GARRETT’S DUTY

 
 

C.J. PETIT
 
 Copyright © 2020 by C.J. Petit

All rights reserved. This book or any portion thereof

may not be reproduced or used in any manner whatsoever

without the express written permission of the publisher

except for the use of brief quotations in a book review.

Printed in the United States of America
First Printing, 2020

ISBN:
9798561745997
 
  
TABLE OF CONTENTS
 
GARRETT’S DUTY
PROLOGUE
CHAPTER 1
CHAPTER 2
CHAPTER 3
CHAPTER 4
CHAPTER 5
CHAPTER 6
CHAPTER 7
CHAPTER 8
CHAPTER 9
CHAPTER 10
CHAPTER 11
CHAPTER 12
CHAPTER 13
CHAPTER 14
CHAPTER 15
CHAPTER 16
CHAPTER 17
CHAPTER 18
EPILOGUE
 PROLOGUE
September 8, 1871
Yuma County, Arizona Territory
 
“I’ll get him out of there, Pop,” Garrett shouted over the calf’s loud
protests as it thrashed in the mud.
“Okay, but don’t fall into that pond. You’ll stink up the house and your
mother will give me the cold shoulder for a week.”
Garrett laughed as he dismounted from his Morgan gelding and pulled
his twenty-four-foot coil of rope from the saddle. After carefully stepping
into the mud that trapped the calf, he tossed the loop of its head as it
continued to cry out for its mother who was standing just eight feet behind
his horse.
After the rope settled around the calf’s neck, he tightened it slightly, then
backstepped toward Whiskey. Each boot made a large sucking noise as it
left its mucky prison, but he soon reached solid ground.
He looked over at the cow who was just staring at her offspring and said,
“Some mother you are.”
The cow didn’t seem insulted, but Garrett laughed as he stepped into the
saddle. He had to be careful or he might strangle the calf. He trusted
Whiskey to handle the job, so after looping the rope once around his saddle
horn, he gently tugged on his reins and his Morgan slowly backstepped.
The calf didn’t need a lot of help to make his escape. Whiskey gave him
just enough pull to let him yank his hooves free and make his way out of
the mud.
After being reunited with his mother, Garrett dismounted, removed the
rope from around his neck and as he wound it around his forearm, he
looked up at his father and said, “I think that boy shouldn’t become a bull.
He’s not the brightest star in the sky.”
 Amos grinned down at his son as he replied, “He was heading that way
before he got stuck.”
Garrett hung his rope on his saddle then mounted Whiskey. He was just
about to suggest that it was time to go back for their supper when he spotted
a dust cloud that rose above the small hill to the east.
He pointed and said, “Pop, take a look past the hill. What do you think is
making that cloud?”
His father twisted in the saddle and after a few seconds, he replied, “I
don’t know. The critters are too hot to be moving like that. Let’s go take a
look, but I have a bad feeling about this.”
“Yes, sir,” Garrett said as he nudged Whiskey into a fast trot.
As father and son headed east, each pulled his Winchester ’66 from his
scabbard, but didn’t cock their hammers. It could just be a small ruckus
caused by the appearance of a coyote, but the cattle usually couldn’t care
less at this time of day.
On the other side of the hill, there were three men who were creating the
dust cloud as they moved eight cattle north. They mistakenly believed that
no one was outside of the ranch house that was more than a mile away. It
was after six o’clock and they should all be sitting down for dinner. They’d
just move the cattle north until they reached the roadway then head west
toward Yuma where they’d sell them to the L. Potter Cattle Company.
They’d made an arrangement with the foreman of the stockyard before they
left, so they’d each make forty dollars for the job. The foreman would
pocket the difference and probably make more, but he was risking his job.
They didn’t think that they were risking anything.
When they were close to the hill, Amos and Garrett shifted to the north
as the cloud was heading that way. They hadn’t even reached the northern
face of the hill when Amos spotted the cattle being driven by the three men
about six hundred yards away.
He didn’t have to shout, “Rustler!” as both he and Garrett cocked their
repeaters. They knew that the cattle thieves wouldn’t hear them over the
sounds of the hoofbeats from the cattle and their own mounts, so they
pressed on at the same speed. They had the advantage of having the sun at
their backs, so they would be difficult to spot.
 It was when the rightful owner of the cattle and his son were less than
two hundred yards out that Homer Tripp spotted the two riders and shouted,
“Guns!”
Pete Lazlo and Joe Phillips both turned at the shout and squinted as they
looked southwest and soon saw what had inspired Homer’s warning. Homer
already had his pistol drawn by the time Pete and Joe pulled their revolvers.
None of them carried rifles.
Amos shouted, “Split off!”
When he heard his father, Garrett shifted slightly to the back of the small
herd while his father made for the front.
When they crossed the hundred-yard mark, Amos and Garrett slowed
their horses and raised their Winchesters.
“Drop those pistols and just ride away!” Amos yelled.
The rustlers’ smart move would have been to do what the man with the
rifle ordered. But none of them had much money and their pistols were
worth more to them than anything other than their horses and tack.
Garrett had his eyes focused on the two closest rustlers and wasn’t about
to get within pistol range, so he pulled Whiskey to a stop when he was sixty
yards out and assumed his father would do the same.
But Amos wanted to get closer, so even after his son had stopped his
Morgan, he let his roan continue walking.
Garrett was waiting for his father to issue a second warning but was
startled by the sound of gunfire from the front of the herd. He quickly
shifted his eyes to his left and was shocked to see his father’s horse collapse
to the ground with his father still in the saddle.
As the rustler who’d taken the shot continued to fire, Garrett heard more
gunfire erupt from the two men he’d been watching. He didn’t know where
their first bullets had gone, but when he settled his sights on the man to his
right, he knew where his .44 would find a home. He fired and quickly
cycled in his second round as his first slammed into the right side of the
rustler’s gut just below his rib cage.
Homer Tripp grunted as he dropped his precious Colt Walker and
grabbed at the wound. He remained in his saddle but bent over his horse’s
neck and kicked him into a fast trot to pass through the still moving cattle.
When Amos and his horse had gone down, Pete Lazlo wasn’t sure if
he’d hit the man or the beast, so he’d taken three more shots at the downed
rider before he heard the different sound made by Garrett’s Winchester. He
turned just as Homer began his bloody retreat and turned his pistol on the
kid. He didn’t know how badly his partner was wounded, but he needed to
close the range.
Garrett didn’t notice the other rustler’s approach as he and Joe Phillips
were engaged in a deadly dance. One of Joe’s .45s had ripped through the
broad leather of Garrett’s chaps just beside his right knee and it caused
Garrett to miss his first shot aimed at Joe.
Joe’s sixth shot was wide to Garrett’s right, but neither he nor Joe had
been counting shots, so even as Joe discovered that his pistol was empty,
Garrett’s fourth shot ripped through Joe’s right shoulder.
Joe screeched in pain, but managed to hang onto his pistol, so he
slammed it home and wheeled his brown gelding around and raced after
Homer who was already more than two hundred yards away.
It was only when Garrett heard another gunshot from his left that he
spotted Pete Lazlo just thirty yards away and closing fast. He quickly
shifted his Winchester to the last rustler and fired. He missed, but not by
much as his .44 ripped through Pete’s filthy hat and yanked it from his
head.
Pete fired just as his hat flew off and the startling near-miss made his last
bullet fly high into the air. Unlike Joe, he knew that he’d just emptied his
pistol, so he hunkered down and kicked his horse into a sprint as he
rocketed past Garrett.
He passed so closely that Garrett could have smashed his head with his
repeater’s barrel, but he knew the man was empty and was trying to escape.
The other two were both wounded, so as far as he was concerned, the fight
was over. He needed to help his father.
Pete was surprised that he hadn’t been shot but made a wide turn around
the other side of the cattle to catch up with his two partners. He needed to
help them with their wounds and get them into Yuma where they could be
patched up before the law was notified. He estimated they had less than
four hours before that happened.
_____
As the rustlers disappeared, Garrett stepped down and was relieved when
his father looked up at him, but knew he was badly hurt as he was still
pinned beneath his suffering horse.
“Take care of Handy first, Garrett,” his father said with tightened jaws.
Garrett still had his cocked Winchester in his hands, so after receiving
his father’s permission, he quickly did what he needed to do.
Handy’s death ended his pain and stopped his squirming, so his father’s
pain was diminished but far from ended.
After he slid his repeater back into its scabbard Garrett dropped to his
heels near his father and asked, “How bad is it, Pop?”
“My leg is broken in a few places, but I don’t know how you’ll be able
to get me out of here. Did you kill those bastards?”
“No, sir. I shot two of them, and I’m not going after the last one. I need
to help you.”
“I don’t know how you can get me out from under Handy without
cutting my leg off.”
Garrett nodded and after studying the problem for a few seconds, he slid
his heavy knife from its sheath. For a moment, Amos believed that his son
was actually going to cut his leg off. But after he began using the knife to
dig away the dirt beneath his hip, he understood that he was removing as
much ground as possible to make the extraction less painful.
Garrett spent almost ten minutes digging out dirt from both sides of his
father’s trapped leg, but knew it was still going to be difficult.
After returning his knife to its sheath, he stood and walked around the
other side of the Handy’s body and released the cinch before flipping the
stirrup over the saddle.
“I’m going to pull the saddle off with you, Pop. It should reduce your
leg’s stretching and twisting that would happen if I just tried to yank you
from under there and left the saddle attached.”
 Amos was almost beyond caring anymore as his leg had grown numb but
managed to smile at Garrett before saying, “That’s good thinking, Son.”
Garrett patted his father on the shoulder then removed the same rope that
he’d just used to pull the calf from the mud and carefully slid the loop
around his father’s chest, putting the hondo beneath his head.
He then wrapped it twice around Whiskey’s saddle horn and knew that
he’d need his trusted Morgan to exert exactly the right force without his
help as he’d be near his father.
He slid his father’s rope beneath his saddle as close as he could get to the
seat before wrapping it around his waist. This was going to require almost
perfect coordination between him and his equine friend.
“Are you ready, Pop?” Garrett asked as he leaned back making the
saddle rope taut.
“Ready as I’ll ever be.”
As he applied his own pulling force to the saddle, he loudly said,
“Whiskey! Slow!”
His Morgan began stepping slowly backwards as Garrett tightened his
legs and pulled.
Amos grunted loudly from the sudden, sharp pain as he began to move.
He almost began to shed tears from the agony but held them in check. He
wasn’t about to cry in front of his son.
Garrett felt the same motion and had to match the movement of the
saddle to his father’s as both slid back from Handy’s inert body. Suddenly
the saddle popped off at the same moment that his father’s leg slid from
under the dead horse.
“Stop!” Garrett shouted and Whiskey froze.
Amos felt enormous relief for being free, but all of the pain was from his
hip and thigh. Everything below his knee was completely numb and the
thought frightened him. Losing a leg was almost as bad as dying.
Garrett untied the rope from his waist then quickly released the other
rope from Whiskey’s saddle horn in case his Morgan might decide to move.
He then slowly lifted the saddle from his father’s leg to inspect the damage.
 He pulled away the heavy leather from his father’s chaps and was
sickened when he saw his blood-soaked britches and the tip of a bone
sticking through the pants’ heavy canvas cloth.
“How bad is it, Son?” Amos asked as he tried to look for himself.
“It’s not good, Pop. Your bone is sticking out and it’s still bleeding. I
need to stop the bleeding before I even think of doing anything else.
Okay?”
“I can’t argue.”
Garrett slid his knife free and sliced the pants’ leg all the way to his
father’s hip and then cut across the top of the slice so he could fold it open.
Once he did, he was relieved that there wasn’t a pulsing stream of blood
coming from the hole the bone had created in his leg. It was bleeding, but
not as much as he’d feared.
“I can wrap the hole, Pop, but I’m not going to try and set the bone. I
need to get you into Yuma and see Doc Spohn. I’ll leave you my canteen,
but I need to get the wagon.”
“I know. I’ll just relax here for a while,” Amos replied with a forced
smile.
Garrett stood, pulled his canteen from Whiskey and then had to walk
around Handy’s body to retrieve his father’s almost empty canteen.
As he laid both canteens next to his father, he said, “I’ll be back as soon
as I can.”
Amos said, “Tell your mother that I’m sorry.”
“You can tell her, Pop. I don’t think I’ll be able to leave the house
without her and my sisters.”
“I reckon not.”
Garrett patted his father on the shoulder and soon mounted Whiskey to
make the fast ride back to the ranch house. His father still had his pistol if
those rustlers returned, but Garrett doubted that they would. He expected
that they’d either gone to Yuma for medical help or had returned to
wherever they came from.
 He hadn’t recognized any of them, so they were probably just passing
through on their way to California like many did at this time of year. They’d
get close to their destination and be short of cash. Rustling was one way to
provide them with enough income to complete their journey.
They hadn’t had the problem before, but this one time might cost him his
father if he didn’t get him to the doctor quickly.
As he raced back to the house, Garrett thought about the future even if
his father survived. After seeing the extent of his father’s injury, he doubted
that his father would be able to work the cattle again. He realized that he
would be the only one who could provide for the family now. The ranch
wasn’t big enough to afford paying even a single ranch hand.
How he could support his parents and three sisters was something that he
had never given a moment’s thought before today. His father had been the
one who had built the ranch and provided for everyone for his entire life.
He’d always respected and loved his father and even when he started
helping him with the ranch work when he was just ten, he had no real
concept of the strength of character it took to care for a family.
He understood how difficult it was for his mother as he’d lived with her
for most of those early years and helped her with each of his sisters after
they arrived. His mother had every bit as much strength as his father and he
counted himself as the luckiest of boys. They’d had their differences over
the years, especially when he reached the terrible teen years, but they
weren’t many. By any standard, his was a happy and close-knit family.
And now his happy and close-knit family would be his responsibility.
_____
 
When they arrived in Yuma after sunset, Garrett had asked Doctor Spohn
if he’d treated any gunshot wounds that day. The doctor had told him that
he had done his best on one man’s shoulder wound and the sheriff had taken
his partner to the jail for questioning.
While his mother and three sisters remained with his father as he was
being examined, Garrett visited Sheriff Yarborough and found the healthy
rustler in one of his two cells.
 The sheriff didn’t explain why he’d arrested him, so Garrett told him of
the gunfight.
Sheriff Tom Yarborough looked back at his prisoner and said, “Well,
mister, it looks like your story just didn’t hold up very long, did it?”
He returned his eyes to Garrett before saying, “I was at home when I got
word that doc had a gunshot wound. I met with this one at the doc’s office
and brought him here while the doc was working on his partner. He said
that he and his partners were jumped by highwaymen, but it didn’t seem
likely, so I tossed him in the cell until I talked to his partner.”
He then turned to his prisoner and asked, “Where’s your other pal?”
Pete Lazlo slowly answered, “Homer died twenty minutes after we rode
off. He was gut shot. We left him and his horse on the way ‘cause I needed
to get Joe to the doc to get patched up.”
“Why’d you try to rustle the cattle?” the sheriff asked.
“We were outta money.”
Sheriff Yarborough turned to Garrett then said, “I’ll keep him here and if
his partner survives, I’ll charge ‘em both.”
“Where is the second one? The doctor said he left before we even got
there.”
Sheriff Yarborough snickered then said, “It looks like your wounded pal
skedaddled and left you holding the bag.”
Pete Lazlo suddenly exclaimed, “
What? He’s not at the doctor’s house?
That bastard! I saved his ass, and he runs off and leaves me!”
The sheriff then asked, “Do you want to chase him down, Garrett?”
“No, sir. I need to help my father and my mother and sisters now.”
“You’re a good man, Garrett. If you need any help, let me know.”
“Thank you, Sheriff. I’m going to check on my father.”
The sheriff nodded and watched as Garrett left the jail and wondered
how he’d be able to handle that ranch on his own. It was a large spread by
area, but the ground was typical for most of the county. So, despite its size,
it couldn’t support that many cattle. It was going to be a tough time for
Garrett Shaw.
 _____
When Garrett reached Doctor Spohn’s house he found the doctor still
working on his father’s extensive injury.
He talked with his mother and three sisters for more than two hours
while the doctor used his skill to repair the hideous damage to his father’s
leg. His mother and sisters were mostly worried about the head of the
family, but he could see the added concern about their future if Amos
couldn’t work any longer.
He shared their concern and hoped that Doctor Spohn was able to keep
his father in the saddle. He could handle running the ranch for a few months
on his own while his father recuperated, but things would have to
dramatically change if his father was permanently crippled.
It was the oldest of his three younger sisters, Harriet, who brought up the
one question he hadn’t even thought about when she asked, “What will
happen between you and Susan if pop can’t work anymore?”
Garrett knew the answer but was too embarrassed to tell anyone, so he
replied, “I don’t know, Harry. Let’s just worry about pop right now.”
Harriet sighed then nodded as she looked at the examination room’s
closed door.
It was another forty minutes before the doctor left the room and
approached the anxious family.
He looked at Annabelle as he said, “Mrs. Shaw, I was able to save your
husband’s leg, but it was close. In addition to the open fracture of his tibia,
which I was able to set, his ankle was dislocated, which is a worse injury.
The ankle will become arthritic which will severely limit his movement and
the lower leg itself will never be as strong as it was.
“He’ll be able to walk but with pain and I’d recommend a wheelchair.
But I’ll leave that decision to you and your husband. He’ll be able to ride a
horse, but under no circumstances should he be engaged in strenuous
activities. Knowing your husband, I imagine that keeping him from trying
to do those things will be difficult. But the pain should be enough to keep
him from hurting himself.”
“When can I see him?” she asked.
 “He’s sleeping now. I had to give him a healthy dose of laudanum before
I even began to work on his leg. Garrett and I will move him to the
bedroom next door where you can stay with him until he awakens. I’ll leave
the bottle of laudanum on the table next to the bed. If he wants more, give
him no more than one teaspoon every four hours.”
“Thank you, Doctor,” Anabelle said before looking at her son.
Garrett smiled at his mother then he and the doctor entered the
examination room to move his father to his bed. After a short talk with his
mother, he left the room to meet with his sisters.
As he sat with his sisters in the lamplit outer room, he said, “Mom is
staying here for the night, so we’ll head back to the house. We’ll return
tomorrow and see how he is.”
Eleven-year-old Alma quietly said, “You have to do everything now,
Garrett.”
Garrett smiled at her and replied, “Let’s go home.”
 CHAPTER 1
October 11, 1874
Yuma County, Arizona Territory
 
Madeleine knew she would die no matter which way she moved, and the
blazing afternoon sun was almost demanding that she change her position
rather than having the back of her neck broiled.
Her light yellow, store-bought cotton dress was already soaked with her
sweat, and the inability to wipe the perspiration that erupted from her
forehead was driving her to the brink of insanity.
Her dark blue eyes stared at the beady eyes of the enormous
diamondback as it flicked its forked tongue and continued his loud warning
to the human who had dared to invade his domain. He was less than six feet
in front of her and she knew he could sink his deadly fangs into her leg if
she even twitched.
The young woman and the large reptile had been engaged in the standoff
for almost three minutes, but to Madeleine, it seemed like an hour.
But as much fear that the snake aroused in her, she was almost equally
frightened about the punishment she’d receive when she ran to their house
and told her parents that she’d been bitten. And that assumed she’d survive
that long. The house was almost a mile away and she wasn’t that big, so the
rattler’s bite could end her life before she even saw her parents again.
That possibility suddenly created a need to start crying and Maddy began
to pray harder than she had ever done before as the snake’s buzzing threat
seemed to grow louder.
She knew that she couldn’t wait much longer because the snake was
cornered in those rocks and couldn’t leave even if it wanted to slither away.
Her legs seemed ready to cramp from staying tense for so long and she
knew she had to make a sudden leap backwards soon or the rattler would be
the one to decide how the confrontation ended.
She took a deep breath and just as she tightened her leg muscles to make
the jump, the snake’s head exploded as the sharp crack of a rifle ricocheted
off the rocks that had hidden him.
Madeleine quickly turned and was startled to see a rider approaching
from the west just fifty feet away. She hadn’t even heard him.
She shielded her eyes from the sun and waited for him to draw near.
When she saw the bright star on his shirt, she knew he wasn’t a threat. He
was as far from a threat as possible. The rider was Garrett Shaw.
Garrett slid his Winchester back into his scabbard as he walked his
buckskin gelding closer to her.
When he was close enough, he pulled Whiskey to a stop and smiled
down at her.
“Hello, Maddy. I think your reptile friend was about to show you how
mad he was.”
“I know. Where have you been? It seems like every time we go to town,
you’re not there. I even stop by the jail to see you. It’s almost as if you’re
avoiding me.”
Garrett grinned as he replied, “I apologize for my absences, Maddy. But
we do have a big county to cover. How long as it been since we last
talked?”
Maddie stepped closer and to her left to keep the sun from her eyes as
she replied, “Three months and two weeks.”
Garrett laughed before he said, ““You should bring a pistol with you
when you do, Miss White. It’s not just rattlesnakes that a pretty young lady
like you should be worried about.”
Despite her recent terror, Madeleine smiled and asked, “Do you think
I’m pretty?”
“You’ve always been pretty and don’t tell me that you don’t know it.
You’ve always been a straight shooter, too.”
 Madeleine smiled as she replied, “I’m sorry for that, but I thought that
you never noticed me. You seemed to be smitten with Sophie all those
years.”
“Sophie overwhelmed me when I was a boy. She was an older woman,
you know.”
Maddy laughed before saying, “By a few months, if I recall. I’m going to
be eighteen in November.”
Garrett nodded, but knew that the friendly chat had to end. He had work
to do and Madeleine was an even bigger danger than the outlaws he was
chasing, but for a very different reason.
He glanced north before asking, “You didn’t happen to see two riders
pass by a little while ago; did you?”
She nodded before answering, “Yes, sir. I thought I saw two men going
north and I wanted to see where they were going. That’s why I’m this far
away from the house.”
“Madeleine, those two men robbed the Yuma-Gila Bend stage yesterday
and shot the driver. You’re lucky that they didn’t see you. Trying to see
where they went wasn’t a very smart thing to do, especially for a young
lady who isn’t even armed. You should have told your father so he could get
ready to protect the family in case they came back. How long ago did they
pass by?”
“About an hour ago. I thought they were just cutting through the back of
our ranch.”
“This isn’t a kind country, Maddy. If the heat and critters don’t get you,
then there are more than enough troublemakers to make your life miserable.
Remember that. Why didn’t you at least ride a horse out here? That rattler
couldn’t do much damage to a horse.”
“I don’t have one. My father and Conroy have the only two riding
horses. We have two mules for the wagon, but no more saddles. Are you
chasing those two men?”
“Yes, ma’am. I’ll probably catch up with them later today. I reckon that
they just heard my Winchester’s bark, so they’ll probably be waiting for
me.”
 “Why are you chasing them alone? Where’s the sheriff?”
“It’s my job, Madeleine. Do you want a ride to your house, or would you
rather just sneak back home and pretend that you hadn’t had any snake
difficulties?”
Madeleine smiled up at him and replied, “I’ll walk home, but thank you
for killing the snake. I was just about to try to run away, but I think he
would have bitten me first.”
“I reckon that’s so. Well, you take care and don’t try to do my job
anymore.”
“I won’t, but don’t keep hiding when I come to town anymore, either.”
“I can’t make any promises, Maddy,” he said with a smile before tipping
his hat and turning to the north to follow the outlaws’ trail.
He was secretly very relieved that she hadn’t accepted his offer for a ride
and not just because of the added delay.
Maddy watched him ride off for a few more minutes before she looked at
the dead snake and shivered despite the oppressive heat, then began
walking back to the ranch house.
_____
After his brief interruption to end the dispute Madeleine White had with
the diamondback, Garrett soon began cutting into the outlaws’ lead.
The wounded driver hadn’t been able to identify the two holdup men, but
one of the passengers thought they might be Jack and Joe Harris. If that was
true, then Garrett would add another two hundred dollars to his personal
bank account. He gave his forty dollars a month salary to his mother to run
the household, but the rewards served a very different purpose. When each
of his sisters married, he wanted to be able to provide them with a good
start to their new lives.
The reward money was the primary reason that he always volunteered to
chase after the bad ones. The secondary reason was that it allowed him to
operate on his own. He wasn’t anti-social, but he discovered early in life
that the best way to learn was from making mistakes. The trick was to avoid
being killed when you made a bad one. He’d been lucky so far and hadn’t
suffered a single gunshot wound. He’d learned a lot in a very short time.
 The Harris brothers were relatively new in Yuma County, if that’s who
they turned out to be. They had been operating up near Phoenix, but after
they’d gunned down the town marshal in White Tanks just west of Phoenix
things must have gotten too hot for them in Maricopa County. Of course,
that wasn’t in reference to the weather as Yuma County was the hottest and
driest county in the country. It seemed as if the blazing sun never left the
sky if it was daytime and the moon seemed brighter, too.
If it was the Millers, then it would explain the unusual path they’d taken
since leaving the site of the holdup. When he’d spotted Madeleine White,
he’d just crossed over a low pass and thought he’d spotted the two men
riding north again but wasn’t sure. If they’d been more familiar with the
land in his corner of the territory, they wouldn’t have headed southwest
after the robbery, and that decision had cost them.
Besides making for a more difficult ride, it also sent them closer to
Yuma, so when the driver first rolled into town and told them what had
happened, Garrett was able to begin the chase with less than a ten-mile gap.
They’d left a clear trail, and Garrett was surprised that they hadn’t tried to
ambush him yet.  After that snake-killing shot, he was sure that now they’d
be waiting for him to ride into their sights.
As he kept Whiskey moving at a good pace, he scanned the many
locations for an ambush but one that was large enough to hide their horses.
When he spotted a site that matched that criterion, he maintained at least a
hundred-yard gap as he passed it.
_____
Jack and Joe Harris knew that Garrett was behind them but had no idea
who he was. They had been searching for a place to ambush the lone
lawman but hadn’t found one that was good enough. As a precaution, they
always assumed that the lawman trailing them was a marksman. If that
turned out to be untrue, so much the better.
“What about that one?” Joe asked as he pointed to a gully to their left.
It wasn’t the gully itself that made it an ideal location, but the stand of
tall cacti that grew on its southern bank about fifty yards west of their
current path. It would hide their horses and still provide them with a clear
shot at the lawman.
 “That’ll work, Joe,” Jack replied, “But let’s ride another hundred yards
past the gully so he won’t see our trail make the turn.”
“Gotcha,” his brother said loudly as they picked up the pace.
After crossing the gully, they kept checking their backtrail until they
made a wide turn back to the west and soon reached the gully again where
they dismounted.
They tied off their horses on a weathered mesquite bush before taking
down their canteens and taking long draws of the warm water then hanging
them back in place. They removed their Winchesters then climbed out of
the gully and stopped behind the cacti. They positioned themselves so they
could see the lawman who should be arriving any minute.
_____
The delay he’d spent with Madeleine White had cost Garrett valuable
time. When the Harris brothers had set up for the ambush, he was still five
miles away. But in this case, that lost time would work to his advantage.
The Miller brothers had expected him to pop into view within twenty
minutes or so, but they still didn’t see him for almost forty-five minutes,
and they were getting antsy. They kept shifting positions to keep from
getting stiff and the sweat was pouring out of every pore. The tall cacti
shadows were stretching across the ground to the east, so they were in
bright sunlight. They couldn’t take off their hats either, so they grew more
uncomfortable with each passing minute.
Garrett was still moving at a good pace, and to their relief, the outlaw
brothers finally spotted him. Neither man had to tell the other to cock his
repeater. They’d let the badge toter get within range then fill the air with
.44s.
Garrett was less than a mile away when he recognized the very nice
location for an ambush and wasn’t about to get within Winchester range of
the stand of cactus. He was well aware that the effective range didn’t mean
that the bullet suddenly hit a wall and dropped to the ground. That hundred
yards was the effective range for killing shots. He had two men with
repeaters who could send their lead messengers from almost double that
range and force him to head back to Yuma with a slug stuck in his carcass.
He wanted these two outlaws and wasn’t about to give them that
opportunity.
He knew that the road that ran to Las Playa was just another two or three
miles east and the ranch that he grew up on was on the other side of that
road. He knew the area well and had even ridden up that gully when he was
a boy. The question was whether the Millers were there or not.
Garrett knew that they didn’t have a packhorse, so they couldn’t go far.
They’d either be on the road already or preparing to kill him. He strongly
suspected that they were going to ambush him, and it would be here.
Garrett left his Winchester where it was, but just let Whiskey start
drifting to his right. If they were behind those cacti, then they wouldn’t
notice the change until it was too late. He’d be a good two hundred yards
east of them when he reached the gully. It would put him on their flank and
then things would become interesting.
He’d faced four other ambushes since taking the deputy job, and each
one was different. The biggest variable was always the skills and character
of the men planning the ambush. If those two were the Miller brothers, then
he knew that they were good at what they did. He just hoped that they
would have some measure of anxiety when they realized that their ambush
had been spotted.
_____
Joe and Jack still hadn’t noticed that Garrett was angling away yet as
they watched him draw closer. They didn’t need to talk because they’d
grown up together and each could almost read the other’s mind.
So, when Garrett was just four hundred yards out and Joe realized that he
wasn’t getting as close as he should, he still didn’t mention it to Jack. He
should have said something because his brother hadn’t spotted the shift.
It was when Garrett was getting closer to the gully and the range had
stopped shrinking altogether that Jack finally realized their dilemma.
He quietly exclaimed, “He’s goin’ wide!”
Joe turned his eyes away from the lawman to look at his brother and
replied, “I thought you were gonna tell us to move!”
“Damn it! We can’t let him get into the gully. We’d be in trouble!”
 “Let’s get down there!” Joe snapped before quickly trotting back down
into the gully as Jack followed.
Once on the dry riverbed, they both flopped onto their stomachs and
aimed their Winchesters down the gully waiting for the lawman to ride
down its bank. He’d be around two hundred yards away, but they’d hit
targets further than that before and his horse made for a bigger target.
_____
Because he’d been watching the small cactus forest, Garrett had seen the
flash of color which told him that they had probably moved into the gully
and were now waiting for him in a modified ambush.
He slowed Whiskey and then shifted his direction to the left. He was just
fifty yards from the nearest tall cactus when he pulled his Winchester and
dismounted. He didn’t have much time before they became suspicious
because of the delay, so he stepped as quickly as possible toward the cacti
and cocked his repeater as he did.
Garrett was very good at moving quickly and quietly over the desert
ground and hoped to be able to get behind them. With two of them, it was
possible that one was facing east and the other had his Winchester aimed
west, so he knew he was taking a risk. But it wasn’t as bad as the one he
would have taken if he’d ridden into the gully.
_____
Joe and Jack had their repeaters pointed east and their sweat was
dripping onto their rifles as they waited for the lawman to make his
appearance. Each of them shared the same concern when the lawman hadn’t
appeared after two minutes and began to believe that the sheriff or deputy
had pulled up trying to look for an ambush. Neither suspected that the
deputy was quietly passing them on the other side of the cacti.
Their concern was shattered in the worst way they could imagine when
they heard a deep voice behind them shout, “Drop the rifles, boys! I’m
Yuma County Deputy Sheriff Garrett Shaw and my Winchester is cocked
and ready to fire.”
The brothers didn’t move as they independently examined their limited
options.
 In that brief period, Garrett said, “The driver didn’t die, so we only have
you for robbery and attempted murder. You might live if you toss those
Winchesters aside, but you’ll both die if you do anything else.”
Joe and Jack knew that it wasn’t what they had done in Yuma County
that would get them hanged. It would be for the other crimes that had put
the price on their heads. But each of them realized that if they were able to
get the best of the deputy, it wouldn’t be with their Winchesters and it
wouldn’t be now.
“Alright, Deputy,” Joe said as he tossed his cocked Winchester aside.
“Okay,” echoed Jack as he did the same.
Garrett wasn’t surprised that they’d given up so easily because he was
sure that they hadn’t given up at all. They still had their pistols, but he
thought it was also likely that each had another hidden weapon. Neither
wore a jacket or even a vest, but they could be carrying a derringer in their
pockets or boots. He’d have to be very careful with this pair. But his
Winchester wasn’t his preferred weapon at this range or this situation.
He left his Winchester cocked, but transferred it to his left hand and
pulled his Colt ’73 then cocked its hammer.
“I assume that you are the Harris brothers. Jack, you’re older, so slowly
stand but keep facing down the gully. When you’re on your feet, release
your hammer loop with your left thumb and using your left hand slowly lift
your hogleg from the holster and let it go.”
“Alright,” Jack replied as he pushed himself from the ground then
released his hammer loop.
He was depending on Joe to understand his part in their desperate play as
he slowly began to reach for his Colt with his left hand.
As he lay on his belly, Joe couldn’t see the deputy, but as soon as Jack
had popped his hammer loop free, he suddenly and violently reached for his
pistol.
Garrett wasn’t paying that much attention to Joe because his pistol was
still locked down and if he wanted to make a play, he’d have to free his
Colt, then turn and find his target. Garrett already had his sights on Jack, so
when Joe lurched for his tethered pistol, Garrett ignored him.
 When Jack suddenly snatched his own Colt, Garrett just squeezed his
trigger.
The .44 spun down the barrel and a tiny fraction of a second later, ripped
through the left side of Jack Harris’ chest, just above his heart.
Jack screamed as he spun counterclockwise and the pistol that had barely
cleared leather flew through the air and rammed muzzle first into the dry
gully floor.
Even as Jack had begun to pirouette to the ground, Joe had freed his
pistol and was drawing it from his holster. As Jack screamed, Joe spent a
heartbeat to look at his older brother before he tried to target the deputy.
That short delay probably didn’t matter as Garrett had already cocked his
Colt’s hammer after firing then shifted his pistol’s front iron sight three
inches to the left. When he saw Joe’s pistol in his hand, he took a moment
before he squeezed the trigger for the second time in a few seconds.
Joe was cocking his hammer when Garrett’s bullet hammered into the
center of his chest, shattering his breastbone and exploding his heart’s aortic
arch. He didn’t scream as his brother had but simple opened his mouth and
dropped to his knees for two seconds before falling face down into the
gully.
Jack had stopped screaming by the time his brother fell, so all was silent
again just a minute after Garrett had shouted his warning.
Deputy Sheriff Shaw took a deep breath then blew it out before stepping
down into the gully.
He picked up both Winchesters and after releasing their hammers,
returned them to their horses’ scabbards. He pulled their gunbelts, inserted
the Colts into their holsters and after rolling their gunbelts into a ball, put
one into each of their saddlebags.
It took him another ten minutes to get both men hung over their saddles
before he drank both of their canteens dry then whistled for Whiskey.
After his Morgan arrived, he made a trail rope to both horses and
mounted.
It was late in the day, and he still had another few hours’ ride ahead of
him but at least he wouldn’t have to worry about prisoners.
 _____
“
What were you thinking?
” Kristi White snapped as she stared at her
younger daughter.
“I was out in the west pastures and saw two men ride over the pass and
then turn north, so I was wondering where they were going.”
Kristi looked at her husband and waited for him to take over the tongue-
lashing.
Mike hoped that he wasn’t going to be needed in the disciplinary
interrogation as he was secretly proud of Maddy. Besides, mothers handled
daughter problems and fathers took care of son issues…or so he thought.
As her husband seemed reluctant to add his voice to the dressing down,
Kristi looked at him and barely raised her eyebrows as a mild wifely threat
of the consequences if he remained silent.
Mike finally turned his eyes to their daughter and said, “Maddy, that was
a dangerous thing to do. Anyone who comes over that pass is probably up
to no good. You should have just come here and told me what you saw.”
“That’s what Garrett said,” Madeleine replied which she knew would
shift the topic away from her mistake and onto a subject that she wanted to
discuss.
Her mother said, “I hope you thanked him for saving you from being
snake bit.”
“I did, Mama. We talked for a few minutes after he shot the snake and he
seemed to finally notice me.”
Mike was relieved that his role in the combined chastisement was over
as he said, “You’ve known him for most of your life, Madeleine. Why are
you surprised that he noticed you?”
Kristi rolled her eyes before smiling at Maddy and saying, “You’ve
always wanted him to notice you that way; didn’t you?”
Madeleine didn’t blush or feel embarrassed in the least as she replied,
“I’m not ashamed to admit it, Mama.”
Her mother said, “You know that he probably won’t marry anyone for a
long time; don’t you?”
 Maddy nodded then said, “I can be patient, Mama.”
“It would be the first time, young lady.”
She then looked at her mother and said, “When we go to town on
Monday, I’m going to talk to Garrett.”
Kristi wasn’t sure how committed Garrett was about delaying his future
but knew how determined her younger daughter was. If anyone could
convince him to add to the Shaw family sooner than he had planned, it was
Maddy.
Kristi smiled and kissed her husband before standing and saying, “Let’s
get supper started, Maddy.”
Madeleine was still planning as she popped up from her chair then
trotted to the cookstove and opened the firebox door.
_____
It was well after sunset when Garrett rode into Yuma. He didn’t bother
going to the jail but continued down Main Street until he reached Butler
Brothers Funeral Home and Mortuary. He dismounted then stepped around
the side of the building and knocked on the back door.
After a few minutes, a lamp was lit inside, and the door opened.
“Sorry to bother you so late, George, but I have a couple of bodies out
front. Can I at least leave them on your tables?”
“Sure, Garrett. I’ll go open the back doors.”
“I appreciate it,” Garrett replied before walking back to the front of the
mortuary, untying the trail rope and leading the two horses around to the
back.
George Butler had opened the wide doors when he arrived then helped
him unload the bodies and set them on two of the four preparation tables.
Garrett hated the smell of formaldehyde.
He checked their pockets before leaving and didn’t find anything
interesting, just a total of sixteen dollars and thirty-one cents between the
two brothers. He suspected that the loot from the coach robbery was in their
saddlebags.
 “Charge their burial to the county, George,” Garrett said before turning
and leaving the mortuary.
He led the two empty horses back to the front of the mortuary and after
mounting Whiskey again, he rode back to the jail where he stepped down.
He pulled both sets of saddlebags and the rifles from the outlaws’ horses
before unlocking the door and entering the jail.
Garrett set the saddlebags on the floor then laid both Winchesters on the
desk before lighting one of the two lamps in the front office.
He was hungry and thirsty, but he wanted to see if there was any
identification on the two men. They hadn’t denied who they were before
they pulled their pistols, so he was sure that they were the Miller brothers.
But written proof was always preferable when rewards were offered.
He found what they’d stolen from the stage in one of the saddlebags and
after taking out their pistols, he found ammunition, clothes and some trail
food, but little else.
He sighed and thought about going home for the night, but it was close
to midnight and he didn’t want to wake anyone. He’d see everyone at
breakfast after he’d talked to the boss.
He stood and stretched before he walked out of the jail then led all three
horses east. He only had to walk one block to JJ’s Livery and once inside,
he didn’t bother waking Javier Juarez. He needed his sleep, too.
He unsaddled Whiskey first and after letting him enter his preferred stall
to drink and empty the oat bucket, he began unsaddling the other two
animals. As he did, he examined them in the low light and thought that
maybe he’d bring both of them to the White ranch tomorrow. Madeleine
had said that her father and brother-in-law had the only riding horses, so
that meant that she and her brother didn’t have their own mounts. As much
as he’d been trying to avoid Madeleine, seeing her again for those few
minutes made him decide that he could probably survive another meeting.
Despite his need for food, water and sleep, Garrett laughed lightly as he
continued to strip the horses. He knew it had been a while since he’d talked
to Madeleine and it had only taken that brief conversation to remind him
how much he enjoyed spending time with her when they lived just a few
miles away. They had been close for years, but he had always thought of
her as a friend. It was because her older sister Sophie had been the focus of
his teenage boy lust.
But in the last couple of years, she had gone from pretty girl to a well-
formed and even prettier young woman. As much as he still enjoyed talking
with her, that change in her appearance made her dangerous. Seeing her as a
desirable young woman meant that he needed to start avoiding her. It was
almost as if he was being forced to do penance for some momentous sin
that he couldn’t even recall.
The memories of those almost weekly visits with the White family
where he and Madeleine had chatted as friends reminded him of another
loss that he’d suffered that day when the three rustlers had almost destroyed
the Shaw family.
As he pulled the saddle blanket from one of the horses, he recalled the
consequences of that encounter which still reverberated each day.
His father had refused the very idea of a wheelchair and didn’t even like
to be seen with his cane. After almost three months of convalescence, his
father finally joined him as he worked with the herd but couldn’t manage to
do anything but hand ropes, canteens of water or pigging strings to his son.
He hated sitting in his saddle watching his only son do the work that he
should be doing.
His mother and sisters tried their hardest to keep him from become a
depressed, angry man. A man who was totally different from the cheerful
Amos Shaw they knew before that dreadful day.
It was only four months before his parents had to face the obvious and
had told him that they were going to sell the ranch and move into town.
They got a decent price for the ranch which allowed them to buy a good-
sized house. Garrett had taken the sheriff’s offer and had become his deputy
to provide income for the family.
His father had remained morose and bitter after they’d moved into the
new house and his mother had started taking in sewing to supplement the
family income which seemed to make his father even more depressed.
Garrett’s first rewards showed up just four months after he started
working as a deputy. With each deposit, he would estimate how large his
balance would need to be by the time Harriet married. As each of his three
sisters wed, the balance would drop. He didn’t see it as a dowry. He simply
wanted to ensure that each of them was able to set up her own household
regardless of her new husband’s financial situation.
For two months after he began work as a deputy sheriff, Garrett had tried
to think of something that could return his father’s spirit and good nature.
He’d suggested all sorts of different jobs that could be done while sitting
but none were well received.
His father usually snapped, “Why don’t you just make me start doing
crochet?”
He thought that he’d never find his answer until one evening after he’d
arrested a pair of inebriated brawlers. They had pulled their pistols and
started firing at each other in the barroom of The Western Corner Saloon.
Nobody had been hit, but they’d caused a lot of damage and panic.
After tossing the two men in jail, Sheriff Yarborough commented that he
wished they had a jailer. The county wasn’t about to let him hire a new
deputy.
Garrett had asked the sheriff if his father could do the job. He wouldn’t
have to be paid and he’d have to convince his father to take the position but
thought it might work.
His boss had readily agreed and when Garrett had asked his father about
working as the jailer, he expected an argument because he wasn’t going to
be paid. But his father had been excited with the opportunity to be useful.
After just a few days on the job, his warm, smiling father had returned to
the Shaw family and his mother and sisters couldn’t have been happier.
Each day he was working in Yuma, he’d spend time with his father at the
office and when he returned after a job out in the enormous county, he’d
share the story with him. He knew that it made his father feel as part of the
lawman team rather than just a man at the desk. His arthritis was painful
and obstructive but wearing the badge and being part of the office kept him
lively and happy.
The sheriff and Rollie North both thoroughly enjoyed having him in the
office, aside from saving them from doing much of the paperwork. His
father revealed many of Garrett’s misdeeds when he was young, and they
never let their fellow lawman live them down.
 Garrett believed that it was the best decision he’d ever make, but as he
left the livery to return to the jail, he knew it would be empty. His father
was with his mother and sisters in their family home, and it was Garrett’s
job to do all he could to provide for them and keep them safe. They were
his family and his responsibility.
When he entered the dark office, he closed the door and didn’t bother
lighting a lamp as he made his way to the back room and after washing off
some of the trail dust, he stripped and crawled onto the small cot. He was
asleep in minutes.
_____
Amos Shaw hobbled through the doorway of the jail early the next
morning. He knew he was early, but he was hoping to find his deputy son
sleeping in the back room. He left the door open knowing that the heat
would soon arrive. Amos then sat behind the desk and slid his cane into the
rifle scabbard that the sheriff had attached to the wall behind the desk for
his use.
He wasn’t about to cut Garrett’s sleep short as he was sure that his son
had probably returned late last night or early this morning. He found two
sets of saddlebags on the floor and two Winchesters on the desk, so he
knew that Garrett had come out ahead in the gunfight because there were no
prisoners in the cells.
Garrett’s Winchester ’73 was in the rack above his cane’s scabbard and
his gunbelt was hanging from the peg he used when he was sleeping. Amos
stood and removed both of his son’s weapons before returning to his
familiar seat.
He checked Garrett’s Colt and found two used shells, so he emptied all
of the cylinders and then opened the bottom right-hand drawer to remove
the cleaning fluid and rags. He suspected that the sound of his work
combined with the pungent odor of the fluid would soon awaken Garrett.
He was sure that his son would realize that his almost useless father was at
work cleaning his guns.
After reloading the pistol, he began to clean Garrett’s Winchester when
his son stepped out from the back room stretching his long arms as he
yawned. He was barefoot and wearing just his dirty britches.
 “Good morning, Pop,” Garrett said before he asked, “Doing what I
should have done after I returned?”
Amos smiled at Garrett as he replied, “I thought I taught you better than
to leave your guns dirty before you crawled into bed.”
“It was only a few hours ago, Pop. But thank you for taking care of it.”
“What happened?” Amos asked as he continued to ram the wad of
cleaning cloth down the Winchester’s barrel.
Garrett took a seat on the nearby chair and gave his father the same
verbal report he’d soon give to Sheriff Yarborough when he arrived.
His stomach was in open revolt as he described the chase and the
incident, including meeting Madeleine White as she faced down an angry
diamondback. He’d head home for a delayed breakfast after his boss and
fellow deputy arrived. He’d ask Sheriff Yarborough about the Miller
brothers’ horses, too.
By the time he finished his narrative, his Winchester was clean and
reloaded, and his father asked, “I’m guessing that these two rifles belong to
the Miller boys?”
“Yes, sir. I’ll clean them in a little while. But I was going to ask the boss
if I could give their horses, guns and tack to the Whites.”
“I reckon he won’t care what you do with them, but why would you give
them to Mike’s family?”
“When I talked to Madeleine, she mentioned that they only had two
horses and two mules. We don’t need them, and I think that they could put
them to better use.”
His father grinned as he said, “Maddy has grown into a handsome young
lady.”
Garrett nodded as he replied, “I noticed that quite some time ago, Pop. I
would have talked with her a bit longer, but I had to chase down the Miller
boys.”
“You didn’t see anyone else from her family?”
“No, sir. She was a good mile from the house. I offered to give her a ride
back to the house, but I was pleased that she told me that she’d rather just
walk. I didn’t want to lose any more time chasing the Miller boys to
ground.”
His father smiled as he asked, “Are you sure that wasn’t the only reason
you didn’t want young Maddy snuggled up against you?”
Garrett laughed as he stood and said, “I need to get cleaned up and fully
dressed before our boss arrives.”
Amos was snickering as Garrett returned to the back room, then picked
up one of the Miller brothers’ Winchester Yellowboys and began to clean
the carbine.
Sheriff Tom Yarborough arrived just ten minutes later and the moment
he saw Amos at the desk cleaning one of the two Winchesters he knew that
Garrett had returned after eliminating the two outlaws.
He was removing his hat as he stepped closer to the desk then pointed to
the floor and asked, “Are those their saddlebags?”
Amos nodded and replied, “Yes, sir. Garrett’s in back and he wasn’t
wounded. Both of the Millers are at the mortuary.”
Tom snorted as he hung his hat just before a fully clothed Garrett
emerged from the back room.
“Good morning, Tom,” Garrett said, “I caught up with the Miller boys
about four hours’ ride east. They were setting up an ambush and I had them
on the ground. But I reckon that they didn’t want to hang for their other
crimes, so Jack tried to sneak off a shot. I put one slug into him, then Joe
tried his luck while I was facing his brother, but that didn’t work out well
for him either.”
The sheriff nodded as he picked up one set of saddlebags and after a
brief search through the contents, set it down and picked up the second.
He found the stolen cash from the stage robbery but not the large amount
of loot that he’d expected to find.
He looked at Garrett and asked, “Is that all they had?”
“I found a total of sixteen dollars and thirty-one cents on their bodies,
and I put that fortune in the middle desk drawer. I couldn’t find any
identification, though.”
 “You didn’t look hard enough,” Sheriff Yarborough said as he showed
Garrett the underside of the saddlebags.
“It only says ‘Jack’, boss.”
“And the other set probably has ‘Joe’ scrawled into the leather. That and
the matching description from those wanted posters will be enough. I
reckon that they hid most of their stash somewhere. We may never find it,
either.”
As Deputy Sheriff Rollie North entered the jail, the sheriff said, “Garrett,
why don’t you head home and get something into your stomach. The
growling is annoying. You can write your report when you get back.”
“Thanks, Tom. I already told my father the whole story, so he can fill
you in. I was also wondering if I could give their horses, tack and guns to
the White family. I tracked the Millers past their ranch and Madeleine
White gave me valuable information. She also mentioned that she didn’t
have a horse, so I figured they could make better use of them than the
county could.”
“It’s up to you, Garrett. Are they over at JJ’s?”
“Yes, sir. I don’t know how much blood is on the saddles, but I should be
able to clean them reasonably well.”
“I’ll bring the stolen loot from the robbery to Al Morton at Overland, but
I’ll hang onto their saddlebags. I’ll send wires to the ones who offered the
rewards after I check on the bodies.”
He then turned to his older deputy and said, “Rollie, after we get more
details from Amos, go and tell Mister James, our illustrious prosecutor,
what happened. He’ll probably be miffed that he won’t be able to make a
thundering oration to the jury about the evil Miller brothers, but somebody
has to tell him.”
Rollie snickered before saying, “You’re a mean old man, Tom.”
“I’m not that old, Deputy North. I can still kick your ass even at my ripe
old age.”
Garrett walked to the pegged wall behind the desk, removed his gunbelt,
strapped it on and was still smiling as he turned and left the jail. He may
have his family back at the house, but he still thought of Tom Yarborough
and Rollie North as his second family.
Each of his fellow lawmen was married. The sheriff now lived alone
with his wife Mary. His one adult son had married and moved his family to
California and his two daughters had both married within the past year.
Rollie had married Fannie Colbert three years ago and they had a two-
year-old boy named Arthur. She hadn’t conceived again, and Rollie was
concerned.
His stomach was issuing wild threats as he walked east on Main Street
but delayed giving into those demands as he turned into JJ’s Livery.
“Hola, Javier,” he said loudly as he walked into the large barn and
shifted into Spanish which every native-born Anglo of Yuma County
learned if they wanted to get things done.
Javier turned and grinned at him as he replied in his native tongue,
“Good morning to you too, Garrett. I see you left two new horses for me.”
Garrett continued to walk toward Javier as he replied, “They belonged to
the Miller brothers who are now resting at the mortuary. I assume it’s not in
peace.”
“I thought that to be true when I found blood on the saddles. I cleaned
them, so the stain is gone.”
“Thank you, Javier. I’ll pick up the bill for the horses and I’ll probably
be taking them away in a little while. How are their shoes?”
“The gelding is fine, but the chocolate mare needs a new set. She’s a
pretty lady.”
“I’ll agree with you. Give the pretty lady some new footwear and the
better of the two saddles. Whiskey will probably need to be reshod soon,
but I reckon I can go another couple of weeks.”
“Maybe a month if you don’t keep riding over bad ground.”
“I only go where the evil men go, Javier.”
“I’m glad you got those two. They were real trouble.”
“So, am I. I’ll see you in a couple of hours or so,” Garrett said as he
stepped closer to Whiskey and patted his flank.
 He then waved to Javier who was already walking to his stash of
horseshoes to find the right size for the mare.
_____
As he ate his large breakfast, he told his mother and sisters about the
chase and confrontation with the Miller brothers.
When he finished both his breakfast and his story at the same time, the
oldest of his younger sisters, Harriet smiled and asked, “So, now you’re
going to ride all the way to the White ranch just to give Madeleine a horse?
Are you planning on calling on her, big brother?”
Garrett grinned as he replied, “No, Miss Shaw, I am making better use of
the animals than the county would if I turned them over to the politicians. I
haven’t seen Maddy in a while. Have you talked to her or any of her family
lately?”
“No, but I don’t spend my days meeting the townsfolk like you do,
either.”
“You seem to be spending a lot of time with one of the townsfolk
recently. How are things at the Smith home?”
Harriet blushed before she answered. “If you must know, sir, things are
going quite well. In fact, I believe that Wendall is about to propose.”
His youngest sister, twelve-year-old Beatrice giggled and said, “Then
you’ll have one less mouth to feed, Garrett. Alma seems to be interested in
Billy Jenkins, too. Maybe she’ll even get married before Harry does.”
Garrett looked at Alma who had passed Harriet’s pink and journeyed
into a solid red but didn’t comment. Alma would be celebrating her
fifteenth birthday in November and Garrett was almost stunned when Betty
had joked about her being seriously interested in a boy.
Annabelle stopped the conversation about their social lives when she
asked, “Are you going to be able to go that far and return before sunset?”
“I think so, but it will depend on how long I stay, too. I’ll probably just
sneak into my room when I get back. I don’t think it’ll be that late and I
won’t have to drop bodies off at the mortician or horses off at JJ’s.”
“Well, you’d better get back to the office and write your report. We’ll see
you tonight or tomorrow morning.”
 “Yes, ma’am,” Garrett replied before standing and kissing each of his
sisters on their foreheads before pecking his mother on the cheek.
“Good luck, Garrett,” Harriet said as he headed for the hallway and
waved without looking back.
 CHAPTER 2
It was late in the midmorning when he led the two saddled horses east
out of Yuma. His report hadn’t taken long to write and by the time he
finished, Rollie had moved the Miller brothers’ Winchesters and saddlebags
with their gunbelts to JJ’s, so after he finished writing, he didn’t have to
spend much time moving gear or saddling horses.
He had paid Javier for shoeing the mare before he left and had Whiskey
moving at a medium trot as he rode east facing the ball of fire in the sky.
It had been a four-hour ride when he had led the two horses to Yuma last
night, but that had been over harsh ground. It may have been closer, but the
difficult terrain had cost him time. This time, he’d be following the road
that led to Phoenix until he took the right turn on the southern road to Las
Playa. The road that ran in front of the White’s ranch dipped into Mexico
thirty miles further south before returning to U.S. territory.
It was around noon when he made the turn and headed south. He had
less than an hour’s ride remaining and had filled two canteens when he left
town, He’d watered all of the horses at the Gila River before making the
turn, so they’d be fine for the rest of the ride. It was one of the first lessons
when going anywhere in Arizona Territory: carry as much water as you can
and water your horses whenever possible.
Soon after reaching the Las Playa road, he passed his old ranch that was
now owned by the Runnel family. They had a married son and a younger
son to work the herd, but he didn’t know them that well.
It was just a few minutes later when he caught sight of the White’s main
ranch house.
He knew that there was a smaller house on the other side that he couldn’t
see but could make out the barn’s roof. He spotted two riders with the small
herd in the distance to the right of the barn, but they were too far away for
him to identify. He assumed it was Mike White and either his son Ellis, or
his son-in-law, Conroy Gregory.
 By the time that he turned onto the White’s access road, he had identified
the two men with the herd as Mike White and his son-in-law Conroy. He
remembered that Conroy bristled when anyone tried to shorten his Christian
name to Con. He could understand why he felt that way as it was just one
short syllable away from ex-Con.
He lost sight of the two men when he approached the house and wasn’t
sure if Mike was going to arrive to find out why Garrett had returned just a
day after the rattlesnake incident but assumed that he would.
Mike White’s three buildings were all framed lumber which was unusual
for the area, but he hadn’t spent a dime for the boards. Mike had heard
about a ghost town tucked into the nearby Sierra de la Gila Mountains and
had been raiding its dry, used lumber since finding it. Most of the empty
structures in the abandoned town were adobe, but enough of them had been
constructed of pine boards to give him the material to build his own house
and barn.
His father had helped with the work and then Mike had brought more
lumber to the Shaw ranch and had helped to build a bigger barn. Then when
Sophie accepted Conroy, he’d taken the last two wagon loads from the
abandoned settlement to build the smaller house.
Because Mike’s father was a carpenter, he’d learned the techniques
necessary to construct the houses and barn, but his first love was still
running his own ranch. The skills to build things may have been secondary,
but it was a handy talent to have in reserve. Garrett wasn’t sure if it would
have helped his father to have those skills, but he was glad that he’d
arranged for him to work as the jailer.
When he pulled Whiskey to a stop, he didn’t call to the house for
permission to dismount. It wasn’t because he was a deputy sheriff, but that
he was a friend of the family.
He didn’t have to announce his arrival anyway as Kristi White soon
stepped through the open doorway with Madeleine close behind.
As he dismounted, she smiled as she asked, “What brings you all the
way out here so soon again, Garrett?”
He was tying off Whiskey as he answered, “Maddy mentioned yesterday
that she didn’t have a horse. So, after these two were donated by their
former owners, I thought your helpful daughter would appreciate having
this pretty chocolate mare.”
Before her mother could reply, Maddy quickly trotted past then hurried
down the steps and soon stood beside the handsome mare.
She had been stunned when she’d heard her mother announce that she’d
just spotted Garrett riding down the access road. She’d hastily arranged her
dark blonde hair and straightened her dress before she jogged behind her
mother. But when she stepped onto the porch, she found herself unable to
speak as she stared at Garrett with new hope. She thought he was avoiding
her yet now he’d ridden all this way to visit.
When she heard him say that he’d brought the pretty mare for her, her
hopes exploded before she made her hurried dash down the porch steps. As
she rubbed the horse’s neck, she thought more about the man who had
brought the mare than she did about the horse.
Garrett smiled at her mother before turning to find Maddy with her new
horse. He had expected to see her admiring the mare but was surprised to
find her blue eyes focused on him.
“She’s beautiful, Garrett. Thank you for giving her to me.”
“You’re welcome, Maddy. I’m sure that Ellis will be happy with the
gelding, too. Where is Ellis? I saw your father and brother-in-law out with
the herd.”
“He’s in Sophie’s house building a shelf. He wanted to do it to show my
father that he could do something more than just watch over stupid cows.
That’s what he said, anyway.”
“Do you want to go and tell him the good news?”
Before she could answer, Mike and Conroy appeared as they passed
from behind the southeastern corner of the house.
Mike waited until they were closer before he said, “I didn’t expect to see
you so soon, Garrett. What’s with the horses?”
Madeleine quickly answered, “He brought one for me and the gelding is
for Ellis.”
Mike dismounted, then removed his gloves before shaking Garrett’s
hand and asking. “You rode all the way out here to give them horses?”
 “Madeleine said she didn’t have one and I figured Ellis could have the
second one. I didn’t have buy them, and I didn’t want to keep paying Javier
to keep them stabled. I figured you could use the Winchesters, too. I
imagine that Ellis doesn’t have one yet. There is a Colt and gunbelt in each
of the saddlebags as well as two boxes of .45 caliber Long Colt ammunition
for the pistols and two boxes of .44s for the Winchesters.”
“I appreciate the gifts and I’m more than happy to have the added
firepower.”
Kristi interrupted the conversation when she said, “Mike, that sun is
going to roast each of you. Let’s go inside and Garrett, you can talk with
Maddy while I finish making lunch.”
Mike grinned and said, “Yes, ma’am,” before he walked his gelding to
the hitchrail and tied him off.
Conroy said, “I’m going to head home and see how Sophie is doing. Did
you want me to tell Ellis about the horse and guns, Mike?”
“No. Just check on that shelf he’s building and send him over for lunch.
He’ll see the horses and probably figure out that Garrett is here, but I
reckon we can surprise him when we tell him why he brought them.”
Conroy nodded then mounted and turned his gelding away from the
house to make the short ride to his smaller home.
Maddy quickly climbed the two steps to the small porch and followed
her mother inside while Garrett and Mike followed at a slower pace.
After they passed through the open doorway, they removed their hats and
hung them from nearby pegs before walking into the main room.
Rather than follow his wife and younger daughter into the kitchen, Mike
took a seat in one of the three chairs and Garrett parked in the one closest to
him.
“So, why are you glad for the additional firepower, Mike?”
“After Maddy ran afoul of that rattlesnake yesterday, I wished that each
of them had a gun with them when they were away from the house. I was
already figuring out how much I could afford to spend even on used ones.”
“Then I’m glad I brought the guns. I almost left them at the office.”
 “Thanks, Garrett, I hope…”
His expression of gratitude was interrupted when his eighteen-year-old
son Ellis bounded through the door and yanked off his hat. He spotted
Garrett and grinned. He had been hoping that there weren’t three visitors in
the room, so when he only found Garrett sitting next to his father, he
already had a good idea why he’d come to visit for the first time in years.
He grinned and said, “Hello, Garrett. I haven’t seen you in a long time.”
Garrett stood and shook his hand as he replied, “It’s good to see you
again, Ellis. You’re almost as tall as your father now.”
Ellis glanced at his smiling father before saying, “I still need to put on
some weight, though. Why did you bring the horses and rifles?”
“They were property of the Miller brothers until yesterday afternoon.
They no longer have need of any worldly goods anymore, so I brought them
with me. Your father said that he’d give one to Madeleine and the other to
your mother.”
Ellis’ hopes lay in pieces on the floor as he looked at his father in
dismay.
When Mike started laughing, his son’s shattered hopes suddenly
reassembled as if it was a completed jigsaw puzzle before he looked back at
Garrett.
Garrett chuckled before saying, “Sorry, Ellis. I had to have a little fun.
The chocolate mare is for Maddy and the gelding is yours. I’m sure that
your father won’t object if you get one of the Winchesters and one of the
Colts in the saddlebags, either.”
“Did they belong to those outlaws, too?”
“Yes, sir. I assume you’ve shot both types of guns before.”
“Yes, sir. I’ve used my father’s Winchester, the shotgun and his Colt
Walker.”
“Good. Both of the pistols are the ’73 model and use .45 caliber
cartridges, so I’ll let your father decide who gets which pistol.”
Mike stood as he said, “I’ll take one of the new ones and I’ll let you have
the other. Conroy already has a pistol, so I’ll give my Walker to Maddy. She
can have the other Winchester, too. Knowing her as well as I do, I suspect
that she’ll be riding her new mare all over the county and I’ll feel better if
she’s armed.”
“Can she shoot, Mike?” Garrett asked.
“Of course, she can. She may not have had a lot of practice because I
can’t afford to waste ammunition, but everyone in the family can use each
of the guns.”
“Good. Tell her to avoid snakes, though. She seems to attract them.”
As Mike and Ellis laughed, Maddy entered the room and said, “Some of
those snakes have legs, too.”
Her father, brother and Garrett all turned to see her smiling face as she
said, “Lunch is ready, gentlemen.”
Mike and Ellis both passed Madeleine as she stood in place until Garrett
started to follow. When he was close enough, she took his arm and walked
beside him.
Garrett had been surprised when she did and when they entered the
narrow hallway, he found himself uncomfortable having her pressed tightly
against his side.
No one else in the family seemed to even notice when they entered the
kitchen just ten seconds later, but he was still relieved when she released his
arm.
As they shared the quick lunch that didn’t require adding the cookstove’s
heat to the already stifling room, Madeleine asked him about his family.
She wanted to know just how committed he was to his decision to postpone
starting his own family.
He thought that her family just needed an update on his family because
of the infrequent visits that the Whites made to Yuma. So, he described
recent changes with his parents and three younger sisters but then made the
mistake of telling her that Harriet might be getting married soon.
After he’d released that tidbit, Madeleine took a sip of water and bluntly
asked, “What about you, Garrett? Aren’t you ever going to start your own
family?”
 Kristi was startled that Maddy had asked such a personal question so
soon after he’d arrived, but Mike hadn’t been surprised at all. Madeleine
had never been one to be subtle. Yet even though each of them knew why
he hadn’t even visited a woman since he’d moved to Yuma, he waited for
Garrett to reply.
“I will one of these days, but not anytime soon.”
“And you still don’t know how long that will be?” Maddy asked.
“No, ma’am. I’m happy with what I’m doing for my family and I know
that each of them appreciates it. It’s no less than you or Ellis would do for
your family if your father was in the same situation. It’s just a responsibility
we have to care for those we love. I was fortunate to be able to get a good
job so quickly after we had to sell the ranch.”
Madeleine wasn’t pleased with his answer because she thought that after
he had seen her as a young woman, he might at least modify his
commitment. But he was right when he said that she or Ellis would follow a
similar path that he had taken if her father was incapacitated. She just didn’t
know what she could do to provide for the family if it happened. At least
Ellis was fully grown and between him and Conroy, they could keep the
ranch working and providing income for the family.
She wished that she had skills to do more. Until now, she’d enjoyed her
almost tomboy life, but her mother had taught her all she needed to keep a
home for her own family.
After they finished eating, Garrett thought that it might be safer to head
back to Yuma sooner than he had anticipated. Maddy’s questions had been
an obvious indicator of her intent and he wasn’t about to tempt fate more
than he already had by bringing the horses.
He stood and said, “I’ve got to start back. I promised my mother that I
wouldn’t be waking everyone when I snuck into the house.”
Maddy quickly said, “But you haven’t even talked to Sophie. I know
she’ll be disappointed if you didn’t.”
Garrett’s escape plans were shattered with Madeleine’s valid argument,
so he replied, “You’re right, Maddy. I’ll head over to her house before I
go.”
 Madeleine hopped to her feet and before he took a step, she had latched
onto his arm again.
Mike glanced at his wife with raised eyebrows before he stood and took
her hand.
They followed Garrett and Madeleine down the hallway and Mike
wondered what Garrett was thinking as his younger daughter was letting
him know of her intentions. He already knew what Kristi was thinking.
After leaving the house, Garrett was hoping that Maddy would release
her death grip, but she didn’t. It was only about a hundred-yard walk to the
smaller Gregory house, but each step made him almost painfully aware of
Madeleine’s presence.
He soon spotted Sophie and her smaller family on her front porch
waiting for him. She was sitting in a rocking chair while Conway sat on the
porch steps holding little Ellie on his lap.
Even from a hundred yards, he could tell that she was heavy with her
second child and wondered when she would be giving birth. When she did,
her mother would act as her midwife as she had when Ellie arrived two
years ago.
It was the way of life for the ranchers and farmers who lived this far
from a town. Many of the women and babies didn’t survive, and he was
grateful that his own mother was still with him after giving life to him and
his three sisters. She’d had two other babies, but his brothers had both died.
One would have been older, and they’d named him Adam. He died of
pneumonia shortly after Garrett had been born and his second, younger
brother, hadn’t lived long enough to be given a name. Still, having three
healthy sisters and two loving parents was the exception to many families.
As he and his attached White drew near, Conroy stood while a smiling
Sophie remained seated in her rocking chair. Garrett understood her
reluctance to stand.
He smiled at Sophie and said, “You’ve grown since the last time we met,
Mrs. Gregory.”
Sophie laughed and patted her bulge as she replied, “I may be a bit
swollen, Garrett, but I still recall how you’d turn pink when I used to smile
at you when we’d visit your family.”
 Garrett was close to shifting to that shade again when he said, “You were
a pretty girl, Sophie, and I had a bad case of puppy love.”
“I was a bit smitten with you myself, you know, but you barely even
talked to me. I swear you’d rather face a rattler like Maddy did than spend a
few minutes just chatting with me.”
“I was overwhelmed, ma’am. You were an older woman.”
Sophie shook her head as she laughed again then asked, “How much
older am I, Garrett? I was born on the eleventh of August in ’52.”
Garrett grinned as he answered, “Ah! There it is. You were already
looking for a husband while I was but an innocent lad. I was born almost
four months later on the fourth of December.”
“And yet I carry this big load for the second time in my life and Conroy
has put up with me for more than three years. I think Maddy would like to
change your status.”
He turned his eyes to Maddy who surprisingly wasn’t blushing but just
smiling back at him, which was much worse.
He smiled at Madeleine and said, “Your sister couldn’t embarrass me
enough when we were youngsters, so now she’s using her sharp tongue to
do the same to you. You don’t have to worry about what she just said
anyway. I’ll probably still be a wild bachelor when little Ellie comes of
age.”
Maddy had already developed her first argument after talking to her
parents. She thought that this might be the only chance she’d have to make
her case.
She said, “I think if you asked your father about it, he’d tell you that
you’re being silly for waiting so long.”
Garrett was surprised. She had just given him what was one of the first
serious decisions he’d made even as his father lay in his sickbed. He hated
having to say what he was going to tell her. It would bother him as much as
he knew it would hurt Madeleine, but he felt that he needed to be honest.
“I’ll never pose that question to him, Maddy, because I know that you’re
right about how he would answer. My father has felt guilty about not being
able to support his family since the accident and my mother has been doing
all she can to help. But she could never take in enough sewing to provide
for the family. It’s not just because of the possibility of collecting reward
money that I spend so much time out in the county. I feel as if my presence
in the house only makes my father feel guiltier when I’m there.
“I’ll see each of my sister’s happily married and then hopefully, I will
have saved enough of the reward money to be able to start my own family.
But if it’s not enough, or if my parents still need my help, then I’ll stay with
them for as long as they need me.”
The porch was remarkably silent as he explained his reason for not
asking his father the question and when he finished his brief monologue, he
swore that he could hear little Ellie breathing.
Maddy chewed her lower lip while he gave his reason, but then offered
her second argument.
“But after Harriet gets married, wouldn’t it be the same if you then
married? One woman leaves and another enters.”
Garrett had to give Maddy credit for quickly making the same argument
that he’d been hearing for years. So, he had his standard non-committal
answer ready. If that didn’t stop the interrogation, he’d use his more
detailed explanation that was far from honest.
“It’s not just an arithmetic problem, Maddy. I know it doesn’t seem that
way because it’s common for newlyweds to live with the either parents’
family, but I have a personal reason for waiting until at least Betty leaves
the house.”
Even Madeleine thought that she might have gone too far, so she just
nodded.
Garrett was grateful for her non-reply and quickly shifted his attention
back to Conroy and smiled as he asked, “How are you doing, Conroy? Have
you and Sophie come up with a name for your new baby?”
Conroy was almost startled when Garrett had asked, so he had to gather
his thoughts before replying, “We have. If he’s a boy, we’ll name him
Michael Conor and if she’s a girl, we’ll call her Kristi Abigail. The middle
names are my parents’ Christian names. Ellie is named after my
grandmother, Elizabeth. Her middle name is Ann because it was Sophie’s
grandmother’s first name.”
 “I was hoping that you’d name the boy Xavier and use your Christian
name as a middle name.”
“Why would you want us to choose that name?” Sophie asked.
Before he could answer, he was pleased to hear Maddy giggle then reply,
“Then we could call him X. Con.”
Everyone including Conroy laughed at the play on letters and names, and
Garrett felt that the cheerful mood would be a good time to leave.
After the laughter subsided, Garrett said, “I wish I could stay longer, but
I need to get back to Yuma. I don’t want a gang of outlaws to steal the town
while I’m gone.”
Mike grinned as he replied, “I’m sure that’s going to happen, Garrett.
Thanks for the gifts. With the two new horses, maybe Maddy will learn to
be a real cowboy now.”
Maddy quickly said, “I’ll be a better cow hand than Ellis.”
Ellis laughed then snapped back, “I want to see you take a calf to the
ground and tie him off.”
As Madeleine prepared her comeback, Garrett said, “I’m glad I stopped
by, but I’ll be heading back.”
Maddy quickly changed her focus and wasn’t about to let Garrett have
the last word on the question of his bachelorhood but didn’t use a verbal
counterpoint. She simply grasped hold of his forearm before he even took a
step.
Garrett wasn’t surprised and after she’d latched on, he began walking but
noticed that the rest of the family had stayed with Sophie and Conroy. He
wondered if that was her family’s unspoken approval of Madeleine’s tactics.
After a few steps, Madeleine upped the ante by pulling his forearm
closer to press against her right breast as if to remind him that she was no
longer a girl. He hadn’t needed reminding, but the almost innocent two-inch
shift made walking more difficult.
Maddy noticed the slight change in Garrett’s gait and believed that she
had won a small victory but found herself growing more excited with each
step as she felt his bare forearm press against her where no boy or man had
touched before.
 Garrett needed a distraction, so he asked, “Do you have enough
ammunition to practice with the Winchester?”
Madeleine was so immersed in passionate thoughts that she almost
didn’t hear his question.
Garrett glanced at her face and was about to ask again when Maddy
finally answered, “Um, yes…I mean, I might need more. When we come to
Yuma next week, can you come with me to buy more?”
“If I’m in town, I will, but I can’t guarantee that I won’t be fifty miles
away.”
“You’d better be there and if you aren’t, then you can just ride down here
with two boxes of ammunition for me.”
Garrett laughed before he replied, “Yes, ma’am. Just remember that you
promised not to try to do my job and restrict your shooting to targets and
varmints.”
“I will, but I want you to know that I’m still going to try to convince you
that you shouldn’t wait so long.”
Garrett knew that there was no point in restating his arguments but didn’t
believe it was necessary. Betty was just twelve and didn’t even have a
boyfriend. By the time she started spending time with boys and then young
men, Maddy would be out of her teens and as much as it hurt to even
contemplate, he expected her to find her own beau before then.
He may have felt a pang of jealousy and a sense of loss when he
imagined her getting married to some faceless man, but he didn’t feel sorry
for himself at all. It wasn’t a sacrifice to help his family. It was love.
They soon reached the front of the house and Madeleine released his
arm.
“Thank you, Maddy. My fingers were getting numb,” Garrett said as he
shook his left hand.
Maddy smiled as she said, “I’ll see you next week, Garrett.”
“Yes, ma’am.”
He mounted quickly then tipped his hat, wheeled his Morgan around and
headed down the access road. It was late in the afternoon and he doubted if
he’d be able to return to his room earlier than ten o’clock. He wasn’t about
to push Whiskey, but he’d still try to sneak into the house rather than spend
another night in the spartan back room of the jail.
He’d spent too much time with the White family but had enjoyed every
moment, even the somewhat tense situation with Madeleine. He didn’t
doubt that she’d be showing up in Yuma more often now, but he was out in
the county much more than he remained in town. He may have to be there
when her family came to town on Monday, but he’d still try to avoid her
after that.
As he rode north, he tried to put a figure to the percentage of time that
he’d slept in his own bed since putting on the badge. It was rare for him to
spend four days of each week in Yuma. The sheriff and Rollie both
appreciated his willingness to handle the distant issues in the giant county.
The furthest point from the county seat was more than eighty miles
northwest before the jurisdiction changed. But the county that was larger
than several of the Eastern states had a total population of less than five
thousand, and less than half of those were white.
That number didn’t include any Indians because the Apaches couldn’t be
counted even if the government wanted to know how many lived in the
territory. The heat and lack of water made settlement difficult and most of
the new arrivals were just passing through on their way to nearby
California, which was just a short ride west of Yuma. Most of the transients
used the route in the winter months rather than face the blasts of icy
weather that covered the northern routes to the west coast.
Garrett reached the intersection before he arrived at a figure of thirty
percent for the time that he spent in town but continued past the roadway to
let Whiskey drink at the Gila River. He hadn’t brought his water bags for
the ride because he wasn’t going to be more than two hours’ ride from the
river.
He was riding into the setting sun after his Morgan was watered and
thought he might make it back before ten o’clock. Maybe he wouldn’t have
to sneak into the house after all.
_____
 The sun was well below the horizon when he spotted the shadows of
Yuma ahead and forty minutes later, he stepped down outside of JJ’s Livery
and walked Whiskey inside. Javier lived with his family in their house
behind the livery, so he wasn’t about to wake him.
After unsaddling his gelding, he left the barn carrying his Winchester
and walked down the dark street to his family home. It was two blocks east
of the livery and another block north of Main Street on Saggar Street.
He could hear the raucous noises behind him rolling out of The Western
Corner Saloon and the Happy House Saloon on the other side of the street.
They were the only two drinking establishments on Main Street, but the
other three were on nearby side streets. He hoped that there weren’t any
serious fights tonight because he was exhausted as he hadn’t fully recovered
from last night.
He managed to reach his room without waking anyone and after quietly
stripping, he laid on his bed and was unconscious in just five minutes.
_____
The next morning, Garrett was the first male of the Shaw family to enter
the kitchen for breakfast.
He smiled at his mother and sisters as he cheerfully said, “Good
morning, ladies.”
His mother, Harriet and Alma each responded with equally happy
greetings, but Beatrice quickly cut to the chase and asked, “Did Madeleine
give you a big kiss to thank you for her horse?”
While Harry and Alma giggled, Annabelle snapped, “Now, Betty, I told
you to not say anything like that!”
Garrett grinned and replied, “I gave that pretty girl a big kiss before I left
and even caressed her.”
Betty’s mouth dropped open as her sisters and mother stared in
astonishment at him before he added, “I owed her that much after shooting
the man who’d ridden her while he robbed the stage.”
He had his mild revenge on his youngest sister which was appreciated by
his mother, Harriet and Alma. Even Betty laughed.
 As he took his chair and sipped his much-needed coffee, his father
entered and asked, “What’s with all the hilarity?”
As Amos sat down and set his cane aside, Garrett replied, “Your
youngest daughter suggested that Madeleine White was so pleased after I
gave her the mare that she’d thrown herself at me and passionately kissed
me. I admitted to giving a well-earned buss to the mare.”
His father snickered then asked, “Any news from the Whites?”
“Sophie is going to have her second baby soon, but I’m sure that you all
know that by now.”
Beatrice quickly asked, “Did you kiss Sophie, too?”
Harriet hopped onto the Betty bandwagon when she asked, “Have you
already forsaken Madeleine for another woman? How shameful!”
Garrett was ready for her sisterly jibe and quickly replied, “Has Wendall
come to his senses and moved on? Maybe he is visiting Madeleine behind
your back.”
Harriet smacked her brother on the shoulder a lot harder than he
expected as she laughed and said, “I’ll have Wendall’s fourth baby before
you even kiss a girl, brother.”
Alma then joined the fray and said, “I’ll bet that even Betty gets married
before you do, Garrett.”
Garrett laughed, but felt they were entering a difficult area. It would be
almost as if he asked his father about whether he could start his own family.
It had come dangerously close a few times before.
The first was years earlier when he’d told his parents about Susan
Ashley’s decision to look elsewhere, even though he hadn’t given them her
reason for her decision. He had no choice but to give them the news
because they would have asked.
But even though he had made light of it by saying that she was looking
for an excuse to move on anyway, he could see the pain it created in his
father’s eyes. That had been when he could barely move at all and Garrett
never wanted to see it again.
He didn’t even look at his father this time, but changed the subject when
he said, “I think that I’ll give Whiskey a couple of days off and give Rye
some work. He’s getting fat.”
His father quickly replied, “I took him out while you were gone
yesterday. He’s in good shape.”
“Javier says that Whiskey could use some new shoes soon. Did you
check Rye’s set?”
“That’s your job, son. I just use him.”
After the topic shift, the food was set on the table and the Shaw family
enjoyed a stressless breakfast.
_____
The rest of the day was normal lawman work. Garrett didn’t have to
leave Yuma and it appeared that he’d be in town when the Whites visited
next week as they didn’t have any foreclosures to post or warrants to serve.
But one of those urgent telegrams could arrive any day.
Later that evening, after the Shaw family shared their dinner, Garrett
thought that it was time to have a talk with his sisters. He’d been meaning
to bring up the subject for a while, but he had believed that Beatrice was too
young to understand. But her question about kissing Maddy made him
realize that she wasn’t a little girl anymore.
It took him some fancy fibbing to get his three sisters on the front porch
while their parents were having coffee, and he suspected that at least two of
them thought he was going to confess to some romantic secret involving
Madeleine. The sun was setting as they looked at him expectantly.
“I should have talked to you before, but there’s something that each of
you needs to know.”
Alma grinned and asked, “Is it something about Madeleine?”
“No, it’s about us. It’s about our family.”
Harriet recognized her older brother’s serious demeanor and softly
asked, “What is it, Garrett?”
“Remember how sad and angry pop was after his injury?”
Each of his sisters nodded as he continued.
“It was only when he started working as the jailer that he returned to
being himself. He isn’t even being paid, but he feels useful again. Each of
us needs to feel as if we have a purpose in life. But even though he’s happy
again, I know that he still feels guilty because I’m the one who’s providing
most of the support for the family. I’m very pleased to be able to do that,
but I know that it eats at him inside. I try to avoid anything that reminds
him about it, but I think that it will be more difficult in the next couple of
years.”
“Why?” asked Alma.
“When we were joking about Madeleine during breakfast this morning, I
could almost feel Pop sinking into a morass of guilt. That’s why I changed
the subject. I’ve already committed to staying with the family until each of
you is happily married and maybe longer. I’m not being a martyr about it.
It’s just my duty to our parents and this family. Do you understand?”
Harriet said, “I understand, Garrett. But you’re giving up too much. I’m
sure that if you explained it to Mom and Pop that they’d tell you to go your
own way.”
“I know that they would and that’s why I can never ask them. Pop would
smile and make some crack about young men and women, but he would
worry about how they could make ends meet and so would Mom. That’s
why I’m asking each of you to avoid any talk about my future. It’ll be bad
enough when each of you marry and then start your own families, but that’s
in the future. Right now, all I ask is that you refrain from even joking about
my social life.”
Alma asked, “But why couldn’t you just get married then you and
Maddy could live here. Your bedroom is big enough.”
“I know. But I do have my reasons and I’ll ask each of you to honor my
decision.”
“I’m sorry,” Alma said, “I didn’t think about Pop. But I thought that you
really liked Madeleine.”
“I like her very much. She’s a remarkable young woman who would
make any man happy, but I’m not about to let her ruin her life just waiting
around even if she was interested.”
“You know she is,” Alma said, “She’s been interested in you before she
was ten. But we’ll avoid mentioning things like that.”
 “Thank you, good sisters. Just don’t make yourselves crazy thinking
about each word you speak. As long as you understand, you’ll be fine.”
As they nodded, Garrett smiled at Harriet and said, “So, Harry, when do
you think Wendall will get down on his knee and beg for your hand?”
Harriet laughed and replied, “Soon.”
After he saw Alma and Betty smile, he escorted his sisters back into the
house. He felt better for having told them but explaining it seemed to close
the door on any future he might have with Madeleine. He wished
circumstances were different, but he wasn’t about to change his mind.
_____
Twenty-one miles southeast of the Shaw home, Madeleine sat with Ellis
as they talked about their new horses and guns. Their parents were spending
time at Conroy’s and Sophie’s house as they usually did each evening.
“Did you name your horse yet?” Ellis asked as he examined his empty
Colt.
“I was going to name her Chocolate, but that seemed stupid.”
“I named mine Windy because he’s so fast. Maybe you should call your
mare Poop because she’s brown.”
Maddy giggled then said, “I think I’ll name my horse Rattler. It’s not a
girly name, but if it hadn’t been for that big snake, I wouldn’t have her.”
“I don’t think it was just your mare that made you so happy today,
Maddy. Even Conroy noticed how smitten you are with Garrett.”
“I’m not ashamed of it, Ellis. I just wish that he wasn’t so stubborn about
staying single. I know he has a good reason for making that choice, but I
still think he’s wasting too much of his life.”
“A life that you want to share with him.”
“Absolutely.”
“How long will you wait if you can’t convince him to change his mind?”
Maddy was about to say, “Forever,” but even before she opened her
mouth, she had to admit to her own lack of patience.
 “I don’t know. All I can do is see what happens. We don’t have a lot of
neighbors our age anyway.”
Ellis snickered then said, “Mr. and Mrs. Murphy are old enough to be
our grandparents and Ed Runnel is only thirteen. We’d have to go all the
way to Yuma to meet anybody.”
“When we go to Yuma, I know who I’ll be meeting.”
Ellis nodded then asked, “Do you want to do some target practice
tomorrow?”
 CHAPTER 3
After a relatively quiet weekend, Garrett was still in Yuma and was even
in the office as the three lawmen and his father discussed recent rumors of a
border dispute on the western edge of the county that might erupt into an
all-out range war.
When they heard someone enter the office, Amos just had to look up and
was already smiling when the other three men turned to the see the visitor.
Maddy smiled and said, “I believe we have an appointment, Deputy
Shaw.”
Garrett returned her smile then looked back at the sheriff and said, “I’ll
be back in a little while, Tom.”
Sheriff Yarborough grinned as he replied, “Take your time, Garrett. That
land war isn’t going to be declared in the next hour or so. Even if it does,
we won’t hear about it for another day or so.”
Garrett grabbed his hat from the row of Stetsons on the wall and pulled it
on as he and Maddy left the jail.
They turned left toward L.B. Johnson & Son Dry Goods and Sundries
two blocks away and it took just two steps before Madeleine clomped onto
his arm. At least this time she seemed content to limit their contact to their
upper appendages.
Garrett smiled at her as he said, “You look as if you’re dressed to hogtie
a steer.”
Maddy laughed because she knew he was right. She was wearing her
britches, a flannel shirt and the Colt that her father had given to her. Her
dark blonde hair was tied with a leather pigging string that she’d cut into
shorter lengths for that purpose.
“I ride a lot now. I named my mare Rattler.”
“That’s appropriate. Most girls and young women name their horses with
sweeter names like Sugar or Honey. I would have been disappointed if
you’d sunk to that level.”
“Ellis suggested Chocolate, and I thought that was bad enough. He
named his gelding Windy.”
“Have you been doing much target practice?”
“Ellis and I both have been spending time shooting at all sorts of targets
but haven’t shot any varmints yet. I’m a better shot than he is, but I only
took three shots with the pistol because it’s annoying to reload.”
“When I get another bad man’s cartridge pistol, I’ll give it to you.
Okay?”
“Not if it means that you have to get into another gunfight just to take it
from him.”
“That’s never the reason why I engage men like that, Maddy.”
“I know. It just came out bad.”
As they strode along the boardwalk, Madeleine scanned the other
pedestrians and hoped that some would ask Garrett about their relationship.
It might nudge him a little closer to changing his mind. Enough of the
passersby were smiling at them to make it a real possibility.
Garrett noticed as well and as much as he enjoyed his time with
Madeleine, he knew he couldn’t seem to be encouraging her. It was a
difficult position to be in. He didn’t want to give her hope that he would
suddenly change his mind, but he didn’t want to hurt her badly or lose her
as a friend. His safest path was to simply stay friendly when she was visited
Yuma, but not visit her family again. If he spent even more time out in the
county, then he might not see her for another year. By then she might have
moved on.
They turned into the mercantile and Garrett bought four boxes of .44
rimfire cartridges for her. She said that she’d share them with Ellis and
thanked him for the gift.
Her family hadn’t arrived at the store yet, as Ellis was helping his father
load hay onto their wagon. Kristi had stayed home to help Sophie, so after
they left the store, Garrett expected Maddy to just wave goodbye and join
her father and brother. He was mistaken.
 She hooked her arm through his as soon as they stepped back onto the
boardwalk and turned him away from the feed and grain store and the jail.
“Where are we going, Miss White?” Garrett asked.
“Just for a walk. You didn’t think I’d just let you go back to work; did
you? Even the sheriff said to take your time.”
Garrett finally thought that he may as well enjoy his time with
Madeleine as he expected it might be the last time that he’d talk to her for a
long time.
As they strolled along the boardwalk, Madeleine avoided any topics that
touched on the real reason she had coerced Garrett to walk with her. She
told him funny stories and he reciprocated with his own humorous tales.
They spent twenty minutes walking the boardwalks and streets of Yuma
before they took a seat on a bench in the town park.
They continued their light conversation and Garrett was admittedly
pleased that she’d enforced her will to spend the time with him. He wanted
to have this one last, pleasant memory.
He finally said, “I’m sure that your father is wondering if you’ve been
kidnapped by now, Maddy.”
“I suppose that you’re right.”
They stood and began the slow return walk to Main Street and soon
found the White’s loaded wagon sitting in front of Johnson’s store. Ellis
was in his saddle atop Windy and shouted to his father who must have been
searching for Madeleine.
Mike White popped out of the Martha’s Millinery and waved to Melanie
and Garrett before climbing into the driver’s seat.
Garrett escorted her to Rattler and slid the boxes of cartridges into the
saddlebag.
As she mounted, he smiled at her father and said, “I apologize, Mike. I
was absconded by your evil daughter.”
Mike grinned as he replied, “I figured as much. Don’t be a stranger,
Garrett.”
 Garrett just nodded and waved as Mike snapped the reins and the wagon
began rolling. He kept his hand moving as he looked up at Ellis who
returned his wave
As Maddy slowly walked her mare past him, she said, “You heard my
father, Garrett. Don’t be a stranger.”
“I heard him, ma’am,” Garrett replied.
Madeleine smiled and nudged Rattler into a slow trot as she caught up
with the wagon. He had been intentionally obtuse when he had replied to
Maddy. He didn’t want to promise her that he’d be visiting their ranch.
_____
April 21, 1875
Garrett rode out of Yuma leading Rye as a packhorse. He was another
buckskin, but taller than Whiskey. He had been another gift from a resistant
outlaw two years ago, and Garrett had liked the gelding. He was a pleasant
ride and Garrett used him whenever Whiskey needed a break.
When he’d left town at daybreak that morning, he had expected to be
riding east until he reached the small town of Mohawk another twenty miles
past the intersection of the road to Las Playa.
This was one of the strangest assignments he’d ever had, and even the
sheriff admitted that he couldn’t make much sense out of the message that
he’d received from the Mohawk town marshal the afternoon before.
The small bank in town had been robbed, which wasn’t unusual in itself.
But the thief had walked in with his cocked pistol, stolen around six
hundred dollars then hurriedly left. He hadn’t shot anyone, nor had he worn
a mask to hide his identity, both of which were somewhat different. But
what made the robbery so odd was that the man left the bank on foot then
just ran down the street before he turned east down the next alley.
After Marshal Valdez was notified, he mounted his horse and rode down
the same alley. When he exited the back end of the alley, he found the
man’s footprints heading southeast into the Gila Desert and was surprised.
He didn’t believe anyone would run into that wasteland. The cashier who
had reported the crime said the man just had his pistol and a set of
saddlebags over his shoulder but no canteen.
 The marshal had ridden his horse about four hundred yards into the
desert before discovering where the man had mounted his horse. He
followed the tracks for almost a mile, but they had continued south into the
teeth of the desert, so he had turned back to town then sent the telegram to
Sheriff Yarborough.
He reported that the thief was out of his jurisdiction, but if the robber’s
almost suicidal decision to enter the desert wasn’t strange enough, his
description of the tracks the man’s horse had left behind was the clincher.
He wrote that the horse was unshod but seemed to have two big toes on his
very large hoof like a bull. But it was a lot bigger and rounder than any he’d
ever seen the largest bull make before. He added that the man’s horse could
be one of those Percheron or Clydesdale workhorses and the man had
disfigured its hooves for some reason.
When Garrett had departed from Yuma, his plan was to continue east to
Mohawk and pick up the trail, which was why he’d brought Rye with him.
The packhorse was carrying four big water bags and he wasn’t sure that it
would be enough if the thief had continued south. Even if the escaping
outlaw had two water bags on his big horse, he couldn’t have made it if he
stayed in the Gila Desert.
But less than an hour after leaving Yuma, it was the marshal’s
description of the odd hoofprints that had convinced Garrett to change his
course and head south to Las Playa. If he stayed on the southern road, he
could reach the border town later today. If the robber continued south into
the deeper reaches of the desert, he couldn’t reach Mexico until tomorrow,
and only if his mount was able to cross the unforgiving land.
As he’d spent that first hour in the saddle reviewing the marshal’s
lengthy telegram, something had tickled his memory. When it came to him,
he smiled.
His father had told him of the army’s experiment using camels in place
of horses for the cavalry stationed in the Southwest before the War Between
the States. It had been very successful and once the troopers adapted to
riding the ships of the desert, they universally proclaimed the benefits of
using the ugly creatures. There were issues with their bad tempers but their
ability to cross the entire desert without needing a drop of water was an
enormous advantage.
 The army had dropped the program when the war broke out and had
auctioned off most of the camels. Some hadn’t been found and he’d heard
rumors of sightings of the ungainly animals but had never seen one.
If the robber had been one of the cavalrymen who’d trained with the
camels but kept one, then that would explain the unusual hoofprints. The
big question was the long delay after the last of the camels were sold by the
army.
The camels may have been capable of crossing the Gila Desert without a
problem, but they didn’t move as fast as he could unless they were pushed.
He suspected that once the thief was astride his camel and far enough into
the desert, he would have taken his time to ensure that his animal didn’t
injure himself. If the camel broke an ankle, the rider may as well save some
time and shoot himself before the coyote packs arrived.
He was moving at a fast clip as he headed south. Rye was carrying
enough water to keep both horses from becoming dehydrated and his two
canteens were enough for him. He’d still watered both horses at the Gila
River, and might stop at the White’s ranch to let them drink at their trough.
Keeping his horses watered while keeping the water bags full was a
necessary precaution. He could be wrong about the camel and the thief
could have cut onto the road already, but he didn’t think the man wanted to
be spotted if he was astride his bizarre mount. He wanted to cut him off.
There was a mountain range east of the desert that would funnel the man
close to Las Playa, so he was planning to cut into the narrower end of the
desert before the town and hopefully spot the camel-riding bank robber. But
stopping at the White’s ranch might be uncomfortable.
This was the first time he’d taken this road since he brought the horses to
the Whites. He had only seen them twice since then. He knew that they’d
visited Yuma several other times while he was out in the county because his
father had told him of the visits. He said that Madeleine seemed more upset
each time she’d stopped by the jail and found him absent. She was
absolutely convinced that he was avoiding her.
She was right in her belief. While he may not have been intentionally
staying out of sight when they came to Yuma, he had been even more
aggressive in his out-of-town peacekeeping.
 The second and last time that they’d talked was in early February, and
the first thing she had asked was about Harriet’s pending marriage. On her
earlier visit when he hadn’t been in town, his father had told her that Harriet
had accepted Wendall Smith’s proposal but hadn’t set a date yet.
When Garrett had given her the date of June 22
nd
, Maddy’s smiling
reply was, “One down and two to go.”
She also told him of her new cousin, a little boy that Conroy and Sophie
had disappointingly named Michael and not Xavier.
_____
It was just before noon when he passed what used to be the Shaw ranch
and soon reached the White ranch and spotted riders out with the small
herd. He was passing their shorter access road when he recognized
Madeleine riding with Ellis and her father.
Garrett was going to wave but thought that Maddy might decide to
follow him to at least unleash a diatribe for avoiding her. So, he continued
at his rapid pace and soon passed the southern edge of their ranch.
_____
Manny Fletcher sat on his Dromedary as he’d been taught when he was
assigned to the experimental cavalry unit. He was keeping Lumpy at a
steady pace as he loped south through the unforgiving desert. It may have
been an unforgiving land to most creatures, including Manny, but it was
home to Lumpy.
When the army had given up on the animals just before the war, he’d
snuck Lumpy out of the compound and left him in a small canyon. He had
suspected that the army was going to sell the camels to zoos or maybe even
slaughterhouses, and he wasn’t about to let anyone eat Lumpy.
After the war, he’d been stuck in Texas for a while and had almost
forgotten about his unusual friend. It was only when he’d run afoul of the
law in Colorado that he’d returned to Yuma County and was surprised to
find Lumpy still in the same canyon. He was in surprisingly good health,
and after spending a month or so becoming reaccustomed to riding the
camel, he decided to make use of his natural ability.
 He had left Lumpy outside of Mohawk where he couldn’t be spotted. He
was certain that no one would suspect that any sane man would simply ride
into the Gila Desert and knew that no lawman would follow him after he
did. He was right on both counts and now he was confident that he’d soon
ride into Mexico where his six hundred dollars would let him live well for
more than two years. He wasn’t about to just simply lie around, either. This
job had gone so smoothly that he was already planning on visiting other
small-town banks along the desert on both sides of the border.
He had two canteens for his use and enough food to last a week. He
expected to be having a good meal in a fine Mexican cantina by tomorrow.
_____
Just ten minutes after passing the White’s access road, Garrett spotted a
wagon and four riders approaching. He wasn’t worried at all, but he was
curious. If they’d come from Las Playa and were going to Yuma, they
should have already reached the intersection. They’d never reach the town
before sunset.
As the wagon and its escorts grew closer, he noticed that it appeared to
be an entire family, or at least a sizeable portion of one. There was an older
couple in the driver’s seat, and he spotted several heads bobbing behind
them on the bed. He wasn’t able to estimate the ages of the accompanying
riders but assumed they were family as well.
If it was only part of the family, he wondered just how many there were
altogether.
When they were about fifty yards away, Garrett shifted Whiskey off the
road to give the wagon room to pass. His badge was pinned to his shirt, so
he didn’t pose a threat.
Before the driver pulled the wagon to a stop, Garrett had identified the
sex and estimated the ages of the riders. The two boys looked to be in their
upper teens, and the girls were in their mid to lower teens. The three
children in the wagon’s bed were between seven and ten.
He smiled at the man he assumed to be their father and said, “Howdy.
I’m Yuma County Deputy Sheriff Garrett Shaw. Are you heading all the
way to Yuma?”
 The father returned his smile and replied, “No, sir. We’re going to visit
our neighbors. Do you know the White family?”
Garrett was mildly surprised by his answer but replied, “I do. I don’t
recognize your family. Did you just arrive in the county?”
“About a month ago. I’m Mitch Gallagher and this is my wife Maureen.
I’d introduce you to our hoard of young’uns, but it appears you have
someplace you need to be. We moved here from Phoenix. Maureen’s
parents have their ranch just a mile south of here and had been asking us to
join them for years. Things were getting very difficult for them. When
circumstances changed for us, we accepted their offer. It’s a very crowded
house right now, but Mike White is helping us build a new adobe house
when he can spare the time. Maureen baked a cake and we’re on our way to
deliver it to express our gratitude.”
“He’s a good man and has a fine family. You’re right about my needing
to get someplace. I hope to catch a bank robber before nightfall.”
“Is he dangerous?” Mitch asked.
“No, sir. But if I’m right, it’ll be an interesting sight when I see him.”
“If it’s not too late, maybe you can stop by and tell us what happened.”
“We’ll see,” Garrett said before tipping his hat and setting Whiskey at a
walk to get past the family.
He soon regained the road and set Whiskey to a medium trot again. He
passed the Murphy ranch an hour later and saw the partly finished adobe
house. He wondered why he hadn’t heard of the Gallagher’s arrival.
But what caused him a more than just a bit of regret was seeing the two
older Gallagher boys who would surely be interested in Madeleine. He may
have expected her to move on, but the thought of it actually happening was
more than just unpleasant.
_____
As he continued south, Garrett finally succumbed to his stomach’s
demands for attention, so he reached behind him and pulled out his usual
trail food.
He let his reins drop as he slid a tortilla from his leather pouch and then
opened the jar of fixings. It was his own concoction and consisted mostly of
refried beans, with onions, some smoked beef, chili peppers and some
sweet pickles mixed in. It had taken him almost a year to find a
combination that pleased him, but it kept well. He scooped some from the
jar with his fingers, dumped it onto the tortilla and folded it over. After
licking his fingers clean, he devoured the filled tortilla then returned the
closed jar to his saddlebags and washed it down with a reasonable amount
of water from his canteen.
He began scanning to the east hoping to spot the camel-riding outlaw,
but knew he wasn’t going to be that lucky. He’d have to enter the Gila
Desert a few miles north of Las Playa to give him leeway if the man made a
break for Mexico. He would chase him south of the border if necessary but
preferred to avoid any legal issues.
_____
Manny Fletcher could have continued all the way into Mexico without
stopping after sleeping under the stars last night, but he needed to stretch
his back. He may have considered Lumpy to be his friend, but he had never
been able to spend more than four hours on his back without needing a
break.
While Lumpy watched without a lick of interest, he made himself lunch
and when he finished eating, he used his large, red-checked handkerchief to
wipe the sweat from his head and face. He had emptied his first canteen
yesterday and when he hung his second canteen on Lumpy, he knew that he
should have packed more water.
After mounting his Dromedary, he tapped him with his stick and the
camel stood then began walking south. He wasn’t sure how far it was to
Mexico, but his water problem might require him to stop somewhere. Those
mountains to his east wouldn’t let him go in that direction, and if he’d been
riding a horse, he could just head west and pick up the road, but he didn’t
want anyone to see Lumpy.
He figured that when he first spotted Las Playa, he’d leave Lumpy
hidden then walk into town with his two empty canteens and his
saddlebags. He’d buy a water bag and more supplies then after filling the
canteens and water bag, he’d return to Lumpy and swing west around the
town and soon be in Mexico.
 _____
Garrett wasn’t sure exactly how far it was to Las Playa when he decided
to enter the desert, but he knew it was just over the southern horizon. He
dismounted and after taking down one of the heavy water bags, he let each
horse drink his fill. He wasn’t sure that even if they were well watered that
they’d be able to run down the thief if he was astride a camel. Of course, if
he’d been wrong in the first place, he wouldn’t find the bank robber
anyway.
After hanging the almost empty water bag back on Rye, he mounted
Whiskey and headed east off the roadway. The terrain wasn’t that much
different for the first mile or so, and the transition to the desert was gradual,
but after thirty minutes, there was no doubt about where he was.
He thought about pulling his Winchester because he didn’t believe he’d
have much time if he did spot the man. Once the outlaw realized that he
was found, he’d turn and race away. Garrett knew that if that happened,
he’d never catch him. It would be embarrassing if nothing else.
But that possibility changed his tactics. It was already early evening yet
there was another four hours of daylight, so he thought the smart thing to do
was to set up an ambush. If he was wrong about everything, then at least he
wouldn’t wear out his horses.
He found a good place to set up when he spotted a small bluff about a
mile ahead. There was even some shade for the horses.
Garrett kept his eyes to the north as he nudged Whiskey into a medium
trot to reach the bluff quickly and soon pulled up in the shadows of the
overhang.
He dismounted and didn’t tie off Whiskey but let him and Rye graze on
some dry grass nearby. He took a long drink from one of his canteens then
slid his Winchester from its scabbard before hanging his hat on Whiskey’s
saddle horn.
He walked to the end of the bluff and peered around the edge but didn’t
see any movement except for some circling buzzards to the east. So, he
stepped around the edge and then climbed the bluff to get a better view. As
he did, he kept his eyes to the north hoping to spot the rider but didn’t see
anything moving on the ground by the time he reached the highest point on
the bluff. He sat on a small boulder and wiped the sweat from his brow with
his shirtsleeve then rested his repeater on his lap.
“I hope you’re out there, Mister Camel Rider, because this isn’t very
comfortable,” he said aloud as he scanned the northern horizon.
_____
Manny Fletcher was anxious about reaching Las Playa and thought he
should have spotted the town by now. He had pushed Lumpy into a faster
pace knowing that the camel wouldn’t mind, but it also exacerbated his sore
back as he had to rock faster and more often to remain upright. He had
simply never found a way to ride Lumpy for more than a few hours without
discomfort.
Both of his canteens were now empty, and he began to think that maybe
Las Playa had packed up and moved to California. He had six hundred and
fourteen dollars in his saddlebags and would have parted with a hundred for
a full canteen of water and maybe twice that for a pitcher of cold beer.
He hadn’t seen any ranches on his desert escape and had been scanning
the western horizon in the hope that he’d see a building but wasn’t sure
what he’d do if he did.
_____
Garrett was ready to admit to his mistake when he stood to return to
Whiskey, but those extra two feet of height added just enough distance to
his line of sight for him to spot a speck on the northern horizon.
He couldn’t believe that he was this lucky, so he remained frozen in the
furnace of the Arizona desert and continued to stare at that tiny dot. If it
was the camel rider, he’d have to pass just west of the bluff. He was about
four miles away, and now Garrett was worried about being spotted himself.
He began to slowly descend from the bluff but kept his eyes on the
distant rider. Once he had dropped below the horizon again, Garrett trotted
down the bluff and soon rejoined his horses. Now it was just a question of
patience. He wiped his brow with his other shirtsleeve then pulled on his
Stetson.
There was no point in taking another look for a few more minutes, so he
made himself another, much bigger tortilla roll for his dinner. He wasn’t
sure if the man had a rifle with him as the marshal had only mentioned the
pistol that he’d used in the robbery. It was unlikely that he didn’t have a
repeater. Only an idiot or some Yankee would even think of riding through
Arizona Territory with just a pistol. It was just a question of how good he
was with his rifle.
_____
Manny didn’t have a Winchester or a Henry repeater, but he did have a
repeating rifle. It was a Spencer carbine that he’d taken with him after
leaving the army. He hadn’t paid for it, but Sergeant Carter hadn’t objected
either.
He had the magazine filled with .56 caliber cartridges and another box in
his saddlebags. He hadn’t fired the carbine for over two months now
because he didn’t want to have to buy more ammunition. He thought that he
was reasonably proficient with his weapons, but his Colt New Army was
annoying to reload, so he avoided using it as well. It was one of the reasons
that he hadn’t fired it when he robbed the bank. The other reason was that
Manny wasn’t a violent man.
Lumpy was making good time and Manny still glanced to the west
hoping to see a ranch building but was primarily focused to the south in the
hopes of spotting Las Playa.
Manny spotted the bluff ahead, so he had to shift Lumpy to the right
slightly to get around it.
_____
When Garrett finally removed his hat and took his peek around the bluff
he was stunned when he saw the camel and rider less than a mile away.
They were moving much faster than he had estimated.
He quickly turned, mounted Whiskey and cocked his Winchester’s
hammer. He had to time this just right or the man would simply drop down
and race past him. Garrett had already decided that if the man didn’t
surrender, he’d shoot the camel. For some reason, it didn’t seem to be as
upsetting as the idea of shooting a horse, which he’d never had to do since
ending his father’s injured animal on that fateful day on their ranch. Having
to put down Handy still bothered him.
 He held Whiskey in place facing west and listened for the sound of the
camel’s approach. He didn’t expect to hear the same hoofbeats that a horse
would make as it crossed hard ground, but thought he’d hear the animal’s
heavy breathing. Once he heard it or any other sounds that the camel or
rider made, he’d make his dash out of the bluff’s shadows.
_____
Manny had stopped paying attention to the bluff as he continued to look
south hoping to see Las Playa on the horizon.
His Colt was locked into his holster and his Spencer was in its scabbard
as he passed the bluff and didn’t even hear Garrett’s two horses when they
practically bounced out of the lee of the bluff just fifty yards away.
He was stunned when he heard Garrett shout, “Halt! I’m Deputy Sheriff
Garrett Shaw.”
Manny whipped his eyes to his left, saw the lawman and his aimed rifle
and momentarily thought about doing exactly what Garrett had feared he
might do. He knew that if he tapped his stick on Lumpy’s flank, he’d shoot
away from the deputy and he might make it to Mexico.
But what changed his mind wasn’t his fear of being shot, it was when he
spotted the bulging water bag hanging from the deputy’s packhorse. He’d
only robbed the bank and hadn’t even shot his pistol, so he wouldn’t hang.
It wasn’t a difficult decision.
He pulled Lumpy to a halt and threw up his hands.
Garrett was almost shocked that the thief had surrendered so easily and
had to slow Whiskey to a walk as he approached. He had to keep from
staring at the camel who was looking back at him. He wasn’t sure if the
animal was studying him or his horses.
Before Garrett could order the bank robber to dismount or even ask a
single question, Manny hoarsely asked, “Could I have some water please,
Deputy?”
“Sure, but I need you do dismount first.”
“Alright,” Manny replied before taking his stick and tapping Lumpy’s
knees.
 For just a moment, Garrett thought it was some form of trick and the
man was going to lash him with the whip-like rod, but after the camel
dropped to the ground, he smiled and watched his prisoner slide from its
back.
Garrett released his Winchester’s hammer, slid it into its scabbard, pulled
his full canteen from Whiskey then dismounted. He didn’t bother pulling
his Colt as he handed the canteen to the bank robber.
Manny snatched the canteen from the young lawman then almost ripped
the cap free before greedily pouring its lifegiving contents into his dry
mouth.
As he drank, Garrett noticed the Spencer carbine on the camel’s unusual
saddle and knew that he’d have many questions to ask his prisoner.
Manny handed the empty canteen back to Garrett and wiped his mouth
with his shirtsleeve before saying, “I didn’t hurt anybody, Deputy.”
“I know. You’ll do some time, but I’m sure that you knew that.”
“I figured as much. How far is it to Las Playa, anyway?”
“I’d guess less than an hour south. We’ll spend the night there before we
head back in the morning.”
“Where are you gonna take me?”
“I’ll have to take you back to Yuma because you’d have to face trial
there anyway. I’ll send a telegram to Marshal Valdez in Mohawk when we
get to Las Playa.”
“What are you gonna do with Lumpy?”
“Lumpy?”
“My camel.”
Garrett grinned at his answer which was obvious as soon as he’d made
his short query.
“I have no idea. He was one of the army’s camel experiment, wasn’t
he?”
“Yes, sir. I left him in a canyon up north when the army ended the test
and said they were going to sell the camels. The rumor was that a packing
house wanted to buy them, and I wasn’t gonna let them cut up Lumpy.”
 Garrett was still grinning when he replied, “I’ll tell you what. After we
get back to Yuma, we’ll find a ranch where Lumpy can stay until you get
out of prison.”
“
You’d do that for me?
” asked a startled Manny Fletcher.
“Lumpy didn’t commit any crimes and I don’t reckon that anyone has a
taste for camel meat either. I never did ask your name.”
“Oh. It’s Manny. Manny Fletcher. I forgot yours, though.”
“Garrett Shaw. Just because it’s my job, I’ll need you to give me your
gunbelt. I’ll grab your Spencer, too.”
“That’s okay. I don’t use ‘em much anyway,” Manny said as he
unbuckled his gunbelt.
Garrett accepted the gunbelt, hung it over his shoulder and then slid his
Spencer carbine from its scabbard. Rather than move it to Rye, he emptied
the chamber and the magazine then after dropping the cartridges into
Manny’s saddlebags, he slipped it back into the camel’s scabbard.
“Okay, Manny, let’s ride to Las Playa. I’ll even treat for supper.”
All things considered, Manny found himself surprisingly relieved at
being captured, especially by such a pleasant lawman. At least he wouldn’t
have to worry about Lumpy while he served his time.
After storing Manny’s pistol in his own saddlebags, Garrett mounted
Whiskey and waited for Manny to get Lumpy moving. He had been close to
just taking the bank’s money from Manny’s saddlebags to return to
Mohawk then letting him go. But he had the impression that the man was a
lost soul, and he might be better off inside the walls of the territorial prison.
_____
After having their supper as promised, Garrett left Manny at the jail then
stabled his two horses and Lumpy, who had created a bit of a sensation
when they arrived in Las Playa. Garrett sent telegrams to Marshal Valdez in
Mohawk and mentioned that he’d be at the crossroads around noon
tomorrow if he wanted to meet but was taking the prisoner to Yuma for
trial. The message he sent to Sheriff Yarborough just said he’d caught the
bank robber and that he’d be returning with the prisoner tomorrow in grand
fashion. He hadn’t elaborated on the reason for the show.
 As he lay on his hotel bed in Las Playa that night, he was still tickled
with the way the day had turned out. He hadn’t had to fire a shot and had a
story he’d be able to tell his grandchildren.
But when his mind had tossed that word into his thought process, he left
the arena of pleasant thoughts. He missed being able to talk to Madeleine
and even though he really didn’t have any choice in the matter and didn’t
place the tiniest bit of blame on his father or family, it still bothered him.
When Madeleine’s face appeared in his imagination, he recalled the
Gallagher family that had been visiting her father’s ranch. The two young
men had probably already been trying to impress Maddy, and he felt a flare
of jealousy erupt in the depths of his heart. Maybe she was already shifting
her attention as he’d expected her to do.
He had planned on stopping at the White ranch on the return ride, but
now he figured that it would be safer if he and Manny just rode past. He
imagined that someone would spot the camel when it plodded past, so he
decided that as they rode north, he’d have Manny riding his strange mount
on his right to mask the camel.
_____
It was midmorning when Garrett and his prisoner approached the
Murphy/Gallagher ranch.
His ruse must have worked because nobody at that ranch or the White
ranch seemed to notice them as he escorted Manny north. He did spot Mike
and Ellis helping with the construction of the new adobe house, probably
working off the cake that Maureen Gallagher had brought to the White
home. He didn’t see Maddy and wondered if she was visiting one of the
Gallagher boys. It was a stomach-twisting thought.
As they approached the access road to what was now the Runnel ranch,
Garrett shook his head and knew he had to stop thinking about what Maddy
might be doing.
They met with a stunned Marshal Valdez at the intersection just around
midday. Garrett hadn’t mentioned the camel in the telegram he’d sent to
Mohawk either just to watch the marshal’s reaction.
They spent a few minutes talking but after giving the marshal the money
that Manny had stolen, Garrett turned Whiskey west. They still had a long
ride ahead of them.
_____
When they finally reached Yuma in the early evening, Garrett was finally
able to enjoy the impact of Lumpy’s arrival. Townsfolk young and old, male
and female, pointed at the odd sight and laughed. It was as if a carnival or
circus had entered Main Street.
Garrett escorted Manny into the jail and found everyone waiting for his
arrival. After just a few words, Sheriff Yarborough and Deputy Sheriff
North shot out of the office to inspect Lumpy. His father moved as quickly
as he could as he headed for the doorway while Garrett put Manny into his
cell.
The good news for the sheriff was that Garrett had talked to Manny on
the return trip and had convinced him to plead guilty without a trial if the
sentence was less than five years.
So, after leaving Rollie in charge of the prisoner, Garrett left Whiskey,
Rye and Lumpy with Javier who had brought his wife and three children
into the barn to meet the camel.
His father had just looked at the beast for a minute before returning for
his hat and making his way home.
By the time Garrett reached the house, supper was already on the table.
The dinner was almost a festive atmosphere as Garrett recounted his
harrowing tale of the takedown of the Cunning Criminal Committing the
Camel Caper.
He didn’t mention meeting the Gallagher family as he was still worried
that one of his sisters might blunder into his lack of a social life again.
They’d behaved admirably since he had expressed his concern, but he’d
done his best to reduce the opportunities for them to slip up.
When he was able to climb into bed that night, he didn’t have time to let
his mind wander for very long before he slipped into a deep sleep.
_____
Garrett spend much of the next few weeks out in the county, mostly
delivering warrants but also at least delaying the potential range war. He
hadn’t seen either the White or Gallagher family, but his father had met
Mitch Gallagher and his two oldest sons, nineteen-year-old Harry and
seventeen-year-old William. His father hadn’t provided much more
information.
Sophie had given birth to their first son at the end of November and they
had named him Michael rather than Xavier. She was already pregnant with
their third.
The close proximity of the Gallagher’s new home to the White ranch
hadn’t caused any reaction by his sisters, which he deeply appreciated. But
he was sure that they had spent quite a bit of sister time gossiping about the
potential for romance.
But it wasn’t the Gallagher family news or threats of violence that
dominated the family’s time as the first day of summer drew near. It was
Harriet’s upcoming nuptials that took center stage.
 CHAPTER 4
June 22, 1875
Garrett watched as his father slowly escorted Harriet down the aisle of
St. James Episcopal Church. His mother had been worried about his
participation in the wedding ceremony because he’d insisted that he’d do it
without his cane. She feared that he might fall and hurt his leg even worse.
It had been Harriet who had provided her with reassurance when she said
that she would be his crutch during the hundred-foot-long procession.
He saw his father’s pride in his eyes and the big smile on his face as he
slowly stepped beside his oldest daughter. He also knew that Harriet could
no longer be called Harry. She was as pretty as he’d ever seen his sister and
didn’t doubt that Alma and Beatrice would be just as lovely when they
walked down the aisle.
Wendall waited expectantly at the altar with his parents and soon Harriet
would no longer be a Shaw, but a Smith. He remembered Maddy’s
comment about ‘one down and two to go’ and suspected that Alma wasn’t
going to be single much longer. She and Billy Jenkins were spending a lot
of time together, but she was still only fifteen. He glanced over at his
middle sister and for the first time, he looked at her as a young woman.
Betty, who stood beside Alma, was more than two years younger, but still
looked like a girl.
He turned his eyes back to the front of the church as Reverend Ira Lofton
waited for the bride to reach the altar. He understood why this processional
was even slower than the others, so he wasn’t about to complain.
When his father kissed Harriet and then gave her hand to Wendall,
Annabelle quickly stepped out of the pew and took her husband’s elbow to
escort him to his seat beside her.
The ceremony followed tradition and Garrett smiled as he watched his
mother’s tears flow freely across her cheeks then glanced at his two sisters
beside him and found each of them dabbing at her eyes with their lace
handkerchiefs.
 He was grateful that he had been able to avoid any conversations about
his own future as the family prepared for the wedding but knew that the day
wasn’t over. After the ceremony, there would be a celebratory lunch at the
Shaw home before the bride and groom moved into their own house to start
their life together.
His share in the purchase of the house had taken a big chunk out of his
bank account, but he was much more concerned that his father might hear
of his gift and trigger a change in his father’s demeanor. Luckily, everyone
had implied that the house was a gift from Wendall’s father.
He hadn’t had any rewards added to his account since catching the
Miller brothers and almost wished that some heinous outlaws with large
prices on their heads decided to unleash hell somewhere in Yuma County.
It had been disgustingly peaceful over the past few months. If it hadn’t
been for Manny’s camel escapade, he wouldn’t have anything to talk about.
He’d been out of town for much of the last month, but the problems were
all disputes that he’d been able to resolve without even making an arrest.
Lumpy was now enjoying the company of the Runnel family, so he was
now enjoying the pastures where he’d ridden as a boy.
As the ceremony neared its end, Garrett scanned the standing crowd and
didn’t see any of the White family in attendance. He was both disappointed
and relieved but understood that it was unlikely for them to make the long
trip just for Harriet’s wedding. They were probably still helping the
Gallagher family with their new home. He was curious if they’d finished
but wasn’t about to make the long ride just to check. Besides, he might see
Madeleine with one of the Gallagher boys.
That thought had popped into his mind the moment Mitch Gallagher had
introduced himself and told Garrett that his big family would be the Whites’
new neighbors. It was the way of life in the sparsely populated West. The
nearest boys would usually gravitate to the closest girls.
Reverent Lord pronounced Wendall and Harriet husband and wife and as
he watched them kiss, Garrett resolved to stop thinking about Madeleine so
much. She had her own life to live.
_____
 The newlyweds had gone to their home and the other guests had vacated
the Shaw house, so Garrett helped his mother and sisters clean up the
aftermath. His father was in the parlor reading the newspaper.
“It was a lovely wedding; wasn’t it?” his mother said.
Alma quickly announced, “I can’t wait for mine.”
Betty giggled before saying, “You and Billy need to careful if you want
to wear white like Harriet did.”
Annabelle put an immediate end to that line of talk when she glared at
Beatrice and snapped, “You stop worrying about your sister, young lady!
You just make sure you behave yourself.”
A properly chastised Betty softy replied, “Yes, Mom.”
Garrett was pleased not to be included in the exchange as he collected
plates from the table. He was already trying to calculate how much Alma’s
marriage would damage his already depleted bank account. He only had
three hundred and twelve dollars in the bank now. If he had to spend as
much for Alma, he wouldn’t have much left for Betty. But her potential
wedding was still at least three or four years away, so he should be able to
pick up a few rewards along the way.
_____
He had been correct about the reasons for the White family’s absence
from Harriet’s wedding. Mike and Ellis were spending what little free time
they had to help complete the Gallagher home. If it had been a small
structure, they would have finished much earlier, but it was going to have
four bedrooms to accommodate the large family. The large house was
almost done, and the family was anxious to move from Maureen’s parents’
house. The boys had been staying in the barn loft which was even less
accommodating.
But there was also a budding Gallagher and White romance, just not the
one he had envisioned.
The two older Gallagher boys had certainly been making their attentions
to Madeleine known, until the older son, nineteen-year-old Harry had
finally convinced his younger and smaller brother, seventeen-year-old
William to bow out, gracefully or otherwise. The romance was between the
Gallagher’s oldest daughter, sixteen-year-old Mary who had quickly
become enamored of Ellis.
Mary was a handsome Irish lass with an impressive figure and flashing
blue eyes. She may not have been a redhead, but she was a match for the
fiercest redhead to ever find her roots in the Emerald Isle or anywhere else.
As the construction of their new home progressed, she’d watched Ellis
helping his father and her father and brothers as they worked in the heat
laying adobe bricks to make the walls of their new home. She had found
herself mesmerized and hadn’t been ashamed to show it. Like the others
who labored under the blazing sun, he had removed his shirt to keep it from
getting soaked in sweat and covered in adobe, so she had a full view of his
muscular torso.
When they needed more water, she made a point of carrying two
bucketsful to the building site and then dipping a tin cup into the bucket and
offering it to Ellis.
While Mary began making her intentions clear, Ellis was more than
willing to reciprocate Miss Gallagher’s interest.
Mike had noticed the attraction the first time that Mary had offered Ellis
a cup of water and was pleased as he and Kristi were both very fond of the
Gallagher family.
He knew that the oldest Gallagher boy was trying to woo Madeleine but
wasn’t sure about Harry. He didn’t think of him as a problem as Maddy had
told him and his mother that she would still be able to convince Garrett
Shaw that he should start to think about his own future. He would have
preferred having Garrett as a son-in-law but knew him well enough to
realize that he was committed to his family. Both he and Kristi suspected
that even their determined Madeleine might soon lose her small reserve of
patience.
So, on the day that Harriet was leaving the Shaw home to start her own
family, Ellis and Mary Gallagher were starting their own journey toward the
altar. The issue of religion wasn’t even a problem as the Gallaghers weren’t
Catholic as everyone had suspected.
_____
 The next morning, as Garrett walked with his father to the jail, Amos
asked, “That was a nice wedding; wasn’t it?”
“Yes, sir. Mom was worried that you might not make it all the way
without having a face-to-face meeting with the church floor.”
Amos snickered as he shuffled alongside his son.
“I reckon that she’ll be more worried when I do the same with Alma.”
“You’re probably right, but you have no intention of letting Mom walk
her down the aisle; do you?”
“No, sir. I’ll escort Betty, too. Doc Spohn said that my leg and ankle
would get worse as I get older, but I figure he got that wrong. It feels better
now than it did a year ago.”
Garrett didn’t need to be a doctor to know that his father’s ankle was
worse, not better. When he acted as his father’s crutch, he felt the increased
weight as his father needed more support. Garrett suspected that the
wedding had created a resurgence of guilt in his father. He’d walked his
daughter down the aisle yet probably hadn’t felt as if he deserved the honor.
He ignored the probable cause for his father’s positive claim but just
smiled and said, “I’m sure that you’ll be dancing at Betty’s wedding.”
They had to wait until there was a large gap in traffic before they crossed
Main Street to reach the sheriff’s office, and as they stood watching horses
and wagons pass, Amos said, “Garrett, I appreciate working with you boys
in the jail, but I think that I can really work now that I’m doing better.”
Garrett looked at his father and asked, “What would you think of doing,
Pop?”
“I don’t want to stay inside all day. I’ve spent all my life outside and
most of it was on the back of a horse. I know I can’t do some things
anymore, but I think I know of a job that’ll suit me fine.”
The traffic gap opened, so Garrett helped his father to cross the street as
quickly as possible.
When they reached the other boardwalk, he let his father use his cane for
support as they headed for the jail.
He asked, “What job is that?”
 “I’m going to visit Herb Owens over at Overland Stage. I know he’s
always looking for drivers and shotgun riders, so I think that I can sit on a
stagecoach seat with a shotgun just as well as I sit at that desk.”
“They help the passengers with their luggage and do all sorts of other
things, Pop. Have you talked to Mom about this?”
Amos sheepishly replied, “Not yet, but the idea just came to me, so don’t
you go telling her.”
“I won’t.”
As they continued to make their way to the jail, Garrett thought about
visiting Herb Owens and letting him know of his father’s idea. He was sure
that he wouldn’t have been hired anyway, but he wanted Herb to know so
he’d be able to invent a reasonable excuse for not hiring him.
He hoped that it was just Harriet’s wedding that had nudged his father to
announce his dissatisfaction with working in the jail. He’d get a better
understanding of how serious of an impact it had on his father over the next
week or two.
Amos seemed his normal, friendly self again when they entered the
office and Sheriff Yarborough and Deputy North began talking about the
wedding and the nice spread of food. Garrett had already explained to them
that there could be no mention of Harriet’s new home. He wasn’t sure if his
father had discovered Garrett’s contribution to its purchase and that was
what had triggered the Overland Stage plan, but he wasn’t going to take the
chance of the topic emerging while at work.
When he made morning rounds, he visited the stagecoach depot. Herb
Owens understood Garrett’s request and told him that if Amos showed up,
he’d have a good excuse ready.
There was no more mention of being a driver, shotgun rider or any other
job for the rest of the week.
_____
On Wednesday morning, the last day in June, a telegram arrived from La
Paz, one of the northern towns in Yuma County. It was on the eastern edge
of the Colorado River, just across the border from California.
 His father had accepted and read the telegram when it arrived as part of
his duties.
He had barely opened it before he realized that Garrett would be leaving
soon then wordlessly handed it to Sheriff Yarborough.
After the sheriff read it, he grabbed his hat and left the jail. Garrett was
in JJ’s Livery checking on Rye, who had gone lame.
When he entered the barn, Tom spotted Garrett sitting on his heels
talking to Javier who was examining Rye’s left leg.
“Garrett, I’m going to need you to go to La Paz,” the sheriff said loudly
as he approached.
Garrett saw the telegram in his boss’ hand and stood as he asked,
“What’s wrong?”
“Marshal Bascom has been murdered. They don’t know who killed him,
but he was stabbed while he was making his evening rounds.”
“Okay. I’ll get Whiskey saddled and ready to go. Any more
information?”
“Not much,” Tom replied as he handed the telegram to Garrett.
Garrett scanned the page then gave it back to the sheriff as he said, “I
need to pick up a few things, but I’ll be on the road within an hour.”
“He didn’t have any deputies, so you might find a mess when you get up
there.”
“I’d be surprised if I didn’t, Tom.”
As the two lawmen had been talking, Javier had quickly begun saddling
Whiskey.
_____
It was forty-two minutes later when Garrett left Yuma heading north on
the road that ran parallel to the Colorado River. He could even see
California for the early part of the ride. He’d reach Castle Dome soon
before he entered the long, empty stretch that ran a good forty miles.
It was about fifty miles to La Paz, and he knew he could reach the town
before sunset but wasn’t about to push Whiskey. Rye’s unexpected
lameness had surprised him, and he didn’t want to risk his Morgan. Javier
said that he’d probably be able to return Rye to full strength, but once a
horse went lame, he couldn’t be trusted, so Garrett knew that he’d need a
second horse when he returned.
He didn’t know what to find when he arrived in La Paz, but it was a
well-established town of about six hundred residents, so he didn’t expect
that it would erupt into chaos. The murder of Marshal Ed Bascom was a
surprise because he knew that the old lawman was well-liked and honest.
He made enemies as all lawmen did, but the last time he’d talked to Ed
about three months ago, everything had seemed quite peaceful.
Even with breaks every twenty minutes to let Whiskey rest and water, he
felt as if he was overworking his buckskin.
But Whiskey didn’t seem affected by the distance or the heat, and as the
sun neared the western horizon, he made the left turn at the small town of
Los Posos to finish his ride. It was just another hour before he’d reach La
Paz.
When he entered La Paz, he headed for the town marshal’s office. Even
though Ed Bascom didn’t have any deputies, Garrett expected that they’d be
waiting for him in the small jail.
He pulled his tired gelding to a stop and stepped down. As he was tying
Whiskey’s reins to the hitchrail, two men exited the jail.
The Anglo man said, “Deputy Shaw? Sheriff Yarborough wired that you
were coming. I’m Mayor Harrison and this is Senor Alvarez. Aren’t you a
bit young to be a deputy?”
Garrett hadn’t been accused of being too young to be wearing the badge
for two years now but wasn’t offended.
He shook the mayor’s hand and replied, “I’ve been chasing outlaws for
four years, Mayor.”
Senor Alvarez was much more cordial when he smiled and in
unaccented English said, “We’re pleased that you arrived so quickly,
Deputy.”
Garrett shook his hand and in his best accented Spanish said, “I’m
pleased to meet you, Senor. I won’t be riding anymore today, but I need to
hear what happened.”
 Garrett knew why Senor Alvarez was there. While Mayor Harrison had
been elected to his office, Jesus Alvarez was the real power in the area. He
owned a ranch that was four times the size of the next largest spread in the
county and employed twenty vaqueros to manage his enormous herd.
Despite his wealth and potential power, Senor Alvarez remained a very
accessible and trustworthy man. Garrett didn’t know his family makeup and
wasn’t going to learn more on this trip either. He had to catch a murderer.
Mayor Harrison said, “I imagine that you’d like to put up your horse for
the night and have something to eat.”
“Yes, sir. I’ll take my horse to the livery and you can tell me what
happened as we walk.”
“Alright.”
Garrett untied Whiskey’s reins just a minute after having lashed them to
the hitchrail then began walking west. The mayor walked on his left side
and Senor Alvarez strode on the mayor’s left.
The mayor said, “Ed Bascom was just making his evening rounds.
Several of the townsfolk reported seeing him and he greeted each of them
with a smile as he always did. It was just a quiet weekday night and even
the saloons were peaceful. Mrs. Echeverria discovered his body the next
morning and notified me. We had him taken to the morgue and I had Doctor
McNulty examine the body. He had been stabbed six times with a very large
knife.”
Garrett was surprised by the number of wounds as it hadn’t been
mentioned in the telegram, so he asked, “Did the doctor say if he’d been
stabbed after he died?”
Mayor John Harrison quickly asked, “What do you mean? Why would
someone stab a dead body?”
Garrett didn’t answer his question, but simply said, “I’ll need to talk to
Doctor McNulty.”
Jesus Alvarez then said, “I’ll get the doctor and we’ll meet you at
Lucinda’s Cantina.”
“Thank you, Senor,” Garrett said just before they reached Barker’s
Livery.
 The ranch owner continued walking as Garrett and the mayor entered the
barn. The liveryman didn’t say a word, but just took Whiskey’s reins and
nodded to Garrett.
After they exited the livery, the mayor again asked, “Why would the
murderer stab Ed after he knew he was dead?”
“Rage. Was the marshal robbed?”
“No. His pistol was still lashed down in his holster, too.”
Garrett nodded as they continued west then crossed the street to reach
the cantina.
Ten minutes later, Garrett was sitting at the table with the mayor, Jesus
and Doctor McNulty.
The doctor answered Garrett’s question by saying, “I’m not sure, but my
best guess is that Marshal Bascom had died after the second wound. It
could have been after the third, but the last four or five were post mortem.”
Mayor Harrison quickly asked, “I thought you told me that he’d been
stabbed six times?”
“That was when I examined him with his shirt on. After I had removed
the shirt, I found the others. One was just a half-inch long cut, but the others
were between two and three inches long.”
“How can you tell that he died after two or three?” asked the mayor.
“The amount of blood over each wound. If he’d been alive for each of
them, there would have been more blood stains on his shirt where the knife
entered his body. Either the second or third stab struck his abdominal aorta,
which emptied a massive amount of blood into his gut, which only leaked
out from the later wounds. I’m not exactly sure of the sequence, but I’m
pretty confident that it was the second or third blow that killed him.”
Garrett asked, “Were the other, post mortem wounds just as vicious as
the ones that had killed him?”
The doctor looked at the young deputy and smiled as he replied, “You’re
very good, Deputy. That’s an excellent question. I’ve seen dozens of stab
wounds in my day, and some were just as nasty as those that killed the
marshal. But I’ve never witnessed so many violent knife wounds before.
The last were even more horrendous than the fatal cuts. It was as if the
killer was twisting his heavy blade when the guard slammed into the body. I
could even see the indents it made on the skin.”
“So, it was a big knife?”
“A very big knife. The later wounds penetrated completely through the
marshal’s torso. I counted four open wounds on his back where the knife’s
tip exited. I haven’t done an autopsy yet, but I imagine that the some hit his
spine as well. It was a vicious attack.”
Garrett nodded and after their food orders were placed on the table, he
asked, “Mayor has anyone reported that one of the residents has left town?”
“No, but we have a lot of strangers pass through on their way to
California, and no one has seen anyone with a large knife like that, either.”
Jesus Alvarez then said, “I’ve asked my family and vaqueros those same
questions and none of them recalled seeing a stranger with a large knife
either.”
As Garrett ate his spicy beef and refried beans, he knew that this was a
very different set of circumstances than he usually encountered. He was
only certain of one thing: it wasn’t going to have a pleasant resolution like
the one when he’d captured Manny Fletcher.
It was too late for him to start a serious investigation after they left the
cantina, but he did send a telegram to Sheriff Yarborough with more details
of the murder and that he would probably be out of town for longer than he
had anticipated.
He got a room at The La Paz House and after he stripped and stretched
out on the bed, he reviewed the few clues he had to the murder.
The lack of identification of the murderer didn’t surprise him as there
were quite a few transients passing through La Paz, just as they did in
Yuma. The big knife could have been kept in the killer’s saddlebags until he
needed it. The only solid evidence he had was that it had been a savage
killing and that none of the locals had left town.
What had sparked his first question to the mayor was when he’d said that
the marshal had been stabbed six times. The only other time that he’d seen a
killing that was even close to that level of violence was three years ago
when Prudence Gordon had unleashed her pent-up fury at her brutal
husband. She’d used her butcher knife and after she’d plunged it into his
broad back, she continued stabbing after he’d hit the floor. She didn’t have
the strength to push the heavy blade as deeply as this murderer had but after
just three killing wounds, she just kept plunging the tip into his lifeless back
until she collapsed in physical and emotional exhaustion.
He had helped to remove the big man’s body and thought that the law
would understand why she had killed him. But the wounds were in her
husband’s back, so she’d been charged with murder and hanged.
He wasn’t sure if he’d even be able to find this murderer with the scant
amount of information that he had, and if he did, it might be impossible to
prove that he had been the one to murder Marshal Bascom.
He laid in the sweltering heat for another hour trying to come up with
some way to track the killer, but knew it was close to impossible before he
slipped into a deep sleep.
_____
Garrett began interviewing townsfolk the next day, beginning with Mrs.
Esmerelda Echeverria. She was a widow who worked at the laundry and
had discovered Marshal Bascom’s body in the alley beside the laundry as
she arrived at work that morning.
None of those he spoke to had given him any more information. Each of
them described the strangers they’d seen the past few days, but none were
very accurate or noteworthy.
Garrett was growing frustrated with his realization that finding the killer
would be highly unlikely.
The only detail he’d received that was even remotely usable was from
one of the men who worked at the brewery. He reported having seen a
stranger riding south out of town on a strawberry roan. He only noticed him
because for a moment, he thought the man had stolen his horse. He didn’t
even pay that much attention to the rider, only that he didn’t recognize him.
He reported his failure to discover any worthwhile information about the
murderer to the mayor and Senor Alvarez that evening at the cantina. He
told them that he’d be leaving in the morning to return to Yuma and if they
heard anything new, to let him know. They had thanked him for coming, but
Garrett was annoyed. He’d never let a criminal escape before, much less a
vicious killer. The lack of an apparent motive for the heinous crime only
added to his frustration.
But before he would leave La Paz, there would be a drastic change to his
plans.
_____
The next morning, after having his breakfast at the cantina, he headed for
the livery to saddle Whiskey for the long ride to Yuma.
He was walking on the boardwalk when he heard rapid footsteps behind
him and turned to see Mayor Harrison racing toward him with a sheet of
paper in his hand.
“I’m glad I caught up with you, Deputy. This came for you a few
minutes ago, but they didn’t know where you were.”
As Garrett accepted the telegram, the mayor breathlessly said, “It’s…it’s
from the sheriff. There’s been another murder.”
Garrett quickly read the message and said, “I’ve got to get on the road to
Olive City.”
The mayor nodded as Garrett turned and trotted to the livery.
Olive City was a small town just twelve miles south of La Paz, but not
on a major roadway. The road to the town was barely a pair of ruts, but the
news that Sheriff Yarborough had sent to him was almost terrifying.
The town of just a hundred and forty residents had a town marshal, but it
was almost an honorary position. Yet that part-time lawman had been
brutally stabbed to death last night. If he hurried, he had a good chance to
find Marshal Bascom’s murderer.
He was on the road heading south just twenty minutes later. Whiskey
was well-watered and fed, so Garrett didn’t hold him back. He let his
Morgan move at a fast trot in the hope that the murderer would be heading
north again. The road continued past Olive City to an even smaller town
just to the south. Mineral City was barely a settlement and he wasn’t sure if
even forty people called it home, so he didn’t expect the killer to head in
that direction. He wasn’t even sure if Mineral City had a telegraph wire.
As he rode, he tried to imagine a reason for the killer to target lawmen.
But the town marshal in Olive City wasn’t even full time. He was the
town’s barber, for God’s sake! He didn’t believe that the barber had even
put anyone into his tiny jail that was only twice as large as a double
outhouse.
The odds that he and Marshal Bascom had arrested the killer at some
time was very remote. Besides, Marshal Bascom had his pistol still held by
his hammer loop in his holster when he was killed. If the marshal had seen
a man who had given him trouble in the past, his Colt wouldn’t have been
there. It was possible that the killer had returned it to his holster, but if the
marshal had dealings with him before, he wouldn’t have been a stranger
either. None of this was making any sense.
It would at least be logical if two lawmen in a big town had been
murdered, but this was far from logical.
He was ten minutes out of the town when it appeared in view. He saw
street traffic, and everything seemed normal. He didn’t take his Winchester
from its scabbard but did release his Colt’s hammer loop. He wasn’t going
to be caught by surprise as Ed Bascom had been.
It wasn’t even noon when he entered the town and was immediately
spotted by a group of four men who must have been waiting for him. They
stepped onto the road in front of the livery and stood in a line almost as if
they were intending to block his entrance. Each man had a rifle or pistol in
his hand.
They must have noticed his badge because the line soon parted, and their
weapons were lowered as they waited for Garrett to reach them.
He stayed in his saddle as he pulled Whiskey to a stop.
One of the men on his left looked up and said, “We were hopin’ that you
were the deputy that was comin’ from La Paz. We thought you mighta been
the murderer, so we had to be sure.”
“That’s all right. Tell me what happened? I assume you heard about
Marshal Bascom’s murder.”
“We did and I reckon that he looked like what happened to Floyd
Meriweather last night. He never even cried out. We found him in the alley
next to his barber shop early this mornin’. Do you want to see his body?”
 “That won’t be necessary, and it will probably just waste valuable time.
Have you had any strangers pass through in the last two days?”
“Just one. He was an average-lookin’ feller about thirty-five or so. Rode
a strawberry roan and seemed friendly enough.”
“Is he still in town, or did someone see him ride away? I didn’t meet
anyone on the road to La Paz.”
“Nobody’s seen him but his horse ain’t in the livery either. I reckon he
musta gone to Mineral City.”
“They don’t have any lawmen in the town, I imagine.”
“No, sir. They don’t even have a telegraph.”
Garrett nodded then said, “Thank you for the information. I’m going to
press on to Mineral City.”
“Good luck, Deputy. We hope you catch up with that bastard.”
“So, do I,” Garrett replied before nudging Whiskey into a medium trot.
He soon left Olive City behind and expected to see Mineral City within
an hour.
The road had denigrated even further, but the Colorado River was just
off to his right even if the ruts disappeared altogether. Why the man who
had just viciously murdered two lawmen would ride into a tiny burg like
Mineral City troubled him. Surely, he would have known that after his first
murder, he would be hunted. He probably understood how few clues he’d
left behind in La Paz and that troubled Garrett even more.
Why would he
call attention to himself after making a clean getaway?
It was as if he
wanted to be caught.
But that seemed ludicrous. Yet even as he recognized the absurdity of the
idea, he shifted his thoughts to a much more reasonable and more insidious
motive. There may not be a badge in Mineral City right now, but after he
arrived the killer would have a Yuma County Deputy Sheriff for his next
victim. It was as if the unknown and soulless killer was luring him into a
trap.
Garrett doubted if the man even knew his name but suspected that it
didn’t matter. Killing a county lawman was just moving up his ladder. But
unlike his previous hunts for killers, he didn’t believe that this man would
be setting up an ambush for him. He’d want to shove that big blade into his
body as often as he’d done it to Marshal Bascom and Floyd Meriweather.
He just didn’t know how the killer would be able to approach him. The
murderer must realize that whichever county lawman entered Mineral City,
he would be expecting to be attacked.
He slowed Whiskey to a walk to take some time to understand what he
might find when he arrived in Mineral City. Unlike La Paz, or even Olive
City, the residents of the small town would have a suspicious attitude
toward strangers. Nobody passed through the town to reach California or
anywhere else.
He was still wondering about the man’s plan when he heard a woman’s
shriek in the distance. It curdled his blood and it took him a few seconds to
determine the direction, but soon realized it was coming from behind him to
his right.
He wheeled Whiskey around and set him at a fast trot back north as he
pulled his Winchester.
The woman’s loud screams continued, and his ears told him that they
were now coming almost directly from his left. He soon noticed some
wagon ruts leading toward the Colorado River. Garrett turned his Morgan to
follow the ruts and slowed him as he cocked his repeater.
It was just seconds later that he saw the low adobe building and a corral
with a lone mule. There were three cows grazing behind the house and
chickens trotting everywhere. The screams were coming from the house,
but he didn’t see a strawberry roan anywhere.
He wasn’t sure if the woman was being hurt or she was just screaming
because the killer was telling her to scream. But regardless of the reason, he
knew that he had a problem. He released his Winchester’s hammer and slid
it back into the scabbard before pulling his Colt.
He kept Whiskey at a walk as he neared the house and tried to determine
his best approach. He hated the idea of almost ignoring the woman’s
horrifying cries, but he was certain that if he hastily entered the small
house, he’d soon feel the murderer’s sharp blade enter his body.
Garrett pulled to a stop, stepped down slowly but just let Whiskey’s reins
drop. The house was probably just a single room, so it wouldn’t matter
which door he entered, but guessed that the small house didn’t even have a
back door. He imagined that it was more likely that the man had his own
cocked pistol aimed at the woman as the threat. So, even if he planned to
use his enraged knife attack to kill him, Garrett suspected that the killer
would probably use his pistol to render him helpless before employing his
blade.
There was no porch and could see the dirt floor behind the open
doorway. He wasn’t concerned about any warning squeaks, but the woman
was still screeching anyway, so the killer wouldn’t hear him. That also
meant that the killer must have seen him ride past the access road and now
knew that he was outside.
The smart thing to do would be to draw him out, but that might take too
long and cost the woman her life. He knew nothing about the man inside
except that he was bordering on insanity or had already entered that realm.
He stepped closer until he was about twenty feet away and directly in
front of the open door but still couldn’t see either the killer or the woman.
He finally shouted, “I’m not coming inside, but if you hurt the woman,
I’ll wait until hell freezes over to kill you!”
Inside the house, Joe Phillips was surprised and angered when he heard
Garrett’s warning. He had expected the deputy to come charging through
the door to save the woman. Then he’d have one clean shot at Shaw when
he blasted through the open doorway. After he was on the floor, he’d take
his time. Revenge had been a long time coming.
Ever since that day when he and his partners had tried to take just eight
measly steers from the Shaw ranch, he’d been waiting for this day. It had
taken him a long time to recover the use of his right arm and it still wasn’t
as strong as it used to be.
After his arm had been treated, he thought about going to free Pete from
the jail but knew that he couldn’t do much. So, he mounted his horse and
rode to California. Nobody had pursued him, and many men would have
been grateful for the reprieve. But they’d hanged Pete Lazlo and buried
Homer, so Joe wanted revenge.
It had taken a long time as he’d built up his arm strength and began
using his left hand more. He followed the news from Yuma and much of it
was about the kid who’d shot him and Homer. The kid was a deputy sheriff
now and he had delayed his revenge as he patiently conceived of a way of
not only killing Garrett Shaw, but also being able to safely disappear after
having his revenge.
Now he had to come up with an alternate way to have his final revenge.
Despite all of his meticulous planning, he’d never allowed for a different
reaction from the kid. Everything he’d read about Garrett Shaw painted him
as a man of action and men of action didn’t waste time thinking.
He looked at the woman who was bound tightly on the other side of the
room. Her dead husband was sprawled at her feet as a constant reminder of
what would happen to her if she didn’t follow his directions. Now her
screams were becoming a distraction, but he couldn’t shoot her. If he did,
he’d lose his last advantage.
Joe finally exclaimed, “Shut up!” and the room instantly became quiet.
Garrett heard Joe’s shout and the sudden silence seemed eerie. He
thought about repeating his warning, but immediately changed his mind.
Whoever was inside was already planning his next move.
In a loud but dark voice, Joe finally said, “I’m gonna use my knife and
start cutting this pretty lady if you don’t come inside with your hands up.”
Garrett knew that stepping through that door was the worst thing he
could do. But he was now convinced that the man had his pistol pointed at
the open doorway expecting him to rush inside. If it had been a framed
wooden house, he could have sent a few .44s through the wall to put him on
the floor, but none of his bullets would penetrate very deeply into the thick
adobe walls.
Garrett loudly replied, “That’s not going to happen, mister. You
murdered two lawmen and I’m not going to be the third. Why do you have
such a grudge against lawmen?”
Joe considered not answering but then thought that if he angered the
deputy, his rage might change his mind. He’d want his own revenge and
make that mad rush through the doorway.
“I ain’t got a grudge against all of ‘em, Shaw. Just you.”
 Garrett was stunned with the killer’s reply because he couldn’t recall any
men who had even threatened him since he’d put on the badge.
“Why is that? You don’t sound familiar.”
“You probably don’t even know my name.”
“What is it?”
“Joe Phillips. Does that ring a bell?”
Garrett delved deep into his memories but didn’t come up with the name,
so he finally replied, “No. Is it supposed to?”
“I figured you probably wouldn’t remember it. But I’m one of the fellers
who put your dear old pappy under his horse and made you lose your
miserable ranch. Is that a good enough clue for you, Shaw?”
Garrett had totally forgotten about the rustler who had escaped after
being treated for his bullet wound. It had been so long and what had
become of the last one wasn’t important at the time. It was important now
but knowing who he was wouldn’t help to end the situation. He needed to
keep him talking while he could come up with something.
Garrett replied, “I forgot about you, Phillips. But why did you take so
long to have your revenge?”
“I couldn’t work cattle for a long time, so I had to do other things that no
real man should have to do to keep his belly full. I worked a long time to
get my arm to work right and it still hurts. Every time that I felt that pain, I
thought about you. I read the Yuma papers and knew that if I killed
somebody up here, then you’d be the one to show up. Then I’d have you.”
“Why so did you kill them so viciously? You kept stabbing Marshal
Bascom after he was dead.”
Joe yelled back, “I just got carried away, I reckon. When I saw that
badge on his chest, I felt like I was killin’ you. I needed a town with one
lawman to put down, so your boss couldn’t just have the local law look for
his killer.”
Garrett was still searching his mind for a plan, so he asked, “How did
you get so close with your knife? His pistol was still in his holster.”
 Joe snickered before replying, “I saw him comin’ and acted like a drunk
and staggered into the alley. I figured he'd come and see if I was all right, so
I laid on my stomach with my knife in my hand hidden under my belly.
When he rolled me over, I stuck my blade deep into him. It cost me a shirt,
too. Bloody mess, that was.”
“Why did you kill the town marshal in Olive City? The man wasn’t even
paid to do the job.”
“I needed you to follow me. It was all part of my plan to get you here.”
“Why didn’t you just drygulch me? Can’t you fire a Winchester
anymore?”
“Not good enough, but I wanted to see the pain in your eyes when I cut
you. I’m gonna take my time, too. So, if you don’t want me to start slicin’
this lady, you’d better come inside and save her.”
Garrett knew that Joe wouldn’t kill his lone hostage, but he still needed
to get into the house. But as Joe was talking, he’d devised an almost
ridiculous plan to end this standoff. He took off his hat and dropped it to the
ground. It would only get in the way. Now he needed to make Joe angry.
“All this plotting and murder for what, Joe? You and your pals almost
killed my father and took a few shots at me after we’d given you the chance
to just ride away. Your decision to open fire that day was just plain stupid,
but at least your partners weren’t cowards. You didn’t help your partner at
all and weren’t even there to watch him hang. You ran, Joe!”
Joe’s rage bubbled like a cauldron of thick stew as he let Shaw’s cutting
insult reverberate inside his mind. He had spent a long time convincing
himself that he was just making the smart move when he’d ridden out of
Yuma that night. The nagging voice that called him yellow hadn’t
resurfaced for more than two years, but now it was practically giggling as it
reminded him of his desertion.
“I ain’t no coward!” Joe screamed.
Garrett had expected an angry response but was still startled by the
vehemence in Joe’s reply. Now it was time to change Joe’s focus from
himself.
 Garrett loudly said, “We lost our ranch because of what you and your
dead friends did, and my father lost so much of his spirit that he may as
well be dead. You took my home and destroyed my family.”
Joe’s anger hadn’t waned but hearing Garrett’s painful admission of the
damage that had resulted from that day led him to believe that he’d found
the kid’s weakness that would make his plan work.
He had his pistol pointed at the door as Gretchen Mayer stared at him
with wide eyes. She wanted desperately to warn the deputy not to come into
the room but knew that she’d die if she said a word. All she could do was
hope that the deputy didn’t make that mistake.
Joe shot her a warning glance before he turned his eyes back to the
doorway and said, “I’ll bet your mama doesn’t even let your crippled old
man into her bed anymore, either.”
Garrett shouted, “Shut up, you bastard!” as he pressed the left side of his
cocked Colt against his chest.
It was almost time.
Joe grinned as he said, “Maybe she lets you satisfy her, Shaw. Do you
sleep with your mama and suckle her titties like you did when you were her
little baby?”
“Son of a bitch!” Garrett screamed before he raced to the doorway taking
the biggest gamble of his young life.
Joe heard him coming and had his muzzle just three feet from the
doorway waiting for that first blur of motion.
When Garrett was six feet from the open doorway, he dropped into a
slide hoping he didn’t jar his right index finger in the process and shoot
himself.
As he slid past the threshold, he looked to his right because the open
door was on his left and saw Joe’s muzzle flare as he passed by.
Joe was startled when Shaw’s chest wasn’t where he expected it to be but
quickly cocked his hammer and prepared to fire his second shot almost
straight down when Garrett stopped moving just inches from the tips of his
boots.
 But after sliding though the doorway, Garrett had simply lifted his Colt
from his chest and when the flash of Joe’s pistol identified his location, he
fired. There was just one full second after Joe’s first and only shot before
Garrett pulled his trigger.
Joe had just finished cocking his pistol when Garrett’s .44 drilled into his
lower gut just above his crotch and began its upward journey through Joe’s
organs. The slug had enough energy to continue through his bowels and his
diaphragm before reaching his left lung. It didn’t hit his heart, but before it
came to a rest near his left clavicle, it had done so much damage that Joe’s
scream was cut short after one brief bellow.
Joe never had a chance to pull his trigger a second time and as Garrett
cocked his hammer to take another shot, it soon proved unnecessary as Joe
Phillips stumbled backward one step before crashing to the floor.
Garrett was scrambling to his feet as Joe Phillips gasped then began
shaking for a few seconds before he died.
Garrett then kicked him hard in the gut to make sure he was dead before
sliding his pistol back into his holster and stepping across the room to the
woman who was staring at him in shock.
He looked down at her dead husband and without saying a word, he
grabbed her husband’s shirt. He slid his body across the room and outside
so she wouldn’t have to see the horror of her husband’s body then left the
corpse off to the side of the front door before entering again.
He was about to move Joe’s body when he glanced at the woman who
quietly said, “He killed Jack and said he was going to kill me if I didn’t do
as he said.”
Garrett removed his own knife as he stepped across the room and after
dropping to his heels near her feet, he began to cut her bonds.
“I’m sorry for what he did, ma’am. You heard what he said. He caused
all this pain just to have revenge for what had happened to his two
partners.”
As she rubbed her freed wrists, she said, “I’m so ashamed. I should have
warned you. I was just so terribly afraid.”
 Garrett was cutting through the cord binding her ankles as he said,
“There was nothing you could have done, ma’am. I wish that he would have
just ridden into Yuma and tried to have his revenge there. I’m sorry that he
killed your husband.”
She surprised him when she said, “He wasn’t really my husband. Jack
just moved in after my husband died six months ago. I never really liked
him much, but he did keep me from going stir crazy.”
As he helped her to her feet, she said, “Thank you for your help, Deputy
Shaw.”
“Call me Garrett, ma’am.”
“My name is Gretchen. Gretchen Mayer.”
“I’ve got to get back to La Paz to tell the mayor what happened and send
a telegram to my boss in Yuma. Do you need me to escort you into town
before I go?”
“I’ll be all right here. I’ll probably have another man come to live with
me soon once they know that Jack is dead. Are you going to take the killer’s
body into town?”
“No, ma’am. I was going to dig a grave for the two bodies before I leave.
You can have his horse and everything else he had with him.”
“What if he robbed a bank and has a thousand dollars in his
saddlebags?”
Garrett shrugged before replying, “Then you’d be able to buy a much
higher quality of man for your next companion, ma’am.”
She smiled at him before he turned to remove Joe Phillips’ body.
_____
It took him more than two hours to dig the grave and another hour to fill
it. He’d let Gretchen search his saddlebags and while she didn’t find a
thousand dollars, she did find more than forty which made her happy.
Garrett also gave her the six dollars and fifteen cents he’d found in Joe’s
pockets before he was covered with dirt.
While he worked, she told him that she could at least make him a good
meal before he left.
 After he tossed the last shovelful of dirt onto the grave, he washed at the
outside pump and pulled on his shirt. It was still damp, but he appreciated
the cooling effect.
As they ate what turned out to be a surprisingly well-cooked and large
meal, Gretchen asked him if he’d rather just stay the night with her rather
than make the ride to La Paz. She didn’t make any pretense about needing
him to ward off any nightmares, either. Obviously, Jack hadn’t wormed his
way into her heart. But as tempting as her offer may be, Garrett knew that
he had to leave.
He took Joe’s gunbelt with its enormous blade but left Joe’s unused
Winchester with Gretchen.
She was openly saddened to see him go but still smiled and waved as he
mounted Whiskey. Garrett waved back before turning his Morgan back
down what barely passed as an access road.
He was soon heading north again having never reached Mineral City.
He’d stop at Olive City to tell them that the murderer was dead but
wouldn’t go into details. He’d reserve those for the mayor of La Paz where
he’d spend the night. He’d ride back to Yuma and spend that long ride
mentally writing his report. He couldn’t let his father know the true identity
of the man who killed two lawmen and one civilian. If he discovered that
they had died at the hands of the last rustler, it might send him back into the
depression that had engulfed him after that day.
He decided that he’d just modify his official report to everyone except
his boss and change Joe Phillips to become a previously unknown Miller
brother. It would make more sense anyway because of the timing. If he
hadn’t made that four-year-old link, then he was sure that his father
wouldn’t either. He’d tell the sheriff the full story and knew that he’d
understand and respect his reason for the subterfuge.
_____
As he rode north, sixty-two miles south, the Gallaghers were inspecting
their new home with Mike and Ellis White. It would be an enormous
change in their lives after having their large family share Maureen’s
parents’ ranch house for the past few months. Even though there were three
bedrooms in their new home, and it was larger than the house they’d had in
Phoenix, it was still going to be crowded.
The bedrooms were large, and two had bunkbeds while Mitch and
Maureen shared a single bed in their room. They would still need to buy
two more bunkbeds and add a few more pieces of furniture when they made
their next trip to Yuma, but it was their home.
They were in the kitchen when Mitch turned and shook Mike’s hand and
said, “Thanks for all the help, Mike.”
Then he smiled at Ellis as he shook his hand.
“Thanks for all your work too, Ellis. I reckon that you gained another
benefit for being a good neighbor, too. Or should I say that Mary was the
one who received the bonus.”
Ellis glanced at Mary who wasn’t in the least embarrassed as she smiled
at him.
“Mary is very special, Mister Gallagher.”
“She is, but she’s a handful, too. So, you’d better not stir her Irish
temper.”
“No, sir,” Ellis replied before stepping close to Mary who quickly took
his hand in the remote chance that no one knew about their relationship.
“When will you be making your next supply run to Yuma?” Mitch asked.
Mike answered, “Next Monday. We’ll only fill half of our wagon, so
you’ll be able to buy everything you need to finish furnishing your house.”
“Then we’ll follow you to Yuma on Monday.”
Harry then asked, “Is Maddy going to be coming with us, Mister
White?”
“I think so,” Mike replied without giving him Madeleine’s reason for
riding with them.
She hadn’t talked to Garrett in a long time and Mike knew that she was
torn with anger, frustration and disappointment. He suspected that she
might use Harry’s almost overbearing interest in her as a weapon to get
Garrett to change his mind. He didn’t think that she’d be successful and
wondered what she would do when she failed. She liked Harry Gallagher,
but Mike was sure that she loved Garrett Shaw.
Kristi was less convinced of their daughter’s commitment to Garrett. But
she held out a glimmer of hope that Madeleine wouldn’t commit a young
woman’s mistake and settle in her choice of husbands. She had rejected
three other suitors, waiting until the shy man she had fallen in love with
when she was just thirteen to finally have the courage to ask for her hand.
She never regretted her decision for a moment and prayed that Madeleine
remained unmarried until Garrett was ready. Kristi hadn’t had a serious talk
with her older daughter about the issue yet but expected Madeleine to seek
her guidance before she made a decision.
_____
Garrett had only spent ten minutes in Olive City to tell them that the man
who had murdered the town’s barber and marshal was dead and buried.
He’d given them just the barest of details before continuing to La Paz.
He arrived in La Paz in mid-afternoon and walked Whiskey into the
livery. After paying for a night’s boarding, he left the livery to find Mayor
Harrison, who owned L.H. Seed, Feed & Grain.
The mayor was talking to one of his customers when Garrett entered and
immediately aborted the conversation and trotted toward him.
“What happened, Deputy? Did you find him?”
“Yes, sir. He was holed up in a small ranch house just north of Mineral
City. I buried him there. I need to send a telegram to my boss then I’ll get a
room at the hotel. I’ll stop by when I’m finished and give you the same
details that I’ll put in my report.”
“I appreciate it, Deputy. I’ll let Mister Alvarez know so he can join us at
the cantina while you tell me what happened.”
Garrett nodded then turned and left the store. He wasn’t surprised that
the mayor wanted Senor Alvarez present. The mayor’s position probably
depended on staying in the ranch owner’s good graces. He was probably the
mayor’s biggest customer as well.
After sending his telegram and getting his room, he returned to the
mayor’s feed and grain store and found Jesus Alvarez already waiting. That
was a surprise as it was a good two-hour ride to his hacienda. He suspected
that Jesus had been waiting in town for his return.
After shaking his hand, the three men walked to the cantina and placed
their orders. Garrett then explained what had happened after he left La Paz.
It was practice for the first official oral report he’d give to the sheriff when
he returned.
Both men were impressed when Garrett described his sliding shot at Jake
Miller, the unknown brother of the more famous Miller boys. But it wasn’t
his intention to impress anyone. He was simply rehearsing.
_____
While Garrett was narrating the events to Mayor Harrison and Senor
Alvarez, his telegram was delivered to Sheriff Yarborough.
“Well, I’ll be damned!” he exclaimed before handing it to Rollie North.
Amos smiled at the two lawmen as Rollie read the sheet. He’d read it
first and was proud of his son.
“It was another Miller brother. Who would have guessed it?” Rollie said
as he returned the telegram to his boss.
“It makes sense but I’m sure Garrett will have a lot more to tell us.”
“That’s an understatement, boss,” Amos said as he leaned back in his
chair.
_____
That night as he lay atop his bed, Garrett found his weary mind shifting
past Yuma to the White ranch. He hadn’t seen Madeleine in weeks and
expected that she was probably already enamored of one of the two older
Gallagher boys by now. It was his own fault if that was true, but he knew it
was the right thing to do.
But there was no way to avoid talking to her even if she was Madeleine
Gallagher. He’d just have to accept it as it was and be cordial to the couple.
He hoped that she didn’t become antagonistic towards him because of his
decision. She made it clear that she thought he was making a mistake, yet
he was just as confident that he wasn’t. And each of them was stubborn
enough to keep it that way.
 Tomorrow, he’d make his long ride to Yuma and give the sheriff his
report. The true identity of the man he’d killed would remain his secret. The
only other person who knew his name was Gretchen Mayer, and Garrett
wasn’t even sure if she would remember the verbal part of the confrontation
he’d had with Joe Phillips. She was in a state of terror and even if she did
remember his name, it wouldn’t have any significance to her.
 CHAPTER 5
Garrett had ridden out of La Paz just after daybreak the next morning
and was making good time on his long return ride.
He was three hours south of Los Posos and was riding through the hard,
open land eight miles east of the Colorado River. While it wasn’t quite
worthy to be officially labeled a desert, it shared most of the traits. Water
was scarce and the earth’s surface was scorching.
The next town was Castle Dome which was another three hours ahead. It
was the worst point in the ride for a problem when disaster struck. It was
every rider’s nightmare when Garrett felt Whiskey stumble and then hobble
for a few steps before coming to a stop.
“Damn!” he exclaimed under his breath as he quickly dismounted.
He dropped to his heels and inspected his Morgan’s right leg, which his
gelding was holding slightly above the ground.
He hoped that his shoe had just come loose making it awkward for him
to walk, but it didn’t take long to find that it wasn’t the problem. He could
see a bulge on the back of his leg just above his hoof. Whiskey had gone
lame. He knew that it was his fault because he had pushed Whiskey too
hard.
“I’m sorry, my friend,” he said as he stood and rubbed the geldings face.
He knew that he should put a bullet into Whiskey’s brain, but he couldn’t
do it. He may have had no qualms about shooting bad men, but his horse
was not only innocent; he had become his trusted companion. He had been
almost sickened after shooting his father’s horse as it lay stricken on his
father’s leg, and that had been necessary.
The problem was his location and the time of day. It was late in the
morning and the closest human habitation was the Circle N ranch which
was close to the Colorado River. It was another ten miles or so southwest of
the road, and Los Posos, the town at the intersection of the road to La Paz
was even further away.
 As he continued to stroke Whiskey, he reviewed his options. It was
already over a hundred degrees and he knew he wasn’t going to have his
luck change and enjoy one of those rare rainstorms that appeared almost
without notice.
If he headed for the Neumann’s Circle N, he’d have to start cross country
now. But he decided that he’d head south on the road in the hopes of being
spotted by a rider or the stagecoach that ran between La Paz and Yuma. The
coach only ran three days each week, but he wasn’t sure which day this was
anymore. It took him a couple of minutes to remember that it was Saturday,
and the stage wouldn’t pass by until Monday. Then he realized that
tomorrow was the Fourth of July to boot.
He looked at Whiskey and knew that he couldn’t even walk anymore, so
he began stripping him. It took him just a few minutes before everything
was stacked on the side of the road. He had two canteens full of water and
almost thought about emptying one of them into his hat for Whiskey. But as
much as he wanted to help his friend, he knew it would be a futile gesture
just to make himself feel better about abandoning his long-serving mount.
He walked in front of Whiskey and placed his hands on the sides of the
Morgan’s face as he stared into his dark, soulful eyes.
“I’m really sorry for pushing you so hard, Whiskey. You deserve a much
better fate, but I’m going to have to leave you. I know I shouldn’t be such a
coward and should help you to avoid suffering, but I can’t do it. I’m sorry
for that, too.”
He rubbed Whiskey’s nose for one last time then stepped to his gear and
after putting the bridle and his scabbard into his saddlebags then tying the
canteen straps together, he hung the saddle blanket over his shoulder. Then
he picked up the saddlebags and hung them on top of the blanket before
adding the canteens to his other shoulder. He snatched his Winchester from
the ground and after hefting the saddle over his back, he began walking
south along the road, not daring to look back at Whiskey.
He only walked about a hundred yards before leaving the road and
walking behind a large boulder. He left his saddle in the shade of the big
rock before heading back to the road.
 Before he reached the roadway, he did glance north and found Whiskey
still standing in place. He regretted that short look instantly and soon picked
up the pace.
He walked for more than an hour before he indulged in his need for
water and limited himself to two swallows. The sun was near its zenith now
and he was sure it was well over a hundred degrees.
He knew that he’d have to find shade for a few hours and rest until the
sun went down. He’d stay close to the road so he could hail anyone who
might ride past, although that was unlikely.
As the sun’s power rained down on him, he snickered before saying, “I
hope you’re making good use of Joe Phillips’ strawberry roan, Gretchen.”
That act of generosity might cost him his life.
_____
Thirty minutes later, Garrett was sitting in the shade of a sharp granite
outcrop which also gave him a natural chair. He couldn’t see Whiskey any
longer, but the image from that last look would take some time to fade.
He had one of his tortilla wraps and drank four swallows of water which
should keep him until he started walking again. His biggest concern at the
moment was the same one that Madeleine had when she found herself in
her human-reptile confrontation A good-sized rattler had slithered away just
before he arrived. He knew that the snake wouldn’t return while the sun was
up. He was probably hunting, but if Garrett fell asleep and wasn’t on the
road after sunset, that big boy might join him to absorb the warm-blooded
human’s body heat.
Despite his unease about the diamondback, Garrett closed his eyes and
pulled his Stetson down low to block out the reflected sunlight. He wasn’t
that tired, but knew he needed to nap.
He found it difficult to push the image of Whiskey’s sad eyes from his
mind. It was as if the Morgan understood what was going to happen and
almost blamed him for it. He tried to push the memory aside by thinking of
the chase and killing of Joe Phillips, but it didn’t help. Then, despite
knowing that it was a bad idea, he began thinking about Madeleine. She
was dominating his mind much more than he thought possible. It seemed
the more he tried to avoid seeing her, the more he thought about her.
 He smiled when he let his imaginary Maddy’s fierce or laughing blue
eyes stare back at him. That girl had spirit and maybe that was what made
her so attractive to him. She always spoke her mind and never backed
down, not even to a threatening rattlesnake.
She surely wasn’t as physically impressive as the Gallagher girls he’d
met when they came into town, but her character and determination were
more than a match for any woman, young or old. Even his mother wasn’t
her equal.
But as he compared Madeleine to the Gallagher girls, he wondered if
Ellis had been won over by one of the Irish lasses. He and his father had
been spending a lot of time helping them to build their new home, and he’d
be surprised if nature didn’t follow its course.
So, as Garrett tried to find his nap time, he pictured Ellis with Mary
Gallagher and Harry, the oldest Gallagher boy, with Madeleine. Half of that
image made him smile, but the other half didn’t linger in his mind.
_____
No one in the Yuma was concerned when Garrett hadn’t returned that
evening. They assumed that he was handling the aftermath of the takedown.
Amos had repeated what Garrett had written in his telegram before he sat
down for dinner with the family.
As they ate, Annabelle asked, “When do you think he’ll be back?”
“If he leaves La Paz early tomorrow, then he won’t get back until
sundown at the earliest.”
“I had hoped he’d be back today for tomorrow’s celebrations.”
Alma said, “At least he’ll be here for the fireworks.”
Amos grinned and said, “It sounds like he made his own fireworks up
near La Paz. I’m sure he’ll have a good story to tell when he gets back.”
“If he’d been shot, he would have put it in the telegram; wouldn’t he?”
Annabelle asked.
“Yes, sweetheart. The sheriff would chew his behind if he didn’t.”
“I worry about him, Amos. He’s been in so many shootouts with horrible
men even before he put on that badge. Now he rides all over this vast
county chasing them. How much longer can he go without being shot?”
“Don’t worry about our son, Belle. He’s a smart boy and isn’t about to
give those outlaws any advantage.”
Annabelle nodded as she chewed her chicken. She was worried for her
only son for reasons other than being on the receiving end of a .44. She
knew that he believed he was doing his duty to his family by setting aside
his own needs and desires, and she couldn’t deny that it was necessary. She
now was aware that he’d been saving his rewards to provide for each of his
sisters when she wed. Harriet had confided his gift to her despite Garrett’s
request that she keep it a secret. She would never tell Amos but felt almost
as guilty as her husband knowing that he was sacrificing his own happiness
for his family.
Each of the women in the house, and the one who’d just left with her
new husband, were well aware of Madeleine White’s affection for Garrett.
And despite his efforts to conceal it, each of them knew that he was equally
enamored of her. Annabelle wished that there was something she could do
to relieve him of his burden, but the practicality of the problem was that it
wouldn’t be possible, maybe not even after Betty was married.
She had been saving as much of Garrett’s pay as she could, but even
after three years, the amount was just over a hundred dollars. Raising a
family was expensive. She wondered why he hadn’t married and moved his
bride into the house but hadn’t asked because she didn’t want to know. His
answer would probably make her feel even more guilty.
Amos didn’t notice his wife’s inattention as he ate his baked chicken.
His mind was busy trying to imagine the circumstances that Garrett had
described as ‘unique’ in his telegram.
He hadn’t stopped by the Overland Stage offices because he knew that it
wasn’t possible that they’d hire him. He just had been in a funk after
Harriet’s wedding and hoped that he didn’t repeat the backslide when he
walked his last two daughters down the aisle.
Despite his return to his cheerful self, Amos still harbored the guilt that
had almost driven him into lunacy as he recovered from his injury. He tried
to control it because he knew that if he started sulking again, Garrett would
try even harder this time to keep him from becoming morose. He was
worried that if he kept distracting his son, then Garrett might make that one
mistake that would get him shot or killed. He never even gave a thought to
the financial impact it would have on his family but knew that his own guilt
over losing Garrett might kill him.
_____
As his family sat in the parlor with lamps burning as they talked about
him, Garrett was on the road. He was grateful that he hadn’t seen the snake
again but could hear the howls of the coyotes as they sang to each other
from every point of the compass.
Coyotes, like most wild critters, usually avoided men, but a man alone at
night could fall prey to a pack if they were hungry enough or if the man was
wounded. He had plenty of ammunition and his Winchester and Colt were
both fully loaded. He had Joe Phillips’ pistol in his saddlebags and it now
had all six cylinders full of fresh cartridges as well. So, if the coyotes
decided to pay him a visit, they’d soon wish that they’d chosen a different
victim.
As he thought of Joe’s Colt, he wondered if he should give it to Maddy
as he’d promised. He could always just leave it in the office if she stopped
by. That way, he could avoid the uncomfortable confrontation that he
expected to have with her when they next met. He knew it would be a
cowardly thing to do but justified it to himself by claiming it was for her
benefit.
There was just a tiny sliver of a moon in the sky, but it provided enough
illumination for him be able to spot any four-footed trouble. The desert sky
was like a blanket of stars overhead and even though he’d seen it for all of
his life, it was still an awesome sight.
After three hours of steady walking and one short drink of water, he felt
his normal sleep cycle calling to him. He needed to fight the urge. It was
around midnight and he needed to keep walking until at least the predawn.
He estimated that he was walking between two and three miles per hour.
If he kept going for another six or seven hours, he should spot Castle Dome.
But before he did, he should be able to find the Colorado River. He and the
river were following merging paths since he’d started hoofing on his own
two feet. It was probably less than three miles due west by now, but he had
another full canteen and wasn’t about to waste more than an hour heading
that way. Besides, the terrain between here and the river was much more
difficult. He’d stay on the road.
Despite his need to keep moving, Garrett finally gave in to his mind’s
demand to get some sleep. He stepped just a few feet off the roadway and
dropped his saddlebags to the ground. After he spread his saddle blanket on
a clear spot of dirt, he stretched out on the blanket that still carried
Whiskey’s scent. He set his hat on the ground and laid his Winchester on
his chest so he wouldn’t get too comfortable and oversleep.
_____
He had hoped to just nap for an hour or so, but when his eyes snapped
open, he found his Winchester on the ground, and the sun already well
above the horizon.
“Son of a bitch!” he snapped.
He sat up, then slowly stood and stretched his stiff legs before stepping a
few feet away and releasing his body’s moisture that his kidneys had
determined to be waste.
After pulling on his hat and hanging his blanket and saddlebags over his
shoulder, he grabbed his repeater then added his canteens. Again, he cursed
himself for sleeping so long, but it was too late to do anything other than let
a few more expletives fly.
His mouth was a dry cave with a thick chunk of smoked beef inside for a
tongue, but he denied himself the relief of water until he absolutely needed
it.
But oversleeping had cost him. Now he’d have to walk the next six or
seven hours in the broiling heat. At least it was still midmorning, so he’d
only suffer the sun’s full wrath for three or four hours.
He reached the road after just four strides and as he resumed his walk, he
said, “Happy Fourth of July,” then snickered.
_____
The town of Yuma, like most others in the country, had plans to celebrate
the nation’s birthday. Theirs included a large buffet and music provided by
local musicians that made proper use of the park’s bandstand.
 There would be a parade in the afternoon and then the big fireworks
display after sunset. The parade was different in Yuma because of the
intense heat that was always the first participant in the festivities when it
arrived long before the first decorated wagon rolled down Main Street.
What made this parade special was it would be the first one that would
feature Lumpy. Manny Fletcher had shown the Runnels’ oldest boy, Ed,
how to ride and care for the camel before he was taken to the territorial
prison to serve his four-year sentence. He promised to return and expected
Lumpy to be healthy and happy to see him.
But that was for later in the day. As Garrett was slowly walking south to
Castle Dome, there were tables of food and lots of liquid refreshments of
both types: alcohol laden and those that were fit for the youngsters. The line
of tables was in a row in the shadows of the boardwalk and a good portion
of the town was sampling what they held. There was a fierce competition
for the best pie, cake and chili which was part of the tasting. The creators of
each entry added smiles to the taster to gain even the tiniest advantage.
_____
The sun looked down on him from the middle of the sky as Garrett
trudged along. He imagined each of the events in Yuma that were now well
under way. He could almost picture the long row of overloaded tables and
the big pitchers and buckets of cool lemonade and other liquid refreshment.
He licked his dry upper lip, but it didn’t help. His tongue was thick and
gummy, but he was withholding the last of his canteen’s water until he
began to feel dizzy.
He knew that he had to be within five miles of Castle Dome and thought
about heading west to the river. It was probably just a mile or so away by
now, but when he glanced to his right, he knew it would be almost
impossible for him to climb those tall hills to get to the water.
He mentally synchronized the sun’s trek across the cloudless blue sky to
the sequence of Yuma’s Independence Day celebrations. He smiled as he
imagined the squeals of delight as the winners of the food competitions in
Yuma were announced to the polite applause of the losers. His mother
baked a marvelous blueberry pie but had never won the blue ribbon.
“Maybe you won this time, Mom,” he rasped as he kept his feet moving.
 His feet were so hot now that he didn’t even know that he still had any
leather between his soles and those glowing embers that pretended to be a
road. He heard stories about mystics who could walk on red-hot charcoal
but knew that it was probably just a mad dash across twenty feet of burning
torture. Let them try to walk more than twenty miles barefoot across Yuma
County in Arizona Territory in the summer.
He still hadn’t seen the outline of the town yet, but knew it was time for
him to empty his canteen when he thought he saw a giant lizard with green
scales and big wings. He recognized it as a dragon from the book of fables
that he read as a boy. He was sure that it hadn’t suddenly emerged from
those pages, so as he continued to plod along, he swallowed the last of his
water.
He knew he should probably just toss his excess weight, including his
empty canteens, his Winchester and saddlebags, but he didn’t. It was a
challenge between him and the sun now. He may want to defeat that blazing
orb, but he wasn’t about to look up and shake his fist in its face, either.
His Stetson’s brim protected his eyes from the direct sunlight, but he
knew that the ground’s reflection of those powerful beams still had enough
power to blind a man. He had been closing his eyes for as long as a minute
at a time then opening them just long enough to keep walking straight
because he understood the danger, but now he kept them open.
Garrett was close to wondering if this was going to be his last day on the
planet when he thought he saw the rooftop of a building float up from the
heat waves on the horizon.
“It’s just a mirage. Don’t get excited,” he thought but kept his eyes
trained on the mirage hoping it didn’t disappear.
He walked for another twenty minutes before he began to believe that
those rooftops weren’t a mirage, but the outskirts of Castle Dome. He began
to giggle but kept the same pace because he simply couldn’t walk any
faster.
He still had a fear that it was a mirage until he heard the distant sound of
music. He didn’t know what tune the band was playing nor did he care. He
was going to make it.
 He was close to total exhaustion and dehydration as he stumbled and
swerved the last hundred yards of his torturous journey.
Garrett had his eyes closed as he felt his legs finally fail. He dropped to
his knees and with his head bowed, he felt his Winchester drop from his
weary fingers.
Before he fell onto his face in the scorching dirt, he croaked, “I’m…
sorry…, I’m…so…sorry…Whiskey. I…should…have…”
_____
.
“Wait until Garrett sees this!” Annabelle exclaimed as she admired her
blue ribbon, “He always told me that I make the best blueberry pie in the
territory, and now I have proof!”
Amos grinned at his wife as he sat beside her on the front porch swing.
“He’ll be even happier when he finds out that you baked two,” Alma
said.
Annabelle looked at her daughter as she said, “I was hoping he’d be back
by now.”
“He’s probably just arriving in Castle Dome and he’ll be here within an
hour, Mom. You know he won’t miss the fireworks,” said Betty.
Amos asked, “I wonder what happened up in La Paz? All he said in the
telegram that he killed the murderer of the two lawmen and a third man
then discovered he was Jake Miller. None of us knew that those boys had
another brother, but they weren’t from around here anyway.”
His wife said, “That must have been terrifying to be wearing a badge
when you had to confront a man who’d already murdered two lawmen.
Maybe he took his badge off already so the killer wouldn’t know he was a
deputy.”
Amos shook his head and replied, “I reckon that Garrett wouldn’t do
that, Belle. Our son would want that bastard to know that he wasn’t facing a
part-time town marshal or an old man like Marshal Bascom. He would have
to take on one of the bravest, smartest and toughest lawmen in the
territory.”
 Annabelle smiled at her husband. He had such enormous yet well-
deserved pride in his only son. She was just as proud. While she
acknowledged the admirable traits that his father espoused; she held a vast
reservoir of motherly pride in her son’s other qualities. He was brave, smart
and tough, but he was also gentle, considerate and amazingly humble.
How
many other young men would be willing to sacrifice so much for those he
loved?
Half the young women in the county would jump at the chance to
become Mrs. Garrett Shaw, maybe more than half. But she knew that he
would only accept one. As much as she wished that Madeleine would wait
until Garrett felt he’d sacrificed his future long enough, Annabelle thought
that she wouldn’t and maybe shouldn’t postpone her own future in that
uncertain hope.
As she sat beside her husband on the wide swing with her prized blue
ribbon in her hands, she wished there was some way to help her son. She
didn’t know how much money he had in his reward account but estimated
that it wasn’t enough to give similar gifts to Alma and Beatrice when they
married. She was certain that he was already planning to chase down a
vicious killer with a big price on his head at his first opportunity, and the
thought made her sick.
She felt helpless knowing that any subject involving Garrett’s drive to
help the family was one that she couldn’t share with her husband. She
needed to do something and began to think that maybe the solution was to
almost force Garrett and Madeleine to spend time together in a family
environment.
Anabelle smiled as she looked at Amos who was talking to Betty. In
three weeks, on July 24
th
, they would be celebrating their twenty-fifth
anniversary. If they had a nice party, she could invite the White family who
had joined them on their ranch when they’d celebrated their twentieth. It
may be a longer ride for them this time, but they came into town every few
weeks anyway.
She was still smiling as her mind began planning for the event.
_____
 Garrett felt cooling water flowing across his face and then fingers sliding
across his damp forehead. His eyes flickered open and was enormously
relieved when he could still see. Then he realized the sun was gone and he
was no longer outside. The room was hot as hell, but there was no sun
overhead and he turned his eyes to the left and smiled.
“Jesus, Garrett! You scared the hell outta the whole town!” Marshal Lou
Thierry exclaimed as he lifted Garrett’s head and put a tin cup of water to
his cracked lips.
Garrett didn’t reply as his tongue wouldn’t have worked anyway but let
the cool water flow into his mouth as the marshal kept tipping the cup until
it was empty.
When it was gone, he desperately wanted more, but rasped, “Thank you,
Lou.”
“What happened, Garrett? When we first spotted you on the ground at
the edge of town, we all thought you had just had too much of tequila. But
drunks don’t usually have Winchesters or saddlebags, so a bunch of us ran
over there and I was shocked when we rolled you over.”
“May I have another drink?”
“Sure. I’m sorry,” the marshal replied before dipping the cup into the
nearby bucket.
After emptying the second cup, Garrett wanted to drink every drop in the
entire wooden pail, but knew he had to take it slowly.
“My horse went lame about twenty-five miles north. I had to leave him,
Lou. I couldn’t shoot him.”
“I can understand that. Now you need to rest and get some more water
into you. I’ve got a few young women outside who want to nurse you back
to health, but I reckon that won’t help you rest much. My Marie will bring
you some of the food from our celebration and she’ll clean you up, too. I
don’t reckon you’ll be able to head back to Yuma until tomorrow.”
“Can you send a telegram to Sheriff Yarborough to let him know what
happened?”
“I’ll do that. You just get some rest. Okay?”
 Garrett nodded and dropped his head back onto the pillow. He assumed
he was in the marshal’s house. He wasn’t concerned about having his wife
assist in his cleanup but didn’t want to be a burden, either.
As he lay on the bed, he realized that he was naked except for his
underpants. He didn’t see his clothes or boots anywhere but assumed that
the Winchester leaning against the wall by the window was his. His
saddlebags and canteens were laying atop his saddle blanket on the floor
nearby.
Marie Thierry entered the room a few minutes later with another bucket
of water.
“I hope you aren’t embarrassed, Garrett. I’ve raised three boys, so I’ll
pretend you’re just one of them.”
“I wasn’t embarrassed, Mrs. Thierry. I appreciate your help.”
She set the bucket on the floor and after taking a bar of soap from her
apron’s pocket, she pulled a dripping sponge from the bucket and worked
up a sudsy lather.
“I can’t imagine how bad it must have been walking that far in this heat,”
she said as she began to scrub the dirt from his legs.
“I had to leave my horse. He was hurt and I felt like I was abandoning
him when he needed me the most. I know that I should have shot him, but I
couldn’t do it. He was my friend.”
Marie continued to clean her way up his legs as she said, “Don’t talk.
You need to conserve your strength and not injure your throat any worse
than it is. I’ll talk, but you don’t need to reply.”
Garrett nodded and knew that she was right. He was already planning to
get a horse in the morning and ride north to find Whiskey. He had to get his
saddle anyway but hoped to be able to save his buckskin friend. He knew
that the odds were low, but he felt he owed it to him.
Marie continued to talk but shifted to the town’s celebration and then her
family. She obviously didn’t want to remind him of Whiskey.
After she washed his front, she rolled him onto his left side and washed
his back. He was curious if she was going to take off his underpants, but
when she finished, she just handed him the soapy sponge.
 “I’ll go get you something to eat now.”
Garrett smiled and nodded before she left the room. He quickly slid his
underpants down and washed his private parts before pulling them back on.
Marie soon returned with a tray of food and after setting it on the dresser,
she took the sponge and said, “I’ll give you a pair of my husband’s
underdrawers before you get dressed. My daughters laundered your clothes
and they’re hanging outside.”
“Thank you,” Garrett said despite her caution about speaking.
“Let’s sit you up,” Marie said after dropping the sponge into the bucket.
She took his hands, but Garrett was able to sit up on his own.
“You’re recovering faster than we had expected,” she said with a smile.
“Yes, ma’am.”
She set the tray on his lap as he sat on the edge of the bed and Garrett
began to slowly eat the wide variety of food from the tables on the
boardwalk. He emptied three tall glasses of water before his stomach began
to protest about the unexpected volume.
Marie took the tray and said, “Louise and Bernadette were practically
begging me to let them bring you the food, but I didn’t want to embarrass
you. I may have raised my boys, but I hope that neither of my daughters has
seen a handsome young man in such a state of undress.”
Garrett smiled as he said, “Thank you, ma’am. It would be somewhat
uncomfortable for me.”
Marie smiled back then replied, “I’m sure that there are quite a few
young ladies who would pay handsome fees to act as your nurse.”
Garrett just grinned as she left the room and closed the door behind her,
probably to keep her daughters from peeking inside.
He should have just laid back down, but Garrett wanted to see how much
damage he’d sustained in that hellish walk. He knew that the biggest threat
had been from sun blindness and his legs would recover soon, but he
wanted to see how well he could move now.
He slowly stood and felt his recently washed legs tighten. He dropped
back onto the edge of the bed and began massaging his calf muscles. As his
fingers and thumbs worked, he imagined how bad they would have felt if he
hadn’t been wearing pants.
How do the Apaches handle it?
His face and neck were much darker than his torso, legs and arms
because of their constant exposure to the sun. He stopped massaging his
calves and then felt the back of his neck. It didn’t hurt very much, which
was somewhat surprising. He had his head bowed for much of the walk as
he had his eyes closed and wasn’t able to keep his head level. Yet his neck
hadn’t been burned as badly as he had expected.
After returning his hands to his legs, he thought that it might be an
advantage to adapt the rest of his body to look more like an Apache’s skin.
There could be a time when he was out in the empty part of the county and
would lose his shirt for one reason or another. If the skin on his chest and
back was as pale as it was now, he’d be in agony in less than an hour, or
he’d be forced to hide under what little shade he could find and become an
easy target.
When he thought his fingers were about to separate from his hands, he
stood again and took his first tentative steps. With each step in the oven-like
room, he felt his confidence grow.
Garrett only walked for a few minutes before he gratefully returned to
the bed. He was already sweating heavily, so he used the tin cup to drink
more water. He hadn’t asked the marshal or his wife what time it was. He
guessed it was early evening and then wondered if Marty Gibbons, the
telegrapher in Yuma, was enjoying the holiday or was sitting at his key.
They only had Marty right now as the other operator had gone to San
Francisco two weeks ago and Western Union hadn’t sent a replacement.
_____
The Shaw family, including Harriet and her new husband, were sitting
on straight backed chairs on their wagon’s bed or on the tailgate watching
the fireworks explode in the night sky.
After a particularly impressive green and red burst that seemed more
appropriate for the Christmas holiday, Annabelle asked, “Amos, do you
think that something has happened to Garrett? He should have been home
by now, even if he had a late start from La Paz this morning.”
 Amos was just as concerned as his wife but smiled at her and replied,
“I’m sure he’s all right, dear.”
From her seat on the tailgate, Beatrice giggled then said, “Maybe he met
some girl up in La Paz and didn’t want to tell you.”
Her mother snapped, “His message said he was leaving, young lady. No
girl or young woman would be able to keep him from doing his duty.”
Alma swatted her younger sister on the knee where her parents couldn’t
see then said, “There could have been another problem that required his
attention, Mom. You know how he is. If some cowhand reported a missing
calf, he’d help look for it.”
Amos laughed but waited until the boom from the last display rolled past
before replying, “You’re right about that, Alma. I swear that if a mama
rattlesnake cried about her missing baby wiggler, he’d offer to help.”
Betty tried to offset her earlier faux pas by saying, “He’d probably give
the mama rattler a rat or a horned toad after saving her baby for her.”
Alma smiled at her younger sister as she heard their parents laugh.
Twenty minutes later, after the grand finale with six rockets racing into
the night sky in one glorious barrage, the family had the wagon rolling in
the parade of traffic going back into town.
Each of the Shaws was quietly wondering where Garrett was and not one
of them believed that he was safe any longer. They’d made excuses for his
not leaving La Paz on the day that he had wired he was departing. But no
speculation about young women or mama rattlesnakes could deny the most
obvious reason for Garrett’s absence. Even his mother began to believe that
her only son had been killed.
A hundred feet behind the Shaw wagon, Marty Gibbons was holding
hands with Nancy Johnson as they strolled back into town. Nobody sent
telegrams on Sunday nights and especially not on a holiday.
_____
The operator in Castle Dome, Pete Fontaine, had tried to send the
marshal’s message twice but hadn’t gotten a response, so he set it on the
table near his set and would try again tomorrow morning.
 A half a mile away, in the Thierry home, Garrett was sound asleep as his
body continued to recover.
The family was having leftovers in the kitchen after their town’s smaller
fireworks display and Lou said, “Garrett’s doing better than I expected. I
reckon Tom Yarborough and maybe his father will be showing up pretty
early tomorrow. I suggested that they bring a wagon. I’m not sure he should
ride for a couple of days, even if he did have a horse.”
Marie said, “He said that he needed to retrieve his saddle anyway. He
told me that he left it behind a boulder before he started walking.”
“I don’t think he should head that way until he’s stronger. He’s gonna
need to take it easy for a few days.”
Bernadette smiled as she said, “I don’t think Garrett ever takes it easy.”
Marie turned to her older daughter and said, “You just let him rest,
young lady.”
“I wasn’t going to bother him, Mama. It’s Louise you need to watch.”
Louise looked wide-eyed at her sister but didn’t comment.
She was just frustrated that Garrett hadn’t joined them for dinner.
 CHAPTER 6
When Monday, the fifth day of July arrived, Marie Thierry had found
Garrett still sleeping and let him rest while the family had breakfast.
When Pete Fontaine arrived at his telegraph office, he found a short line
of men outside his door waiting to send messages, so after entering, he
hurried to his set and began throwing switches to engage the batteries.
The first man in line hurried in behind him and as he stood at the
counter, he sneezed. His exhaled blast of air picked up Marshal Thierry’s
message that Pete still needed to send and floated it onto the floor. No one
in line paid attention to its flight as Pete stood, then turned and took the first
man’s sheet.
At the White ranch, the entire family, including the Gregory addition,
was waiting at the end of the access road for the Gallaghers to arrive. Their
almost empty wagon was ready to roll and Conroy, Ellis and Madeleine
were in their saddles looking south. Sophie sat in the driver’s seat between
her parents with baby Michael while Kristi held little Ellie in her arms.
They soon saw the Gallagher family heading their way. They weren’t all
coming as they needed to have their wagon’s bed empty for their large
volume of purchases. Harry and William were riding while Mary and
fifteen-year-old Katie flanked their parents on the driver’s seat.
As they drew closer, Maddy noticed that Mary was sitting on the right
side of the driver’s seat which would let Ellis talk to her on the long drive.
She shifted her eyes to Harry Gallagher and could see that he was
already smiling. He hadn’t expressed any formal intent to visit her yet but
knew that it wouldn’t be much longer. She liked Harry and thought he
would make a good husband but not for her. She may not have planned to
use Harry to make Garrett jealous, but she knew that once they arrived in
Yuma, Harry would stay close to her.
Madeleine planned to stop by the sheriff’s office first and hopefully have
an extended conversation with Garrett. She was sure that he had been
avoiding her and as much as she wanted to see him again, his constant
disappearances were beginning to tickle her well-documented temper.
She was reasonably sure that he’d be in town today because of the
holiday.
The Gallaghers were almost there, so her father snapped his reins and the
Shaw wagon pulled onto the road.
She tapped Rattler’s flank and the mare trotted behind the wagon, but
Ellis stayed unmoving as he smiled at Mary.
Before long Harry Gallagher was soon riding beside her and as soon as
he arrived, he smiled and said, “Good morning, Maddy.”
Madeleine returned his smile and his greeting but didn’t start a
conversation.
Harry didn’t mind and said, “I think that we’re going be related soon,
even if it’s only as in-laws.”
Maddy glanced back at the Gallagher wagon before she replied, “I think
you’re right, Harry. Ellis looks as if he is about to ask Mary if she wants to
ride on his horse.”
Harry laughed before he paused and said, “I wish we could be more than
just in-laws, Maddy.”
She was startled at Harry’s suggestion that she hadn’t expected for at
least another month. But he was nineteen and had probably been smitten
with her since they’d arrived. She shouldn’t have been surprised at all.
She turned and smiled at him as she said, “You’ve only known me for
three months, Harry. If you ask anyone, I’m a horrible person.”
Harry smiled as he said, “You are far from horrible, Maddy. I think
you’re wonderful. I know that you’re waiting for Deputy Shaw, but I don’t
mind telling you that I love you and will be a good husband and father.
Please at least give me a chance. Don’t throw your life away just waiting.”
Madeleine was dazed by his declaration of love and his willingness to
accept her even if he knew how she felt about Garrett. She didn’t deny that
he would try his utmost to make her happy, but she was still only eighteen
and believed there was time.
 “Harry,” she asked, “Can you give me time to think about it? Please?”
Harry was ecstatic that she hadn’t refused him even with the delay. He’d
do everything he could to convince her to let him court her.
“I’ll do as you ask, Maddy. I’ll do anything for you.”
Madeleine smiled as she said, “Thank you, Harry.”
She shifted her eyes to the road again and found herself in turmoil. Aside
from Harry’s pleasant personality, he lived close and she saw him almost
daily. She rarely saw Garrett anymore and even though she knew that he
probably loved her as she loved him, he had never even come close to
acting as if he did.
As Rattler carried her north, Madeleine wished that Garrett would at
least give her a glimmer of hope. All she would need is for him to tell her
that he loved her and would marry her the day after Beatrice left the family
home. She soon even dropped the date requirement. If he simply told her
that he loved her, she’d wait until she was an old maid.
_____
When Garrett finally stirred, he took a minute to shift his muscles while
he was still on his back, then slowly sat up and set his bare feet on the floor.
He found his clothes neatly folded on the dresser, so he stood and pulled
off his dirty underpants and carefully dressed. He had to pee but wanted to
be able to walk to the privy. He soon sat on the bed and pulled on his socks
and boots. He left his hat with his saddlebags, then opened the door and
stepped into the hallway.
Marie had heard him moving and assumed he was getting dressed, so she
didn’t disturb him.
When she saw him slowly leave the room, she said, “Good morning,
Garrett. You seem to be doing much better.”
He walked toward the kitchen and smiled as he replied, “Thanks to you
Mrs. Thierry. I’m heading to the privy; if you don’t mind.”
“You go right ahead.”
Garrett stepped as quickly as he could across the kitchen and hurried
across the back yard to the small house. It was with great relief that he
stood over the malodorous pit and didn’t mind losing the bodily fluid.
When he returned, Marie had him sit at the table where she’d already
laid out a big breakfast then joined him with a cup of coffee.
As he ate, he asked, “Did Sheriff Yarborough send a telegram saying that
someone would bring me a horse?”
“Not yet. He’s probably just going to show up. It’s only an hour’s ride.
But he won’t be bringing a horse. My husband suggested you shouldn’t ride
for a few days and recommended that they use a wagon to take you back.”
“I suppose that’s a good idea. I do need to get my saddle soon before the
sun turns the leather into rock.”
“Is your horse named Whiskey?”
Garrett swallowed then asked, “How did you know?”
“When you were sleeping, you kept whispering ‘whiskey’ and the
distressed look on your face made me realize that you weren’t dreaming
about going to the saloon.”
He nodded as he replied, “He was my friend for more than eight years.
My father bought him for me on my thirteenth birthday. I promised him that
I’d never let anything bad happen to him. I know it was just a boy’s
promise, but I meant it and I failed to honor it. I pushed him too hard before
making that ride. I should have stayed in La Paz for a day to let him recover
from the miles I’d made him carry me since leaving Yuma. I should
have…”
Garrett closed his eyes and shook his head rather than letting the image
of his Colt firing into Whiskey’s head explode into his mind. Leaving his
friend in the near desert was bad enough.
Marie was touched seeing the compassion he had for his horse and
wondered why he wasn’t sharing it with a woman. It was well known in the
county that Garrett was the sole support of his family, but Marie simply
couldn’t understand why he remained unmarried. It would be impolite for
her to ask, so she just sipped her coffee.
Garrett pushed his Whiskey memories away at least for a while, then
opened his eyes and smiled at Marie.
“Is Lou back at the jail?”
 “Yes, but I don’t think he wants you to leave the house until Sheriff
Yarborough arrives.”
“I owe you both so much, and it would be the height of ingratitude for
me to disregard his wishes. So, I’ll stay here and bother you until someone
arrives to transport me back to Yuma like a big sack of oats.”
Marie laughed then said, “I haven’t seen a two-hundred-pound sack of
oats yet, but I don’t believe you weigh quite that much. Especially after the
day you had yesterday.”
Garrett laughed then sipped his own coffee. Sipping and not gulping was
a sure sign of his rapid recovery.
_____
Even as Garrett waited for someone to arrive, Sheriff Yarborough was
meeting with Amos and Rollie North.
“I sent a telegram to the mayor of La Paz asking if Garrett was still in
town and if not, to let me know when he left. Until I get a reply, we’ll just
sit tight.”
Amos said, “I know you’re doing the right thing, Tom, but I’m getting
really nervous. I know that Belle is even worse. What do we do if the mayor
says he left yesterday?”
“I’ll make that ride to La Paz myself. I’ll bring a couple of volunteers
with me in case there’s trouble. I can’t imagine anyone getting the drop on
Garrett, so if he’s holed up somewhere, there must be a few of them. He had
enough ammunition to last a while, and I’m sure he’d have enough water to
last him at least a day.”
Rollie said, “Do we even know of any gangs operating up north?”
“No, but you know how they can pop up out of California or appear
from Phoenix or Tucson. Hell, they even come down from Utah and
Colorado. If they were passing through and saw a lawman, they might
decide it would be safer to get him out of the way. They could be partnered
up with Jake Miller, too. We didn’t even know about him, so he could have
had a gang of his own we hadn’t heard about.”
Amos asked, “Can I come with you, Tom? I can ride a horse okay.”
 The sheriff shook his head as he replied, “You know better than to even
ask, Amos. What do you think would happen if we find Garrett in a
shootout and he spotted you on a horse?”
Amos sighed and said, “I suppose you’re right, Tom. I’m just so damned
useless!”
“Bull crap! You’re a bigger help to us than I ever imagined. You do more
than just work around here; you keep us from doing stupid things. I’ll bet
I’d have a bullet hole somewhere on my carcass if it wasn’t for you. Rollie
would probably have two or three. Why do you think Garrett is such a good
lawman? He faces the worst of them and hasn’t even been scratched. He
learned all that from you, Amos. You taught him a lot more than how to ride
and shoot. You taught him to use his head. You would have made a great
lawman yourself, so don’t get all weepy on me. Do you hear me?”
Amos smiled as he nodded then said, “I’m sorry, Tom. I just get
frustrated a lot.”
“I can understand that, but that doesn’t mean you’re anywhere close to
useless. Now let’s get back to figuring out what to do after the mayor’s
reply arrives.”
_____
At the Shaw house, all three sisters were sitting in the parlor with their
mother. If Amos was frustrated by his inability to go with the sheriff, the
Shaw women were in worse shape. If they had been in the jail when Sheriff
Yarborough had opined that Garrett may be in an extended gunfight
somewhere north of Yuma, none of them would have believed it.
“Why hasn’t the sheriff sent someone out to look for Garrett, Mom?”
Alma asked.
“I’m sure that he’s sent out telegrams asking if anyone had seen him, so
it would be foolish to send anyone out without knowing where to look.”
Harriet asked, “Where will they find his…”, but stopped before saying,
“…horse?”
Annabelle knew which noun Harriet was about to use, but pretended she
didn’t and replied, “I’m sure Whiskey will stay with him.”
 The heat was already building, so without saying a word, they soon rose
and moved to the front porch. There might be a breeze, but each of them
wanted to be there when someone arrived with what would probably be
painful news.
_____
The Whites and Gallaghers were ten miles east of Yuma. Ellis had been
happily chatting with Mary for the entire trip. Madeleine and Harry also
conversed, but in a much different tone.
After Harry’s stunning pronouncement and offer, Madeleine had shifted
the conversation to impersonal things. She wanted to get to know Harry
better now that she had to look at him as a prospective husband. But she
found it difficult to engage him in a meaningful dialogue when she had to
monitor what she said.
When she and Garrett talked, she never had to worry about anything. She
knew that she couldn’t offend him, even when she was just a girl. He
expected her to be honest, if not blunt and it was liberating to be herself.
Now she found herself mentally reviewing each word before letting it pass
her lips. She hoped that as she became more familiar with Harry, she’d be
able to speak her mind as she did with Garrett.
_____
Lou Thierry entered his house and found Garrett still at the kitchen table
talking to Marie.
Garrett rose and asked, “Is someone here?”
“Sit down, Garrett. If somebody arrived, don’t you reckon that they’d be
with me?”
Garrett lowered himself back to his chair as he replied, “I was just being
hopeful. You didn’t get a reply to your telegram yet?”
“No, and I’m about to head that way to ask Pete Fontaine to send another
one. I just wanted to let you know.”
“Can I come along? I’m feeling pretty good and I think I’m boring your
wife to death.”
“I doubt that. I haven’t even managed it after twenty-six years. Come
along, but if you fall over, I’m not catching you.”
 Garrett grinned as he stood and then followed the marshal out of the
kitchen and after stopping in his temporary bedroom to get his hat, soon
walked with him out of the hot house into the much hotter outdoors.
_____
Tom Yarborough crumpled the telegram in his hand and said, “Well, I
reckon Garrett’s somewhere between here and La Paz. The mayor said he
left on Saturday morning and seemed okay.”
“
He left two days ago?
” Amos exclaimed.
“Early in the morning, too. I’ve already got a couple of men to come
with me and Deuce is saddled, so I’ll be leaving shortly. If I find him, I’ll
send a wire.”
Rollie nodded and before either he or Amos could say a word, the sheriff
was gone.
Amos felt sick and not because he couldn’t go with the sheriff. If Garrett
was dead, it was his fault.
_____
“
What do you mean it was never sent?
” Marshal Thierry shouted.
Pete Fontaine shrunk back from the marshal’s anger as he replied, “Their
station wasn’t manned last night and I tried three times, but then I was
really busy this morning and your message somehow got blown under the
counter. I’m sorry, Lou. I should have remembered that I hadn’t sent it.”
Lou’s rage had dissipated, so he just calmly asked, “Could you please
send it now and add that Garrett is doing well and ready to leave? I don’t
want Sheriff Yarborough running all over the county looking for Garrett.”
“Yes, sir. Right away,” Pete said before quickly turning around and
tapping his alert code to Yuma.
As Pete began sending the message, Marshal Thierry turned to Garrett
and said, “It looks like they didn’t forget you after all.”
“Things happen sometimes, Lou.”
Pete finished sending the message then waited for his acknowledgement
and was surprised when his set continued chirping.
 Pete quickly began writing as the key kept chattering and soon tapped
his own acknowledgement code before turning back to the two lawmen.
“Marty Gibbons, the Yuma operator, said that the sheriff sent a telegram
to La Paz earlier asking when Garrett had left town and the mayor replied a
little while ago that he departed Saturday morning.”
Lou asked, “Wouldn’t you have heard it go through?”
“I don’t pay attention to the message if it’s not for me.”
“Are you trying to tell me that you don’t listen to what other folks are
talking about?”
“Not if I’m busy, Marshal. And like I said, I was really busy this
morning.”
Marshal Thierry huffed then he and Garrett left the small office and
headed back to his jail.
As they stepped along the boardwalk, Lou said, “I can’t believe he didn’t
even hear your name passing over those wires. I don’t care how busy he
was.”
Garrett didn’t comment as he was trying to keep his recovering legs
operating.
_____
As Marty Gibbons had been copying down the message about Garrett,
the White and Gallagher parade was entering Yuma from the east even as
Sheriff Yarborough and his two-man posse was riding north out of town.
The wagons soon pulled up before the furniture store and everyone on
the wagons began to step down. Ellis and Conroy stayed with the wagons as
they’d need to help load the new bunkbeds and other furniture, but
Madeleine and Harry continued down Main Street. Katie Gallagher thought
about following them, but didn’t want to make Harry angry, so she
dismounted and tied off her horse before following everyone inside.
Harry knew why Madeleine hadn’t dismounted but wasn’t about to let
her out of his sight. He had met Garrett Shaw a few times now and wanted
to let the deputy know that he was close to becoming Madeleine’s intended.
 Maddy wasn’t anywhere close to seeing him in that position, but had her
eyes focused on the sheriff’s office. She didn’t see Whiskey anywhere, but
that didn’t mean much. He was probably in JJ’s Livery.
She pulled Rattler to a stop before the jail and stepped down as Harry
dismounted.
Harry quickly tied off his horse’s reins and was already waiting by the
open door before she even stepped onto the boardwalk.
She smiled at Harry as she entered and immediately noticed that only
Amos was in the office. She continued into the room, but her smile faded as
she neared Garrett’s father.
Harry quickly stepped beside her and tried to take her hand, but when
she stopped before the desk, she put her hands on her hips.
“Where is Garrett, Mister Shaw?”
“We don’t know, Maddy.”
“
Is he avoiding me again?
” she asked sharply as her temper flared.
“No, Maddy. He’s not ignoring anyone. We…”
Before he could finish, Rollie rushed into the office and exclaimed,
“He’s in Castle Dome! He walked into town yesterday and collapsed.
Whiskey went lame on Saturday and he had to walk more than twenty
miles.”
Amos popped to his feet and excitedly asked, “Is he all right?”
“Yup. I reckon that the boss will find him in an hour or so. He’s got to
pass through Dome on his way to La Paz.”
Madeleine’s surge of rage evaporated in an instant and was replaced with
a torrent of concern and relief.
“Do you think he’ll return today?” she hurriedly asked.
Amos was still grinning as he replied, “He’d better. I think he’ll be back
home within a couple of hours.”
Maddy closed her eyes and was almost in tears knowing how close she
had been to losing Garrett. She suddenly smiled and her face radiated the
love that she held for him but didn’t realize the impact it would have on
Harry.
 Harry watched her transformation from almost violent anger to one of
almost heavenly joy and experienced an explosion of jealousy. Garrett had
all but rejected Madeleine while he had expressed his love for her. Yet here
she was so openly joyful that it made him sick. He didn’t say a word but felt
as if he had been violated somehow.
By the time Madeleine opened her eyes, Harry showed no indication of
the dark feelings that now dominated his soul.
Rollie and Amos hadn’t noticed either reaction as Rollie stepped quickly
around Maddy and handed the telegram to Amos before he sat in the chair
next to the desk.
Madeleine then asked, “Mister Shaw, would it be alright if I gave the
news to your family?”
Amos looked up from the telegram and grinned as he replied, “You don’t
have to ask, Madeleine. It seems to me that your family and mine were
almost like one big family for years. I’m sure that they’ll be happy to hear
the wonderful news from you.”
“Thank you,” Maddy said before smiling at Harry then turning and
trotting out of the office with Harry striding quickly behind her.
Amos hadn’t paid any attention to Harry Gallagher before he turned to
Rollie and they began to guess what had happened to Garrett. It was just
adding speculation to his mission to La Paz and killing the lawman
murderer.
Maddy quickly mounted Rattler and didn’t wait for Harry to step into his
saddle before she raced away to quickly reach the Shaw home. She was
buoyant and couldn’t wait to give his mother and sisters the wonderful
news. She was certain that they were all worried sick.
She had just turned onto Saggar Street when she spotted his mother and
all three of his sisters on the porch. She pulled off her hat and waved it over
her head as a giant grin filled her face.
“That’s Maddy!” Beatrice exclaimed as she popped to her feet.
Her sisters and mother all stood before Annabelle said, “She looks really
excited, too. Is that one of the Gallagher boys with her?”
 Alma replied, “Yes, Mom. He’s their oldest, Harry. I think he’s trying to
steal Madeleine from Garrett."
Harriet didn’t comment as Maddy pulled her chocolate mare to a dusty
stop before the house and hopped to the ground. As she tied off Rattler’s
reins, Harry dismounted and tried to catch up to her, but she was already
quickly jogging up the walk.
“Garrett’s safe!” she exclaimed joyfully as she trotted up the porch steps.
Annabelle quickly asked, “How do you know, Maddy? Have you seen
him?”
“No, ma’am. But I was talking to Mister Shaw in the sheriff’s office
when Rollie North came in with a telegram from Castle Dome. Whiskey
went lame on his return ride from La Paz and he had to walk a long way.
The telegram said he walked into town and collapsed, but he’s doing much
better now. Rollie said that Sheriff Yarborough would probably find him
soon because he just left town and would reach Castle Dome within an
hour. He should be home within two or three hours.”
Annabelle began to weep as she pulled her handkerchief from her
pocket.
Harriet smiled at Madeleine and said, “Thank you for letting us know,
Maddy. Won’t you come inside and have some lemonade? We were just on
the porch waiting for news and you’ve brought us the happiest news we
could have hoped to hear.”
Maddy was about to accept when she looked at Harry and could tell that
he wasn’t pleased with the idea, so when she turned her eyes back to
Harriet, she shook her head.
"I wish I could, Harriet, but my family and Harry’s are back at the
furniture store picking out things for their new house. Then we’ll do some
regular shopping before we head back.”
Harriet asked, “Are you sure? At least let us give you some food to take
with you.”
“No, that’s alright. We always pack a basket for the trip.”
Annabelle had recovered then smiled at Madeleine and said, “Before you
go, I need to tell you something. I was going to invite your family to a
celebration that I’m planning on the twenty-fourth of July. It’ll be the
twenty-fifth anniversary of my marriage to Amos. I do wish that you could
all be there.”
Madeleine didn’t bother even glancing at Harry before she quickly
replied, “I’m sure that we’ll all be happy to join you to honor you and your
husband on the occasion.”
“Thank you, Madeleine. It’ll be wonderful to have our families spend the
time together as we did for so many years.”
As Maddy smiled and nodded, Annabelle shifted her eyes to Harry and
said, “Of course, if anyone from your family wishes to join us, we’ll be
very happy to have you as well.”
Harry managed a smile and then took Madeleine’s hand before he said,
“I’ll talk to my father, but even if no one else can make the trip, I’ll be
there. I have to take care of Maddy now.”
Madeleine was shocked when she felt his hand grasp hers so tightly.
Even if she wanted to yank it free, she knew that it would look awkward at
best.
She ignored the heavy pressure of Harry’s grip and smiled as she said,
“Well, I’ll be going back now. Tell Garrett that I’m sorry to hear about
Whiskey. I know how much his friend meant to him and let him know that
I’m sorry that I missed him again. When he gets his new horse, ask him to
visit so I can give it a good inspection.”
“I’ll do that. You take care, Madeleine,” Annabelle said, then looked at
Harry and added, “As should you, Mister Gallagher.”
“I will, ma’am,” Harry replied before almost ripping Madeleine down
the steps.
He released her hand when they reached their horses and after she
mounted, a seething Madeleine set Rattler off at a fast trot while Harry tried
to catch up.
As the Shaw women watched them ride toward Main Street, Harriet said,
“I believe that young Mister Gallagher overstepped his bounds when he
took Maddy’s hand.”
 Annabelle replied, “I wonder if he understands what a mistake he just
made.”
“I hope that he doesn’t try to hurt Maddy. Did you see the look in his
eyes?”
Annabelle turned to Alma and asked, “What look? I didn’t notice.”
“When you asked Maddy if she wanted to have some lemonade, I’m sure
that she was happy with the idea until she looked at Harry Gallagher. He
was mad about it and that’s why she declined the invitation. Then just when
he took her hand, he may have been smiling, but his eyes scared me.”
Annabelle looked at her other daughters and asked, “Did either of you
notice?”
Harriet and Beatrice both shook their heads as Harriet replied, “But I
wasn’t looking at their faces. When he grabbed her hand, I was surprised,
and I thought he was going to break her fingers.”
“Me, too,” Betty added.
Their mother finally said, “Well, I think Madeleine can handle that boy.”
“I think if Garrett heard that he might hurt Maddy, he’d either shoot him
or he’d ask Madeleine to marry him,” Alma said.
“We’ll see what happens at the anniversary party. I still haven’t
mentioned it to your father yet, so wait until after I’ve talked to him.”
Alma nodded and realized that her mother hadn’t chastised her for
suggesting that Garrett should marry Madeleine. Harriet and even Beatrice
noticed it as well.
_____
When Maddy and Harry were a block from the furniture store, she
noticed that the Gallagher wagon was already more than half full of
furniture, bedding and other accessories.
Her father and Mister Gallagher were lugging out a dresser and Ellis and
Mary had just reentered the store. She didn’t see the others who were
probably in the neighboring dry goods store doing their shopping.
By the time they arrived near the wagon, the boardwalk was empty
which suited her. She didn’t want to cause any friction between the families.
 As Madeleine dismounted in front of the furniture store, she waited until
Harry was near before she glared at him and snapped, “Don’t you dare think
that you have the right to take liberties with me like that ever again, Harry!”
Harry expressed surprise as he said, “I thought you liked me, Maddy. I
even told you that I love you. I wanted to let everyone know how much I
care for you.”
“You almost broke my hand! I told you when we left that you didn’t
know me, and obviously I was right. You Irish may claim to have corralled
the herd of bad tempers, but trust me, I can match any Irishman or bonny
lass you can find. Do you understand?”
Harry smiled and nodded. She may have thought her display of anger
would drive him away, but it had just the opposite effect. He found her
temper exciting and it only made his desire for her grow.
Madeleine believed that he’d gotten the message. That unwanted vice-
like grip had eliminated her earlier small vestige of belief that she might
marry him. As far as she was concerned, Harry Gallagher no longer existed.
But the idea of an extended time with Garrett on the twenty-fourth gave her
chills. When she entered the Shaw home for the party, she wanted him to
see her as he’d never seen her before.
They entered the store and found that their assistance was appreciated.
_____
Sheriff Yarborough entered Castle Dome with his two men just forty-
eight minutes after leaving Yuma. He wanted to ask Marshal Thierry if he’d
heard any gunfire from the north and when he’d heard it.
He pulled up before the marshal’s office while his companions stayed in
their saddles believing it would be a short visit. Sheriff Yarborough was in a
rush.
Tom had barely removed his hat and his eyes hadn’t adjusted to the
shadowed office when he heard Garrett shout, “Tom! Lord, am I glad to see
you!”
The sheriff froze in place just three feet past the doorway and stared at a
completely healthy Deputy Sheriff Garrett Shaw whose clothes were
cleaner than his. He felt almost as if it was some elaborate stunt that his two
deputies had set up, but Amos was far from acting and the idea didn’t live
long.
Garrett soon reached his boss and shook his hand before saying, “That
was fast, Tom. How’d you get her so soon after we sent the telegram?”
The thoroughly befuddled lawman asked, “What telegram? Mayor
Harrison said you left La Paz on Saturday morning. We were all worried
sick.”
Marshal Thierry had walked close and said, “I just had our telegrapher
send the telegram to you that he was supposed to send last night, but your
operator wasn’t on duty. Then the message got lost somehow and it wasn’t
until Garrett and I went over there about a half an hour ago that he sent it
again.”
Sheriff Yarborough then looked back at his deputy and asked, “How are
you doing, Garrett? What happened up in La Paz?”
“I’ll tell you on the way back, Tom. It was more than just unusual, it was
sickening.”
“Alright, but you need a horse.”
“I can borrow one and then come back later. Rye is still laid up, so I’ll
need to buy another one.”
Tom nodded then looked at Marshal Thierry and asked, “Is he healthy
enough to ride?”
“If you’d asked me last night, I would have asked you to bring an
ambulance or a hearse.  But he bounced back a lot faster than we figured.
I’ve got a couple of spares and I’ll have one saddled. You can take your
time bringing him back, Garrett. Neither one of them is a young stud.”
“Thanks, Lou. I’ll be back tomorrow. I need to get my saddle.”
Sheriff Yarborough said, “We’ll discuss tomorrow on the ride back.
Where is your stuff?”
“It’s back at Lou’s house. I’ll go pick them up and meet you at the
livery.”
“Okay. I’ll send Ron and Ed back, so we can talk.”
“Yes, sir,” Garrett replied as he and the sheriff turned to leave the jail.
 Marshal Thierry followed them out as Tom Yarborough explained to Ron
and Ed that they could head back, which was almost unnecessary after
they’d waved to Garrett when he passed by.
The two Yuma men rode away before Lou headed for the livery to saddle
Garrett’s temporary ride. He chose the better of the two geldings. He really
wasn’t that bad and would be quite serviceable for most purposes, but not
for a lawman. Especially for one like Garrett who depended on his horse to
keep him alive.
Garrett thanked Marie for her help and kissed her on the cheek as he did
with his own mother and sisters. Not surprisingly, Louise and Bernadette
lined up for similar smooches before he was allowed to leave.
When he left the house, he was outfitted exactly as he’d been when he
had stumbled into town. He was cleaner and in much better condition, but
he had three day’s growth of beard that needed removal.
After shaking Lou’s hand, he mounted his borrowed horse then he and
the sheriff left Castle Dome. They could have stayed for lunch, but it was
only an hour’s ride and they were both anxious to return to Yuma.
They had barely passed the town’s last building when Tom asked, “First,
tell me what happened when you got to La Paz. Why would this unknown
Miller brother set you up?”
“I made him up, Tom. The murderer wasn’t a Miller, his name was Joe
Phillips.”
“Why did you tell us it was another Miller? I don’t remember anyone
named Joe Phillips.”
“I forgot it myself. He was one of those rustlers who cost my father the
ranch. The one who ran off. We never cared about him for all sorts of
reasons, but he wanted revenge and he specifically wanted to kill me.”
“After four years? What took him so long?”
“That’s what I wondered at first, but I guess it took a long time until he
felt he was able to use his right arm well enough to do anything. He said
that he had to do jobs that he considered embarrassing and the longer he
waited, the angrier he got. He blamed me and personally, I think he felt
guilty for leaving his partner in the jail to be hanged. He got really mad
when I called him a coward. He probably figured he could see himself a lot
better if he proved how tough he was by killing me.”
“But why did he have to kill two lawmen so hideously just to kill you?”
“I asked him that while I was trying to figure out how to get him out in
the open. He said he knew that if he murdered the only lawman in a town in
the county, you’d send me. Then he lured me into his trap by killing the
volunteer marshal in Olive City before killing the man in a small house.”
“Okay, but why did you change the name?”
“I don’t want my father to learn his identity. He feels guilty enough for
not being able to support his family. I’d appreciate it if you are the only one
who ever knows his real name.”
“I understand, and it really doesn’t matter. The man’s dead and his name
will be buried with his evil carcass.”
“Thanks, boss.”
“Now give me an oral report, including what happened on that ride.”
“Yes, sir.”
_____
The two wagons and accompanying riders headed out of Yuma when
Garrett and Sheriff Yarborough were at the halfway point of their return
trip.
While Garrett and his boss were in animated conversation about his
adventure, Harry Gallagher was delivering what was essentially a
monologue as he rode beside Madeleine. She would give terse replies, but
for all practical purposes, Harry could have been riding next to a riderless
Rattler.
But Harry was determined to win her favor. He believed that her angry
reaction wasn’t a cause for concern. He had been the target of Mary and
Katie’s temper for years now and he’d seen his mother use her sharp tongue
with his father. His father would just smile at his mother and just a short
time later, she’d be smiling and kissing him. He didn’t think it would be any
different between him and Madeleine. It was just another indication of how
little he understood Maddy.
 Ellis and Mary, on the other hand, were still very much enamored of
each other as he rode beside her wagon. If she had been wearing britches,
she probably wouldn’t have been in the driver’s seat but perched close to
Ellis on Windy.
After they’d rolled along for about thirty minutes, Sophie asked, “Mama,
did you notice anything different between Maddy and Harry since we left
Yuma?”
Kristi nodded and replied, “I did, but I wasn’t sure. She seems angry, and
I wasn’t sure if it was something he did or what happened at the Shaws.”
“She seemed happy that Garrett was safe and even happier when she told
us about his parents’ anniversary party. I think Harry must have done or
said something that set her off.”
Kristi looked behind the wagon for a few seconds then as she turned
back, she said, “Harry is as happy as can be but Maddy is just looking
straight ahead. Whatever set her off, I don’t believe I’ll need to give her the
talk that I had prepared.”
“Which talk, Mama?”
Kristi smiled as she replied, “The one I didn’t have to give to you before
you married Conroy. He’s a good man and I knew that you loved him. We
all know that Madeleine loves Garrett, but he is postponing starting a family
until his youngest sister marries even though we’re all convinced that he
loves her as well. I was worried that Harry might be able to convince her to
forget about Garrett and marry him. So, I was going to talk to her about the
biggest mistake she could ever make if she settles in her choice of
husbands.”
Mike had been listening and grinned before he said, “If memory serves
me, Mrs. White, you had several suitors before you accepted me.”
Kristi turned to her husband, matched his grin and replied, “That was
your fault, Mister White. I thought that I was going to have to walk to your
home and either seduce you or get on one knee myself.”
Mike laughed before saying, “I never thought I was good enough, Kristi.
You were just so perfect, and I was just a carpenter’s son. You refused
Morris Sandford, and his father owned the bank. How could I compete with
men like that?”
 “You didn’t compete with any of them, Michael, because none of them
were even in the running. Even after I refused Morris, I still had to convince
you to call on me. You were so shy and humble that you didn’t see what a
remarkable man you are. I hope you at least understand that now.”
Mike kissed his wife before saying, “I don’t see myself as special, but I
still think that you’re perfect.”
Sophie laughed and said, “Will you two please stop. If you keep this up,
I’ll recall those bouts of morning sickness even in the middle of the
afternoon.”
Mike and Kristi both laughed as the wagons continued south. The
Gallagher wagon would continue to their new house to unload, but the
White wagon would have to empty their supplies first before heading next
door to drop off the Gallagher purchases that took up about a third of the
space on their wagon’s bed.
_____
“Damn! Look at this thing!” the sheriff said as he slid Joe Phillips’ giant
knife from its sheath.
“I’m keeping the knife, but I’m going to give the gunbelt and Colt to
Madeleine. I promised her that I’d give her the next cartridge pistol that
came into my possession after its owner no longer needed it.”
Sheriff Yarborough slipped the blade home and tossed it back to Garrett.
After Garrett had dropped it back into his saddlebags, Tom said, “I hope
that you don’t expect to just leave it in the office and expect one of us to
give it to her when she stops by looking for you. I know why you’re
avoiding her, Garrett, but it’s only making things worse for both of you. I
won’t be sending you out on any jobs for three days, so after you buy a new
horse, I strongly suggest that you ride down to the White ranch and present
your gift to Maddy in person. You need to talk to that girl and tell her how
you feel about her. You owe her at least that.”
Garrett nodded as he said, “You’re right, Tom. I have been avoiding her
and I keep telling myself that it was so she could get on with her life. When
I was making that walk to Castle Dome, I thought about a lot of things. The
way I was treating Maddy was at the top of the list along with having to
leave Whiskey. I may not buy a horse, but I’ll use one of the family’s and
ride down there tomorrow.”
“It’s about time. I reckon that the oldest Gallagher boy won’t be too
happy when you show up, either.”
Garrett looked at his boss and asked, “How far has it gone between
them?”
“I’m just going by what I hear, but the rumor is that the boy is more than
just interested in your Madeleine.”
“She’s not my Madeleine, Tom. Now I’m not sure if I should go down
there. I don’t want to interfere if Maddy is pleased with his attention.”
The sheriff rolled his eyes and mumbled, “I should have kept my mouth
shut.”
Garrett was still debating the question as they entered Yuma.
After passing the first building, Sheriff Yarborough said, “Head to your
house and write your report at home. You can give it to your father to bring
to the office because you’ll be riding out of Yuma in the morning heading
east. That’s an order.”
His decision made for him, Garrett nodded and replied, “Aye, aye,
captain.”
Tom chuckled as he continued to the jail while Garrett turned his
borrowed gelding left to head to his parents’ house.
_____
“Here he comes!” Alma exclaimed.
“We’re not blind, Alma,” Amos said as everyone stood to await Garrett’s
arrival.
Garrett smiled when he spotted the family gathering on the porch and
noticed that even Harriet and her new husband were there. He wasn’t
surprised to see his father at home rather than at the office, but he was to
see the oldest of his younger sisters with her husband. It was the middle of a
workday, but he guessed that Wendall’s father granted him the time off.
He pulled up before the house and stepped down. He took down his
saddlebags but left his Winchester. He’d have to drop his temporary mount
with Javier soon. The saddlebags contained the props to the story that he
would soon be telling.
When he stepped onto the porch, his mother embraced him and after he
kissed her on the cheek, she said, “We thought we’d lost you, Garrett. I’m
so happy to see you looking so well. We believed that you’d be in bed for a
few more days.”
“I recovered quickly, Mom. It wasn’t that bad.”
He kissed Beatrice and Alma and after giving Harriet a peck on the
cheek, he asked, “Shouldn’t you be at home with your new husband making
babies?”
Harriett turned a solid scarlet but laughed then swatted him on his
shoulder as she snapped, “You have no idea what we’ve been doing,
Deputy.”
After shaking a smiling Wendall’s hand, he turned to his father and softly
said, “I’m sorry about Whiskey, Pop. It’s my fault. He was a great horse,
but he was made to herd cattle, not carry two hundred pounds a hundred
miles in a few days. I know that I should have put him down, but I couldn’t
do it. I looked into his eyes and remembered the first time we’d shared that
stare on my thirteenth birthday. I should have treated him better, Pop. I’m
so sorry.”
Amos was close to tears as he looked into his son’s eyes, but it wasn’t
for Whiskey. He knew how much the Morgan meant to Garrett and wished
there was some way he could ease the pain of his loss. But he knew that
there was nothing he could do to help, and it only added to his constant
frustration.
He set his right hand on Garrett’s left shoulder and replied, “I wouldn’t
have been able to pull the trigger either, Son.”
Garrett nodded, took a deep breath before he smiled then turned to the
rest of the family and said, “Let’s go inside. I’m hungry and I’ll tell you the
whole story while I stuff my face.”
Annabelle took his arm and the crowd filed through the open doorway.
_____
 As he ate the lunch his mother had waiting for his return, he repeated the
story he’d told to Mayor Harrison in La Paz and not the version he’d given
to the sheriff. It took more than an hour and a half to tell the story and
answer their questions.
After finishing his long narrative, Garrett said, “Tomorrow, I’m going to
borrow the black gelding and visit the White family. I promised Madeleine
that I’d give her a cartridge pistol, so I’ll do that. I need to talk to her, too.”
His mother glanced at Alma before saying, “I’m glad that you’ll be
visiting her, Garrett. We were debating whether or not to tell you what
happened when she stopped by a little while ago.”
Garrett was surprised, and after the recent revelation from Sheriff
Yarborough, he quickly assumed that she wanted to tell him that she had
accepted Harry Gallagher already.
“Was she alone, or was she with Harry Gallagher?”
It was Annabelle’s turn to be surprised before she replied, “He was with
her, but she came to give us the news that you were safe and would be
returning in a few hours. She was positively ecstatic when she told us.”
“Then why need to debate about telling me of her visit?”
“When I invited her in for some lemonade, I believe that she was ready
to accept, but when she glanced at Harry, she changed her mind and didn’t
seem happy about it. I told her that we were going to have a party to
celebrate our twenty-fifth anniversary and wished that her whole family
could join us as they had for our twentieth. That was when Harry took her
hand and she seemed as surprised as we were. It wasn’t a soft grip, either.
We were so distracted that only Alma kept her focus on Harry’s face and
said that his eyes were frightening.”
Garrett felt anger bubbling in the depths of his soul as he looked at his
sister and asked, “Do you think he might hurt Maddy, Alma?”
“I really don’t know, Garrett. I could be all wrong.”
Garrett nodded as his mother continued, saying, “Then I told Harry that
his family was invited as well, just as a courtesy. He said that even if no one
else came, he’d be there. He then smiled and said that he had to take care of
Maddy. It was as if he was courting her.”
 “What was her reaction to what he said?”
“She wasn’t happy about it, but I don’t believe that she wanted to make
an issue about it in front of us. Whatever is happening between them,
Garrett, don’t let it bother you. Make your visit tomorrow and talk to her.
She even said that when you get your new horse you needed to visit her so
she could inspect him, but I don’t think it’s the horse she wants to see. I’m
sure that she’ll be honest with you. She always has been.”
Garrett smiled as he said, “I’ll behave myself, Mom, and I’m sure that
you’re right about her telling me what happened. It’s one of her best
qualities. She always says what’s on her mind. Well, before I forget about
him, I need to get my temporary ride over to Javier’s. I’ll be back in about
an hour or so.”
He stood then turned and strode down the hallway. He didn’t even slow
as he passed the hat rack and pulled his Stetson from its hook.
_____
He led the gelding into JJ’s Livery, and Javier trotted to the front of the
large barn after spotting him.
“I’m sorry about Whiskey, Garrett,” Javier said as he took the horse’s
reins.
Garrett nodded as he said, “I need to board this tired boy for a couple of
days. How is Rye doing?”
Javier glanced at Garrett’s second buckskin before answering, “He’s
better, but I don’t think he’ll be able to make those long rides.”
“I know. At least he’ll be able to rest now. I shouldn’t have used
Whiskey for work that he wasn’t capable of doing. I need to buy a new
horse but one with a big chest and lots of stamina. He needs to be able to
absorb those miles without the likelihood of injury. I know that even the
best horse is still in danger of being hurt, but I’d like one who is more
suitable for what I have to do. I don’t think that you have any here, but do
you think you can find one?”
Javier grinned and said, “I think you’re wrong, Garrett. I just bought four
horses from the Maldonado ranch on Saturday. Two of them are fine, strong
specimens. Come with me.”
 Javier led the gelding into a stall and then headed for the back door. His
corral was between his house and the livery, but off to the left leaving a
clear path between his residence and his business.
There were eight horses in the corral, and Garrett easily identified the
two who inspired Javier. He had decided not to buy another buckskin as it
would remind him of Whiskey, but the tall buckskin in the corral made him
change his mind. The other impressive animal was a dark brown gelding,
but the buckskin was more appealing to him.
When they entered the corral, Garett was almost magnetically drawn to
the tall tan horse. He stepped to the front of the animal and took his face in
his hands. He was surprised when the gelding didn’t yank his head away
from the strange human.
He and the horse stared in each other’s eyes for almost a minute and
Garrett knew he’d found his new friend. He then stepped around the horse
inspecting his joints and muscles. He knew that Javier would have told him
of any shortcomings, but he still wanted to examine his new horse. He
estimated his age at just five or six years, so he and the buckskin would
spend many years together. He’d been impressed that the gelding hadn’t
even moved since they’d looked into each other’s souls.
Javier had been a bit surprised when Garrett had approached the
buckskin after he’d heard of Whiskey’s loss but knew that he was the better
horse. He was a half a hand shorter than his darker competitor, but had
better lines, a bigger chest and stronger legs. He had a black mane and tail
with four black stockings and a small black smudge on his forehead.
Javier had given Garrett space so he and the buckskin could become
acquainted, so he just stood back and watched their first meeting. He smiled
knowing that he had helped his friend soothe his heart after the loss of his
Morgan.
Garrett finally smiled then turned to Javier and said, “I’ll take the
buckskin, Javier. How much will he cost me?”
“I paid forty dollars for him, so I’ll let you have him for fifty.”
“He’s worth every penny, Javier. I’ll leave him with you, but I’ll stop by
early in the morning. I’ll be riding him fifty miles tomorrow, so we’ll have
time to get to know each other better.”
 “I’ll move the saddle from the one you brought in. He’s not a lawman’s
horse.”
“No, sir. He’s a good horse, but not close to the buckskin.”
As they headed back to the livery, Garrett said, “I’ve got to head over to
the bank to get enough cash to pay for him.”
“Pay me when you have the time, Garrett. You aren’t going to name him
Bourbon, are you?”
“No, I think I’m done with alcohol names. I’ll come up with something
better.”
He shook Javier’s hand and soon left the livery in a much better mood.
He’d always remember Whiskey, but having a big, strong horse was much
better for what he needed. As he strode down the boardwalk, he
automatically subtracted the fifty dollars from his bank account and
cringed. If he subtracted the money he’d probably use for Alma’s wedding
in a couple of years, he’d have less than a hundred dollars left in the
account. He needed to find another outlaw with a price on his head and he’d
have to be a nasty bastard with a hefty reward.
_____
All of the White’s purchases had been unloaded, and Mike and Ellis had
taken the wagon to the Gallaghers’ new house to empty the rest of their
furniture. That left Madeleine alone in the house with her mother, and Kristi
was pleased to have the chance to ask Maddy about what had caused her
mood change.
As they placed tins of food on the shelves in the pantry, Kristi asked,
“What happened while we were shopping, Maddy? Sophie noticed that you
seemed angry after visiting the Shaws and thought it was because of
something that Harry did or said.”
Maddy set the large can of lard on the top shelf then turned and replied,
“Harry had been surprisingly quiet after we arrived in the sheriff’s office
and I heard them talking about Garrett. After we rode to the Shaw house
and I told them about Garrett, Mrs. Shaw invited us in for lemonade. I was
ready to accept, but I could tell that Harry wasn’t happy about it, so I
declined.
 “When she told me about their anniversary party, Harry grabbed onto my
hand as if I was trying to run away. I couldn’t have pulled my hand free
even if I’d tried. I was so embarrassed that I just thanked her, but then she
told Harry that his family was welcome as well. Harry said that even if no
one else from his family came, he would because he had to take care of me.
I wasn’t happy, Mama.”
“You didn’t even protest? That’s not like you, Maddy.”
“I didn’t want to cause any difficulties for the Shaws, so I waited until
we dismounted in front of the furniture store. Then I let him have both
barrels. He apologized and reminded me that he’d already told me that he
loved me.”
Kristi’s eyebrows shot up as high as possible as she quickly asked, “He
told you that he loved you?”
Maddy nodded before she replied, “It doesn’t matter what he said,
Mama. Before we left, I told Mrs. Shaw to have Garrett visit me so I could
examine his new horse. That might be what set him off. I can’t remember
when he grabbed my hand.”
“Garrett may not come, Madeleine. You know that he’s been avoiding
you.”
“I know that he has, but I guess I was almost trying to get Harry mad by
asking her to have Garrett visit. When he had professed his love for me on
the ride into town, I told him that he didn’t know me very well and he
protested that he did. I warned him of my temper, but I guess he didn’t
believe me. When he was acting strangely after we entered the jail, I should
have expected him to become possessive, but it still surprised me.”
Her mother smiled and said, “I was going to have a long mother to
daughter talk with you soon about not settling for second best when you
choose your husband. Can I guess that the talk is no longer necessary?”
Maddy smiled back at her mother before saying, “I don’t believe we
need to have that talk any longer, but I will admit that before we started
today’s trip, I was actually beginning to believe that I might allow Harry to
start visiting me.”
“But no longer.”
 “No. If Garrett doesn’t show up by Friday, I’m going to ride Rattler into
Yuma and ask his mother if she’d let me stay in their house until he stops
avoiding me.”
Kristi laughed then said, “At least Garrett knows you well and won’t be
surprised if you unleash that temper of yours.”
“He does understand me, Mama, and I know him just as well, which is
why I love him so much. If he does appear at our door, do you think that I
should tell him about Harry?”
“Not unless he brings it up. I don’t believe that he’d hurt Harry, but I
wouldn’t tempt fate, either.”
Madeleine nodded before they continued stocking the pantry. She felt
immensely better after confiding to her mother and hoped that Sophie might
stop by so they could talk as well. She and Sophie had always been close,
even when they visited the Shaw ranch and Garrett seemed smitten with her
older sister.
_____
Garrett spent the rest of the day with his family, providing more details
of the almost fatal ride from La Paz and talking about his new horse. He let
Alma and Betty make suggestions for his name but wasn’t surprised when
each offering was too girlish.
As he lay on his bed in the dark, he tried to come up with a name, but his
mind refused to cooperate as it seemed to remain preoccupied with thoughts
of Madeleine. He’d spent so many happy hours with her when he lived on
the ranch and because he didn’t see her as a girlfriend, he had been able to
talk freely with her, something he couldn’t do with Sophie.
Yet even before their encounter with the rattlesnake, during each of the
family’s visits to Yuma, he’d seen changes in her. In addition to noticing the
physical changes normally associated with a girl as she shifted into
womanhood, he’d seen those in her personality as well. She matured much
faster in her character than she did in her body. With each visit, he’d
become more aware of those changes. At the time, he didn’t know if it was
because he was seeing her differently or she was really changing.
When they were younger and spent all that time together, he saw her as a
friend, but she had already had romantic feelings for him. She had hidden
what she probably considered the dark side of her personality and tried to
be overly nice to impress him.
Once his family had to move into Yuma and Sophie married Conroy, she
felt free to be herself. What she perceived as her dark half was really just
the power and confidence of her impressive character and once Garrett
recognized it, she became much more attractive to him.
He still had the unyielding duty to provide for his family, but he finally
decided that when he rode to the White ranch tomorrow, he’d do much
more than just give Maddy the pistol. He’d tell her how he felt but would
still ask for her patience. Before he drifted off to sleep, he prayed that by
asking her, it wouldn’t drive her to Harry Gallagher despite what his mother
and sisters had told him.
 CHAPTER 7
Garrett rode out of Yuma astride his new buckskin shortly after sunrise.
It was going to be another scorcher which was hardly a surprise. It was
southwestern Arizona Territory and the sixth day of July. In addition to his
two canteens, he had a full waterbag hanging from the saddle. After that
disastrous ride four days ago, he wasn’t about to take any chances, even
with the Gila River just a mile north of the road.
Because Madeleine had dominated his thoughts last night, he thought
he’d use the long ride to name his new horse. He had a smooth gait, and the
added length of his strong legs added some speed to the pace. Whiskey’s
shorter, Morgan legs had only increased the potential for injury.
He had discarded the alcohol names out of an almost superstitious worry
after both Whiskey and Rye had gone lame, but the very idea that he might
be giving into superstition made him decide to defy the concept.
He patted the buckskin’s neck and said, “I suppose Javier will have a few
laughs at my expense, but I’ll call you Bourbon after all. I may not be a fan
of alcoholic beverages, but your coat is close to the right shade.”
Bourbon continued to move at a medium trot without comment, so
Garrett just laughed and let him go.
Before he made the turn south, he pulled his Winchester from its
scabbard, cocked the hammer and held the barrel just a foot above
Bourbon’s head. He didn’t care where the bullet landed but watched his
gelding’s head as he squeezed the trigger.
Bourbon’s ears twitched, but he never missed a step.
“You’re a keeper, Bourbon,” Garrett said as he cycled a fresh cartridge
into the breech then released the hammer before sliding it back into its
scabbard.
He’d have to clean it again when he returned, but that one shot had been
worth much more than two boxes of cartridges.
 He had cleaned Madeleine’s new Colt before he left and had four boxes
of .44s to give to her as well. Even if she didn’t practice that much with the
pistol, she could use them in the Winchester ’66 he’d already given to her.
After he made the turn around midday, he soon spotted his old ranch and
smiled when he saw Ed Runnel out in the pastures riding Lumpy while his
father seemed almost like a midget riding his horse. He wondered if Manny
Fletcher would return to claim his unusual friend in three more years.
He soon spotted the White ranch and was surprised to feel his heart
ratchet up a few beats. He couldn’t see anyone outside yet and wondered if
they were having lunch. He slowed Bourbon and made himself a tortilla roll
with his private filling and after washing it down, he wiped his hands on his
britches. He didn’t want to intrude if they were eating.
Garrett was still unsure of Madeleine’s reaction when she saw him again.
He knew her well enough to understand that even if she was angry at Harry
Gallagher, she might be even more upset with him for avoiding her.
Madeleine may be a wonderful person, but she knew how to hold a grudge.
He doubted if it reached the level of Joe Phillips’ extended hatred, but it
was still impressive and not to be underestimated.
_____
The White family was having their lunch and by now, each of them were
well versed in the problem that Madeleine had with Harry.
Maddy said, “I don’t think it will affect you and Mary, Ellis.”
“It won’t. Mary said that Harry can be a bully sometimes, but she lets
him have a taste of her Irish temper. So does Katie when he bothers her. He
may be their oldest brother, but I don’t think that she likes him very much.”
Madeleine said, “Really? I thought they all liked him. He’s only been
nice to me until we entered the jail.”
Ellis swallowed before saying, “Mary told me not to tell you anything
because she thought you’d figure it out anyway. She did say that she wished
you decided to marry Garrett and even commented that if she hadn’t met
me, she might want to get to know him better.”
“No! You’re kidding!” Madeleine exclaimed, “She’s probably only
talked to him for fifteen minutes at the most.”
 Ellis shrugged and was about to say something when Mike asked, “Did I
just hear hoofbeats out front?”
Madeleine didn’t answer as she tossed the remains of her sandwich onto
her plate then sprinted down the hallway.
Kristi watched her daughter race away and said, “She’s going to be very
disappointed if it’s Harry.”
“If it is,” Mike said, “Then we’d better prepare for fireworks.”
Ellis snickered before he continued eating but eyed up Madeleine’s
discarded sandwich.
_____
Garrett’s concerns about his reception disappeared before he even set his
boot onto the hot ground when he saw Madeleine’s radiant face as she
stepped onto their porch.
“You came!” she exclaimed as she trotted down the steps.
Garrett couldn’t avoid looking at her or the grin that formed on his face
when he’d seen her. As he looked at her, he found himself unable to speak
when she stopped just four feet in front of him.
“I didn’t think you’d come after what happened. And you’ve been
avoiding me as if I was diseased, too.”
Garrett finally said, “I’m sorry for that, Madeleine. It was a cowardly
thing to do. I should have at least had the guts to talk to you.”
She glanced at the open doorway to make sure that no one was coming
then asked, “Are you going to keep avoiding me now?”
“Never again, Maddy. Can we go someplace to talk?”
Madeleine’s smile grew even larger as she answered, “We can walk
anywhere you’d like. Are you going to bring your Winchester, or do I need
to get mine?”
“I think a pistol or two will be enough. I have that cartridge pistol that I
promised to give you. Let me get it from my saddlebags. I’ll leave the
boxes of cartridges on the porch in the shade. I’ve never seen the sun cook
off a cartridge, but I’m not about to take the risk.”
 As he turned to pull the gunbelt and cartridges from his saddlebags,
Madeleine approached Bourbon and stroked his nose as she said, “He’s a
beautiful horse, Garrett. Have you named him yet?”
Garrett moved the four boxes of .44s to the porch and as he extracted the
gunbelt, he replied, “I was going to avoid buying another buckskin, but he
was too perfect to ignore. Then Javier asked if I was going follow a pattern
and name him Bourbon. I told him I wasn’t, but when all was said and
done, I christened him Bourbon anyway.”
“It’s a good name.”
Garrett walked around the back of Bourbon and handed the gunbelt to
Madeleine.
She quickly strapped it around her waist and tugged it down onto her
hips.
“Thank you, Garrett. I’ll practice more with this one than I did with my
father’s old pistol.”
“Don’t you want to grab your hat before we start walking, Maddy?”
“I suppose I should,” she answered before trotting up the steps and
entering the house.
Garrett had watched her carefully as she left and appreciated just how
much she had matured physically. She hadn’t known that he was coming, so
she hadn’t primped or worn any clothing to try to prove her femininity to
him, yet he was definitely impressed.
He led Bourbon to their trough and as the buckskin drank, he looked
back at the front of the house.
Soon, he’d have the answer to the last problem that he believed may not
have a simple resolution. During the ride, he’d came up with one that might
work. Finding that she wasn’t angry at him was only the first step. Asking
her to be patient was a much bigger one. But his new idea was to at least
eliminate the uncertainty of the wait.
Maddy had rushed into the kitchen and didn’t need to tell them that
Garrett had arrived, even though none of them left the table. The excitement
in her face was more than enough to let them know.
 “I’m going for a walk with Garrett,” she announced as it was a single
polysyllabic word.
She then grabbed her large flat hat and turned to leave, not even noticing
that her plate was missing her half-eaten sandwich.
As she hurried down the hallway, she suddenly stopped at her bedroom
door and looked inside. She thought about changing into a nice dress and
brushing her hair, but after a few seconds, thought it was bordering on being
silly.
She resumed her rapid walk and soon crossed the short porch then
stepped down the two porch stairs.
When she had passed through the doorway and hadn’t seen Bourbon, for
just a brief moment, Madeleine thought that Garrett had gone. But before
her foot touched the ground, she spotted him at the trough and smiled as she
turned to her right.
When she was close, she said, “I see you like to add water to your
Bourbon.”
Garrett laughed before replying, “Yes, ma’am. Let me tie him off again. I
don’t think he’ll go wandering, but we’re still getting to know each other
and I’m not going to take the risk that he won’t. I don’t want to take another
long walk in this heat.”
As he walked the gelding back to the front of the house, Maddy asked,
“How bad was it, Garrett?”
Garrett wrapped Bourbon’s reins around the hitching post and thought of
glossing over the near-fatal trek but was sure that Madeleine wouldn’t let
him get away with it.
“It was bad, Maddy. I planned to walk most of that way at night, but I
couldn’t stay awake and then I overslept. I had to walk about twenty miles
on Independence Day and ran out of water for the last few hours. I didn’t
think I was going to make it.”
“Let’s walk west, but if you start to feel bad again, please don’t pretend
that you’re all right.”
“I wouldn’t, Maddy.”
“Good.”
 Garrett smiled at her before they began walking around the southern wall
of the house and soon entered the open ground to the west.
_____
After Madeleine had disappeared from the house, Ellis grinned and said,
“I don’t think that Harry has a chance anymore.”
His father smiled as he replied, “I’ll admit that I’m relieved, but I still
don’t know if Maddy will wait so long. I hope that Garrett has changed his
mind.”
Kristi then said, “Maybe that horrible experience he had in La Paz made
him realize that life is short, and it was time to start living his life for
himself as well as his family.”
Mike shrugged before saying, “I don’t know if that’s possible. Garrett is
almost as stubborn as our Madeleine. Added to that is his even stronger
sense of obligation. All we can do is hope that Maddy doesn’t let him go.”
Ellis stood and said, “I’m going to see Mary. She wants to give me a tour
of their house now that it’s furnished.”
“Stop by Sophie’s house and ask if there’s anything she needs,” his
mother said before Ellis nodded and walked out of the kitchen.
_____
Madeleine and Garrett were about fifty yards west of the house and had
passed by the family’s small corral where Windy and Rattler hid in the
shade of the large velvet mesquite tree with the family’s two mules and
their other two horses.
Garrett said, “My mother and sisters told me that you were the one who
told them that I’d been found.”
“I was very happy to be the one to give them the news. They were all
terribly worried, so was your father. He almost danced in the jail when
Deputy North arrived with the telegram.”
“You were in the sheriff’s office?”
“I was looking for you, Mister Shaw. When I realized that you weren’t
there, I thought you were avoiding me again, so I was ready to explode
when Deputy North showed up. I felt like a witch for being so angry when
you had almost died.”
“I deserved your considerable wrath, Maddy. But Alma said that when
you were there, Harry Gallagher was with you.”
“He was,” Madeleine replied, unsure if his mother and sisters had
noticed her displeasure with Harry’s unexpected attack on her left hand.
“She said that when he took your hand, you were startled, but didn’t say
anything. My mother said that when she invited his family to their
anniversary party, he claimed to be your boyfriend.”
Madeleine was close to vehemently denying the very idea but wanted to
hear what Garrett would say. She half-expected him to tell her that he
wished her nothing but happiness with Harry. It was just the kind of noble,
yet stupid gesture he would make.
After her lack of a response, Garrett said, “Alma said that when you
asked me to come here to show you my new horse, Harry had a frightening
look in his eyes. My mother and sisters also believed that you were angry
for the tight grip he had on your hand. Did he hurt you, Maddy?”
“Does it matter, Garrett?”
“Of course, it matters. Madeleine, we’ve known each other for most of
our lives and even though I never thought of you as a girlfriend, I grew to
understand you as much as I did my sisters. After we moved to Yuma, I saw
you much more infrequently, but still thought of you as a dear friend and
was happy to see you when you came to town. But as you began to change,
I began having other feelings for you that I saw as a threat.”
“A threat?”
Garrett nodded then replied, “I guess it was more of a difficult problem
than a threat. I knew before I even became a deputy that I had to provide for
my family. I vowed I would also ensure that each of my sisters was happily
married before I even thought of starting my own family. I knew how long
that would be, but it wasn’t a difficult decision to make. I was eighteen and
the future seemed so far away. You were the only girl I really talked to
because you were my friend, and I wasn’t concerned.
 “But as the years passed and you matured, you were becoming more of
an obstacle to fulfilling that vow. I had to start avoiding you or risk
breaking it. I still wanted to spend time with you but had to limit it as much
as possible.
“Whenever I spotted you during these last couple of years, I had to talk
to you. I felt almost like a reformed drinker taking one last sip of whiskey.
Bringing you Rattler was my biggest excuse, but after seeing you standing
in front of that snake, I almost had no choice. I was simply overwhelmed,
and I knew I had to see you again.”
“Why?” she asked, pressing him into more revelations.
Before he answered her question, he asked, “Let’s head over to that
granite blockhouse.”
Madeleine smiled as she said, “That’s what Ellis uses as his secret
meeting place with Mary Gallagher. Not that it’s really much of a secret as a
hiding place or what he and Mary do when they’re having one of their
secret rendezvous.”
Garrett grinned and said, “I’ve heard that they’ve become almost
inseparable.”
“He’s with her every moment he isn’t being ordered to work by our
father.”
Garrett laughed and then surprised Madeleine by taking her hand. It was
a gentle, caressing clasp rather than the crushing grip that Harry had used,
and it was much more gratefully received. She wasn’t about to pull her hand
free from his much softer grip either.
_____
Mary was gushing over her new furnishings as she and Ellis walked
through the house. Ellis couldn’t care less about the chairs and beds as he
listened to her cheerful voice.
When they returned to the front room, Mary pulled him onto their new
couch unconcerned of what her family might think. Most of them were in
the kitchen finishing their lunch anyway. Only her two older brothers were
in the room and they were busy learning the nuances of poker.
“Guess who just showed up at our house?” Ellis asked with a grin.
 Mary replied, “I’ll hazard a guess that he must be Garrett Shaw.”
Ellis’ lower jaw dropped as he exclaimed, “
How did you know? Did you
see him ride in?
”
“Who else would even make you ask that question? I don’t believe that
Santa Claus would be paying you a visit in July.”
Ellis laughed then said, “I reckon it is kind of obvious. He and Maddy
went off for a walk. Maybe they’re visiting…”
Mary quickly touched her finger to his lips as she’d noticed Harry’s
sudden interest in their conversation.
Harry had been listening to every word since they returned to the room
because he was waiting to ask Ellis if Madeleine was still angry with him.
But what he heard changed everything.
Without saying a word, he tossed down his cards then stood, crossed the
room, grabbed his hat and walked through the open doorway.
William was pleased when he saw that Harry had been holding three
nines in his hand then just began picking up the discarded cards.
Mary whispered, “I hope that Harry doesn’t start trouble. He thinks that
Maddy still likes him and you don’t know how he can be when he gets a
notion in his head.”
Ellis whispered back, “Do you think I need to warn Garrett and Maddy?”
She shook her head as she answered, “It’s too late now anyway. I think
that Garrett will be able to handle any problem. That’s his job, and as mean
as Harry can get sometimes, he’s nowhere near as bad as the outlaws that
Garrett has beaten.”
Ellis asked, “You mentioned that he has a temper, but does Harry really
get that mean? He’s always seemed pretty nice to me and even Maddy
thought so.”
“He can be a real Irish charmer when he wants to be. It’s when he feels
free to be himself that you see the real Harry.”
“Do you want to go for a walk, Mary? I have to get back to work in a
little while.”
“Alright.”
 The couple stood and soon left William alone in the room playing
solitaire.
_____
Harry was already heading for the natural three-walled cabin at the
foothills of the mountains to the west.
He was only moderately angry, yet his jealousy was approaching hideous
levels. He knew where they had gone and what they were likely to be
doing. He didn’t have a pistol but didn’t expect Shaw to pull his if he was
challenged. He was slightly smaller than the deputy but had learned
fisticuffs from his father before they moved to the ranch and thought he was
a match for any man.
_____
In the cool shadows of the pseudo-cave formed by enormous slabs of
granite that had collapsed thousands of years earlier, Garrett and Madeleine
weren’t doing anything close to what Harry had imagined. They were still
talking as they sat on the natural rock bench inside the cooler space.
After their brief entry into the very personal nature of his visit, the shift
to the private place included a change in topic when Madeleine had asked
him about all that had happened after he’d arrived in La Paz.
Garrett had just finished the violent part of the narrative when she asked,
“Why did you leave the horse with the woman? If you’d taken him with
you, then you wouldn’t have had to walk.”
“In retrospect, it was the wrong decision, but she only had one sad mule,
and I thought she could make better use of him than I could.”
“Did she really say that she’d find another man to keep her company
soon?”
Garrett smiled as he replied, “Yes, ma’am. I didn’t doubt it for a minute
either.”
“Wasn’t she pretty enough for you to stay the night? I’m sure that she
offered.”
“She did, and she was pretty enough, but I had a job to do and needed to
get back to La Paz.”
 “Oh. So, it wasn’t because you were trying to be faithful to me or
anything.”
Garrett exhaled then said, “Madeleine, I didn’t believe I had any right to
think of you that way. I’d already decided that if you allowed some young
man to court you, then I’d have to let you go. It wasn’t a particularly
pleasant thought, but I knew it was only fair.”
Madeleine quietly said, “I was close to letting Harry start visiting me,
Garrett. On the ride into town yesterday, he told me that he loved me. I was
surprised, but it still gave me a wonderful feeling. But when he grabbed
hold of my hand on your porch, I realized that he was never going to be
anything more than a neighbor. I didn’t react in front of your mother and
sisters to avoid a scene, but when we stepped down on Main Street, I let
him know that he was never to touch me again. I’m sure he understands
how angry I was and he’ll leave me alone.”
“Are you sure that he really understands you, Maddy?”
“Yes. I gave him no room for argument. He tried to pretend that I was
just hysterical, but he hasn’t talked to me since we returned.”
“I wouldn’t be so confident, Madeleine. You’d better be careful.”
“I will, and now I have a good cartridge pistol that I’ll wear all the time.
I’ll make sure he knows that I can use it, too.”
Garrett nodded, but wasn’t convinced that Harry had given up so easily.
He wouldn’t have surrendered without a fight if he was in Harry’s boots.
“Alright, but don’t let your guard down.”
“I won’t. But let’s stop talking about Harry. You were starting to tell me
how you needed to avoid me because I was a danger. Yet now you rode all
this way so soon after almost dying from exposure. It wasn’t just to show
me your new horse or give me the pistol; was it?”
“You know it wasn’t. I needed to explain some things to you and ask for
your patience.”
Madeleine didn’t reply because she wasn’t sure what he would say that
she didn’t already know or just how much patience he would demand of
her.
 “You and just about everyone else in the entire county knows why I
haven’t married. It’s not a secret. I have to support the family. But there’s
much more to it than just that, even beyond my father’s frustrations for not
being able to be the one to provide for his family. When I became a deputy,
I vowed that I wouldn’t marry until Beatrice left the family home but
wasn’t sure if it would be possible even after that.”
“Why? Lots of couples stay in their family home after they’re married.”
“I know but it was another commitment I made to myself after I received
the first rewards for capturing an outlaw with a price on his head. I set up a
private account at the bank to be able to give each of my sisters a sort of a
dowry when she married. I had saved almost seven hundred dollars before
Harriet’s wedding and when Alma marries, I’ll probably only have a
hundred or so for Betty. I didn’t want to lavish each of my sisters with gifts
and then expect my bride to have nothing but a room in a house that didn’t
even belong to me. Do you understand?”
“No, I don’t. It makes no sense to me at all. If a woman loved you
enough to marry you, she wouldn’t care where she lived, as long as it was
with you.”
Garrett almost gave her his real reason but reinforced his earlier
explanation.
“That’s the argument I made to myself over and over, but it never stuck.
I’d enter the marriage already feeling as if I was being disrespectful. I don’t
want to start a marriage feeling that way.”
“I won’t tell you that you’re being silly or even that I don’t understand
how you feel, but I still believe that you’re underestimating the woman.”
“The woman, Madeleine?” he asked softly.
Maddy quietly replied, “I didn’t want to be presumptuous.”
“If you haven’t realized that you are that woman, then you disappoint
me.”
“Why would I disappoint you? All you’ve told me is what brought you
here and why you wouldn’t marry. What else do you need to tell me?”
Garrett answered, “I wanted to tell you that I’ve altered my position on
the matter. I realized that it would be unfair to ask you to wait patiently for
an indeterminable length of time. I decided that if nothing else changes, I’d
ask you to marry me in a year.”
Madeleine should have been ecstatic with his answer, but she was still
frustrated.
“Why should I wait for a year, Garrett? I’m an impatient person. Give
me a reason to be that patient. It has to be a good reason, and maybe the
only reason.”
Garrett knew what she needed to hear and took her hands as he said, “I
love you, Madeleine. I want to marry you and spend the rest of our lives
together. All I ask of you is that you wait for no more than a year. If things
work out, then it could be much sooner.”
Madeleine had her reason and whispered, “I love you so much, Garrett.
I’ll wait but can we at least seal the bargain?”
Garrett smiled before he pulled her close and kissed her.
It was Madeleine’s first real kiss, and she made the most of it.
_____
Just a few minutes after rushing out of the house, Harry’s emotions
calmed enough to give him a chance to think. It only took a few steps for
him to realize that even if he was able to beat Garrett in a fistfight,
Madeleine would probably see him as a monster and not a potential beau.
He continued to walk toward the secret cave but stayed far enough to the
south to avoid being seen by anyone inside.
He had heard them talking before he reached the rocks and after
completing his quiet approach, he simply stayed behind the granite wall and
listened.
He managed to keep his rage and jealousy in check as he heard
Madeleine agree to wait for him, but not more than a year.
Harry leaned on the rockface and despite his driving need to intervene,
that delay gave him enough of a reason to wait as well. A year was a long
time and Yuma County Deputy Sheriff Garrett Shaw would probably be
facing many more dangerous situations before next summer.
 He expected them to leave the cave soon, so rather than risk being seen,
he turned and stepped quietly to the south to hide behind some nearby
boulders until they returned to the house.
_____
When Garrett and Madeleine left just three minutes later, neither even
glanced to the south, but continued to talk as they strolled back to the house
holding hands.
Harry watched from the edge of his boulder and barely was able to
restrain himself from rushing after them and confronting Garrett, but he
stayed put.
They had just walked a hundred yards when they spotted Ellis and Mary
heading towards them. They were holding hands as well and Madeleine
wasn’t about to let Garrett try to pull his hand free to avoid being
embarrassed. As it turned out, she didn’t need to be concerned.
The two couples met five minutes later, and Mary smiled as she said, “I
see that you’ve finally convinced Garrett to come to his senses, Maddy.”
“Sort of. He did request a long courtship, though.”
Ellis grinned and asked, “Already, Garrett? You went from avoiding
Maddy to asking for her hand?”
“It’s a long story, but I’m sure that Madeleine will explain it to you later.
Are you going to the cave now that it’s empty?”
“We figured that you might be using it, so we walked around for a while.
Did you see Harry at all?”
Maddy glanced at Garrett before asking, “Isn’t he still in the house?”
“Nope. He and William were playing poker, but then he left about thirty
minutes ago.”
“We haven’t seen him,” Garrett said but suspected that he had been
nearby the semi-cave listening to their conversation.
“Are you going to tell our parents now, Maddy?” Ellis asked.
“That’s where we’re going now. Garrett has to leave soon but he
promises not to avoid me anymore.”
Ellis snickered before he tugged Mary away as she smiled at Garrett.
 Madeleine and Garrett resumed their walk to the house, and it wasn’t
long before she asked, “Do you think that Harry knew where we were?”
“I’d be surprised if he hadn’t been close enough to hear what we said, so
you need to be even more careful.”
“I will. Mary will tell Ellis of anything he’s planning.”
“Only if he tells her about them.”
Maddy nodded before Garrett said, “I need to return to Castle Dome to
return the horse I borrowed and then I’ll ride to where I stored my saddle to
pick it up.”
“Are you sure you should ride Bourbon that far so soon? Are you
recovered enough?”
“I’ll be fine, and I’ll bring the borrowed horse as a spare with a couple of
full water bags.”
Madeleine then asked, “You want to see if you can find Whiskey; don’t
you?”
Garrett nodded before replying, “You know me well, Miss White. I
know that it’s totally unreasonable for me to expect to find him alive, but I
feel as if I owe him at least that much.”
“Just don’t push yourself too hard. Please? I’ve waited too long to be
able to call you my intended.”
“I promise, ma’am.”
_____
It was almost two hours later when Garrett mounted Bourbon and waved
to the White family as they stood on the porch. He and Madeleine had
visited Sophie and her family after giving the happy news to her parents.
They had shared just the single kiss, but both Garrett and Madeleine
expected there would be many more waiting in their future.
Ellis and Mary had returned to their own homes while Garrett and
Madeleine were visiting Sophie. Harry had remained behind his boulder
until Ellis and his sister were out of sight. Then he made a hurried return to
the house to drink a gallon or two of water.
 Garrett’s visit had disrupted a workday afternoon, but no one
complained.
As he headed north, Garrett was in a much better frame of mind than
he’d been on the ride south. He wouldn’t reach Yuma until the evening, but
he was already thinking of the best way to tell his parents of his decision.
He decided to use Madeleine’s approach and just explain the delay as a long
courtship.
There were still serious issues to be resolved, but he was happy. He still
would honor his vows to provide for Alma and Beatrice when they wed, but
now he had his own goal in mind. For him to meet each of them, he’d need
to add some more rewards to his diminished bank account. He didn’t intend
to become a bounty hunter but hoped that some of the real nasty killers
arrived in Yuma County.
But it wasn’t a nasty killer with a big price on his head who would
change his life. Another killing in La Paz would have a bigger impact on his
life than even the worst outlaw could have created.
_____
Jesus Alvarez was talking to his head vaquero in his office when another
of his vaqueros rushed into the house and ran to the office.
Jesus and Raphael Gutierrez both turned and before either could ask why
he had interrupted their meeting, Raul Sanchez quickly said, “Senor, I have
terrible news. Enrique was shot in La Paz. He is dead and I have his body
outside.”
Jesus was stunned but Raphael stood and asked, “What happened,
Raul?”
“He was playing cards in the Sundown Saloon and had an argument. A
gringo named Zack Johnson shot him.”
Jesus sharply asked, “You saw this and did nothing?”
“No, sir. I was just buying ammunition for myself and three others. The
mayor found me and told me what happened and asked me to bring the
body back to the ranch.”
Enrique was Jesus’ only son and the thought that he had been murdered
filled him with anger and an overwhelming sense of guilt.
 He stormed out of his office with Raphael and Raul in tow and left the
hacienda. When he saw his son’s body draped over his black gelding, his
rage exploded.
Raul followed Raphael as Jesus stepped beside the horse near his son’s
head and said, “I will make this bastard pay for what he did to you, my
son.”
He then turned and walked back into the house to tell his wife. He knew
that Yolanda would be almost uncontrollably upset, but he had to be the one
to give her the horrible news. She could tell his three daughters, but he had
to fulfill a father’s duty.
As he left the hacienda again to his wife’s wails, he approached Raphael
and said, “Have Ortiz prepare my son’s body for burial. Then get six of
your hardest vaqueros and have Diablo readied. We are going to La Paz to
get justice for Enrique.”
“Yes, sir,” Raphael said as he nodded then turned and with Raul walking
beside him, headed to the enormous bunk house.
Jesus may have claimed to seek justice for his son but knew that it was
nothing more than revenge. But there were many other factors in play, and
he knew there was no other honorable way to deal with Mister Johnson now
that he’d ordered Raphael to assemble the vaqueros.
Raul didn’t tell him that before the mayor had found him, he’d sent a
telegram to Yuma letting them know that there had been another murder
and specifically requested that the sheriff send Deputy Shaw.
If he’d appointed a replacement marshal, he could have handled it on his
own, but there was no way this could be hushed up and he was under the
impression that the young deputy would see reason and just call it a fair
gunfight. He didn’t understand Senor Jesus Alvarez, and if he knew Garrett
better, he wouldn’t have sent the telegram at all.
_____
Garrett arrived at his family home just before sunset and within ten
minutes of his return, the house was filled with laughter and
congratulations. Not even his father seemed to show any concerns when he
told them that he had proposed to Madeleine, which made his
announcement even better. He didn’t even have to explain the long
courtship.
After he was alone in his room, Garrett sat at his small desk subtracting
projected expenses from his bank balance and adding rewards he would
need to keep his promise to Madeleine. He changed the fifty dollars that
he’d pay Javier for Bourbon to a hundred. He decided that he didn’t want to
push his new buckskin as he had done to Whiskey. He’d buy the brown
gelding as well and use one as a packhorse and switch off. He’d take at least
two water bags with him on long rides as well. Tomorrow, he’d ride to
Castle Dome and continue another twenty-five miles to retrieve his saddle.
He prayed that he might find Whiskey, but knew it was hopeless.
He believed that he still had two more days off and would make sure that
he made the most of his free time. He would soon learn that his two days
off were long gone and he’d be making that ride anyway after a second,
more troublesome telegram from La Paz was delivered to the office.
_____
As Garrett was pondering his finances, Jesus and his vaqueros were
returning to the ranch. They had found and captured Zack Johnson then
dragged him from the Sunset Saloon. He was screaming his innocence,
claiming it was a fair fight, but Jesus didn’t listen. No one in La Paz dared
oppose them as they lashed him to his saddle and took him out of town.
After they were on the ranch, the eight men led his horse to a juniper tree
near the ranch’s biggest creek where they hanged him. They left his body
swaying from the tree and led his horse back to one of the ranch’s four
corrals.
Jesus spent most of the night comforting his wife and daughters and as
they prepared to bury his only son. They’d contact Padre Sanchez at Santa
Rosa’s in the morning.
 CHAPTER 8
Garrett was in a chipper mood when he walked to the bank that morning
to withdraw the hundred dollars. On the way, he’d glanced at the corral
behind JJ’s to make sure the tall, dark brown gelding was still there.
After making the large dent in his balance, he was heading to pay Javier
and buy the gelding when he spotted Rollie North walking in his direction.
When Rollie saw him looking his way, he waved to Garrett summoning
him.
“Uh-oh,” Garrett said aloud as he walked closer to Rollie.
When he was close, Rollie asked, “The boss asked if you were healthy
enough to make the ride to La Paz again.”
“La Paz? I was heading to Castle Rock this morning to drop off my
borrowed horse and then continue that way to retrieve my saddle. What
happened up there now?”
“Another murder and the mayor pretty much demanded that the boss
sent you to investigate.”
“Okay. Tell him I’ll be by in a few minutes.”
“Good enough. Glad it’s you who’s going up there rather than me.”
“I’ll bet,” Garrett replied before Rollie waved and trotted away.
“So much for my three days off,” Garrett muttered.
Javier only charged him forty dollars for the brown gelding and Garrett
didn’t argue. He explained that he’d be riding to La Paz again and asked
Javier to saddle the gelding with Rye’s pack saddle and fill his two water
bags and attach the borrowed horse to his new gelding.
Ten minutes later, Garrett entered the jail and didn’t bother taking off his
hat. It was already almost nine o’clock and he had a long ride ahead of him.
Sheriff Yarborough handed him the telegram he’d found beneath the
door an hour earlier and said, “I’m still thinking of heading up there myself
but if you think you can handle it, I’ll let you go. You must have impressed
Mayor Harrison.”
Garrett read the telegram and could understand why the sheriff might
think that. But the lack of details of the murder was noticeable.
“All he mentioned was that there was a murder. He spent more time
insisting that I be sent. That’s odd.”
“I noticed that, too. You’ll find out when you get there. When can you
start out?”
“Within twenty minutes or so. I’ll drop off Marshal Thierry’s horse in
Castle Dome on the way, but I should get there before sunset.”
“When you have more details, send me a wire.”
“Yes, sir.”
Garrett then smiled at his father and said, “If Maddy stops by, tell her
I’m not trying to avoid her.”
Amos laughed before he replied, “I don’t think she’ll worry about that
anymore.”
Tom Yarborough asked, “Did I miss something?”
Amos looked at his son as he said, “I was going to let you tell the boss
and Rollie.”
“You can have that honor, Pop. I’ve got to go.”
As the sheriff and Rollie looked at Amos, Garrett turned and quickly left
the jail.
Five minutes later, he was leading the brown gelding and the borrowed
horse as he rode west out of Yuma and soon turned onto the northern road
to Castle Dome.
_____
La Paz was a powder keg as many of Zack Johnson’s friends wanted
revenge. Mayor Harrison was powerless to calm the situation. He hadn’t
expected that Jesus would bring his vaqueros into town to take Zack away
and lynch him. He’d hoped to keep everything quiet and it might have
worked if Jesus hadn’t decided to act as marshal, judge, jury and hangman.
 Now he wished that he had asked Sheriff Yarborough to send a posse to
La Paz but understood that it might lead to an all-out shooting war.
Later that morning, on the Alvarez ranch, they buried Enrique in the
family cemetery. The hacienda had been somber and quiet all morning as
Yolanda and her three daughters, Miranda, Anna and Maria were all cried
out.
Before the Alvarez family left the hacienda to attend Enrique’s burial
service, Jesus had taken his son’s gunbelt into his office and closed the
door. He set the gunbelt on the desk and slid his Remington from the
holster. He half-cocked the hammer to the loading position and began
emptying the chambers. When he finished, he had five live cartridges and
one spent brass cartridge. He sighed, then took one of the .44s from his
gunbelt and reloaded the pistol with six live rounds before sliding it back
into the holster.
The significance of that single empty cylinder of brass wasn’t wasted on
Jesus. He felt sick knowing that he had probably hanged an innocent man.
But he couldn’t change the past. The man who had taken away his only son
was dead, and no one would know; no one, but himself. He knew he would
spend eternity in hell for what he had done unless he confessed to the padre
and received absolution. But he wasn’t sure he could make that confession
and truly express remorse. The man had still killed his son. But there were
many other reasons that Jesus believed that he didn’t deserve forgiveness,
much less absolution. Those reasons were what had driven him to lead his
men into La Paz. They were also more deeply hidden than the obvious guilt
that now possessed him.
But even he didn’t know of the trouble that was brewing in La Paz, just
eight miles from where he would bury Enrique.
_____
Garrett had dropped off the temporary gelding with Marshal Thierry in
Castle Dome and was soon on the road out of town.
He was making better time than he had with Whiskey even with the big
brown gelding acting as a packhorse. Bourbon seemed to thrive in the
overbearing heat, but Garrett would make good use of the water bags. The
bags had clamps on the corner openings, so he could just drain a heavy dose
into a portable canvas water pouch for the horses.
As he rode, he kept hoping to see Whiskey standing by the side of the
road wondering where he’d been, but he was still a good ten miles from
where he’d left his saddle. So, even in the most remote chance that his
Morgan friend might still be alive, he wouldn’t see him yet.
When he was just five miles or so from where he’d left his saddle, he felt
his stomach twist when he spotted a flock of vultures circling at his eleven
o’clock position. As he drew closer, he became more convinced that the
flying scavengers were there because of Whiskey. He hoped that he
wouldn’t see his friend when he left the road to retrieve his saddle.
When the boulder came into view, he was grateful to see that the vultures
were nearby, but they weren’t landing on Whiskey’s remains. They were
feasting on a coyote carcass.
He blew out his breath before leaving the road and soon dismounted
beside the boulder. He found his saddle where he’d left it six days ago. He
was pleased that it wasn’t as dry as he’d expected, probably because of the
boulder’s shade.
Before he put it on the brown gelding, he removed his water sack from
the brown’s saddlebags and filled it from the water bag. He gave Bourbon
the first sack of water then drained water from the other side to fill the
pouch for the packhorse. After returning the bag to the saddlebags, he
hefted his saddle and set it on top of the pack saddle and cinched it loosely
in place.
He drank half of the contents of one of his canteens before mounting and
heading back to the road. His mother had insisted on making him a massive
breakfast that morning even though she had no idea that he’d be riding all
the way to La Paz. She probably would have doubled the amount of food on
his plate had she known he would be making the long journey.
The sun was past its zenith when he regained the road and continued to
scan the area for any sign of Whiskey. He couldn’t have walked very far
with that injury, so Garrett expected to see another squadron of vultures
somewhere.
_____
 The fuse that Jesus Alvarez had lit in La Paz was nearing the powder
keg. Zack’s six friends had recruited another four men who simply didn’t
like Mexicans and a group of Mexicans who didn’t care for gringos was
coalescing on the other side of town.
Mayor Harrison was staying in his house hoping that this would
somehow blow over by itself.
Enrique Alvarez had been buried and prayers said over his grave before
his family returned to the hacienda.
The vaqueros and house servants had all returned to their normal duties.
Yolanda’s overwhelming grief had resurfaced at the burial, so when she
and Jesus were alone in his office, she asked, “Did you make the man pay
for what he did, Jesus?”
He suspected that she knew why he had taken the vaqueros into La Paz
but hadn’t told her because she was so distraught. Now he was almost
hesitant to tell her because she knew him well enough that if he had to
answer too many questions, she’d know when he lied.
“Yes, my love. We took him from La Paz and hanged him from the
juniper tree near the creek. We left him there for the coyotes and vultures,
but I will have some men take his body down tomorrow. I left it there until
we buried Enrique.”
Yolanda looked at the nearby desk and asked, “Is that Enrique’s pistol?”
“Yes, sweetheart,” he replied, expecting her to ask if it had been fired,
but she didn’t.
She simply nodded then said, “I am going to tell our daughters that
Enrique had been avenged.”
Jesus nodded and watched his wife leave the office. He closed his eyes
and wished he could forget memory of the man writhing in the air as he
struggled to breathe.
What made everything worse was that despite all of his efforts, he
understood that his only son was not the man he wished him to be. He
enjoyed the luxury and power of being the only son and heir to Jesus
Alvarez and Jesus had never been able to convince Enrique that with power
comes responsibility. His son was only twenty-one and Jesus still had held
out hope that he might change, but now his son was dead.
Jesus wasn’t sure if it wasn’t a blessing because if Enrique hadn’t
matured into the strong, responsible man he needed to be, then watching
him continue as he was would shame the family.
Yolanda practically worshipped her only son, but Jesus knew that his
daughters saw him in a very different light. He suspected that their cries of
sadness were more for their mother than their brother.
But all that was behind him now. He had to return to a routine life and
hope that his oldest daughter, Miranda, married well. Whichever man she
chose would be his new heir.
_____
As the sun dropped lower in the sky, the two angry groups had drifted
into their respective favored drinking establishments. The gringos were in
the Sundown Saloon where Zack had been murdered by that bastard
Enrique while the Mexicans were in Lucinda’s Cantina where they planned
to stop the whites from seeking revenge.
Garrett had turned west at Los Posos and was riding into the sun as he
approached La Paz. He had never seen any evidence of where Whiskey
might have died, but now was focused on what awaited him in La Paz. He’d
passed the entrance road to the Alvarez ranch, but the ranch was so large
that a rider would have to ride for thirty minutes before he even spotted the
massive main hacienda.
If he’d known that the dead man was Jesus’ son and that his killer was
still dangling from a juniper tree on the ranch, he wouldn’t have continued
to La Paz.
As he entered the town, he noticed how eerily quiet it was. It wasn’t that
late, yet there was no road traffic, and he didn’t see anyone walking on the
boardwalks. He didn’t know where Mayor Harrison lived, but the
businesses were all closed, so he headed for Lucinda’s Cantina where he
had met the mayor and Senor Alvarez then briefed them both after he’d
killed Joe Phillips.
But the spooky atmosphere of the town made him do two things: he
released his Colt’s hammer loop and checked to make sure his badge was
prominently displayed on the front of his shirt. But he still had no idea of
just how dangerous the situation was.
He pulled up before the cantina, dismounted and tied off Bourbon. Even
the cantina seemed abnormally quiet, which tickled the hairs on the back of
his neck.
Garrett slowly entered and had barely passed over the threshold when he
found every eye in the place staring at him as if he was Satan himself.
He spotted a tight group of eight men and approached the long table
expecting to feel a bullet ram into his back at any moment. It was that tense.
He quickly discarded the ‘tough lawman’ approach and broke into a big
grin.
“Howdy. What’s going on? I was sent here because of a report of a
killing, but the whole town seems shut down.”
Pedro Gutierrez snapped, “It was murder and the killer already faced
justice, so you should just get on your horse and ride home, gringo.”
Obviously, the ‘nice deputy’ approach wasn’t going to work, so Garrett
growled, “Mister, unless you want a whole herd of lawmen descending on
La Paz, then you’d better be careful who you insult. Now I want to know
what happened and not hear some useless threats. I’m not leaving until I
investigate the killing. Is there a rational man in this place?”
The eight men continued to glare at Garrett, and he was about to start
backing out of the cantina when the waitress stepped closer.
He heard her light footsteps, so he didn’t bother looking her way as he
kept his eyes on the eight hostile men.
She quietly said, “Enrique Alvarez was playing cards at the Sundown
Saloon and got into a gunfight with a man named Zack Johnson. Johnson
shot Enrique and the mayor had one of Jesus Alvarez’ vaqueros take his
body home. A few hours later, Jesus Alvarez rode into town with many
vaqueros and took Mister Johnson away. Everyone thinks that he was
hanged, but no one knows for sure. He hasn’t been seen all day. Now his
friends are angry and wish to avenge Mister Johnson. They are gathering in
the Sundown Saloon.”
 Garrett now understood what a mess he was facing, but he needed to
calm the situation before he did anything else.
He quietly said, “Thank you, miss,” before adding in much more forceful
voice, “If any of you start heading that way, I will shoot first and might ask
questions later. Stay here and talk all you want. I’ll deliver the same
warning to the white boys over at the saloon. I’m here to do a job and I
don’t want any trouble. Is that understood?”
None of the eight men so much as twitched an eyebrow, but Garrett
hadn’t expected them to smile and agree to be good boys. They were angry
for more than just what the gringos were plotting at the saloon. It was a
simmering issue in the territory ever since it had been ceded to the U.S.
after the Mexican American War. He couldn’t do anything about those
undercurrents, but he had to stop it from exploding in La Paz while he was
here.
He didn’t back out, but wanted to show them that he was fearless, so he
simply turned, smiled at the waitress, then walked slowly out of the cantina.
When he reached Bourbon, he blew out his breath and wiped the sweat
from his forehead before mounting. He may not have been afraid, but his
heart had been beating so fast he couldn’t separate the heartbeats.
He mounted Bourbon then led him away from the cantina toward the
Sundown Saloon. He could see the light coming through the windows and
doorway, but like the cantina, the lack of normal rowdy noises was
ominous.
Garrett reached the saloon just a minute later and dismounted. He was
tying off his buckskin when he heard a loud voice shout, “Let’s get them
Mexicans!”
There wasn’t going to be time to talk to anyone, so he quickly pulled his
Colt and cocked the hammer before striding toward the batwing doors.
Just as he pushed through the swinging half-doors, he spotted ten men
rising to their feet.
“Hold it right there!” he shouted as he stepped onto the barroom floor
then stopped.
 “I’m Yuma County Deputy Sheriff Garrett Shaw and I want each of you
to use your left hand and pull your pistols from your holsters. Except for
you, Lefty. You use your right hand.”
“Them Mexicans hanged Zack Johnson, Deputy!” yelled the ringleader,
Al Thompson.
“So, I was told when I stopped at Lucinda’s Cantina. They have their
own small army over there and I warned them that I’d shoot anyone who
headed this way. Now I’m giving you the same warning. I want to hear
those pistols hit the floor and then you can all park your behinds back on
those chairs. I want information.”
Garrett wasn’t sure if it was his badge, his cocked pistol or his confident
voice that made the ten men comply with his order, but whichever one it
was didn’t matter. What did was when all ten pistols clunked loudly to the
pine floor before their owners returned to their seats.
He scanned the saloon and except for the bartender, it was empty.
He then looked at the barkeeper and said, “Come around from behind the
bar and take a seat at one of the empty tables.”
“Yes, sir,” the bartender said before stepping quickly around the end of
the bar and sitting down at the closest table.
Satisfied that the situation was under control, Garrett stepped closer to
the three full tables and stopped when he was ten feet away.
“I just got into town, so I’m tired and need to take care of my horses.
Were any of you here during the shooting?”
“Me and Jack were both at the table when it happened,” replied Joe
Whitacre.
Without knowing who the second man was, Garrett said, “Jack, I want
you to go into the storeroom and close the door.”
“Yes, sir,” Jack Billings said as he slowly stood and walked to the back
of the saloon and entered the storeroom.
Garrett had assumed that one existed and Jack would know where it was.
He looked at Joe Whitacre as he said, “Now, I want you to tell me
exactly what happened.”
 Joe nodded before he said, “We was playin’ five card stud and Zack
drew one card. Enrique drew two. They were the last two players in the
hand, and Enrique bet twenty dollars figurin’ that Zack was bluffin’ and
would fold. But Zack borrowed ten bucks from Jack and called. Enrique
had three sixes, but Zack had pulled an inside straight.
“Zack was giggling as he scooped up the pot and was turning to give
Jack back his ten dollars when Enrique stood up and called Zack a cheater.
Now, Deputy, I was the one who was dealin’ that hand, so he had no cause
to accuse Zack.
“Zack took offense, and they took to yellin’ at each other, so me and
Jack just kinda backed away. Enrique had a real temper and we tried to get
Zack to let it go, but his dander was up, too. When Zack whipped off his
hammer loop, Enrique pulled his Remington. We didn’t know he already
had it loose. Anyway, he fired as Zack was pullin’ his Colt, but at just six
feet, Enrique missed. Zack didn’t and hit Enrique in the chest. He was dead
before he hit the floor.”
Garrett nodded, then shouted, “You can come out now, Jack!”
The storeroom door opened, and Jack quickly returned to the table.
Jack’s version was essentially the same as Joe’s with enough differences
to convince Garrett that they hadn’t rehearsed the story.
When he finished, he finally released his Colt’s hammer then slipped it
back into his holster.
“Where did Enrique’s bullet hit?”
Joe turned and pointed at the hole in the wall just four feet from where
the man on the end was sitting.
“Did any of you remove the bullet?”
Joe replied, “No, sir. We were gonna leave it there as a memory to
Zack.”
As Garrett pulled the big knife that Joe Phillips had used to murder their
marshal, another of the men at the table exclaimed, “That Mexican bastard
rode in here with his damned vaqueros and hauled Zack outta here like a
pig bein’ led to slaughter. They ain’t got the right!”
 Garrett was digging away the wood with the tip of the blade as he
replied, “No, sir, they don’t. Only the law has that authority. I won’t remind
you that you don’t have the right to take justice into your hands either. If I
see any attempts by either you or the Mexicans in the cantina to use frontier
justice, then I will stop you.”
The man then snapped, “You’re gonna let that rich Mexican Alvarez get
away with this; ain’t ya?”
“No, sir. I am not letting anyone get away with anything. I’m going to
take care of my horses, get something into my stomach and get a room for
the night. Then tomorrow morning, I will ride to the Alvarez ranch and if I
find evidence that they hanged Mister Johnson, I will arrest him and the
vaqueros who were part of his lynching party.”
Joe Whitacre said, “They’ll kill you if you go there, Deputy.”
“Maybe,” Garrett replied as he pulled the pristine .44 from the wall.
He’d expected that the bullet had passed through the wall and exited the
saloon altogether, but when his blade found a supporting stud, he was sure
it was buried in the thick piece of pine.
He examined the bullet before dropping it into his pocket and returning
his knife to his sheath.
“I hope I don’t have my rest disturbed by gunfire. Oh, and I need to
know where the mayor lives.”
Jack replied, “He’s been hiding in his house all day. It’s the white one
with black shutters over on California Street.”
“Thank you.”
Garrett then turned and slowly exited the saloon. He wasn’t worried
about being backshot this time. Not because he was white, but because he
believed their story. The real trouble would arrive when he reached the
Alvarez hacienda in the morning.
_____
He had undressed and was laying on top of his bed in the La Paz Hotel
after leaving his abused saddle at Chico’s Saddlery for conditioning,
dropping off Bourbon and the brown gelding at the livery and having a
quiet supper at Brown’s Café. There were only two other diners in the
place, and neither so much as smiled at him. The immediate threat may
have been calmed, but the tense atmosphere was still omnipresent.
Garrett wished he could just spend the time thinking about Madeleine,
but the situation was so incredibly difficult that he had to concentrate on the
confrontation he expected to have in the morning.
His opinion of Senor Alvarez was that he was an honorable man with a
good deal of common sense. He found it difficult to match that opinion with
a man who would lead his men into town, then kidnap a man and hang him
without even asking what had actually happened.
He should have asked more questions about the Alvarez family, but it
was too late now. Garrett devised one plan after another, but none even
passed the mildest scrutiny. He would be riding a good six or seven miles
onto the ranch and would probably be watched by a dozen vaqueros as he
passed down the long access road. Any one of them could bushwhack him
and he’d never even know how he’d died.
He kept telling himself that he should just ride back to Yuma and tell the
sheriff about the situation, but by the time they returned with a large posse,
the town might be a battleground.
Garrett would hold off sending the telegram to his boss until he returned
from the ranch. He wanted desperately not to go, but it was more than just
his job. It was his duty.
_____
While Garrett worried about what he would face tomorrow, his family
worried more about his health as he made the long rides to and from La
Paz. His mother was especially concerned because she didn’t believe that he
had fully recovered.
Twenty-five miles southeast of Yuma, there were no concerns at all
about Garrett. They believed that Madeleine’s proclaimed beau was
sleeping peacefully in his bed in the Shaw home, enjoying the second of his
promised three-day break.
Madeleine wasn’t asleep as she let her imagination soar with visions of
much more intimate time with Garrett. She was still smiling as she drifted
to sleep.
 At the neighboring Murphy/Gallagher ranch, the only one still awake
was Harry. He still hadn’t calmed completely after hearing Madeleine and
Garrett profess their affections for each other despite Garrett’s promise to
marry her within a year.
He still had no intentions of confronting the deputy but would return to
his charming persona to try to persuade Madeleine that she didn’t need to
wait a year to enjoy the pleasures of being a married woman.
Even though Mary had revealed Madeleine’s engagement to the family,
he still didn’t believe it was official or even an inhibition.
 CHAPTER 9
Garrett had found the livery deserted when he entered the barn the next
morning to pick up his horses. He had thought about leaving the brown
gelding at the livery but was so convinced that there was a good chance that
he might not even reach the Alvarez hacienda, that he decided to bring him
along. He might have left the handsome horse with the liveryman if he’d
been pleasant when he’d left his horses in his care, but he was close to
being rude in his anxiety to have Garrett leave his place of business.
He rode out of La Paz into the harsh rays of the rising sun after having
skipped his breakfast. He had left his room key at the empty hotel desk, so
there was almost no record of him having even arrived.
It wasn’t far to the access road, but it seemed almost as long a ride as it
had been from Yuma as he kept Bourbon at a walk while he continued to
think about his approach. He finally realized that it was an impossible
situation and he’d have to react to whatever happened. He’d watch for an
ambush, but that was all he could do after he crossed onto the Alvarez
ranch.
When he made that left turn, he scanned the horizon and when he spotted
a flock of vultures circling at his two o’clock position, he didn’t think they
were there because of Whiskey. He imagined that was where he would find
Zack Johnson’s body. He hoped that they’d at least had the decency to cut
him down and cover him with dirt.
He continued north on the access road and as he passed each potential
ambush site without seeing anyone waiting with a rifle, he began to believe
that they didn’t expect him. It would be his only advantage.
Five minutes later, he turned off the access road to head for the center of
the circling vultures and soon spotted Zack Johnson’s dangling corpse. He
was sickened by the sight as the big birds tried to snap at his body as it hung
lifelessly from the branch of a large juniper tree.
He pulled the big knife from its sheath as he drew close and had to stand
in his stirrups and hold his breath from the stink as he sawed at the thick
hemp.
The rope soon parted, and Zack’s body collapsed to the ground.
Garrett dismounted and let Bourbon’s reins drop as he crouched beside
the mangled corpse and pulled off his gunbelt. He didn’t have time to do
anything but mount and ride away from the overpowering odor of death.
He pulled Bourbon to a halt when he was fifty yards away and pulled
Zack’s Colt from his holster. He found one expended cartridge in the six
cylinders before sliding it back into its holster then rolling the gunbelt and
dropping it into his saddlebag.
He wasn’t sure if any of the vaqueros would be coming to bury the body,
so he set Bourbon to a fast trot to regain the access road. Once he’d reached
the well-traveled entrance, he turned north again and resumed his ride and
scanning.
When the brilliant white hacienda came into view a few minutes later,
Garrett as almost shocked that he hadn’t been challenged yet. He hadn’t
released his Colt from his leather hammer loop and left his Winchester in its
scabbard. He didn’t want to inspire a gunfight that he would be sure to lose.
He was just two hundred yards from the big house when he was finally
spotted. One of the two vaqueros who cared for the ranch’s large remudas
had seen him, His polished badge reflected the morning sun and announced
his purpose for coming.
Juan Barros trotted to the house and entered without knocking.
Once inside, he shouted, “Boss, a lawman is coming!”
Jesus was in the kitchen talking to Yolanda and his daughters when he
heard Juan’s shout and jumped to his feet.
“I’ll take care of this,” he said as he quickly left the room.
Yolanda looked at her daughters and said, “I want you to stay here. Is
that clear?”
“Yes, Mama,” they replied in a chorus as their mother hurried behind her
husband.
Garrett had seen the vaquero enter the house, so he slowed Bourbon to a
walk as he neared the enormous front porch. He could have dismounted
without permission but chose to remain in his saddle in case a quick escape
became his only option.
Jesus strode out of the house and wasn’t surprised to find Garrett sitting
on his horse just thirty feet away. He knew that if anyone from the Yuma
County Sheriff’s office arrived, it would be Deputy Shaw. He was just
surprised that he’d shown up so quickly.
Garrett waited until Jesus was at the edge of the porch before he loudly
said, “Senor Alvarez, I was sent to La Paz to investigate the report of a
killing. I arrived late yesterday and talked to several witnesses. Were any of
your vaqueros present at the shooting to present another side of the story?”
“No, Deputy. None of my men were there, but I can tell you honestly
that my son was murdered. I inspected his pistol and found all of his
chambers filled with live cartridges. The man we took from La Paz
deserved his sentence. We had no law after our marshal was murdered.”
Garrett had hoped for a measure of honesty from the ranch owner but
could understand his reluctance to admit his son’s failure and was just
trying to justify what he had done.
“Sir, I don’t mean to insult you in any way, but when I interviewed the
two men who were playing cards with your son and the man you hanged,
they provided a much different version of events. I interviewed them
separately and each repeated the same story. Your son accused Zack
Johnson of cheating, then stood and challenged him. Your son fired first but
missed.”
“They’re lying to have you give them the revenge that they dare not
attempt to take themselves.”
Garrett reached into his pocket, pulled out the naked slug and displayed
it on his open palm.
“I dug this out of the wall where your son buried it. I checked Mister
Johnson’s pistol which I have in my saddlebags which you are free to
examine. I took it from his dead body a few minutes ago and it only has a
single discharged round. I’m sure that is the one that killed your son.
“But aside from the gunfight in the saloon, you violated the law when
you led your vaqueros into La Paz and took Mister Johnson against his will
then hanged him on your ranch. I am arresting you for murder, Mister
Alvarez, and I’ll need you to identify the vaqueros who assisted you in that
lynching. They will all stand trial with you for murder as well.”
“It wasn’t murder!” he shouted, “It was justice!”
“You are a powerful man, Mister Alvarez, but you aren’t above the law.
You have enough money to hire a first-class lawyer and I wouldn’t be
surprised if you couldn’t bribe your way to a not guilty verdict. So, please
call in the vaqueros who were with you and let’s prepare to make the
journey to Yuma.”
Jesus was almost as ashamed of his vehement denials as he was after he
realized he’d hanged an innocent man. It seemed as if it was getting easier
to take the wrong path and he suddenly realized that maybe he was more
like Enrique than he had believed.
He finally just nodded then said, “I’ll have Juan find them for you,
Deputy. Will you please step down?”
Garrett was stunned by the sudden reversal and almost suspected a trap,
but the sense of defeat was plain to see on Jesus’ face, so he nodded and
began to swing his right leg over his saddle.
He had his eyes away from the hacienda when he felt a hammer blow
smash into his left upper chest and the report of a nearby pistol.
He gasped before he twisted and fell awkwardly to the ground with his
left foot still suspended by his stirrup.
Jesus whipped around and saw his wife with Enrique’s smoking pistol in
her hands.
He grabbed the gun from Yolanda’s hands and shouted, “
What have you
done?
”
Yolanda’s eyes were ablaze as she snapped, “I wasn’t going to let him
take you away to hang just for giving justice to our son!”
Jesus didn’t have time to confess his sins to his wife as he hurried down
from the porch and knelt beside Garrett.
Garrett’s wound wasn’t serious, but he’d struck the back of his head
when he slammed into the hard ground and his shirt was covered in blood.
 Jesus shouted to Juan Barros to find the Pedro Vazquez, the vaquero who
handled all of the ranch’s emergency medical problems.
He then lifted Garrett from the ground and carried him past his angry
wife who sharply asked, “
Why are you trying to save that gringo?
He was
going to see you hanged!”
“Because I deserve to be hanged, Yolanda. Now help me get him onto a
bed and have our daughters bring water and bandages.”
Yolanda was shocked by what her husband had said and stayed frozen in
place while he carried the lawman into their house.
_____
After pulling open Garrett’s shirt, Pedro told his boss that he thought that
the young deputy would heal quickly as long as the wound didn’t become
infected. Garrett was still unconscious while Pedro Vazquez began suturing
the inch-long wound across the front of his chest.
While Pedro worked, Jesus gathered his family in the large front room to
confess his sins which would explain why he had saved the deputy.
Before he could even say a word, Yolanda snarled, “You should have let
him die, Jesus! That man wants to destroy our family! Who will care for me
and our daughters now that Enrique is dead? You were just going to talk to
him! You left it to me to protect this family. I am a woman, and it is not my
responsibility.”
Jesus looked at his passionate wife and knew that she had made things
much, much worse by acting as a man.
“No, it is not your responsibility. It is my duty to protect and provide for
my family. If you listened to what the deputy was saying before you pulled
that trigger, you would have understood. But you let your woman’s
emotions cloud your mind and acted without thinking, but I did much
worse. You acted as your emotions were in control, while I committed my
crimes after I had time to think.
“I let my pride and false bravado lead me to take Mister Johnson from
La Paz and hang him. I didn’t want to let the vaqueros whisper that I wasn’t
a strong man. It was a much worse reason than yours, Yolanda.”
 Miranda quietly asked, “But why do you say that you committed a
crime, Father? La Paz has no law and that man murdered Enrique.”
“He didn’t murder your brother, Miranda. That was the first of my sins.
Even as I summoned the vaqueros, I already had suspicions that it wasn’t
murder. When they arrived to follow me, I should have explained to them
that I was reacting to his death and waited for a deputy sheriff to come from
Yuma, but my pride and arrogance prevented me from telling them.
“I led those men into La Paz and even as we were throwing the rope over
the juniper’s branch, I knew that I should have stopped it. I told myself over
and over that Enrique had been murdered in an attempt to convince myself
that what I was doing was just. But as the deputy said before he was shot, I
don’t have the right. I even removed the empty brass from Enrique’s pistol
and replaced it with a live cartridge. Then I went so far as to lie to Deputy
Shaw. I am so ashamed of myself.”
Yolanda was more subdued when she asked, “How do you know that the
deputy isn’t lying?”
“I never even asked Mister Johnson what had happened. None of the
men who were present at his lynching had been in the saloon. Yet Deputy
Shaw had talked to two men who were there, and their story was what I
expected to hear. Besides, I know this deputy. He’s the one I told you about
who chased down the man who murdered Marshal Bascom and then made
that long walk to Castle Dome after his horse went lame. I was very
impressed with him and should have let him do his job.”
“What do we do now, Father?” Maria asked softly.
“I don’t know. Deputy Shaw was right when he said that there is a
chance that if I am put on trial in Yuma, that I might be found not guilty. He
understands how the law operates, but now we have a much bigger
problem.”
“I can be hanged for trying to kill him,” Yolanda whispered.
“No, my love, you might go to prison, but that would only be if you were
charged. I’ll tell him that I tried to shoot him. I’m already in trouble, so it
doesn’t matter.”
Yolanda exclaimed “Jesus! You can’t do that!
Who will take care of the
family and the ranch?
”
 “Don’t concern yourself, my dear. Let’s wait until Deputy Shaw
awakens. I’ll talk to him before we decide what to do.”
His wife chewed on her lower lip for a few seconds before quietly
asking, “If you offered him a large amount of money, do you think he
would just report that it was an accidental shooting?”
“I don’t believe that Deputy Shaw would change his report if I offered
him half the ranch. If he was that kind of lawman, he wouldn’t have ridden
to our hacienda as he did. Besides, I am not going to continue down that
path. I will act as a man and face the consequences for what I have done. If
I hang for my sins, then so be it. If I am found guilty, then I will ensure that
my family is protected.”
Yolanda was weeping when Pedro entered the room and approached
Jesus.
“He awakened before I finished but hasn’t said anything.”
Jesus nodded then wordlessly left the main room. His short walk to the
bedroom felt as if he was climbing the gallows’ steps.
Garrett had heard much of the Alvarez’ conversation and wished that
there was another solution to what had become an immensely difficult
situation. He’d been impressed with the ranch owner on that first visit, then
more than just disappointed when he’d seen Zack Johnson’s body hanging
from the tree. Add the powder keg in La Paz that could explode regardless
of the path he chose, and he couldn’t conceive of any way he could survive.
He heard Jesus approaching, and shifted his eyes to the doorway.
After Jesus entered, he pulled a chair beside the bed and sat down.
“I regret having shot you, Deputy. I let my anger possess me. I’ll come
with you to Yuma, but the vaqueros were only acting on my orders and
should not be charged.”
“The vaqueros will have to return as well. I’m not going to charge your
wife with attempted murder because that is my call as I was the intended
victim.”
Jesus wasn’t surprised that Garrett hadn’t accepted his admission of
being the shooter but was immensely pleased that Yolanda wasn’t going to
be charged.
 “How did you know it was my wife who shot you? You were looking
away at the time.”
“Your hammer loop was in place when I began to dismount. You
couldn’t have pulled your pistol so quickly. Besides, you had already
decided to tell me what happened.”
Jesus sighed then replied, “I was going to admit my guilt. I made so
many foolish and poor decisions since Enrique’s body was returned.
Perhaps my worst was ignoring who my son was and continued to hope that
he would become the man I wished him to be.”
“He was your only son?” Garrett asked quietly.
“Yes. I have three younger daughters, but he was my firstborn.”
“I wasn’t my parents’ first son, but by the time I was three, I was their
only son. I have three younger sisters as well.”
“Your father must be very proud.”
“He is and I am very proud of my father as well.”
“Is your father a lawman?”
“No, sir. My father was a rancher for all of his life. And for the first
eighteen year of my life, I worked with him on our ranch. It was a small
ranch, but it was a good home.”
“Why did you become a deputy?”
“My father was injured four years ago and could no longer work. We
couldn’t afford to hire a cowhand, so he sold the ranch and we moved into
Yuma. I was offered the deputy position and I’ve worked with Sheriff
Yarborough since then.”
“You are the only support for your family now?”
“Yes. One of my sisters recently married, so the house is beginning to
empty.”
Despite what Garrett had heard Jesus say just minutes ago, he expected
that Jesus would soon offer a bribe to help him with his family and prayed
that he didn’t. He still thought well of the man, but an offer of a large bribe
would destroy even that.
 Jesus had been thinking of making an offer, but not because he was
hoping to change the young lawman’s mind. He doubted if it was possible
and wasn’t about to mention a bribe. He liked and admired Deputy Shaw
and wished that Enrique had been half the man that the wounded deputy
was.
Garrett was relieved when Jesus simply laid his hand on his shoulder and
said, “You get some rest now. When you feel strong enough, we will go to
Yuma.”
“Before you go, Mister Alvarez, there are other problems that need to be
addressed.”
“What are these difficulties?”
“I have to send a telegram to the sheriff, or he’ll probably send Deputy
North to La Paz. The other issue is much more problematic. When I arrived
in La Paz, the town was like a morgue. I found the Mexican men gathering
in Lucinda’s Cantina and the Anglos in the Sundown Saloon preparing to
fight. I warned both groups about starting trouble and I’m concerned that if
I don’t return, there will be bloodshed. I need to return to town today.”
“Are you sure you can ride in your condition? You lost a lot of blood.”
“It’s a short ride, but I’ll need a clean shirt.”
Jesus nodded then stood and said, “I’ll get you one of Enrique’s. It will
help to calm the situation if I come with you.”
“Thank you.”
Jesus left the room and quickly walked to Enrique’s room and pulled one
of his flannel shirts from his dresser. He should have felt a greater sense of
grief when he entered the room and then took a shirt his son had worn, but
he didn’t. He attributed it to his overwhelming concerns for his family.
When he reentered what was Miranda’s room to give Garrett the shirt, he
found the deputy already sitting on the edge of the bed.
“Are my horses still outside?” he asked.
Jesus handed the shirt to Garrett as he replied, “One of the vaqueros took
them to be watered, but I’ll have them brought around with my horse.”
“Thank you, sir,” Garrett said as he began to don the shirt.
 Jesus left the room and returned to the main room where his wife and
daughters were huddled in conference. They all turned to look at him when
he approached.
“I am going to ride into La Paz with Deputy Shaw. He needs to send a
telegram and we need to calm the people. He said that there was about to be
an outbreak of violence when he arrived, and I can understand why that is
so. It was my fault, so I need to be the one to help return peace to La Paz.”
“He’s going to hang you!” Yolanda exclaimed.
“No, my dear. He wouldn’t do anything as unlawful as I had done. He
could have legally shot me earlier, but he didn’t. You must trust me as I
have trusted him. I will return within a few hours.”
“If you don’t return before sunset, I will send the vaqueros into La Paz.”
“No, Yolanda. You will do no such thing. I will give Raphael instructions
before I go. I need to have my horse saddled now.”
Jesus didn’t wait for a reply before he quickly left the hacienda.
Yolanda then turned back to her daughters and said, “I don’t know why
your father trusts this gringo lawman. Maybe it is best if he never gets to La
Paz.”
As Miranda was preparing to respond, Garrett entered the room and said,
“Your husband is a good man, Mrs. Alvarez. I’m trusting him with my life.”
Yolanda was stunned that he’d heard her and quickly replied, “When you
entered our ranch, you must have known how dangerous it was. You didn’t
even have a gun in your hand. Why did you come here?”
“It’s my job, ma’am. Your husband and the vaqueros hanged an innocent
man. Even if he had been guilty of murdering your son, your husband
would be just as guilty for hanging him without the power of the law.
“I’m a sworn officer of the law, but my job is to just investigate and
bring lawbreakers to face trial. Some of them, like the man who murdered
Marshal Bascom, don’t want to face trial and choose to go down with a gun
in their hands. I won’t harm your husband or the vaqueros, but if one of
them decides to try to shoot me, I won’t let that happen.”
Miranda asked, “Do you believe that there is a chance that my father
may not be convicted?”
 “I’ve seen other men walk out of court for worse crimes. One never
knows how a jury will react. If even one or two of them like the defendant
or believe they can benefit from voting ‘not guilty’, then the prosecutor is
stuck with a hung jury and usually doesn’t bother retrying the case.”
Yolanda was changing her opinion of the deputy as she asked, “If there is
a trial, will we be permitted to attend?”
“Of course. First, Mister Alvarez and I need to keep La Paz from
becoming El Infierno.”
“Is it that close to becoming a living hell, Deputy?” Miranda asked.
“If I hadn’t returned by sundown, I expect that the streets would be filled
with gunfire. Having your father there will help immensely.”
As if on cue, Jesus entered the room and said, “We’re ready to go,
Deputy.”
Garrett nodded then turned and followed Jesus out of the room.
His hat was perched on Bourbon’s saddle horn, so as soon as he was
close, he snatched it from its temporary home and pulled it onto his head.
Jesus was riding a magnificent black stallion, which didn’t surprise
Garrett at all. He was still happier with Bourbon.
Before they turned their horses away from the hacienda, Mrs. Alvarez
and her daughters stepped onto the porch and waved to Jesus.
He smiled and returned their wave before he and Garrett swung their
horses around and started down the long access road.
“How is your wound?” Jesus asked.
Despite Bourbon’s smooth ride, Garrett felt every bounce but answered,
“It’s fine.”
“You need to drink as much water as you can.”
“Yes, sir,” Garrett replied as he pulled one of his canteens from his
saddle.
As he unscrewed the cap and began to drink, Garrett wished there was
some way he could avoid taking Jesus to Yuma but there was simply no
way to disregard the crime that he’d committed. Even if Zack Johnson had
been a worthless castoff of society, there was no excuse for what Senor
Alvarez had done.
As they rode, Jesus asked more questions about Garrett’s life and with
each reply, Jesus had a clearer picture of the young lawman. When Garrett
explained his situation with Madeleine, Jesus wished that there was some
way he could help Garrett without appearing to be offering a bribe. He
suspected that even if he was somehow acquitted by the jury, Garrett
wouldn’t accept any kind of reward as it would seem to be a payoff of some
kind.
Garrett hadn’t been trying to ingratiate himself with the powerful ranch
owner, but was simply talking to him as a friend, despite the obvious
differences in their social status and background.
When La Paz came into view, Jesus said, “It seems quieter than it should
be at this time of day.”
“It’s still busier than when I arrived yesterday. I’ll head to the Sundown
Saloon while you visit Lucinda’s Cantina. I imagine that’s where we’ll find
the troublemakers. I’ll meet with you in the marshal’s office before I send
my telegram.”
“Alright. Do you have anything that you wish me to tell them?”
“No, sir. You use your best judgement based on their mood.”
“Thank you. I will.”
Garrett planned on not only quieting the men in the saloon, but to do
some more investigating as well. When he’d arrived late yesterday, he was
tired and needed to care for his horses. He may have been shot, but it was
the middle of the day and his horses were in good shape.
_____
“I’m ashamed of you, Madeleine!” Kristi exclaimed.
Maddy was stunned by her mother’s reaction to what was a pleasant
request.
“Why are you ashamed of me, Mama? I just wanted to go to Yuma to
buy a gift for little Michael. Ellis and Mary have agreed to come along, so
I’m not riding alone.”
 “I’m ashamed that you either think I’m stupid or too old to remember
what it was like to be a young woman in love.”
Madeleine smiled then hugged her mother as she softly replied, “I’m
sorry, Mama. I know you are far from stupid and you aren’t that old, either.
I just thought you’d tell me that I was just being foolish for wanting to see
Garrett again so soon.”
Kristi kissed her daughter before saying, “I really wasn’t ashamed of
you, Maddy. I never have been. Although it was getting close when you
seemed to have taken in interest in Harry Gallagher.”
“At least you didn’t have to give me that lecture about settling when it
came to choosing a husband.”
“It was close. But make that ride to Yuma tomorrow. Tell Annabelle
Shaw that we’ll be happy to attend her anniversary party. By then, maybe
you’ll have a better idea of when you and Garrett will start your own life
together.”
Madeleine sighed before she whispered, “That would be wonderful.”
_____
Mary had also received permission to go on the ride, but Harry had
suggested that he accompany his sister as a chaperone. Mary had objected,
saying that Madeleine would be their chaperone, but Maureen Gallagher
agreed with her oldest son. Mary finally acquiesced because she had no
choice. It was either include Harry on the trip or not spend the time with
Ellis.
_____
Jesus continued to the cantina after Garrett pulled up before the
Sundown Saloon and dismounted. He and Senor Alvarez had been watched
intensely by the townsfolk who were outside and probably by most of those
who were looking out of the windows. He assumed each of them expected
to hear gunfire soon.
He tied off Bourbon and patted his buckskin on the neck before stepping
onto the boardwalk. He could hear a lot of loud conversations inside, but no
shouting for blood. So, he left his Colt in his holster but released the
hammer loop before pushing the batwing doors aside and entering the
saloon.
As soon as he stepped inside, all of the conversations ceased creating a
sudden, ominous silence. Garrett was stunned by the number of men in the
barroom in the middle of the day and imagined that Jesus was finding an
equal number at Lucinda’s.
One of the men loudly said, “We figured they’d already lynched you too,
Deputy.”
“Obviously, they didn’t. I arrested Jesus Alvarez and he and the vaqueros
who were with him when they took Zack Johnson. I will be taking them to
Yuma for trial. I asked him to go to Lucinda’s to convince the Mexican men
to disband and return to work. I want you to do the same. Let the law
handle this. I told some of you last night that I would shoot the first man
who tried to take the law into his own hands, and that warning is still in
effect. Do you all understand?”
There was muttering and murmuring but some of the men just nodded
and walked past Garrett to leave the saloon.
Before the others left, Garrett asked, “Which of you boys were Zack
Johnson’s friends?”
He’d already seen Jack Whitacre and Joe Billings in the group, so he
expected them to raise their hands, but two others also claimed the honor.
“I want the rest of you to leave and behave yourselves while I talk to
Zack’s friends.”
There was more grumbling as the men filed out of the saloon, but no
angry threats or other signs of pending problems. So, when Garrett was
alone with the four men, he waved them to a nearby table.
He pulled up an extra chair, pulled off his hat and dropped it on the table
before asking, “Did Zack have a family in town?”
“No, sir,” Joe Billings replied, “He worked with me at Robinson Freight.
I don’t know if he had any kin anywhere else ‘cause he didn’t talk much
about his family.”
“How long as he lived in La Paz?”
 Joe Billings glanced at Joe before answering, “I reckon it was two years
or so.”
“Do you know where he lived before?”
Joe and Jack each shook their heads, but Willie Little said, “I heard him
say that he wished he was back in San Francisco. I asked him what it was
like and he changed the subject real fast.”
Garrett looked at the last of the four and asked, “How about you? Did
Zack say anything that might help me to know him better?”
Ben Turner snapped, “It don’t matter how much you know him. They
lynched him; didn’t they? That’s against the law, so it don’t matter what he
was before he got here. Zack didn’t deserve to be strung up by a bunch of
Mexicans.”
Garrett was surprised by the man’s angry retort and was prepared to put
it off to his friendship with Zack and his obvious dislike of anyone who
wasn’t an Anglo, but he wanted to be sure.
“I know it doesn’t matter. As I just said, I’m taking Jesus Alvarez and
the vaqueros to Yuma to face trial for what they did to Zack, but I have to
give our prosecutor as much information as possible for that trial. I don’t
want some expensive lawyer claiming that Enrique Alvarez just came into
the saloon to avenge an offense that Zack had committed. I’ve seen it
happen. All it takes is to make Jesus Alvarez into a victim, and he’ll walk.
So, tell me what you can to make sure that it doesn’t happen.”
Ben stared down at the table as he began to concoct a good story to make
Zack seem to be almost saintly.
Garrett watched him and was certain that whatever he said would be
nothing more than sweet fiction. But he was enormously pleased and
surprised that the other three had been much more forthcoming in what they
had said. The answers themselves had stunned him as he’d only been
fishing and expected that Zack Johnson was a native. He’d never met the
man before despite his many visits to La Paz, but that didn’t mean much.
Ben finally began his glowing imaginary description of Zack’s
background. As he spoke, Garrett noticed the disbelief on the faces of the
other three as they looked at Ben. He knew that he wouldn’t get any more
information from them, but decided he’d head over to Robinson Freight
after he talked with Jesus in the marshal’s office.
When Ben finished what sounded more like a typical eulogy, none of the
others contested what he’d said, so Garrett just stood and picked up his hat.
He smiled then said, “Thank you for your help, gentlemen,” before he
turned and headed for the door.
After pulling on his hat, he stepped onto the boardwalk and scanned the
street for any signs of trouble before untying Bourbon and mounting.
He turned his buckskin east and with the dark brown packhorse trailing,
he set off to the marshal’s office hoping it was unlocked.
When he dismounted again less than a minute later, he tied off Bourbon
beside Jesus’ black stallion then entered the marshal’s office. Despite the
overbearing heat, Jesus had closed the door and Garrett wondered why.
He left it open after he entered, and as he pulled off his hat, he asked,
“Why did you close the door, Mister Alvarez?”
“I wasn’t sure if you were successful. I suppose it was unnecessary
because my horse would let them know where I was, but I still closed it.”
Garrett stepped over to the desk and after tossing his hat onto its surface,
plopped own in the chair that had been occupied by Marshal Bascom.
“I didn’t have any problems, but there were a lot of angry men inside
when I arrived. How was it at the cantina?”
“About the same, I imagine. There were more than twenty men inside
and were preparing for a fight. I explained that I had surrendered to you and
that I and my vaqueros would be returning to Yuma with you tomorrow.
There was a tense moment when some of them threatened to kill you and
anyone else who tried to take me from my ranch, but I told them that if they
did, I would personally shoot them. Some were still unhappy with the
situation, but they most returned to their work.”
“After I dismissed most of the men in the saloon, I talked to four of them
who professed to be Zack’s friends. I was surprised to learn that he’d only
been in town for a couple of years and that none of them knew anything of
his past. One mentioned that he had come from San Francisco, but that was
all I was able to learn. Did Enrique ever talk about him?”
 Jesus shook his head before replying, “My son spoke little of what he did
in town. I knew that he spent more time with the Anglos than he did with
his own kind, but not much more than that. If he’d done his gambling at the
cantina, then he’d still be alive.”
“I’m going to send my telegram to the sheriff then do some more
investigating. Why don’t we plan on leaving for Yuma on Monday? That
will give you time with your family. Your wife asked if they could be there
at your trial, and I assured her that they could. You probably have a carriage
for your family’s use, so it would take some time to make the preparations
for the long ride.”
“Thank you. Will you stop by the ranch before then if you have more to
tell me?”
“If I do find anything more, I’ll visit on Sunday afternoon.”
Jesus knew that it didn’t matter what the deputy found, but still smiled
before he stood and shook Garrett’s hand and said, “We’ll see you on
Sunday.”
Garrett nodded and watched Jesus leave the jail and mount his black
stallion. After he’d ridden away, Garrett remembered to replace his Colt’s
hammer loop before pulling on his hat then leaving the office and closing
the door behind him.
He knew where Robinson’s Freight was, so he turned west and before he
reached the western outskirts of La Paz, he took a right on the last street. He
soon stopped before the large company warehouses and offices.
His visit with Jim Robinson took longer than he’d expected and hadn’t
yielded much more information about Zack Johnson. Garrett really had no
idea what he hoped to uncover about the man, but after his initial inquiries
when he had just anticipated learning his next of kin, the lack of
background information bothered him.
He knew that even if Zack Johnson turned out to be an outlaw who was
wanted dead or alive, it wouldn’t have made a difference in the charges
Senor Alvarez and his vaqueros faced. It might make a difference when it
came to sentencing, and he actually wished that it didn’t come to that. He
believed that Jesus Alvarez wouldn’t try to bribe a juror, either. He
suspected that the ranch owner was now willing to accept the consequences
for what he had done. It would be penance for his sins.
Garrett hadn’t missed the irony of the different situations facing his
family and Jesus’. Each set of parents had one son and three younger
daughters. He’d almost lost his father but had been able to support his
family. Jesus had lost his only son and now may not be able to support his
family if he was convicted. This was one of those rare times when he
wished he could just ride away.
He headed to the Western Union office and sent his long telegram to
Sheriff Yarborough. He explained the basics of the situation, including the
still tense atmosphere in La Paz. He said that he’d be departing on Monday.
When he mentioned his gunshot wound, he assured his boss and his father
who would probably be the first to read the message, that it wasn’t serious,
and he was already able to ride.
After having his late lunch or early dinner at Brown’s Café, he swung by
the saddlery, picked up his saddle which looked almost new, then dropped
off his horses at the livery before taking the same room at the La Paz Hotel.
Garrett settled in before leaving the hotel to seek out Mayor Harrison,
who had seemed to vanish from the face of the earth, or at least Arizona
Territory.
He checked at the mayor’s feed and grain store but found him absent
from his business, so he decided that if he wanted to talk, the mayor could
find him.
Garrett mistakenly believed that the serious problems were behind him.
He’d relax for two days and let his wound heal. His only serious concern
was the possibility of infection. He had checked his wound when he’d left
his things in the hotel room, and while it was red, it wasn’t excessively so.
It was too early for serious signs of infection to show up anyway. He was
impressed with the suturing job done by Juan Barros.
But as he returned to his room to get some much-needed rest, the
problems he thought were behind him were far from resolved and a totally
different danger was imminent.
_____
 While those in La Paz were aware that a Yuma County deputy sheriff
was in town, three men in Los Posos, ten miles east at the junction of the
roads to Yuma and La Paz, had heard that Marshal Bascom had been killed,
leaving the bigger town unprotected.
Elmer Dorfman, Al Adams and Pablo Cortez had been drifting west
from Phoenix after a poorly executed and failed stagecoach robbery that
had almost gotten Elmer killed. But during the botched job, they had killed
the shotgun rider who’d put just two of his scattergun’s pellets into Elmer.
After Elmer had been hit, Al and Pablo both fired at the shotgun rider,
but by then the driver had pulled a Winchester from the footwell and began
firing at the two uninjured outlaws. The three men had raced away, and the
Overland Stagecoach Company had put a two-hundred-dollar reward on
each of their heads. While the descriptions of the men on the wanted posters
were vague, the features of their horses were precise. Unfortunately, none of
those wanted posters had reached Yuma County.
When they heard about the horrible stabbing death of the town marshal,
they felt as if fate had finally been kind to them. The three outlaws planned
to rob the First Arizona Bank of La Paz on Saturday morning, then ride into
neighboring California. By the time the locals contacted the sheriff’s office
in faraway Yuma, they’d be across the state line and the law wouldn’t
bother following.
_____
After dropping off his stallion, Jesus returned to the hacienda for dinner
and to explain what would be happening on Monday.
Rosa Lopez was serving and stood nearby as she normally did while
Jesus spoke.
“Deputy Shaw has graciously allowed us to have this weekend together.
We will be able to go to Mass as a family on Sunday and offer prayers for
Enrique. I asked that he visit on Sunday afternoon so we could talk more.”
Yolanda sharply asked, “
You invited him here? The man who is going to
take you away to hang?
”
Jesus took his wife’s hand before he replied, “He’s a good man, Yolanda.
One of the best men I’ve ever met. I like him immensely and wish I could
help him with his personal difficulties, but I know he would never accept
any offer on principle. I’m sure that he hates having to bring me to Yuma,
but it’s his duty. I invited him here for many reasons, but one is because
he’s investigating the man who shot Enrique. He said that the man has a
mysterious past and he wanted to discover more about him.”
“So, if the man was an outlaw, then he wouldn’t have to take you to
Yuma?”
“No, dear. I don’t believe it makes any difference. I had the man hanged
without even asking him what had happened in that saloon. He could have
been a saint and I wouldn’t have done anything differently. I deserve to be
tried and found guilty. Let’s just enjoy the next two days together as a
family. On Sunday we’ll start to pack for the journey, and we will welcome
Deputy Shaw as a friend.”
Yolanda nodded but wished that there was another way.
Rosa was horrified with the thought that Senor Alvarez was going to be
taken away by that gringo lawman and hanged for doing what any good
father would have done. After she cleared the table, she’d go and talk to
Alberto Hernandez. Her man was one of the vaqueros who were at the
juniper tree and she wasn’t about to let him hang. Rosa would let him know
of the deputy’s planned visit on Sunday afternoon. It was a big ranch, after
all. If the deputy never reached the house, he could have gone anywhere.
_____
In Yuma, Sheriff Yarborough reread Garrett’s long message before he
looked at Amos and Rollie and said, “This sounds like it could turn into a
real disaster.”
“Do you want me to go up there, Tom?” asked Deputy North.
“Not yet. It sounds like Garrett has things under control, but he said he’d
send another telegram before he left on Monday. If we don’t get that
message, then I’ll take a few volunteers and head that way myself. He
claims that his wound wasn’t serious, and I hope he’s not minimizing it.”
After he set the telegram on the desk, he exclaimed, “Lord! I can’t
imagine a worse set of circumstances! Jesus Alvarez lynching a man who’d
shot Enrique. I can’t believe that such an honorable man would so such a
thing. I don’t know what our honorable prosecutor, Mister Walter M. James,
Esquire, will think. He probably won’t even bother charging him in the
hope of a quiet but large gratuity.”
Amos said, “I just hope that Garrett returns safely. I’m not looking
forward to telling Belle what happened.”
“Well, let’s hope he has a quiet weekend,” Tom Yarborough said before
returning to his smaller private office.
_____
When Garrett laid on his bed that night with a well-appreciated breeze
coming through the open window, he thought about sending a telegram to
San Francisco to ask about Zack Johnson, but knew it was pointless.
His frustration and distaste for what he needed to do was beyond
troubling, so he shifted his attention to a more pleasant topic. He closed his
eyes and thought about Madeleine.
 CHAPTER 10
Garrett stepped out of the hotel a bright Saturday morning then stopped
on the boardwalk and scanned the street. He was pleased that everything
appeared normal and thought about heading to the mayor’s feed and grain
store but decided to visit Bourbon and his unnamed brown gelding instead.
As he walked to the livery, he figured he may as christen the handsome
dark brown horse as he’d be riding him often to give Bourbon a break. He
didn’t know of any forms of alcohol that were as dark as the gelding, so he
shifted to non-alcoholic drinks. Coffee was too common, so he decided on
Cocoa, but that seemed too feminine for the strong almost-stallion.
When he entered the big barn five minutes later, he smiled as he
approached his two mounts and stroked the deep brown gelding’s neck as
he said, “Good morning, Coke. I hope you appreciate my truncation of
cocoa to a more appropriate name.”
After greeting Bourbon, he turned to the liveryman and said, “I’ll be
taking my dark gelding for a ride shortly, but I’ll still be boarding them until
Monday.”
The still unfriendly liveryman replied, “Alright,” then turned and walked
to the back of the barn to start cleaning the stalls.
Garrett couldn’t care less, as long as his horses were well-kept. He threw
one of his saddle blankets over Coke’s back, then after putting on his bridle,
he lifted his reconditioned saddle and tossed it atop the blanket. Once he’d
secured the saddle, he added his saddlebags and then his Winchester. He
didn’t expect any problems, but he had been uncomfortable trusting the
liveryman with his repeater last night and decided to keep it with him until
he left La Paz on Monday.
After he hung two canteens on the saddle, he took Coke’s reins and was
leading him out of the livery when three men rode past.
Elmer Dorfman, Al Adams and Pablo Cortez had ridden out of Los
Posos early that morning. They only had a ninety-minute ride to La Paz and
planned to be in California by noon.
Garrett didn’t recognize them, which wasn’t unusual in itself as La Paz
saw many transients. But few of them passed through town during the
roasting heat of summer.
But it was their apparent disinterest in their surroundings that piqued his
interest. Strangers always scanned the businesses and townsfolk out of
curiosity if nothing else. These three were focused straight ahead.
After they’d passed, Garrett mounted Coke and released his Colt’s
hammer loop. He thought about removing his badge, but he was going to be
behind them, so it didn’t matter. He walked his horse into the street and
with the sun at his back, he followed the three men then slid his Winchester
from its scabbard and cocked the hammer. If they so much as touched their
pistols or Winchesters, he would let them know he was there.
When they slowed and turned their horses in front of the bank, Garrett
kept Coke at a walk and waited for their next move.
None of the three outlaws even bothered looking east because they’d just
passed by without being noticed and with the bright sun blasting from that
direction, they wouldn’t be able to see anything anyway.
Even though they knew that there was no law in the town, Al Adams
would act as lookout, so Elmer Dorfman and Pablo Cortez dismounted as
Al reached for his Winchester.
Garrett was just thirty yards away when he shouted, “Hold it right there!
I’m Deputy Sheriff Garrett Shaw and I want you three on your bellies!
Now!”
All three of the outlaws whipped their eyes to the east and in the harsh
sunlight, saw Garrett’s shadow but little else. They knew about the wanted
posters and assumed that the deputy had recognized them, so there was no
question of complying with his demand.
Al had already grabbed his Winchester when Elmer and Pablo pulled
their pistols.
Garrett had already chosen the biggest threat, Elmer Dorfman, who was
closer than Pablo. He knew the man still in the saddle had to cock his
Winchester, so he would be the last target if he lived long enough to take his
third shot.
He fired at Elmer before the outlaw pulled his trigger. Garrett’s .44
ripped through Elmer’s right shoulder shattering the joint and exploding his
humeral artery. He screamed in pain as his pistol dropped to the ground
shortly before he fell.
Pablo fired just a moment later, but the blinding sun made him miss by
more than two feet. Garrett only had to shift his Winchester’s sights slightly
to his left before he fired his second shot.
Pablo felt the hammer blow and the burn as the bullet slammed into the
right side of his gut just below the ribcage. He fell face forward onto the
hard dirt with blood pouring from the wound but didn’t scream. He rolled
onto his side and clutched at the wound trying to staunch the bleeding.
Before Garrett could bring a fresh round into his Winchester’s breech, Al
Adams had cocked his repeater’s hammer and was squinting as he aimed at
the center of the shadow as he fired.
Garrett felt the .44 snap at his left pants leg and had to reacquire Elmer.
He didn’t know if he’d been hit but couldn’t afford to take the time to check
or he might never have the opportunity.
Elmer was levering in his second round when Garrett prepared to fire his
third. The sun that was causing so much difficulty for the would-be bank
robbers served him well as it let him place his iron sights on his target
without any difficulty.
Al was still sitting in his saddle just ninety-four feet away, and it was
almost unfair, but Garrett wasn’t about to give the last outlaw a chance.
He squeezed his trigger and a tiny fraction of a second later the slug
blasted through Al’s chest just to the left of center where it turned his
beating heart into a useless piece of meatloaf.
Al wobbled then fell over backward and tumbled past his horse’s rump.
His head struck the edge of the boardwalk, but he was beyond caring.
As Elmer continued to scream, Pablo began to fade into oblivion as his
life’s blood continued to pump onto the dry La Paz street.
 Garrett slid his Winchester home, then pulled his pistol as he walked
Coke closer to the three downed outlaws.
The townsfolk on the street had all disappeared and those in the bank
were on the floor, so a massive silence replaced the recent roaring echoes of
gunfire.
When he was close to Elmer, he scanned the other two outlaws who
were unmoving and knowing that Elmer was no longer a threat, Garrett
dismounted.
Elmer’s screeching had diminished to a quieter sobbing as he lay on his
left side with blood still streaming from his shattered shoulder.
Garrett dropped to his heels in front of him and asked, “What names do I
put on your gravestones, mister?”
Elmer had his eyes closed to block out the blinding sun as he replied,
“We…we heard the…marshal…he died.”
“He did but I’m a county deputy. You’d better tell me your names soon
because I don’t think you’ll be able to say anything in another minute or
so.”
“I’m Elmer Dorfman. My partners…they’re Al…Adams…and Pablo
Cortez.”
Garrett nodded then said, “I’ll give you the time you have left to make
your peace with God, Elmer.”
“I reckon…He won’t…be…”
Elmer didn’t finish his sentence before he simply stopped breathing.
Garrett stood and spoke each of their names aloud to remember them
then checked the outside of his pants leg and knew he’d have to buy a new
pair of britches before the store closed. Expenses were mounting and he
didn’t see any rewards coming his way anytime soon. At least the county
reimbursed him for routine expenses. He wasn’t sure if the britches counted
as routine.
With his recent gunshot wound, the sheriff would probably send Rollie
on any dangerous assignments and his mother would probably insist that he
honor the restriction.
 He stepped to the bank’s doorway and shouted, “It’s safe to come out
now,” then turned around and tied off their horses.
Garrett began sliding the bodies onto the street and after each was laid
flat on his back with his hands folded over his chest, he began collecting
their guns.
Before he’d picked up Al’s Winchester, a crowd began gathering and
Mayor Harrison finally made an appearance.
John Harrison stepped past the growing throng and approached Garrett
as he slid Al’s repeater back into its scabbard and asked, “What happened,
Garrett?”
Garrett turned then replied, “These three were preparing to rob the bank,
Mayor. The last one who died said that they thought it was safe because
they’d heard Marshal Bascom had been killed. None of your citizens were
hurt, but I’d appreciate having someone help to take the bodies out of the
street. They’re going to start smelling a lot worse in this heat.”
“I’ll do that. What happened with the shooting in the Sundown Saloon?
I’ve been hearing all sorts of stories.”
Garrett sighed then said, “I’ve been looking for you to let you know, but
you’ve been hard to find. I’m going to check their pockets then take their
horses to the livery. After you arrange for their bodies to be taken away, I’ll
meet you at the café. Alright?”
“That’s fine,” Mayor Harrison replied before turning away to find the
mortician.
Garrett ignored the crowd as he searched each of their pockets and aside
from a few loose banknotes and some silver, didn’t find anything
noteworthy. He kept repeating their names as he searched and continued
after taking their horses’ reins. He took Coke’s reins and just let the crowd
part as he strode past.
He wondered if he was cursed to live in La Paz as he led the four horses
to the livery. The horses were very different from those most outlaws rode.
One was a pinto mare, and another was a light gray Morgan. The last was a
white mare who was so young she might even be a filly. He’d take them
back to Yuma on Monday and ask Sheriff Yarborough what he wanted to do
with them.
 The liveryman had watched the gunfight from his barn doors and was
much more affable when Garrett returned with the three new horses. Garrett
wasn’t sure if it was because he expected to be given the horses and their
tack or if he’d been shocked into a friendlier attitude after watching Garrett
shoot the three outlaws. It didn’t matter, but after the liveryman finally
introduced himself as Joe Smith, he helped Joe unsaddle the three horses
and searched their saddlebags.
He found ammunition, spare clothing, some more cash and a decent
amount of trail food in the saddlebags but didn’t find any identification.
When he finished, he took out his notebook and pencil from his own
saddlebags and wrote Elmer Dorfman, Al Adams and Pablo Cortez.
He didn’t unsaddle Coke, but after telling Joe Smith that he’d pay to
board the three horses until Monday, he led his brown gelding from the
livery and after stepping into the saddle, rode to the Western Union office to
send another telegram to Yuma. He’d add a few more details about the
Jesus Alvarez situation, but considered that problem to be over.
_____
Twenty minutes later, he was at Brown’s Café sharing coffee with Mayor
Harrison as he gave a full and accurate report of what had happened since
he arrived in La Paz.
“
His wife shot you?
” the mayor exclaimed loudly enough for everyone
else in the diner to hear.
“It’s not a serious wound and I’m not going to charge her. Senor Alvarez
was a big help in quieting the town yesterday and I’m not sure if I could
have stopped it myself. I feel really bad about arresting him and the
vaqueros, but I have no choice.”
Mayor Harrison leaned forward and in a low voice, he asked, “Are you
sure? I mean, Johnson didn’t have any family in the area and he’s only been
here a couple of years. Nobody really misses him and if you insist on taking
Jesus to Yuma to face trial, then his wife and daughters will be alone.”
Garrett had been expecting some type of plea from the mayor, so he
wasn’t even annoyed by his request.
“I wish I could do that, Mayor, but I’ve already notified Sheriff
Yarborough and even if I hadn’t, do you believe that a lynching could be
kept secret? I believe that Senor Alvarez would be best served by coming
back with me to Yuma. It’s even possible that our prosecutor won’t charge
him. Senor Alvarez agrees with me and will be bringing his family with
him on Monday.”
“He agrees with you?”
“He’s an honest man and made a horrible error in judgement. He
explained why he did it and I understood his reasoning. He let his emotions
cloud his mind but now he’s willing to accept responsibility for what he did.
I don’t believe that he’ll ever erase the guilt that must fill his soul.”
The mayor sipped his coffee and wondered if there was yet another way
to convince Deputy Shaw to change his mind.
_____
While Mayor Harrison was trying to convince Garrett to let Senor
Alvarez remain on his ranch, Alberto Hernandez was thinking of a way to
avoid making that trip to Yuma. He suspected that Senor Alvarez would be
able to escape the hangman’s noose because he was wealthy and powerful,
but he and the other vaqueros wouldn’t be as fortunate. They would be the
scapegoats.
Rosa had told him that the deputy would be coming to the hacienda on
Sunday afternoon, so Alberto planned how to stop the lawman from even
getting close to the big house. He’d make him disappear, so he and Rosa
could marry. If another lawman dared to show up on the ranch, then he
would discover the same fate.
_____
Madeleine had been annoyed when she discovered that Harry was
joining them on the ride to Yuma that morning and even more irritated
when he insisted on riding beside her simply oozing charm. They rode
behind Mary and Ellis who were chatting amiably while she let Harry
ramble on about how pretty she was and how happy he was to be able to
spend time with her.
Maddy was sure that he knew that Garrett had proposed to her and she
had accepted him, so she didn’t bother telling him. She remained polite but
not overly friendly. She was honest with herself enough to recognize that
she did enjoy hearing the compliments and protestations of affection.
 They entered Yuma just before noon and headed for L.B. Johnson & Son
Dry Goods and Sundries because she had to buy a gift for little Michael. It
may have just been an excuse to see Garrett, but she thought it would be
wise to pick something up first before riding to the jail. She’d have to visit
the Shaw house as well to tell Mrs. Shaw that her family would attend their
anniversary party.
_____
“Jesus!
Now he had to handle an attempted bank robbery?”
Sheriff
Yarborough exclaimed as he looked at Garrett’s latest telegram.
Rollie snickered then said, “You know he’s hoping to get more rewards,
boss. Maybe these fellers had prices on their heads.”
The sheriff handed the telegram to Deputy North and said, “Go and look
through the stack of posters, but none of these names ring a bell. At least he
wasn’t shot again, so hopefully he’ll make it back here on Monday without
any more bullets heading his way.”
Amos said, “Belle was really upset after I told her about his getting shot
and I’m not sure I’ll even mention this one until he gets back.”
“That might be a smart thing to do, Amos,” Tom said as he wiped the
sweat from his brow without even thinking about it.
As Rollie thumbed through the wanted posters, he said, “He got three
horses and saddles out of it if nothing else. He could get more than a
hundred dollars out of that if they’re in good shape.”
“I’m going to head down to the Western Union office and send a reply. I
hope they don’t have another one like his last two waiting for me when I get
there,” the sheriff said as he picked up his hat.
Rollie chuckled as the sheriff exited the jail.
Sheriff Yarborough was still mumbling as he stepped along the
boardwalk and almost walked into Madeleine as she left the store.
“Oh, Sheriff,” she said with a smile, “I was just coming to your office to
talk to Garrett. He said he wasn’t going to avoid me anymore, so he’d better
be there.”
Tom glanced at Harry who was standing behind her before replying,
“I’m sorry, Maddy, but he’s in La Paz again. Will you walk with me to the
telegraph office? I’ll try to explain why he’s there and what he told us
what’s happened.”
Maddy quickly asked, “Is he all right, Sheriff?”
“He’s fine. Let me tell you why I had to send him up there so soon.”’
Madeleine nodded then got in step with the sheriff who began telling her
why he’d sent Garrett to La Paz so soon after his last ordeal. He was only
able to provide her with the bare details that Garrett had included in his
telegrams but told her that he’d know the full story when Garrett returned
on Monday evening. He had held off the gunshot news because Garrett had
claimed it wasn’t serious and he didn’t want to get Madeleine upset for no
reason. He knew her well enough to suspect that if he did tell her, she’d get
on her horse and make that long ride to La Paz as soon as he returned to the
jail.
Another item he hadn’t told her was that Garrett would be escorting the
entire Alvarez family, but that was because his deputy hadn’t included that
tidbit. He’d just reported that he’d be returning with Senor Alvarez and the
vaqueros.
Madeleine had withheld her mounting number of questions because the
sheriff had started his narrative by saying he only had limited information,
but she was still very concerned. Garrett had entered the town in an
explosive situation and then when that mess was resolved, he was involved
in a gunfight with three outlaws.
What made her concerns so intense was knowing that he’d still be
spending time out in the county trying to engage violent men with prices on
their heads so he could provide for his sisters.
As the sheriff wrote his reply, Harry stood behind Maddy wondering if
there was any advantage to be gained by what he’d heard. Shaw should
have been shot in that gunfight yet hadn’t received a scratch. It was as if he
had some sort of guardian angel. But he knew that Madeleine was worried,
and that Shaw would continue to put his life at risk over the coming year.
Despite the virtue being alien to his nature, Harry Gallagher decided that
he’d be patient. A lot could happen to Yuma County Deputy Sheriff Garrett
Shaw in the next twelve months.
 Before they left the office, Madeleine turned to Harry and said, “I’m
going to go talk to Mr. Shaw and then I need to visit Mrs. Shaw.”
Harry smiled and replied, “That’s fine. I’ll tell Ellis and Mary. We’ll wait
for you in the store.”
Maddy was startled and a bit suspicious by his sudden willingness to let
her leave his sight but returned his smile and said, “Thank you.”
_____
After dropping Harry off at the store, the sheriff and Madeleine returned
to the jail and she spent a few minutes talking to her future father-in-law.
She hadn’t garnered any more details but hadn’t expected to hear anything
new. She simply wanted to start spending as much time with Garrett’s
family as possible.
She soon left the sheriff’s office and after mounting Rattler, she rode to
the Shaw home, pleased and surprised that Harry wasn’t waiting for her
when she returned to her horse.
Maddy reached the house, dismounted then tied off her mare before
making the short walk to the porch where she knocked on the door.
Annabelle opened the door and after seeing Madeleine, a big smile filled
her face.
“Why, Madeleine, it’s such a pleasure to see you! Please come in.”
Maddy stepped inside and removed her hat as Alma and Beatrice both
smiled at her from their seats in the parlor.
“Please have a seat and tell us why you stopped by,” Annabelle said
before returning to her own chair.
Madeleine took her seat and replied, “I know it sounds silly, but I wanted
to see Garrett again. I wanted to be sure he wasn’t still trying to avoid me.”
“He’s definitely not trying to avoid you any longer, but he’s up in La Paz
on a job that sounded very difficult.”
“I know. I just talked to Sheriff Yarborough and your husband. I was
going to visit to let you know that my family will be very pleased to join
you on the twenty-fourth to celebrate your twenty-fifth anniversary.”
 Annabelle smiled as she said, “It will be wonderful having our two
families together again.”
“They had just received another telegram from Garrett, and he reported
that he’d engaged three bank robbers in La Paz earlier today.”
“Not again!” Annabelle exclaimed.
“The sheriff said he was all right and your husband wasn’t upset.”
Betty said, “Our father wouldn’t be upset unless Garrett decided to not
provide him with a grandson."
Alma laughed before saying, “I think Harriet is going to give him his
first grandchild within a year anyway, so he won’t have any reason to
complain.”
Annabelle ignored her daughters’ comments as she asked, “Would you
like to stay with us until Garrett returns, Maddy?”
Madeleine had already thought of asking, so she quickly replied, “Would
that be alright? I haven’t brought any of my things and I’d have to tell
Ellis.”
“I’m sure that Alma and Beatrice would provide you with all you need.
Why don’t you go and tell your brother and when Garrett returns, I’m sure
that he’ll be more than willing to escort you home on Tuesday.”
Maddy was ecstatic as she stood and said, “I’ll be back in a few
minutes.”
Annabelle also rose then stepped close to Madeleine and kissed her on
the cheek.
“I believe that I’ll have a very surprised and happy son when he returns.”
Madeleine was still smiling as she nodded, then pulled her hat on and
left the house.
After she’d gone, Alma said, “I hope his gunshot wound doesn’t get
infected.”
Her mother simply snapped, “Hush!”
_____
 Ellis, Mary and Harry left Yuma thirty minutes later and Madeleine
happily returned to the Shaw house where she was given Harriet’s old room
which conveniently shared a wall with Garrett’s bedroom.
Madeleine hadn’t spent this much time with Garrett’s family since they’d
moved into town and was determined to make the most of it. She wanted
his sisters and parents to consider her part of their family already.
_____
Garrett had bought a nice pair of new pants that were more stylish than
his normal selections and added an upscale shirt as well. He didn’t want to
arrive at the Alvarez home looking like a bumpkin and he didn’t wish to
step into their hacienda still wearing Enrique’s shirt. He didn’t believe that
anyone would ask about it, but he’d bring it along just in case.
As he sat in his hotel room, he opened his saddlebags and pulled out his
pad of paper and his pencil. He figured he’d write his report today because
he wasn’t sure how late he’d be returning from the Alvarez ranch tomorrow.
He had written the first paragraph which was little more than the details
of his ride to La Paz when he paused.
He’d been growing more troubled about having to follow the law with
each passing minute. Those men who were about to rob the bank would
have had no compulsions about killing bystanders just to steal some money.
He knew that they probably already had killed other innocents and never
gave it a second thought. Garrett had no moral issues for shooting each of
them and ending their lives because they had reaped what they had sown.
Even then, they could have surrendered but chose to try to kill him.
But Senor Alvarez was an honorable man who had done a dishonorable
act and would live with a hideous amount of guilt for the rest of his life.
Those three bank robbers would have spent their ill-gotten loot to satisfy
their animal pleasures, yet Jesus Alvarez needed to provide for his family.
Zack Johnson’s presence in the saloon playing poker had pulled him
from the top rung of innocents and his shady history dropped him down a
few more. Garrett had already recognized that in the eyes of the law there
was no difference between what those outlaws would likely have done and
what Senor Alvarez had done. But Garrett wished that there was some way
he could avoid taking the proud ranch owner to Yuma on Monday.
 He spent another ten minutes in thought before he began writing his
official report. When he visited the hacienda tomorrow afternoon, he’d
make an offer to Jesus he might be willing to take. Especially if Garrett
presented it to him with his wife and daughters present.
Garrett could see the love that Jesus had for his wife and despite the hole
in his side that she’d created, he liked Yolanda. She had fire and passion
and was trying to protect her husband and family. Her behavior was easier
to understand than her husband’s reaction had been when he’d learned of
his son’s death.
He’d been surprised to find that none of his daughters were married.
They were all very handsome young women. Miranda, the oldest, must be
close to twenty and was strikingly beautiful. Her sisters, Anna and Maria
were identical twins and probably two years younger. While both were very
pretty young women, Miranda was in a class by herself. He imagined that
Miranda was a younger version of her mother. The only reason that Garrett
could imagine for their unwed status was that their parents hadn’t found any
young men who were worthy of their very impressive daughters.
He hoped that the four Alvarez women would be able to influence Jesus’
decision about accepting his offer. It wasn’t illegal or even shady, but it
would at least delay the law’s judgement. He was sure that even as he wrote
his report, Jesus Alvarez was receiving penance for his sins from the parish
priest. The padre might give him absolution, but Garrett suspected that the
man would never be able to forgive himself.
_____
So, as the sun set on Saturday, the tenth day of July in the year 1875,
Garrett set aside his completed report and prepared for sleep.
Madeleine was still chatting with his family in the main room with three
lamps providing illumination.
Ellis had returned alone to the White home and was relieved when his
parents laughed and told him that they weren’t surprised. Their humor was
replaced with concern as Ellis told them what Garrett had done in La Paz.
Harry and Mary had returned to their new house and just like Madeleine,
Mary wondered why Harry was being so pleasant. Especially after learning
that Maddy was still in Yuma waiting for Garrett to return. It was almost as
if he’d surrendered any designs on Madeleine, which was unlike him.
The Alvarez family was also preparing for sleep. They had gone to
confession and Jesus had spent almost twenty minutes with the padre and
then another twenty minutes on his knees doing his penance.
When they’d returned to the house, they shared dinner and Jesus had
reminded them that when Deputy Shaw arrived tomorrow afternoon to treat
him as cordially as they would any of their distinguished guests. His
daughters had smiled and willingly assured him that they would and while
she also agreed, Yolanda was far from happy about it.
In the large bunkhouse, Alberto Hernandez cleaned his Winchester, but
none of the other vaqueros thought much of it. They had much more serious
things on their minds.
_____
Sunday morning had been even quieter than Garrett could have imagined
as churchgoers paraded to one of the four churches in town, and the stores
other businesses remained closed. There seemed to be no vestiges of the
intense hostility he’d discovered when he had arrived.
He had dressed in his new clothes after taking a long bath and carefully
shaving the stubble that had been accumulating on his face since he rode
into town. He didn’t create a single new wound on his chin with his straight
razor and the one that Yolanda Alvarez had given him was unchanged,
which was a good sign.
After he’d had a good breakfast, he headed to the livery to check on
Bourbon and Coke as well as his three new horses. He thought that he
might make another ride to the White ranch on Wednesday and offer them
to Mike for distribution as he saw fit. He didn’t believe that he needed to
ingratiate himself with Madeleine’s father, but just because he liked the
man. He’d thought about giving them to Mitch Gallagher, but the likelihood
that he would probably give the nicest of the three to Harry squashed that
idea.
He was as clean as he’d been in over a month as he introduced himself
formally to the three outlaw horses.
 “I’m not going to give each of you a name. I’ll let your new owners do
that,” he said as he patted the pinto’s neck.
When he looked at the white filly, he wondered if Maddy wouldn’t
prefer the young lady to the older Rattler.
The liveryman was either at church or with his family, so he was alone
with his horses and their gear. He checked the saddlebags for their gunbelts
and after finding them where he’d left them, he examined their repeaters.
One was a Henry and the other two were Winchester Model 1866s; the first
Winchester. He had one of the newer ‘73s and thought it was a considerable
improvement. He was already seeing more of the new models and
suspected that they would proliferate faster than jackrabbits when there
were no coyotes around to keep their population in check.
Garrett spent another twenty minutes with his horses before he saddled
Coke to make the ride to the Alvarez ranch. He wanted to give Bourbon a
day off as he had a long ride ahead of him tomorrow. He’d have the three
new horses carry the water bags and the borrowed saddle which he’d have
to drop off in Castle Dome on the way back. Coke would only wear the
pack saddle which is why he’d be transporting him to the Alvarez ranch.
It was just after one o’clock when Garrett mounted Coke to make the
ninety-minute ride to the Alvarez hacienda. More of the journey would be
on the access road than the county road.
_____
Alberto Hernandez had never drygulched a man before. In fact, he had
never shot at another man. But he considered himself a marksman with his
Winchester and understood that the young lawman would probably be
expecting an ambush. So, rather than use one of the large hiding locations
alongside the access road, he chose a much less likely site.
When everyone else had gone to Mass, he’d ridden south on the access
road then after leaving his horse almost a mile west in a small canyon, he’d
walked with his repeater to a row of mesquite bushes that was just forty
yards from the access road. But the bushes wouldn’t be enough to ensure
that the deputy didn’t spot him, so before he’d turned off the access road,
he’d dropped a small spade he’d borrowed from the tool shed.
 He had plenty of time, so he began to dig a shallow depression to hide
his silhouette from the lawman. It didn’t take long as he only had to make it
a foot deep and the ground was sandy. He was still sweating profusely as he
spread the loose sand away and then after setting the spade on the ground,
he kicked the dirt on top of the metal to ensure that there was no reflection
to alert the deputy.
Satisfied that he’d created an ideal ambush site, he wiped the sweat from
his brow then drank half of his large canteen’s contents. He expected that
the deputy would arrive within an hour or so but had enough water to last
him four or five hours. He didn’t want to risk even the remote chance that
the lawman would spot him before he was in position, so even though it
was early, Alfredo carefully lowered himself into his depression. He was
pleased with his creation as it gave him a clear shot and he doubted that the
deputy would even know what hit him.
As he laid on his stomach, he reviewed his plan to dispose of the
deputy’s body and horse after he was dead. It was the more difficult part of
the assassination plot.
_____
Twenty minutes after Alfredo had settled into position, Garrett turned
onto the access road. He wasn’t expecting an ambush but as a well-
ingrained habit, he still scanned for possible ambush sites. He’d traveled
down this access road two days ago and had studied them all much more
intently, so he didn’t take long examining them this time. Jesus had seemed
confident that his men would obey his orders.
Alberto spotted the deputy when he was still two miles out and took a
deep breath before he cocked his Winchester. He settled his sights almost
due east and estimated where the deputy’s head would be when he passed.
He could afford to be low, but it wouldn’t be difficult to drop his muzzle an
inch or so. He just didn’t want to make any sudden moves that might alert
the lawman.
Garrett was still scanning the landscape but there were no more potential
ambush sites for another mile or so. He’d spotted the row of mesquite
bushes and hadn’t imagined that they could be used to hide a shooter. He
was busy rehearsing the offer he’d make to Senor Alvarez and wouldn’t
have noticed Alberto unless he had been wearing a bright yellow and red
clown suit.
Alberto slid his index finger to his trigger and held his sights motionless
as he heard the deputy’s horse approaching from his right. He hadn’t needed
to adjust his aim after he had a better look at the deputy and knew that in
just a few more minutes, he and the other vaqueros would be safe. He could
be with Rosa, and maybe Senor Alvarez would reward him for saving him
and his family as well.
Out of the corner of his right eye, Alberto picked up the shadow of the
deputy’s horse and soon its rider. His finger tightened on the trigger as he
calmed his breathing to keep the barrel steady.
The horse’s head appeared in his sights and Alberto prepared to fire. The
deputy hadn’t even seen him, so his plan was working perfectly.
Then Garrett’s face appeared just forty yards beyond his Winchester’s
sights and he hesitated.
Now! Take the shot now! You have to kill him!
What’s wrong with you?
Alberto exerted his will to force finger to move, but it refused. The
deputy would soon be out of range and he hadn’t been able to pull his
trigger.
What kind of a man was he?
Alberto dropped his eyes and his Winchester to the ground. He was a
coward and his shame overwhelmed him. It had been so perfect and so easy,
but he was too afraid to act. Now he and the other vaqueros would be riding
to Yuma with Senor Alvarez and his family tomorrow and he’d hang within
a week.
He was disgusted with himself and almost thought about going back to
his horse and just riding away, but that would be even more cowardly. He
slowly stood, brushed the dirt from his clothes, then picked up his
Winchester and the half-buried spade.
Alberto Hernandez then began a slow walk of shame across the ranch
he’d served for more than twelve years to retrieve his horse.
_____
When the hacienda popped into view just minutes later, Garrett had no
idea how close he’d been to having never seen the impressive white house
or another sunset.
Rosa Lopez had been watching the access road as Senor Alvarez had
requested but had hoped never to see the deputy again. When she saw a
rider approaching, she initially thought he was Alfredo returning to the
bunkhouse, but soon realized that either the deputy had discovered the
ambush or Alfredo had missed. She hadn’t heard any gunfire, yet either of
those possibilities terrified Rosa. She almost turned and ran back to the
kitchen, but the family was watching her, so she stayed near the doorway to
welcome the cursed lawman.
Garrett soon pulled up before the hacienda and dismounted. He wasn’t
surprised that none of the vaqueros were there to take care of Coke, but he
didn’t believe that he’d be staying long. If Senior Alvarez believed
otherwise, Garrett suspected that Coke would be taken to the stables after
he’d entered the house.
He stepped onto the porch, removed his hat and smiled at Rosa who
seemed very uneasy. He could understand why she would be as he
represented the potential destruction of the Alvarez family and the ranch
itself.
Rosa turned and led him into the main room as Jesus rose and strode
across the tiled floor.
Garrett saw the women all clothed in black mourning dress and Jesus,
while not wearing black, wore dark clothes. He felt out of place in his
lighter clothing but thought it would have been hypocritical to pretend to
mourn for Enrique.
Garrett shook his extended hand as Jesus said, “I heard that you had
more excitement in La Paz yesterday.”
“Yes, sir. Three men heard that the town no longer had a marshal and
decided to try to rob the bank. I wish that they’d just tossed their guns
down, but they chose not to surrender.”
“Please, have a seat, Deputy. I’ll introduce you more formally to my
family.”
“Thank you,” Garrett replied as he smiled at his daughters before
shifting his eyes and his smile to his wife whose smile was closer to a
grimace.
 After he sat, Rosa approached and quietly took his hat from his hands
before stepping away.
After introducing him to his wife and each of his three very impressive
daughters, Jesus said, “I had one of my vaqueros take care of your horse.
Now tell me about the bank robbery. That could have been very costly for
me personally if the thieves had been successful.”
“I imagine so, but they never even entered the bank. I saw them ride
down the street when I was in the livery. They weren’t acting normally,
even for strangers. It was still morning, so I had the sun at my back…”
Garrett described the brief gunfight as he would if he was reporting it to
Sheriff Yarborough, so he kept it terse and non-descriptive. He wanted to
finish quickly anyway to make his offer while Mrs. Alvarez and her
daughters were still present. He didn’t expect them to leave to start cooking,
but he didn’t want to have to ask them to remain.
As soon as he finished, Jesus smiled then said, “You’ve had another
exciting visit to La Paz. I’m sure that you’re anxious to return to the peace
of Yuma.”
“It’s just a case of poor timing, Senor Alvarez. But I’d like to talk to you
about tomorrow’s trip to Yuma. I wrote my official report last night and it’s
completely accurate as it should be, but I suspect that you are unfamiliar
with how the law works. Am I correct in my assumption?”
“I have never had many dealing with the law other than socially and an
occasional visit with Marshal Bascom when Enrique had caused difficulties
in La Paz.”
“Let me explain the process because it’s important for you to understand
how I can make this offer. I am just the man who investigates violations of
the law and brings the suspects to jail. I write my report and the sheriff
reviews it and we visit the Yuma County Prosecutor, Mister James. He
determines whether it is in the county’s interest to prosecute the crime and
if he does, he notifies the court to set up the trial.
“It’s his job to convince the jury that the defendant is guilty of the crime
and the attorney representing the accused tries to argue for a verdict of not
guilty. The prosecutor needs to have every one of those twelve men agree
with his arguments while the defense attorney only has to sway a single
juror. If even one of the jurors believes that the defendant might not be
guilty, then the judge declares it a mistrial and the prosecutor either has to
start over again or drop the case.
“Most of the time, it’s an obvious case and the jurors return a guilty
verdict within minutes. But I have seen a couple where they couldn’t come
to a decision and Mister James just lets it go.”
“I understand most of that, but why are you telling me this? I have
already acknowledged that I am guilty of the crime.”
“I know that, sir. But let me continue. The reason I mentioned it was to
set the foundation for something that I want to do. I know how badly you
feel for what you did and I’m sure that you’ll never commit anything so
egregiously wrong again. You probably feel guiltier about it than those
three outlaws would have felt if they’d gunned down six women in the
bank. It’s because I believe you are an honorable man, and it was your
passions that overwhelmed your good heart. Enrique was your only son and
I’m sure that his loss sent you into a state of utter rage.
“I am not mitigating what you did, Senor Alvarez, but I do understand. 
What I’ve decided to do is not to escort you to Yuma and put you in jail.
Besides, we don’t have enough space for you and your vaqueros. I can
return alone to Yuma tomorrow and give my report to the sheriff and we’ll
talk to the prosecutor. If he decides to charge you with murder, then I’ll
send you a telegram.”
“Why wouldn’t he charge me with the crime that you and I both know I
had committed?”
“Because you are the biggest ranch owner in the county and one of the
largest in the territory. You are a wealthy and powerful man, and our
prosecutor will look for any excuse not to charge you.”
Jesus was startled as he quickly asked, “Why? Is he corrupt?”
“No, sir. It’s just the reality of the world. Mister James is mostly an
honest man, but he’s still under thirty years old and very ambitious. He
wouldn’t ask you for a bribe, but he’d want to do you a favor knowing that
he would come to your attention. I’ll agree that it’s not fair, but it’s the way
it’s always been.”
 “But even if he decides not to prosecute me, what about my vaqueros? I
refuse to let them hang for what I asked them to do.”
“I’d be disappointed in you if you did agree to stay on your ranch and let
your men come with me to Yuma. In my report, I’ve already written that I
was unable to identify the vaqueros and I suspected that they may have
already fled from the ranch. So, as far as I am concerned, they’re already in
California. We wouldn’t even issue an arrest warrant for the men. I don’t
have their names and, to be honest, I don’t believe anyone will ask for them
when I return to Yuma.”
Jesus closed his eyes and said a short, silent prayer of thanks before
reopening them and smiling at Garrett.
“I don’t know how to thank you enough, Garrett. I hated asking them to
come with me, but I can’t wait to tell them that they no longer have any
worries.”
“Good. I’ll just ride back tomorrow, and I should send you a telegram in
three or four days.”
Yolanda had been listening intently but found it hard to believe that her
husband might avoid the terrible fate she had feared. She had shot the man
and he seemed to not only have acted as if it hadn’t happened; he was now
offering to save her family. She had been denying Enrique’s many failings
as a son and a man for years, but now she needed to face the truth. Her
unbounded fear of losing her husband had been the source of her intense
dislike of the young lawman but now realized that she had many reasons to
be eternally grateful to Garrett Shaw.
Miranda and her sisters had never had a moment of dislike after meeting
Garrett as they each were more than well aware of their older brother’s
faults. Now they were ecstatic as they stared at the handsome young
lawman. They had been thoroughly impressed with him after their mother
had shot him but now his compassionate nature had completely won each of
their hearts.
Garrett hadn’t noticed the effect he was having on the Alvarez daughters
as he was concentrating his attention on their father who seemed to be
having difficulty accepting his offer. He wasn’t wrong.
 Jesus wanted desperately to accept Garrett’s offer and suspected that
he’d soon receive a telegram telling him that there would be no charges
filed. He knew that Yolanda and their daughters were probably already
expecting that to happen, but he at least wanted to face the sheriff and the
prosecutor.
He didn’t believe that Garrett was lying or even exaggerating but he
needed to read the eyes of Sheriff Yarborough and Mister James. He had to
be absolutely convinced that he wasn’t taking advantage of his position.
He stared into Garrett’s eyes and said, “I very much appreciate your offer
that I remain here when you return, but I would prefer to accompany you
back to Yuma. I want to meet the sheriff and Mister James. Do you
understand why I wish to come with you?”
Garrett nodded as he replied, “Yes, sir. Will you be riding or taking your
carriage?”
“I’ll ride my stallion.”
Before Garrett could reply, Yolanda quickly said, “If you insist on going,
then we are coming with you, Jesus. We are your family.”
Jesus turned to his wife, smiled and replied, “Yes, you are,” then looked
at Garrett and said, “It appears we’ll be taking the carriage.”
Rosa was growing hideously anxious to run and tell Alberto to stop his
plan, expecting that he may be waiting for the deputy to leave the ranch
rather than shoot him when he arrived.
She asked, “Would you like me to bring refreshments?”
Jesus smiled at the housemaid and replied, “Go and tell Alberto to let the
vaqueros know that they will be staying on the ranch.”
Rosa grinned, curtsied and trotted out of the room.
Jesus looked at Garrett before saying, “She and Alberto have an
understanding. I’m sure that she is just as relieved with your offer as my
family.”
A genuine and warm smile grew on Yolanda’s face as she asked, “Can
you tell us about your family, Garrett?”
 Garrett understood the reason for her transformation as he returned her
smile and replied, “My family structure is much like yours, Senora Alvarez.
I have my parents and three younger sisters. We owned a ranch about four
hours’ ride east of Yuma, and I grew up working cattle with my father.
When I was eighteen, we ran afoul of three rustlers. They were only taking
eight steers and on your ranch the loss would probably go unnoticed. But
we only had forty-two cattle at the time, so it would have been devastating
to our family.
“My father offered to let them just leave, but they chose to let their rifles
do the talking. My father’s horse was shot and pinned him to the ground.
After I freed him, his leg and ankle were shattered, and he could no longer
work the herds. He had to sell the ranch and we moved to Yuma where I
became a deputy sheriff.”
“Is your father able to work at another job?” Jesus asked.
“He can’t do anything that requires mobility and jobs for men who can’t
walk are limited. He was growing despondent and distant, which was totally
out of character. Sheriff Yarborough offered to let him work as a jailer
which gave him a sense of purpose again. He's been working there for more
than three years now and is a welcome part of the office.”
Jesus nodded as he said, “A man must provide for his family or he feels
that he has failed.”
Garrett didn’t mention that his father was still unpaid because it didn’t
matter, and he didn’t want Senor Alvarez to offer any kind of assistance.
Aside from looking suspiciously like a bribe, he knew that his father would
see it as charity and that could be a disaster.
Yolanda then asked, “How old are your sisters?”
“Harriet is eighteen and recently married. She and her husband live three
blocks away. Alma will be sixteen in November and Beatrice, who goes by
Betty, is thirteen. I love each of them dearly and I’ll miss having them close
after they leave to start their own families.”
“You still live with your parents?” Jesus asked.
“Yes, sir. I spend a lot of time out in the county, so it would be a waste of
money to live elsewhere.”
 Yolanda asked, “You haven’t married?”
“Not yet, ma’am. I just proposed to a young lady before leaving Yuma
and she accepted. I’ve known Madeleine White for most of my life as her
family owned a neighboring ranch. I was four years older, so by the time we
moved to Yuma, she was still just a skinny girl. We were very good friends,
so I know her character.”
Yolanda smiled as she said, “And now she is no longer a skinny girl, but
she is still your friend.”
Garrett grinned as he replied, “Yes, ma’am. She’s now a pretty young
woman. She isn’t as beautiful as your daughters, but I imagine few young
women are. But it is knowing her character and soul that generated the
proposal.”
“Will you be marrying soon?”
“As soon as things settle down.”
“I’m sorry for shooting you, Garrett. How is your wound?”
“It’s healing well, ma’am. I harbor no ill will against you for what
happened. I was the man who would be taking your husband from you.”
“Nonetheless, I wish there was some way to make amends for what I did
and for my husband putting you into this difficult situation.”
“You and your family have no need to feel that way, Senora Alvarez. I’m
just doing my duty as I see it. Most of the men in the outlaw world are
without family. I don’t know if it’s because they had no fathers to keep
them from entering the dark side of society or their parents were just as
cruel as they had become. All I know is that it is rare for me to find a
lawbreaker who has a family that cares for him. Family is what matters and
if I can avoid destroying a good family, then I’ll do it.”
Jesus quietly said, “You would do the same if it was a poor family;
wouldn’t you?”
Garrett nodded as he replied, “Yes, sir. I’ve done it before. I was sent to
the small town of San Miguel, about thirty miles south of Yuma, right on
the Mexican border. We had received a telegram from the mayor that their
small bank had been robbed. They knew who had stolen the money and no
one wanted to confront him. He was a sixteen-year-old named Vance
Ballard.
“When I arrived, they told me where the boy was holed up with his
pistol. He’d stolen eighty-two dollars. It was one of my first unusual cases.
Remind me to tell you the story of the camel bank robber.”
Jesus snickered, Yolanda laughed lightly, and their daughters giggled
before Garrett continued.
“He was hiding in a draw just near the Colorado River, but wasn’t able
to get close to the water. It was late April, and he’d been there for more than
a day before I arrived. I was alone and I almost engaged him with my
Winchester after I had a clear shot. Remember, I was still a hot-headed
teenager myself.
“Anyway, I chose to watch him for a while. He knew I was there, but he
was trapped. It was an odd standoff because he didn’t even aim his pistol at
me, and I never shouted a warning. He was about sixty yards away, so at
first, I thought he was waiting for me to get closer. But after I’d watched
him for a while, I realized that wasn’t the reason at all. He was afraid.
“After about twenty minutes, I finally just left my protective rocks and
walked toward him with my Winchester’s muzzle pointed at the ground. He
could have shot me at any moment, but he never raised his pistol. When I
was close, I just held out my hand and he set his old Colt Dragoon on my
palm. I asked him why he’d robbed the bank and he confessed that his
family needed the money, or they’d lose their small farm. He believed that
no one would be hurt if he took the money from the bank. He had planned
to leave the money with his mother then leave the farm and never return.
But his old mule had been unable to get very far, so he was stuck.
“When he finished his explanation, I checked his Colt expecting that it
was empty which was why he hadn’t fired at me, but all six cylinders were
primed and loaded. He just didn’t have it in him to hurt anyone. He was a
good young man who was simply desperate. So, I escorted him back to his
family then returned the bank’s money. I told the mayor that he wasn’t
going to be charged and not to blame him for the crime.”
“But what about the family? They were still in dire straits after you
returned to Yuma.”
 “Well, I didn’t want him to try anything like that again, so I bought his
pistol.”
Jesus smiled as he asked, “May I ask how much you paid for this
handsome weapon?”
Garrett sighed before he replied, “Forty-three dollars. I just stuffed it into
his mule’s saddlebags.”
“Do you still have the gun?”
“No, sir. I gave it to his father before I left.”
“That must have been more than a month’s salary for you.”
“I’d just received my first reward for capturing a wanted outlaw, so I had
some extra cash with no real needs.”
Jesus slowly shook his head knowing how much impact giving away
forty-three dollars would have had on the young lawman. It was similar to
the impact losing those eight steers would have had on his father’s small
ranch. Jesus never had to worry about such small sums in his life but
understood how most families worked to survive day by day. It was a
measure of the young man sitting before him that he would even consider
making the sacrifice to help a family he didn’t even know.
_____
As Garrett had been telling the story, Rosa had sent one of Alberto’s
friends to find him and tell him of his and the other vaqueros’ reprieve. She
hoped that the deputy didn’t leave before Alberto was found.
_____
The rest of the afternoon and evening was spent in pleasant conversation,
and after a very good dinner, Garrett explained that he needed to return to
La Paz to prepare for the trip and send his telegram.
After making his farewells to Yolanda and the three Alvarez daughters,
he walked with Jesus down the hallway.
When they stepped onto the porch, Jesus said, “I know that you believe
that I only acted out of rage for what had happened to Enrique, but I don’t
wish for you to absolve me of my crime for that motive. I was enraged
when I heard the news and told my vaqueros to prepare to ride into La Paz,
but that wasn’t why we left the ranch.
“After my initial reaction when I saw my wife’s great sorrow, I already
suspected that my son wasn’t blameless. My son was a great
disappointment to me and had created many difficulties for me in the past. I
only checked his pistol when I returned, but even before that, I was certain
that he was probably the instigator of the gunfight.
“So, I knew before we left that what I was planning to do was wrong.
But I believed that the vaqueros would see me as less of a man unless I
avenged my son. I led them into La Paz and let them take Zack Johnson
from the saloon and never asked him what happened. I am a murderer,
Garrett. The worst kind of murderer. I killed for a false sense of honor and
an unwillingness to admit my failure as a father.”
After a short pause, Garrett replied, “I suspected that was your true
motive, sir, but it doesn’t change my decision. This world would gain
nothing if you were hanged, yet your family, the vaqueros and the others
who depend on you would all suffer if you weren’t here. You can do
whatever you feel is necessary as penance for your sin but think of your
family when you meet with Sheriff Yarborough and Mister James.”
Jesus nodded then shook Garrett’s hand again before saying, “We’ll see
you early in the morning.”
“Yes, sir. I’ll be leading my herd of horses.”
Garrett trotted down the porch steps and mounted Coke whose coat was
glistening.
He saluted Senor Alvarez then wheeled his gelding back down the
access road.
Jesus watched him ride away and wasn’t sure if he was relieved after
confessing his true motive or felt a greater sense of guilt. But he decided
that even though he may not know how he would do his penance; he’d
make everyone’s life on his ranch better.
_____
Garrett reached his hotel room just before sunset and lit the lamp near
the small desk. He’d stopped and sent the telegram to Sheriff Yarborough
but knew he wouldn’t receive it before he and the Alvarez family had
already departed the ranch.
He’d read the sheriff’s reply to his telegram and it had made him giggle.
It was little more than an off-color warning not to find any more wayward
.44s.
As he laid on his bed, he thought about the similarities and differences
between the Alvarez family and his own. Until Enrique had been killed,
they were almost identical in makeup. As he’d suspected, he learned that
none of the very eligible Alvarez daughters had married because their
mother hadn’t approved of any of their choices. He hadn’t noticed that
Miranda had been disappointed when he’d told Yolanda about Madeleine. If
he’d answered her question a week ago, things might have been very
different.
Before he began drifting into Madeleine thoughts, he spent a few more
minutes wondering about Whiskey. He hadn’t seen any signs of a large
number of scavengers who would have been feasting on his Morgan’s
carcass for more than a week, so he had held out hope that somehow, his
buckskin friend had survived. He’d ask Jesus tomorrow if anyone had seen
a small buckskin gelding limping near his ranch.
Before he drifted off to sleep, he was living in his imaginary Maddy-
land.
_____
The real Madeleine was also fantasizing as she waited for sleep. She had
become very comfortable with the Shaw family, especially with Alma.
Harriet had only managed to stay for a little while before she returned to her
own house.
But the time she’d spent with Garrett’s father, mother and sisters had
renewed the kinship she’d felt before the Shaws moved to Yuma.
Tomorrow, Garrett would be returning. According to his father and the
sheriff, he should be entering Yuma from the west around five or six
o’clock. Madeleine planned to be waiting for him at the empty jail to
surprise him. In his last telegram, he said that he’d be dropping Senor
Alvarez at the Arizona Arms Hotel, which was just across the street from
the sheriff’s office.
 She’d leave the door closed and watch him from the window when he
arrived. Sheriff Yarborough had told her that Garrett would have to drop off
his reports on the desk before going home, so she planned to make the most
of their private time in the jail.
 CHAPTER 11
Garrett didn’t have to ride down the long access road the next morning.
As he’d led his four horses out of La Paz riding into the glaring sun, he
soon spotted the Alvarez carriage waiting at the end of the access road.
It was a magnificent carriage with a team of six black horses, so he knew
that it wouldn’t have any difficulties making the trip. He could see trunks
loaded on the top of the carriage and suspected that they had more in the
carriage’s boot with plenty of food and water in its cabin.
He approached the carriage and waved to the driver. He was an older
man and Garrett assumed that he was a retired vaquero who could no longer
ride with the herds.
When he pulled up beside the windows, Jesus stepped out and said,
“We’re ready, Garrett. We know it’s a long ride for you and I suspect you’d
like to return to your family and Miss White.”
Garrett grinned and replied, “You’re right on both counts, sir.”
Jesus climbed back into the carriage and as soon as the door closed, the
driver snapped the reins, and the powerful team pulled the carriage rapidly
onto the roadway.
Garrett thought that he’d ride about fifty yards back to let the dust settle
enough so he could breathe more air than dirt, but the carriage was taking a
rapid pace, so he had to drop back a bit more.
He was riding Bourbon and would switch to Coke around mid-day. He
assumed that they’d rest their horses as well and probably have lunch
during the break.
As he rode, he continued his scans for signs of Whiskey. It wasn’t as if
he was becoming obsessive, it was just that he needed something to do.
Bourbon was doing all the work.
_____
 Amos had found Garrett’s last telegram on the office floor when he’d
unlocked the jail that morning. It hadn’t provided any more information
other than to report everything was going well, and he would be escorting
Jesus Alvarez to Yuma. He didn’t mention that the entire Alvarez family
would be coming because Garrett believed that the sheriff wouldn’t have
expected the rich rancher to come alone.
After Sheriff Yarborough read the telegram, he grinned and said, “I
reckon Garrett will be surprised when he comes into the jail to drop off his
reports.”
Rollie snickered before saying, “You might not see him at home tonight,
Amos.”
Amos smiled but replied, “He’ll escort Maddy to the house before
sunset. I reckon that he’ll need to stay in town tomorrow, but he’ll be able
to take her back to her family on Wednesday.”
“You’re probably right, Amos. You know him better than I do. Do you
mind if I wait for him with your family? I really want to hear the stories and
what he expects to happen with Jesus Alvarez.”
“I’m sure Belle would be happy to have you with us when he comes to
the house.”
Rollie then said, “You don’t think that they’re going to hang him; do
you, boss?”
“Hell no. My guess is that Mister James won’t even charge him. He’ll
come up with some weak excuse to avoid prosecuting Senor Alvarez. He’ll
probably claim that he didn’t want to spend the county’s money on a case
he knew he couldn’t win. Whatever it is, I’m sure that our butt-kissing
prosecutor will be sure to give Jesus Alvarez his business card and suggest
that he does legal work on the side as well.”
Amos and Rollie chuckled because they knew it was true.
_____
They stopped for an extended break just before the sun reached its
zenith, so Garrett began transferring water from his water bags into his
watering pouch and letting each horse empty its contents. It was only after
the last one had been watered that he drained one of the six canteens that
hung from the five saddles.
The Alvarez family had spread a blanket in the shade of pair of boxelder
maples and as their driver watered the team, the women set up a picnic
lunch.
Jesus approached Garrett as he hung his empty canteen back on his
saddle then asked, “Will you join us for lunch, Garrett?”
“I’d be honored.”
Jesus smiled before the two men slowly walked to the trees.
The temperature may have been hovering near the century mark, but the
shade and lack of humidity provided enough of a relief for it to be a
reasonably comfortable picnic spot.
After Garrett sat at the edge of the blanket, Jesus turned to face the
carriage more than fifty feet away and shouted, “Roberto, come and join
us!”
Roberto Jimenez was about to go to the boot to retrieve his lunch and
was stunned by the offer. He nodded then slowly crossed the blistering
ground toward the Alvarez family.
Garrett understood why he’d made the offer and smiled as the driver
arrived and uncomfortably sat beside him.
The lunch was pleasant and gratefully short as they still had another five
hours ahead of them before they reached Yuma. Garrett needed to drop off
the borrowed saddle at Castle Dome as well.
He’d asked Jesus if anyone had spotted Whiskey and wasn’t surprised
when he received a negative reply.
Thirty minutes after stopping they were on the road again and moving
south at the same rapid clip.
_____
In Yuma, Madeleine had been busy preparing for Garrett’s arrival. By
the time that they had rolled into Castle Dome and Garrett was dropping off
the borrowed saddle, she had already saddled Rattler and ridden him to the
jail.
 When she arrived, Sheriff Yarborough and Amos left the office wearing
grins as they headed to the Shaw house. Despite Amos’ claim that Garrett
would be escorting Maddy to the house before sunset, he hoped that it
would be at least an hour after he returned.
Maddy had moved Rattler behind the jail so Garrett wouldn’t know she
was waiting for him. As she paced the shadowy office, she tried to restrain
her growing excitement. She had brushed her long dark blonde hair until
Alma warned her that she might be bald by the time Garrett saw her again
and doubted that it would be a good look for her.
She was still wearing her britches, but they were newly washed, and she
had even added a few strategic stitches to make them more form fitting. For
the first time since she was a young girl, she wore a ribbon in her hair. Betty
had given it to her after telling her that green was Garrett’s favorite color.
Maddy would pause in her pacing whenever she reached the window
where she would look west in the hope that Garrett would soon arrive.
_____
Garrett was in a good frame of mind when they left Castle Dome behind.
His wound was healing well, and he expected that Senor Alvarez and his
family would soon return to their ranch. He was covered in dust courtesy of
the carriage and its large team, but it was a minor distraction. If he’d known
that Madeleine was not only in Yuma, but waiting for him alone in the jail,
he would have stopped before entering the town and at least dusted himself
off. And he definitely wouldn’t offer the simple courtesy of assisting the
Alvarez daughters from the carriage. That simple gesture of politeness
would have grave consequences.
_____
Maddy had already decided that when she spotted Garrett pull up before
the jail, she’d move to the first cell and when he entered, she’d plead for
mercy.
She was still giggling when she spotted the impressive carriage entering
the west end of Yuma. As soon as she saw it, she knew that it had to belong
to Senor Alvarez. She knew little about the man and his family beyond
what everyone knew: he was the wealthiest man in the county. She hadn’t
been surprised that the ranch owner had taken his carriage rather than ride
with Garrett because her fiancé was just a poor lawman. A poor lawman
who had arrested him for murder.
Madeleine shifted her attention past the carriage and had difficulty
seeing Garrett in the low sun and the dust thrown up by the churning wheels
and the twenty-four hooves making them roll.
Garrett had closed to within fifty feet of the carriage after it slowed to
enter Yuma and when it stopped before the hotel, Garrett pulled Coke to a
stop and dismounted. He tied off his dark brown gelding and its trailing
herd, then stepped to the street side of the carriage.
Maddy’s heartbeat accelerated when she saw him and almost turned to
go to her cell but continued to watch.
After Jesus stepped out of the boardwalk side of the carriage to assist his
wife from the cabin, Garrett opened the other door and offered his hand to
Maria, who smiled broadly at him as she stepped down. Anna exited the
carriage behind her mother as Miranda passed through the other door
behind Maria.
She was smiling even more than Maria as she took his hand and stepped
onto Main Street.
“Thank you, Garrett. Will you be joining us for dinner?”
Garrett returned her smile as he replied, “I wish I could, Miranda, but I
need to return to the house to talk to my family, especially my father. I’m
sure that he is anxious to hear what happened in La Paz.”
“I understand. We will see you tomorrow?”
“I’ll be stopping by the hotel in the morning. I’ll escort everyone to meet
Sheriff Yarborough and then we’ll visit Mister James.”
Miranda then took Garrett’s hands in hers and quietly said, “I can never
thank you enough for what you’ve done for my father and our family. I
wish you nothing but happiness in your life with Miss White, but I will
admit that I am insanely jealous. I had hoped that you would have answered
my mother’s question differently.”
Garrett smiled again before replying. “You’re a beautiful woman,
Miranda. I’m sure that you’ll find a good man to make you happy.”
“Perhaps, but may I at least give you a kiss to thank you?”
 The street was mostly empty, so Garrett didn’t see the harm of a quick
peck on the cheek, so he nodded.
Miranda didn’t give him a peck on the cheek but quickly threw her hands
behind his neck and kissed him passionately on his lips which stunned
Garrett. He knew he should have just quickly ended the kiss and stepped
away but made the excuse that he didn’t wish to insult her.
Just eighty feet away, Madeleine stood at the window in stunned silence
watching the beautiful young woman kissing Garrett. She’d been struck
with jealousy when she’d watched Garrett help her from the carriage and
then smile at her as they talked and held hands. But the kiss was like a
hammer blow. It was such an unexpected sight that she remained frozen in
place after they separated, and he escorted her around the back of the
carriage.
After he’d disappeared from view, Madeleine’s volcanic temper erupted.
She whirled about and stomped to the back of the jail.
“What a fool I’ve been!” she growled before she slammed the cell door
closed.
The loud clang still echoed in the office as she continued to fume. Her
massive anger was accompanied by an equally enormous mountain of
jealousy. If she’d seen him kissing a woman who was pretty but of typical
means, she wouldn’t have been hurt so badly. But the young woman who
had been kissing him in the middle of the street was incredibly beautiful
and her father was the richest man in the county.
How could she compete
with her?
Her seething anger and jealousy cocktail drove her to imagine what
Garrett had been doing the weekend he’d remained in La Paz. While she
had been anxiously awaiting for him to return, he had probably been
spending his days and nights at the ranch enjoying that woman’s favors.
She didn’t bother looking out the window again for fear of seeing them
together again but left the jail through the back door and mounted Rattler.
She rode through the back alleys heading east. She wouldn’t reach home
before midnight, but she no longer cared. Garrett had shattered her world
and if she died on the way home, it didn’t matter.
_____
 Garrett helped the Alvarez family move their luggage into the hotel
while the driver drove the carriage to the nearest livery.
Ten minutes after Madeleine rode out of Yuma, he left the hotel and
mounted Coke. He’d drop off the five horses with Javier and then walk
home. He was still a bit unsettled by Miranda’s unexpected kiss but wasn’t
about to give her a chance for a second.
It was almost an hour after arriving in Yuma when Garrett stepped onto
the porch and entered the family home.
He had barely passed over the threshold when the room erupted with a
mixture of laughter and welcomes. He wasn’t surprised by the warm
welcome, nor by Sheriff Yarborough’s presence. He was sure that they were
curious about all that had happened.
Before he even hung his hat, his mother looked past him at the open door
and asked, “Where’s Madeleine?”
Garrett blinked, then glanced at the porch before asking. “Is she here?”
“She’s waiting for you at the office,” Amos said, “We all thought you’d
be dropping off your reports and she wanted to surprise you.”
Garrett grinned before saying. “Well, it appears that you’ll all need to
wait to hear my report. I’d better head to the jail to retrieve my fiancée.”
He heard more laughter behind him as he hurried back through the
doorway. He trotted down the steps and soon turned onto the street. He was
enormously pleased to know that Maddy had been waiting for him but
hadn’t realized that she’d been watching the scene outside the carriage.
He soon turned onto Main Street and kept a quick pace as he headed for
the jail. His mind was filled with all sorts of images of what they might do
in the few minutes they could be alone. He hated to admit that Miranda’s
kiss had inspired him to make many of those images even more titillating
than usual.
Garrett slowed before reaching the jail’s door and took a deep breath. He
stopped just before the entrance and used his hat to slap away some of the
dust that still clung to his clothes.
He was wearing an enormous smile as he swung the door wide and
stepped into the front office. When he didn’t see Madeleine, he closed the
door quietly and slowly stepped to the small back room.
As much as he hoped to spend some exciting quiet time with Maddy, he
hoped that she wasn’t planning to make use of the small cot. He knew that
he’d probably have to make full use of the year of courtship and didn’t want
to be almost forced to make it shorter.
When he entered the back room and found it empty, his heart sank. The
open back door began the process of realization of what had happened.
Madeleine must have seen Miranda’s unexpected kiss and his failure to
jump away. He walked through the open back doorway and looked in both
directions before stepping down. He found evidence of Rattler’s presence
and the mare’s movement east down the alley. He guessed that she was
probably more than ten miles away by now and would be home before he
could leave Yuma, so there was no point to chasing after her to offer an
explanation and an apology.
“Damn!” he cursed under his breath before he turned and reentered the
jail.
He closed the back door, strode through the office and after stepping
onto the boardwalk, slammed the front door.
_____
Madeleine was pushing Rattler harder than she ever had before. She
wasn’t paying any attention to her surrounding, but her horse was. When
the intersection arrived, Rattler’s rider didn’t even notice, so the mahogany
mare made a right turn to take her home.
As she sat in the saddle deep in her thoughts, Madeleine was hurt,
confused and still incredibly angry and insanely jealous. That image of
Garrett kissing the beautiful Alvarez woman wouldn’t leave her mind and it
kept her emotions boiling.
When she was thirty minutes from her house, she finally slowed Rattler
to a walk to give her more time. It wasn’t midnight yet and there was a
three-quarter moon in the sky to illuminate the landscape.
What made the entire episode even worse to Madeleine was Garrett’s
continuous claim that he couldn’t marry until Beatrice left the family home.
She wondered if it was Miss Alvarez’ beauty and charm or her father’s
money that had made him change his mind. Whatever the reason, Maddy
was convinced that he would soon marry the woman and she’d look like a
bigger fool than she already believed herself to be.
Madeleine decided that in the morning, she’d visit the Gallagher house
and tell Harry that she’d changed her mind. She knew her parents would
argue against her decision, so she decided that she wouldn’t tell them why
she had accepted Harry. She’d sneak into her room and invent a different
excuse. One that was more reasonable and less embarrassing than the truth.
She soon reached the ranch and after walking Rattler to the barn, she
unsaddled her mare then headed for the house. She removed her boots
before she tiptoed across the porch and successfully made it to her bedroom
without waking anyone.
_____
After he had returned to the house, Garrett explained what had happened
and that he’d visit the Whites on Wednesday to make his apologies and
provide his explanation to Madeleine. His entire family believed that he
should saddle Bourbon and chase after her immediately, but no one said a
word.
Garrett spent a good two hours narrating everything that had happened
since he’d left Yuma. He still withheld his hopes that Mister James
wouldn’t charge Jesus Alvarez but would tell the sheriff and his father in
the morning.
By the time Madeleine was slipping beneath her covers, Garrett was
finally able to go to his room to get some much-needed sleep. He had a lot
of work ahead of him tomorrow and hopefully, the Alvarez family would be
returning to their ranch on Wednesday at the same time he rode out of town
to repair the damage he’d unwittingly created with Madeleine.
_____
Tuesday morning found a reasonably well-rested Garrett leaving the
hotel with Jesus Alvarez and his family. He made a point of walking beside
Jesus to avoid letting Miranda get too close.
He’d already given his official reports to Sheriff Yarborough and briefed
him, his father and Rollie on the other issues that he’d faced in La Paz. The
sheriff had told him the same thing that he’d mentioned to Rollie yesterday
about Mister James’ likely reaction after reading the report but agreed that
it was almost guaranteed if Senor Alvarez was in the room with his family.
Twenty minutes later, Garrett was standing before the county prosecutor
with Sheriff Yarborough beside him as the attorney read the lengthy reports.
There were only four chairs for visitors in the room, so Jesus was also on
his feet as he stood behind Yolanda.
As Garrett watched Mister James read, he became more convinced that
the lawyer wouldn’t do anything more than express his respect for Jesus.
He’d say that although the lynching was a violation of the letter of the law,
he wasn’t going to prosecute.
Garrett’s only question now was how Jesus would react. If he confessed
his guilt and told Mister James of his sorry motive for what he’d done, then
Garrett wasn’t sure that the forgiving prosecutor could ignore his duty.
When he finished reading, Mister Walter M. James, Esquire, sighed and
set the reports on the desk before looking at Jesus. It was the moment of
decision.
“Senor Alvarez, I have to admit that I’m disappointed that a man of your
stature and honor would have done such a thing, but I understand why you
would choose to act after losing your only son. I agree with Deputy Shaw
that finding and arresting the vaqueros who assisted you would be close to
impossible, so I won’t issue any arrest warrants for them.
“In your case, I believe my difficulty would be trying to convince a jury
of twelve men to convict you. Your reputation is well known in the territory
and with the presence of your beautiful wife and daughters, I believed I
would be wasting my breath and the county’s funds. I won’t charge you and
hope that you appreciate your good fortune.”
Garrett was holding his breath when Jesus replied, “Thank you, Mister
James. I do appreciate your decision and will endeavor to make amends for
my horrendous deed.”
Garrett let out a long slow breath but kept a stoic face as Jesus shook
Mister James’ hand. He did glance at the sheriff who was also stone-faced,
but he could see the mirth in his eyes.
Yolanda rewarded Mister James with a warm thanks and a gentle kiss on
his cheek before Jesus led his family out of the office. Garrett and Sheriff
Yarborough remained behind to finish all of the legal loose ends.
After the door closed, Mister James leaned back and said, “That must
have been a difficult situation, Garrett. Can you fill in all of the details you
had to leave out of your report to keep it down to just six pages?”
“Yes, sir. There are many more details of the killing that prompted the
mayor’s telegram and of the attempted bank robbery on Saturday.”
“Go ahead.”
Garrett nodded and began his detailed description.
_____
As Garrett narrated the events. Madeleine had left her house and saddled
Rattler. She’d been lucky that her parents and Ellis had accepted her story
that explained her sudden return. She’d told them that Garrett had been
delayed again, so she decided that it was time for her to return rather than
continue to be a burden on the Shaws.
The few hours of sleep she’d managed had done little to calm her
troubled heart and as she saddled Rattler, she never gave a thought to
waiting until she saw Garrett again and ask for an explanation. As far as
Madeleine was concerned, she never wanted to see him again because he
could offer no explanation that would drive away her demons.
She rode out of the ranch at midday and soon turned onto the
Murphy/Gallagher ranch. She could see Harry out with his father and
Michael as they worked with the herd about a mile behind the house. So,
she set her gelding to a medium trot down the access road. She soon passed
the new adobe house and continued west.
Harry had spotted her and thought she was going to visit Mary, but when
she passed the house, he felt a surge of hope that she was coming to see
him. The reason didn’t matter. He set his horse to a medium trot to meet her
halfway and neither his father nor Michael commented as he rode away.
When they met about four hundred yards from the herd, Harry smiled
and said, “It’s nice to see you again, Maddy. You sure look pretty this
morning.”
Madeleine smiled and hesitated for just a moment before saying, “Harry,
I’ve changed my mind.”
 “About what?” he quickly asked.
“About your offer to court me. I decided that I don’t want to wait for
Garrett Shaw. He’s probably just waiting to find a woman who is better
situated.”
Harry couldn’t believe what she had just said and asked, “You’ll marry
me?”
“Yes, Harry. I’ll marry you and I don’t want to wait a year, either.”
Harry broke into a big grin as he walked his horse beside her until his
right knee touched hers.
“Can we get married soon?”
“As soon as you’d like. How about the twenty-fourth?”
“Of July? This year?” he asked in utter astonishment.
Maddy nodded as she replied, “In eleven days. Is that too soon?”
“Not at all! I’d marry you today if we could ride to Yuma in time. Will
you kiss me now as your beau?” he asked as he leaned across the short gap.
Madeleine leaned across and was worried about falling, so she put her
hand behind his neck as their lips met. Harry then put his hands behind hers
and almost pulled her from her saddle as he kissed her much more deeply
than she’d anticipated.
After they leaned back, Harry said, “I’m going to head back and tell my
father and brother.”
Maddy smiled and replied, “I’ll ride back to the house and tell my
parents.”
Harry leaned forward for a second kiss and Maddy almost turned Rattler
around but as she’d already kissed him and agreed to marry him, it no
longer mattered.
After the second, even longer kiss, Madeleine smiled and wheeled
Rattler about and waved before setting off at a medium trot.
Harry watched her ride away and was still in a state of disbelief about
her sudden change of heart. He kept his eyes on his departing fiancée and
was already anxious about their upcoming marriage. He finally turned his
horse back to the west to announce his upcoming marriage to his father.
 _____
“
You’re marrying Harry Gallagher in eleven days?
” Kristi exclaimed.
“I already accepted him, Mama, so there is no use in arguing with me.”
“Why? I thought you had already accepted Garrett. You seemed so
happy about it and when Ellis told us that you were going to wait for his
return from La Paz, we joked that you might be returning as Madeleine
Shaw. What happened in Yuma, Madeleine? And I don’t want any excuses
this time.”
Ellis and her father were still out with the herd, so Madeleine thought
she may as well tell her mother now while they were alone.
As much as she wished that she wouldn’t have to revisit that memory,
she hurriedly explained what she’d seen when Garrett returned. She told her
mother how beautiful the Alvarez woman was and how long they had
kissed.
Kristi understood her fiery daughter’s reason for leaving Yuma but was
more than disappointed that she hadn’t at least given her the real reason
before riding off to see Harry Gallagher.
“Why didn’t you tell me earlier?”
“Because if I did, then you and father would try to convince me to
change my mind and I didn’t want to give you the opportunity.”
“Why didn’t you at least go and talk to Garrett before running away? I’m
sure that there was nothing to it and if you go through with this marriage to
Harry, you’ll regret it for the rest of your life.”
“If you’d seen what I did, then you’d understand why I didn’t need to
ask Garrett for an explanation. I’m going to marry Harry Gallagher and
we’ll start our own family. And I won’t have to wait until hell freezes over,
either.”
Kristi sighed then said, “You know that you can’t change your mind
again, Madeleine. I think you’ve made a horrible mistake, but if you reject
Harry now, you’ll create a wedge between our families.”
“I know, Mama, but I won’t change my mind. I feel like such a fool for
believing Garrett’s story about waiting until all of his sisters were married.
He found his rich girlfriend and he’ll probably leave Yuma.”
 Kristi looked at her stubborn daughter and knew that there was no point
in arguing with her. All she could hope was that she would calm down
enough in the next few days and call off the wedding. She knew that it
might cause problems between the families, especially for Ellis and Mary,
but she would be willing to tolerate the feud if Madeleine’s stubborn nature
finally allowed her to see reason.
If only Madeleine had spoken to her before she made that ride.
“I’ll go and talk to Maureen Gallagher right now. Tomorrow we’ll go to
their house and start making the arrangements and figure out where you
will live.”
Madeleine nodded as she said, “Thank you, Mama,” but her face showed
no evidence of a typical almost-bride’s joy.
_____
After their extended meeting with the prosecutor, Garrett and the sheriff
returned to their office where they spent another twenty minutes explaining
everything to Rollie and Amos.
The four men met with the Alvarez family at L.M. Peterson’s Restaurant
early that afternoon. Jesus said that they would be leaving in the morning
and thanked the sheriff for his help. He didn’t express more gratitude to
Garrett, but after they finished eating, he stood and tilted his head to let
Garrett know he wished to speak to him privately.
Garrett rose and followed Senor Alvarez out of the restaurant, hoping the
subject had nothing to do with Miranda.
When they stepped onto the boardwalk, Jesus said, “Garrett, I know that
you’re waiting to have your own family until Beatrice is wed, but I wish
that you’d let me help you to avoid such a long delay before you were able
to marry Madeleine.”
“I appreciate your offer, but I really can’t accept anything. It would ruin
my reputation as an honest lawman. If I suddenly was able to support my
family and buy a second house for Madeleine, then even my family would
begin to wonder if I was crooked.”
“That’s not so. I’m sure that they wouldn’t believe it for a moment.”
 “Maybe not my family, but most of the other citizens would believe the
rumors. How can I function as a lawman if no one trusts me? I’ve already
promised Madeleine that we’d get married within a year and she seemed
happy when she agreed. She’s only eighteen, so it’s not as if she had a fear
of spinsterhood staring at her.”
Jesus smiled as he said, “A year is still a long time to a young person. As
we get older, each year seems much shorter.”
Garrett nodded before he said, “I’ve got to ride to her family’s ranch
tomorrow to apologize.”
“What did you do that would make an apology necessary?”
“When I helped Miranda from the carriage, she expressed her gratitude
and I only discovered after I returned home that Madeleine was in the jail
and probably watched everything through the window. After my parents
told me that she was waiting to surprise me, I went to the jail and found that
she’d gone.”
“Miranda told us about the kiss, and I suppose that I should have
expected it because she finds you very appealing. But if Madeleine saw you
and left in an angry and jealous mood, you should have gone to her ranch
right away. You can still get there today, can you not?”
“I could, but I still have things to clean up and I’d rather have some time
to spend with her. I think I’ll be on my knees begging her forgiveness for a
few hours.”
Jesus slowly shook his head before saying, “I still don’t think you should
wait.”
Garrett smiled as he said, “She does have a temper, but I think I’d rather
give her a whole day to cool down. It’s not as if she’d agree to marry her
neighbor before I at least had a chance to talk to her.”
“She had an interested neighbor?”
“His name is Harry Gallagher and he’d already told her that he loved her
and offered to marry her, but she declined. I don’t believe she likes him
very much.”
“Trust me as a father to three daughters. When it comes to boys and
young men, a headstrong woman who has been hurt is liable to do
anything.”
“Not Madeleine. She has too much common sense.”
Jesus shrugged and as they turned to reenter the restaurant, he said, “You
should see her today.”
As he walked back to the table, Garrett felt like an actor in a stage play.
He was very concerned about Madeleine and wished he could leave
immediately to make that ride of apology. But he believed that his
attendance at the meeting with Mister James was critical to ensuring that
Jesus Alvarez returned to his ranch with his family. He was prepared to
interrupt Jesus with any means possible if he began to tell the prosecutor
that he deserved his walk up the gallows steps. That hadn’t happened, so he
could have gone but now he needed to do the paperwork.
Madeleine’s stubbornness and temper were part of her fiery personality
that Garrett admired and respected, but even he didn’t realize how badly
she’d been hurt. If he had, he would have made the ride to the White ranch
as soon as he discovered she’d been watching from the jail. He had seen
vicious crimes and horrible scenes, but he’d never witnessed a woman who
felt betrayed. He would learn that lesson soon.
_____
Mary stared at Harry as she asked, “Did she really agree to marry you in
just eleven days?”
“Yup. I reckon that Garrett Shaw must have done something to really
make her mad, but I don’t mind. He’s out of the picture now and in two
weeks, she’ll be my wife.”
“Where will you live?” asked Michael.
“I need to talk to mama and papa about that. I figure we can figure
something out in the next week. Maybe we’ll just kick you out of our
room.”
“I’m not going anywhere!” Michael snapped, “You and Maddy can live
in the barn first.”
Harry snickered. His father had been surprised but very happy with the
news. His mother had smiled but seemed less enthused without explaining
why.
 Her mother had met with Mrs. White, and the women of both families
would meet tomorrow to start making the arrangements.
_____
After leaving the restaurant, the sheriff and Rollie returned to the office,
but Amos had invited the Alvarez family to meet his family, so Garrett
stayed with his father. He wanted to be in the room when Miranda was
introduced to his sisters, so he could prevent Betty from asking any
embarrassing questions.
The long visit was without incident and quite pleasant. The only one to
suffer embarrassment was his mother, but it was fleeting. She was doing the
laundry with Alma and Beatrice when everyone arrived. She shot a
menacing glance at her husband for not warning her, but quickly stood and
welcomed her guests. Yolanda had smiled and rolled up her sleeves and
offered to help which ended the brief embarrassment.
_____
As the Alvarez family was departing to return to the hotel, Jesus asked
Garrett once more if there was anything that he could do to help the Shaw
family, but Garrett again graciously refused.
Garrett said that he’d be leaving to make his apology ride in the morning
and wished the family a safe journey back to their ranch.
After they’d gone, Garrett returned to the jail to finish his paperwork and
was still working when the sun began to set. When he finally completed the
last page which fully closed the Alvarez case, he pulled the badge from his
shirt and stared at it.
He didn’t regret taking his course of action to ensure that the Alvarez
family remained intact, but that image of Zack Johnson’s scavenger-
mutilated body dangling from the branch of the juniper tree haunted him.
Garrett could almost hear his ghostly voice asking, “Where is my
justice? How can you call yourself a lawman? You don’t care about me.
You only cared about Alvarez because he’s what you call a ‘good man’.
Well, I was a good man, too, but you didn’t care what happened to me.”
Garrett knew that it was technically Mister James who had decided not
to charge Jesus with the crime, but he’d set it up to almost ensure that
result. If it hadn’t been for the salary that was so critical to his family, he
would have tossed the badge on the desk and left Yuma.
Instead, he just sighed, pinned it back on his shirt before he stood,
grabbed his hat and left the jail.
 CHAPTER 12
Garrett waved to the Alvarez family who were waiting for their carriage
to be brought to the hotel then set off east out of Yuma.
He was riding Bourbon and trailing the three saddled horses from La
Paz. He’d left their Winchesters and pistols with the sheriff for their use but
planned to use the horses and tack as a peace offering to Madeleine. He’d
let Mike White be the one to act as Santa Claus when it came to
distribution, but he suspected Maddy might want to exchange Rattler for the
pretty white filly.
He was in a decent mood after his evening of soul-searching but was still
concerned about Madeleine’s reaction. He hoped that a full day without
seeing him would let her boiling temper return to a simmer.
His mother had given him a lesson on how to soothe Maddy’s injured
heart and he had promised that he wouldn’t return until Madeleine had
forgiven him. He still didn’t believe that he’d done anything wrong but
would still confess his apparent misdeed.
Last night, Miranda hadn’t said anything but had still cast him the
occasional furtive glance letting him know that she didn’t regret what she’d
done for an instant. He imagined that either Jesus or Yolanda had suggested
to her in firm parental terms to maintain a proper decorum.
For the middle of July in southwestern Arizona, it was a very pleasant
day. When he started his ride, it wasn’t even eighty degrees and there was
even a slight breeze coming from the west. He wondered if one of the rare
violent thunderstorms was going to arrive later today. They would appear
out of nowhere, dump a deluge of water and then vanish. If one did show
up, it could make his ride more interesting. He didn’t expect the more
violent storm that awaited him in a few hours that wouldn’t be a creation of
Mother Nature.
_____
 Ellis was driving the wagon with Madeleine and their mother beside him
as they rolled away from their house.
Ellis had been stunned by his sister’s announcement even more than his
parents. Harry wasn’t as careful in his manners around Ellis when he was
visiting Mary, and Mary’s stories of her older brother had given Ellis a
better understanding of his true nature. He hadn’t mentioned it to his
parents or Madeleine because he didn’t wish to jeopardize his relationship
with Mary.
As he turned the wagon onto the road, he wished there was some way he
could convince his sister not to marry Mary’s brother. But he knew his
sister and understood that if he tried to change her mind, she’d dig in her
heels even deeper. He’d talk to Mary about it with the faint hope that she’d
be able to convince Harry to call it off.
In the Gallagher home, Maureen Gallagher was explaining to Harry that
after he and Madeleine were wed, they’d be moving into her parent’s home.
Maureen liked Madeleine but still felt that Harry wasn’t a good fit for
her. But with the newlyweds living with her parents, Maddy would be able
to care for her father who was ill with a bowel disturbance that had been
getting worse over the past year. It would take the burden from her mother,
who wasn’t in great health either.
Mary sat nearby and was still stunned and disappointed with Madeleine’s
sudden change of heart. She hadn’t talked to Ellis about it yet and no one in
the family knew what had inspired Maddy’s decision. But she wasn’t about
to make waves because she knew her brother well and even if she somehow
convinced Madeleine to drop the engagement, she feared the impact it
would have on Harry. She’d talk to Ellis when he arrived and see if he’d be
able to sway Madeleine.
_____
Garrett made the turn onto the southern road later in the morning, and
soon saw his family’s old ranch. He couldn’t see Lumpy out in the pastures
but could see two riders with the herd. He hoped that Ed Runnel hadn’t lost
the camel, or worse, sold him to some butcher. Manny Fletcher still had a
few more years to spend in prison, and he might be a harder man when he
returned to find Lumpy. He made a note to check on his way back to Yuma,
hopefully leaving a happy Madeleine with her family.
He passed the old Shaw homestead and after a few minutes, the White
ranch buildings appeared on the southwest horizon. He saw two riders out
with the small herd, and by the coloration of their mounts, knew it was
Mike White and his son-in-law Conroy Gregory. He snickered when he
suspected that Ellis might be playing hooky, or something else at the
Gallaghers.
He kept his eyes on the ranch house, hoping to spot Madeleine, but
wasn’t surprised that he hadn’t caught sight of her by the time he turned
onto their access road. He imagined that she had spotted him and was in her
bedroom still fuming. He’d probably need to have her mother intervene and
convince Maddy to see him.
_____
Mike White was about to cull an old cow from the herd and was
reaching for his lasso when he spotted Garrett heading to the house leading
three horses.
He turned to Conroy and said, “I didn’t expect to see Garrett, but I’ve
got to talk to him.”
Conroy quickly replied, “I reckon so,” then watched as Mike yanked his
reins to the right and set his horse off at a fast trot to have the very difficult
conversation with Garrett.
Mike was sure that Garrett had no idea of Maddy’s decision and the
three horses he was trailing was proof of his ignorance. He was concerned,
yet secretly hopeful, that Garrett might ride to the Gallaghers and have a
much louder talk with Harry.
_____
Garrett had been watching the house, so he hadn’t seen Mike leave the
herd.
He pulled up, dismounted and tied off Bourbon’s reins before stepping
onto the porch.
He peered through the open door and loudly said, “Hello? I’m sorry,
Madeleine. Please come outside and let me explain.”
 After thirty seconds of silence, Garrett sighed and thought about entering
the house to flush Madeleine out of her room and her sulk. He wondered
why Kristi hadn’t responded to his arrival.
He decided he’d ride out to the pastures and talk to Mike when he heard
hoofbeats to his left and hoped Madeleine would appear on Rattler, but soon
spotted her father.
Mike had begun to dismount when Garrett asked, “Where is everyone? I
came to beg Maddy’s forgiveness but can’t find her or anyone else.”
Mike bounded onto the porch and as soon as Garrett saw the stress on his
face, his first thoughts were that Madeleine might have hurt herself.
“Is Madeleine all right?” he asked with deep concern.
“She’s fine,” Mike replied before saying, “Let’s have a seat on the porch
steps.”
Garrett nodded and was relieved that Maddy was all right as he sat
beside her father.
Mike knew that this would be difficult, but it was going to be even worse
than he’d anticipated. He pulled off his hat and wiped the sweat from his
forehead with his shirtsleeve to give him a short delay before giving him the
news.
Mike’s obvious hesitation elevated Garrett’s concerns but he still had no
idea of the cause.
Mike took in a deep breath before saying, “Madeleine was very upset
when she returned late Monday night. We weren’t even awake when she
arrived.”
“I know, and that’s why I’m here. I wanted to apologize for not chasing
after her in the night after I discovered that she’d been waiting for me in the
jail and witnessed an unexpected kiss of gratitude from Miranda Alvarez.”
“We tried to tell her that she should have talked to you right away or at
least waited until she saw you again. She didn’t even tell Kristi the truth of
why she’d left Yuma in the middle of the night. It wasn’t until almost noon
the next day before she confessed the real reason and by then, it was too
late.”
 Garrett’s eyes slowly widened as he asked, “Too late for what? What did
Madeleine do, Mike?”
Mike took another deep breath before replying, “Early Tuesday morning,
she rode to the Gallagher ranch and told Harry Gallagher that she would
accept his proposal. She and Kristi are over there now making the
arrangements.”
Garrett was shocked into silence as he stared at Mike. He hadn’t realized
how badly he’d hurt Madeleine and blamed himself for her stunning
decision.
After thirty seconds of silence, Garrett quietly asked, “When are they
getting married?”
Mike was startled by his gentle reaction and needed a few seconds to
recover before replying, “The twenty-fourth of July. Aside from it being
such a short courtship, I was wondering why she picked that date. Then I
remembered that it’s your parents’ twenty-fifth anniversary.”
Garrett nodded then said, “I guess you won’t be attending the celebration
now.”
“Are you going to ride to the Gallaghers to talk to her?”
Garrett knew Madeleine and the situation well enough to realize that if
he did suddenly appear at their door, nothing good would come of it.
“No. I don’t think so. Madeleine is a stubborn young lady and I’d only
make everything worse. I’ll leave the horses with you to decide who gets
them.”
“Are those the horses from that bank robbery that Ellis told us about?”
Garrett nodded as he replied, “They never set a toe in the bank, but that
was their intention.”
Mike didn’t want Garrett to leave in the hope that he’d soon see his
wagon turning down the access road. He wished that Garrett would at least
have an opportunity to talk to Maddy without Harry Gallagher nearby.
To that end, he asked, “Can you tell me what happened in La Paz?”
Garrett turned to look at Mike and smiled.
“I suppose I can spend a few more minutes before I head back.”
 Mike was relieved and hoped that it would be a long narrative.
But Garrett had told the story so many times already that he was able to
present the entire episode in just fifteen minutes. As he spoke, the sense of
failure he’d felt last night crept back into his mind. And as much as he
wanted to ride to the Gallagher ranch and force Madeleine to listen to him,
he began to see it as another abuse of his authority.
Mike only interrupted his story when he exclaimed, “
His wife shot you?
”
Garrett shrugged then replied, “She felt really bad about it afterwards.”
He finished by explaining the Miranda incident and didn’t try to
diminish her beauty or his reaction to her unexpected kiss. He did tell Mike
how he should have seen it coming because she seemed to have designs of
her own.
Mike had been awed by the story that Garrett had told him and still
hoped that somehow, Madeleine would come to her senses.
“Why didn’t you take his offer? You could tell Madeleine that she didn’t
have to wait, and she could call off her engagement.”
Garrett shook his head and gave Mike the same answer he’d given to
Jesus.
“But if he gave you a part of his big ranch and a herd of your own, you
could go back to being a rancher and could turn in your badge.”
“That wouldn’t work, Mike. I don’t want to benefit in any way for what I
did for the Alvarez family. Besides, my family is settled in Yuma.”
Then he smiled and said, “Ironically, I spent more money on that job
than I had on any of the others. I guess it’s only fitting.”
Mike glanced at the empty access road before he asked, “Did you want
to have some lunch with me before you head back?”
“No, I don’t think it would be wise for me to stay much longer. If Maddy
shows up with Harry Gallagher, then all hell could break loose.”
“Are you sure?”
“I’m sure. But I’m going to ask you to do something for me that may
sound as if I’m turning into a sulking ex-suitor.”
 “Alright. Go ahead.”
“I don’t want you to tell Madeleine any of what I just told you,
especially not the gunshot wound. I don’t want to cause any more trouble
between your family and the Gallaghers than I already have. Tell them that I
just dropped the horses off because I didn’t want to pay to board them at
JJ’s. I think Maddy would prefer that white filly over Rattler, by the way.”
“That’s crazy, Garrett. Why shouldn’t I tell them?”
“What would happen if Madeleine changed her mind again? You will
still have the Gallaghers as your neighbors and I imagine that soon Mary
Gallagher will become Mary White. I was really being optimistic when I
promised Madeleine that I’d marry her within a year. I still don’t even know
how I’ll be able to afford Betty’s wedding, but that’s a few years away.
Maybe this is all for the best.”
“You don’t really believe that hogwash; do you? You love Madeleine. Or
was she right to believe that you are smitten with Miranda Alvarez?”
“No, I’m not smitten by anyone but Madeleine. But I can’t do what
Harry Gallagher can. I can’t give her a family of her own for a long time
and it’s important to her. I’ll readily admit that I’m not happy about it one
bit and I’m not overly fond of Harry Gallagher, either. But it’s Madeleine’s
life and her choice. I wish that I had ridden after her in the dark, but I can’t
go back in time.”
Before Mike could start on a new topic to keep him on the porch, Garrett
stood and walked to Bourbon. He untied the trail rope and handed it to
Mike before stepping into the saddle.
Mike stretched his hand up to Garrett and as he took a firm grip, Mike
said, “I wish I would be giving Madeleine’s hand to you at the altar,
Garrett.”
Garrett shook his hand, smiled and replied, “We can always have our
wishes, Mike.”
He then wheeled Bourbon around and set him down the access road at a
fast trot. He wanted to be over the horizon when Madeleine returned.
Mike watched him turn onto the road and set off leaving a cloud of dust
behind him then tied off the trail rope and examined the three new
additions.
As he stroked the white filly’s neck, he said, “I wonder how long it will
be before Madeleine realizes what she’s lost.”
_____
The arrangements for the wedding were complete. The ceremony would
be held at the Episcopal church in Yuma. The Gallaghers may have been
Irish, but they were from Northern Ireland and were staunch Protestants.
Madeleine had spent the duration of the discussion sitting on their new
couch with Harry. He had held her hand for most of the time and Madeleine
simply smiled.
When the wagon neared the access road, Ellis pointed and said, “I
wonder who’s visiting. Maybe it’s Garrett.”
Madeleine had seen the three horses in front of the house and felt a surge
of hope tinged with a spark of anger. She hoped that Garrett was there yet
wanted to blast him with the news that she no longer needed him.
Conroy had returned to his house to update Sophie on the latest
developments, and Mike was in the kitchen preparing lunch with the
expectation that he wouldn’t be eating alone.
When he heard the wagon nearing the porch, he headed for the front
door. He had decided to use Garrett’s explanation for the horses’ presence.
He knew that Madeleine would ask about Miranda Alvarez, but he’d claim
ignorance. He’d just say that Garrett had dropped off the horses without
even dismounting. He knew that it would probably lessen Madeleine’s
already diminished opinion of Garrett, but any other path would create
those expected problems between the families.
He barely reached the doorway when Madeleine stormed across the
porch and snapped, “
Where is Garrett?
I know he brought those horses!”
Kristi stepped onto the porch before Mike replied, “He’s already gone.
He dropped them off because he didn’t want to pay to have them boarded
and thought that I could make better use of them. He didn’t even step
down.”
Madeleine fumed as she asked, “So, he didn’t tell you about his
girlfriend?”
 “No. Like I said, I saw him riding down the access road and by the time I
reached the house, he was leaving.”
“He didn’t even bother looking for me; did he?”
Mike shrugged and looked to his wife for support.
Kristi took the hint and rested her hand on Madeleine’s shoulder.
“You need to calm down, Maddy. You’re going to be married in ten
days. We’ll need to go to Yuma tomorrow to schedule the ceremony with
the priest at the Episcopal Church. I don’t know his name, so Maureen
Gallagher will come with us. You and Harry need to come along as well.”
Madeleine put a damper on her rage before she turned to her mother and
asked, “Do I have to go, Mama? Can’t you schedule it without me?”
“No, dear. You and Harry have to fill out some forms and meet with the
priest.”
Maddy nodded but didn’t like the idea of going to Yuma. She might see
Garrett with that Alvarez woman and knew that it would set her off into
another paroxysm of anger.
After his daughter’s temper reached acceptable levels, Mike said, “I’ve
already made lunch.”
Kristi smiled as she replied, “Thank you, kind sir. Remind me to reward
you later.”
Mike kissed her and as they walked to the kitchen, Kristi looked into his
eyes and silently told him in no uncertain terms that they needed to talk
before or after she rewarded him.
_____
Garrett had made the turn west without stopping at the Runnel ranch to
inquire about Lumpy’s whereabouts. It was such a trivial thing compared to
the incredible jolt he’d received from Mike White.
He had been cursing himself almost non-stop for not following
everyone’s advice to chase after Madeleine that night. He didn’t doubt that
even at her angriest, he still would have been able to convince her that
nothing had changed between them. Now because of his lack of
understanding of how badly she’d been hurt, he’d lost her.
 He wasn’t about to pretend to be noble and wish that she had a happy life
with Harry Gallagher, but he grudgingly hoped that she would be content.
Aside from blaming himself for his monumental blunder, he was
thinking of how to break the news to his family. He had suspected that the
original purpose of the celebration for his parents’ anniversary was to bring
the White family to Yuma, so he and Madeleine could spend time together.
He hoped that they would still have a more intimate celebration because he
knew that he couldn’t attend Madeleine’s wedding. He doubted that Harry
Gallagher would have permitted it even if she had asked that the Shaws be
invited.
By the time he reached Yuma, it was almost sunset, and he headed for
JJ’s to drop off Bourbon. He needed to check on Rye, too. He’d neglected
his injured buckskin gelding on his last few visits to the livery and hoped
that he was healing. He still wondered what had become of Whiskey yet
was determined not to have Rye face the same danger.
He walked Bourbon into the shadows of the livery and dismounted.
Javier wasn’t there, so he unsaddled his tall gelding and after brushing him
down, inspected Rye who was looking at him.
“How are you doing, Rye?” he asked as he lifted his injured leg.
Rye didn’t complain which was a good sign and as Garrett ran his
fingers over his injured tendon, he couldn’t feel any swelling.
After letting Rye set his own hoof on the ground, he patted his friend and
said, “I think Javier has worked his magic on you, Rye. I’ll ask him about
your prognosis in the morning.”
He visited Coke for a few minutes before leaving the barn carrying his
Winchester. He knew that he’d been just delaying his return to the house
because he was sure that his parents’ and sisters’ reactions could create
more difficulties.
Garrett had finally begun to believe that his father was past his guilt and
frustration created by his lack of mobility. When they’d shared lunch and
the afternoon with the Alvarez family, he had expected that having three
beautiful young and single women in the house might trigger his father’s
slide into silent guilt. But his father had seemed just as happy as he’d
always been and none of his sisters had commented.
 But when he told them that Madeleine had rejected him in favor of Harry
Gallagher and would marry him in just ten days, he suspected that his father
might blame himself for the issue. He’d have to be careful how he worded
the news to make it appear that it was more of a family issue between the
Whites and Gallaghers and had nothing to do with him at all. He doubted if
his mother or sisters would buy the excuse, but he was only concerned
about his father.
When he entered the house, lamps were burning in the parlor and his
parents, Alma and Beatrice were all looking at him with expectant smiles.
“Back so soon, Garrett?” Amos asked with a grin.
“We thought you might not return until tomorrow,” Alma said as she
wiggled her eyebrows.
Garrett set his Winchester in the gunrack near the foyer then hung his hat
on one of the empty hooks before striding into the parlor where he took a
seat.
“I’ll admit that it was an interesting visit and not at all as I expected.”
Annabelle asked, “What did Madeleine say? Didn’t she forgive you?”
“I never had a chance to talk to her. I spent an hour or so talking to Mike
White, but she wasn’t there.”
“Where was she?” Amos asked.
In the same unemotional voice that he used in the courtroom, Garrett
replied, “She was at the Gallaghers with her mother and Ellis. They were
arranging for her wedding to Harry Gallagher.”
His calm answer had the impact he expected as mouths dropped open
and eyes exploded in disbelief.
For more than a minute, the only sound in the room came from the
rhythmic ticking of the grandmother clock on the far side of the room.
Annabelle finally asked, “She’s getting married to Harry Gallagher?”
Garrett nodded before replying, “Mike said that when she returned, he
asked her again and she accepted him. I didn’t realize how upset she’d
been. This is all my fault, but there’s nothing I can do now. Mike agreed
that if I tried to convince Madeleine to change her mind again, it would
create strife between the families that might be bad enough to keep Ellis
from marrying Mary Gallagher.”
“
So, you’re really just going to stand back and let Madeleine marry
him?
” his mother exclaimed.
“Mom, there’s nothing I can do. This is her decision alone and she can’t
keep bouncing back and forth between beaus.”
“Don’t you love her anymore?” asked Alma.
He looked at his sister and replied, “It doesn’t matter. I screwed up and
I’m going to have to live with it. I just don’t want any of you to try to
intervene, either.”
Annabelle sighed then asked, “When is the wedding?”
“That’s another thing I need to ask you. They’re getting married on the
twenty-fourth.”
“You don’t mean this month; do you?”
“Yes, Mom. Ten days from now. I assume that they won’t be coming to
your anniversary celebration, so I didn’t know if you still wanted to have a
small get together.”
The last thing on Annabelle’s mind was her anniversary party but wasn’t
about to let Garrett’s startling news ruin the important day.
“Yes, we’ll still have the party, although it will be much smaller.”
Garrett smiled before saying, “I’m glad to hear that. I know that I can’t
attend their wedding, but you might be invited.”
“We’ll see if we receive an invitation before making a decision. Let’s get
you fed.”
“Thank you, ma’am,” Garrett said as he stood.
He smiled at his father to get a read on his mood and was relieved when
his father returned his smile.
Tomorrow was a workday and it wouldn’t be long before the gossip of
Madeleine’s change of heart raced through Yuma. He wondered if
Madeleine realized that those rumors would include whispered reasons for
her sudden nuptials. He wouldn’t be surprised if some would suggest that
he had placed Madeleine in a delicate condition and refused to marry her,
but noble Harry Gallagher had accepted her even though he wasn’t the
father of the child she was carrying.
The rumors would probably persist for years if Madeleine became
pregnant before August arrived. The image of Harry Gallagher being
intimate with Madeleine almost made him unable to eat his delayed dinner.
_____
Madeleine was in turmoil as she laid atop her bed that night. She would
let her mind drift to some of the many happy times she’d shared with
Garrett and begin to regret her decision to make that ride to the Gallagher
ranch. Then her mind would shift to the last image she had of Garrett as he
kissed the Alvarez woman, and her jealousy and anger would squash the
pleasant images.
The callous and almost cowardly way that he’d dropped off the three
horses had only given her more ammunition to keep the wonderful
memories at bay. She found it almost impossible to reconcile her older
perception of Garrett with her recently adopted one. Yet she knew it was
crucial for her to try to embed the new opinion firmly into her mind if she
was to have a happy marriage with Harry.
She hadn’t spoken to Mary or Ellis about her decision but wasn’t about
to ask them. She had accepted him and there was no longer room for
debate.
Yet before she finally slipped into a dreamless sleep, she wondered what
would have happened if she’d stayed in the jail that night.
_____
The next morning at the sheriff’s office was as Garrett had anticipated.
After he’d told the sheriff and Rollie about Madeleine’s decision, they
argued that he should ride to the White ranch immediately to straighten
things out.
Rollie took a different approach when he grinned and said, “They’d
better hold off having their first baby or folks will start whispers about the
baby’s real daddy.”
Garrett ignored the comment because he had thought the same thing last
night and it was true.
 They discussed Garett’s personal life for a while before they returned to
business. They still had work to do, so for another hour or so, they behaved
as lawmen and not gossips.
It was late in the morning when a telegram arrived from Sheriff Croker
in Phoenix which had a significant impact on the day.
Tom Yarborough read the message and said, “Well, I’ll be damned!
Garrett, remember those three fellers who were going to rob the bank in La
Paz?”
“Sure. Elmer Dorfman, Al Adams and Pablo Cortez. What about them?”
“It seems that they had prices on their heads after all. We never got the
wanted posters, but I sent out telegrams to the surrounding counties with
their names and descriptions. I added their horses to the list because they
were different.”
Garrett smiled at the irony before he asked, “How much is the reward?”
“That’s what makes it more interesting. The rewards that they posted in
Maricopa County were for two hundred dollars on each of them, but they
didn’t know their names and their descriptions were pretty vague, too. But
they described their horses, and they have no problem issuing the reward
money to you. But it turns out that Pima County Sheriff Pettibone down in
Yuma did know their names.
“It seems that your boys had caused quite a ruckus in his county before
looking to start trouble up in Phoenix. They had their own wanted posters
issued and they’ll be sending another nine hundred dollars your way. I don’t
reckon that I’ll ever see that much money myself.”
Amos grinned at his son as he said, “Maybe you should go and break the
good news to your mother and then ride south and tell Madeleine. She
might be willing to change her mind again.”
Garrett smiled at his father and nodded as he picked up his hat.
Sheriff Yarborough handed him the telegram before he left the office to
make the walk to his home. He had no intention of letting Madeleine know
of his unexpected windfall, but he felt enormous relief knowing that he’d be
able to provide for Alma and Betty when they decided to marry.
 He was waiting for traffic to clear when he noticed the riders
approaching from his right. It was hard not to spot the same three horses
he’d dropped off the day before and felt his stomach wrap itself into a coil
when he saw Madeleine riding the white filly beside Harry, who was astride
Rattler. He was sure that they’d seen him, so he couldn’t turn and disappear
into the barbershop.
Madeleine was staring straight ahead, but her mother and Harry were
both looking at him. He wasn’t sure if he should acknowledge them when
Kristi White smiled and waved.
He returned her smile and wave and couldn’t help but notice that not
only did Harry Gallagher not wave but wore a smug look on his face. His
mother wasn’t looking at him either, but he assumed it was more out of
embarrassment than dislike or disinterest.
After they’d passed, he crossed the street and continued to his parents’
house. Before he made the turn onto Saggar Street, he noticed Madeleine
and her entourage pull up before the Episcopal church which seemed almost
sacrilegious.
He stopped at the edge of the boardwalk and stared down the street. He
realized that he would soon have enough money in his bank account to
provide for his family for three years even after helping Alma and Beatrice
to start their own families. And that was if he didn’t work another day.
He knew that he wasn’t going to quit his job but having it in the bank
would provide a safety net for the family if something happened to him. He
might not be so lucky the next time that he felt a bullet’s burn. But it meant
that he could buy his mother an extravagant gift that she had longed to have
in the house since he was a boy.
It was impractical and unnecessary, but he wanted to make her happy. He
may have been providing the family’s financial support for the last four
years, but his mother had always been the rope that bound the family
together.
_____
Madeleine had spotted Garrett before he’d seen them and studiously
ignored him, or at least made the attempt. She had expected to see him with
the Alvarez woman and had let the anticipation keep her updated poor
evaluation of Garrett Shaw alive and well.
When she saw him alone on the boardwalk, that image was momentarily
replaced with her much better and longer held positive appraisal. She had to
fight to keep from letting it take total control of her mind and used the white
head of her new horse help her push it back. She had named the filly Judith
because it was as close as she could get to Judas.
Despite her hostility toward Garrett, when her father had asked her if she
wanted to have the pretty white filly, she had eagerly accepted his offer.
When Harry had asked if he could have Rattler, she eventually agreed but
felt dishonest for giving away her first horse.
_____
Garrett had been standing in the same spot for almost a minute before he
set his right foot onto the dirt to turn down his street but then yanked it back
onto the dry pine.
“Quit being so damned noble!” he exclaimed under his breath.
This time, when he put his boot onto the hot ground, he didn’t make a
turn to the right, but strode quickly down Main Street.
Two things drove him to change his entire attitude…well three actually.
The first was the obvious fact that he loved Madeleine and if she married
Harry Gallagher, he’d see them together for the rest of his life and that was
intolerable. The second was the smug look on Harry’s face that made
Garrett believe that marrying Maddy was as much to prove to Garrett that
he was the better man than it was because he really cared for her.
But what drove him into action was a shift in his mindset. He knew the
damage he could cause to the necessary cooperation between the White and
Gallagher families if he tried to stop the marriage and that hadn’t changed.
It was the comment by Rollie North that prompted the changes in both the
direction he was walking and the one he would take when he entered the
church.
_____
Madeleine was standing with her mother on her right and Harry on her
left. Maureen Gallagher was on Harry’s left. They were listening to
Reverend Pennyworth talk about the sanctity of marriage, but she wasn’t
listening.
When Harry had taken her hand, Madeleine recalled the incident at the
Shaw house and her reaction. She had been furious with him and then
vividly remembered the warning she had delivered to him outside of the
furniture store. That anger had been genuine yet now she was about to
marry the man.
What was she doing?
She was still angry at Garrett, but that was completely different. For the
first time since seeing him kissing the Alvarez woman, Maddy set aside her
anger and jealousy and examined the last few days objectively.
She knew that she still desperately loved Garrett, or she wouldn’t have
grown so hideously and jealously angry. She had never been so upset for so
long and she had let her temper rule her mind and heart. Now she was going
to pay the penalty for her behavior. She had accepted Harry, and in a week
and a half, she would be his wife.
As Reverend Pennyworth droned on, she closed her eyes and wished that
she had at least talked to Garrett before making that night ride back to the
ranch, but it was too late now.
Her eyes were still closed tightly when the reverend said something that
made her eyelids snap open.
“What do you need, Garrett?”
Garrett stepped quietly down the center aisle with his Stetson in his
hands as he approached the altar.
The members of the wedding party turned their attention to the back of
the church with totally different reactions.
When Garrett was six feet from Madeleine, he stopped and smiled at the
reverend.
“I apologize for interrupting, Mister Pennyworth, but I was wondering if
I could have a word with Mrs. White and Mrs. Gallagher in private.”
Reverend George Pennyworth smiled as his wife was a famous gossip
and he suspected that he may not be marrying the couple after all.
“Of course. You can use the vestibule.”
 Kristi was smiling and surprisingly, so was Maureen Gallagher.
Madeleine was still stunned but didn’t know what he was doing.
Only Harry seemed to object when he resumed his crushing grip on
Madeleine’s left hand and glared at Garrett.
“You aren’t gonna stop the wedding, Shaw. So, why don’t you just turn
around and leave.”
Garrett wasn’t surprised or offended by Harry’s reaction, and said, “I
have no intention of stopping the wedding, Harry. Madeleine has accepted
your proposal and women of good character would never break such a
solemn promise.”
Madeleine turned a deep red but just stared at Garrett.
“But I do need to talk to both mothers about something that is of a
delicate nature and don’t wish to offend Mister Pennyworth.”
The reverend quickly said, “I assure you, Garrett, I won’t be offended.
Mister Gallagher obviously wishes to hear what you have to say, so please
continue.”
Garrett nodded then looked at Kristi White whose eyes were smiling
even if her lips were not.
Kristi had been bursting with hope since she’d seen Garrett and had been
mildly disappointed when he hadn’t yanked Madeleine’s hand from Harry
and dragged her out of the church. But while his calm demeanor negated
that wonderful possibility, when she looked into his eyes, she knew that he
had a plan.
“Kristi,” he said before turning to Harry’s mother and saying, “Mrs.
Gallagher, I was just about to ride out to the White ranch to speak to you
both when I saw you ride past. I debated about waiting until you left the
church to talk to you but thought I should speak to you sooner rather than
later.”
“What is so important, Garrett?” Kristi asked with feigned concern.
He glanced at Madeleine then hesitated before he replied, “Deputy North
said something to me this morning that made me realize that I may have
unwittingly created a problem.”
“What did he say?”
 “It was meant as a joke, but after I left the office to talk to my mother
about a different topic, two other men made similar comments as I walked
along the boardwalk. They meant no harm, but I realized that while the
barbs and whispers won’t affect me at all, they might cause Madeleine
grief.
“It was no secret that I have deep feelings for Maddy and had proposed
marriage to her earlier this month. While she may have accepted me, I can
understand that because I hadn’t been able to promise a definite time for the
marriage, she felt she didn’t need to honor her commitment.”
He paused to take a quick look at Madeleine to gauge her level of anger
and was surprised that she seemed embarrassed and ashamed more than
upset.
“The comments revolved around the extremely short duration of your
courtship. That alone would create whispers of a shotgun marriage, as I’m
sure that you’ve already considered and believed to be inconsequential. But
when it is coupled with the common knowledge that Madeleine had already
accepted me as her beau, then it should be expected that should Madeleine
conceive soon, then whispers would abound about the child’s parentage.
“Such gossip doesn’t affect men as other men tend to admire the
rumored father as a lady’s man and view him as a talented rascal and not an
immoral schemer. However, the same cannot be said for the innocent
woman. Although no one in either family may judge such gossip to be
significant, there will be the almost unending whispers that may follow the
child for years. That was the final thought that made me decide to talk to
you both.”
Kristi held her smile in check as she solemnly nodded then said, “Thank
you for bringing it to our attention, Garrett. I had considered the danger of
the short duration between Maddy’s acceptance and the marriage date might
have the appearance of a shotgun wedding but hadn’t realized the other
issues.”
She then turned to Harry’s mother and asked, “Maureen, what do you
think?”
Maureen pretended to deliberate on the question to make it appear as if
she had hoped that the wedding would proceed as scheduled.
 When she thought she had delayed for an appropriate amount of time,
she replied, “I hadn’t realized it either, but Garrett has opened my eyes to
the damage it would do to Madeleine’s reputation and the stain it would
place on the marriage and their first child.”
Harry was furious but needed to maintain a peaceful façade or he might
risk losing Madeleine.
Madeleine was doing jumping jacks inside but still wore an expression
of surprised concern.
As soon as Maureen finished speaking, Kristi turned to her daughter.
“Madeleine, I know that you are determined to marry on the twenty-
fourth but even you must realize the validity of what Garrett said. I believe
that it would be best to postpone the marriage until such gossip could never
find nourishing soil to grow. Would you be willing to do set aside taking
your vows for a few months?”
Madeleine actually sniffed and wiped her dry eyes before looking past
her mother to Harry, who was still squeezing her left hand.
“I believe we have no choice, Harry. We need to postpone our marriage.
I’m sorry, but I have my reputation to protect and I’m sure that you
wouldn’t want to have other men make jokes about your firstborn.”
Harry was close to letting his anger explode but knew if he refused to
delay the wedding, it would give her an excuse to call it off entirely. His
fury wasn’t directed at Madeleine but at that conniving Deputy Shaw who
was standing just a few feet to his right.
He finally just grunted, “Alright.”
Reverend Pennyworth had been listening to Garrett’s brilliant and
perfectly executed tactic and would repeat it verbatim to his wife.
Kristi then smiled at Maureen and asked, “Shall we give it enough time
so there is no hint of gossip? Say, the last week in November?”
Maureen smiled and nodded as she replied, “That’s perfect. By the time
that Madeleine is noticeably with child, there will be no question of
impropriety.”
Harry was stunned. He had expected that there would be a delay of
maybe two weeks or a month at most. They were talking four months!
 Garrett pretended to be disinterested and that the decision to postpone
the wedding had nothing to do with him.
He took one last look at Madeleine and when she found her blue eyes
focused on him, he winked.
Then he nodded and said, “I apologize for interrupting, but I believe that
it was necessary.”
He glanced at Harry’s tortured face before he turned and strode back
down the aisle. He knew that he’d made a serious enemy of Harry
Gallagher, but he wasn’t concerned.
As he’d been giving them the reason for his appearance, he’d been
studying each of the women’s faces. Kristi White was the easiest to
understand, so he hadn’t spent much time getting a read on how she would
react.
Mrs. Gallagher’s opinion on her son’s marriage was almost as clearly
understood as Mrs. White’s but it was Madeleine’s reaction that was most
critical for him to understand.
His initial surprise of the absence of anger had given him hope, then her
reaction to his thinly disguised jab about how she’d discarded him was
another surprise. When he’d said it, he had expected her eyelids to narrow
and her temper to be unleashed. But she had been embarrassed and he’d
noticed the guilt that drove it.
By the time that the two mothers had enlisted on his side of the skirmish,
he was convinced that Madeleine was looking for some way out of the
situation she had created. He had no idea how it would be possible to get
Harry to be the one to break the engagement, but the end of November was
more than a hundred days away and a lot could happen in that time.
Once he was outside, he pulled his hat back on and took a deep breath
before he trotted down the steps and turned left onto Main Street. He
decided that he’d make one stop before he visited his mother. He now had
more news that was much better than the telegram in his pocket with its
promise of rewards.
_____
 After Garrett had gone, Reverend Pennyworth said, “When you have a
new date, please let me know,” then smiled and left the altar.
Kristi then said, “Well, that was interesting.”
Maureen grinned before she replied, “That is an understatement, Kristi.
Do you want to have lunch at the café before we head back?”
“I believe that would be a good idea. We still have a long ride back.”
Madeleine still managed to maintain an almost disappointed visage when
she hooked her arm through her mother’s before they began their stroll back
down the aisle.
She had recognized the rage that Harry had been trying to disguise and
hoped that it wasn’t directed at her. She wasn’t wearing the cartridge pistol
that Garrett had given to her, but she would ensure to have it at her hip
whenever she was alone from now on.
Harry walked beside his mother and aside from his intense anger, he felt
frustrated in his inability to change anything.
_____
Garrett entered A.L. Frobisher’s Furniture and Household Goods where
Madeleine had delivered her warning to Harry and stepped inside. He knew
where he was going, so he waved at Bob Frobisher, the owner’s son, and
headed down the aisle to the back of the store. He would have been shocked
if they’d sold it, but he hadn’t been inside the store in over a year.
He passed a large chest and smiled when he saw the upright piano. It
wasn’t new and it was a bit dusty, but it was in excellent condition. When
his mother had first seen it when they were buying a new dresser for
Beatrice, she had spent ten minutes caressing its keys and glossy black
enameled surfaces. She had never expressed any desire to have the piano
but had mentioned a few times over the years how she had learned to play
on a neighbor’s piano when she was a girl.
The piano wasn’t overly expensive at seventy dollars. Its size had been
one of the factors that had kept it sitting in the back of the store for so long.
He tapped the side of the upright piano and headed back to the front of
the store.
 Bob Frobisher had watched Garrett, so when he approached the counter,
Bob asked, “Are you gonna take that beast out of here and give us back the
floor space?”
“Maybe. I’ll need some help moving it into the house though.”
“I’ll tell you what, Garrett. You give me fifty dollars and I’ll have some
boys put it anywhere you want, even if it’s in your jail.”
Garrett snickered then said, “I’ll take your generous offer, Bob, but I’d
rather put it someplace a little nicer. I’ll have to go to the bank, but can we
set it up to be delivered on afternoon of the twenty-third?”
“Sure. Why the twenty-third?”
“Because it’s an anniversary gift for my mother. She and my father are
celebrating their twenty-fifth the next day.”
Bob grinned and said, “Good for them. What time do you want it set
up?”
“Let’s make it mid-afternoon, around two o’clock.”
“We’ll get it done and thanks for taking it off our hands.”
Garrett gave Bob a short salute before leaving the store to make the
delayed walk back to the house.
As he stepped along Main Street, he spotted the Whites and Gallaghers
walking into Fannie’s Diner and was already thinking of how he could do
more than just delay the wedding.
When he entered the house, he found his mother wiping the dust from
the furniture in the parlor, an almost daily necessity. He pulled off his hat as
he crossed through the foyer, then kissed his mother on the cheek.
“Why are you playing hooky from the office? You aren’t going out on
another dangerous job again; are you?”
“No, ma’am. I decided to visit my favorite girl while her husband was
away from the house.”
Annabelle laughed then swatted him with her cleaning cloth before
saying, “I know who your favorite girl is, mister, and you should have
stolen her from her parents’ house before she married that Harry
Gallagher.”
 “Ah! I needed to talk to you about that problem. Can we sit down?”
His mother looked at him curiously before nodding and taking a seat on
the couch so he could sit beside her.
“Where are Alma and Betty?” he asked as he sat.
“They’re putting up some new curtains with Harriet. So, what do you
need to tell me about Madeleine? And it had better be good, or you can turn
right around and go back to work.”
“It may not be what you hope to hear, but it’s not bad news. I was on my
way to see you about something else when I saw Madeleine and Harry
Gallagher ride past with their mothers. They were going to the Episcopal
church to prepare for the wedding.”
“Don’t tell me that you actually went into the church to do what you
should have done last week?”
“No, ma’am. You would have been impressed with what I did do. When
I first saw them, I’ll admit to having all sorts of confused thoughts, from
being noble and generous to shooting Harry Gallagher. But it was
something that Rollie North said that gave me a much better idea.”
“What was that?”
“He made a crude comment about a shotgun wedding, and after I
thought about it…”
His hands were flying about as he replayed the episode including
everyone’s reactions.
When he finished, Annabelle said, “I am very impressed, Garrett. That
was positively inspired. But what will you do now? You still can’t just ride
to the White ranch and talk to Madeleine.”
“I know, Mom, but the delay gives me a chance to come up with
something. She might come by the office when they come to town for
supplies again, but I doubt if Harry will let her off his leash now.”
“Well, at least it’s something. You should never have let it get this far.”
“I know. I just didn’t realize how upset she was.”
His mother nodded then asked, “You said that you were coming to see
me for another reason. What was it?”
 “Oh, I forgot about that,” he replied as he pulled the telegram from his
pocket.
“Tom received this telegram about an hour ago. It turns out that those
three outlaws who were planning to rob the bank in La Paz had wanted
posters on their heads from Maricopa and Pima Counties. According to my
boss, I have fifteen hundred dollars in rewards coming.”
“
Fifteen hundred dollars?
” his mother exclaimed.
“I know. It’s a lot bigger than any other reward that I’ve collected.”
“I imagine that it makes your situation with Madeleine even worse. If
you’d known about the rewards before you returned from La Paz, then you
could have married her right away.”
“I don’t think it would make any difference, Mom. It does give me a lot
of flexibility now and I’ll be able to provide for Alma and Betty when they
marry.”
Annabelle took her son’s hands and said, “Garrett, it’s time that we had a
talk that we should have had long ago.”
Garrett hadn’t a clue what his mother was about to say. He couldn’t think
of any family secrets that would require a deep discussion.
“This isn’t just coming from me. Your father and I have had many
conversations about it, and we were close to telling you several times.”
Garrett began to grow concerned that she was about to tell him that he
was adopted or maybe worse; that he was an illegitimate son and Amos
wasn’t his real father.
“When your father was hurt and we had to sell the ranch, you know how
he lapsed into a deep depression. You understood even more than I did why
he was so troubled. When you arranged to get him the position at the jail, he
knew that it was your idea and not the sheriff’s. We’d already discussed his
frustration and sense of guilt for not being able to provide for the family, so
when you mentioned the position, even though it was unpaid, he had to
accept the offer.
“He accepted it as much out of love for you as for a way to feel useful
again. Ever since he started working with you in that office, you have no
idea of what it meant to him. He did feel as if he was contributing but what
was much more important to him was that he was able to see you become
an even more impressive man than you’d been when you worked with him
on the ranch.
“He still wished he could support the family, but we both feel that you
shouldn’t be so selfless and noble. You need to think of yourself now and if
you can get Madeleine to change her mind again, marry her the next day.
Nothing would make me and your father happier.”
Garrett quietly said, “I was worried that if I even mentioned marriage,
Pop would slip back into his depression.”
“Why didn’t you at least ask me about it? You didn’t talk to your sisters
either.”
Garrett shrugged before replying, “I did talk to them about it. I asked
them to avoid talking about girlfriends or marriage so Pop wouldn’t feel
bad. I asked them to keep it a secret.”
“Well, you should be proud of them because they did. So, please don’t
use that as an excuse any longer. You have all that money coming, so put it
to good use for a change. If you can somehow break Madeleine’s
engagement, marry her.”
Garrett smiled, kissed his mother and said, “Thank you for telling me,
Mom. I was worried that you were about to break the news that I was
adopted.”
Annabelle laughed then said, “You weren’t adopted. I found you under a
cactus next to a diamondback.”
_____
Madeleine was riding beside Harry as they headed east out of Yuma. He
hadn’t spoken at all since leaving the church and she knew it was a bad
sign. She hadn’t tried to break his sour mood by starting a conversation
because she didn’t want to talk to him either.
Kristi and Maureen rode behind the couple and although each of them
had many things she wished to talk about, they remained silent because the
topics would probably light Harry’s fuse.
It was going to be a long, tense ride back to the ranches.
_____
 When Garrett returned to the jail, he was greeted by three grinning faces.
As he removed his hat, the sheriff said, “I heard you had an interesting
visit at the Episcopal church.”
“How in God’s name did you hear about that already?”
“Reverend Pennyworth stopped by to talk to you but after Amos told
him that you weren’t here, he was practically foaming at the mouth to
unburden his soul of the incredible gossip he had to spread.”
Garrett laughed and then spent a good ten minutes retelling the story
with none of the good reverend’s embellishments.
____
As he was entertaining his father and fellow lawmen, a letter arrived at
the offices of Yuma County prosecutor, Walter M. James.
After reading the letter, he smiled, then left his office to meet with the
county commissioners.
_____
When Madeleine and her mother returned to the house late that
afternoon, Maddy was finally able to talk to her without Harry being able to
listen. She expected that she wouldn’t have much time before Ellis and her
father arrived to ask about their day and she needed the private time.
She had hoped to have a quiet conversation, but as soon as she joined her
mother on the couch and looked into her eyes, she broke down in tears.
Kristi wrapped her arms around her daughter as she had when she was
six and run afoul of an unseen cactus.
“Mama,” she sobbed, “I’ve made so many mistakes. I’ve made a mess of
everything!”
Her mother kissed her forehead then looked into her wet eyes and
smiled.
“This is different. I haven’t seen you shed tears for years. I want you to
stop crying and understand that your Mister Shaw just gave you a long time
to make things right. It was positively brilliant and after you two are
married, I’ll have to compliment him on his idea and its execution.”
 “But, Mama, I can’t change my mind again. You even told me that when
I first said that I had accepted Harry. It will make the Gallaghers mad at our
family and probably make Ellis hate me for preventing him from seeing
Mary.”
“Yes, I did tell you that, but I believe that I had misjudged the
Gallaghers. Despite your father helping with their new house and Ellis and
Mary wanting to have one built for them, you and I haven’t spent much
time with them. When we went to their home to start preparations for the
wedding, I began to suspect that Maureen Gallagher wasn’t that happy with
the idea.”
“She wasn’t?”
“At first, it was just that, a suspicion. But when Garrett was explaining
his reason for interrupting the meeting, I noticed that she wasn’t angry. In
fact, she had a slight smile. That gave me confidence that my suggestion of
such a long postponement would be accepted. Did you notice how quickly
she agreed?”
Maddy sniffed but then smiled before replying, “That did surprise me.
Before he left, Garrett winked at me. That’s when I fully realized what a
horrible mistake I’d made. I don’t understand why I felt that way, either. I
convinced myself that he was going to marry the Alvarez woman because
she was beautiful, and her father was rich. I rationalized that he’d only been
telling me he couldn’t marry until after Beatrice left the house because he
was hoping to find a rich wife.
“I even named my new white horse Judith because I pictured Garrett as a
traitor. Why did I do all these stupid things, Mama? I’ve never been this
angry in my entire life and you know I have a temper.”
Kristi laughed before she said, “I’ll admit that you have a temper and it’s
supported by a very stubborn nature. By the way, Garrett said that both of
those traits are part of your character and without them, you wouldn’t have
the fiery nature that makes you so appealing.”
“He said that?” Maddy asked in surprise.
“Garrett Shaw loves you very much, Madeleine. Just like your father
loves me. That’s why you were so angry when you saw Miranda Alvarez
kiss him. You may be a very mature and confident young woman, but
you’re still an eighteen-year-old and you’ve only ever loved one man.
You’ve never had your heart broken before and seeing the sole object of
your love with a beautiful woman engaged your ferocious temper like never
before. You’ve never felt the teeth and claws of the green-eyed monster of
jealousy either.”
“I was very jealous but what I did was still stupid.”
“I’ll grant you that, but now you have a reprieve. I was horrified more by
the date you gave me than the news of your engagement. I simply didn’t see
a way to stop it in just ten days. I imagine that right now, Maureen is
walking a tight rope trying to commiserate with Harry while at the same
time, having to tell her husband how happy she is.”
“But how can I call this one off? Even if Mr. and Mrs. Gallagher are
agreeable to it, I don’t believe that Harry will take it lightly, if at all.”
“Don’t worry about it for a while. Just relax and go about your daily
routine. Depend on Garrett to come up with something.”
Madeleine nodded then said, “I never even asked him what happened in
La Paz. I only heard what he’d written in the telegrams. If I had talked to
him, he could explain why Miss Alvarez kissed him.”
“I can tell you the whole story, Maddy. When Garrett dropped off the
three horses, he told it to your father but asked him to keep it a secret. He
told me, of course, because he wouldn’t dare keep a secret from me. I don’t
believe that Garrett will mind if I tell you now. At the time he told it to your
father, he was acting like Mister Noble and pretending that your happiness
was all that mattered to him.”
“Did he tell Papa about Miss Alvarez?”
“Yes, he did. He even said that he was afraid of her somewhat and
should have anticipated what she did. He didn’t deny that he enjoyed the
kiss but told your father that he wished it was you he was kissing.”
Madeleine smiled as she asked, “Did he really say that?”
“Yes. But what was astonishing to me when I heard the story was that
Garrett actually liked and admired the Alvarez family. What made it
unusual was that he had to arrest Jesus Alvarez and it was his wife who shot
him.”
 “
He was shot?
” Maddy exclaimed.
“It wasn’t a bad wound; but let me tell you the entire story to give you an
idea of just how remarkable your real fiancé is.”
Madeleine was still on a very different emotional roller coaster as her
mother narrated the story. She still had no idea how to rid herself of Harry
Gallagher, but four months was a long time.
_____
Kristi White was right about Maureen Gallagher’s difficult situation.
When she and Harry had returned to their house, she had a brief respite
while Harry unsaddled their horses. Luckily, her husband, Mitch, was
already done for the day and was in the house.
She quickly explained what had happened and while Mitch wasn’t at all
pleased with the delay, he accepted the necessity for it. He argued that four
months was too long, but Maureen was able to convince him that it made
perfect sense as Madeleine had to maintain her thin waist to squash the
gossip.
Harry returned to the house after she’d finished her explanation, so she
left the room to talk to Mary. But before she left, she listened as Harry
groused about Garrett’s unwanted interference. When Mitch offered his
support to his oldest son, Maureen knew she had a bigger problem than
she’d anticipated.
The mother-daughter conversation with Mary was much more agreeable
as Mary giggled when her mother told her about Garrett’s unexpected
appearance.
So, while Madeline was listening to her mother narrate Garrett’s La Paz
adventure, a family feud was taking root in the Gallagher home.
_____
Garrett hadn’t told his father about the anniversary gift because he
wanted him to be as surprised as his mother.
Later that evening, when he was able to herd his sisters out of the house,
he engaged them in a plot to have their mother out of the house for an hour
or so on the afternoon of the twenty-third while the piano was moved into
the parlor.
 Alma and Betty were giggle-happy to be members of the conspiracy,
which only included the younger Shaws. Garrett then left them to visit
Harriet and Wendall to let them know the secret. The visit took longer
because he had to tell them about his church visit and the unexpected
rewards.
By the time the day ended, Garrett was in a much better frame of mind
than he’d been earlier in the day when he’d seen Madeleine riding to the
church with Harry Gallagher. He’d still need to come up with some way to
end Madeleine’s current engagement, but he knew it had to be Harry who
ended it. The Gallaghers were going to be the Whites’ neighbors long after
he married Maddy.
 CHAPTER 13
The next two days were amazingly quiet, at least on the surface. There
was growing tension in the Gallagher home, but no dramatic upheavals.
The White family was much calmer. Sophie and Conroy were now well-
informed about the entire episode and vowed to help as much as possible.
Garrett hadn’t come up with even a glimmer of an idea to encourage
Harry Gallagher to break off the engagement and the only jobs he’d had
during that time were to deliver subpoenas.
The big surprise arrived when Sheriff Yarborough was called to a
meeting with the county commissioners on Friday afternoon.
Rollie, Garrett and Amos were still guessing the reason for the summons
when their boss passed through the open doorway wearing a grin.
“What did they want, boss?” Rollie asked as the sheriff pulled off his
hat.
“You are not going to believe what they wanted to tell me. But before I
do, I want each of you to shake Deputy Sheriff Garrett Shaw’s hand and
say, ‘thank you, sir’.”
“Garrett?” Rollie asked.
“Just do it and then I’ll tell you why.”
Rollie shrugged then shook Garrett’s hand as he said, “Thank you, sir.”
Amos was smiling as he did the same before the sheriff followed his
own order.
Before the sheriff could explain, Garrett awkwardly shook his own hand
and said, “Thank you, you handsome devil.”
The others laughed before Sheriff Yarborough said, “The reason we all
need to thank our beloved fellow lawman is that his performance up in La
Paz benefited each of us.
 “Mayor Harrison wrote a letter to Mister James expressing immense
gratitude for all that Garrett did for his town. He added that he was meeting
with the town council and wanted to hire Garrett as their new marshal.
Because of Garrett’s exceptional skills, they were going to offer him sixty
dollars a month.”
Garrett quickly asked, “Why would he send the letter to Mister James
and not to me?”
“He asked our prosecutor to have me send you to La Paz for some other
reason, so he could make the pitch directly. He believed that if he sent the
letter to you, that you would tell me of the offer, and I’d talk you out of it. I
guess he didn’t know you very well.”
“Okay, but why would a letter from the mayor of La Paz benefit
everyone in the room?”
“After he read the letter, Mister James explained the situation to the
county commissioners rather than talk to me about it. I guess the mayor’s
offer of a higher salary made them nervous, so they talked about it and did
some calculations. What they decided to do was to increase each of our
salaries by ten dollars a month.”
Rollie whooped then popped out of his chair and began a modified polka
as the others watched in amusement.
After he plopped back onto his seat, the sheriff said, “If you are finished,
Deputy North, I have more news. They finally realized the valuable
contributions that Amos has made to the office and the county. So, as of the
first of July, the jailer position is now county funded. I am a bit embarrassed
to tell you that the pay isn’t what the deputies will be earning, but it’s what
they had been making before the well-deserved raise.”
Amos grinned as he said, “I don’t care, Tom. I’m really happy to get paid
at all after all these years.”
Garrett smiled at his father knowing what it meant to him. Even if it had
been just ten dollars a month, it would have been important. But the story
that Mayor Harrison had been the author of the letter seemed dubious at
best.
Garrett hadn’t received a lick of gratitude from the mayor before he left.
Granted, that was before Jesus Alvarez returned to his ranch and could still
support the mayor’s feed and grain store, but still, Garrett couldn’t imagine
the mayor offering him the marshal’s job.
He suspected that Jesus was behind the offer but knew he was trapped.
He couldn’t tell the sheriff about his suspicions and he surely couldn’t
question Mister James. Seeing the joy and pride on his father’s face meant
that he had to let it be. If it was Jesus who had arranged for the pay change,
then he had to admit that his plan and execution was even more impressive
than his own plot to delay Madeleine’s wedding.
He shook his father’s hand before asking, “Do you want to head home
and tell Mom the good news?”
“We’ll do that, but I reckon it’s even better news for you and
Madeleine.”
Garrett smiled and replied, “Yes, sir.”
But he knew it really didn’t make any difference unless he could get
Harry to break off their engagement.
It was an hour early, but the sheriff closed up the jail as each of the
lawmen went to tell their families of the unexpected and very welcome pay
raise.
_____
On the White ranch, it was Sophie who came up with the first step in
resolving the conundrum.
She was visiting her mother and Madeleine when she said, “I need to go
to Yuma to buy a some more blankets for Ellie’s new brother.”
Kristi smiled and asked, “Really, Sophie? More blankets for your
Michael? You probably didn’t even have any fun with Xavier or Xerxes.”
Sophie laughed then replied, “No, but I’m still torturing Con with that
notion for our next one. I told him I didn’t want to have his son enshrouded
with girlish things, but I believe he understands the real reason for my
sudden urge to go shopping.”
Madeleine smiled and asked, “Do you need someone to drive the wagon,
dear sister?”
 “Come to think of it, it would be irresponsible of me to ask Conroy to
neglect his work. Would you be willing to drive me to town and back,
considerate sister that you are?”
“I would. And while we’re there, I believe that we need to stop by the
Shaw residence to let Mrs. Shaw know that we will be attending their
anniversary celebration after all.”
“Of course, we would need to let them know. It’s just common courtesy.”
Kristi looked at her conspiring daughters before saying, “May I come
with you? You have two small ones to watch now.”
“We were going to ask you to join us, Mother dearest,” Sophie replied
which completed the colluding White trio.
By the time Mike and Ellis had returned to the house twenty minutes
later, they were told of the completed plan of attack. Ellis had been
cautioned not to tell Mary about it at least until they had gone. Ellis had
acted insulted for not trusting him to keep their secret, but secretly admitted
to himself that he had already been anxious to whisper the news to Mary
when they had their almost nightly rendezvous.
_____
While the Yarborough and North families were happy with the news
from the county commissioners, the effect it had on the Shaw family was
more impressive and not just because it meant a fifty-dollar-a-month
increase in the family income.
Although no one had reminded Garrett that he could start his own family
now that Amos was able to support the family again, it didn’t need to be
said. Despite Madeleine’s still binding engagement, none of the Shaw
family doubted for an instant that Garrett would find a way to marry
Maddy.
_____
Saturday was a half-day at the sheriff’s office, and most of the morning
was spent swapping stories of their families’ reactions to the news.
Garrett and Amos left the jail and had just made the turn onto Saggar
Street when Amos pointed down the road toward their house.
“Is that the Whites’ wagon?” he asked.
 Garrett had already recognized the mules standing in the harness and
was grinning as he replied, “Yes, sir.”
Amos moved a bit faster but snarled, “I wish this damned ankle would
work better!”
“Just be grateful it’s still attached, Pop.”
“I reckon so.”
They soon passed the wagon and as he escorted his father down the
walkway, he was unsure if Madeleine was in the house or just her parents
were visiting to talk about the anniversary party. If she was there, she’d
probably have Harry Gallagher clutching her hand. He couldn’t imagine
that Harry would have allowed her to leave the ranch without him.
When they passed through the foyer, Garrett and Amos were removing
their hats when Annabelle stepped down the hallway from the kitchen.
“We have visitors, gentlemen. So, behave yourselves.”
Garrett glanced at his father then waited to follow him down the hallway.
His mother’s eyes had told him who at least one of the visitors was and also
led him to believe that Harry wasn’t with them.
As he entered the kitchen, even though he’d expected to see Madeleine,
he was still enormously pleased and relieved. She was sitting on the nearest
chair with her mother on one side and her sister on her right. Beatrice and
Alma sat near the wall and each was holding one of Sophie’s offspring.
As happy as he was to see Maddy, he expected it would be an awkward
meeting as they hadn’t shared a single word since he’d ridden to La Paz
more than a week earlier.
Madeleine had been in an uncomfortable state since hearing him enter
the house, but when she saw him, she almost melted and managed to smile.
Annabelle said, “Kristi, Sophie and Madeleine stopped by to let me
know that they’d be attending our anniversary party.”
Betty released a brief giggle before looking away.
Garrett then smiled at the gaggle of females and said, “I’m glad to hear
that the White family will be joining us.”
 Kristi said, “I hear that the entire county law enforcement staff received
a well-deserved raise in pay.”
“Yes, ma’am,” Garrett replied.
His mother said, “It’s getting crowded in here and we need to make
lunch. Why don’t you and Madeleine move to the parlor so your father can
sit down.”
Madeleine quickly stood as she said, “We need to talk.”
Garrett nodded then walked behind her as she practically dashed down
the hallway.
When they reached the parlor, Madeleine sat in one of the chairs rather
than the couch, which was a relief to Garrett as he knew that he was on
dangerous ground for many reasons.
After he sat down across from her, he quickly said, “Before we start, I
need to apologize to you, Madeleine. It’s not for what happened with
Miranda Alvarez in the street because I was more surprised than you could
imagine. It’s because when I discovered that you had been waiting for me in
the jail, I didn’t saddle Bourbon and chase after you.”
“No. It was my fault for thinking the worst of you and not even letting
you tell me what happened. I behaved like a silly girl and I paid the penalty
for my juvenile behavior. My father told me everything, so you don’t have
to tell me what happened.”
“I guess he didn’t feel that the secret mattered after my visit to the
church. I hope that my arrival and suggestion didn’t create any problems for
your family or its relationship with the Gallaghers.”
“Not yet, but my mother believes that the only serious difficulty will
come from Harry. When I heard Reverend Pennyworth ask what you
needed, I almost expected to turn and see you with your Colt in your hand.”
“I almost didn’t show up at all. But I finally realized that you were more
important to me than any false sense of honor. I figured out how to delay
your marriage, but not how to end your engagement. I believe that the only
one who can do that without repercussions is Harry. His family will be
close to yours for a long time and I don’t think that he’s the kind of man
who will just smile and say, ‘the best man won’.”
 “He’d just as soon shoot you in the back, but I don’t think that he’d go
that far. He would surely make life miserable for Mary and Ellis and
probably everyone else in his family. But now we have time to solve the
problem. We can’t stay long today, and I don’t know if I’ll be able to talk to
you before the anniversary party. If Harry discovers that we came to Yuma,
he’ll keep a closer eye on me.”
“We can extend our talk if I saddle Bourbon and Coke, so you can ride
next to me then join your mother and Sophie on the wagon when we reach
the intersection.”
Madeleine smiled as she replied, “That would be wonderful. We put in a
box with blankets behind the driver’s seat, so Michael doesn’t need to be
held. My father told me that when you dropped off the three horses that I
might want to have the white filly but not until I’d already asked him if I
could have her. I’m sorry that Harry has Rattler, but I didn’t want to make
him angry. He was already getting jealous when he found out that you’d
stopped by the house.”
“That’s alright. She’s a pretty girl, isn’t she?”
“I’m going to change her name to Maggie. I was so angry with you that I
had christened her Judith because it was as close as I could get to Judas.
You know I have a temper and I’m more stubborn than the most
cantankerous mule.”
“I may not have your temper, Maddy, but I’m also infected with the
disease of obstinacy. Our shared deficiency is what got us into this mess.”
“My mother told me that you said you didn’t mind either of my character
flaws, but you’ve never seen me in such a hideously angry state for so long.
You might change your mind if you had.”
Garrett smiled as he replied, “My mother told me that the only way that
could happen again is if you thought I was being unfaithful. That will never
happen again, and I shouldn’t have let it happen the first time. It almost cost
me dearly, and although we’re both optimistic that we’ll be able to get
Harry to change his mind, it could still happen.”
“I don’t even want to think about it, Garrett. Let’s just be hopeful that
Harry admits defeat. I’m sure he knows that I only accepted his proposal
because I was so angry at you, so there’s nothing I can say to him to make
his change his mind. I’ll try to avoid being alone with him, and I’m going to
wear the pistol you gave me when I’m out of the house.”
“You don’t think that Harry would force himself on you; do you?”
“I don’t think so, but I haven’t seen him since he was told about the
delay. Mary said that he has a quiet temper, which is worse than my obvious
one. At the altar while you were talking, Harry almost broke the bones in
my hand again. But I suspect that he’ll be polite and try to win my affection
rather than let me see his temper. That’s what he did after the first time on
your porch when I yelled at him.”
“I know I just told you that I didn’t have a temper, but I don’t know if I
can hold it in check if he hurts you, Maddy. Make sure your father, Conroy
or Ellis is close whenever Harry is around.”
“They still have to work, Mister Shaw. I’ll be fine. My fiancé gave me a
pistol that uses cartridges.”
“Harry gave you another Colt?” Garrett asked with raised eyebrows.
Maddy stared at him for just a moment before she laughed.
Garrett grinned at her as he said, “I wanted to see if I could inspire a
short burst of your temper.”
“Keep it up, Deputy Shaw, and maybe I’ll move him to the top fiancé
position.”
It was Garrett’s turn to laugh before he replied, “At least we can joke
about it. Maybe it’ll be something we can tell our grandchildren.”
Madeleine sighed before she asked, “Now that your father is being paid,
does that mean you don’t have to delay any longer?”
“Yes, ma’am. And I don’t know if my mother mentioned it, but I’m
starting to receive a lot of reward money for those three outlaws I stopped
in La Paz. I’ll be able to buy a nice house for us.”
“They were wanted men?”
“A lot nastier than I realized. Anyway, there’s something else I need to
tell you that you can never tell anyone,” he said before he stood then pulled
his chair closer to her.
“Why are you telling me?” she asked quietly.
 “Because it will help you understand what happened when I returned
with the Alvarez family.”
“Alright.”
“You know me pretty well, so if you know what happened in La Paz,
then you can imagine how difficult it was for me to do many of those
things. I didn’t arrest Mrs. Alvarez, but that was my call because I was the
victim. But I pretended that the vaqueros had all gone because I knew that it
would have an impact on them and the ranch when they were doing what
wasn’t uncommon just a few years ago. They are mostly good men who
believed they were doing what the law couldn’t do.
“But even before he led his vaqueros into La Paz, Jesus Alvarez knew
that his son hadn’t been murdered. He admitted that he deserved to hang for
what he did. I still arrested him, but before we left his ranch, I explained
that he probably wouldn’t be charged for the crime. It was partly the way
the system works. But my report, while accurate, gave Mister James the
excuse not to charge him.
“His family was very grateful, but I felt dirty and unworthy to wear the
badge. Senor Alvarez said many times that he wanted to express that
gratitude, and I refused each offer. I explained that no matter what it was, it
would appear to be a bribe and it would hurt my reputation. That may have
been true, but the real reason was that it would only make my guilt worse.
“I thought the issue was behind me after he and his family returned to
their ranch. Then Mister James informed us that we were all getting a raise
and my father was going to be paid. He claimed to have received a letter
from the mayor of La Paz that praised me for what I did to help his town.
According to this letter, he wanted to offer me the job as town marshal and
pay me more than I make as a Yuma County deputy sheriff.”
“Really? He was trying to hire you?”
“I don’t think so. I never had a chance to see the letter, but I’m almost
sure that it came from Jesus Alvarez. It was a very well-designed
subterfuge, too. You see, I’d told him that I was delaying marrying you
because I was the sole support for my family and I still had two younger
sisters to marry off. By doing it this way, he’d know that I couldn’t refuse
his gift nor could I question him or even the mayor of La Paz about it.”
 “So, you’re telling me that Senor Alvarez was making it so you could
marry me? Even after Miranda’s obvious intent?”
“Yes, Miss White. That’s exactly what I’m saying and why I wanted to
tell you. I love you, Madeleine. The instant that I hear that Harry has broken
off the engagement, I’ll snatch you from your parents’ home and drag you
to the courthouse to marry you.”
“I don’t suppose you can kiss me.”
“I wish I could, but I don’t even want to touch your hand. I don’t want to
give Harry any excuse.”
“I understand,” Maddy replied before she sighed and said, “I suppose we
need to have our lunch before we leave.”
“I’ll need to get Coke and Bourbon saddled, too.”
After they rose, Garrett returned his chair to its original location lest his
mother take offense to his remodeling effort then they walked slowly back
to the kitchen.
_____
The ride to the intersection was pleasant and nowhere near as awkward
as the first few minutes in the parlor. Madeleine and Garrett rode more than
fifty yards behind the wagon which gave them a measure of privacy.
While he had been saddling his horses, Madeline, Sophie and her mother
had stopped at the store to buy the unnecessary baby blankets. As he
believed that he was the real reason for their trip into town, Garrett had
given Madeleine the money for the purchase and called it a baby gift.
While Garrett and Madeleine trailed behind them, Kristi and her older
daughter were already trying to come up with some way to get Harry to
change his mind. They agreed with Garrett that it had to be Harry who
pulled the plug.
_____
Amazingly, Harry didn’t know that Madeleine had been gone all day.
Aside from working with his father and brother with the herd, when he’d
been at the house, he’d been trying to convince his mother that four months
was an unnecessarily long delay.
 Maureen Gallagher wasn’t about to be swayed, but after a long talk with
her husband last night, she realized that Mitch agreed with Harry. She was
concerned that her husband may force the issue. She had always known
how much he favored his firstborn, but didn’t realize how much he was
willing to overlook until now.
Ellis hadn’t even had an opportunity to spill the beans about his mother
and sisters’ visit to Yuma as he and his father had been busy repairing the
windmill’s pump.
So, when Mike spotted the wagon trundling down the road, he was more
than just mildly relieved. He didn’t want to be the one to tell the Gallaghers
that they’d be going to the Shaws’ anniversary party after all. He’d let
Kristi handle that touchy announcement but knew she’d tell Maureen not
Mitch.
Mike understood the bond between Mitch and Harry better than his wife
or Madeleine but hadn’t mentioned it yet. While he and Ellis had been
helping to build the Gallagher house, he’d seen Mitch back up Harry when
his oldest son said or did something that was at least inappropriate.
Ellis was a good-hearted and honest young man and Mike was very
proud of his only son when he had ignored some of Harry’s comments,
usually about Mary. He felt much more of a kinship to Amos Shaw than he
did with Mitch Gallagher.
Mitch also seemed to have no qualms when showing his preference for
his oldest son when his other three boys were present. William was just
eighteen months younger and worked harder and did better work than
Harry, but Mitch would often criticize his second son. Ellis tried to offset
the criticism with praise but knew that it wasn’t the same. A son needed to
hear it from his father.
After finishing their work and cleaning up, Mike and Ellis returned to
the house where they were met by a very happy Madeleine and her hopeful
mother. The great news for Mike was when Kristi said that tomorrow, she’d
ride her new horse to the Gallaghers and tell Maureen.
So, as the day ended, a joyful mood filled the White house while a tense
atmosphere permeated the Gallaghers. The Shaw family, including Harriett
and Wendall, were having a small party celebrating Amos’ entry into the
salaried world.
_____
The next morning, Mike saddled the gray Morgan that he’d given to his
wife after Madeleine claimed the white filly. It was the least he could do to
thank her for making the ride to the Gallaghers.
Kristi wasn’t concerned in the least as she kissed her husband and
mounted her gelding. She knew how Maureen would react to the news and
wasn’t worried about Harry.
Mike had finally detailed the relationship between Mitch and Harry
when they were alone last night but wasn’t surprised that his wife already
had a good read on the situation. She may not have been present as the
house was rising from the hard dirt, but Ellis had made a few comments
about how William was treated. It was enough for her to at least get a good
idea of the Gallagher family dynamics.
When Kristi arrived at the ranch house, she dismounted as William
stepped through the door.
“Good morning, Mrs. White.”
“Good morning, William. You’re looking very handsome this morning.”
William smiled and turned pink as Kristi asked, “Is your mother busy?"
“Yes, ma’am, but she’s not here. She’s with her mother.”
“Thank you, William,” Kristi said before she put her foot back into the
stirrups.
She could have just made the hundred-yard walk but didn’t want to leave
her horse at the Gallagher house for some reason.
After dismounting for the second time in just two minutes, Kristi stepped
onto the porch and after hearing voices inside, rapped on the door jamb.
Mary appeared at the door moments later with a smile and asked, “Did
you bring your son with you, Mrs. White?”
“I’m sorry, Mary, but I’ve come alone. I need to speak to your mother.”
“Of course. Please come in. My grandmother isn’t doing well, so it may
be a few minutes.”
 “Thank you,” Kristi said as she followed Mary into the front room.
Kristi took a chair as Mary left the room and entered the first bedroom.
A minute or so later, Maureen Gallagher exited the room and smiled at
Kristi before taking a seat nearby.
“What brings you by this morning, Kristi?” she asked as she swept a few
strands of loose hair from her forehead.
“After we decided to postpone the marriage, I thought that now that the
date was free again, we’d join the Shaws when they celebrated their
anniversary as we’d previously planned. I don’t know if Harry mentioned
that your family was also invited, but if you’d like to join us, I’m sure that
the Shaws would be very pleased to see your family as well.”
Maureen’s eyebrows arched as she quickly asked, “You and Madeleine
went to Yuma; didn’t you?”
Kristi grinned as she replied, “We took Sophie along, too. But the
invitation had been made and I wasn’t sure if Harry had told you. How has
Harry been since we returned?”
“He and my husband have been grousing about it almost constantly. I’m
concerned that Mitch might somehow force the issue. I guess all we can do
is exert our influence to keep things calm, so I’m not sure that it would be a
good idea if we joined you. Mary might want to go with Ellis, though.”
“Won’t Harry demand to come along if he finds out?”
“It’s only a few days, but I suppose I’ve got to tell him. If he learned
about it after the fact, there would be hell to pay. If he says that he wants to
go, which is possible, things could get dicey.”
“Well, let me know. I already told Annabelle Shaw that we could have
your whole family coming, so they’ll be prepared if you do come.”
“Won’t that put a big burden on her and her daughters to prepare so
much food?”
“She isn’t cooking at all. Garrett had been awarded a large bounty on
those three outlaws he stopped in La Paz and is using some of it to cater the
celebration. The other wonderful news is that each of the lawmen in Yuma
received a raise in pay and Amos is now being paid as their jailer.”
 “That is good news, but I don’t think I’ll mention it to anyone yet.”
“How is your mother?” Kristi asked.
“Not well. I don’t know if it’s something serious or not, but she ordered
me not to fetch the doctor. She’s been coughing steadily for four days now
and it’s getting worse. She’s weak and losing weight very rapidly. We were
worried about my father’s bowel condition for some time now and he’s not
improving at all. I fear that I may lose both of my parents soon.”
Kristi quietly said, “I never knew my mother, and my father passed away
shortly after Ellis was born. I still miss my father and I found that he best
way to alleviate the sorrow was to remember the joy that we shared over the
years. No family is without strife or lapses of anger, but the love always
overrides the bad times.”
“I love my husband and all of my children, but Harry can be a real
handful. I try not to treat him any differently than the others, but he’s an
adult now and I have to see him as a man and not my son.”
Kristi nodded, but found it difficult to understand as she knew that she
would always see Ellis as her son as well as the man that he was quickly
becoming.
Kristi then smiled and said, “You do have a lot of children to love,
Maureen. When you said that we needed to go to the Episcopal church, I
was a bit surprised, to be honest.”
Maureen laughed as she replied, “I know. Having an Irish surname
doesn’t help. Everyone we meet assumes that we’re Catholic, but it usually
doesn’t come up.”
Mary stepped into the room and asked, “Mama, grandma wants to speak
to you.”
“I’ll be right there,” Maureen replied.
Mary disappeared before Kristi rose then said, “You can just let Mary
know what you decide. I’m sure she’ll be seeing Ellis soon.”
“I will. Hopefully, it won’t be a difficult time,” Maureen said as she
stood.
“Take care, Maureen,” Kristi said before turning and leaving the house.
 She mounted her Morgan and headed for the access road. When she
passed the Gallagher house, she spotted Harry watching her from the open
doorway and waved. He waved back but wasn’t smiling.
Kristi soon turned north on the roadway as her concerns continued to
grow over what Harry’s reaction would be when he learned of the
anniversary party.
_____
Later that night when Ellis returned from his regular rendezvous with
Mary, he told everyone that Mrs. Gallagher had informed her family that
the Whites were going to the Shaws’ anniversary party and that their family
was invited as well.
Mary said that there was a very mixed reaction, which was hardly a
surprise. There was universal excitement among the younger Gallaghers
and only Harry and his father seemed unhappy with the news.
The surprise was when Ellis told them that the entire Gallagher family
would be going to the Shaws with them on Saturday.
_____
Garrett had ordered enough food and beverages to feed fifty people as he
had also invited the sheriff’s family and Rollie North’s. But he didn’t
believe that all of the Gallaghers would be attending and had hoped that
Harry wouldn’t accompany Madeleine. There was almost no chance of him
staying away, but he still kept that small hope alive.
He, Alma and Beatrice had chosen the best location for the piano then
spent some time planning how to rearrange the furniture, but eventually
decided that their mother would rearrange their rearrangement anyway.
As he prepared for sleep that Sunday night, Garrett hoped that the week
before the anniversary party didn’t involve any nasty jobs out in the far
reaches of the county. He knew that the sheriff would probably send Rollie
out if it was Thursday or Friday, But Garrett knew that his fellow deputy,
despite being five years older than he was, was less experienced in tough
situations. Rollie hadn’t been involved in a serious gunfight and had never
shot anyone or been shot himself. It was just the luck of the draw and the
fact that Garrett always took the difficult jobs.
 He stretched out on his bed that hot summer night and snickered at the
thought that he might have yet another shootout so soon after the last few.
He began counting the number of bullets that had been sent his way since
that day he and his father had faced the rustlers. He laughed quietly as he
rubbed his almost healed gunshot wound.
He quietly said aloud, “All those bad boys with their Winchesters and
Colts trying to kill me and the only person who drew blood was a very good
woman with a temper, and luckily, with bad aim.”
He was still smiling as he drifted off to sleep.
 CHAPTER 14
The first three days of the week were quiet with the only incident being a
rowdy midweek night at Parker’s Saloon and Gambling Hall. What had
started as a verbal argument quickly escalated into a fistfight. That
prompted friends to defend friends and it soon approached a full-blown
brawl.
By the time Garrett and Rollie arrived with their scatterguns, some of the
men had drawn pistols. But the sight of the four shotgun barrels proved to
be much more effective peacemakers than the Colts that the brawlers had in
their hands.
It wasn’t until Wednesday afternoon that Garrett’s hope for a quiet week
began to unravel. It began with a routine job that wouldn’t normally have
been worth discussing.
Sheriff Yarborough returned from the county offices with two sheets of
paper and tossed his hat on the front desk.
“I have a couple of tax delinquency notices that need to be delivered.
One is in town, so I’ll let Garrett handle that one, but the other one is a good
ride south of here, so Rollie, that one is yours.”
Garrett and Rollie noticed the switch from their normal assignments, so
Rollie asked, “Why are you sending me out this time, boss?”
Tom Yarborough grinned as he handed one of the pages to Rollie.
Rollie read the notice and wasn’t sure why Garrett couldn’t deliver it. It
was only when he noted the location that he figured it out.
He looked at the sheriff and said, “This is the Murphy ranch where the
Gallaghers live.”
“Yup. The taxes are overdue a year and the next payment is due in
August. I reckon that Garrett wouldn’t be welcome riding onto the place.”
Rollie grinned at Garrett before saying, “I think you’re right, Tom.”
 Garrett didn’t comment as he was debating about paying the overdue
taxes rather than having Rollie make the long ride. If it hadn’t been for
Harry Gallagher, he would have.
“I’ll leave in the morning, boss,” Rollie said before folding the sheet and
slipping it into his pocket.
The sheriff handed Garrett the local notice and said, “You won’t even
have to saddle Bourbon to deliver this one.”
Garrett nodded as he glanced at the paper. It would take him all of
twenty minutes to give it to Walter Pomeroy. Walter was an old gentleman
who lived two doors down from his parents and Garrett was sure that he’d
simply forgotten to pay his taxes. He shouldn’t be living alone but after his
daughter died three years ago, he had no more family to care for him. Some
of his neighbors visited him and brought him food and helped when they
could, and his mother was probably his most frequent visitor.
The bill was only $36.15, so Garrett thought about just walking next
door to the county tax collector’s office and paying it himself but figured
that he may as well talk to Mister Pomeroy.
After folding his notice and stuffing it into his pants pocket, the
remainder of the afternoon was spent reviewing wanted posters and talking
about the big anniversary celebration.
Garrett still didn’t know about the Gallaghers, so he’d asked Rollie to
stop by the Whites and ask them about it. He warned Rollie not to mention
it to the Gallaghers on the off chance that they didn’t know that Madeleine
had stopped by the house.
_____
Thursday started out as expected. Rollie saddled his horse and carried
four large canteens of water when he left Yuma before nine o’clock.
Garrett’s local visit was extended for a while, so he wasn’t there to see
Rollie leave.
Walter was surprised by the notice and after he asked how much it was,
he asked if the county would give him more time. Garrett had been
surprised because he thought that Mister Pomeroy was reasonably well off.
But he had smiled and said that he was sure that they would and not to
worry about it.
He was preparing to leave when Walter invited him inside. Garrett
figured he was lonely and needed someone to talk to, so he’d followed him
into his parlor.
Walter had asked Garrett to tell him the story about his adventures in La
Paz that his mother had mentioned in her last visit.
So, Garrett spent almost an hour with Walter telling the tale. He was
happy to see the old man almost reliving the excitement of the shootout as
if Walter was the one pulling the trigger.
When he finished, Garrett asked, “Were you a lawman, Mister
Pomeroy?”
Walter snickered before he replied, “No, sir. I was a cobbler for all my
life. I learned the trade from my father, but I always wanted to wear a
badge.”
“I’m sure you would have been a good one.”
“Thank you for that, Garrett, but I reckon that shoemaking was what I
was born to do. Just like you were born to be a lawman. Your mother is
mighty proud of you.”
“I’m very proud of her and my father as well. They sacrificed so much
for me and never complained. Do you want to come to their twenty-fifth
anniversary party on Saturday? We’re having many guests and I’ve ordered
more food than we’ll probably need, too.”
Walter was enormously pleased but asked, “Are your sure it will be
alright?”
“Absolutely. Would you need any help getting there?”
“Nope. I may be a grizzled old coot, but I still get around.”
“We’ll see you there any time after two o’clock. Okay?”
“I’ll be there with bells on my shoes. I may have to sew them on, but I
can still do it.”
Garrett grinned, then stood and waved before leaving the house.
Walter was still smiling after he’d gone.
 _____
When Garrett entered the jail, only his father was still in the office.
As he pulled off his hat, he asked, “Where is Tom?”
“We got another telegram after you left, and the boss is sending a reply.”
“Do you have the telegram?”
“Nope. Tom has it. But it came from Olive City. There seems to be a
range war about to explode south of Mineral City again.”
“He’s not planning on going himself, is he?”
“He didn’t say, Garrett. He’ll be back soon, so you can ask him.”
Garrett didn’t have the chance to ask another question before Sheriff
Yarborough quickly stepped through the doorway.
“I’m glad you’re here, Garrett. I was about to head over to Mister
Pomeroy’s if you weren’t back yet. You know how Pappy Kingman and
Dave Neumann have been at odds for a while now. Well, according to the
telegram, Pappy Kingman hired two gunmen to drive Dave Neumann’s herd
off some disputed property near the Colorado. There have been shots fired
already, but they didn’t know if anyone had been killed yet.”
“Okay, boss. I’ll head over to JJ’s and get Bourbon ready to go. Any
other instructions?”
“That’s all I have, but you be careful. This could be a bigger problem
than the one you had in La Paz.”
“I hope not,” Garrett said before turning and hastily leaving the office.
_____
Fifteen minutes later, Garrett rode out of Yuma heading north toward
Castle Dome.
He’d follow the road to La Paz but wouldn’t reach the intersection at Los
Posos. Just close to the spot where Whiskey had gone lame, he’d turn west
and go cross country to reach the two ranches which were south of Mineral
City.
It wasn’t great terrain between the road and the river, but it would still be
a much shorter ride. If he took the road, he’d add another fifty miles to the
ride and waste ten hours.
It was mid-afternoon when he turned west from the roadway and had to
slow Bourbon or risk being unhorsed again.
He’d watered his gelding in Castle Dome but knew that he’d still need to
stop and give him more water before he reached the ranches. Garrett had
thought about bringing Coke along as a packhorse with some full waterbags
but decided that because he’d be working near the river, it wouldn’t be
necessary.
He was riding into the sun as he crossed the land and knew that he’d
soon be on the eastern edge of one of the two ranches that were preparing
for war.
Each ranch was about the same size: nine sections. But the proximity to
the river made the land much better for raising cattle than the more hostile
ground away from the Colorado. So, both of the spreads had bigger herds
and provided their owners with a steady income.
_____
At the northwestern edge of Pappy Kingman’s Six-Bar ranch, Jasper
Cooley and Trap Smith sat on their horses with the butts of their
Winchesters resting on their thighs.
They were watching north onto Dave Neumann’s Circle N ranch and
were hoping that more of their cowhands would show up to challenge them.
Trap said, “Makes you wonder why those boys didn’t get the hint that
Kingman was gettin’ serious when he put up all that wire. They shoulda
figured it out and just stayed put on that side of the fence.”
Jasper replied, “It’s fine by me. They can keep tryin’ to cut the wire as
long as Kingman keeps payin’ us.”
Trap snorted then said, “If you like sittin’ here like this and just shootin’
cowhands who might as well be cows, then you ain’t expectin’ much. I’m
gettin’ bored with this job. I need some excitement.”
“I’m okay with it. We could make it a contest, though.”
Trap looked at him and asked, “What kinda contest?”
 “None of those boys we hit even fell outta his saddle. I’ll bet you fifty
dollars that I’ll put one on the ground before you do.”
Trap grinned as he replied, ‘You’re on, Jasper. We gotta have rules first.
We both have to stay on this side of the wire. Whoever shoots first has to
wait for the other one to take his shot before shooting again.”
“Okay. Those are good rules, but if I see one first, you ain’t gonna get to
pull your trigger.”
“I doubt that, Jasper. I can outshoot you with a pistol or a rifle.”
“The hell you say!” Jasper exclaimed, “I can put a .44 in a four-inch
target at eighty yards.”
“You wanna make another bet? We’ll each take ten shots. After each
one, we’ll see who is closer to the center and the winner gets a dollar.”
Jasper suspected that his braggadocio might cost him some cash, but he
couldn’t back down.
“It might keep them cowhands away and ruin our big bet. Are you sure
you wanna risk it?”
“Afraid of losin’, Jasper?” Trap asked with a snicker.
“Cock your Winchester’s hammer, loser.”
_____
Garrett was three miles east of the two shooters and had noticed the new
barbed wire fence. He assumed that it was Pappy Kingman who’d had it
strung. He’d had to visit the two ranches three times over the years and each
time Pappy had been the instigator of the problems.
He suspected that it was the barbed wire’s placement on the border
between the ranches that had triggered the current dispute. Garrett imagined
that before the fence work began, Pappy had hired the two gunmen as
protection for his ranch hands as they strung the wire. Now they were there
to keep the fence from being cut. But he couldn’t imagine that Pappy would
keep paying them for very long now that the barrier was in place and
thought that he’d just head over to Pappy’s house and reason with him first
before talking to Dave Neumann at the Circle N.
 As he approached the end of the fencing and began to shift to the south,
Garrett heard the echoes of distant gunfire from the west.
Garrett released his Colt’s hammer loop before he slipped his repeater
from his scabbard then nudged Bourbon into a medium trot. Obviously the
two gunmen were busy driving Neumann’s ranch hands away.
_____
“That’s three bucks you owe me, Jasper!” Trap shouted as he levered in
a new round.
Jasper didn’t reply as he looked at the next fence post. They’d backed off
far enough to use the fence posts as their targets, but he’d missed two of the
first three posts entirely, which had damaged his pride much more than his
wallet. At least he’d hit the last one but wasn’t able to dispute Trap’s claim
of victory.
He was blaming everything from a non-existent breeze to his horse’s
breathing for his poor results and was determined to beat Trap this time.
Trap was going to fire first for this round, so Jasper sat on quietly as
Trap prepared to fire. He thought about coughing but knew Trap would use
it as excuse if he lost, so he just stared at the fence post.
The afternoon sun was on their left as Trap fired and Jasper grinned
when he didn’t see the fence post pick up a new hole.
“You missed! I got you this time, Trap!” Jasper crowed as he cocked his
Winchester.
He carefully took aim for this shot. He wasn’t about to lose another
round.
Just as his trigger finger began to contract, Trap shouted, “Here’s your
chance!”
Jasper jerked his finger back making his shot go wide of the fence post.
He angrily looked at Trap and snarled, “You, cheating bastard! You did
that on purpose!”
Trap just pointed to the east and said, “Here comes your chance to make
that fifty dollars, Jasper. He’s even on our side of the fence. Just remember
that I get my shot after you miss.”
 “I ain’t gonna miss and you’ll owe me fifty bucks, Trap.”
The rider was still more than a mile away, so the two gunmen just sat
and watched as he approached.
_____
Garrett had been searching for the Circle N cowhands that the two
gunmen had targeted but couldn’t see anyone. He might not see a downed
man, but he should have seen his horse, even if it was on the ground with
his rider.
He almost ignored the two shooters as he wasn’t even within Sharps
range yet and they were using repeaters. He was still puzzled about their
targets but wasn’t worried. He was wearing his badge and despite being
gunmen hired to ‘protect’ the ranch owner’s property, he was sure that they
weren’t about to fire on a lawman.
_____
“This one looks like he’s ready for trouble, Trap. He’s already got his
Winchester ready.”
Trap replied, “You reckon that Neumann hired somebody to force us
outta here so his boys could cut down the wire?”
“Maybe. Let’s see what happens, but I still get first shot.”
“And I’ll get to take one after you miss.”
Jasper snickered as he and Trap continued to watch the approaching
rider.
It was just a trick of lighting and a bad angle that prevented the two
gunmen from seeing Garrett’s badge. Because they had backed away from
the fence for their shooting contest, Garrett’s badge was in a hard shadow
made by his arm and his Winchester as the repeater’s butt rested on his left
thigh. Even if the shadow wasn’t there, his arm alone would probably have
blocked their view.
Maybe there wouldn’t have been a problem if Garrett had held his
Winchester in his right hand, but he’d never know.
When he was about six hundred yards out, he thought about cocking his
repeater’s hammer, but didn’t want to make the first move. He’d identify
himself when he was closer.
Jasper had already cycled in a fresh round after missing his last shot and
Trap’s hammer was in the firing position as well.
“He ain’t wearin’ chaps,” Jasper said as he studied the approaching rider.
“You just figured that out, did ya?”
“Shut up, Trap. How much closer is he gonna get before he aims that
Winchester our way?”
“I don’t care. It’s your shot. Remember? If you wanna take it at a
hundred and fifty yards, go right ahead. But if you make him turn and run,
then the bet’s off.”
Jasper grunted as he stared at the rider. He wasn’t about to waste his shot
at that range, but if the approaching gunman brought his rifle to bear, then
he’d have no choice. He’d wait as long as he could, but if that lone rider
was stupid enough to come within eighty yards, he’d open fire. When Trap
saw the rider fall off his horse, Jasper would have the last laugh.
_____
Garrett still didn’t see the danger as he continued to close the gap to the
two gunmen. They were both still watching him as he drew close to a
hundred yards without either of them even twitching. He was satisfied that
after he identified himself, they’d all just make the ride to Pappy Kingman’s
house where he hoped to be able to resolve the issue.
He passed the hundred-yard mark and then made a mistake when he
decided to scan to the north once more to find any injured or dead ranch
hands.
Bourbon was moving at a slow trot when Garrett turned his eyes to his
right. It was just fifteen seconds later when his error in judgement was
hammered home by the sharp crack of a rifle at the same moment that a .44
shattered one of his canteens. If it had been empty, the bullet would have
seriously hurt Bourbon, but the metal and water slowed it enough so that
when it reached the thick leather of the saddle skirt, it just nudged its nose
into his gelding’s coat.
He almost lost his repeater in the shock of the unexpected shot but held
on as he whipped Bourbon to his left.
 “You missed!” exclaimed Trap as he brought his Winchester to bear.
Garrett looked to his right after setting Bourbon to a gallop and through
his bouncing vision, he saw the second man preparing to fire. He
automatically pulled the reins to the right, making his buckskin turn quickly
toward the two gunmen.
Trap fired just as Bourbon’s hooves bit into the Arizona ground and his
shot buzzed eight inches in front of Garrett’s nose.
Jasper had been about to argue with Trap after his miss, expecting that
Trap wouldn’t suffer the same fate. So, he hadn’t cycled his Winchester’s
lever to bring in a new round as he waited for the racing gunman to fall
from his saddle. It was only after Garrett had made his turn that he realized
his mistake and quickly levered in a fresh round.
Garrett had already slowed Bourbon and cocked his repeater as both
gunmen were preparing to fire again.
He was slightly closer to Trap, so he set his sights on the nearer shooter
and fired.
His shot wasn’t as well placed as he would have liked, but Trap still felt
the slug slam into his right leg, just above his knee. He still stayed in the
saddle, but the throbbing pain would affect his accuracy, so he withheld his
fire. When he’d been hit, he grunted loudly, which was another distraction
for Jasper when he fired.
Garrett had quickly worked his Winchester’s lever and saw the other
shooter’s muzzle flare and the burst of gunsmoke but didn’t feel anything
hit. So, he centered his sights on the man and fired just two seconds after
Jasper’s missed shot.
Jasper wasn’t as fortunate as Trap had been as Garrett’s .44 drilled into
the left side of his chest, just above his heart. It was a killing shot and
Jasper just wobbled before his repeater dropped to the ground then he
slowly rolled to his left and tumbled from his saddle.
Trap had fired at the man he now realized was wearing a badge, but it
didn’t matter anymore. He knew he’d hang if he didn’t kill the deputy
anyway.
 But after he missed the last shot, he knew he had to put some distance
between him and the lawman. His wound had destroyed any chance he had
for winning this gunfight from horseback. He needed to be on the ground
but knew he didn’t have time to dismount with the lawman closing.
Garrett was already to his south, so his only route for escape was over
the barbed wire fence. He considered himself an excellent horseman and
now was the time to prove it.
He wheeled his tall gelding to his left and slammed his heels into the
horse’s flanks, setting him at a gallop toward the fence about eighty yards
away.
Garrett saw the blood on the man’s right leg and only set Bourbon to a
medium trot. If he cleared the fence, Garrett would use Joe’s big knife he
still carried to cut the barbed wire and start a slower pursuit.
Trap didn’t even glance back at Garrett as his horse thundered closer to
the fence. He was preparing for the horse to make the jump when his
horsemanship didn’t matter as his gelding balked.
As the horse’s haunches bulged to bring him to a sudden stop, Trap
found himself flying over the horse’s head and just a second, he rammed
into the top strand of wire. As his body stretched the barbed wire, the
nearest posts began to yank from their holes. The wire itself wouldn’t have
normally snapped, but one of Trap’s own winning shots in the contest he
had with Jasper had nicked the top wire, so when the wire began to stretch,
it separated with a loud twang and whipped around Trap as he crashed to
the ground.
Garrett was stunned by the sight but slid his Winchester back into his
scabbard and soon arrived at the fence where he quickly dismounted. He
cringed as he watched the man wrapped in the coiled barbed wire as blood
from the gunshot wound in his leg continued to leak onto the ground.
He stepped over the still connected lower strands of wire and pulled his
heavy knife as he neared the gunman.
Trap hadn’t noticed Garrett approaching as he struggled to free himself
from his painful binding. He expected to feel a second bullet slam into him
and end his self-created torture.
 Garrett knew the man wasn’t able to draw his pistol as he continued to
struggle, so when he was close, he dropped to his heels.
“I’m going to cut the wire, so stop moving!” he said loudly.
Trap turned his eyes to the young deputy and was startled that he was so
close, but relieved that he didn’t have his pistol pointed at his head. He
stopped fighting, so Garrett began to cut through the tightly wrapped barbed
wire.
“I should just leave you as you are, so I don’t have to use any pigging
strings," Garrett said as he popped the second band.
“We didn’t know you was the law.”
“Did it make any difference? You fired first and I wasn’t even aiming at
you boys.”
“We figured that Neumann hired some gunny to take us down.”
“That’s just plain stupid. Why would one of your kind just ride out in the
open and give you a free shot? Didn’t you see my badge?”
“Not ‘til it was after we started shootin’.”
“What’s your name?”
“I’m Trap Smith and my partner was Jasper Cooley. Kingman hired us to
make sure that wire wasn’t cut.”
“Why were you shooting before I got here?”
“We were just havin’ a contest.”
“Have you shot any of the Circle N boys? Don’t bother lying because I’ll
be talking to both ranch owners in a little while.”
“Yeah. I hit two and Jasper hit one, but none of ‘em died.”
“Where did you and Jasper hang your hats? I haven’t run across either of
you before.”
“We work outta Tucson, but we aren’t wanted for anything.”
“Well, Trap, you are now. Let’s pull that last piece of wire free and get
you on your feet, but you won’t need this anymore.”
 Garrett unbuckled Trap’s gunbelt and yanked it free. He left him sitting
while he took two steps to his right and picked up the fallen repeater.
After hanging the gunbelt over his shoulder, he walked to Trap’s horse
and after emptying the Winchester, he slid it back into the scabbard then
rolled his gunbelt and dropped it into his own saddlebags on Bourbon.
He glanced back at Trap to make sure he wasn’t moving, then mounted
Bourbon and trotted him over to where Jasper’s body was sprawled
awkwardly on the ground. He stripped him of his gunbelt, then picked up
his Winchester and slid it where it belonged before storing the gunbelt in
Jasper’s saddlebags.
Garrett was glad that his own gunshot wound had healed well enough to
allow him to get Jasper off the ground and across his saddle seat.
After lashing Jasper’s wrists and ankles together, Garrett mounted
Bourbon and after taking the body laden horse’s reins, he headed for Trap,
whose shirt was bloody from his battle with the barbed wire. His britches
were heavily soaked with blood and Garrett knew he had to stop the man’s
bleeding soon.
He grabbed Trap’s horse as he passed and after he dismounted, he pulled
a spare shirt from Jasper’s saddlebags and took a knee near the wounded
gunman.
“I’m going to wrap this around your leg to stop the bleeding. How are
you doing?”
“I’m okay.”
Garrett thought the man was playing the part of a tough man and wasn’t
doing well at all. His eyes were beginning to glaze over, and he was
swaying slightly.
He used his big blade to make short work of the shirt and wrapped the
strips tightly around the wound. He didn’t make it too tight because it was a
good forty-minute ride to the Kingman ranch house.
Once he finished his temporary bandage, he helped Trap to his feet and
into his saddle. He took an extra minute to bind his wrists to his saddle horn
just to keep him in the saddle. He wasn’t going anywhere unless it was a
short trip to the ground.
 Garrett was sweating heavily by the time he was mounted and leading
the two horses south toward the Six-Bar ranch house.
Pappy Kingman was a widower with two sons and one married daughter.
He wasn’t that old but had earned his nickname because his hair had
suddenly gone almost white when he was still in his early thirties.
Pappy wasn’t an evil man, but he wasn’t exactly friendly, either. Garrett
wasn’t sure what kind of reception he’d be getting but wasn’t anticipating
any more gunfire.
He soon spotted the herd and some ranch hands at his ten o’clock
position, but the ranch house was off to his right, so he just kept an eye on
the six cowhands in case they had orders to shoot first and identify any
strangers later.
The cowhands must have seen him but stayed with the cattle as Garrett
passed to the west by a quarter of a mile.
When he neared the front of the ranch house, Pappy stepped onto the
porch before Garrett pulled up.
He didn’t say anything when Garrett dismounted, then walked back to
Trap and cut the leather strips that bound him to his saddle horn.
Trap was still awake but needed Garrett’s assistance to dismount. After
Garrett managed to get him to his feet, he looked at Pappy who was just
standing on his porch with his arms crossed.
“You need to take care of your man, Pappy. He has one of my slugs in
his leg.”
Pappy shook his head as he said, “He’s your problem, Shaw, not mine. I
hired him, but as soon as I saw you bringing him in, I fired him.”
Garrett hadn’t expected Pappy to be pleased to see him, but to refuse to
help was beyond his comprehension.
“I don’t care if he works for you or not, Kingman. I’m taking him into
your house so he can have his wound treated.”
“You’d better not set one foot on my porch, Deputy. You shot him, so
you fix him up.”
“Are you threatening me, Kingman?” Garrett snapped.
 “You think you can come onto my ranch and order me around? I’m in
charge here. So, just put that useless piece of trash back onto his horse and
get off my land.”
As if to emphasize his point, his two sons slowly exited the doorway.
They were both wearing pistols and even though they were still holstered,
the threat was clear. Garrett wasn’t afraid but knew it was a fight he
couldn’t win.
He didn’t bother staying to argue but helped Trap back into his saddle
and had to hunt for more pigging strings to lash him down.
After he mounted, he looked at Kingman who wore a smug look of
victory but didn’t say another word before he turned Bourbon to the north
and left the front of the house.
He picked up the pace as he headed for the Circle N ranch house. He
didn’t think that Trap would last as far as Mineral City. He hoped that Dave
Neumann would at least offer to help keep Trap alive.
Dave Neumann wasn’t nearly as ambitious nor as callous as Pappy
Kingman, but he wasn’t exactly a saint either. At least he had a wife to add
some measure of compassion to the home. Dave had a large family, but
Garrett couldn’t remember the exact makeup. He knew that he had
somewhere in the order of eight children. His current wife was his second
after his first had died in childbirth.
When he reached the barbed wire fence, he could have just walked the
horses over the spot that was lower courtesy of Trap’s accident, but he took
a few seconds to dismount and cut through all three wires. After the
fenceposts sagged away, he stepped back into Bourbon’s saddle and
continued onto Circle N land.
He kept checking on Trap as he headed north and wasn’t sure if he’d
make it.
The ranch house finally appeared in front of him and twenty minutes
later, he approached the Neumann’s house.
He’d been spotted more than a mile away, so by the time he arrived,
there was a large greeting party of Neumanns and ranch hands on the porch
and scattered around the front of the house.
 This time, when he pulled Bourbon to a stop, he wasn’t the first to speak.
Dave Neumann loudly asked, “What happened, Garrett?”
“I had a little argument with these two, and the one sitting in his saddle
needs some help. He has a bullet in his leg that needs to come out and his
wound needs to be closed.”
“Those are the two that shot up some of my boys.”
“I know, but Kingman refused to help and pretty much ordered me off
his land. I was hoping that you’d show a little more Christian kindness.”
He could tell that his request wasn’t well received and after almost a full
minute without a response, Garrett knew that he wasn’t going to get any
help here either.
Before he turned Bourbon away, he said, “As far as I’m concerned, you
and Kingman deserve each other. If you two want to shoot it out, go right
ahead, but don’t call me again.”
He set Bourbon to a walk and soon cleared the house and continued
north. He wasn’t sure if Trap was going to last much longer and he was
furious. Granted, the man was probably going to hang anyway, but even the
worst criminals would be given medical treatment before being escorted to
the gallows.
After the ranch house dropped below the horizon, he looked back at Trap
and wasn’t surprised to see him slumped over his horse’s neck.
He pulled Bourbon to a stop, then hopped to the ground and stepped
beside Trap’s horse.
He shouted, “Are you still with me?”
Trap didn’t raise his head at all, so Garrett reached up and patted him on
his cheek but still had no response.
Garrett sighed then pulled his knife, but before he cut the bindings, he
touched the tip of the blade onto Trap’s undamaged thigh. Trap still didn’t
react, so Garrett just left him in his saddle and returned to Bourbon.
He didn’t think that Neumann could have saved him, but Kingman might
have been able to keep him alive. In the end, it really didn’t matter.
 He knew that what he had said to Neumann was nothing more than an
empty threat. He was still a lawman and if the sheriff needed to send him to
the Circle N or the Six-Bar again, he’d do his duty. He wouldn’t go out of
his way to be polite or helpful, but he would do his job.
It was early evening when he entered Mineral City and dropped off the
two bodies with the town’s part-time mortician, who was really just a
gravedigger. He left the town to go to Olive City where he’d be able to send
a telegram to the sheriff.
He was in a pretty sorry mood as he left the small town but shortly
afterward, he realized that he was approaching the home of Gretchen
Mayer. He wondered if she’d had another man move in yet and decided that
he’d at least stop by to ask. After the debacle with Miranda Alvarez, he
wasn’t about to stay the night.
He turned Bourbon and his two trailers down the barely noticeable
access road and saw smoke coming from the stovepipe. He hadn’t eaten
since breakfast and thought that even if she had a new man in the house, he
might be tempted to join her for supper.
He pulled up in front of the house and shouted, “Gretchen! May I step
down?”
Just seconds later, Gretchen popped through the doorway wearing a giant
smile.
“I was just going to ride to Olive City to send you a telegram,” she said
as she looked up at him.
“May I step down, ma’am?”
She laughed and replied, “Of course, Deputy Shaw. Please do.”
Garrett was smiling as he dismounted and tied off Bourbon.
“Why were you going to send me a telegram?” he asked as they entered
her small house.
“I thought you’d be back soon, but when I heard about all that happened
to you in La Paz, I figured it would be a while before you showed up. You
still didn’t come back, so I was going to send the telegram. But here you
are. and I am very happy that you came.”
Garrett smiled before he asked, “Did you find another man yet?”
 “I haven’t been looking; but give it time. Do you want to take him with
you? He’s doing much better now.”
Garrett was confused by her question.
Who was he supposed to bring
back with him?
“Take who back?” he asked.
“Your horse. He’s out back.”
“I gave him to you, Gretchen. Don’t you even ride him?”
“I didn’t want him to be hurt again, so I just ride the strawberry roan.
Besides, you didn’t give him to me.”
“What on earth are you talking about?” Garrett asked as he was still lost
in the conversation.
“Your small buckskin horse. The one you rode here when you left me the
strawberry roan.”
“
Whiskey is here?”
he exclaimed.
Gretchen nodded then took his hand and led him back through the
house’s only door and after turning left, she tugged him to the small corral
where Garrett’s disbelieving eyes revealed his lost friend.
He disconnected himself from Gretchen as he raced to the corral fence.
He was almost in tears when Whiskey tossed his head and trotted to the
edge of the corral.
Garrett began stroking his friend’s nose as he asked, “How did you do it,
Whiskey? I’m so sorry for abandoning you, but at least I feel better for not
shooting you.”
Gretchen walked beside him and said, “He was limping when I first saw
him. I don’t know why he came here, but I recognized him immediately. I
just wrapped some wet towels around his leg and kept them moist for a few
days. His limp got better, and he seems to walk normally now, but I didn’t
ride him.”
Garrett turned to her and said, “I can never thank you enough, Gretchen.
I was heartbroken when I had to leave Whiskey behind. I felt his swollen
leg and thought he couldn’t survive, especially not in this territory in July.”
 “He’s been eating and drinking like he should, so I think he’ll be okay to
leave.”
“Do you need another horse?”
Gretchen laughed before she shook her head and replied, “No, thank
you. The roan is a good horse and I still have my old mule for the dirty
work. I don’t want to care for another one.”
“Well, I’m going to leave you some money to defray the costs for caring
for Whiskey.”
“You gave me more than enough last time, Garrett. Come inside and I’ll
feed you.”
“I was going to ask if you would,” he said as they began walking back to
the house.
“Will you sleep with me this time, Garrett?” she asked as she took his
hand.
“As tempting as it is, I really can’t, Gretchen. I’ll explain when we get
inside.”
“I can make it more tempting if you give me a chance.”
“I don’t doubt that for an instant, ma’am.”
Gretchen laughed again as they passed through the doorway.
_____
Garrett enjoyed his second visit with Gretchen much more than he did
the first and spent most of the time explaining the situation with Madeleine.
She definitely made her offer to share her bed even more tempting as she
prepared their meal, but he was reasonably sure that she understood why he
had to leave.
Before he left to get his horses ready to go, he convinced her to take the
sixty-two dollars that he’d found in Trap and Jasper’s pockets.
_____
After checking Whiskey’s injured leg and not finding any signs of injury,
which made him wonder what had caused his friend to go lame, he mounted
Bourbon but didn’t bother extending the trail rope to Whiskey. His Morgan
buckskin would follow and if he began limping, Garrett didn’t want to
make things worse by dragging him along.
He sat in the saddle as Gretchen looked up at him in the fading light and
said, “Thank you again, Gretchen. I hope you get a better man this time.”
“So, do I. But I think I’m letting the best one I’ll ever meet get away.”
Garrett smiled then waved before turning Bourbon back toward the road.
Gretchen had her arms crossed as she watched him leave, then slowly
turned and reentered her house. When she closed the door, she smiled. It
was such a wonderful dream.
_____
Rollie returned to Yuma after delivering his tax notice. He had given it to
Maureen Gallagher who had greeted him at the door of her parents’ house.
Rollie didn’t have to ask if the Gallagher family was going to attend the
anniversary party as Maureen had asked him if he and the sheriff would be
attending. When he said they both were bringing their families, Maureen
had said that it would be a crowded house with her Irish herd.
Although he didn’t ask about any potential problems with Harry, that
proved unnecessary as well. As he was mounting his horse, Harry
approached and had asked him if Garrett was going to be at the party or if
he was off somewhere. It hadn’t been a friendly inquiry.
When Rollie had told him that Garrett should be there, Harry had simply
turned around and headed back to the house without another word.
Rollie marked his hostility and would mention it to Garrett when he
returned. He had no idea that Garrett was more than sixty miles away when
he turned onto the road. Garrett wasn’t even on his way back to Yuma but
was heading in the opposite direction.  Rollie wouldn’t find out until Friday
morning.
_____
Garrett spend most of that short ride to Olive City looking back to check
on Whiskey. If he had to walk the horses all the way back to Yuma to keep
Whiskey healthy, then he would. If that became necessary, it would take
him a full day to get back and by then, the piano should be in place. He
doubted if he’d be able to make it back before then anyway.
 When he arrived in Olive City, he was too late to send his telegram, so
he boarded his four horses at the closest livery to the hotel and then got a
room. He’d get an early start in the morning. He might be able to shave a
few miles off the ride back to Yuma by going due east, but he wanted to
follow the road. Whiskey may have been able to cross rough ground to get
to Gretchen’s place, but there was no reason to repeat that risk.
It was almost midnight when he finally ended his day. It was a day that
had incredible disappointments yet had ended with a joyful and unexpected
reunion. All things considered though; it was a good day.
 CHAPTER 15
Before Garrett left Olive City in the morning, he did two things: he sent
his telegram to Sheriff Yarborough about what was essentially a failed job
then bought and filled four water bags which he hung in pairs over each of
the two saddled horses. He probably only needed two, but the extra pair
were necessary for balance and would be a good safety net.
He examined Whiskey’s leg before he left and still couldn’t understand
why it had no signs of injury. It hadn’t even been a month since he’d
suffered the trauma, yet it seemed as strong as the other three.
He still didn’t put a halter on Whiskey as he left Olive City. It was later
than he’d hoped and because he still had to ride north to La Paz before
heading east, he wouldn’t be going in the right direction for another two
hours.
He’d water the horses in La Paz and then in Los Posos before making
that long, dry run to Castle Dome.
Garrett continued to check behind him to monitor Whiskey as he rode
north but kept to a slow trot. If Whiskey showed any signs of a limp, he’d
slow down even more. He already decided that if that happened, he’d make
a detour to the Alvarez ranch and ask them to keep Whiskey permanently.
As much as he liked the family, visiting the Alvarez ranch would be an act
of desperation. Aside from the time and distance wasted in the side trip,
there was still his lingering fear of Miranda.
He glanced back at Whiskey again and said, “I hope you’re really up to
this long journey, my friend.”
_____
“Is he going to make it back in time for the anniversary party?” Rollie
asked as he hung his hat on a peg.
Amos replied, “I’m sure he will even if he has to shoot those two
gunmen then Pappy Kingman and Dave Neumann to fix their little range
war.”
 “I hope so. I don’t know Harry Gallagher very well, but after talking to
his mother, he asked if Garrett was going to be there or if he was out on a
job. I didn’t know that he was out of town, but now I almost hope that he
doesn’t make it back. That boy seemed like he might be trouble.”
“We’ll all be there, and I don’t reckon he’ll start anything. Garrett’s
problem is that he figures only Harry can break that engagement without
causing problems.”
“That doesn’t make much sense, Amos. Everybody knows why she
accepted Harry in the first place. Why doesn’t Garrett just tell him he lost,
and have it done with?”
“Aside from the feud it might set off between the Gallaghers and Whites,
which could stop Ellis White from courting Mary Gallagher, Garrett doesn’t
want some angry Irishman lurking around.”
Rollie was about to ask another question when Sheriff Yarborough
entered the office and pulled off his hat.
“How did it go at the Murphy place, Rollie?”
“I was just telling Amos.”
“Well, now you can tell me.”
After Rollie repeated what he’d just told Garrett’s father, they began
talking about potential difficulties at the anniversary party.
Ten minutes later, Garrett’s telegram arrived from Olive City.
After opening the single sheet, Sheriff Yarborough shook his head and
said, “Garrett’s on his way back, but had some problems. The two gunmen
opened up on him, so he wound up shooting them both. Jasper Cooley and
Trap Smith were their names, but neither one of them ring a bell.
“Garrett said they’re out of Phoenix, so I’ll send a telegram to Sheriff
Wharton and let him know. He said that the issue wasn’t resolved, and he’d
explain why when he returned. The good news was that he found Whiskey
alive and well.”
Rollie said, “He’s been in more gunfights in a month than both of us
combined since we put on the badge, Tom.”
 “Maybe not more gunfights, but they sure were a lot nastier. We won’t
learn about this one until tomorrow because he won’t reach Yuma until late
in the night.”
“At least he has a few spare horses this time. I reckon he’ll be taking a
lot of extra water, too.”
The sheriff chuckled before saying, “I wonder if he’s going to buy a
water wagon in La Paz before he leaves.”
_____
Although the party was going to be catered, the Shaw house was being
manicured by Annabelle and her three daughters.
Garrett had planned to be there just to see his mother’s face when she
discovered her gift, but after learning of his new job that would take him
out of town, he’d given his final instructions to Alma.
Alma had visited Frobisher’s Furniture yesterday and confirmed the
delivery time of two o’clock. She spent a few minutes inspecting the piano
and was impressed. It had been polished and looked almost new. She didn’t
know if it needed tuning but was sure that her mother would know if it did.
But today was a day to make room for their guests and remove as much
dust from the house as possible, even though more would accumulate
before the party started.
_____
Harry was helping his father and William as they tossed hay from the
back of the wagon.
“We should buy more when we go to Yuma tomorrow,” Mitch said.
William grunted as he hurled an armful of hay then said, “Won’t we be
dressed for a party and not for work?”
“It won’t matter. They can load it on the wagon for us. It’ll be a full bed
with all of your small brothers and sisters, but we need the hay, and we
might as well take advantage of the trip.”
Harry didn’t say a word. Since he’d spoken to Deputy North yesterday,
he’d been thinking about that get together and little else. He could almost
feel Madeleine slipping away and he knew that he had to do something
quickly. There was almost no chance at all that she would be marrying him
in November.
Harry wasn’t about to face Garrett Shaw. Harry was at least honest
enough with himself to realize that he’d lose in any confrontation. His only
chance was to avoid Garrett altogether and force Madeleine to stay with
him.
Unlike Garrett or Madeleine, he wasn’t concerned at all about what
effect it would have on the families. His problem was his mother. He knew
that his father would endorse whatever path he chose, but Harry was
convinced that if his mother discovered his plan, she’d warn Madeleine.
He just needed to develop his plot soon. He wasn’t about to let
Madeleine go to the Shaws’ party tomorrow. He still didn’t know that she’d
already visited their home.
_____
While Mike, Ellis and Conroy were still working, Madeleine, Sophie and
their mother were making last-minute alterations to the dresses they would
wear to the party.
As much as Maddy wanted to ride her white filly to Yuma, she wished to
impress Garrett even more. She could have ridden and then changed when
they arrived, but the party might be underway by the time they reached
town and she wanted to make her grand entrance.
Kristi watched Madeleine as she adjusted her dress’s seams and smiled.
Her daughter was taking the waist and bust in just a bit to make her figure
more noticeable. Kristi knew it wasn’t to draw Harry’s attention, but was
concerned that it might do just that and precipitate a heated exchange. She
almost suggested that Maddy leave the seams as they were but decided that
maybe a heated exchange was really necessary.
She and her husband had talked at length about the situation. Mike had
finally said that if Harry didn’t break off the engagement soon, he’d tell
Garrett to ignore it and marry Madeleine anyway. They had agreed that
whatever issues it created with the Gallaghers would be a small price to pay
for Madeleine’s happiness.
_____
 Garrett reached La Paz and then after watering the horses, headed east.
Whiskey still wasn’t showing any signs of the injury, so after leaving town,
he picked up the pace to a medium trot. He was pleased to see that Whiskey
didn’t seem to be affected at all. Maybe not carrying any weight helped.
Whatever it was, Garrett was relieved knowing that he wasn’t going to need
to make the turn onto the Alvarez ranch.
He passed their long access road and continued east toward Los Posos.
As it was most of the year in Yuma County, the sun was blasting heat from
its home in the cloudless blue sky. It wasn’t even noon yet and he was
already bathed in sweat. He hadn’t discarded his exploded canteen as he
wanted to impress the sheriff. The .44 that had punched the holes in the
canteen had cut through at a sharp angle before it rammed into the thick
leather. He’d left the bullet in place as well. Bourbon hadn’t shed a drop of
blood, but he knew how close he and his tall buckskin had come to leaving
quite a bit of it on the Six Bar Ranch.
After watering his horses in Los Posos, Garrett finally turned south. He
maintained the steady pace despite his desire to reach Yuma as quickly as
possible. He’d miss seeing his mother’s face when she saw the piano, but he
wasn’t about to lose Whiskey.
But tomorrow, he’d see Madeleine again and the thought made him
smile. He’d need to have a long bath and scrape the thick stubble he’d
accumulated before she arrived, but knew he’d have time to make himself
presentable.
He still wasn’t sure if Harry was going to be there, but if he was, he’d
just developed another unusual plan for dealing with the situation.
It had come to him when he was passing the Alvarez access road and
wondered exactly what was in the letter that Jesus had sent to Mister James.
Garrett didn’t doubt for a moment that Senor Alvarez had been the author.
When he snickered and whispered, “Lawyers,” the seed of his new plot
sprouted.
If Harry arrived with Madeleine and at the risk of Harry breaking
Maddy’s hand, Garrett would approach the couple. He would wait until
there were appropriate witnesses nearby.
 Once the timing was right, he would very formally announce to Miss
White that he was suing her for breach of contract. Madeleine’s reaction
was almost irrelevant, but he hoped she’d understand his ploy.
He’d claim that Madeleine’s verbal acceptance of his earlier proposal
was a valid contract and superseded the one she made with Harry Gallagher.
After making his initial claim, he’d turn to Harry and tell him that he’d be
sued as well for being party to the breach of contract.
He wasn’t sure if he’d actually get a chance to spring his faux lawsuit,
but it gave him something to occupy his mind as he rode south in the
blistering heat.
_____
At one-thirty that afternoon the first step in the Piano Plot began when
Harriet arrived at the Shaw house. She told her mother that she wanted to
ask her advice about her new husband and would prefer to have the
discussion in the privacy of her own house.
After their mother and Harriet left the house, Alma and Beatrice began
moving furniture. They hoped that Harriet had invented a truly salacious
problem that would keep their mother away for at least an hour.
Within five minutes of the scheduled time, the piano arrived, and it took
four strong men to lug it into the house. Once it was in place, Alma gave
each of them a dollar tip, courtesy of her older brother.
After they gave it a final polish, Betty left the house to fetch their father
while Alma guarded the door to delay their mother’s entrance.
Fifteen minutes later, Betty and Amos stepped onto the porch and Alma
asked him to have a seat on the porch swing. Amos suspected something
was afoot but played along.
Annabelle and Harriet turned onto the walkway ten minutes later. Alma
grinned when she saw that her mother was still comforting Harriet who
wore an impressively troubled face.
Betty and Amos stood and when everyone was on the porch, the three
Shaw daughters just stood back and let their parents enter the house first.
When Harriet, Alma and Beatrice walked through the doorway, they
shouted, “Happy anniversary!”
 Annabelle was stunned when she saw the gleaming piano in the corner
of the room. Her hands covered her mouth and tears began to slide across
her cheeks.
She knew instantly who had bought it for her and wished that Garrett
had been there.
She turned to her husband, wrapped her arms around him and kissed him
as she continued to weep.
After a minute or so, she released Amos and walked slowly across the
parlor and opened the cover exposing the keyboard. She closed her eyes as
she slid her index finger across the white ivory keys and inhaled each
wonderful tone.
She opened her eyes then wiped them dry before saying, “Ever since I
saw this piano at Frobisher’s, I hoped that no one would buy it. I could
never have dreamed that it would find a home in our parlor, but here it is. I
am the luckiest of all women to have such a wonderful family.”
Amos limped closer to his wife and said, “I wish I could have bought it
for you, sweetheart. But I’m happy that Garrett was able to fulfill your
dream.”
Harriet, Alma and Beatrice took turns hugging and kissing their mother
before they asked her to play something on her new piano.
“I would rather wait until Garrett returns,” she said then turned to her
husband and asked, “Have you heard from him yet?”
Amos nodded then replied, “We got a telegram from him a little while
ago. He’s on his way back but won’t get in until late tonight.”
“Did he get hurt again?”
“No, dear. He’s fine and even found Whiskey.”
“Really?”
Amos had to take a seat before he explained to his wife and daughters
what little details he had of Garrett’s latest adventure.
_____
Harry was growing more frustrated with his inability to come up with
even the hint of a plan to keep Madeleine from going to Yuma tomorrow.
He hadn’t seen her in days and wasn’t even sure if the families would be
going into town together.
His time to act was growing short. It seemed like no matter which
direction he planned to take; he’d run into a stone wall. He had almost no
money and no place to go if he somehow was able to steal her away.
Harry wanted to scream but knew it wouldn’t help. But his frustration
suddenly evaporated when he changed his entire focus. His initial
assumption that he wouldn’t be able to beat Garrett was only valid if it was
a face-to-face confrontation.
He’d been concentrating on how to prevent Madeleine from going to
Yuma when he should have been devising a way to keep Garrett from
making it to the party.
Once he realized his error, he quickly developed a plan to make it
happen. He would have to put it into motion almost immediately if it was
going to work.
Harry snatched his Winchester, which ironically had been one of
Garrett’s gifts to the White family, then left the house and walked to the
barn. He didn’t care who saw him as he saddled Rattler. He had kept the
name because he liked it.
He mounted his horse and rode to his grandparents’ house. His father
was leaving just as Harry reached the house, so Harry stayed in the saddle.
“Papa, I saw a good-sized mule deer. I’m gonna track him down, but it
might take a while.”
Mitch grinned at his son and replied, “We could use some fresh
venison.”
Harry smiled, waved to his father and turned Rattler toward the access
road.
He’d have to push the horse to get to Yuma before sunset, but he knew
the mare was up to it.
_____
Garrett was making good time and hadn’t seen a hitch in Whiskey’s gait.
He had stopped twice to water the horses and to have two of his tortilla
wraps. He had emptied the jar of filling for the second one but didn’t waste
any water washing it before he stored it in his saddlebag.
He had drained two of his three canteens by late afternoon and still had
more than twenty miles before he reached Castle Dome.
When he’d passed the spot where he’d left Whiskey, he twisted in his
saddle and shouted, “Keep coming, Whiskey! Don’t leave to visit Gretchen
again or I’ll let you stay there this time!”
He laughed loudly as he looked back to the front. He had passed some
traffic headed to Los Posos, but most of the ride remained empty.
Garrett yanked off his hat and wiped his brow with his shirt sleeve
before pulling it back on. The memories of the last time he’d made this
southern journey on foot reminded him that he’d avoided trying to darken
his skin as he had promised to do. He wondered what Madeleine would
think when she took off his shirt if he did let the sun turn him brown.
How he’d gone from almost watching her marry Harry Gallagher to
expecting her to disrobe him was almost startling. At the same time, it was
an immensely inspiring thought. He would have loved to spend more time
in a Madeleine dream world, but he was still a deputy sheriff and needed to
be constantly alert for trouble.
He would never know how close he’d been to being bushwhacked when
he’d ridden down the Alvarez access road. If Alberto Hernandez had been a
hardened man, he would never have had the ability to dream about
Madeleine at all.
_____
Harry had kept Rattler at a fast trot since leaving the ranch and soon
spotted the outskirts of Yuma outlined in the setting sun. He assumed that
Garrett would be in his family’s house, but if there was trouble in town, he
would be the one to arrive. His plan was fairly simple.
After he arrived in town, he’d hitch Rattler in the alley behind The
Western Corner Saloon. He’d fire a few shots from the space between the
saloon and its neighboring building, then he’d step further back into the
alley. He’d wait for Garrett to arrive, make the killing shot then hurriedly
return to Rattler and sneak out of town. No one would even know that he’d
been there.
 That meant that when he reached Yuma, he’d have to turn south and
make his way through the back alleys. He wasn’t well known in town, so he
didn’t believe anyone would be able to identify him even if they did spot
him.
So, before he even reached Main Street, he turned left and then right at
the first alley. He had Rattler walking to avoid attention, but needed to let
the mare water, too. It would be a risk, but a necessary one because when he
made his escape, he couldn’t dally.
He was behind JJ’s livery, and pulled up at the trough next to his corral.
Rattler began to drink as Harry watched for anyone who might spot him.
He was looking west when he was startled to hear a voice behind him.
His heart jumped into his throat, but he remained unmoving for a few
seconds. When he did slowly turn to see who was talking, he didn’t find
anyone. The voice was coming from the livery but there was only one
person speaking. He listened out of curiosity as Rattler continued to drink.
Inside the livery, Javier had just finished a brief conversation with Coke
and was now talking to Rye, whom he had almost adopted.
“Garrett’s father told me that your friend will be returning late tonight
with two more horses. They used to be ridden by bad men, but I will take
good care of them. Garrett had to kill them south of La Paz, but Garrett is
okay. The really exciting news is that he found Whiskey and you and your
old friend will be reunited. I think that Whiskey will join you rather than
making those long rides. I know that you’ll be happy to see him, too.”
As Javier laughed and began to stroke the buckskin, just past the open
back door, Harry realized he’d have to change his plan.
He turned Rattler away and walked him quietly down the back alley.
Javier heard the hoofbeats, but thought it was one of the horses he kept
in the corral.
Harry continued west until the buildings disappeared and still kept going
for another couple of hundred yards before he shifted back to the roadway.
The sun was almost gone when he turned onto the road between Yuma
and Castle Dome. He’d never been on the road before but knew it wasn’t
far to the neighboring town. That meant he had to pick his ambush site
soon. This was all new to him, but Harry was convinced that he could do it.
Even if Madeleine still wouldn’t marry him, Harry had come to despise
Garrett Shaw. Killing him would be easy.
Harry wasn’t a great shot, but he was good enough to hit a coyote at fifty
yards, as long as it wasn’t running.
He soon found a good site for his ambush. It wasn’t perfect, but he
figured with only the light from the half-moon, Garrett wouldn’t be able to
spot him unless Harry stood and waved at him.
He dismounted and walked Rattler behind a nearby rock and cactus
collection that stood on a small hill. He tied off the mare and pulled his
Winchester. He remembered to remove his hat and hung it over his saddle
horn before leaving his horse to get into position.
Harry didn’t want to get too far back from the road because he needed to
be sure of his first shot. If he wounded Shaw, then he’d have to be ready to
fire another shot almost immediately before Garrett could draw a weapon.
There were a number of rocks and boulders on either side of the road
that had been moved by the crews who had built the passage. He chose a
good-sized boulder that was just twenty yards from the road’s edge then sat
on the ground to wait. The boulder was so large, he doubted if it had been
moved. It had probably been here forever.
_____
Garrett was still eight miles north of Castle Dome when Harry set up his
ambush. He had no more water in his canteens, but two of the water bags
still had half of their original levels. He didn’t think he’d need to use them
as he’d soon be able to use the trough in Castle Dome.
The moon had risen by the time he entered town and as his horses drank
from the trough, he filled his canteens from the pump then hung them on
Bourbon’s saddle before dropping to his heels to check Whiskey’s leg.
“I’m impressed, Whiskey. If I didn’t have Bourbon, I might throw a
saddle over your back.”
He stood and laughed before satisfying his own thirst. After wiping his
brow again, he pulled his hat back on and mounted Bourbon to make the
short ride to Yuma.
 He looked at the moon and guessed that it was after ten o’clock, so he’d
be crawling into his bed sometime after midnight. He wouldn’t wake Javier
but assumed that his father or the sheriff had told him that he’d find new
horses in his livery in the morning.
Garrett left Castle Dome in a buoyant mood. Despite his failure to
remedy the tension between the two ranchers, he had at least removed the
shooting element of their ongoing conflict. But he’d found Whiskey and
that made the trip worthwhile. What really pushed his mood into such a
happy level was knowing that tomorrow, he’d see Madeleine again. He’d
spring his little legal plot and see how that went. But he’d also get to see the
joy on his mother’s face as she sat behind her piano.
He may have been somewhat displeased with Jesus Alvarez’ sneaky
method for helping him, but he sincerely appreciated that Jesus had given
his father the means to provide for his family again. He imagined that as a
father, Jesus understood just how important that was to a man.
He was still smiling as he thought of his parents and their upcoming
anniversary while Bourbon took him closer to Harry’s ambush site. It was
dark and he was so close to Yuma that Garrett wasn’t as alert as he should
have been.
_____
Harry had been getting bored and fidgety. He’d been sitting behind the
boulder for almost three hours now and even standing and pacing a few feet
hadn’t relieved the tension. He began to wonder if something had happened
to Shaw on the way back or he’d decided to stay in Castle Dome, which
made no sense at all.
He was beginning to walk back to Rattler when he froze. Harry slowly
turned and stepped carefully back to the boulder. The echoes of sixteen clad
hooves striking the hard ground alerted him to Garrett’s arrival.
He silently cursed when he realized how close he was, but quickly
cocked his Winchester’s hammer and brought it level as he stood behind the
boulder waiting for Garrett to appear.
There was plenty of moonlight as there were no clouds to block a single
one of its rays from reaching Yuma County.
 Garrett didn’t notice Harry’s boulder as it was just one of dozens that
were scattered along the roadway. He was still happily riding south and
expected to see Yuma in another thirty minutes or so.
Harry’s finger was on his trigger as the sounds grew louder.
While Garrett may not have been alert to Harry’s presence, Whiskey
noticed something. He was unencumbered with leather or Garrett, so he had
no other scents to obscure Rattler’s recognizable odor.
Just as Bourbon’s head passed the boulder and Harry prepared to fire,
Whiskey whinnied. While Rattler didn’t respond, Garrett quickly twisted in
his saddle expecting that his Morgan’s injury had returned.
His eyes never focused on Whiskey before Harry fired. The .44 tapped
high on the occipital bone in the back of Garrett’s skull ripping his hat off in
the process.
Garrett collapsed to the ground in a heap as Harry stared at the scene.
He’d done what he’d hoped to do and killed Garrett Shaw, but now he
panicked.
He didn’t check to see if Garrett was dead, but raced back to Rattler,
slammed his Winchester into his scabbard and hurriedly mounted.
He didn’t bother doing anything with Garrett’s horses as it didn’t matter.
All that mattered now was that he returned to the ranch before anyone knew
where he’d been.
Harry calmed down by the time he reached Yuma, so he took the same
back alley that he’d used the first time. He even kept Rattler to a walk but
didn’t bother using the trough again.
He soon left Yuma behind and set Rattler to a fast trot to make his
escape.
The best part of the ambush was that with Garrett’s history of shootouts,
no one would ever suspect him as the killer.
What did surprise Harry as he rode east in the moonlight was that he
didn’t feel any guilt for what he’d done. Before he’d pulled the trigger, he’d
been worried that he might be yellow and failed to go through with it. But
when he watched Shaw plummet to the ground, he felt a rush of
exhilaration that he’d never experienced before.
 The only thing that bothered him now was that he couldn’t brag about it.
But it gave him a new confidence and made him feel like more of a man.
_____
Garrett slowly opened his eyes and felt the burn on the back of his head.
He knew he’d been shot but didn’t bother trying to figure out who had
pulled the trigger. He slowly rolled onto his back and after a minute or so,
managed to sit up.
He searched the ground and saw his hat sitting a few feet away, but let it
sit there while he placed his right hand on the back of his head. He felt the
warm blood but still looked at his dark palm. He knew that head wounds
bled a lot more than similar cuts on other places, but he still had to staunch
the blood flow.
He was already woozy just for sitting up, so he knew that standing would
be difficult at best. He needed help and knew where he could find it.
“Whiskey,” he said in a normal voice.
His Morgan wasn’t very far away and soon trotted close.
He didn’t even have to tell his friend what to do as Whiskey lowered his
head close to Garrett’s chest.
Garrett wanted to kiss Whiskey, but just wrapped his fingers in his
buckskin’s mane.
Once he felt secure, he said, “Okay, Whiskey.”
The Morgan slowly lifted his head, pulling Garrett to his feet.
Garrett didn’t dare to open his hands as the moon and the stars spun in
the sky overhead as he wobbled. He kept trying to focus and soon was able
to keep the moon in one spot.
Once the world had stabilized, he let go with his right hand and turned to
find Bourbon. He hadn’t really developed the relationship with his newer
buckskin, so he tugged slightly on Whiskey and the Morgan began to walk
slowly toward his replacement.
When he was close, Garrett reached for his saddlebags and once he had a
grip on the leather, he let go of Whiskey’s mane and latched onto the
saddlebags.
 He undid the saddlebag’s straps and pulled out his spare shirt. It was
dirty, but he didn’t care as he used his right hand to wrap it around his head.
Once he had it in place, he took a breath steadied his footing and slowly
pulled his left hand from the saddlebags. He carefully tied off the sleeves of
his makeshift bandage before grabbing hold of the saddlebags again.
He spent another couple of minutes without changing his position until
he felt he was steady enough to move. He knew he should have just left his
hat where it was, but he was angry that he’d been bushwhacked and didn’t
want to give the shooter another victory. He knew the man had gone
because he was still alive, and his horses were all there.
He slowly stepped over to the hat and once he was close, he stopped and
looked down. It seemed so far away, yet all it would take would be one
short reach to pick it up.
Garrett slowly bent at the knees and searched for the hat with his right
hand. He touched the hat’s crown, took hold of the Stetson, then gradually
returned to a standing position. It wasn’t a great victory, but he looked at it
as the first step to finding the would-be assassin.
He returned to Bourbon and after slowly stepping into the saddle, finally
relaxed when he felt the stability of the leather seat. He looked at the hat in
his hand before he gently placed it on the front of his head to keep the band
from getting soaked in his blood.
Garrett emptied another canteen before twisting in the saddle once again
and saying, “Thank you, Whiskey.”
His equine friend didn’t reply, but Garrett hadn’t really expected him to
say, “You’re welcome, Wonderful Human.”
He set Bourbon to a walk as he trailed the other two and Whiskey
dropped back to his expected drag position.
Garrett didn’t want to go to the house with his head wound at this late
hour. He’d head for the jail and clean up as well as he could in the back
room. He’d need to see Doctor Spohn early in the morning, but he’d wait
until Sheriff Yarborough arrived. He didn’t expect to see his father as he’d
be staying at home helping his mother finish the preparations for what had
now become a very large celebration.
 When he entered Yuma, the saloons were closed, and the place was
totally silent. His horses created the only noise as he headed for JJ’s.
His head was throbbing something fierce, but he wasn’t dizzy at all and
that surprised him. But he suspected that if he tried to move quickly, he’d
fall flat on his face, so he was determined to take his time.
He walked his horses into the barn and dismounted. It took him almost
forty minutes to strip the three saddled horses. He didn’t arrange the tack
neatly but simply set everything on the floor. He only took his own
Winchester and two of his filled canteens when he left the barn and headed
for the jail.
Garrett entered the jail and stepped to the back room where he dropped
his hat on the floor near the cot. He laid his Winchester on the small table
before walking to the wash basin. After lighting the only lamp in the room,
he emptied one of the canteens into the basin before slowly unwrapping his
bandage. It was bloody, but not as soaked as he’d expected.
He decided to use the shirt as a washcloth, so he dropped it into the wash
basin and began to carefully clean his wound. After a few gentle strokes, he
used his fingers to explore the damage. He’d only felt it with his palm
before applying his shirt-bandage, so as his fingertips touched the back of
his head, he let them tell him how bad it was.
He felt the small crease and was relieved to find that it was barely a half-
an-inch long. It wasn’t even the width of a .44, but probably just caught the
edge of the lead cylinder as it passed. That would explain the lack of blood
and his quick recovery from the dizziness. He didn’t bother putting on a
new bandage before he tossed the bloody water and shirt out the back door.
After blowing out the lamp, he took off his shirt then sat on the cot and
pulled off his boots and socks before laying on his stomach.
As he lay on the cot waiting for sleep to arrive, he wondered who had
tried to kill him. If it had been just a highwayman, which would make no
sense at that hour, he wouldn’t have found his horses when he woke up. It
was someone with a grudge who knew that he’d be making that ride.
His first suspect was Harry Gallagher, but he doubted if Harry had the
temperament to drygulch a man and probably didn’t even know he was out
of town.
 He was still trying to figure it out as drowsiness made rational thought
almost impossible. Before he totally slipped into sleep, he whispered,
“Happy anniversary, Mom and Pop.”
_____
Harry was unsaddling Rattler as the predawn chased away the stars.
He couldn’t make it to his crowded room without being spotted, so he
headed for his grandparents’ house. He still had to be careful as his mother
or Mary might be inside. If they weren’t, he knew that his mother’s parents
were too ill to hear him enter.
Before he stepped through the doorway, he pulled off his boots. He
slowly passed over the threshold and relaxed when he found an empty
room.
He quickly pulled off his shirt and headed for the couch. After setting his
boots on the floor, he curled up on the cushions and breathed easier. When
his mother showed up in a couple of hours to check on her parents, she’d
find him asleep. He’d tell her that he’d returned sometime before midnight
and didn’t want to wake everyone.
He was smiling as he drifted off.
 CHAPTER 16
Saturday, July 24, 1875
The Anniversary Celebration
 
Annabelle’s morning started as most of the days had since she’d married
Amos twenty-five years ago. She lit a fire in the cookstove’s firebox then
filled the coffeepot.
She was humming a cheerful tune that she planned to play on her piano
for Garrett when he finally came downstairs. She expected him to sleep
longer than usual because he’d returned so late.
She was still humming when Beatrice bounced into the kitchen, kissed
her mother then said, “It’s going to be an exciting day, Mom.”
“It certainly will. I’m not sure our house will ever have more visitors
than it will today.”
“I hope not. I’ll start slicing the bacon.”
When Alma appeared before Betty had even picked up the butcher’s
knife, she followed her younger sister’s example and kissed her mother
before saying, “Happy anniversary, Mom.”
Annabelle smiled as she replied, “Thank you, dear.”
Then Alma said, “I hope Garett gets over here before the first guest
arrives.”
Her mother sharply asked, “He’s not in his bed?”
“I thought I’d peek in and tweak his nose to wake him up, but his bed
hadn’t been slept in. I imagine he decided to sleep in the jail because he got
in so late.”
Alma saw the concern on her mother’s face, so she asked, “Do you want
me to go and find him?”
 Anabelle thought about it for a moment before shaking her head and
replying, “Not yet. If Sheriff Yarborough doesn’t send him home in an hour,
then you can see if he’s there.”
“Okay, Mom.”
_____
“Harry? What are you doing here?” Maureen asked as Harry slowly
opened his eyes.
He yawned, then swung his legs from the couch and stretched as he
replied, “I got in just before midnight and didn’t want to wake everybody. I
knew I wouldn’t wake grandpa or grandma.”
“Well, you’d better get back to the house and get cleaned up and
changed. We’ll be leaving in a couple of hours.”
Harry grinned as he stood, then kissed his mother on the cheek and
trotted out of the house.
Maureen watched him leave and was immediately suspicious because
whenever he’d come in late before he’d never been so considerate. If his
relationship with Madeleine had been normal, she’d at least understand why
he had slept on her parents’ couch.
But she didn’t have time to dwell on it, so she turned and headed for her
parents’ bedroom to see how they were doing. She had thought about
staying, but her mother had told her to go and she’d be fine. If it hadn’t
been for Maureen’s concerns about Harry and Garrett, she wouldn’t have
gone.
_____
The White home was loud with chatter as they prepared to depart. Most
of it was cheerful and full of excitement, but there were undertones of
concern about what might happen when they arrived.
Madeleine had hoped that they would make the journey to Yuma
separately, but the timing of the long drive almost demanded that they travel
together.
She expected that Harry would ride beside her family’s wagon which
would make any conversation awkward. Her mother would be driving, so
she would be on one side with Ellie on her lap while Sophie sat on the
opposite end of the driver’s seat. Michael would be in his little box when
his mother wasn’t holding him.
It was going to be a long morning and she prayed that the day didn’t end
in fireworks.
_____
Sheriff Yarborough entered the jail and would be the only one manning
the office this morning. He tossed his hat on the desk before he plopped
down on the chair and began searching for Garrett’s report. He usually left
it on the desk before going home, but when he didn’t find it, he figured that
Garrett hadn’t had time to write it while he was in the field.
He wished that the report was on the desk because he really wanted to
know the particulars of what had happened this time. He knew that Garrett
would tell him at the anniversary celebration, but he was bored already. The
early part of each workday was usually filled with conversation and he
didn’t have anyone to help pass the time. He hadn’t been alone in the office
for a long time and Tom Yarborough was a sociable man.
He leaned back in the chair, tilting it on its back legs and as he put his
hands behind his neck, the chair decided not to cooperate, and Sheriff
Thomas Yarborough fell over backwards.
He crashed to the floor then rolled to his side.
“Damn!” he exclaimed, “At least nobody was here to see me fall on my
butt.”
Garrett may not have witnessed the sheriff’s inglorious spill, but he
certainly heard it.
He stayed prone as he touched the back of his head and felt a large scab,
but no more blood. He sat up, pulled on his boots, but left his dirty socks on
the floor before he stood.
He was buttoning his shirt as he stepped from the back room and nearly
sent his startled boss back to the floor when he said, “Good morning,
Sheriff.”
Sheriff Yarborough popped to his feet and whipped around as he grabbed
his chest.
“Don’t ever do that again!” he exclaimed.
 “I’m sorry, boss. I got in late last night and didn’t want to wake anyone
up, so I slept here.”
The sheriff sat down again then asked, “At least I won’t be so bored. Tell
me what happened.”
Garrett took a seat beside the desk as he replied, “I’m going to give you
the short version because I need to get home, take a bath and shave.”
“You do look like a cowhand after a long trail drive.”
Garrett’s edited report still took ten minutes before he reached the late-
night ambush.
“Let me look at your head,” Tom said before Garrett leaned across and
pushed his nose close to the desktop.
The sheriff examined the wound then both men returned to an upright
sitting position.
“It’s not too bad. But you’ll need to have Doc Spohn check it out. I’ve
never even heard of a nighttime ambush before. Who do you think pulled
the trigger?”
“That’s what has me puzzled. Someone had to know that I was returning
from La Paz last night, but he would have had to come from Yuma because
nobody was behind me. The only one who comes to mind is Harry
Gallagher, but that doesn’t work. He just doesn’t seem the type and I don’t
believe he even knew I was out of town.”
“I’ll agree with you on both points. Whoever it was, you’re going to stay
even more vigilant now. He’ll probably try again.”
“If he tries at night like that again, no amount of vigilance will do much
good.”
“Well, you’d better get cleaned up and head home. I’ll get more out of
you this afternoon at the party.”
Garrett stood then said, “You know, if by the smallest of chances that it
was Harry Gallagher who took that shot, then things could get even more
interesting than we thought.”
Tom replied, “I’ll be sure to be there when they arrive just to watch his
reaction.”
 Garrett nodded then headed to the back room to grab his socks, hat and
Winchester.
_____
The two wagons carrying the two families rolled north with a six-rider
escort.
Ellis and Mary may as well have ridden double as their horses seemed to
be in harness.
Mike White rode on the left side of his family’s wagon next to Sophie
while Harry rode Rattler just five feet away from Madeleine on the right.
When they’d set out that morning, Mike had intentionally ridden on the
right, but Harry had essentially claimed the position as Madeleine’s fiancé.
Madeleine was no longer carrying Ellie on her lap as Katie Gallagher
had offered to mind the toddler and was playing with her in the wagon bed.
Michael was napping in his blanketed crate.
When Harry started chattering away, Maddy was surprised by his
cheerful demeanor. She thought that he’d be sullen and preparing his mind
for the upcoming confrontation with Garrett. She absent-mindedly
massaged her hands as her unconscious mind reminded her of his harsh
grip.
But his chipper mood was so out of character, she wondered what had
triggered it. He was acting as if the four-month delay no longer mattered.
Mixed in with his idle blathering were comments that included many uses
of the pronoun ‘we’. It was as if they were already married.
It was going to be a long drive to Yuma, and Madeleine expected by the
time the town appeared on the western horizon, Harry’s ebullient mood
would be replaced by the snarly one she had first expected to see.
_____
Before he headed to the house, Garrett stopped by JJ’s to talk to Javier,
who had probably discovered his increased barn population by now.
He was sore from the fall, but all things considered, he felt pretty good.
But the nagging question of who had tried to kill him still dominated his
thoughts.
 When he entered the livery, Javier was on his heels inspecting Whiskey’s
legs.
“I don’t know how that leg got better,” Garrett said loudly as he
approached the liveryman.
Javier stood and smiled as he replied, “Sometimes injuries aren’t what
we think they are. How are you, Garrett?”
Garrett slid his Winchester into his scabbard on the floor beside his
saddle as he said, “Sore and dirty. What do you think of the other two?”
“The brown is a solid horse about eight years old, but the black one is
almost as good as Bourbon and Coke. Are you going to keep them?”
“I don’t know yet. Can you do me a favor?”
“Sure.”
“I’m going to head to the house to clean up for my parents’ anniversary
shindig. Can you saddle Coke around mid-day? I may need him for a fast
ride.”
“May I ask why?”
“I was returning late last night and halfway between Yuma and Castle
Dome, somebody took a shot at me. The slug caught me in the back of my
noggin, and I hit the dirt. When I woke up, the shooter was long gone, so I
never got a chance to see him. The only person who came to mind was
Harry Gallagher, but even that’s a stretch. But if it was him, when he shows
up at the party, I imagine that he won’t be sticking around once he sees that
I’m still breathing.”
“I’ll have Coke ready, but I hope that you’re wrong. It would be a
terrible thing to happen on such a happy day.”
“Believe it or not, I agree with you. I’d just as soon work this little legal
trick I came up with to send him packing.”
“You can tell me later. You stink worse than a whole barnful of sweating
horses.”
Garrett laughed then waved at Javier as he left the barn.
_____
 “I’m thinking of sending Alma over there right now, Amos,” Annabelle
said as she dusted the center table again.
“You should have let her go when she offered, but I don’t think you
should worry. If Garrett was sleeping there, Tom would have wakened him
when he showed up. Garrett would have had to stick around for to tell him
what happened, so that would delay his return, too.”
“I suppose, but I’d still feel a lot better if he walked through the door.”
“He’ll be…”
Amos stopped talking when he heard loud footsteps on the porch and
grinned at his wife.
Annabelle had heard them as well, so she quickly hurried to the piano
and opened the cover. She still wasn’t going to play but wanted Garrett to
see the piano keys which completed the picture.
She turned as Garrett entered the parlor and with a giant smile spread
across her face, she said, “Thank you, Garrett. When I saw the piano, I
cried.”
Garrett smiled at his mother, but only stepped a few feet into the parlor.
“I’d give you a hug, Mom, but I really need a bath.”
“Well, you’d better give me one when you’re clean and shaved. What
happened?”
“I’ll explain when I’m human again. Joe Tindall’s crowd will be
showing up soon to start setting up the tables, so I need to get moving.”
“Thank you for the catering, too,” Annabelle said before Garrett hastily
left the room.
As much as he needed to make himself presentable, he needed to tell his
family what had happened, both on the assignment and when he was riding
out of Castle Dome. They had to be prepared for what might happen when
the Gallaghers and Whites arrived.
_____
Harry’s cheerful banter hadn’t changed at all even after the wagons made
the western turn toward Yuma. They still had three more hours to go, but
Madeleine still believed that Harry would change soon.
 As she drove the wagon, Kristi had noticed Harry’s pleasant mood as
well. Like every other adult in both families, she was expecting fireworks
when they entered the Shaw home and Harry seemed out of character.
She couldn’t ask Maddy about it with Harry never more than a few feet
away.
But as they rolled west, she looked at her second daughter and asked,
“How are you holding up, Sophie?”
Sophie replied, “Looking forward to an interesting party, Mama.”
Kristi smiled then raised her eyebrows and with just a quick shift of her
eyes to the left, asked Sophie if she’d noticed Harry’s cheerful demeanor.
Sophie had indeed noticed and had the same questions that her mother
and sister had. She just nodded and shrugged her shoulders.
Kristi nodded then turned her eyes back to the front to resume her
driving duties.
Mike was too far away to hear what Harry was saying over the constant
noise created by the wagon and horses, but he’d noticed Harry’s almost
constant grin with added sprinkling of laughter. His reaction to the oddity
was very different than that of his wife and daughters. He was secretly
hoping that Garrett would wipe that grin off his face when they met.
Mary had told Ellis just after they started riding that Harry seemed
unusually happy since he returned to the house early that morning. But
Mary had noticed something else different about her older brother. He
seemed more confident and had a noticeable swagger about him.
Ellis hadn’t noticed as he’d focused on Mary as he always did, but after
she mentioned it, he watched Harry riding beside his family’s wagon and
his cheerful behavior was obvious even from sixty feet away.
But their discussion had quickly shifted away from Harry to more
personal topics.
Maureen Gallagher was more suspicious than anyone else. After Harry
left her parents’ house, she was only curious about why he’d slept there
rather than in his own bed. But after seeing him before they left, his upbeat
mood shifted her curiosity into suspicion. She couldn’t recall the last time
he’d been so constantly cheerful and the reason for it bothered her.
 On the other hand, her husband didn’t even ask Harry why he’d returned
so late. He hadn’t even questioned him about the mule deer that he was
supposed to be hunting.
The two wagons and six riders continued west and soon each of them
would discover the reason for Harry’s behavior.
_____
Garrett was wearing fresh clothes and was clean shaven as he sat with
his parents, sisters and his brother-in-law. He’d brushed his hair to hide his
small scar, so it wasn’t even visible.
He had just finished his narrative of what had happened at the Six Bar
and Circle N ranches and how he’d found Whiskey. Now it was time to tell
them about the ambush.
“After I passed through Castle Dome, it was already close to midnight. I
was about halfway between the towns when someone took a shot at me.”
Annabelle exclaimed, “
You were shot? Again?
”
“It wasn’t serious, but it hit the back of my head and I fell to the ground.
By the time I woke up, the assassin was already gone. He must have
thought he’d killed me but didn’t bother to check.”
“Who do you think was the shooter?” his father asked.
“That’s what has me bamboozled. It would have to be someone who
knew that I was on the road late that night, and he had to come from Yuma.
Those two criteria eliminate just about everyone I could think of who might
want me dead.”
Alma snapped, “I think Harry Gallagher was the shooter.”
Betty quickly looked at her sister but didn’t say anything as she was
thinking the same thing.
Garrett shook his head as he said, “I’ll admit that his was the first name
that came to mind, but he doesn’t strike me as the type to set up an ambush
and actually pull the trigger. Besides, he didn’t even know I was out of town
unless one of you rode out there to tell Madeleine.”
Amos said, “Nobody outside of Yuma knew you were gone, but don’t
sell Harry short about being mad enough to try to shoot you. You didn’t
think that Maddy was angry enough to race out of town and then accept his
proposal, either.”
“Point well taken, sir. But if it was Harry, we’ll know when he arrives.
That’s assuming he shows up at all. If he took that shot, he wouldn’t have
been able to make it to the ranch until almost daybreak. He might still be
sleeping. If he believes I’m dead, then he doesn’t have anything to worry
about if Madeleine comes to the house without him.”
“I reckon we’ll find out soon enough,” Amos said.
“Tom is probably going to get here sooner than the other guests to get
my full report. If I hadn’t found Whiskey, this would have been a disastrous
job. I had to kill two men to stop a border dispute that was turning into a
range war, but what really bothered me was when Kingman didn’t offer
medical help to the man he’d hired and then Neumann refused as well. Trap
Smith might have died anyway, but for those two callous bastards to deny a
man life-saving treatment was much worse.
“I’m not saying that Trap Smith and Jasper Cooley were good men, but
Trap was helpless, and they refused help. I was so angry that I told Dave
Neumann that he and Pappy Kingman could shoot each other and to not
bother asking for help again.”
“You know you’ll go if there’s more trouble up there, Garrett,” his father
said quietly.
Garrett nodded as he replied, “I know.”
_____
Twenty minutes later, Joe Tindall’s crew arrived to start setting up tables
in the back yard. There were going to be so many guests that Joe had
recommended adding the extra dining spaces outside. There should be
enough shade to protect anyone who sat at the tables.
Sheriff Yarborough had closed the office even earlier than normal for a
Saturday and arrived with his family just before noon.
Rollie North and his family arrived just minutes later as the sheriff had
stopped by his house and strongly suggested that he show up early.
Garrett had to step onto the front porch with the sheriff, Rollie and his
father as the house was already becoming crowded and the preparations for
the party were well under way.
Garrett was leaning against the porch rail as he told the sheriff and Rollie
what he’d just finished telling his family. He added more details for his boss
now that he had the time. While Tom and Rollie both agreed with him that
it wasn’t likely that Harry Gallagher had been the shooter, each of them
hoped that Harry would arrive. It promised to be good entertainment, one
way or the other.
_____
When Yuma appeared on the western horizon, Madeleine had waited for
Harry to make a dramatic shift in attitude, but he hadn’t. If anything, he
seemed even more excited. She may have been curious before, but now she
was almost as suspicious as Harry’s mother. The difference was that she
didn’t know that Harry had been missing for most of the night.
The last forty minutes of the drive were no different than the hours that
had already passed. She had been concerned before she left, but as Yuma
drew closer, Madeleine began to grow more anxious and distracted.
Harry was finding it difficult to restrain his delight of what would soon
happen when they entered the Shaw home. Everyone else who was with
him was expecting to find a joyful party underway but would enter a
sorrowful house of mourning Shaws. He couldn’t wait to watch Maddy’s
face when she was told that Garrett had been killed.
He knew that there was a chance that his body hadn’t been found yet, but
it wasn’t likely. Even if it hadn’t, his family’s worries about his absence
would put a serious damper on the festivities.
Harry didn’t expect to find a single smiling face in the house but would
have to play his part and show shared sorrow. He’d have to comfort
Madeleine, of course.
In addition to his hidden glee over the Shaw family’s grief, he still
reveled in the thrill he’d felt when he’d killed Garrett. He expected it to
diminish as he made that long nighttime ride back to the ranch, but he had
kept it alive by reliving the scene.
As the wagons reached the outskirts of Yuma, Harry was probably the
most anxious person to reach the Shaw residence but for a very different
reason than the others.
 _____
The food had been laid out and the celebration had begun with lively
conversation and sampling of the spread of tasty delights. The full party
wouldn’t get underway until the White and Gallaghers arrived.
There was no one on the porch when the Whites’ wagon turned off of
Main Street followed by the crowded Gallagher wagon. Garrett hadn’t left
the porch with the intention of not being seen by Harry. It was just a matter
of timing as he joined everyone in appreciating the offerings laid out on the
tables in the parlor.
There was so much happy chatter in the house that no one heard the
wagons or riders pull in front of the house.
Harry quickly dismounted and tied off Rattler but before he could offer
to assist Madeleine to the ground, she had quickly clambered down from
the driver’s seat.
It took a couple of minutes for the others to dismount or disgorge from
the wagons, but Harry hadn’t noticed the lack of wailing from the Shaw
house.
Madeleine had hoped that she could avoid having Harry grab her hand
but failed. At least it wasn’t a crushing grip this time as they followed her
parents down the walkway.
Harry was still smiling as he stepped onto the porch, but then it vanished
when he heard someone laugh from beyond the open doorway. He still
wasn’t worried, but he was curious.
He heard Madeleine’s mother loudly say, “Happy anniversary, Belle”
followed by Annabelle Shaw’s expected reply.
Harry entered with his hand still gripping Madeleine’s and it took a few
seconds for his eyes to adjust to the sudden drop in ambient light.
Sheriff Yarborough and Rollie North had been closer to the front door
and had intentionally blocked Garrett from Harry’s view even though
Garrett hadn’t asked them to do it.
Harry had to continue into the crowded parlor to allow everyone behind
him to enter the room and soon reached Sheriff Yarborough.
 Garrett had heard Kristi White’s greeting, so he knew they had arrived
and as he shifted to his right to find Madeleine, he came face to face with
Harry Gallagher.
Harry was in utter shock when his eyes told him something that his mind
refused to believe.
The moment Garrett saw his stunned expression, he knew that Harry had
indeed been the shooter. He only had two or three heartbeats to decide
which direction he’d take.
As a dumbfounded Harry stared at him, Garrett grinned and offered him
his right hand.
“Welcome to the celebration, Harry,” he said loudly.
Harry’s mind was a jumbled mess before Garrett had greeted him with a
smile and an offer of a handshake, but now it was a chaotic disaster.
He slowly released Madeleine’s hand and took Garrett’s.
As he shook Harry’s hand, Garrett felt as if it was almost lifeless.
Harry finally just mumbled, “Okay.”
Madeleine had been focused on Garrett, so she didn’t notice Harry’s
disjointed reaction.
After shaking Harry’s hand, Garrett turned to Maddy and said, “I’m
especially happy to see you again, Madeleine.”
“I’m just impressed that you weren’t riding somewhere in the county
getting into gunfights.”
Harry was still out of sorts as he continued to stare at the man who
should be dead on the road between Castle Dome and Yuma. He seemed to
be totally uninjured.
How was that possible?
With Tom and Rollie listening to every word, Garrett smiled at Maddy as
he replied, “I did have to go on a job Thursday and didn’t get back until
after midnight this morning.”
“Was it a bad one?” she asked innocently.
“It wasn’t pleasant, but the worst part was when I was halfway between
Castle Dome and Yuma late last night. Somebody ambushed me and I’ll
admit that it was a close call.”
 Harry’s growing nervousness was making him sweat more than the hot
and stuffy room did on its own. He still didn’t think that Shaw had a clue
that he was the shooter. But he realized that it would only take a comment
from his mother about his disappearance last night to make him a suspect.
Madeline exclaimed, “
You were shot?
”
Her loud question quieted the room as everyone’s eyes turned in their
direction. Most had already been watching the confrontation anyway, but
now the only ones not watching were little Ellie and sleeping Michael.
“It’s not bad, but I do have to see the doc later.”
Madeleine didn’t care if Harry was standing beside her as she threw her
arms around Garrett.
Garrett embraced Madeleine and as she turned her blue eyes to meet his,
she said, “I don’t care about engagements or anything else. I’m going to be
your wife and I don’t want to wait for November either.”
Garrett was looking down at Maddy, so he didn’t see Harry slowly back
out of the room.
“I love you, Madeleine. I don’t care about social conventions any more
than you do.”
He then leaned down and kissed her to seal their new engagement.
Garrett had totally forgotten about Harry and the ambush when he’d looked
into Madeleine’s eyes.
There was a roomful of smiles as the combined families all watched
them extend the kiss. Even Sheriff Yarborough and Deputy North were
grinning as their eyes remained focused on Garrett and Madeleine.
When the kiss ended the room broke into spontaneous applause and as
Garrett and Madeleine smiled at everyone, it was Ellis who finally noticed
that Harry was gone.
He loudly asked, “Where’s Harry?” and the crowd’s interest shifted once
again as each of them scanned the room looking for Harry Gallagher.
It took just a minute for Harry’s absence to be confirmed.
Sheriff Yarborough said, “I think he just answered your question,
Garrett.”
 Garrett nodded before Madeleine asked, “What question?”
“I’ll tell you when I get back.”
“I reckon he’s already out of Yuma, Garrett,” Tom said, “You stay here,
and I’ll run him down.”
Garrett shook his head before saying, “No, Tom. I’ll find him. Don’t
worry, I’m not going to do anything crazy.”
“I didn’t think you would, but he might.”
“Maybe. I’ll be back soon.”
He kissed Madeleine once more before walking to the foyer and
snatching his hat from the hat rack before exiting the house.
The room remained silent for a few seconds before Annabelle said, “This
is our anniversary party and each of you will enjoy yourselves.”
Amos laughed before he kissed his wife of twenty-five years then asked,
“You’re still in charge; aren’t you?”
“And I always will be, husband.”
There may not have been any more laughter in the room, but the more
subdued party restarted as the Shaws walked to the center table. The only
seriously troubled face in the room belonged to Mitch Gallagher.
Madeleine remained near the open door long enough to watch Garrett
trot away. She didn’t know what Garrett was going to do, but even though
he hadn’t answered her question, she understood why Garrett left.
She said a silent prayer before turning around to find her mother.
_____
Harry knew that Garrett would soon chase after him and would probably
kill him. That firm belief set him into a panic which started a sequence of
errors that no serious outlaw would ever make. He should have realized that
Garrett would have expected him to head for his parents’ ranch and should
have made a right turn when he reached Main Street. But he turned left and
set Rattler to a gallop as he headed out of town which was his second
mistake.
Garrett soon reached JJ’s and without explaining anything to Javier,
mounted Coke before he walked him out of the livery then turned right.
 He didn’t need to ask anyone where Harry had gone when, as soon as he
reached Main Street, he spotted the dust cloud that Harry left in his wake in
his rush to escape.
He had no intention of shooting Harry or even charging him with
attempted murder, although he had certainly earned it. Unlike Yolanda’s
emotional outburst when she’d shot him, Harry had set up to assassinate
him and waited to take the shot.
The reason that he knew he had to be the one who caught Harry was that
he wanted to talk to him. He had leverage now and he still believed that he
could convince Harry that he could have a normal life after he released
Madeleine from her obligation. He didn’t want to have Harry as a
permanent enemy. He may never be Garrett’s friend, but even an indifferent
Harry Gallagher was better than a spiteful, jealous one.
He set Coke to a medium trot as he rode out of Yuma and could see
Harry about two miles ahead and still throwing up an enormous dust cloud.
Garrett suspected he was close to killing Rattler already. The overbearing
temperature would add to the mare’s difficulties.
Garrett wasn’t wearing a pistol but had a spare gunbelt in his saddlebags.
He could have taken it out and wrapped it around his waist, but he knew
that Harry wasn’t armed when he was in the house, so he left the Colt where
it was. He was sure that Harry had a Winchester as his sore head reminded
him, but Garrett still didn’t believe that Harry would use it when he had to
face him. He had his own Winchester ready, but he’d only pull it if it
became necessary.
_____
Harry had glanced at his backtrail just once after leaving Yuma but now
Rattler was breathing heavily, so he knew he had to slow her down.
After he let the mare slow to a medium trot, he began to look for
someplace to set up. He doubted if Rattler could make it all the way to the
ranch after making the long ride to Yuma and then not getting watered after
they reached the Shaw house.
He was still searching as Garrett noticed Harry’s reduced speed and
pushed Coke to a faster trot to cut the gap.
 Garrett understood the enormous advantage he had as Coke was fresh
and well-watered. He wanted to get closer to Harry before he killed Rattler.
Harry may have claimed the mare, but the horse was his first gift to
Madeleine and Garrett didn’t want to see the horse stumble and fall to the
ground.
He was less than a mile back when Harry found a good place to set up
and turned his tired mare to the right and left the road. He walked Rattler
about a hundred and fifty yards across the broken ground and dismounted.
He didn’t even bother tying the horse as he pulled his Winchester and
trotted to a cluster of boulders and smaller rocks. There were a few cacti on
both sides and Harry knew it was as good as he was going to find.
Garrett had seen him dismount and trot to the rocks with his Winchester
and knew that he’d have a lot harder time getting to talk to him. But as
Garrett watched Rattler walk away from the rocks to a patch of grass fifty
yards away, he realized that he may not need to even talk to Harry for a
while.
Javier had hung two filled canteens on Coke’s saddle, and Garrett knew
that even if Harry had water in the canteen hanging on Rattler, it wouldn’t
do him any good now.
He slowed Coke as he drew closer to the point where Harry had left the
road but left his Winchester in its scabbard. He still thought he would be
able to talk Harry into surrendering.
Harry had tossed his hat aside as he watched Garrett approaching. He
was so focused on the man who he believed he’d killed that he didn’t take
time to look anywhere else.
He cocked his Winchester’s hammer and slowly stepped to his left as he
stared to the northwest. He was trying to figure out how Garrett would
make his approach as he kept sliding to his left.
Garrett was just three hundred yards out when he pulled Coke to a stop
then looked at Rattler who was shifting even further away as she grazed.
He was estimating range and looking for a spot where he could be close
enough to be able to have a loud conversation without tempting Harry to
start shooting. One other advantage that he had but never hoped to use was
that he had plenty of ammunition and even if Harry’s Winchester was full
loaded, he couldn’t have more than sixteen shots.
After Garrett stopped, Harry grinned. He was in a good spot but wanted
to move behind the smaller boulder to his left which would be perfect. As
Garrett already knew where he was, Harry didn’t bother moving slowly but
trotted to the smaller boulder as he kept his eyes on Garrett.
He reached the boulder and quickly dropped to a crouch. He was so
intently watching Garrett that he didn’t notice the enormous diamondback
who had a previous claim on the location.
Harry’s sudden arrival into his domain didn’t give the snake a chance to
even send a warning as Harry dropped down just a few inches from the
reptile’s small black eyes.
Harry only realized that the rattler was there when it suddenly flew out
from under the boulder and plunged its fangs deep into his right bicep.
Harry screamed and swatted at the big snake who made a hasty escape
from the human threat. He turned his Winchester away from Garrett and
began firing at the disappearing rattlesnake. His .44s blasted a row of holes
into the dry ground, but none were close to hitting the fast-moving snake.
He was so horrified that he emptied his repeater before he realized that he’d
been bitten.
He dropped his rifle then ripped apart his shirtsleeve and saw the two
bleeding holes where the fangs had penetrated deeply into his muscle.
Harry Gallagher dropped to his knees and began to sob.
Garrett had been stunned when he heard Harry’s scream and then the
rapid gunfire and didn’t have any idea what he was doing until the shooting
ended. He hadn’t counted the number of shots but whatever Harry was
trying to kill wasn’t him.
He set Coke to a medium trot across the open ground and guessed that
Harry had met a rattlesnake. He didn’t know if Harry had been bitten but
even if he had, there was a good chance that he wouldn’t die from the
snake’s poison. Harry was a good-sized young man and if the snake had
recently killed, his venom wouldn’t have been fully replaced. It also made a
big difference about where the snake sunk his fangs. If he bit Harry low,
then Harry’s chances for survival were pretty good.
 By the time he spotted Harry, Garrett found him curled up in a ball next
to his Winchester. He noticed that he’d ripped open his shirtsleeve and
could see a trail of blood sliding down his already swollen arm. Harry’s
odds for living much longer were dropping.
Harry never even looked up as Garrett dismounted and walked closer.
As he neared Harry, Garrett scanned for the snake and didn’t see him,
but noted the string of new holes left by Harry’s bullets.
He dropped to his heels near Harry’s head and said, “Let’s get you to
Doctor Spohn, Harry.”
“Leave me alone, you bastard. I’m gonna die anyway,” Harry mumbled
without even opening his eyes.
“Maybe so, but let the doctor be the one to tell you.”
“You’re gonna see me hanged anyway, so what difference does it
make?”
“I’m not even going to arrest you, Harry. So, quit lying there and let’s
get you back to Yuma.”
Harry opened his eyes and then slowly stood but began to wobble so
Garrett had to grab his undamaged arm. He managed to grab Harry’s
Winchester before leaving the snake’s domain.
Harry took one step and suddenly bent over and vomited.
The rapid onset of serious symptoms told Garrett that the snake wasn’t
dry and probably had a full load of toxin when he struck.
He managed to get Harry to Rattler but struggled to get him into his
saddle. Garrett wasn’t taking a chance that Harry would fall, so he pulled
Harry’s belt from his britches and used it to secure his wrists to his saddle
horn.
He grabbed Rattler’s reins and began leading him toward Coke then
shouted, “Coke, come here,” in what he believed was a vain attempt.
But Coke trotted his way for whatever reason and Garrett soon mounted
his dark brown gelding then headed for the roadway.
He glanced back at Harry who was bent over Rattler’s neck and was
surprised that he was doing so poorly. He’d been bitten once before and felt
bad for a couple of days, but he didn’t recall having such a bad time of it.
The snake who sank his fangs into his leg that day might have been dry, but
Harry sure looked terrible.
Once they reached the road, Garrett set Coke to a medium trot because
he wasn’t sure that Rattler could handle the faster pace.
Doctor Spohn’s house and office were on Main Street, which was a big
help, but he was growing concerned that Harry might not even make it that
far.
By the time he reached the front of the doctor’s house, Harry had
vomited twice more and seemed to have difficulty breathing. His exposed
arm had swollen to the size of his thigh and was a deep red.
After Garrett dismounted, he didn’t help Harry down but trotted to the
doctor’s porch and just opened the door.
He shouted, “Doc, I have a man with a bad snake bite!” then turned and
headed back to Harry.
As he was unlashing Harry’s belt, Doctor Spohn arrived and as he helped
to lower Harry from the saddle, he took a quick look at the obvious location
of the snakebite.
“How long ago was he bitten?” the doctor asked as he and Garrett almost
carried him down the short walkway.
“About forty-five minutes ago.”
“This is a bad one, Garrett,” Doctor Spohn said as they pulled Harry up
the porch steps.
“I know.”
They took him into the doctor’s examination room and laid him on his
back.
Once he was flat, the doctor took a bottle of ammonia to treat the
snakebite and as he applied it, he said, “I’m glad that you didn’t do anything
stupid like try to suck out the poison or put on a tourniquet. Folks who do
that only make everything worse.”
“I didn’t have the time even if I thought about doing them. I’ll go and
tell his parents. They’re at my house right now. Do you think he’s going to
make it?”
“Honestly? I’m not sure one way or the other.”
Garrett nodded before he quickly left the examination room and soon
mounted Bourbon then took Rattler’s reins as he headed for his parents’
house.
He had very conflicting emotions as he made the short ride but wondered
how Harry’s family would react. He hoped that they didn’t blame him for
what happened to Harry. It was possible they might as Harry had only gone
to those rocks because Garrett was chasing him.
As he made the right turn onto Saggar Street, he may have wished that
Harry would live, but wasn’t sure that it wouldn’t be better for everyone if
he died.
When he reached the house, he rode to the back where they had a
hitching rail and a trough so he could let Rattler have some much-needed
water. He had forgotten about the outside tables that were now almost fully
populated.
When he saw all of the faces staring at him, he felt as if he was being
evaluated. He quickly dismounted and led both horses to the trough and let
their reins drop.
The sheriff, his parents and Harry’s parents quickly reached him but
before they could ask a simple question, Garrett put up his hand to ask for
silence.
“I followed Harry out of Yuma and after about three miles, he pulled up
and went off road where he set up with his Winchester.”
Despite his request that they didn’t ask any questions, Mitch Gallagher
snarled, “Did you shoot my boy, Shaw?”
“No, sir. I never fired a shot. Harry is at Doctor Spohn’s right now being
treated for a bad snakebite. When he was setting up, a rattler bit him on his
right upper arm. By the time I reached him, his arm was already swollen.
and he began vomiting. I got him on his horse and brought him to the
doctor’s office. That’s all I can tell you right now. Doctor Spohn asked that
you and Mrs. Gallagher stop by.”
 Maureen said, “Thank you, Garrett. Most men in your position would
have just left him there. He was the one who shot you last night; wasn’t
he?”
Garrett shrugged as he answered, “I’ll never know who took that shot,
Mrs. Gallagher.”
Mitch took his wife’s hand and pulled her away to take their wagon to
the doctor’s office.
Garrett now began to be concerned about Harry’s father, especially if
Harry died.
Madeleine approached him, took his hand and said, “I’m proud of you,
Garrett. I know it was Harry.”
Garrett nodded but couldn’t work up a smile.
Sheriff Yarborough said, “We’ll talk about this later. I think we owe it to
your parents to keep the festivities going.”
Garrett looked at his mother and father and had no problem smiling.
“I wish your anniversary party had been more uneventful.”
Annabelle smiled as she replied, “Nonsense. The only reason we decided
to have this get together in the first place was to have you spend time with
Madeleine. We hoped that you’d finally get past your damned sense of duty
to your family and do something to make yourself happy; not to mention
Madeleine.”
Amos then said, “This celebration may have had a few bumps along the
way, and we almost called it off after we heard that Maddy was going to
marry Harry Gallagher. We hoped you’d come to your senses and we’re
happy that you finally have.”
Garrett still had Maddy’s hand wrapped in his as he looked back at her
and said, “It took too long for me to come to my senses, Madeleine, but at
least I finally arrived.”
“I was hardly sensible myself, sir. If you recall, it was my horrible
temper that created the problem. Let’s just avoid any similar issues in the
future.”
“I certainly hope so.”
 “Let’s get you fed, Deputy Shaw,” his mother said.
Garrett was still smiling as he and Madeleine walked to the table where
her parents had cleared space on the long bench seat.
_____
By the time that Mitch and Maureen entered the examination room,
Doctor Spohn’s prognosis had improved. While Harry wasn’t making giant
strides, he hadn’t gotten worse, so the doctor believed he’d start recovering.
He still didn’t sugarcoat his expectations that Harry still might die but told
them that in his opinion, he would survive.
Maureen thanked the doctor while Mitch had barely listened to him. He
was angry that his wife seemed willing to place no blame on Garrett Shaw
for what had happened to their son.
After the doctor left them with Harry, Mitch growled, “Shaw did this. He
was jealous and did everything he could to stop Madeleine from marrying
Harry.”
Maureen quickly replied, “You’ve got to stop this right now! For years,
you’ve shown Harry preference over all of our other children. I can
understand a father’s pride in his firstborn son, but you need to face reality
now. He’s lying on that table because he tried to kill Garrett Shaw last night
and then tried to escape when he realized that he’d failed.”
“You heard Shaw. He said that he didn’t know who shot him.”
“Oh, please! He said that so we wouldn’t think of Harry as a cowardly
drygulcher. Everyone who was there, including me and our other children
understood that Harry had done it. Did you honestly believe that he rode
away late yesterday chasing after a deer? I realized what he had done the
moment Harry disappeared from the Shaw house. You need to stop thinking
of Harry as your boy. He’s made some horrible mistakes even before we left
Phoenix, and this is the result.”
Mitch had been denying the obvious for years and hadn’t realized just
how much he’d alienated himself from the rest of the family until Maureen
had slammed him with the truth. He turned his eyes back to his oldest son
and saw him as a man for the first time. He recognized his faults and
weaknesses and shifted the blame for what happened from Garrett Shaw to
himself.
 “I did this,” he whispered as he touched Harry’s hand.
“No, Mitch. You didn’t do this. You may have given him a longer leash,
but he made his own decisions. If he’d told you that he was going to ride off
to shoot Garrett and not a deer, would you have let him go?”
“Of course not.”
Maureen didn’t reply but took her husband’s hand. What truly terrified
her wasn’t what Harry had done, but how cheerful he’d been when he
believed that he’d murdered Garrett Shaw. She didn’t believe for one
moment that anything her husband or she could do would be able to change
him into a good man. She suspected that even worse was yet to come.
After a few more minutes, they moved to the two chairs in the room and
waited for Doctor Spohn to return.
Harry wasn’t even semi-conscious. He’d just had his eyes closed since
he’d been laid on the examination table because he was sick and in pain.
Despite his agony, he’d listened to them as they argued and simply
stored it in his memory. He was in no condition to do anything else. But
now he knew he’d live after all. He may not have killed Shaw and he’d lost
Madeleine, but neither mattered now. He needed to recover before he could
even think of what to do next.
_____
After he had explained the incident with Harry, Garrett was telling the
much longer story about his last mission to Mike and Kristi, his future in-
laws. They were hardly the only audience to be paying attention.
Madeleine was beyond just being close as she barely allowed Garrett the
room to take a drink of lemonade when he needed moisture to continue his
tale. There was a crowd surrounding the table and the only sounds came
from those who were relaying the details to those who weren’t close enough
to hear.
When he finished, it was Mary Gallagher who asked, “Harry tried to kill
you last night; wasn’t it?”
Garrett had to lean back and look past Madeleine to see Mary then
replied, “I’ll never know who it was. I’ve made a lot of evil men who want
payback. I wasn’t going after Harry to arrest him. I wanted to talk to him.”
 “Why did he run?” Ellis asked.
“I guess when he saw Madeleine hug me, he was very upset and didn’t
want to stay anymore. That’s why I had to go to talk to him.”
The only ones who heard his second denial of Harry’s guilt and believed
it were under ten years old.
With the storytelling ended, the crowd began drifting away to revive the
celebration.
Mike finally spoke when he asked, “Have you two finally ended this
insanity?”
Madeleine grinned at her father as she replied, “I’m not going to make
that promise. At least not yet.”
Kristi laughed before saying, “You’ll never stop adding spice to our
lives, Maddy. Just marry Garrett and let him suffer the consequences.”
“I’m sure that there are times when I’ll drive him out of our house,
Mama, but I believe he won’t mind.”
Mike quickly said, “Speaking of houses. Are you going to let me build
your new house? I’ve been itching to build one with fresh lumber and real
tools.”
Garrett grinned as he replied, “At least now I can afford to have a house
and a family.”
With perfect timing, their conversation was interrupted when Annabelle
walked behind him with another guest and tapped Garrett on the shoulder.
Garrett twisted in his seat, smiled at his mother then said, “I’m glad to
see that you made it, Mister Pomeroy.”
Walter smiled as he replied, “This is the liveliest party I’ve ever
attended. You sure know how to make things interesting, Garrett.”
“I wish it had been a different kind of entertainment. That being said, I
still haven’t heard my mother play her new piano.”
His mother then said, “You will hear me play shortly. Walter told me that
you delivered an overdue tax notice before you left town, but you said that
the county would give him more time and not to worry about it.”
Garrett simply nodded, hoping for a change in topic.
 “After you left Yuma, he collected most of his household money and
went to the tax collector’s office. They told him his taxes were paid but
didn’t tell him who had made the payment. Are you the guilty party,
Garrett?”
“I had all that reward money, Mom. I didn’t want Mister Pomeroy losing
his home to keep the county satisfied.”
Walter said, “I appreciate what you did, Garrett, but I really don’t even
consider it my home ever since Geraldine died. It’s too big for me and I’ve
been thinking of selling it and moving into an apartment. I could use the
money from the sale to live much more comfortably. I was just telling your
mother that if you’d like to buy it, I’d let you have it for six hundred
dollars.”
Garrett was surprised but realized that it was a fair price and not a gift.
He suspected that Walter may have given a much lower price to his mother,
but she’d insisted that he make it closer to market value.
Garrett stood, then shook Walter’s hand as he said, “Thank you, Mister
Pomeroy. We can go to the bank and handle all the paperwork whenever
you’d like. There’s no rush.”
Walter snickered before replying, “After seeing you and Miss White
together, I reckon it had better be pretty soon.”
After his mother and Walter Pomeroy left so Garrett and Madeleine
could discuss their new home, Garrett returned to his seat.
His first comment wasn’t to Madeleine, but as he looked across the table,
he said, “Sorry, Mike.”
Mike chuckled before asking, “Can I at least build a stable behind the
house?”
“I think a stable is a good idea.”
The renewed joyous mood was tempered when Mitch and Maureen
Gallagher arrived in the back yard and approached Garrett and Madeleine.
Garrett waited until they stopped before he asked, “How is Harry
doing?”
Maureen replied, “Doctor Spohn believes that he’ll be all right, but he’ll
be sick for a week or so.”
 “That’s really good news.”
“The doctor said that if you hadn’t brought him back so quickly, he
probably would have died. Thank you for saving him, Garrett.”
Garrett nodded but didn’t reply to avoid angering Harry’s father.
His concerns were unfounded when Mitch Gallagher offered Garrett his
hand.
As they shook, Mitch said, “I talked to Harry before we left, and I told
him that he was going to start acting like a man and the first thing he was
going to do was to apologize to you and thank you for not sending him to
prison.”
Garrett was stunned but wasn’t about to ask what had driven the change
in Mister Gallagher. He didn’t believe for a moment that Harry would
suddenly change, but at least his father wasn’t going to be a problem.
Garrett simply said, “Thank you, Mister Gallagher.”
Mitch nodded then looked at Mike White and said, “Doctor Spohn said
that we could bring Harry home, so we’ll be heading back now.”
Mike asked, “Do you need any help?”
“Not with bringing him home. William and I will be able to handle
moving him. He can walk, but he needs support. It would help if you could
bring our other children with you.”
“Of course. We’ll be leaving in a couple of hours.”
“Thanks, Mike,” Mitch said before he and Maureen left to find William.
William was hesitant to leave as he’d discovered Alma, who seemed to
have totally forgotten Billy Jenkins. But he made his farewells to Alma and
soon left with his parents to pick up Harry and take him home.
The Gallaghers’ departure seemed to be a signal for everyone to move
into the house.
The parlor was packed as Annabelle approached her new piano with
Amos.
The couple celebrating their silver anniversary turned to the assembled
families and Annabelle said, “I’m going to play a tune on my new piano. I
haven’t played in a long time, so forgive my misplaced notes. The piece
that I’ll play is probably familiar to each of you, and it was the first one that
I learned to play for a particular reason.
“I wanted to learn the piece to impress a young man who had impressed
me. I needed to give him a nudge to let him know that I wasn’t going to
wait for him much longer. I’m sure that you’ll all understand why I feel it’s
even more appropriate now.”
She kissed Amos then turned and sat before the keys and placed her feet
on the pedals.
Garrett was smiling and holding Madeleine’s hand as he watched his
mother. He knew what she would be playing because she’d told him the
story often when he was a boy.
It wasn’t until she’d played the first eight notes before he felt
Madeleine’s hand tighten around his. He turned and smiled at her as his
mother played
The Wedding March
.
Even as Madeleine saw the love in his eyes and her heart and soul were
filled with love for him, she had an underlying fear that she’d never hear the
music as she walked down the aisle to marry Garrett. She tried to mask the
dreadful feeling but wasn’t able to return Garrett’s euphoric gaze.
If Harry had died, she wouldn’t have had the feeling, but the past few
hours listening to his happy chatter as they rode into Yuma now frightened
her. Just as Harry’s mother had, Madeleine developed a sense that Harry’s
true nature was even more different than his outer shell. Recalling his
smiling face while knowing that he honestly believed he’d killed Garrett
almost made her shudder.
Only having Garrett holding her hand and happily looking at her kept her
from screaming.
She would talk to her mother and Sophie on the drive home to learn if
they felt the same way. She suspected that her mother and sister probably
shared her concerns because they had observed Harry’s cheerful demeanor.
Knowing that she would soon be leaving the ranch to move into her new
home with Garrett didn’t diminish her concerns about Harry.
As Annabelle ended her performance with surprisingly few mistakes, the
audience broke into a new round of applause that was as much for her
ability as it was for the significance of the melody.
 When Annabelle stood with a grateful smile, she and Amos both focused
on Garrett and Madeleine.
Garrett suspected that they and just about everyone else in the room
expected him to either drop down on a knee and formally propose to Maddy
or scoop her into his arms and kiss her again.
But even though he wasn’t aware of Harry’s buoyant mood earlier that
day, he sensed that Madeleine was troubled. He wasn’t sure what was
behind her concerns, but hoped it wasn’t because of what had happened to
Harry. It made no sense to him, but neither had her decision to accept
Harry’s proposal. Maybe he didn’t understand her as well as he believed.
Looking at all the expectant faces, he knew he had to at least say
something, so after the applause died, he smiled and cleared his throat.
“When I was just a boy, my mother often told me the story of how she’d
learned to play the piano as a girl and how she had used that melody to
convince my father that it was time for them to marry. She was successful
and I don’t believe my father has regretted it for a moment.”
He then looked at his parents as he continued in a softer voice, saying,
“I’ve lived my entire life with them and never doubted the love that they
shared. It was there through good times and bad. I know that many of you,
including my parents, believed that I was being noble or just silly for not
starting my own family. I’ve been hearing both arguments for years now.
“But it wasn’t even a sense of duty that kept me in our family home. It
was love. I love my parents and sisters dearly and I never saw it as a
sacrifice. I was just returning to them what they had given to me each day
of my life.”
He stepped away from Madeleine, walked closer to his parents and took
each of their hands.
“Thank you, Mom and Dad.”
He kissed his mother’s tear-coated cheek then had to release their hands
as he hugged his father.
After he unwrapped his arms from his father, there was no applause in
the hushed room as it seemed almost unworthy.
 Garrett then turned and looked back at Madeleine and didn’t need to
beckon for her as she stepped to his side and smiled at him.
Madeleine was almost ashamed of her personal worries which were all
because she had acted so impulsively. As she stood beside her future
husband, she vowed never to do anything so foolish again.
Yet even as she’d smiled at Garrett, he’d noticed that she was still trying
to conceal something. He wished that he could have some private time with
her to ask what was troubling her but knew it would be almost impossible.
The celebration was winding down and her family had to leave soon.
They’d be taking the remaining Gallaghers with them as well.
As Madeleine and Garrett stood near the piano with his parents, the
Yuma guests began approaching to make their farewells and thank them for
a wonderful day.
Before he left, Sheriff Yarborough asked Garrett to stop by his house
later to talk. Then Rollie followed with his family.
When Mike and Kristi White reached them, Mike smiled at his daughter
and asked, “Are you staying here, Madeleine?”
She wasn’t sure if her father was joking, but it didn’t matter. She really
needed to talk to her mother and sister.
“No, Papa, I’ll be coming with you.”
Kristi was relieved because she wanted to talk to Madeleine for the same
reason.
Sophie was carrying her young son when she and Conroy made their
farewells. Ellis was the last of the White family, but Madeleine noticed that
it was Mary Gallagher who was holding Ellie.
Maddy knew it was time, so she turned to Garrett and asked, “Will you
be coming to the ranch soon?”
“I’ll be seeing you tomorrow. Is that soon enough?”
She nodded and kissed him softly before turning and following her
family out of the house.
The younger Gallaghers all followed and soon the only occupants of the
Shaw house were those who lived there.
 Soon Harriet and her husband had to leave but before she did, Harriet
kissed her brother on the cheek.
While she was still close, she whispered, “Don’t ever call me Harry
again.”
Garrett smiled and replied, “When I saw you walking down the aisle, I
told myself that you were no longer Harry.”
Harriet smiled and took Wendall’s arm before they left the parlor.
Annabelle scanned the room and said, “We still have a lot of food left
over.”
“We’ll store whatever we can use in the next day or so and Joe Tindall
will be taking the rest with him when he comes to clean up. He’ll be here in
an hour or so.”
“You really have thought of everything,” his mother said.
“I didn’t think of what might happen if I followed Harry. I should have
just let him go.”
Amos said, “No, you shouldn’t have. He might have tried something
much worse. That snake did you both a favor. Maybe his father will be able
to straighten him out now.”
Garrett nodded and replied, “I hope so.”
He didn’t believe it but knew that Harry couldn’t pose a problem for a
few days even if he wanted to start trouble.
But Alma then said, “William told me that Harry slept in their
grandparents’ house last night and when he returned to their house early the
next morning, he acted strangely.”
Garrett turned to his sister and asked, “Did he describe what he meant by
‘strangely’?”
“He said that he was really happy all morning. William asked him if he’d
killed the deer and Harry even joked about missing the shot. When he
admitted to not taking the deer down, William was shocked. He told me that
he expected to be smacked for even asking the question. William said that
he couldn’t recall Harry ever being so pleasant.”
 Garrett began to understand what was bothering Madeleine. If Harry had
been cheerful during the journey to Yuma then discovered that he’d tried to
assassinate him, it would probably terrify her.
As Alma and the rest of his family waited for him to reply, he felt his
stomach twist. Maybe he should have left Harry on the ground with his
snakebite.
Amos finally said, “He thought you were dead and seemed happy about
it. He wasn’t remorseful at all.”
Garrett slowly nodded as he let the revelation sink deeper into his mind.
Annabelle asked, “Do you think he’ll try again?”
“No. He knows that he was lucky the first time and almost died the
second time he tried to ambush me. If the snake hadn’t sunk its fangs into
him, I would have probably had to shoot him. He’ll figure that out while
he’s recovering.”
“You should press charges, Garrett,” Amos said, “You have to keep him
from harming someone else. What if he tries to hurt Madeleine?”
Garrett had already made that leap and was debating about visiting the
Gallaghers tomorrow.
“I’ll think about it, Pop. Harry won’t be any condition to leave his bed
for a few days. I’m going to head over and talk to Tom about it.”
“Let us know what he tells you,” his mother said.
Garrett nodded, then turned and walked out of the parlor.
Alma said, “William seemed more worried about Harry than Garrett
was.”
Her father said, “He has to live with his brother, Alma. If Harry was
smart, he’d hightail it to California as soon as he can ride.”
Annabelle felt as if there was a thick adobe wall keeping Garrett and
Madeleine apart and now it had Harry’s face.
_____
Their wagon had barely left Yuma before Madeleine asked her mother
and Sophie about Harry’s behavior.
 It sparked an intense discussion of his now-terrifying character and the
potential for violence after he recovered.
As Mary and Ellis rode behind the wagon which now carried many of
Mary’s young siblings, she added her own concerns. She had noted Harry’s
oddly pleasant mood that day but was more curious than worried. After his
obvious admission to the attempted murder, that cheerful behavior had
chilled her just as it had Madeleine and her mother.
She had expressed her concerns to Ellis who vowed to protect her if
Harry tried to hurt her. Mary thanked him but knew that she was far down
the list of those Harry wished to harm.
As the two wagons and riders headed for their ranches, the only one
older than twelve who didn’t realize the danger that Harry posed was his
father. Mitch Gallagher believed that his short warning while Harry was
laying on the doctor’s examination table would change him.
_____
Garrett sat across from Sheriff Yarborough and was almost ruining his
already damaged Stetson.
Since Alma had relayed what William Gallagher had told her, he’d been
sliding into a dark mood. It seems that the aftermath of each of his last jobs
was worse than the situations that had required his attention.
Tom understood the reason for Garrett’s sullenness but didn’t see any
problem with solving the issue with Harry Gallagher.
“Garrett, if you don’t want to arrest Harry, then I’ll come down there
with you and I’ll do it.”
“It’s not just that, Tom. I wouldn’t have a problem arresting him, but I’m
still not convinced that charging him will solve the problem.”
“How do you figure?”
“Assuming he survives the snakebite, if I arrest him and return him to
Yuma for trial, we still have to have evidence to convict him.”
“I don’t reckon that’ll be a problem. I figure he’ll be more than willing to
confess if Mister James offers him a ten-year sentence.”
 “I don’t think he will. After what Alma told me, it sounds as if he’s a
much harder character than I thought. He’s just been so good at keeping it
hidden from most of us. If he could behave that way when he thought he’d
killed me, I believe he’ll think that he can convince a jury that he didn’t do
it. I may have made it worse, too.”
“How so?”
“When folks asked me about it at the party, I kept denying that Harry
had been the shooter. I didn’t want to make his family feel bad.”
“That was a very noble yet somewhat useless gesture, but I still don’t
think it will matter.”
“I’m going to take those last two spare horses with me tomorrow. I’ll use
them as an excuse to visit the Gallaghers. While I’m there, I’ll see about
talking to Harry. I’ll need to get a better idea of how his parents feel, too.”
“What did Madeleine think?”
“I wasn’t sure what was bothering her until Alma told me what William
said. She must have been wondering all morning why Harry was being so
nice. Then when she learned that he’d tried to drygulch me, she must have
been terrified.”
“You should marry her tomorrow.”
“Aside from the practical reason that I’ll still have to wait for Mister
Pomeroy to sell me his house, I don’t believe it would help. She’d probably
feel guilty because Harry might hurt one of her family while she was safe.”
Tom exhaled sharply then said, “You’re thinking too much, Garrett. But
it’s your call, so let me know how tomorrow’s visit works out when I see
you on Monday.”
“Okay. But I’m really beginning to wonder if I have some hidden curse
hanging over me. Just when I begin to think that a problem has been
resolved, an unexpected twist makes it worse.”
“I wish I could tell you to take a week off, but I can’t afford to lose you
for that long.”
“I know, boss. I’ll be all right.”
 “You had me close to shedding some tears when you talked about your
parents. Maybe you should talk to them about it. They could probably help
you more than I could.”
“I was going to talk to them when I return, but I needed to get my
thoughts in order first.”
“They seemed to be pretty straight now, so you can head back, and I’ll
see you on Monday morning.”
Garrett nodded then stood and quickly left the sheriff’s house. He pulled
on his hat as he stepped onto the front porch and stopped for a few seconds.
After scanning the peaceful street, he left the porch and soon reached
Main Street’s boardwalk.
_____
After dropping off Sophie, Conroy and their children, Mike took over
driving the wagon to deliver the Gallagher children to their parents.
Naturally, Ellis joined him as he continued to ride beside Mary. William and
Katie Gallagher were the last two on horseback for the short remainder of
the long journey.
Madeleine and her mother were alone in the house as they sat at the
kitchen table. Without concerns that Harry’s young siblings would repeat
what they said, they could finally talk freely.
“Do you really think that Harry will cause trouble after he’s feeling
better?” Kristi asked.
“Don’t you?”
“I do, but I’m not concerned that he’d do me any harm. Garrett will be
stopping by tomorrow, so will you tell him?”
“Yes, but I’m not sure what he can do.”
“He can arrest Harry for attempted murder.”
“I know, but I don’t think he’ll do that. He knew that Harry had been the
shooter but didn’t arrest him when he caught him. He even brought him to
the doctor’s office.”
“You’re probably right, but even before Harry is on his feet, I don’t want
you walking alone without your pistol.”
 “I wasn’t going to be unarmed, Mama.”
After a short pause, Madeleine slammed her clenched fist onto the
tabletop and exclaimed, “This is all my fault! All of it! I almost got Garrett
killed and then created all this trouble. I’m nothing more than a curse on
this family.”
Kristi laid her hand on Maddy’s fist before she said, “At least you aren’t
crying this time. It’s not your fault, Madeleine. Stop looking at this with so
much emotion. Examine it logically. If Harry Gallagher was a normal
young man, he’d be angry and maybe challenge Garrett to a fistfight, but
that would be the end of it. Harry has hidden demons that we never
realized. If you’d known about them, you never would have made that ride
to accept him, no matter how upset you were. Would you?”
“No, I suppose not.”
“Think of how your life would have been if Garrett hadn’t appeared in
the church.”
Madeleine’s frustration and anger slid away as she smiled and softly
said, “I’ll be able to tell that stories to our children.”
“You’ll have a lot of stories to tell them, so let’s start cooking a light
supper after that long and filling lunch.”
Maddy stood and joined her mother as they walked to the pantry.
_____
Mary and Ellis helped Mike unload the children from the wagon then
walked with them to their house. Mike wanted to see how Harry was doing
and get an idea of what to expect when he was mobile again.
He knew that Garrett would be visiting tomorrow and hoped to be able
to give him something that might help the situation.
But his short discussion with Mitch and Maureen Gallagher gave him
little more than an update on Harry’s condition. They told him that his arm
was still swollen but seemed smaller already. He was still feverish and
nauseous but was improving.
He and Ellis soon left the Gallaghers and were disappointed with Harry’s
apparent rapid improvement.
 _____
Garett had explained his concerns to his parents, Alma and Beatrice after
he returned. While they provided him with no new options or suggestions,
their concern and genuine empathy helped to assuage his blue mood.
The tables and excess food had been taken away and the only changes to
the Shaw household were the piano and a healthier pantry.
When he returned to his room after the sun had set, Garrett was still
vacillating about what to do about Harry Gallagher.
He was about to give up and get some sleep when he came up with an
idea that was much more straightforward than the church interruption or his
unused legal plot.
Garrett stepped to the small desk near his open window, opened the top
drawer and pulled out his Colt New Army. He’d replaced it with the 1873
model the year the cartridge Colt was available, but he had kept it because it
was a good pistol. Because he knew that he wouldn’t be using it for a while,
he had kept the cylinders clean and empty.
It was time to load them again.
 CHAPTER 17
Garrett rode Coke out of Yuma early the next morning leading the two
horses he’d inherited from his last job. Both were saddled, but neither
carried any weapons. One of them was draped with two water bags.
He was making good time and planned to be at the Gallagher ranch by
noon. He hadn’t explained what he would be doing to his family before he
left but his father had noticed that his older Colt was in his holster. He’d
just mentioned it but didn’t ask why he had decided to use the older pistol.
Garrett still was unsure of Mitch Gallagher’s reaction when he arrived
and hoped that he hadn’t reverted to his protective father role. He’d find out
soon enough.
It may be Sunday, but farmers and ranchers rarely followed a calendar,
especially those who lived so far from a town. So, when he arrived at the
Gallaghers, he suspected that Mitch and maybe William would be out
working. They could be having lunch, but he’d prefer that Mitch was away
from the house when he rode down their access road.
He’d pass the Whites’ ranch and if someone spotted him, he’d wave but
continue riding. If it was Madeleine, he may have to make a stop to tell her
to stay put but hoped that she was busy in the house.
Ever since he had acknowledged how he felt about Madeleine, he had
become a plotter and planner. They’d become increasingly complex if not
downright silly. That would all end today. It would be the last plan he would
use to deal with Harry, and it was far from complex. He did acknowledge
that once he’d decided on the simple approach, he’d added a twist just for
emphasis. But it was still something he should have thought of at the very
start of the Harry/Madeleine fiasco.
He didn’t waste the time to ride north and let them drink from the Gila
River. He’d just stopped and watered the horses at the intersection from the
water bags before draining one of his canteens.
 After making the turn south, he spotted Ed Runnel riding Lumpy and
waved. Ed waved in return and seemed to be handling camel riding better
than Manny Fletcher. Maybe Manny will let him keep his odd friend.
He soon spotted the White ranch house in the distance and didn’t see
anyone outside yet, but it was a good two miles away.
Garrett continued to watch the ranch and soon caught sight of some of
the family walking from the main ranch house to Sophie’s home. He
identified the visitors as Madeleine and her mother. They entered the
smaller house and Garrett hoped they would visit Sophie and her new baby
boy for a while.
He kept his eyes trained on the house and almost didn’t notice Mike and
Ellis working outside the barn. When he passed their access road, Ellis
waved, so Garrett waved back just as Mike put up his hand.
He kept his horses moving and hoped that Mike didn’t tell Madeleine
that he was heading to the Gallaghers. He trusted that Mike understood why
he was going there first, but there was still that possibility that he’d soon
find Madeleine chasing him.
He had another two miles to ride and checked his backtrail often as if he
was a wanted man with a posse on his tail. He was relieved when he was
able to turn onto the Murphy/Gallagher access road without seeing
Madeleine.
He did spot Mitch and William working on the corral behind the Murphy
house, so that was a break. He’d learned that neither of Maureen
Gallagher’s parents were doing well and wondered what the new living
arrangements would be when they passed on. At least Harry wouldn’t be
moving in with Madeleine.
Mitch spotted him and waved, which was a good sign, so Garrett
returned his wave and continued down the access road.
After passing the Murphy house, he pulled up near the corral and
dismounted.
Mitch stepped outside the corral and asked, “What can I do for you,
Garrett?”
“I’ve come to do some horse trading, Mister Gallagher.”
 “Call me Mitch. You’ve earned the right.”
“Thank you, Mitch.”
“Now, what kind of horse trading are you talking about?”
Garrett was enormously pleased with Mitch’s friendly manner and hoped
it stayed that way.
“I wanted to offer you these two critters and their tack for Rattler.
They’re both good horses and I won’t need Rattler’s saddle.”
“You didn’t have to offer me the horses, Garrett. If you’d asked, I would
have given you Rattler. She belonged to Maddy anyway. Harry almost
forced her to give up the mare.”
“I appreciate it, but I don’t need the horses. They were donated by two
gunmen who insisted on using me for target practice.”
William stepped over to the tall gray gelding and looked expectantly at
his father.
Mitch grinned at the son he’d almost ignored for most of his life then
said, “I think you need your own horse now, Will. Give him a good name.
Go ahead and take them into the barn and unsaddle them. Put a halter on
Rattler and bring her out.”
“Yes, sir! Thank you, Papa,” William said before taking the two horses’
reins.
Mitch exhaled and just watched as William led the horses to the barn.
“I have a lot to make up for,” he said softly.
Garrett asked, “How is Harry doing?”
“He’s a lot better. His arm is still swollen and red, but his fever is down
and he’s not throwing up anymore. My wife was able to get some broth into
him this morning.”
“Would you mind if I talked to him for a few minutes?”
“Go ahead. Maureen is with her parents, but Mary is tending to Harry.”
“Thank you.”
Mitch nodded before Garrett mounted Coke and turned him back to the
adobe house. He’d been surprised that Mitch hadn’t asked him what he
planned to say or possibly do to Harry.
He soon reached the large adobe ranch house and dismounted. He tied
Coke’s reins to the hitching rail and rapped his knuckles on the wooden
doorjamb.
Mary spotted him and said, “Come in, Garrett. What brings you here?”
Garrett removed his hat, stepped inside then stopped a few feet from
Mary and replied, “I just traded a couple of horses for Rattler. I asked your
father if I could talk to Harry, and he gave me permission.”
Mary stepped closer and took his arm, leading him to the kitchen and
away from the mass of young Gallaghers.
Once in the kitchen, she asked, “Are you sure you want to go in there?
He’s still blaming you for everything. I’m almost afraid to go in there
myself, but my mother is taking care of her parents, so I have no choice.”
“I’ll talk to him, Mary. But before I do, I have to tell you something
important.”
Mary glanced at the kitchen entrance before quietly asking, “What is it?”
“Tell William that Alma hopes he visits soon.”
Mary giggled then said, “Harry’s in the first bedroom on the right.”
Garrett nodded then walked out of the kitchen. He wasn’t familiar with
the layout of the house, but there was only one short hallway, so he entered
the passage and made an immediate right turn through the open door.
When he spotted Harry lying on the bottom bunk, he closed the door and
picked up one of the two chairs in the room.
Harry wasn’t even looking at him until Garrett set the chair on the floor
nearby.
Garrett noticed his overall improvement, but he still looked pallid and
his arm was about double its normal size.
As he sat down, Harry snarled, “You got some nerve comin’ here.”
“Your father said I could talk to you, so here I am.”
“You think I’m gonna thank you for takin’ me to the doc? Or are you just
want to ask me to be happy that you’re gonna marry Maddy?”
 “Nope. I have a very different reason for my visit, Harry.”
“You’re gonna arrest me after all. Is that it?”
“No, Harry. I just want to talk.”
Harry glared at Garrett as he asked, “About what?”
“I know it was you who tried to drygulch me that night, but I’m not
going to charge you with the crime. You surprised me, Harry. I didn’t
believe that you had it in you to try to ambush me.”
“Well, you were wrong. I’m a lot tougher than you figured.”
“You’re not tougher, Harry. You’re just sneakier than I figured. You
chose a coward’s way to try to beat me.”
“I’m not a coward!” Harry exclaimed in a low growl.
Garrett narrowed his eyes and leaned closer.
In a deep, threatening voice, he said, “In the past month, I’ve killed six
men. Every one of those men were looking at me as they fired. They
weren’t cowards, and I killed each one of them. They were all better shots
than you, too. Do you think you could shoot me if you looked me in the
eyes, Harry?”
“You’re damned straight I could,” Harry snapped.
Garrett didn’t shift his eyes but slid his Colt from his holster.
Harry’s eyes grew wide as he watched the gleaming metal of the pistol
leave its leather home. He thought that Garrett was about to make him the
seventh man he’d killed in a month.
Instead, Garrett cocked the hammer and then offered it to Harry butt
first.
“Go ahead, Harry. All you have to do is pull the trigger.”
Harry slowly took the Colt’s grips in his sweating hand and after
glancing at the chambers to see if they were filled, pointed it at Garrett’s
face just inches away.
“I’ll do it,” he said quietly.
“Go ahead, Harry. All you have to do is pull back your index finger and
I’ll be dead. You’ll splatter my blood all over the bedroom, but that doesn’t
matter. Not to a tough man like you.”
Harry tried to recall the powerful sense of satisfaction he’d felt when he
believed that he’d killed Garrett, but it wasn’t there.
What was wrong with
him?
This should be so easy, but it wasn’t.
Garrett watched as the muzzle began to shimmy and after it became a
full shake, he snatched the Colt from Harry’s damp hand.
Harry’s eyes were closed as Garrett released the hammer and slid it back
into his holster.
“It’s hard to kill a man when you’re looking at his face, Harry. But
before I leave, I’m going to give you a warning.”
As Harry reopened his eyes, Garrett slid Joe Phillips’ giant knife from its
sheath and flashed it in front of Harry.
“The original owner of this knife used it to stab a town marshal more
than six times. Some of them were so deep that the point of the blade exited
his back. He then used it to do the same to another lawman. I buried him
but kept his knife.
“I’m not bragging about what I did, Harry. I’m just warning you that if I
have to confront you again for any reason, I won’t be using my pistol. I’ll
use this knife, but I won’t be stabbing you. After I tie you down, I’ll drop
your britches and I’ll geld you with this knife. I’ll patch you up and you can
live your life as a eunuch. Do you understand?”
Harry was focusing his big eyes on the enormous blade that Garrett held
just inches from his face as he slowly nodded.
“This warning applies to any bad behavior on your part. If I hear that
you’ve hurt anyone, I’ll chase you to the ends of the earth. You’ll never
have a quiet night’s sleep again, Harry. I’m not giving you another chance.
Either you change your tune, or you’ll be singing like a girl.”
Harry was still nodding as Garrett stood. But before he returned the knife
to its leather home, Garrett tapped the heavy blade on Harry’s swollen arm.
It was just a last reminder, but as he slid the knife back into its sheath,
Garrett detected a pungent odor.
He picked up the chair and returned it to its original location before he
opened the door and left the room.
 He wasn’t surprised to find Mary just outside the door but was unsure of
how much she’d heard. It really didn’t matter.
“I believe that your brother needs to be cleaned up and you’ll probably
have to change the sheets as well.”
Mary smiled and then stood on her tiptoes and kissed Garrett on the
cheek before entering the room.
He waited by the open door long enough to hear Mary tell Harry that he
needed to leave the bed, so she could take off the sheets.
When Harry quietly said, “Alright,” Garrett felt it was safe to leave.
He wasn’t sure if his threat would last, but he’d pay a visit every few
days if he didn’t get any reports from the ranch.
Mitch was still at the corral with William when he left the adobe house,
so he mounted Coke and headed that way. He saw that Rattler was wearing
a halter with a short rope attached.
He pulled up near the corral and stepped down.
“How did it go?” Mitch asked as he handed him Rattler’s trail rope.
“As well as I could have hoped. I thought you should know that I
threatened Harry. I warned him that if he didn’t change his ways, I’d make
him regret it. I won’t go into details, but if he gives you any more trouble,
just tell him that you’ll have William ride to Yuma to tell me.”
Mitch wanted to ask Garrett about the threat but figured it didn’t matter.
After his own initial warning to Harry while he was still lying on Doctor
Spohn’s examination table, Mitch realized that Harry hadn’t changed at all.
He hoped that whatever threat Garrett had used would take hold.
“I’ll do that. Thank you, Garrett. Are you going to take Rattler to
Madeleine?”
“Yes, sir,” Garrett said before shaking Mitch’s hand.
Then he shook William’s hand before mounting Coke.
He turned his brown gelding toward the access road and set off at a slow
trot. As he passed the adobe house, he saw several of the young Gallaghers
but assumed Mary was busy cleaning up Harry’s mess.
 When he reached the road, he turned north. After his brief talk with
Mitch he didn’t believe that he’d be making those recurring rides to the
Gallagher ranch.
As he reached the Whites’ access road, he still hadn’t seen anyone, so he
assumed they were having lunch. Lunches in the summer heat of
southwestern Arizona Territory were usually cold and quick. Full meals
usually waited until the sun retired for the day.
It had been over an hour since he’d spotted Mike and Ellis, so he
expected that they might be leaving the house again soon to resume their
work.
He pulled up in front of the house and dismounted, surprised that he
hadn’t seen anyone yet.
He tied off Coke and stepped onto the low porch then took two long
strides to the open door.
He heard voices inside but not close, so he assumed the family was
having lunch.
Garrett could have knocked or announced his presence, but he decided
on a more direct approach. He pulled off his hat and entered the front room
then continued quickly down the hallway.
Mike was still trying to convince Madeleine not to saddle Maggie and
ride to the Gallagher ranch when they heard Garrett’s loud footsteps.
Madeleine popped to her feet and just as she was beginning to step away
from the table, Garrett almost exploded into the room.
Before she could say a word, Garrett took her hand and pulled her
behind him as he strode quickly back down the hallway with Madeleine
jogging to keep pace and avoid falling on her face.
Mike, Kristi and Ellis then stood and followed but at a slower pace.
When Garrett and his towed fiancée reached the porch, he stopped and
while still grasping her hand with his left, he pointed at Rattler.
He gruffly said, “I brought Rattler back to you, Miss White. In the
future, you will be more respectful of gifts that I give you. Is that clear?”
 Madeleine was bewildered as she stared at the mare and heard Garrett’s
rough voice.
She finally nodded and softly replied, “I promise.”
“Now that we have that out of the way, we need to decide when you’ll be
moving to Yuma.”
Maddy looked at him as she asked, “What about Harry? Won’t he be a
problem?”
“I just had a very nice chat with Harry, and I believe that he’s seen the
error of his ways and will follow the right path now.”
“You talked with him?”
Garrett smiled as he replied, “It was mostly a monologue, but he did
manage a few words before he agreed to behave. I’m sure Ellis will get the
full story from Mary. She was outside the room and probably
eavesdropping.”
“And Harry won’t cause trouble for her or Ellis?”
“No, ma’am. I’m pretty sure that Harry has been tamed. Now I do still
have to buy Mister Pomeroy’s house. Then your father, who is close to
giggling behind us, can build the stables. But we’re not going to wait that
long.”
Madeleine smiled as she asked, “Do you have a date already?”
“For no particular reason, how about Thursday, August 5
th
?”
Madeleine laughed then said, “That’s eleven days away. Are you sure
that you didn’t choose that date at random?”
“Oh! My goodness! I hadn’t realized that it was the same number of days
that you had between your last engagement and planned wedding. Maybe
you’d rather wait until November.”
Madeleine threw her arms around Garrett and kissed him as her parents
and brother stood at the door smiling.
When their lips parted, she said, “I don’t care if everyone believes it’s a
shotgun wedding this time. Eleven days might even be too long for me to
wait. I’m a very impatient person.”
 “Impatient, stubborn and a ferocious temper. Maybe I’m making a big
mistake.”
“Unless you want to see that temper again, Mister Shaw, I suggest you
simply smile and tell me that you love me.”
“I’ve love you, Madeleine, and I’m finished waiting. When I return, I’ll
tell my mother to start planning for another wedding on the fifth of
August.”
As he held Madeleine in his arms, Kristi stepped closer and said, “Tell
her that we’ll all stop by next Saturday to help with the planning.”
Garrett had to take his eyes from Maddy’s dancing blues to look at her
mother and say, “I’m sure she’ll be more than happy to see you.”
After shifting his gaze back to Madeleine, he said, “I wish I could stay,
but I’ve got to get back. I’m going to leave Rattler with you, but if you do
decide to give her away again, I imagine Mary would be a better recipient.”
“I was about to ask you that,” she replied before reluctantly releasing
him.
He shook Mike’s hand and then Ellis’ before kissing his future mother-
in-law on the cheek.
Madeleine wouldn’t let him leave without one more serious kiss which
Garrett fully appreciated.
Before he stepped off the porch, Madeleine said, “You’d better not get
shot again before our wedding, mister.”
Garrett grinned as he replied, “I’m not making any promises, Mrs.
Shaw.”
Madeleine was still smiling as she watched him mount his tall brown
gelding and wheel him around.
He waved to the White family before setting Coke to a trot as he headed
down the access road.
_____
He hadn’t taken the water bags when he’d left the Gallagher ranch but
assumed that they’d be given to the Whites after he’d gone. He wasn’t
concerned about Coke because he’d take his time on the ride back and
water him at the Gila if necessary.
He was very satisfied with the way everything had gone and was
reasonably sure that Harry would cause no more trouble. But he wasn’t
foolish enough to believe that as he recovered, Harry would begin to feel
less threatened.
As much as he hoped that Harry would reform, he had to be ready to
reinforce his warning. He didn’t want to carry it out but knew that it might
be necessary. The bad thing about a threat is that to be an effective
deterrent, it had to be believed. Harry may believe him now, but after a few
days, he might call Garrett’s bluff.
_____
He rode down Main Street early in the evening and was grateful that
there had been so much leftover food from the party. An entire cold fried
chicken would be just about right.
He left Coke at JJ’s without bothering Javier on Sunday and spent a few
minutes with Bourbon, Rye and Whiskey, his non-liquid buckskin friends.
He’d have Mike add a small corral near the new stables to let them get
some exercise. He finished his one-sided chat, then took his Winchester and
walked out of the barn.
When he entered the house ten minutes later, he hung his hat on the coat
rack then leaned his Winchester against the nearby wall before leaving the
foyer and entering the parlor.
He barely passed into the room before he was subjected to a verbal
assault by his parents and sisters.
“What happened?” Amos asked in a loud voice that overpowered the
ladies’ questions.
Garrett took a seat and replied, “I traded the two new horses to Mitch
Gallagher for Rattler. Then after asking his permission, I had a short
conversation with Harry.”
“We figured that much, but what did you tell him?”
Garrett replied, “I’ll tell you exactly what I said because I’m not totally
convinced that it worked. When I entered his room…”
 Garrett didn’t leave out a single word that had passed between him and
Harry. He wanted each of them to understand the warning that he’d given to
Harry.
He didn’t expect to finish without being interrupted and knew when it
would happen.
Amos exclaimed, “
You handed him your loaded pistol and even cocked
the hammer?
”
Garrett smiled as he pulled his Colt and handed it to his father.
“I noticed that you had your New Army with you but didn’t ask why.”
“Go ahead and fire a shot anywhere you’d like.”
Amos noticed that all of the percussion caps were in place and the
cylinders were all loaded, so he looked back at his son and smiled.
“You reloaded those cylinders without any powder; didn’t you?”
“Yes, sir. If Harry had pulled the trigger, he would have set off the
percussion cap and I would have probably arrested him for attempted
murder. Not for pulling the trigger, but for the failed ambush.”
Amos was snickering as he gave the Colt back to Garrett.
Once the pistol was holstered, Garrett resumed the story and soon
reached where he had entered the Whites’ house.
The second interruption came from his mother when she laughed and
said, “You set a date for the fifth of August? I’m surprised that you didn’t
bring her back with you.”
“I actually thought about it on the ride down there, but then I figured that
eleven days would add a touch of irony. Besides, I really did need some
time for Mister Pomeroy to move to his new place.”
“He was very happy to be leaving the house. He said it was simply too
big for him. I think he really needed the money, too. He only wanted four
hundred, but I told him that it wasn’t enough. I hope you don’t mind.”
“I suspected as much. The entire White family will be visiting next
Saturday to help with the planning. I’m not sure if that includes Sophie and
her branch.”
 “We’ll start the process before then. Will Reverend Lofton be
performing the ceremony at his church or will they want Reverend
Pennyworth to conduct the marriage?”
“I don’t believe Madeleine would want to visit the Episcopal church
again, but you still may want to wait until they arrive.”
With his explanation completed, he asked if there was any more of the
fried chicken left, which triggered a mass exodus into the kitchen.
_____
Garrett wasn’t wrong about Harry’s reaction to his warning. He’d been
ashamed while Garrett was in the room, but when Mary entered to clean up
after him, he was humiliated. He hated the feeling but wasn’t about to have
someone run to Yuma to tell Shaw that he had ignored the warning. He’d
bide his time until he was healed but wasn’t sure what he could do. He
knew that whatever option he chose, it would have to be well-planned.
If nothing else, his snakebite gave him time to do his planning. There
was one part of the plan that was already a given: he wouldn’t do anything
to Shaw or even Madeleine. He’d figure out a way to hurt Garrett and
Madeleine both, but then he’d leave this damned ranch and head back to
Phoenix.
_____
Monday morning, Garrett sat before his boss explaining everything from
the time the sheriff left the party until his return as Rollie intently listened
nearby.
Amos had heard it all before, so he could do routine work as his son
spoke.
“You reckon he’s gonna finally figure out he needs to change his ways?”
Tom asked.
“I’m not sure anymore. I was convinced of it when I left him, but the
more I thought about it, the more my confidence slipped. I told the folks to
let me know if anything happened.”
“Alright. Let’s hope he behaves himself. We still have work to do.”
_____
 The first three days of the week didn’t require Garrett to leave Yuma, so
on Wednesday morning, he and Walter Pomeroy went to the bank and
completed the sale of his house. His mother, Alma and Beatrice took it
upon themselves to handle the decoration and cleaning of the house and
made a list of things he needed to buy before Madeleine became the woman
of the house.
On Thursday, Garrett was able to make his promised ride to the White
and Gallagher ranches. He was riding Bourbon this time and was trailing
Coke so he could pick up the two water bags.
Ever since he’d left the ranches, his certainty that Harry would mend his
ways kept eroding. No one had ridden into town to tell him that Harry had
started trouble, but Garrett suspected that he was still laid up. He should be
in much better shape by the end of the week.
He made the turn onto the Las Playa road and smiled when he spotted
Lumpy loping along behind his old house. No one was riding him, but he
was wearing his strange army saddle. Garrett wondered if camels could rear
up and throw their riders like horses. He assumed it would remain a
mystery unless he was able to ask Manny Fletcher.
He was going to ride straight to the Gallagher ranch again, but when he
spotted Mike White riding out of the barn, he turned down the access road.
Mike spotted him, waved then headed towards him. Garrett didn’t
believe that it had anything to do with Harry.
When then were close, Mike asked, “Come to check on us like you
warned Harry?”
“I assume Ellis got that from Mary.”
“Yup.”
“How is Harry doing?”
Mike shrugged then replied, “Physically he’s much better. His arm is
almost normal size, and it seems to be working all right. He’s eating
normally but he says he can’t work yet.”
“How about his behavior?”
“Mary said that he’s polite but reserved. She doesn’t believe that he’s
really changed, but your warning made him avoid causing any trouble. She
told Ellis that William thinks that he’s planning something.”
“That’s what I was afraid of. I’ll head over there in a few minutes and
just say hello. Is Madeleine keeping her pistol with her?”
“She is, but I don’t believe that Harry is going to bother her.”
“I’d still feel better if you kept an eye on her. I can’t follow through on
my threat, even if he hurt Maddy. I may have shown him my big knife, but
I’d never use it on him. Maybe he understands that and that I couldn’t shoot
him if he was unarmed, either. It’s like trying to bluff with a jack high and
showing the other players your hand.”
“I’ve been keeping a watch on her and warned Conroy about Harry as
well. You are going to visit after you say hello to him, aren’t you?”
“I thought a groom couldn’t see his bride ten days before the wedding.”
Mike snickered as Garrett said, “I’ll see you in a little while,” then
turned Bourbon back down the access road.
Twenty minutes later, he rode past the Gallagher house and continued to
the western pasture where he had spotted Mitch and William.
They were putting out the fire that had heated their branding iron and as
Garrett drew close, Mitch let William finish covering it with dirt.
Garrett dismounted as Mitch pulled off his work gloves.
“I’m still getting used to some of this kind of work. I had to have some
quick lessons from Mike. Come to visit Harry?”
“If it’s necessary. I thought I’d ask you how he’s doing.”
Mitch gave him the same description of Harry’s physical recovery that
Mike White had but when he described his attitude, it was more detailed.
“I don’t think that your warning had any more effect than mine did.
Outwardly, he seems to have changed, but he’s more transparent to me than
he is to anyone else. That’s probably because I’ve been his biggest
supporter for his entire life. I think he’s probing to see if I’m still on his
side.”
“I don’t see any reason to talk to him again. Just let him know that I
stopped by. I needed to pick up my two water bags anyway.”
 “They’re in the barn. Mary told us that you and Madeleine are going to
be married on the fifth of August. Ellis mentioned why you chose the date,
too.”
Garrett grinned as he said, “It seemed appropriate. I’m heading over
there now. and I’ll pick up those water bags on the way.”
“Don’t worry about Harry, Garrett. I’ll keep an eye on him.”
“Thanks, Mitch.”
Garrett mounted Bourbon, waved to Mitch and William, then headed for
the barn where he picked up his two water bags and hung them over Coke’s
saddle.
As he passed the front of the adobe house, he waved when he saw Mary
smiling at him as she was framed by the open doorway.
Before he even turned onto the road, he had a gnawing suspicion that
despite Mitch’s claim, Harry still posed a threat to Madeleine.
_____
When he dismounted before the White house, he was surprised not to see
Maddy waiting on the porch. He had waved to Mike and Ellis who were
talking to Conroy near the corral and assumed that Mike hadn’t let her
know he was coming.
He was grinning as he stepped onto the porch and rapped loudly on the
doorjamb as he loudly asked, “May I enter the White house?”
Madeleine soon trotted down the hallway but slowed when she was
closer.
“You’re not armed, ma’am,” Garrett said.
“I’m in my home with my mother, sir. I don’t believe she’s a serious
threat,” she replied before taking his hand.
As they crossed the front room, she asked, “Have you visited the
Gallaghers yet?”
“I did. I thought your father would have told you. I talked to him when I
passed by.”
“He didn’t. I imagine he wanted me to be surprised.”
 When they arrived in the kitchen, Maddy maneuvered him to a chair at
the kitchen table. Her mother was already there filling a salt shaker.
After Madeleine took a seat, she asked, “How was your visit?”
Garrett told them of the conversation he’d had with Mitch Gallagher and
added his own concerns about Harry.
Maddy replied, “I’m not worried, Garrett. After your warning, I’m sure
that he’ll think twice if not three or four times before he bothers me.”
“Just be careful, so I don’t feel the urge to keep making this ride. The
sheriff has given me a lot of leeway lately, and I don’t want to take
advantage of his good nature.”
“Don’t tell me that he’s going to send you off to the far reaches of the
county the day after our wedding,” Madeleine said with a grin.
“All we can do is hope. By the way, Walter Pomeroy’s house is now ours
and my mother and sisters are busy making it ready for us.”
Maddy leaned across and kissed him before saying, “I’m sure that it’ll be
perfect. I would have been happy just living in your bedroom as long as you
were there.”
Garrett glanced at her mother before he said, “I can’t imagine the grief I
would have gotten from my sisters if you had moved in.”
“Don’t tell me that was the real reason you were going to wait until
Betty married!”
“No…well, I’ll admit that it was in the back of my mind.”
Kristi laughed then stood to return the sack of salt to the pantry.
Garrett stayed and shared a lively lunch with the family and was assured
that another visit wasn’t necessary.
He agreed but reminded them to have Ellis ride to Yuma if there was
trouble.
Before he mounted Bourbon, he filled the two water bags, then kissed
Madeleine goodbye.
He waved to his future in-laws, then rode back down the access road
before turning north. Garrett glanced once more at the now-empty porch
before setting Bourbon to a medium trot.
 He had an ominous sense of danger nibbling at his consciousness since
he’d talked to Mitch Gallagher. There was no logical reason for it, but it
was there.
_____
When Garrett and his father entered the jail on Friday morning, they
were surprised to find that Sheriff Yarborough was already there.
As he hung his Stetson on his assigned peg, Garrett asked, “What’s up,
boss?”
“I had a visitor to my house late yesterday. There’s been a killing at the
Circle N, and I was debating about sending Rollie out there this time.”
“I left the mess, so I’ll go. Who was killed?”
“Cal Neumann, Dave Neumann’s second oldest son. According to the
ranch hand that showed up, it was cold-blooded murder, but that’s open to
debate. He already headed back, but he said Dave told him to let us know
that if Pappy Kingman isn’t arrested within three days, he’d take care of
him.”
“This is close to what happened in La Paz with Enrique Alvarez, but I
don’t reckon that Pappy will be as willing to admit to any guilt.”
“I think Rollie should join you on this one.”
Garrett shook his head as he said, “One more deputy isn’t going to make
a difference, Tom. I’ll see if I can at least get to talk to Pappy. If not, I’ll
head over to the Circle N and talk to Dave Neumann.”
“Okay, but at the first sign that they’re going to start shooting, you get
back here. You told them the last time that they deserved to kill each other,
and I’m leaning that way myself. I do not want to hear that you’ve been
shot again. Is that understood?”
“Yes, sir. I wasn’t planning on it anyway. I have a wedding in six days.”
“Just remember that when you reach the Six Bar.”
Garrett nodded, then smiled at his father before pulling his hat from the
peg and heading for the door.
He was soon riding Coke and trailing Bourbon who was carrying the two
full water bags. He also had a second Winchester in Bourbon’s scabbard as
a backup. He wasn’t going to disregard the sheriff’s order, but he wasn’t
about to be cornered by a mob of angry ranch hands.
As he left town and made the turn to Castle Dome, he was grateful that
at least there were no longer any gunmen on either ranch. He estimated the
number of ranch hands on each spread to be about eight to ten. He didn’t
know how many adult sons Dave Neumann still had but even if he only had
daughters remaining, it really didn’t make much difference.
He was much more concerned about Pappy Kingman’s two boys. When
he’d asked Pappy for help with Trap Smith’s wound, those two sons of his
seemed eager to pull their pistols.
_____
Garrett didn’t go as far north as he had the last time that he’d had to stop
the pending range war but turned west five miles short of that point. He
wanted to arrive at the back of the Six Bar ranch house.
After he’d ridden about an hour across the rough ground, he dismounted
and used the water pouch to let Bourbon and Coke quench their thirst. He
overloaded a tortilla with his filling and after wolfing it down, emptied one
of his four canteens.
Satisfied that he was ready, he mounted Bourbon and nudged him into a
slow trot for the final couple of miles.
He soon spotted the big herd of cattle but didn’t see any cowhands. It
was an ominous observation. If they weren’t working the herd in the middle
of the afternoon on a Friday, then they were probably waiting for him or
Dave Neumann’s men to arrive.
This time, he pulled his Winchester and cocked the hammer as he rode
through the grazing cattle. The barn and ranch house were in sight and he
still didn’t see any movement. If they were waiting, they should have
stationed some men at the back of the house.
As he drew closer to the house, he hoped that the reason the place
seemed empty wasn’t because they were already riding to the Circle N.
Garrett set Bourbon to a walk as he neared the front corner of the house.
He’d kept a decent distance from the house in case anyone took a shot from
a window, so when he turned toward the porch, he was a good eighty yards
away.
He hadn’t been met yet, and he was on high alert as he walked Bourbon
closer to the front door. He pulled up fifty yards from the porch steps and
shouted, “This is Deputy Sheriff Shaw! I need to talk to you, Kingman!”
He expected to be met by an angry ranch owner backed by his two gun-
toting sons, but after a few seconds of silence, he believed that no one was
inside. He didn’t know where his married daughter was, but suspected she
was probably inside the smaller house another two hundred yards to his
right. He could ask her where everyone was but figured she’d either lie or
not come to the door.
He hadn’t heard any gunfire yet but released his Winchester’s hammer
and slid it home before he turned Bourbon north and set off at a medium
trot.
If they were already firing at each other, even if they were at the Circle N
ranch house, he would have heard it. As Bourbon carried him across the Six
Bar, he remembered Sheriff Yarborough’s order and wasn’t about to
disobey.
He’d ridden for more than ten minutes when he heard the first echo from
a Winchester. It was immediately followed by a staccato of rapid firing. He
identified the location to be at his one o’clock but wasn’t sure of the range.
Because he couldn’t see any gunsmoke or movement, he knew it had to be
at least three miles away.
He left his own Winchester in place until he had a read on the situation.
The firing soon slowed and after another five minutes, Garrett finally
spotted a cloud of gunsmoke. He rode for another couple of minutes before
he pulled up.
He could see the barbed wire fence, or what was left of it, stretched
across the ground. The two opposing groups of shooters were entrenched
behind assorted rocks, boulders and small hills. He could see most of the
men from the Six Bar but only a few of the Circle N shooters. What struck
him as odd was the distance between them. They had engaged in the
firefight with more than a two-hundred-yard gap between the closest
shooters. He didn’t see any bodies on the ground, either.
 He should just turn around and head back to Yuma, but he wanted to end
this now. He didn’t want to keep returning every damned week because
they hated each other.
He suspected that at least the Circle N crowd had spotted him, but it
didn’t matter. He nudged Bourbon to a slow trot and turned him slightly to
his left as he pulled his repeater.
He kept looking to his right until he estimated that he’d reached the
midpoint between the two lines of shooters then turned in that direction.
He kept his eyes dancing left and right as he watched for any sign of
gunfire. He was still well out of range, but if someone started shooting, he’d
pull up but not return fire.
Garrett was surprised that he wasn’t nervous as he rode into the middle
of the gunfight. He’d have about a hundred-yard-gap on either side when he
reached the closest shooters, but was confident that if they started firing,
they’d miss, but he wouldn’t.
He finally pulled Bourbon to a stop when he was close enough to be
heard.
“Dave Neumann and Pappy Kingman! I want to talk to you both right
now! Ride out here without a weapon in your hands!”
He settled back into his saddle and waited. He wasn’t sure if the two
ranchers would leave the safety of their cover, but he suspected that if one
mounted, the other would. Neither would want to give the other an
advantage.
The shallow valley was like an enormous open-sky mausoleum as he
waited for the two ranch owners to come out into the open.
It was more than five minutes before he spotted Dave Neumann emerge
from a large rock formation. Less than thirty seconds later, Pappy Kingman
rode out from behind a small cluster of mesquites.
As Dave Neumann set his horse to a fast trot, Pappy Kingman picked up
his pace to catch up. If it hadn’t been such a dangerous situation, Garrett
would have started laughing.
Both men pulled up in a cloud of dust at the same time and before
Garrett could utter a word, he was preempted by Dave Neumann.
 He pointed an accusing finger at Pappy Kingman and shouted, “That
bastard murdered my son!”
Before Kingman could start his loud denial, Garrett silenced them both
by pointing his cocked Winchester in their direction.
“Quiet!” he exclaimed, “I’m taking you both back to Yuma and I don’t
want to hear another word from either of you.”
Pappy snapped, “I never…”
Garrett growled, “I said I don’t want to hear a word and I meant it.”
He then shouted, “I’m taking your bosses into Yuma. If anyone takes a
shot, I will shoot them both. If anyone follows me, I’ll do the same thing.
I’m fed up with the bunch of you. I want you all to return to your ranches
and just work the herds.”
He looked at the two seething ranch owners and said, “You will both
remain quiet and turn your horses around. You’ll ride east until we reach the
road. Once we’re on the road, you can tell me what happened in a civil
manner. Now, move!”
They wheeled their horses to the east and set off at a medium trot.
Garrett followed with his Winchester aimed at Pappy’s back because if
anyone tried anything, it would probably be one of his two sons.
He may not have been nervous before, but as he trotted Bourbon twenty
feet behind the two men, his heart was hardly beating peacefully.
It only took another ten minutes to be out of range of the shooters, but it
seemed much longer. He lowered his heavy Winchester and while they
weren’t looking, released the hammer, slid it into his scabbard and just
released his Colt’s hammer loop.
They were still armed, but he’d correct that when they reached the road.
He was still debating about what to do with them. Even if Neumann’s son
had been murdered, it would be almost impossible to prove. If it even went
to trial, it would just be a string of witnesses for either side.
By the time that they reached the road, Garrett was still unsure of what
he would do.
When the two ranchers both pulled up and turned their horses around so
they could face him, he watched their eyes for a few seconds, almost hoping
that at least one of them went for his pistol.
But they simply glared at him, so he said, “I’m disgusted with both of
you, and I’m not even going to bother asking what happened because you’d
both probably lie anyway. You’d have your hands lie, too. I want to hear
what started this feud, starting with you, Neumann.”
Dave Neumann glanced at Pappy Kingman before he growled, “That
bastard has been claiming some my land for years. Now he put up a damned
barbed wire fence and I’m not putting up with it!”
Pappy snapped, “You’re a lying son of a bitch! That fence is a good four
hundred yards on my property. You didn’t have any right to tear it down!
You owe me!”
“You murdered my boy!” Dave shouted.
For a moment, Garrett thought that Pappy was reaching for his pistol and
was about to draw his Colt. But Dave Neumann’s accusation must have
carried some measure of truth because he simply tensed but didn’t move his
hands from his horse’s reins.
Garrett used the brief silence to loudly exclaim, “Alright! That’s enough
from both of you! I should arrest the pair of you for stupidity if nothing
else. Here’s what’s going to happen. I want you both to go back to your
ranches and I am going to return to Yuma. No one will come within eight
hundred yards of that fence for any reason.
“When I get back, I’ll tell the county surveyor to come out here to mark
the exact boundary between your ranches. After that is done, if either of you
wants to put up a fence, then go ahead, but it’ll have to be no closer than a
hundred yards on your side of those markers. I’ll come out and check, so
don’t try any shenanigans.”
“But I’d lose property!” Pappy exclaimed.
“Good grief, Kingman! You’ve got nine sections. At the worst, you’d
lose maybe forty acres. But if you didn’t put up that fence, you wouldn’t
lose any of it. Just leave the markers in place.”
The two feuding ranchers sat in silence for a minute or so as they mulled
it over.
 Garrett assumed they were each trying to figure out a way to get an
advantage, so he put an end to their ruminations.
“The next time I get called to come out here, I won’t be so considerate.
At least one of you is going to jail. Personally, I’d like to see you both
hanged. I was close to having you pull off your boots and walk back to your
ranches barefoot. I still might if you don’t agree to abide by my decision.”
Dave exclaimed, “He murdered my son and you’re gonna let him get
away with it!”
Before Kingman could respond, Garrett snapped, “Quiet!”, then asked,
“Where did this supposed murder happen?”
Pappy quickly replied, “He took a shot at one of my men who was
almost a mile on my side of the fence.”
Neumann shouted, “Those two gunmen you hired shot one of his
friends!”
Garrett was close to throwing up his hands and riding away, but yelled,
“Shut up!”
The volume of his shout startled their horses and for a moment, Garrett
thought that they’d bump which might have ignited a very short-range
gunfight.
He took a deep breath and said, “If he was on the Six Bar, then it isn’t
murder, Neumann. I don’t care if he was trying to avenge what happened to
his friend. You may not like it, but your son was just another casualty of
your feud. It had better be the last.
“Before you leave, I want you each to pull your Winchesters and drop
them to the ground. Then unbuckle your gunbelts and let them fall.”
“I’m not gonna shoot him,” Dave Neumann said calmly.
“I don’t trust either of you. Do what I told you.”
Reluctantly, each man slid his repeater from its scabbard and tossed them
aside before unbuckling their gunbelts and letting gravity pull them onto the
road.
“Now head back to your ranches. If you want to collect your guns, visit
the sheriff’s office. Expect to see the survey crew out here in a couple of
days.”
Each ranch owner looked at him for a few seconds before turning away
from the road and riding west. Garrett watched them until they began
separating. When they were a good hundred yards apart, he dismounted and
collected their guns.
Before he stored them on Coke, he emptied the Winchesters and wasn’t
surprised to find that neither had been fired.
It was early afternoon when he started back. He’d reach Yuma well
before sunset which was a lot sooner than he had anticipated. He would be
surprised if Dave Neumann didn’t try to extract some form of revenge for
his son’s death, but that was a future problem. He had a wedding in a few
days, and that was much more important.
His other problem was even more critical. He was convinced that Harry
Gallagher was going to do something to stop the wedding if he could.
_____
Harry was close to full strength but acted as if he was still suffering. He
had decided that if he really wanted to cause havoc with Garrett Shaw, it
didn’t matter what happened to Madeleine. It was possible that she would
even die, but it was just a question of fate.
He really didn’t have to do much before he carried out his new plan. It
was simplicity itself.
After everyone else was sleeping, he’d take some food and the
household cash then leave the house. He’d go to his grandparents’ barn
where he’d slept the first few months that they’d lived here and saddle one
of the new horses.
He’d take the lamp from the barn and ride to the White’s ranch where
he’d use the kerosene from the lamp to set their house ablaze. The used pine
wood from the ghost town that Mike White had used to build his house
would burn quickly.
As soon as the fire was started, he’d mount and race away from the
ranch. He knew that they’d know he’d done it, but he didn’t care. He’d ride
to Phoenix and his good pal Joe Harris would help him out. It was out of
Shaw’s jurisdiction, and he didn’t believe that the Maricopa sheriff would
even bother looking for him.
It was such a simple plan that it couldn’t fail. His only wish was that he
could be there when Shaw was told what had happened.
_____
Garrett reached Yuma well before sunset and after dropping off the
excess guns in the jail, he headed for JJ’s where he left Bourbon and Coke.
As he walked home, he smiled knowing that in a few weeks, he’d be
stabling his friends behind the house he’d be sharing with Madeleine. When
he’d ridden out of town that morning, one of his concerns was that he
wouldn’t be back before Madeleine and her family arrived to plan for the
wedding on Thursday.
Amos was surprised that he’d returned already but was relieved that
Garrett didn’t have any red blotches on his clothes.
“How did it go?” he asked as Garrett hung his hat.
“The two sides were in position near the fence line and were firing at
about two hundred yards. I sent them home and had a chat with Neumann
and Kingman. I doubt if they’ll become good chums, but it’ll be quiet for a
week or so. Remind me to visit the county surveyor tomorrow.”
Annabelle, Alma and Betty entered the parlor and his mother said, “You
can give us the details in the kitchen while you eat your dinner, Deputy.”
“Yes, ma’am,” he replied before kissing his mother and two sisters.
They moved to the kitchen where Garrett fed his stomach at the same
time that he fed the information to his family.
_____
The sun had been down for three hours when Harry slipped quietly out
of his room. He silently entered the kitchen and after taking the thirty-two
dollars of household money, he filled a burlap sack with some food that
would get him to Phoenix and snuck out of the house.
Once outside, he was able to move much faster and soon entered the
barn. He snickered as he saddled Rattler. Ellis had brought the mare back to
the ranch as a gift to Mary. Now the horse would be his getaway mount.
 He slid his Winchester into the scabbard then hung two full canteens and
the sack of food on the saddle. He picked up the lamp, shook it to make
sure it had enough kerosene, then mounted Rattler.
He walked the mare out of the barn and swung northwest to give his
grandparents’ house a good-sized gap. He doubted if they would hear him
but didn’t want to risk having his plan jeopardized before he struck the
match.
Once he was a few hundred yards north of the house, he picked up the
pace. There was just a sliver of moon overhead, but the band of the Milky
Way provided more than enough light. He giggled when he thought of how
much light he’d be creating.
It was normally a forty-minute ride, but he had to avoid obstacles as he
made his way onto the White ranch, so it took more than an hour before he
spotted the shadow of their barn ahead.
He'd dismount near the corral, then quickly walk to the house another
hundred yards away. A splash of kerosene and then a toss of a lit match
then he’d hurry back to Rattler. By the time he was in the saddle, the house
should already be an inferno. He figured that setting the fire on the front
porch would have the best chance of trapping anyone inside. He imagined
that at least one of the Whites would escape. Harry was hoping that it would
be the father. He’d be alive to realize that he’d lost his whole family, his
house and his ranch.
Once he’d accepted that Madeleine might not survive the blaze, he
realized that he wished she didn’t make it at all. If she lived, then she would
still be able to marry Shaw, and that was unacceptable. If she died, then
Garrett Shaw would be just as miserable as Mike White.
As he approached the corral, he slowed Rattler to a walk to minimize
what little sound she was making. He soon pulled the mare to a stop,
dismounted and tied her on the corral’s top rail before taking the kerosene
lamp from the saddle horn.
He pulled a match from his shirt pocket and just before he started
walking to the house, he decided that it would be smarter to leave his hat on
the saddle rather than risk losing it when he raced back.
 Harry unscrewed the cap from the lamp and tossed it into the corral. He
wasn’t going to need it anymore.
The scent of the coal oil irritated the nearby horses who had been
awakened with Rattler’s arrival. Madeleine’s filly snorted and trotted to the
other side of the corral as Harry began to move. Windy whinnied and
followed her which caused a chain reaction from the other three horses and
two mules.
Harry didn’t pay any attention as he slowly stepped away.
Inside the house, Mike’s eyelids popped open. He’d had difficulty
sleeping the last few nights and the noise from the disturbed horses was
enough to wake him.
He glanced at Kristi who was sound asleep, then slid from the bed and
left their bedroom. He turned left and when he reached the front room, he
grabbed his Winchester from the gun rack and cocked the hammer.
“Damned coyotes,” he mumbled as he headed for the door.
A pack of coyotes had given up on the cattle and had shifted their
attention to the family’s chickens. The birds usually stayed near the barn, so
Mike suspected that the predators had chased the chickens close to the
corral and disturbed the horses. It wouldn’t be the first time.
He was barefoot and only wearing his underpants when he stepped onto
the porch just as Harry was about twenty yards from the house.
Mike’s eyes were already adjusted to the low light, so when he reached
the edge of the porch to search for the coyotes, he was startled to see a very
different shape walking straight towards him.
He pulled his Winchester level and shouted, “What are you doing?”
Harry was startled and dropped the lamp. As kerosene splashed onto the
ground, he whipped around and raced back to the corral.
It took Mike two heartbeats to realize who he was and what he was
planning to do. His anger exploded as he aimed at Harry as he sprinted
away. He knew he should fire, but as much as he wanted to put a slug into
Harry’s back, he found that he couldn’t shoot him. If Harry turned to fire,
Mike wouldn’t hesitate, but that wasn’t the case.
 He knew that he’d still be justified for shooting Harry, but he still drew
the line at shooting a man in the back.
Instead, he kept his sights on Harry as he hurriedly mounted and then
rode away heading south.
His shout had awakened the rest of his family, so by the time he released
his Winchester’s hammer and lowered the repeater, Madeleine, Ellis and
Kristi had all stepped onto the porch.
“What happened?” his wife asked.
He quietly replied, “Harry was going to burn the house down.”
Ellis asked, “You didn’t shoot him?”
“I couldn’t. He was running away, and I couldn’t shoot him in the back.”
Kristi laid her hand on her husband’s bare shoulder and said, “You did
the right thing, Mike. You protected your family but didn’t lose your head
or your soul.”
The family stayed on the porch for a few more minutes before Mike said,
“I may as well get dressed.”
Kristi said, “I’ll start the cookstove and begin making breakfast.”
“I’ll stay here in case he comes back,” Ellis said.
Mike nodded and handed his Winchester to his son and patted him on the
shoulder before he walked back into the house with his wife.
Maddy looked into the darkness and said, “And to think I almost married
that man.”
“But you didn’t and you’re marrying one of the best on Thursday.”
Madeleine just shivered at the thought of what had almost happened
before she turned and reentered the house.
_____
After his mad escape to the south, Harry had slowed Rattler and turned
her east while he was still on the White ranch.
In his panic, he’d knocked his hat off of the saddle horn and was now
bareheaded as he headed for the roadway.
 He was initially irritated, but then appreciated having the cool night air
flowing through his hair. There was a good breeze coming from the north
and when he reached the road, Rattler’s speed added to the cooling effect.
Despite his plan’s failure, he felt liberated knowing that he was now free
of his annoying family. He’d get to Phoenix where he and Joe Harris could
do whatever they wanted.
He looked at the White house as he passed but it was too dark to see
anyone, which was just as well. He’d be out of Yuma County before anyone
notified Shaw.
As he rode north, he didn’t notice the increasing wind speed that was
already picking up some sand and hurling it south.
Harry soon reached the intersection and turned east on the road to
Phoenix. It was a long ride of almost two hundred miles, but he’d stop at a
few towns on the way. He knew that he had to pass through the narrow part
of the Gila Desert before he left Yuma County. But he should be through it
before daybreak. Once he was on the other side, he’d be safe.
He’d been riding for more than two hours when he finally appreciated
the growing sting of blowing sand on the left side of his face. Until then, he
figured it was just a nuisance.
He couldn’t look to the north or risk being blinded, so now the loss of his
hat was much more important.
He closed his left eye as the wind picked up speed and Rattler kept her
head turned away as much as she could to avoid the pain.
Harry continued on the road for another twenty minutes, but as the
sandstorm intensified, he lost sight of the roadway and Rattler began
drifting south with the wind.
The mare was soon walking due south into the Gila Desert to keep the
sand from her face. Harry was fighting to keep even one eye open as dust
and sand whipped in front of his face.
He should have just pulled up and waited for the storm to blow out, but
he didn’t. Even though he now had the wind at his back which should have
given him a clue about his direction, he still believed that he was on the
road to Phoenix.
 He rode with that roaring wind at his back for another hour before he
finally pulled Rattler to a stop and dismounted. He had his head down and
his eyes closed as his hands searched for one of his canteens.
Once he pulled it from the saddle, he unscrewed the cap and kept his
eyes tightly shut as he drank more than half of its contents.
He then used his left hand to find the saddle but waved through empty
air. He put his hand beside his left eye and opened it only to find that Rattler
wasn’t there anymore. He dropped his canteen and used both hands to block
the blasting sand as he searched for the mare.
Visibility was less than a hundred feet, so she could be anywhere. Harry
shifted his eyes back to the desert floor to look for her hoofprints, but the
tracks were already obliterated.
“Son of a bitch!” he snarled as he picked up his canteen.
He fumbled screwing the cap back in place before he hung it over his
shoulder. He assumed that Rattler had continued south rather than head into
the wind, so he let the wind give him an assist as he began walking.
Rattler had been walking south after Harry took the canteen, so she was
only about sixty yards in front of him when he began walking. But her
longer strides soon added to that gap.
By the time the sky began to lighten two hours later, Harry was more
than eight hundred yards behind his horse. The sandstorm was losing its
power, but still prevented him from spotting Rattler even with the added
light.
Harry was about nine miles south of the road when he finally sat down
and curled up in a ball, exhausted from his lack of sleep.
He was covered in sand as the storm finally died. By then, Rattler had
turned to the west. She was walking almost directly toward the Gallagher
ranch.
The White ranch hadn’t been as impacted by the sandstorm as it was
somewhat shielded by the nearby mountains. It was those same mountains
and the range on the other side of the Gila Desert that funneled the wind
that had pushed Harry south.
 But after the sun rose, Mike rode down his access road to head to the
Gallaghers. He assumed that Harry had snuck back home, and Mike was
going to let Mitch handle his wayward son. Madeleine had wanted to come
along, but finally agreed it would be a bad idea.
Mike had Harry’s lamp hung over his saddle horn as evidence just in
case Mitch refused to believe that Harry had tried to murder his entire
family.
_____
At the Gallagher home, Harry’s absence had caused a great deal of
concern. After a search of Maureen’s parents’ house and the barn, the only
clue that attracted their attention was when Mitch realized that Rattler was
gone. No one had noticed the missing lamp.
Before Mike turned onto their access road, Mary had discovered the
stolen household money and her mother had noticed the missing food.
Mitch was leaving the barn when he spotted Mike White riding down the
access road and was almost terrified with the thought that Harry might have
assaulted Madeleine. Not one of them believed that Harry was strong
enough to leave the house yet but seeing the look on his neighbor’s face left
little doubt that Harry had done something bad.
Mike soon reached the front of the adobe house he’d helped to build and
dismounted as Mitch approached.
“What happened, Mike?” Mitch asked almost dreading the answer.
Mike pulled the lamp from his saddle horn as he harshly replied, “Harry
showed up outside my house in the middle of the night with this. He was
going to burn our home to the ground with us inside. Where is he?”
“Is your family okay?” Mitch quickly asked.
“We’re all fine but it was just by the barest of chances that we’re still
breathing. Is Harry inside?”
“No. We’ve been looking for him and I just found Rattler missing. I
think he’s run away.”
Mike wanted to scream but said, “Alright. I’m going to ride into Yuma to
tell Garrett. I’m not going to give him any more chances to hurt my family,
Mitch. I’m going to ask Garrett to charge him with attempted murder. He
already had a good case for that ambush.”
Mitch slowly nodded as he replied, “I agree with you, Mike. If you’d
like, I’ll come with you.”
Mike was relieved and said, “I need to get stop back at the house to tell
them what I’m going to do. I’ll meet you at the end of my access road.”
“I’ll see you there in a little while.”
Mitch handed him the lamp then mounted and rode away.
Mitch entered his house and found his entire family, except his oldest
son, in the front room.
“He took our household money and some food,” Maureen said when
Mitch stepped into the room.
“Mike White just stopped by. Harry was going to use this lamp to burn
his house down last night. I don’t know how Mike stopped him, but I’ll find
out soon. We’re riding into Yuma to talk to Garrett Shaw. We’ll ask him to
charge Harry with attempted murder. He needs to be in prison so he can’t
hurt anyone, Maureen.”
“I know.”
He then turned and left the house to saddle his horse and make that long
ride with Mike White.
_____
Harry was still sleeping under his sand blanket as the sun continued to
climb.
Rattler had continued to walk east and soon picked up the scent of water
and began to trot to the northwest to the Runnel ranch.
_____
Garrett was giving his oral report to Sheriff Yarborough as Rollie North
sat nearby wearing a big grin.
Amos was sitting with his arms crossed and his chest puffed out as he
listened. His son’s exceptionally good judgement in handling the potentially
deadly scenario was even more impressive than the recent gunfights. It was
more akin to his scheme to delay Madeleine and Harry’s wedding.
 When he finished, Tom smiled and said, “Well, that’s about as good as I
could have hoped for, Garrett. I reckon that they’ll still be at each other’s
throats soon enough, but at least things will be quiet for a while.”
“I’ll write my report after I visit the county surveyor’s office. I don’t
want to forget.”
“Good enough. I’ll try not to send you on any more of those nasty jobs
before your wedding day.”
“You said that before, boss,” Garrett said with a grin as he grabbed his
hat.
After he left the office, Rollie said, “I don’t think you could have pulled
that one off, Tom.”
“I don’t think so, either. I imagine they’ll be by to pick up their guns
soon, and I’ll talk with them when they do. Let’s get our less interesting
work done.”
Rollie snickered as the sheriff began thumbing through the papers that
needed delivery.
_____
Harry finally rolled onto his back and began shedding his sandy
covering. He sat up and spit out the loose grains that had worked their way
into his mouth.
When he stood, he scanned the area for Rattler and cursed when he
realized that the landscape was void of his mare. He found his half-empty
canteen and poured the rest of the water down his throat. He hung it over
his shoulder before he opened up his britches and emptied his bladder.
He suddenly realized that the wandering Rattler had his other canteen
and all of his food.
“Son of a bitch!” he snarled before he slowly turned in a complete circle
trying to get his bearings.
It was already midmorning, but figured that he’d put the sun on his right
shoulder and walk to the road. He thought he was no more than a mile away
from the roadway where he might get lucky and get a ride. If not, he’d walk
to the nearest ranch to the west. He wasn’t going to go anywhere near the
White ranch.
 Harry began trudging north, or what he believed was north. It was
actually closer to northwest and that change in compass heading added
another three miles to his journey.
While Garrett had managed to walk more than twenty-five miles in the
blazing Arizona heat, he had several advantages. He had much more water
when he started. He was walking on a reasonably flat roadway, and he was
in much better shape. While Harry may have considered himself healed
from the snakebite, he still hadn’t fully recovered.
He had almost thirteen miles to cover before he even reached the road,
and that was only if he was able to keep a straight line. With the difficult
terrain and his need to keep his eyes looking down to avoid the harsh glare
of the sun, he was far from following a direct path.
_____
As Mike White and Mitch Gallagher rode west to Yuma, Rattler had
reached the road and was trotting to her home corral. She’d enjoyed the
Runnel’s trough and met Lumpy but didn’t stay long. She wanted to go
home.
Ellis was still watching for Harry’s possible return and had his
Winchester in his hand when he spotted Rattler as she turned off the road.
He watched the saddled mare heading for the house and shouted,
“Maddy, Rattler’s here!”
Madeline burst out of the house wearing her gunbelt and stopped beside
her brother.
They waited until the mare was close then Madeleine stepped onto the
ground as Rattler trotted to her.
She took the mare’s reins and as she stroked the horse’s nose, she asked,
“What did you do with Harry?”
Her mother appeared on the porch then she and Ellis joined her in front
of Rattler.
“What do we do now, Mama?” Madeleine asked.
“Why don’t you saddle Maggie then take Rattler to the Gallaghers? Tell
them that she walked in without Harry, but that’s all we know.”
 Ellis said, “I’ll come with you, Maddy. Conroy can watch out for Harry.”
Kristi said, “I don’t think we’re going to see Harry anymore.”
Madeleine didn’t reply but knew that her mother was probably right. She
took Rattler’s reins and led her to the barn with Ellis following.
_____
“
He tried to burn your house down with everyone inside?”
Garrett
exclaimed.
Mike nodded then said, “He ran off, but we don’t know where he went.
You haven’t seen him; have you?”
“No. If he’s in Yuma, I’m sure that someone would have mentioned it to
me,” Garret replied then turned to Sheriff Yarborough and asked, “Have
you heard anything?”
“Nope. I don’t figure he’d head this way if Mike had seen him. If he had,
you would have found out the hard way.”
“Maybe he rode to Las Playa,” Rollie suggested.
Garrett looked at the sheriff and said, “I’ll ride back with them to search
for Harry. I’ll return with Mike’s family tomorrow. They were planning to
meet with my mother anyway.”
“Alright. If we find him, we’ll lock him up, but I don’t think we will.”
Garrett snatched his hat from its peg and said, “I don’t think we will
either. He’s probably in Mexico by now and I’m not going to cross the
border. Not this time.”
Sheriff Yarborough nodded as Garrett followed Mike and Mitch out the
door.
They rode out of town twenty minutes later. Garrett was riding Coke
with Bourbon trailing carrying two full water bags. It was already over a
hundred degrees and it would get even hotter before it cooled down.
_____
Harry was already in bad shape after walking for just three hours. He had
expected to at least see the road by now, but when he’d put his hand to his
forehead to block the sun, he hadn’t seen anything but the shimmering
desert. His meandering path hadn’t brought him within seven miles of the
road.
He didn’t even acknowledge the existence of his tongue as he plodded
along. When a horned toad scurried past his foot, he wanted to snicker, but
his throat was too dry to allow any sound to escape.
He stopped moving then slowly brought his eyes level in the small hope
of seeing something moving. He almost started crying when he saw a
riderless horse approaching.
Rattler had returned after all!
He used almost all of his remaining strength to reach the mare with her
canteen full of life-giving water. His cracked lips were smiling as he
reached for Rattler, almost begging her to come closer.
Harry dropped to his knees as he stretched for Rattler but then began to
believe she was just a mirage.
He lowered his eyes and clenched his head between his elbows as he
grasped the back of his burning neck. He stayed on his knees for another
thirty seconds before he opened his eyes, hoping that he’d been wrong, and
she wasn’t a mirage at all.
His eyes grew wide when he realized that his mind wasn’t playing tricks
on him. But it wasn’t Rattler that was walking towards him, it was a coyote.
He then saw four other coyotes just a few feet behind the first one and drew
his pistol.
He should have waited until they were closer, but he was terrified and
began firing. The coyotes scattered as he sent six bullets flying across the
sands of the Gila Desert.
When his pistol clicked on empty, he tossed the gun aside. He didn’t
have any spare ammunition and even if he had, he didn’t think that he’d be
able to reload the damned thing anyway. He wished he had one of those
cartridge pistols that Shaw had given to the Whites.
He took one last look at the coyotes who now numbered at least six and
knew that he couldn’t go on anymore. He simply closed his eyes then lay on
his side and waited.
_____
 Garrett and Mike turned onto his ranch while Mitch continued to his own
place. Garrett planned to refill his waterbags and then head south, which
was the most likely direction that Harry would have gone. He believed that
his only chance of catching him was if he had stayed in Las Playa to
replenish his water and supplies.
Before they reached the trough, Ellis waved them to the house then
stepped down from the porch.
As his father dismounted, Ellis said, “Rattler showed up a while ago. She
was wearing her saddle, but Harry wasn’t riding her. I already brought her
to the Gallaghers, so they know.”
Mike looked back at Garrett and asked, “Are you going to still search for
him?”
Garrett shook his head as he replied, “I don’t think there’s any chance of
finding him now.”
Madeleine and her mother stepped onto the porch and Garrett noticed
Maddy was wearing her gunbelt again. He was pretty sure that if Harry
somehow survived, the last person he’d want to meet would be an angry
Madeleine.
Mike then asked, “Are you going to head back to Yuma or are you
sticking to your original plan and stay the night?”
Ever since he’d told Mike that he’d join them tomorrow, he wished he
hadn’t mentioned it. When her father asked his question, he could see the
mischievous look in Maddy’s eyes and knew he’d have to disappoint her.
“I think it’s better if I head back to let the sheriff know what happened.”
Madeleine’s brief lascivious hopes were dashed, and her eyes clouded as
she quickly stepped down the porch steps and approached Garrett.
She stopped and looked up at him as she sharply asked, “Why are you
leaving? You won’t get back until the sheriff has gone home for the day
anyway.”
Garrett could see her building anger and knew that he had to tell her, or
she might go hunt for a new beau just to spite him.
Without answering her question, he reached his hands down to her.
 Madeleine was expecting an apology and after she took his hands began
to smile when she felt her feet leave the ground. Before she even knew what
had happened, she found herself sitting side saddle in front of Garrett.
Garrett looked at Mike and said, “We’ll be back shortly.”
Then with his right arm around Maddy’s waist, he turned Coke to the left
and set him at a walk.
Madeleine had quickly recovered and as her smile returned in spades,
she wrapped her left arm around his chest.
After passing the corral, Garrett said, “We need to talk, Madeleine.”
She giggled and asked, “Are you sure that’s all we’ll be doing? Are you
planning to take me to Ellis and Mary’s secret place and have your way
with me…I hope?”
“No, ma’am. Sorry to disappoint you, but I need to tell you something
that I should have explained before.”
“What is it?”
“I lied to you and I can’t go back to Yuma until I tell you the truth.”
Madeleine’s jealous rage erupted as she exclaimed, “
You slept with that
Alvarez woman; didn’t you?
”
Garrett had felt her sudden rage even before she shouted but hadn’t
expected her to make that accusation.
He laughed loudly which probably infuriated Madeleine even more, but
Garrett couldn’t help himself. It made his confession much easier.
Madeline was close to sliding to the ground when Garrett stopped
laughing and said, “No, Maddy. I didn’t sleep with Miranda. In fact, I have
never been with a woman at all.”
She looked at him and much more quietly, asked, “Then what did you lie
about?”
“Do you remember when you asked me why I couldn’t just marry you
and we could live in my parents’ home?”
“Very well. You said it was it was because you wanted to give your wife
at least as much as you gave your sisters. I told you it was a poor excuse.”
 “It was a poor excuse. It was the best one I could invent to hide the real
reason which was too embarrassing.”
“Are you going to tell me now?” she asked before Garrett pulled Coke to
a stop and dropped the reins.
“When your father asked if I was going to stay, it was because I’d
already told him that I would. But when I saw the look in your eyes, I knew
that you’d probably expect me to join you in your bed tonight. Is that
right?”
“I’m not sure I would have waited until sunset.”
“That was why I changed my mind.”
“Why? Don’t you want me as a man wants a woman?”
“I want you more than you can imagine, Madeleine. It’s just the setting
that is the inhibitor.”
“The setting?”
Garrett nodded, took in a deep breath and said, “I was almost terrified of
making love to you with your parents and Ellis in neighboring rooms.”
Madeleine was stunned. Every family she knew lived in small houses
with thin walls and the act of lovemaking was hardly a secret.
“You never heard your parents when they were making love?”
“Of course, I did. But one evening just a week before my father’s injury,
Susan Ashley and I were in the barn and weren’t taking care of the horses.
Let’s just say it wouldn’t have been too much longer before I was no longer
chaste. She was very aroused and was making quite a ruckus, but then
again, so was I. We were so loud that neither of us heard my father enter the
barn to drop off an empty bucket.
“He didn’t say anything, but when he set the bucket down, it knocked
over a pitchfork which then smacked into Whiskey’s rump. He whinnied
loudly and that’s when I spotted my father.
“Susan couldn’t have cared less, but as my father turned to leave, so did
my lust. No matter what she did to inspire me, I simply couldn’t continue.
“Before she left, she told me that she’d find a new boyfriend who
wouldn’t be so disappointing. I told everyone that she had moved on
because she didn’t want to wait. I guess that part was somewhat true.
“But since then, I’ve been afraid that if I married a woman I loved and
couldn’t move to our own home, I might disappoint her. I love you,
Madeleine. I never want to disappoint you in any way.”
“You’ll never disappoint me, Garrett,” she said softly.
“I’m sorry that I lied to you, Madeleine. I should have explained it to
you before the Miranda incident. If I had, you would have understood that it
wasn’t what you believed.”
“I don’t think it would have changed anything. I had never experienced
such jealous rage before, and I wasn’t thinking straight anyway. Even after I
saw you when we rode to the church, I was making all sorts of excuses to
justify my anger.”
“So, now that you know the truth, can we wait until our wedding night?
It’s only a few more days.”
Madeline smiled as she replied, “We can, but you can still take me to the
secret place where no one will hear us.”
Garrett kissed her then said, “Remember the last time we were there.
Harry heard us and we never knew it.”
“I suppose I can wait until Thursday night, but I don’t want you to be so
prudish with me. I want you to send me into the heavens just as you have in
all my fantasies.”
“I’ll do whatever I can,” Garrett said, then asked, “You didn’t have any
fantasies about Harry; did you?”
She laughed as she shook her head then answered, “It was one of my
secret fears that on our wedding night, in the throes of passion, I’d call him
Garrett.”
He kissed her with as much passion as he could give.
Madeleine would have slipped from her perch if she wasn’t holding onto
Garrett so tightly. But her toes curled, and she was certain that her fantasies
would become reality on Thursday night.
The short return ride to the ranch house was further proof to Garrett that
he wouldn’t disappoint Maddy on their wedding night or any of those that
followed.
After leaving her with her smiling parents and grinning younger brother,
Garrett wheeled Coke around and headed back down the access road. He
wasn’t being rude but was simply unable to dismount.
As he rode past his old ranch, he looked for Lumpy, but didn’t spot the
camel. He did notice that there were a number of buzzards circling in the
distance. He suspected that they were waiting for the larger scavengers to
leave before dropping to the ground. He was reasonably sure that their
target was Harry Gallagher’s body, but he’d keep that guess to himself.
When he arrived in town, the sun had set and after leaving Coke and
Bourbon at JJ’s, he made the walk to Saggar Street. He knew that they
weren’t expecting him until tomorrow, but they should still be awake.
He smiled as he turned onto the walkway and heard his mother making
good use of her new piano. She may not be playing
The Wedding March
,
but the sound still reminded him of their anniversary celebration.
Before he stepped onto the porch, he did some quick calculations and
said, “Madeleine and I will be celebrating ours in the first year that starts
with a nineteen. August the fifth, nineteen hundred.”
_____
After being fed and telling his parents and sisters what had happened,
excluding his private talk with Madeline, his family made their way to their
bedrooms.
Tomorrow, Maddy’s family would arrive to plan the wedding and he
hoped that the next few days would be quiet, and he wouldn’t need to ride
to the far ends of the county. That might lead to a completely different way
of disappointing Madeleine.
 CHAPTER 18
The next morning, Mike, Kristi and Madeleine were riding rather than
taking the slower wagon. Ellis remained at the ranch with Sophie and
Conroy. but his parents suspected he’d spend much of the day with Mary.
Where he’d spend it was the big question, and they had asked Sophie to act
as a distant chaperone.
_____
Amos and Garrett were in the office while the Shaw women prepared for
the Whites’ arrival.
Garrett had written his report on the Kingman-Neumann incident and
filled them in on Harry’s disappearance. He had to tell them about the
vultures when the sheriff mentioned that Harry might have made it to a
ranch and caused problems.
Annabelle was in the kitchen talking to Alma and Beatrice about the
wedding preparations. She was going to ask the family if they wanted to
stay in Garrett’s new house for the night rather than make the long ride back
to their ranch.
“I think Garrett might want to use the house himself,” Betty said before
she giggled.
“You don’t understand your brother, young lady. I’m sure that he’ll wait
until after the wedding,” her mother replied.
Alma was grinning as she said, “Mom, I agree with Betty. If her family
stays, they’ll be upstairs. If they leave later today, I’d be surprised if
Madeleine goes with them.”
Annabelle asked, “Do you want to bet on it, Alma? If I’m right, then you
both do all of the laundry for a month. If you are, then I’ll do it myself.”
Betty quickly said, “I’ll take the bet, Mom.”
“Me, too,” Alma agreed.
 Annabelle smiled at her daughters. She could use a month off from
doing laundry.
_____
Amos and Garrett left the office a little early knowing that the Whites
would be arriving soon. They didn’t have to wait very long.
After they arrived, Mike said he’d stay for a little while before he
returned to the ranch. He said that he didn’t trust Sophie’s dedication to her
chaperone duties now that Ellis had the house to himself. Kristi and
Madeleine would stay the night and Garrett could escort them back
tomorrow.
Madeleine asked if she and her mother could stay in the new house for
the night and Annabelle agreed. She thought that she’d won the bet with her
daughters but wasn’t about to claim her victory until the morning and
Garrett came down the stairs for breakfast.
Mike White had inspected the new house for the location of the stable
and corral before he’d ridden out of Yuma. After he’d gone, Garrett,
Madeleine and their mothers visited Reverend Lofton to arrange for
Thursday’s wedding. He was enormously pleased and joked that he thought
he’d be performing Beatrice’s ceremony before he married Garrett. It was
set for nine o’clock in the morning.
After the preliminary paperwork was completed, they chatted with the
minister for almost thirty minutes. It was mostly to ask Garrett about the
many stories he’d heard about Harry Gallagher.
_____
That night, Madeleine didn’t even hope that Garrett would sneak into her
temporary bedroom. She simply slipped into her fantasy world in
anticipation of Thursday night.
Garrett never even thought about making the short nighttime visit.
Madeleine’s mother was in the house and was an even more powerful
inhibitor than his own parents.
_____
The Sunday ride back to the White ranch was pleasant and cheerful.
There seemed to be no more obstacles that could cause them any stress
before the big day.
Garrett was riding Bourbon and had given Coke the day off, so he didn’t
linger very long at the Whites. He was planning to pay a visit to the
Gallaghers to ask if they would be coming to the wedding. The Whites
would be arriving on Wednesday and stay the night in the new house, and
Annabelle wished to know how many guests to expect.
Ellis told him that he’d already asked and only Mary and William would
be joining them. With Sophie’s family, that would make for a full house, but
if the entire Gallagher clan had decided to be there, it would have been a
madhouse. He hoped that their decision to stay home was just out of
consideration and not because of resentment about Harry.
He kissed Madeleine goodbye and headed back to Yuma shortly after
noon. On his way back, he noticed that the vultures were no longer circling
over that location and briefly thought about making a detour to check, but
decided it was just a waste of time.
_____
The first two days of the week were quiet. Neither Pappy Kingman nor
Dave Neumann arrived to pick up their guns, so the sheriff declared them
county property.
Everything was going so smoothly that Garrett was expecting a massive
shootout to erupt on Main Street the day before the wedding.
Miraculously, there were no shootouts or even drunken fistfights to
derail the ceremony.
The White family plus the two Gallaghers arrived early in the afternoon
on Wednesday and were housed in what would soon become a honeymoon
cottage.
On Thursday morning, even as the two large groups flowed down the
sidewalks and boardwalks, Garrett expected trouble.
In a mild offering to tradition, Garrett walked with his family ahead of
Madeleine’s.
Garrett and his father made their way to the altar where Reverend Lofton
waited with his prayer book.
The non-family guests watched as they passed.
 The rest of the Shaws filed into the first pew on the right as Amos and
Garrett both turned to wait for Mike to escort Madeleine down the aisle.
The Whites and Gallaghers soon filled the first two pews on the left.
Garrett smiled at Alma and Betty as they sat down. For years, he had
believed that each of them would be standing here before he did. He would
still provide for each of them when they married, but Madeleine would
always be the focus of his life.
When the organist began playing the first notes of
The Wedding March
,
all eyes turned to the back of the church.
Garrett felt a warm flush when he saw his bride even though he’d kissed
her before they left the house. He didn’t know if it was the surroundings or
his anticipation, but Madeleine seemed beyond pretty.
As he watched his bride approach, his father quietly said, “I can never
thank you enough for what you’ve done to provide for us these past four
years. But now your obligation will be to Madeleine and your new family.”
Garrett shook his head as he answered, “I never thought of it as an
obligation or a duty, Pop. It was a privilege.”
 EPILOGUE
June 6, 1879
Garrett stood with Madeleine in the front pew as he watched his father
escort Beatrice down the aisle.
Alma had married William Gallagher in April of ’78 and already had
given birth to a little girl in March. The money he’d provided helped them
to fix up the Murphy’s ranch house after Maureen’s parents had passed on
within days of each other in January.
Betty’s bridegroom, Ed Runnel, waited at the altar wearing a giant smile
and Garrett couldn’t help but appreciate the irony. After the wedding, Betty
would move to her new husband’s ranch: a ranch where he’d grown up and
where a camel was still in residence.
Manny Fletcher had never returned to claim his unusual friend because
after he’d been released, he chose to join some of his new prison
acquaintances. He and his partners had robbed a bank in Tucson but had
never even made it out of town before they were all killed in a gunfight
with angry citizens.
He’d been involved in three other gunfights since he’d been married, but
none were as dangerous as those he’d had in the month before his wedding.
He’d collected more than a thousand dollars in rewards as well, so he was
able to provide for both of his sisters without doing serious damage to his
bank account.
Ellis and Mary White were spending the day at Garrett and Maddy’s
house with their little girl, Catherine. They had volunteered to watch two-
year-old Robert and nine-month-old Lauren, so Garrett and Madeleine
could attend the wedding in peace.
In the four years of their marriage, Garrett hadn’t seen one instance of
Madeleine’s temper. Even on the extraordinary day just a week after their
marriage when they had a surprise visit from the Alvarez family.
 When Jesus had introduced Miranda to his bride, Garrett had expected
fireworks, but to his surprise, Maddy had smiled and kissed her on the
cheek. It wasn’t a spiteful or gloating reaction, but a genuine expression of
welcome.
Later that night, she had explained that she had acted childishly when
she’d seen Miranda the first time. But now she was a wife and would soon
have her own family, so it was time to behave as an adult.
_____
As Betty took Ed’s hand at the altar, Garrett took Madeleine’s.
She smiled at him and mouthed, “I love you.”
Garrett leaned over and kissed her before returning his eyes to the
ceremony.
He watched Betty smiling at Ed and wondered how things would be for
the newlyweds tonight when they shared a bed in his parents’ home on the
old Shaw ranch.
He looked back at Madeleine who was still looking at him and knew she
must have been sharing the same thought.
She smiled and shook her head as she whispered, “I’ve never been
disappointed.”
 BOOK LIST
     
1 Rock Creek 12/26/2016
2 North of Denton 01/02/2017
3 Fort Selden 01/07/2017
4 Scotts Bluff 01/14/2017
5 South of Denver 01/22/2017
6 Miles City 01/28/2017
7 Hopewell 02/04/2017
8 Nueva Luz 02/12/2017
9 The Witch of Dakota 02/19/2017
10 Baker City 03/13/2017
11 The Gun Smith 03/21/2017
12 Gus 03/24/2017
13 Wilmore 04/06/2017
14 Mister Thor 04/20/2017
15 Nora 04/26/2017
16 Max 05/09/2017
17 Hunting Pearl 05/14/2017
18 Bessie 05/25/2017
19 The Last Four 05/29/2017
20 Zack 06/12/2017
21 Finding Bucky 06/21/2017
22 The Debt 06/30/2017
23 The Scalawags 07/11/2017
24 The Stampede 08/23/2017
25 The Wake of the Bertrand 07/31/2017
26 Cole 08/09/2017
27 Luke 09/05/2017
28 The Eclipse 09/21/2017
29 A.J. Smith 10/03/2017
30 Slow John 11/05/2017
31 The Second Star 11/15/2017
32 Tate 12/03/2017
33 Virgil’s Herd 12/14/2017
34 Marsh’s Valley 01/01/2018
35 Alex Paine 01/18/2018
36 Ben Gray 02/05/2018
37 War Adams 03/05/2018
38 Mac’s Cabin 03/21/2018
39 Will Scott 04/13/2018
40 Sheriff Joe 04/22/2018
41 Chance 05/17/2018
42 Doc Holt 06/17/2018
43 Ted Shepard 07/16/2018
44 Haven 07/30/2018
45 Sam’s County 08/19/2018
46 Matt Dunne 09/07/2018
47 Conn Jackson 10/06/2018
48 Gabe Owens 10/27/2018
49 Abandoned 11/18/2018
50 Retribution 12/21/2018
51 Inevitable 02/04/2019
52 Scandal in Topeka 03/18/2019
53 Return to Hardeman County 04/10/2019
54 Deception 06/02.2019
55 The Silver Widows 06/27/2019
56 Hitch 08/22/2019
57 Dylan’s Journey 10/10/2019
58 Bryn’s War 11/05/2019
59 Huw’s Legacy 11/30/2019
60 Lynn’s Search 12/24/2019
61 Bethan’s Choice 02/12/2020
62 Rhody Jones 03/11/2020
63 Alwen’s Dream 06/14/2020
64 The Nothing Man 06/30/2020
65 Cy Page 07/19/2020
66 Tabby Hayes 09/04/2020
67 Dylan’s Memories 09/20/2020
68 Letter for Gene 09/09/2020
69 Grip Taylor 10/10/2020
70 Garrett’s Duty 11/09/2020
71 East of the Cascades 12/02/2020
72 The Iron Wolfe 12/23/2020
73 Wade Rivers 01/09/2021
74 Ghost Train 01/27/2021
75 The Inheritance 02/26/2021
76 Cap Tyler 03/26/2021
77 The Photographer 04/10/2021
78 Jake 05/06/2021
79 Riding Shotgun 06/03/2021
80 The Saloon Lawyer 07/04/2021
81 Unwanted 09/21/2021
82 reunion 11/26/2021
83 The Divide 12/28/2021
84 Rusty & Bug 01/21/2022
85 The Laramie Plains 02/15/2022
86 Idaho City 03/16/2022
87 Poole’s Gold 05/06/2022
88 Spring Surprises 06/30/2022
89 Clara’s Crusade 08/24/2022
90 Friend’s Lost and Found 10/15/2022