The Gunslinger (Barnett Ranch) (8 page)

             
The women in the saloon weren’t much to look at and there
were
only two of them.  They were sure to be used up by now, but he had to do something to distinguish his lust for Virginia.  She made him crazy.  It was Sunday, and most of the town would be heading to church soon, which meant Mrs. Ellen wouldn’t open until later.  He would make his excuses for not going to church and slip down to the saloon then. 

             
He glanced at Virginia again.  She was leaning back and stretching.  Her small breast strained against the fabric of her shirt, and his manhood grew hard.  “Awe hell,” he turned his back to her.  “Did you say something?” she asked.  “
Just talking to myself,” he answered.  He tried hard to get a hold on his lust before someone saw the evidence.  He worked harder at chopping the woods forcing his muscles to strain and bulge.  He chopped wood faster than he ever had before, using his muscles like he never had.  He would be sore for it, but it was better than sticking around here and thinking about Virginia’s luscious body.

             
Mrs. Ellen called Virginia in to dress for church.  He’d never stepped foot in the church so he’d never seen her in a dress.  He was making his excuses to Mrs. Ellen when Virginia walked out.  He turned and had to swallow the lump in his throat before he could get out any words.  She really was beautiful, and she was definitely a woman.  There was no denying it anymore.  She was no kid, and suddenly he couldn’t breathe.  Jealousy spread through his veins like poison.  He didn’t want any man to look at her like this.  She was too beautiful.  “You look,” he swallowed, “beautiful.”  She looked at him in confusion.  Her eyebrows drew together and she turned her head slightly to the left.  “Really, you think so?  I was worried that it was too much.  I never wear dresses, even to church, but Granny insisted.”  He couldn’t take his eyes off of her. 

It wasn’t just lust he was feeling. 
He felt like a teenager with his first crush. She made him nervous, and that wasn’t like him.  He was always confident around women.  Hell he’d been confident around her, until he seen her in that damn dress. 

Mrs. Ellen smiled, “Why don’t you come with us, Jax, there’s still time for you to get ready.”  “I don’t have anything to wear.”  “Nonsense, go on up and get cleaned up and I’ll run across the street and buy you a clean shirt.  I’ve been meaning to anyway.  I’m tired of seeing you in these rags with the holes in them.  Now go on up the stairs, there and get cleaned up.” She turned to Virginia.  “Come along girl, you can’t stay here while he’s up there getting ready.  You can come with me.” 

Mrs. Ellen had been matchmaking since the day he first walked into her restaurant.  She saw something in him that she liked and knew he would be a good match for Virginia.  The hard part was getting
those
two to see it.  They were so busy butting heads, most of the time, that she thought she may have been wrong.  After the way he looked at her granddaughter when he seen her in a dress though, her fears w
ere relieved.  She was determined now, that they would make a good match.

She hurried along to the general store with Virginia at her side.  “Granny, I don’t feel right in this.  Everyone is staring.”  “That’s because they see how beautiful you are.  I declare girl, don’t you know you look just like your mother.”  “I’m not
beautiful;
they probably think I’m looking for a husband.  I really don’t feel comfortable in this.”  “Let them think what they want, girl.  It never bothered you before, why does it bother you now?”  “I don’t know, it just does.”  “Listen to me, just once in your life do one thing for me.  Wear that dress to church this morning.  Jax will accompany us and no one will dare bother us, because no one will dare get
near him.  He makes people uncomfortable, when he’s around, so trust me no one will be worried about what you’re wearing. They will be too busy avoiding him.”

Mrs. Ellen ran her thumbs through the shirts, on the table.  She bought him three different shirts, and a pair of black jeans.  She also suspected his underwear was probably full of holes as well, so she bought him a new pair of those also.  The clerk looked at her purchases rather peculiar, but didn’t say anything lest he receive a back lashing from Mrs. Ellen’s sharp tongue.  She’d been known to put many a men and women in their place with just a few words.

When they crossed the s
treet, Virginia felt someone’s eyes on her back, but when she turned around there was nobody, around.  She suddenly wished she were wearing her guns.  The unease she felt wouldn’t leave her even after she entered her granny’s house.  She was glad, that they were going to be accompanied to church by Jax. 
The thought of him being with them eased her mind.

Mrs. Ellen left Virginia downstairs while she took the clothes up to Jax.  She knocked to let him know she was coming in and he covered himself.  “I’m going to lay these clothes right here on the bed, you can put them on when I leave.”  She set the clothes down and pulled the door shut behind her.  Jax walked over to the clothes at the bed and looked at them.  Hell, he owed her big time.  She went all out and bought him everything he needed, including new
underwear.  She’d even got the right size it seemed.  

He put on the new clothes, shook out his black vest, and knocked the dust off his hat.  He settled his gun belt around his waist and tied the holsters to his legs.  He didn’t go anywhere without his guns, even church.  Mrs. Ellen might be disappointed, but she would get over it. 

“There you are, now come down here and take Virginia’s arm.  I want her to be accompanied, she’s worried people might think she’s looking for a husband because she’s wearing a dress.  We wouldn’t want them to get that idea now would we?”  Mrs.
Ellen
surprised him sometimes, because she didn’
t care what she said or
who she embarrassed. 
Virginia
was blushing with embarrassment. 

Jax took her arm in his, the feelings that one simple task stirred in him, he couldn’t explain.  “I’m glad you’re wearing your guns.” She whispered.  “She wouldn’t let me wear mine.  I feel naked, without them.”  Jax swallowed another lump in his throat at the images brought to mind when she said the word naked.  Why did she have to use that word?  “I don’t take my guns off for nobody,” he said. 

Everyone stared at the three of them, but more in particular the two walking arm in arm.  Virginia couldn’t explain it but she felt comfort in knowing he was walking with her and he would be sitting beside her.  She hated it when people stared and she still had an uneasy feeling of being watched, but she tried to chalk it up to the fact that everyone was staring.

They entered the church and found their way to their seats.  Penelope, put her nose in the air and snubbed her as she walked past.  Virginia smiled and said hey
to her,
anyway.

The preacher came to town once a month, but Jax recognized him.  He hadn’t always been a preacher.  The man had a past, the same as Jax.  Still he was a good man.  As a gunslinger he
was known as
Preacher
Man
.  He hadn’t been heard from in many years.  He eyed Jax, who hoped the man wouldn’t reveal who he was.

He was a good preacher, nary an eye closed except when in prayer.  After church, Jax made his way to the preacher and introduced his self as Jax Tanner before the preacher could call him Angel.  The preacher
’
s eyebrow shot upward,
and then
the corner of his mouth lifted in a cocky smile.  “It’s been a long time, hasn’t it, Jax.”  “Sure has Preacher, I
came here looking to settle down and go into the horse business.  I see you’ve settled down some too, but I guess you still like to travel.”  “I do at that.”  Mrs. Ellen walked up behind him.  “Jax invite the preacher over and I’ll feed him a good meal for free.  I’ve got lunch slow cooking on the stove.”  “Yes ma’am, well how bout it preacher, you look like you could use a good meal.”  “I could and I’d be delighted ma’am.”  Preacher Man tipped his hat at the older woman and smiled. 

The Preacher Man was thirty-
four years older than Jax but they knew each other well.  They’d come across each other many times.  They’d even joined a posse or two together.
They’d been on the same side more times than Jax could count and if there was one man in the world that he didn’t want to go up against; it was Preacher Man. 

             
Monday morning Mrs. Ellen asked Virginia to walk with her to the bank. 
They waited for the banker to open his doors and let them inside. 
It was still early out and a lot of people weren’t even awake yet.  No one saw it coming, until it happened. 

             
Three men piled into the bank with their faces covered in bandannas.  They pointed their guns at the teller, yelling; “Put the money in the bags.”  One of the men threw three saddle bags at the bank teller.  Virginia used the opportunity to pull her gun and fire off a shot.  She nicked one of the men in the shoulder just above his heart.  If her hands hadn’t been shaking, she’d have hit where she aimed. 

             
Another man cocked his gun putting it in her face. “Drop it, nice and slow.”  She placed the gun on the floor and stood up.  The man grabbed her and put his arm around her neck, with the gun to her temple.  Mrs. Ellen screamed, and the three men ran out dragging Virginia with them. 

Jax was just getting into town when she saw him and screamed for him.  The men raised their guns and started firing.  The sheriff fired back but was shot by the last man out the door.  Jax fired one shot sending the man’s gun flying.  He kicked his horse into a gallop and ran the man
down, then jumped off his horse.

             
He stood on the man’s injured hand and stuck the spur of his other boot into the man’s neck.  “Where are they taking her?  The man didn’t answer, so Jax dug the spur into his neck and aimed the gun at his head.  “Tell me where or so help me I’ll shoot you r
ight here, right now.”  “About two
day’s ride there’s a cabin, but they won’t stay there long.  They will want to get back to the ranch before the weeks up.  If the boss finds out, he’ll kill them.  The ranch is about a week’s ride, Southeast.”  Jax bent over and picked the man up by his shirt, then pushed him toward the sheriff who was walking their way, with his arm was pouring blood from the gunshot wound.  He was turning pale.  “Lock him up and see the Doctor.  I’ll take care of it.”

             
Jax needed supplies and ammo.  He would need to fill his saddlebags full before he left.  He grabbed the reins of his horse and headed to the general store.  Mrs. Ellen came running up to him.  “Please, tell me you’re going after them.”  “I am, but I need supplies.” She nodded her understanding.  She wiped the tears from her eyes.  “Come up to the house.  I’ve got biscuits, you should take them with you.”  “Yes ma’am, I’ll take them.” 

             
Jax stocked up
on jerky, bullets, and beans,
and then
he headed to Mrs. Ellen’s for the biscuits.
  She wrapped them in a towel and put them in his saddlebags.  “Be careful and bring Virginia home.
”  “Yes ma’am, I will.” 

 
             
Jax kicked his horse into a gallop.  He headed south following their tracks.  They were riding hard and fast. 
There were two
sets of
t
racks, one deeper than the other set.  That told him, which one
was the horse carrying Virginia.  A few miles further and he found proof
of more tracks.  Four or five others joined them.

             
Jax popped the horse with the reins and rode in the direction the tracks led. 
He kept hoping tha
t he would catch up with them, but he never did.  He
found evidence of a fire about two hours old. 
He knelt beside it checking for signs of struggle and not finding any, he rode on. 

When Jax finally camped that night, he did not sleep long.  He only stopped because he had to.  His horse was worn slam out.  The mare was lathered with sweat, and needing to stop.  He took out his canteen and drank a swallow of water, then poured a little in his hand for the horse.  He needed to find a creek soon. 

After he rested he got back on his horse and took up the track again.  About sun down, he ran out of light and could no longer see the tracks from the horse.  He dismounted and followed the tracks from the ground leading the horse.  The moon was full and
its
light provided the way. 

He lost the tracks when he came to a creek bed.  He searched up and down both sides but it was too dark to find anything, and they could have ridden up the creek a ways.  He didn’t want to but he had to call it quits until morning.  Then he would pick up where he left off.  He noted which way was South, before drifting off to sleep.  He was a light sleeper, and he would awaken at the snap of a twig.  He leaned back against a tree, propped his hat over his eyes, stretched out his legs crossing them at the ankles and rested with his hand on the handle of his pistol.

Virginia

             
Virginia fought every opportunity she got.  She tried to escape several times and when that didn’t work, she taunted them by spitting on them and cursing them.  One of the men, knocked her around a little bit, but she’d taken worse beatings from a surely horse, that didn’t want to behave.  She’d been dragged off her horse by a steer when she didn’t dally her rope in time and
suffered the consequences of being drug because of it
. 
Over and over she taunted and took one beating after another.  “You don’t know what you’ve done.  You’ll be dead soon.  The Angel of Death will come for you, and when he does, he’ll send you to hell, where you belong.”  “The Angel of Death, huh, I think you’re full of shit is what I think. 
Little lady, nobody has heard hide nor hair of the Angel of Death in over a year. 
He’s probably lying dead somewhere.  I imagine if anybody’s been sent to hell it’s him.”  “He’ll come for me, you wait and see.”