Jason shook his head. ‘‘I don’t care. I want to try.’’
‘‘We’ll see’’ was the only answer his father gave, no matter how imploring the looks.
That night Opal woke in the darkness, her pillow wet from her tears. ‘‘I’m turning into a crybaby,’’ she muttered as she turned the pillow over and slammed it into shape. ‘‘I’ve got to get back home soon.’’
‘‘Rand, did I do the right thing?’’
Rand rolled over and tugged his wife up next to his heart. ‘‘I thought you agreed not to worry about this anymore. What’s done is done, and after we prayed about it,
we
’’—he emphasized the
we
—‘‘decided that a trip to New York would be good for her in lots of ways.’’
‘‘But she is so homesick.’’
‘‘When I’m gone from here, I am too. I count the minutes until I can be home again.’’ He brushed wisps of honeyed hair back from her brow and then smoothed away the furrows digging into her creamy skin.
She closed her eyes, and the slightest of smiles lifted the corners of her mouth. Rand leaned down and kissed her, the kind of kiss that promises love forever.
Hesitant to let his lips go, Ruby threaded her fingers through his hair and tugged to bring him close again.
‘‘Oh, Mr. Harrison, you do know how to chase away my worries.’’ ‘‘At least for the moment.’’ He kissed the spot where the furrows had been. ‘‘We’ll bring her home soon. I was more worried about her wanting to stay there. The Brandons have a lot to offer that we don’t.’’
‘‘Perhaps if you shipped her horse back there . . .’’ Ruby nipped his chin. ‘‘But if you think of doing that, I might have to resort to firmer measures.’’
Rand listened to the rooster creak out his first announcement of the approaching dawn. The second cleared his rusty pipes, and the third reached troubadour quality.
‘‘Time to get up.’’
‘‘I know, and I can never tell you how grateful I am to be over the morning sickness. Even bacon tastes good again.’’
‘‘I’m glad. I was missing it.’’ Rand stepped into his pants and went to stand at the window.
Ruby watched him welcome the dawning of a new day. Seldom did he take time to pause, instead charging ahead from one chore to the next. The brightening light outlined his strong shoulders and trim waist. He stretched his arms, hands locked high above his head, then wiggled his shoulders.
Thank you, Father, for such a man as Rand
. She heard Little Squirrel in the kitchen and knew she should rise. A robin’s song echoed another raise-the-dawn order from the rooster.
Lord, please
protect this bit of your heaven
. She pushed away the thought of the drifter and went to wrap her arms around her husband’s middle, laying her cheek against his naked back. He crossed his hands over hers and squeezed her arms into his ribs with his.
‘‘All will be well.’’
‘‘Please God.’’
‘‘No. We have to believe that or the enemy will have won. He likes nothing better than to get God’s children on the run.’’
Ruby inhaled the scent that was Rand. ‘‘How did you get so wise?’’
‘‘I read His book. He says to stand against the evil one, and that is just what we are doing. Taking a stand against evil.’’
‘‘Ma?’’
‘‘What’s he doing awake?’’
‘‘Greeting the dawn like the rest of us.’’ Rand turned and dropped a kiss on her nose. ‘‘Unhand me, woman, so I can go forth.’’
‘‘To the outhouse?’’
‘‘Show some respect.’’ He pulled on his boots, snagged a shirt off a peg, and stuffing his pocket watch into his pocket, headed out the door.
Ruby dressed and tied a clean apron about her thickening waist. At the rate she was growing, she might have twins inside. The thought brought a smile on one hand and stark terror on the other. How would she ever keep up with two like Per?
She swooped into his room and untied the belly harness that kept him in bed. Without it he’d be out and into things in the middle of the night. Or out the door. Ever since he could walk, he lived life at a run.
‘‘Ma.’’ Multiple sounds. ‘‘Da.’’ More gibberish.
Ruby needed someone to translate. Obviously Per thought she should understand.
He repeated ‘‘ma’’ and what sounded like the same lingo he’d spouted before.
‘‘Sorry, little man, but you’ll have to speak more clearly if you want me to understand. And saying it louder won’t help either.’’ She kissed his chipmunk cheeks and pulled up the wool soaker over a clean diaper. It would be nice for him to be trained before the new baby came.
She set him on her hip and headed for the kitchen.
Rand walked in with Joe behind him.
‘‘Where did you see him?’’ A frown furrowed Rand’s brow.
‘‘At Williams’ last night.’’
‘‘And no one in Little Missouri had the common courtesy to send him on his way? Or lock him up?’’
‘‘Didn’t appear so. Them squatters don’t get much sympathy when something goes wrong for
them
.’’
‘‘They aren’t squatters. They have as much right to the land as the ranchers.’’
‘‘You know that’s not what others believe.’’
‘‘I know. Grab something to eat, and go get Robertson. I’ll send Linc over to get Charlie and Hegland. Perhaps by the time we get to town, they’ll be sleeping off a drunk.’’
‘‘Here.’’ Little Squirrel handed Joe two pieces of bread hiding a thick slice of ham. She had another for Linc when he came through the door. By the time the two men rode out, Chaps had brought in the pail of fresh milk, and Beans had announced that the rest of the horses were saddled and ready.
Breakfast was a hurried affair with no conversation other than ‘‘please pass’’ and ‘‘thank you.’’
‘‘What do you plan to do with them when you catch them?’’ Ruby finally asked the question that had been ricocheting around her mind.
‘‘Take them to Bismarck to the law.’’
‘‘Riding?’’
‘‘No. On the train.’’ Rand wiped his mouth, then stood and strode to the gun cabinet where he kept the rifles and ammunition. He handed one to each of the men, along with a supply of shells.
‘‘Make sure you fill your canteens. I hope we get them in town, but who knows.’’
Please, Lord, bring them all home in one piece
. Ruby couldn’t force food past the lump in her throat. And here she’d been rejoicing to be over the morning heaves.
‘‘Don’t waste your time worrying, but you might send up a prayer or two.’’ Rand kissed her and headed out after the others.
‘‘Pa?’’ Per banged his spoon on the table.
‘‘Call Ghost,’’ Rand told Ruby.
Ruby went to the door and called the dog away from the horses. ‘‘Good girl. You take care of Per today.’’
Ghost looked over her shoulder one last time, then followed Ruby into the house.
‘‘I go hoe the garden.’’ Little Squirrel headed out the back door, leaving Ruby to finish the dishes and strain the milk. She took that out to the springhouse and returned with the older cream to churn into butter. She filled the wooden churn half full and set it in front of a chair out on the back porch. Fastening the gate in place, she brought a sack of wood scraps out for Per to play with and started the churning. The paddle beat and swished. A breeze blew tendrils of hair on her neck and two sparrows scrabbled in the crab apple tree at the corner.
A perfect day, other than the fact that the men were out seeking destruction.
‘‘Please, Lord, bring them all home safe. ‘I will lift up mine eyes unto the hills, from whence cometh my help. My help cometh from the Lord, which made heaven and earth.’ Lord God, be thou our deliverance, our strong right hand. Fight the battle for them.’’
‘‘Ma?’’ More gibberish followed, then ‘‘Opa?’’ Per leaned against her knee.
‘‘I know. I miss Opal too.’’ She slammed the paddle a little harder as the forming butter made it heavier. She leaned over and kissed the top of Per’s head.
He rubbed his eyes with his fists, a sign that he was tired.
‘‘Ready for a nap already?’’ She felt his forehead with the back of her hand. Sure enough, it was warm to the touch. What else could be going wrong?
Rand looked at the men assembled and ready to go. Everyone was accounted for.
‘‘You all be careful now.’’ Daisy stood on the porch while Charlie mounted up.
‘‘Don’t you go worrying.’’ Charlie tipped his hat back. ‘‘All we’re goin’ to do is rope those two worthless hides and haul ’em in to the law.’’
Ward Robertson shook his head. ‘‘My wife said the same thing. I’d have brought my new hand, but we’d have to wait for him to catch up. He’s got a ways to go yet on his ranching skills.’’
‘‘All right,’’ Rand said. ‘‘We’ll wait this side of the river and let Chaps wander in and see if those two are still in Little Misery. Hopefully we can surround the town and take them down.’’ He looked around the circle to see if all agreed. With their nods, he reined Buck around and headed out.
Once in Medora they mingled with the traffic on the streets while Chaps headed across the ford to Little Missouri, or what was left of it since Dove House burned down. The livery had moved across the river into Medora, and Mr. Nelson had closed his store so he could go work in the abattoir.
Rand waited in the shade of the general store, arms crossed on the saddle horn. While Chaps was the one most likely to not cause a stir, Rand hated waiting. Too many things could go wrong. Perhaps they should have just gone in together. There was a good chance the two had moved on again.
After what seemed like hours, Chaps came jogging back as if he had not a care in the world.
‘‘The snakes went out the back way. They’re heading down-river.’’ Rand raised a gloved hand to signal the others and jogged back to the main street, heading out of town. ‘‘Do they know we’re on to them?’’
‘‘I think so. You know Williams. He’ll do anything to cause trouble.’’
‘‘Shame we didn’t put someone out in the back field.’’ Rand called himself a name for not thinking of it. ‘‘Did you hear them leave?’’
‘‘No, they snuck out real quietlike.’’
‘‘They probably think they’re safe. Charlie, why don’t you take Linc and Robertson, go on out past that big snag and see if we can scare them into one of the box canyons. Joe, you climb on up the butte and see if you can see them. We’ll go real slow, so as not to spook them.’’
With the plans in action, the men rode without talking, keeping down the dust that could give them away.
Joe slipped back into the group. ‘‘They’re about a mile ahead. Seem to be taking their time.’’
Rand pulled his pocket watch out and checked the time. ‘‘The others can’t be in position yet.’’ They slowed to a walk for the next fifteen minutes, then Rand nodded. ‘‘Now remember, no shooting unless they shoot first.’’
They picked up the pace.
A single rifle shot announced the others were in position.
‘‘Here we go.’’
Please, Lord God, make this work
.
Coming around a rock face, he saw the two ahead by less than half a mile now. They looked back and kicked their mounts into a gallop, suddenly veering to the right, away from the river.
‘‘They saw Charlie. We got ’em.’’
‘‘Don’t they know that draw don’t go nowhere?’’
‘‘Guess not. Unless their horses are half mountain goat.’’
The two groups formed up and followed the drifters into the box canyon, stopping to dismount as soon as they saw the rider-less horses.
With all of them taking cover, Rand waited, then hollered to the drifters. ‘‘You might as well come on out. You got nowhere to go.’’
A rifle shot was the only answer.
‘‘We can wait as long as you want.’’
A bullet pinged off a rock.
‘‘Keep your heads down,’’ Rand told his men. He turned to Chaps. ‘‘Make sure you watch those buttes so they don’t try climbing out.’’
They waited, each finding a spot of shade and hunkering down.
‘‘You got a better chance with the law,’’ he called. ‘‘I’ll take you there myself.’’
One of the drifters yelled a couple of obscenities and wasted another shell.
‘‘Such talk. What would your mama say?’’ Rand leaned against a boulder, cleaning his fingernails with the tip of his knife. ‘‘What say you throw out your guns and come out nice and easy. We don’t want any bloodshed.’’
A volley of shots answered him.
‘‘Sounds like you’re gettin’ to ’em,’’ Charlie called from his hiding place.
‘‘They don’t have the brains God gave a goat.Worthless, that’s all,’’ Joe answered loud enough for the men on the run to hear.
The sun beat down. The canyon heated up.
‘‘I din’t do nothing. I’m comin’ out,’’ one of the drifters called.
‘‘Throw your rifle out first.’’
Metal clattered against rock.
Rand glanced above his cover to see one man with his hands in the air rising from behind a rock. ‘‘Come on down, nice and easy.’’
‘‘Don’t shoot.’’
‘‘Don’t aim to.’’
Rand started to step out but thought the better of it. Two shots came in quick succession. A grunt came from the right. The man dropped behind some rocks.
‘‘Bullet ricocheted. Robertson’s been hit.’’
Rand closed his eyes and groaned. A freak accident. He ducked around the rock and darted to where Ward Robertson lay slumped over, blood pumping from the side of his neck.
Rand clapped his hand over the wound. ‘‘Hang on, man. God, help us.’’
‘‘T-tell Cora I-I’m sorry.’’ Ward crumpled in his arms.
‘‘Godspeed, my friend.’’ Rand laid his neighbor on the ground, fighting a rage that burned red before his eyes. Random shots were returned as the two penned-in miscreants fired back.
Not
Robertson, Lord
.
Get them
, his insides shrieked.
He fought to keep reason.
Let the law deal with them
. ‘‘We—’’ Rand had to clear his throat to make his voice heard. ‘‘We aren’t a vigilante posse here, boys.’’
‘‘They killed a good man. What do you mean, take ’em in? Hanging’s too good for them.’’
‘‘You know the law.’’
How will I tell his wife? And the girls? God, a
stupid accident
.
A scream came from up the canyon.
‘‘One down.’’
‘‘Stop your fire.’’