flying to the forest floor. As it continued to blow, the thick gray layer of rain clouds seemed to thin, then dissipate, as they blew faster and faster across the sky.

  When they were about two hundred yards from the top, T-Bone came to meet them. He barked once, and then fell into step beside Eulis, trotting quietly beside him all the way to the house.

  To Eulis’ surprise, all of the women were sitting on the front steps. Eulis took notice of the fact that Letty was even wearing a dress, and realized that she was determined to have this funeral as proper as she knew how.

  Robert Lee tried not to stare, but he’d never seen Letty in anything but men’s pants and shirts, and seeing her all soft and feminine like this made him weak at the knees. The only thing that helped him maintain composure was the seriousness of the day.

  When the men came to a stop, Alice stood up. Her face was streaked with tears, but her expression was stoic.

  Eulis nodded at her, then caught Letty’s gaze. Without saying a word, she knew he was pleased with the way she had dressed.

  Robert Lee was speechless. Before, he’d been taken by her intensity and strength, but today was the first time he’d seen her and thought “woman.” He decided his wisest strategy would be to pay his respects to the grieving mother, meet the little girl they’d taken in, and say hello and goodbye to Letty, all at the same time.

  He tied his horse to the hitching post. With Eulis holding one side of the horse’s bridle, and Robert Lee the other, they walked the horse with the tiny coffin to the back of the house where the grave had been dug.

  Alice took Katie’s hand.

  “Will you walk with me?” she asked softly.

  Katie nodded solemnly. She knew what dying meant. She’d witnessed her whole family’s demise. For the first time since her arrival, she met Alice’s gaze without flinching.

  Together, they walked off the porch and fell into step behind the horse.

  Letty brought up the rear, unable to look at the little coffin without remembering those few precious moments when she’d held Baby Mary in her own arms. Her heart was aching for the waste of it all, and could only imagine what Alice was feeling.

  When they reached the grave-site, Robert Lee held the horse while Eulis untied the coffin. Then together, they took a rope and lowered it into the hole.

  It wasn’t until the little box was resting at the bottom that Alice started to cry—softly, but steadily—shoulders shaking—clutching her belly as if remembering she’d held her baby there far longer than she’d ever held her in her arms.

  Katie looked nervous, and leaned against Alice, then ducked her head and closed her eyes.

  Letty’s throat was burning, as were the tears at the back of her throat. She knew if she ever let out a sob, she’d never be able to stop crying.

  Robert Lee saw her distress, and had to walk away into the trees to keep from putting his arms around her.

  Eulis cleared his throat and began a simple eulogy.

  “Lord… this here’s Baby Mary Elizabeth Mellin. She didn’t have much of a chance here on earth, but I reckon she gave her Mama a lot of joy. We don’t want to give her up, but we’re a trustin’ that You know what You’re doin’, so here she is. And… if You don’t mind… Baby Mary’s Mama is in need of some of Your strength. Amen.”

  “Amen,” Letty echoed, then swiped at her face with both hands, angry that she’d lost control of her emotions.

  Eulis picked up the shovel and began covering up the grave. No one spoke. No one moved. It took far less time to put the dirt back, than it had to dig it out. He was tapping the back of his shovel over the small mound of earth when Robert Lee re-appeared, carrying a small wooden cross.

  He handed it to Eulis without looking up, and stood with his hands in his pockets and his gaze on the ground.

  Letty had been touched by Eulis’ words, and the tenderness with which he’d spoken, but when Robert Lee came back carrying that small cross, she looked past her own tears to the ones on the gunslinger’s face.

  The tiny cross was fashioned from two small limbs tied together with rawhide. The ends of the cross had been whittled to small white points, as had the end Eulis pushed into the ground.

  Eulis gave the cross a final tap with the shovel, then stepped back to eye his work.

  “There now,” he said.

  It was over.

  CHIEF

  The rains ended with the burial. Two days later, the sadness Letty had felt at the funeral occasionally caught her off guard, although her emotions were nothing to Alice’s grief. She knew Alice was devastated, but she gave no outward sign of it. In truth, the arrival of Katie Samuels to the family had been a lifesaver for Alice. She’d transferred her motherly instincts to Katie without a hitch, giving Katie the stability she so desperately needed.

  Yesterday, they’d received word that the furniture they’d had the carpenter make was ready to be picked up. Eulis had taken the wagon into town and loaded up the hand-made cots, as well as the table and benches. They were nothing like the fancy pieces Letty had ordered, but they would do to tide them over until the real stuff arrived.

  Last night, it had been a small piece of heaven to have the cots to sleep on, rather than the floor. Sitting down at a table to eat seemed the ultimate in luxury.

  Eulis had also called the miners back to work and resumed his routine.

  The flood waters were receding, which was a huge relief to all, including the banker, Amos Trueblood, who was thankful not to have to move the money and gold.

  Dr. Warren and his wife Mildred gave up their tent and went home to their simple life. The water damage was minimal, with only minor repairs needed inside.

  After Baby Mary’s funeral, Robert Lee had exiled himself to the cabin. He’d had some uneasy nights of sleep, which had resulted in taking extra precautions in guarding the mine. He didn’t know what was happening, but every day he felt an impending feeling of doom. It was something he knew better than to ignore.

  Now and then Eulis thought about telling the women about George’s release, but they didn’t ask, and he figured the more time passed, the better off they’d all be when they heard he’d been set free.

  T-Bone continued to sleep inside at night, and never strayed far from the house during the day. Wherever Letty went, T-Bone wasn’t far behind. Only now and then did he disappear into the trees, and when he did, often came back with something in his mouth, which he promptly buried near the back steps. No one paid any attention to his comings and goings, which was unfortunate, because T-Bone was the only member of the Potter family who knew they were no longer alone on the mountain.

  ***

  Letty lay in their bed, watching Eulis dressing for the mine. He thought she was still asleep. She didn’t let on that she wasn’t. It gave her time to study the man who was her husband without scrutiny.

  He wasn’t a handsome man by any means, but he was sure and steady, and she owed him her life. She thought of the day she and Eulis had exchanged their own vows while snowed in at their cabin. If she had it all to do over again, she wouldn’t hesitate.

  Eulis pulled his shirt over his head and began tucking it into the waistband of his pants as he turned around. When he realized Letty was not only awake, but watching him dress, he grinned.

 
“Good mornin’, wife.”

  Letty pushed back the covers and smiled back as she sat up.

  “Good morning, husband.”

  “That has a right nice ring to it,” he said softly.

  Letty smiled as she sniffed the air.

  “Alice is cookin’ breakfast.”

  “Yeah, I been smellin’ it for some time now.”

  “Are you still sorry I hired her to cook?”

  Eulis’ grin widened.

  “I ain’t right sure how to answer that without gettin’ myself in trouble. If I say yes, then you’re gonna think I like her cookin’ better than yours. If I say no, then you’ll most likely feel obliged to make changes, which are unnecessary as far as I’m concerned.”

  “Good answer,” Letty said, and then laughed. “Pour me a cup of coffee when you get down there. I’ll be right along.”

  “Sure thing,” Eulis said, and winked at her before he left the room.

  Letty dressed quickly, choosing a clean pair of pants and a shirt and quickly braided her hair. She sat down on the side of the bed to pull on her boots, then stomped each one firmly as she stood. A quick trip to the outhouse and she’d be ready to face the day.

  Until the arrival of Letty’s fancy cookstove, they were still cooking in the parlor, but the hand-made table and benches made serving meals much easier.

  “Good morning, Alice,” Letty said, as she came striding into the room.

  Alice smiled and then glanced at Katie, who was playing beneath a window on the east side of the room.

  Sunbeams danced around her in the new light of day, making it appear as if she were surrounded in gold dust. It seemed an appropriate sight in this place where gold was worshiped more highly than God.

  But Letty knew different. She was rich—richer than even her wildest dreams—and yet she could not buy respectability. Most of the time she didn’t care, but once in a while it might have been nice to know she wasn’t constantly being judged and found wanting. She’d been so conscious of living a life that was not proper, that she didn’t realize most of the dislike from the citizens of Denver City was based from jealousy, not a lack of respect. However, the world within these walls was where she felt safe, and she took none of it for granted.

  “Morning, Letty,” Alice said. “Breakfast is ’bout ready. I made some flapjacks, but it’s the last of our flour.”

  “If you’ll make a list, I’ll see about filling it later this morning.”

  Alice glanced toward Katie again, before returning to her cooking.

  Letty saw the look and was happy. Taking in this child had been the saving of both Alice and Katie. They were getting strength from each other’s presence.

  “I’m going to the outhouse,” Letty said. “Be right back.”

  “Okay,” Alice said.

  Letty strode out of the house with purpose, enjoying the early sunlight and the fact that the long-sodden earth was finally beginning to firm. She side-stepped a couple of puddles at the door to the outhouse and then went inside and quickly did her business.

  When she came out, she saw Eulis leading his horse from the shed. He’d already saddled him up, and was moving toward the back porch, obviously led by the scent of Alice’s flapjacks.

  When he saw Letty coming across the yard, he tied the horse to a porch post and started toward her.

  T-Bone was lying on the bottom steps, but when he saw Letty emerge from the outhouse, he jumped up to follow Eulis.

  Letty smiled at the sight of her two favorite males, and was thinking what to do with her day when the first shot rang out.

  T-Bone yelped, tucked his tail between his legs, and ran for the porch.

  Letty saw the shock on Eulis’ face, then the blooming stain of red appearing on the front of his shirt.

  She screamed out his name and started running.

  Halfway there, another shot rang out, hitting him in the arm. When she was less than ten yards from where he stood, the third shot burned past her head and hit Eulis right above the knee.

  His leg buckled as he was reaching for Letty.

  Letty kept screaming his name as she watched him drop. Within seconds, she threw herself across his body in a futile effort to protect him, while scanning the boundary of the trees.

  Eulis clutched her arm.

  She looked down, and in that moment, everything seemed to move in slow motion. The tears in his eyes were startling. She’d never seen Eulis cry. His lips were moving, but he wasn’t making any sounds.

  “Eulis! Eulis! Don’t you die,” Letty cried. “Don’t you die on me!”

  He blinked—so slow that she thought he’d never open his eyelids again—then he looked straight into her eyes. Her face was the last thing he saw.

  Letty heard the breath leave his body, and wanted to go with him. This wasn’t right! It wasn’t fair! Just when she’d found a good man to love he was taken away.

  She lowered her head, and for a moment, they were touching, cheek to cheek. She could feel the stubble of whiskers on his face as the shock of it finally sunk in. She rocked back on her heels, threw back her head, and screamed.

  The back door flew open. Alice emerged on the run, took one look at the scene before her and gasped. There was a huge hole in Eulis’ chest. She didn’t have to feel for his pulse to know he was dead. And she knew that, as good a man as Eulis Potter had been, there was nothing more to be done for him. It was Letty who was still in danger.

  Alice dashed off the porch, grabbing Letty by the arm.

  “Get up, Letty, get up! We’ve got to get inside!”

  Letty wouldn’t stop screaming, and she wouldn’t let go.

  Alice glanced nervously toward the trees and tightened her grip on Letty’s arm.

  “They’ll kill you, too! Let go, let go!”

  Unprepared for Alice’s strength, Letty felt herself being pulled backward. Before she knew it, she was on her knees and being dragged toward the porch.

  “Stop, oh God… please stop! I can’t leave him there!”

  Alice turned, her face twisted into a fierce grimace as she screamed back at the woman who’d saved her life.

  “He’s dead! He’s dead just like my baby, and there’s nothing that can be done. Get up, damn it! Don’t make me have to bury the both of you!”

  Alice pulled again, and this time Letty went, stumbling and crying as they ran. Once they were inside, Alice slammed the door shut behind them and dragged her into a corner.

  “Katie! Come away from the windows,” Alice cried.

  The little girl ran to Alice and hid her face against Alice’s breasts.

  “Lord, oh Lord,” Alice muttered, as she stood between Letty and the door.

  An hour passed while Eulis’ blood ran out of his body, soaking into the dirt beside the back steps.

  Letty cried until her throat was so raw she couldn’t swallow. It wasn’t until Alice knelt beside her and put a wet rag on her face that she began to regain a sense of herself. The pain in her chest was so great that it hurt to breathe, but breathe she still did.

  “There now, there now,” Alice murmured as she wiped the hot tears from Letty’s face.

  Letty shuddered. She couldn’t think, but she could feel. She looked down at her hands, and the front of her clothes. They were stained with Eulis’ blood. A hot, sweeping flush swept through her, from her gut to her head, but it wasn’t pain she was feeling, it was rage. Someone had taken away what had been good and gentle in her life. She shoved Alice’s hands away from her face.

  “Help me up.”

  Alice did so, but was far more nervous around this Letty than the one who’d been grieving. When Letty strode out of the room and headed upstairs, Alice quickly followed, with Katie at her heels.

  “What are you doing?” Alice asked.

  “I’m getting the rifle.”

  Alice wrung her hands. “You’d better tell the sheriff to—”

  Letty’s gaze was cold as she looked at Alice.

  “You tell
the sheriff whatever you want. I’m going after the man who killed my husband.”

  Alice clasped a hand to her heart.

  “Letty… dear… you can’t! That’s too dangerous for a woman!”

  Letty turned on her then. Her eyes were swimming in tears, but her gaze never wavered.

  “He would do it for me. Pack me some food. I don’t know when I’ll be back.”

  Alice’s face crumpled as she began to wail.

  “You’ll die! You’ll die, too, and then what will become of Katie and me?”

  “I’m not the one who’s going to die next,” she said.

  The cold, still tone of Letty’s voice made Alice shudder. She was beginning to understand the true depth of this woman’s strength. She ran downstairs to pack up the uneaten food, and when Letty came down, she handed it to her without a word. Letty carried it outside and packed it into the saddlebags that were on Eulis’ horse.

  T-Bone came slinking around the corner of the house, whining his own brand of sorrow.

  Letty glanced down.

  “You comin’ with me?” she asked.

  T-Bone whined, but stood at her side as she checked the rifle. It was loaded. Even though she still wasn’t sure how to load it, she added her extra ammunition to the other saddlebag, and mounted up. Alice was standing on the porch.

  “There’s money under my bed to buy food. I’ll be back before you get it eaten up,” Letty said.

  “You’d better be,” Alice muttered, then pointed to Eulis.

  “What do you want me to do?”

  “Bury him,” Letty said, and turned the horse’s head, then rode toward the trees.

  The ground was still soft enough that whoever had been hiding out there would have had to leave tracks. She felt no fear as she rode, confident that, whoever had fired the shots could have stormed the house at any time. Since they had not, she took it to mean they were gone. But it didn’t matter. They could run, but there was nowhere to hide from her rage.

  ***

  Robert Lee had ridden shotgun into town with a wagon-load of ore, but they’d gotten stuck twice before pulling out of the valley. He’d made the decision that they’d begun mining too soon, so after delivering the wagon to the smelter, he’d told the men not to come back for a couple of days until the ground had time to dry out some more.