Santa Fe Woman

by Gilbert, Morris

  For more than an hour Jori tossed and turned, trying to think of some way out of her dilemma. Perhaps Blanchard did know someone else, but he had been so positive that Rocklin would be exactly the right man for the job. Finally she lay still, and her mind worked rapidly. An idea came to her, and eagerly she seized on it. She was an imaginative girl, quick-witted and strong-willed, and as she developed the scheme in her mind, she began to smile. Finally she laughed and said aloud, “We’ll see in the morning who wins this argument, Mr. Chad Rocklin!”

  * * *

  “WELL, YOU’RE BACK, MISS Hayden.”

  “Yes, sheriff. I wanted to ask your help.” Jori had eaten a poorly cooked breakfast at the restaurant and had waited impatiently until the sheriff’s office had opened at eight o’clock. She had been watching, and she saw that he was surprised as she plunged into her scheme. She had to behave a little differently from her ordinary ways, but Jori Hayden would have been a good actress. She tried to make herself as helpless as possible as she said, “Sheriff, I didn’t tell you everything. My family and I are in serious trouble….” She kept her voice soft on a pleading note, and looked up at him, holding her eyes wide open so that he could see how troubled she seemed to be. She told about how the financial panic had caught them and how this was the only way that they could possibly survive. Finally she said, “I know Rocklin said no, but I believe I thought of a way that you could influence him to change his mind.”

  “Why, he ain’t an easy man to influence. What are you thinking?”

  “If you could just make it clear to him somehow,” Jori whispered confidentially, “that if he doesn’t help me, he’s going to be in this jail for a very long time. Isn’t there some sort of … well, some sort of way that you could do that?”

  Billy Oswalt was a man who loved his humor, and suddenly this seemed like a good joke to play on Chad Rocklin. Rocklin, as a matter of fact, had evaded Oswalt several times, and now the sheriff saw a way to get some of his own back.

  “You know, I think I might be able to do that. We’ll try anyhow. You set right here, and I’ll go get him.”

  The sheriff disappeared, but soon returned with the prisoner. Rocklin looked at her hard and nodded. “Good morning, Miss Hayden.”

  “Rocklin,” the sheriff said abruptly, “Miss Hayden here has told me the deal she’s offered you. I don’t mind sayin’ I think you’re a fool for turnin’ her down.”

  “You’re probably right, Billy, but that’s my decision.”

  “Have you thought that you might be in this jail of mine for a year?”

  “Why, the trial won’t take that long.”

  “It might. You know how Judge Chatham is. He can be pretty hard tailed. He kept Mike Sidell in here coolin’ his heels for that long. I expect he might do the same for you if he gets his back up.”

  “Why would he get his back up?” Suddenly Rocklin turned and his eyes gleamed as he studied Jori, then his eyes came back to the sheriff. “I see. The deal is, I either go help this woman or you keep me here in your jail for a year.”

  “Well, the judge and me are pretty close, and you are a dangerous character.”

  Silence filled the room, and Jori was holding her breath. “I hate to see a lady mistreated, Chad,” Oswalt said righteously. “Besides, you don’t have no business in here. Get out of Fort Smith, get out of the territory and go do somethin’ different.”

  “So it’s take the job or stay here and rot. Is that right?”

  “Your choice,” the sheriff grinned.

  “Well, Billy,” Rocklin said with a slight smile, “you got the best of the argument.”

  “Good! I’ll get your stuff. You take him out of here, Miss Hayden. But you remember, Chad, you’re in this young lady’s custody. If you give her any trouble, I’ll have you picked up and brought back.”

  “Thank you so much, sheriff, for your help,” Jori said warmly. She stood waiting while the sheriff collected what seemed like an armory. There were two pistols in holsters attached to a belt and two rather strange-looking rifles that she had never seen the likes of before. Rocklin took them and said, “I guess I’m ready to go now. Thanks for your hospitality, sheriff.”

  “You behave yourself now.”

  “I’ll do my best. Tell your wife I enjoyed her good cookin’.”

  As soon as they were outside, Jori said, “The train’s leaving here in less than two hours, Rocklin. We can settle your wages and duties when we get to our house.”

  “I’ve got to take my horse. I won’t go without him. I’ll go back in jail first.”

  “How could we take a horse?”

  “They always have a car for stock going back toward Little Rock. I can ride with him and take care of him.”

  “Very well. But let’s go arrange for the tickets now.”

  * * *

  THE TRAIN HAD PULLED out of Fort Smith at ten o’clock. Jori had waited while Rocklin had put his horse in the car along with his gear. She felt somehow uncertain and nervous about everything, not just about Rocklin but about the whole plan.

  Finally as the train made its way through the mountains headed back to the south, Rocklin came in and sat down across from her. “I thought I might find out a little bit about my boss,” he said.

  Jori was startled. “Find out what?”

  “Well, how old are you?”

  “What difference does that make?”

  “None.” Rocklin was smiling as if enjoying a joke of some kind. “Are you married?”

  “No.”

  “How come?”

  Jori sat up straighter. “That’s none of your business, and it’s not pertinent to our relationship.”

  “You want to ask me about myself? I’m not married. Don’t expect to be.”

  “I don’t care in the least about your matrimonial adventures, and I thank you not to ask anymore personal questions.”

  “Just as you say.” Rocklin suddenly leaned back, pushed his hat forward, and said, “Wake me when we get to Little Rock.”

  Jori stared at him for he seemed to be totally relaxed. She somehow knew this man was going to be trouble, but she also knew that her life and those of her family would be in his hands. She sat upright, looking out the window as the scenery flowed by, wondering how she and her family would get along being under this man’s total control.

  Chapter Five

  JORI WAITED IMPATIENTLY WHILE Rocklin examined the big stallion that he called Red. They had arrived in Little Rock in the middle of the night, and Jori was exhausted, her eyes gritty from lack of sleep. She watched as Rocklin went over the horse, patting him and speaking to him softly.

  “Can we go now?” she asked impatiently.

  “I guess so. How far is it to your home?”

  “About thirty minutes, but I’m not sure we can get a cab to take us.”

  Indeed, this proved to be the case for some time. Finally the station master agreed to have his assistant take them home in his buggy. “I’ll have to charge four dollars for that,” he had said, and Jori had quickly agreed to it. Fifteen minutes later the two of them were seated in the buggy’s backseat. The big stallion Red was tied to the back, and Rocklin’s guns were under their feet.

  “Pretty night,” Rocklin observed. They had not said a word for ten minutes until finally he broke the silence.

  Jori shook her head. “I’m so tired I don’t even care.”

  “That’s no way to live. You need to look up. See those pretty stars up there?”

  Jori looked up involuntarily. Indeed, it was a beautiful night. The weather was cold, and in the open carriage they caught the full chill of the wind. They followed the winding road that led beside the Arkansas River toward the area where the Hayden ancestors had built their house. From time to time the driver turned around to glance at them, but when they remained silent he lost interest.

  “You’ll probably see a lot of this river.”

  Rocklin’s remark interested Jori. “What do you mean?” she asked.r />
  “The trail to Santa Fe follows alongside the north bank of the Arkansas for a long ways.”

  “This same river?”

  “Same one. Not quite as wide as it is here.”

  Jori wanted to ask more questions, but she was still apprehensive, wondering if they had done the right thing by hiring this man. She thought, We haven’t hired him yet. He may not be the man to take us.

  Twenty minutes later the driver pulled the buggy to a halt, and Rocklin jumped down. He held up his hand, Jori took it, came to the ground and quickly withdrew her hand. She turned to the driver and paid the fare, saying, “Thank you very much.”

  “You’re welcome.”

  Jori turned toward the house while Rocklin removed his gear from the floor of the buggy, then her luggage. He moved around to his horse, then waited for her to speak.

  “We’ll have to wake them up,” Jori said. “Everybody’s asleep at this hour.” She walked up the steps and found the door was unlocked. “There’s no sense getting everyone up, but I don’t know where you’ll sleep.”

  “Doesn’t matter,” Rocklin said, shrugging his shoulders. “You have a stable, I guess.”

  “Oh yes. It’s in the back.”

  “I’ll make me a bed in the straw. See you in the morning, Miss Hayden.”

  He turned and was gone before she could speak. She watched him as he led the horse around the house. She was dissatisfied with the arrangement, but it was too late to wake people up.

  Going inside, she groped her way up the stairs, and when she got to her room she closed the door softly. It took all her energy to undress and put on her nightgown. When she got into the bed, the last thought she had was, Well, we’re this far at least….

  * * *

  “WHERE DID YOU PUT him, Jori?” Leland asked. He had come downstairs early to find that Jori had already risen. He listened closely as she told him about getting the sheriff’s permission to bring Rocklin with them on probation. Before she had time to finish, Mark and Carleen came down the stairs followed by Kate.

  “Where is he?” Carleen said, her eyes dancing. “Is he an outlaw?”

  “Don’t be foolish!” Jori said irritably. “We got here late. I didn’t want to get you all up, so he slept in the stable.”

  “Well, he’s probably hungry,” Leland said. “Someone go get him, and he can have breakfast with us.”

  “I’ll go,” Carleen said. Before anyone could speak she darted out the door and was gone. Leland grinned ruefully. “I think she’s already fallen for our wagon master.”

  “What’s he like, Jori?” Mark asked.

  “He’s got an outdoor look.”

  “Well, that’s a good thing,” Mark grinned, “since the trail to Santa Fe is outdoors. Tell me something more than that.”

  “No. I’m going to help Aunt Kate fix breakfast.”

  “I guess we’ll all help. Mark, you set the table,” Leland said. “I’ll fix the coffee.”

  * * *

  CARLEEN SLIPPED INSIDE THE barn and looked around and saw no one, but a whinny came to her, and she ran down the aisle that contained the stalls on each side. In one of them was a big red horse looking down at her. Her eyes grew big, and she said, “What’s your name?”

  “His name is Red.”

  Carleen whirled to see a man rise up out of the stall on the other side. He had straw in his hair, and for a moment she was frightened. But then she said, “I’ll bet you’re our wagon master.”

  “You think so? Maybe I’m a burglar.”

  “No, you’re not a burglar. Burglars don’t have horses. You say his name is Red?”

  “That’s right. What’s your name?”

  “I’m Carleen.”

  “Carleen Hayden, I expect.”

  “Yes. I know your name. It’s Rocklin. I heard my sister and my father talking about it.”

  She watched as the big man came out. He brushed the straw off of his shoulders, and she asked suddenly, “Where’s your gun? Don’t you wear a gun?”

  “Sometimes I do. I don’t think I’ll need one today.”

  Carleen studied him carefully, her eyes big. “How many people have you killed?” she demanded suddenly.

  Rocklin suddenly grinned. His teeth looked very white to her against his bronze skin. “Not too many. I killed more of them than they did of me.”

  “That’s foolish!”

  “I expect it is. What are you doing down here?”

  “I came down to get you for breakfast. They’re fixing it.”

  “I reckon I need to shave first. You know where I can get some water?”

  “There’s a pump outside. Can I watch you?”

  “I charge fifty cents for spectators.”

  “You’re teasing me.”

  “That’s right, Miss Carleen, I am. Come on. You can watch me shave if you like.”

  “Good, and then we’ll go on up to the house and eat breakfast.”

  * * *

  “HERE THEY COME,” MARK said. He was peering out the window of the front door as the two figures appeared. “He’s a big one, and he looks pretty tough.”

  Leland came over to look out. “I guess he is.” He opened the door, and as Carleen came skidding in, she said, “He’s not wearing his gun, but he’s got one.”

  Ignoring Carleen, Leland put out his hand. “I’m Leland Hayden. This is my son Mark, and you’re Rocklin.”

  “Yes, sir, I am.”

  “My sister-in-law and my daughter are cooking breakfast. I expect you’re hungry.”

  “I pretty well stay that way, Mr. Hayden.”

  “Well, come along. It ought to be about ready.”

  Mark asked as they turned to go in, “What time did you get in?”

  “Middle of the night sometime. It was a pretty tiring trip.”

  “He’s got a big red horse whose name is Red. Will you let me ride him, Rocklin?”

  “Mr. Rocklin,” Leland said at once.

  “Mr. Rocklin, will you let me ride him?”

  “Maybe you can ride with me. Red’s kind of particular. He throws nearly everybody off.”

  “Even you?”

  “Even me, sometimes.”

  As they entered the dining room, the first person Rocklin saw was Jori Hayden. She was putting a pan of biscuits on the table, and she flushed slightly when she saw him. “Good morning, Miss Hayden. I hope you slept well.”

  “Well—yes, I did.”

  At that moment Kate came out the door and Leland said at once, “This is my sister-in-law, Katherine Johnson.”

  “Just call me Kate. I don’t believe I heard your first name,” Kate said.

  “Chad.”

  “Well, sit down, everybody. The food’s all ready.”

  “You sit here by me, Mr. Rocklin,” Carleen said.

  Rocklin moved over to the chair and waited until the two women had the food on the table and then the men all sat down. Leland said, “We’re used to saying a blessing over the food.”

  “A good habit,” Rocklin said pleasantly.

  They all bowed their heads, and Leland asked a quick blessing. As soon as it was over, Carleen started bombarding Rocklin with questions, usually calling him just Rocklin and being corrected by her father.

  The breakfast was scrambled eggs, grits, fried potatoes, and biscuits.

  “Best meal I’ve had in a long time, Miss Kate. You’re a good cook.”

  “Anybody can scramble eggs,” Kate said.

  “Not everybody can make biscuits, though.”

  The meal went pleasantly enough, but Jori said hardly a word. Finally, as they were sipping coffee, toward the end of the meal, Mark said, “Rocklin, have you ever led a train to Santa Fe?”

  “No, I never have.”

  A stunned look crossed Mark’s face. He turned to his father. “How can we hire a man who’s never led a single train?”

  “Al Blanchard recommended you, but he didn’t say you had never led a train.”

  “Oh, I’ve b
een on several of them, usually as a scout. Did a bit of mule skinning, but I’ve never actually been the wagon master.”

  Kate said, “Tell us about yourself. Mr. Blanchard wouldn’t have recommended you unless he believed in you.”

  Rocklin sipped his coffee and held up the cup. “Mighty tiny cup. I’m used to big mugs. It’ll take a lot of these to fill me up.”

  At once Kate got up, took his cup and went out into the kitchen. She came back with a big mug and said, “How’s this?”

  “That’s just about right.” He sipped the coffee and said, “I guess you do need to know a little about me. Al didn’t tell you much?”

  “Not much except you’ve been in the West all your life.”

  “My parents were farmers. They were killed in a Comanche raid when I was twelve years old.”

  Jori looked up, shock on her face. “How awful,” she whispered. “What happened to you? Who kept you?”

  “Well, the Comanches did for four years.”

  “The Comanches! You were a captive?”

  “I was practically a Comanche. You either get that way or die.”

  “Then you probably learned how to speak their language.”

  “Had to do that, Mr. Hayden. Picked up a spattering of all the languages of the tribes, the Kiowa, the Pawnee.”

  “Did you escape?”

  “Yes, I did. We were on a raiding party, and I slipped away. After that I bumped around, did a lot of things. Drove a wagon, as I said. Trapped beaver in the mountains for a year. Soldiered in the dragoons for awhile. Mostly I just traveled around the West. It’s about all I know.”

  They all sat there entranced as Rocklin spoke of his experience in the West. It was a new world to them, one they did not know, and it was rather frightening.