Little Sam's Angel (18 page)

"No, you stay there. You're just in time to help me find him," Hedges said, causing them to all look back and forth in bewilderment at each other again. "Dang fool slipped off to go after them alone."

"Don't sound like he's changed much. Bill, you and Tracks swing out, look for a single trail going away."

The boyish looking one to his right and one in the back of the pack wheeled off.

"We got trackers, and we got men, Hedges," Bob said stiffly.

"Then send them out," Hedges snapped.

"We don't work for them or Mr. Taylor. We work for Little Sam," he said in reminder of whose place it was to be giving orders and that the newcomers were outsiders.

"Admire your loyalty," Curly said, watching Tracks. Tracks waved at him to come ahead. "He's got it, Mr. Hedges. You got a horse?"

He didn't, but it didn't take long to remedy that.

* * *

The tracking went easy, but when they got to the ridge that overlooked Rocking M, the group pulled up in amazement.

"He's gone crazy," Hedges said, attributing the destruction they saw to Gabe.

"Weren't his doing. He stopped yonder to watch, then went on cautious like," Tracks said.

"Someone sure busted loose with hell. You boys spread out and keep your eyes open," Curly ordered, drawing his gun.

Smoldering ruins, broken down fences, and not a living thing was a strange sight to see. Angel's dead horse had them worried, though. The others stayed back while Tracks walked over the area. He was scratching his ear when he came back to report.

"One rider did all that." He waved his hand to indicate the ruins. "Angel came in. Looks like they had a little set-to after."

"Is Angel—" Hedges started to ask in dread.

"No sign of him. A third man came in, and all three had a parley. Then he went off one way, and Angel and that first rider went off back towards his place."

"Sammy," Hedges breathed.

"Small rider, looks to be a boy or something," Tracks said to describe the other one.

"She ain't no damned boy," Hedges snapped.

Someone whistled under his breath, a sound meaning he thought that meant trouble.

"Figured that were so," Tracks said with a grin. "We're gonna have to gather up Angel's saddle for him. It's still on the horse."

"Did it look like they were they still fighting when they left?" Hedges asked.

"Did some," Tracks answered, scratching his head. "Looks like she's the one that shot his horse." He grinned again. "But the way they was standing so close together after their first little set-to and before they rode off, I wouldn't say they was fighting."

"She shot his horse?" one of the men exclaimed in horror.

For cowboys that was a crime right up there in seriousness equal to murder. A horse was a man's livelihood and often made the difference too many times in whether he lived or died.

"She must have been desperate," Hedges mumbled.

"To do what?" Curly asked quietly.

"Stop him."

"Reckon she did," Tracks said with a wink. "Looks like they made up. She weren't struggling none just before they went off together."

Hedges started laughing. Slapping himself on the thigh, he congratulated himself, Morey, and Sally on a job well done.

* * *

A good distance from them, Gabe and Sammy made their way back to the house. They were riding double with him in the front and her arms around him to handle the reins so he could rest his injured hands.

"This ain't proper, Sammy, but I don't want you walking, and I don't think I got it in me to go that far on foot. I'll get down before we're close enough for anyone to see us and cause talk."

Sammy scoffed, telling him, "You're forgetting again who you're talking to."

"No, I ain't, not ever again. You're a lady, Sammy. It's time you knew it."

She blushed and stretched to kiss him gently on the cheek, then shook her head. "I'll never be a lady like you mean, Gabe, but I'll never forget again that I'm a woman."

They rode silently for a while before she asked, "Gabe, what were the things you wanted to tell me?"

"About Brenda mostly," he answered, stiffening some.

"I know you didn't bed her," she said bluntly.

"I don't," he retorted in embarrassment.

"Gabe, you wouldn't. She said as much when you were fighting."

"I wouldn't'a forced her. I know that much about myself, but I ain't so sure…I mean, if she…You cain't believe what she says. She changes it to suit her."

"I don't care about that, Gabe."

"I asked the doc was it possible, sick as I was. He said not likely." He was quiet a while before he said, "I wasn't ever in love with her. That's what I want you to know the most, I guess. She got me to do some things, but it wasn't for her. It was for Danny."

"He's lucky to have you."

"I don't know how much Hedges told you, Sammy."

"Nothing about her."

"Well, with this trouble, folks is gonna learn who I am. There'll be more talk, and she's spiteful. I figured there wasn't anything to worry about anymore when she left, but she didn't quit. She found a way to get back at both of us through Pierce."

"What would she have against me?"

"What you said about her in town, turning her lies around, but more than that I think it was seeing you at my place. You didn't hear what she said before you came around the corner. She wanted me to go with her."

She admitted, "I heard that. After what she did, she must be insane to think you would want anything to do with her."

"She's evil and mean, just pure devil."

"Poor Danny."

"I could get him to smile before, Sammy. It was only after she had him alone for a while that he got so sad."

"We'll make it up to him, Gabe. We can. He's already talking, and soon he'll be laughing, too."

"Sammy," he asked hesitantly, "could you maybe want to marry me?"

"Yes," she said instantly, tightening one arm around him.

Gabe gave a sigh of relief and pressed his arm tight over hers. He still felt he had to say, "Folks is gonna talk about me not being good enough for you and all 'cause of all the things back in Crystal Creek and—"

"I don't care."

"They're gonna say you married beneath you."

Sammy hugged him tight and pressed her cheek to his back. "I don't care," she repeated. "Not anything about any of that 'cause I know the truth, Gabe. All that matters to me is having you, Danny, and children of our own. We can go away from here, if you want."

"Maybe, after I settle some things."

* * *

Sally scolded, threatening to tie Gabe to the bed. Sammy's crew was trying to tell her what had happened, where Hedges had gone. The babble was so thick, no one could understand anyone. They crowded around the horse, making it impossible for either of them to dismount, especially Gabe, who couldn't without difficulty with his injuries and getting up too soon catching up to him in weakness.

Sammy finally kicked a spot clear, slid down, and shoved at them till they backed off to stare at her.

Sally still yammered at them. "Look at his hands. Just look, he's busted them open again. Crippled himself for sure."

"I'm all right," Gabe said, shaking his right foot loose from the stirrup and hooking his right wrist around the saddle horn to dismount.

Sammy wanted to help him, but knew he wouldn't care for it. She nodded at two men, who jumped forward to do the chore for her.

"Carry him in here," Sally shouted.

"I ain't in the need of carrying," Gabe snapped at her. "Obliged though," he told the men, walking away from them.

"Men here looking for you," Bob said to stop him. "Said you was Angel Taylor."

Gabe had figured it was just a matter of time before all that caught up with him. All that mattered was in what way. "Did you get any names?"

"One was called Curly. There was a Tracks and a Bill. They went looking for you."

"Gabe," Sammy said in worry, moving to his side.

He was puzzled as to why they'd come hunting him down, but not alarmed. "What did they want?" he asked.

"Said you had more trouble than you knew. Seemed to aim to take a hand in it. Name of Ollie was mentioned as to why they were here." He paused then added, "Hard looking bunch."

"Hard as nails, but they don't hire their guns, if that's what's worrying you."

"Well, just wondering," Bob said uncomfortably.

"Let's go in," Sammy said quietly, laying her hand on Gabe's arm. It was a possessive gesture that no one missed, with the exception of Sally, who was on the wrong side of Gabe to see it.

"Is he taking over as boss, Little Sam?" Brander asked, indicating Gabe with a tip of his head.

"There isn't anything to take over. The Rocking M is gone," she told them.

As a unit, they looked at Gabe. Gabe shook his head and told them, "Pierce isn't going to take it away from her. If you ain't afraid of any fight that might be coming, make yourselves as comfortable as you can till Morey gets back."

Bob stepped up. "I cain't offer my hand, 'cause I know you cain't shake. When you can, I'll be the first in line."

"I cain't pay you," Sammy told Bob and turned to Gabe. "I cain't pay them, Gabe. Pierce says he lost the cattle drive money."

"I got some. We'll get the rest," Gabe said calmly.

Bob told her, "It'll work out. You got plenty of grub to keep us fed, we got horses, and you still got cattle that need to be worked. The rest will come."

"Gabe, please, I don't want any fighting," Sammy said.

"Won't be unless Pierce forces it," Gabe answered stoically.

"Enough, enough," Sally screeched. "You stand there ready to fall and talk of fighting,"

Gabe jumped at the first loud word, backed up with the rest. "I should'a stayed in the hills," he muttered. The men behind him laughed both at his words and the look of rage on Sally's face when she came off the porch after him.

"Get in that house," she ordered. "Now."

"I'm going," he said, stepping around Sammy to avoid Sally.

"Only thing a man cain't fight is a cantankerous woman," one of the men hooted.

Sally turned on him, giving Gabe time to get by her, but she was right behind him when he reached the kitchen. Sammy was behind her, but stopped uncertainly just inside the door.

"Get back in bed." Sally ordered.

"No," he said, taking a seat at the table. When he leaned forward, both elbows on the top of it for support, it shifted precariously on the repaired weak legs. He was tired, his body wanting nothing more than to be laid down and left alone, but he wasn't going to be pushed anymore, by man or woman.

Sally didn't miss the stubborn set of his jaw and switched from bullying to coaxing. Laying her hand to his face gently, she said, "You're feverish still."

"Been fevered before, busted up too. Ain't nothing I won't get over."

"You ought to lay down, Gabe, while I see to your hands."

"I will, after you tend them, but it'll be outside with the rest of the men. The house is for you, Sammy, and Danny for now."

"Danny? Oh, Gabe, is that where Morey's gone?" Sally cried in delight. When he nodded, she wanted to hug him something fierce. Remembering his ribs, she squeezed his arm instead. "This is where he belongs. Now you get them dirty bandages off."

She went to the cabinet to prepare a soak, and Gabe turned his hands to work at the knots in the bandages. Sammy stepped forward to take over. Her fingers trembled as she worked the bandages free on the first hand, unwrapping it slowly so she wouldn't hurt him. As the last bloody length of cloth unwound, they could see where every fold and crease was encrusted with dried blood from where it had spread out through the bandages. The deep, ugly hole through the center was purple and fiery red all around it.

"I did that to you," she whispered. "I should have taken that deed and let you go."

"Wouldn't'a done any good, Sammy. I was bound to stay from the first time I saw you." Then he added with some embarrassment, "When I wasn't too mad to know what I was looking at."

Sammy's guilt wasn't eased, even if her heart did feel like it was swelling to the bursting point. "I could have taken it. I…I…well, Hedges said you didn't have any place to go, and… and…I…I…I didn't want you to leave."

"Goes to show Hedges don't know everything," he said with a grin. "I got folks up north, Sammy. My Ma'd take care of Danny for me."

"Oh, Gabe," she said, her eyes filling with tears again.

"You women cry at the darnest times."

"You stayed for me, even if you wouldn't talk to me."

"I just never figured you could care for me till you shot my horse."