His ears picked up the sound of horses behind him. Then he heard the yells of the Indians on his tail. Rifle fire sounded all around him and an arrow dug itself into his saddle. Reeves pulled his colt from his side and fired into the band of Indians. His horse was tired but he pushed him anyway. He fired again and one of the Indians fell from his horse. The rest of them stopped chasing him. Maybe they would stop long enough for him to get away.
He aimed his horse for the river crossing that the herd had taken just a few weeks earlier. He didn’t let up until he was on the other side, then he jumped off his mount and took cover. The horse didn’t run any farther, he came to a stop. He was breathing heavily as he made his way back to the water. Reeves waited but no one came. He gave the horse a while to rest and then started out again before it could get dark. He didn’t want to be ambushed in the dark, by those renegades.
He didn’t know what tribe they were from and he didn’t really care. His own Indian blood flowed through his veins enough to know that any tribe could be dangerous when they wanted to. He also knew they would not see him as Indian, because he favored his father and took after him, with his fair complexion.
Just a few more miles and he would be clear. He rode the horse hard still, making up the distance as quick as he could. He would see Wyoming by nightfall, and he was going to be damn sure nothing got in his way to stop him.
Mrs. Ellen
“It’s been four days Preacher. Do you think he will find her?” “Mrs. Ellen, I assure you, Jax will find her and bring her home. There are a few things that, you don’t know about him. I can’t divulge anything, because I’m sworn to secrecy, but I assure you, those men who took your granddaughter, will be seeing hell very soon.”
Ellen was pacing back and forth on the front porch, watching the street waiting for any sign of Virginia. She was tired and worried sick. The preacher comforted her some, but not much. She knew Jax was good with his guns; one only had to watch the way he carried himself to know he was dangerous. Still, it didn’t calm her nerves much, knowing that. She hoped he was not also reckless.
Ellen turned at the sound of her name being yelled down the street. “Mrs. Ellen, Mrs. Ellen, you have a telegram, from Fort Laramie. It’s from Reeves.” “Are you sure, it’s from Reeves? What does it say?” “It says; To Ellen Barnett, stop, Have turned back from drive, stop, worried about Virginia, stop, have a bad feeling, stop From Reeves Barnett, stop.”
Ellen took the telegram and reread it. She ran as fast as she could to the telegraph station to send a reply. To Reeves Barnett, stop, Virginia kidnapped, stop, have sent trusted man to fetch her, stop, come home soon, stop, Ellen Barnett, stop.
“Mrs. Ellen, are you going to be ok?” “I’ll be fine, just as soon, as Virginia gets home.” Ellen walked back down the street and across to her restaurant. She dismissed the Preacher, informing him she was going to lay down a while. She was upset and needed time alone.
She told herself everything would be fine. Reeves was coming home and if Jax didn’t bring her back, Reeves would. She prayed to God, she was right.
Reeves
Reeves reread the telegram, sent by his grandmother. His gut had never once failed him in situations, such as these. Once again, the nagging feeling he kept getting had proven to be right. His sister had been kidnapped, now what? Who was this trusted man? He would know soon enough. Chugwater was just coming into his sight.
Reeves crested the hill, took one long look at the town and kicked his gelding into a run. The gelding was more than eager to get there too. He knew that town meant food and water.
He pulled the gelding to a stop in front of his grandmothers, home that doubled as a restaurant. He jumped off his horse, wrapped the reins around the hitching post and walked inside. There were no customers in the dining area, today. She probably sent everyone home, until Virginia should return.
Reeves climbed the stairs and knocked on his grandmother’s bedroom door. There was no answer, so he tried the knob. It turned, so he let himself in the room. His grandmother lay sleeping on her bed. Tears glimmered on her face. She’d not even bothered to fix her hair in what looked like days.
He slammed the door shut, to wake her. She sat up in surprise then crossed the floor to hug him. “Reeves, you’re home. I’m so glad to see you. I’ve been so worried.” “What happened to Virginia, Granny?” The old woman was distraught and couldn’t get the words out. She hated saying them. She couldn’t say them. She didn’t know where to begin.
Chapter Sixteen
Virginia awoke in Jax’s bedroll, with his arms wrapped securely around her. She wore only his buttoned down shirt that hung to her knees, because she’d washed her clothes and hung them to dry. She was cold and she clung closer to him. She thought he was asleep but he pulled her tight and kissed her forehead without opening his eyes.
She snuggled closer to him. “Jax,” she whispered. “Hmm,” he opened his eyes and looked down into hers. “What’s going to happen when we get home?” “I’m going to take you home to Mrs. Ellen’s and everybody’s going to welcome you, home.” “I mean, what’s going to happen between us?” “I don’t know what you mean, honey.” “I don’t guess I know what I mean, either.” She dropped the subject, not knowing how to broach the question of marriage with him.
He kissed the top of her head. The sun was rising and they needed to get back on the trail. He didn’t want Mrs. Ellen to have to worry much longer. “We should get up and get going. Mrs. Ellen will be worried sick.” “I know, but I just don’t want to get up. It’s warm in your arms.” She lifted her mouth up to his and he took it.
He rolled onto his back and pulled her on top of him. They made love again, until they were too exhausted to move. They fell asleep once more in each others arms. They slept until noon when they finally got up and dressed. Jax saddled the horse while Virginia filled the cantina at the creek. She bent down to retrieve the water and smiled to herself.
Jax rode up behind her. “Are you ready?” Virginia stood up and nodded. He reached down, wrapping his massive arm around her waist and pulled her up in front of him. “Let’s go home honey.” Jax wrapped his arms around her and kissed her neck. He clucked to the mare and started off at a walk. This man made her feel things she had never felt before. She could only hope this feeling would last.
Virginia leaned back against his chest and relaxed in his arms. She drifted off to sleep once more still exhausted from their night and morning of lovemaking.
Jax watched his surroundings. The area they were coming too had been full of hostile Indians just a few years back, and he didn’t want any of them to catch him off guard. He kept his eyes on the horizon. All seemed peaceful, maybe even a little too peaceful.
It was quiet. He listened to the birds sing, and the sound of squirrels playing in the nearby brush. He looked up at the sky. It was a pretty day. Still he couldn’t ease his mind. He searched left and right, looking for anything that might be there, that shouldn’t.
Nothing stuck out to him so he shoved the thought out of his mind. Virginia stirred and he kissed the top of her head. “Are you awake, honey?” Virginia moaned and stretched. She graced him with a pretty smile that nearly took his breath. Even with her face all bruised up, she was beautiful. “Yes, how long have I been asleep?” “Oh, for about an hour or two,” he answered.
Virginia looked around. “Where are we?” “We’re still a few days ride out. This is where those renegade Indians attacked those people a few years back.” “How did you know about that? You weren’t even here.” “I was down in Cheyenne.” “Oh,” she said.
She wondered how long he was in Cheyenne before he made his way to Chugwater. She thought it might fill in a few clues as to who he really was. She was almost positive that he was called the Angel of Death in most of the country. Still, he never said whether he was or wasn’t when she brought the name up. His face was unreadable.
Virginia was lost in her thoughts, so she didn’t hear what Jax said whe
n he asked her if she needed a break. He kissed her ear, and then whispered, “I asked you if you need a break.” She squeezed her neck and ear together and squealed. Chills ran down her side. “I will if you keep that up.”
Jax laughed to himself. Jax was tempted to do it again, now that he knew she was ticklish. He wanted to see where else she was ticklish at. He waited until he got her off the horse though. He pulled the horse up short and eased out of the saddle pulling her down afterwards.
The horse sidestepped as Virginia leaned into her, when Jax nibbled at her neck and tickled her ribs right beneath her armpit. Jax then nibbled his way up her neck until he was kissing Virginia hard and passionately on the mouth. He broke the kiss and walked away leading the horse to a tree. “It’ll be dark soon, and we’ll need to make camp. This seems like as good a place as any. We’d be a lot further right now if we hadn’t gotten such a late start.”
The saddle was removed from the horse and the bedroll rolled out. Jax took what little food he had out of his saddle bags and attempted to scrape together a small meal for them. Virginia took the opportunity to go behind the bushes and relieve herself.
Jax forgot all about his earlier worries. Virginia tended to make him forget things entirely. He was lost in thoughts of her as he stirred the beans in the pot. He’d let them get too hot and they bubbled up popping out of the pot and landing on his thumb. It burnt like hell and he let out a loud cuss word.
He popped the back of his thumb in his mouth to ease the pain then blew on it to cool it. There was nothing he could do about it out here, so he had to grit his teeth and let it be. He was a man and men didn’t cry about a little burn.
Virginia came out of the bushes and sit down on a log near the fire. “Are you ok; I thought I heard you yell out a cuss word.” “Yeah I’m fine, just burnt my thumb is all.”
“Did you hear that?” “What,” Jax asked. “Nothing, I guess, I just thought I heard something. It was probably just a squirrel.” A stick cracked, “Listen,” Jax shushed her. He pulled his pistol from his holster, grabbed his rifle and threw it to her. She caught it in the air. “I’m going to go check it out. Keep the gun locked and loaded. Shoot anybody, that ain’t me.” Virginia nodded her understanding. She cocked the gun and held it to her shoulder. Her finger rested over the trigger. She held her breath waiting for Jax to return.
Jax let out a loud yelp and then fired his gun, twice. Virginia aimed her gun in the direction, of the next sound she heard. An Indian came running at her with a knife. She pulled the trigger and let it fire. The Indian hit the ground, jerking. Jax came hobbling out of the brush. “Are you alright?” “Yes, but your not. You have an arrow in your leg.” “Honey, I can see that. I felt it when it went in. I just wanted to be sure you weren’t hurt.” “I’m fine, were there anymore?” “Just those two, I need you to take this arrow out of my leg. Do you think you can handle it?” “I think so.”
Virginia pulled on the arrow, but it wouldn’t budge. She looked at Jax. He grabbed her shaking hands. “Listen to me honey; you’re going to have to push it on through, the quicker the better. You understand?” Virginia hesitated, and then nodded. Jax squeezed her hands then released them.
She snapped the arrow in two, looked around a minute, and then picked up a big rock. She used it to hit the arrow and hammer it through as fast as she could. Jax let out a loud yell. “I’m sorry,” she said. “Don’t be, it’s out. Now get that bottle of whiskey out of my saddle bags.”
Jax used his knife to cut the head off a led bullet, while she retrieved the whiskey. “Here, use this here led, to burn the wound shut. You’re going to have to stop bleeding all the way through. Pour that whiskey through the hole, first.”
Virginia followed his instructions, and done exactly what he said do, before he passed out. She said a little prayer, that he’d be ok. She worried about blood poison and gang green. She had seen men die from both. This country was wild and up until a year ago they hadn’t even had a doctor. The doctor they had wasn’t very good, but he was all they had. Any doctor was better than no doctor.
While Jax slept, Virginia worked on moving the dead Indian out of their camp, and went to look for the other one. She hid them in the brush and covered their bodies with leaves and underbrush to cover them and keep them hidden.
Chapter Seventeen
Reeves rode out before daylight. He was heading southeast after talking to the sheriff. He found out that one of the men had been captured and revealed the location his sister had been taken. He took the time to gather supplies and comfort his grandmother, but as soon as morning came he headed out. He intended to find his sister if it was the last thing he did. He didn’t know the man his grandmother had hired, nor did he understand why the man went after Virginia. He’d heard one story after another about how dangerous the man was ever since he’d rode in. That bothered him almost as much as the fact that she’d been taken.
He rode hard all day and half the night before making camp. His horse was worn out, but he was a fresh horse. He left his gelding in Chugwater and rented this one from the livery.
As he lay in his bedroll, his mind revolved around thoughts of Virginia. He remembered the day she was born. She screamed at the top of her lungs until their father laid her in his arms. She took one look at him and quieted. She’d been his shadow ever since. He thought about her and Craven, when the Indians attacked, burning down their barn. She was quiet and Craven huddled with her in the corner of the room, to stay safe. That was the first time he’d ever killed a man and he’d do it again to save his loved ones.
He drifted off and fell asleep. As soon as it was morning he jumped up with a start. He saddled his horse and rolled up his bedroll. He didn’t take time to eat breakfast; he just ate a piece of jerky on his way.
He rode all day without a person in sight, so it took him by surprise when he came upon a fire that night. He left his horse hitched to a tree, and taking out his rifle, he made hi way through the woods. He eased up quietly, careful not to make any sound, so it caught him off guard when he heard the rifle cock behind him. “Stop right where you are mister. Drop that gun and turn around slowly where I can see you.” Reeves knew the voice as soon as he heard it but he also knew he would have his head blown off if he didn’t do as he was told.
He dropped the gun and slowly turned around. “Reeves,” Virginia threw her arms around her brother. “I can’t believe it’s you. How, did you get here?” “I had a gut feeling my sister needed me and I came back to find I was right.”
Virginia picked up Reevess rifle and led him into the camp. Jax laid close to the fire wrapped in his bedroll, shivering. “He has the fever, and I don’t know what to do for him. We were attacked by two Indians last night and he took an arrow in his leg. I’ve done all I know to do.” “I take it he’s the trusted man, Granny sent after you.” “He is.” “ Let me take a look at his leg.”
The leg was infected but it could be saved. “We’ve got to get him to a doctor as soon as possible.” “I know but he can’t ride like this.” “We’ll have to make a travois. Help me find a couple of small trees to cut into poles. Then we’ll take a few smaller limbs and tie them off making him a bed. We can lay my bedroll over it then put him on it. The quicker we get it done the better. We can’t waste any time.”
Reeves and Virginia worked through the night, building the travois. It was nearly daylight when they finally finished. Jax began talking in his sleep, mumbling things that made no sense. They fastened the travois to Jax’s horse and carried him to it. Reeves picked him up under his arms while Virginia grabbed his legs. He mumbled something Virginia didn’t hear, but Reeves did.
He prayed what he heard wasn’t true. He couldn’t let her reputation be ruined by this man, even if he did save her life. He said nothing to his sister. There was no good in talking about it now. They needed to get him to the doctor in Chugwater, and it was more than a day’s ride.
He led Jax’s horse and Virginia rode on the travois wit
h Jax, wiping his brow with a cool wet rag. She dabbed it all over his face and squeezed it in his mouth. She feared he would dehydrate.
She was tender with him. Reeves noticed it from the start. He feared his sister had fallen in love with him. He wouldn’t allow it if he could help it. He knew beyond a doubt she could do better than a gunslinger. Even if the man did save her, he was no good for her. The words Jax mumbled in his feverish slumber, worried him. “Can’t let them know, don’t tell them, I’m the Angel of Death. Can’t let them find me, tired too tired” he mumbled.
Reeves knew very little about the man they called the Angel of Death, but the little he did know bothered him. His sister had been with the man for no telling how long. People would talk for sure. He needed to come up with a cover story, and tell them he came upon Jax before he found and killed her kidnappers. He hoped the townsfolk would believe that. He knew that given the opportunity they would try to force his sister into a marriage with the gunslinger to protect her reputation. He also suspected no one knew the man’s, own reputation.
They didn’t stop long enough to make camp, preferring only to take five minute bathroom breaks and eating jerky instead of a meal. There was no time to stop. If they stopped, they might not make it back in time to save Jax’s life, and while part of Reeves didn’t care if Jax lived or died the other part, knew it was wrong of him to feel that way. He didn’t really know the man, and he couldn’t let him die after he saved Virginia’s life. He warred with his conscience, but his conscience won out in the end.
They rode straight through the night, not stopping to sleep. They could sleep when they got to Chugwater. Being raised on a ranch Reeves had gone without sleep before, and it was nothing new to him. The only light they had was that which was put off by the moon, but it was a clear night and the ground was easy to see. Reeves followed the North Star to Chugwater. They would be there by late afternoon, the following day.
The Gunslinger (Barnett Ranch) Page 7
