CHARITY'S GOLD RUSH (A Strike It Rich in Montana novel) (32 page)

             
Spots swam before his eyes and sweat beaded his upper lip. He
uncorked
his canteen and took a large swig of water.
Maybe if he ignored the pain it would go away.
He refused to
let Charity know she was right. He would keep his head up, inform the sheriff of yesterday’s happenings, then slump his way home, only to lift his head again before walking through the door.

             
As if he could tell what Gabe was thinking, Hiram laughed. “You’re a stubborn man, Gabe Williams.”

             
“Can’t disagree.” He slung the canteen back over his saddle horn.
“And I’ve got a wife that has me beat in the stubborn department.”

             
“It really sticks in your craw that Charity rescued you yesterday and not the other way around, doesn’t it?” Hiram handed him a slice of jerky.

             
Gabe smirked and accepted the food. “A bit. A man is supposed to take care of his woman.
Those Indians had me trussed up like a turkey, and she managed to get them to allow her to use the necessary. Even savages aren’t immune to her charms, it seems.
”

             
“Marriage is a partnership, Gabe. That’s the way the good Lord created it.” Hiram tore off a bite of the dried meat with his teeth
, then continued talking with his mouth full
.
“Take me and Mabel for example. Cooped up all winter long with a woman who talks more than a
m
ockingbird
is not an easy task
. Yet, I nod and grunt and she’s happy to bustle around me like a momma chicken. Let Charity fuss. You’re still the man, and I’d say it’s
a mite
harder to sit quiet and let the womenfolk go on and on th
a
n it is to strut our stuff.”
He took another bite of jerky.

             
Gabe couldn’t remember a time when Hiram talked so much. But, the man made a good point. Charity
was
so different from Maggie, he really
had
n’t know
n
what to expect.

He shook his head.
That wasn’t
entirely
true. He
had
expected her to be just as quiet and submissive
as his first wife
, but
he
thanked God she wasn’t. Life took an interesting turn the day he married Charity.

             
He rolled his shoulders and focused on the road into Virginia City. Townsfolk darted here and there in a rush to purchase supplies to get them through the winter.
Dust hovered about a foot off the ground. With the dark clouds overhead, it gave the scene a
warm
sepia-tone.

He sighed. He still hadn’t filled his smokehouse. What, with one thing or another, if he weren’t careful, they wouldn’t have enough meat to last
, unless he butchered a cow. He didn’t want to do that until his herd was bigger
.
And, there was the looming reminder that
it would take a miracle for him to complete the house on time.

             
Maybe God was trying to tell Gabe something. When was the last time the family sat together for a Bible reading? Maybe once since Charity arrived. How was
h
e going to convince her of God’s love if he didn’t subject her to The Word? Sure, they did most of their reading during the long winter months, but why? Couldn’t they start a new tradition of spending relaxing time together
every
evening? He vowed to start as soon as he returned home.

             
Before he reached the sheriff’s office, Amos Jenkins stepped off the sidewalk
and headed in the direction of
the saloon. Gabe gritted his teeth
at
the desire to run the other man down in the street like the dog he was.

             
“Easy, Gabe.” Hiram stopped beside him. “Let the law handle things.”

             
“The law ain’t doing
any
thing.”

             
“We don’t have enough proof. With proof even Sheriff Spraggins would have to act.”

             
“How am I supposed to have proof Amos coerced a handful of renegade Indians into kidnapping me and Charity?
It
isn’t as though
I had them sign a note or anything.
” Had the man gone loco?
“It won’t hurt to let the sheriff know I’m on to Amos
, and that I know he’s in Amos’s back pocket
.”

             
“Nope. Won’t hurt to
tell the sheriff what happened
.”

             
They pulled in front of the sheriff’s office and dismounted to hitch the horses to the nearby railing. Gabe knew he wasted his time. Sheriff Spraggins wouldn’t do a blamed thing, but Gabe would feel better
telling him
he
knew
what Amos was doing.

             
With Hiram close behind, Gabe shoved through the door and clomped across the plank floor to where the sheriff
leaned back in his chair,
napping.
Gabe gripped the chair leg and pulled it back to all fours.

             
Spraggins sputtered and leaped to her feet. “What do you think you’re doing?”

             
“Filing a complaint.
A man can still do that around here, can’t he?
”

             
“
Against who?
What happened to you?” Spraggins narrowed his eyes. “You look like you were in a fight.”

             
“I was.” Gabe crossed his arms. “With some renegade Indians. I want you to go after them.”

             
Spraggins plopped back in his chair. “Nope.
I ain’t interfering with Injuns. They are unpredictable.
Stay out of their way
,
and they’ll leave you alone.
”

             
Heat rose up Gabe’s neck, and he slapped both palms flat on the top of the sheriff’s scarred desk. “My wife and I could’ve died, sheriff!
Not to mention, I found a dead girl up on my property.
It’s up to you to do something. Besides, my gut tells me they were hired.”

             
“By who? Are you trying to tell me that your paranoia about Amos Jenkins leads you to believe…”

             
“Paranoia!” If not for Hiram’s restraining hand, Gabe might very well have launched himself over the top of the desk and strangled Spraggins.

             
The man sneered. “I suggest you leave before I arrest you for something. I have work to do.”

             
“Yeah, work
as important as
staring at the back of your eyelids.” Gabe shoved away and stormed outside. His gaze landed on Amos exiting the saloon. In twenty long strides, Gabe reached the man and landed a sharp uppercut on his jaw. Amos crumpled like a felled tree
and blinked up at him
.

             
“You want to tangle with me, fine.” Gabe bent over him. “But you leave Charity out of it. She’
s
done nothing to you.”

             
Amos rubbed his jaw. “You’re plumb loco. You can’t accost a man with no reason.”

             
“I have plenty of reason, and you know it.” Yet, the man was right. Gabe shouldn’t have punched him. If Amos wanted to, he could press charges against
him
,
and Gabe would spend a night or two in jail.

             
What kind of a
spiritual
witness did he leave knocking even his enemy to the ground? Didn’t God ask that man love his enemies?
Although it galled him,
Gabe held out his hand. “My apologies. I should not have hit you.”

             
Amos stared at the offered hand for a moment, then slapped it away. “Apology not accepted. I know you Bible thumpers expect folks to forgive you, but not this time. You have no proof I had anything to do with them Indians. The sheriff and half this town
are
on my side. ”

             
Gabe slowly lowered his hand. “What makes you think I’m here about Indians? I never said anything to you about that
.
”

###

             
Shooting was harder than she thought. Charity lifted the heavy rifle again and took aim at the stump in front of her. Learning to load the gun was easy, but actually hitting her target was something else. Sam had given up on her an hour ago, choosing instead to wrestle in the dirt with Prince.

             
Occasionally Mabel would stick her head out of the house and yell something about a waste of good ammunition
, and t
hat
Charity
should have her husband teach her.
Still, Charity persevered. She would learn to shoot and do it well. Even if her shoulder did feel as if it had been kicked by a mule.

             
“Come on, Ma.” Sam tapped her shoulder. “You’ve been at it all day. It’s almost suppertime
,
and Pa will be home soon. Besides, you’re going through his ammo like it’s water poured out of a glass.”

             
Charity sighed. They were right. She shouldn’t waste something they would need for providing food. “I’m coming.”

             
She glanced at the heavy clouds. Snow would fall within a day or two. Maybe not a lot at first, but soon, they’d be stuck in the soddy. Charity shrugged. She had plenty of quilt scraps and yarn to keep her hands busy, clothes to sew
for two growing children
, and a husband who seemed to split his at the seams. Maybe she ought to make his next shirt a mite bigger
.

She smiled at the sight of the dogs romping across the yard. Their little home would be busting at the seams
during the winter months
, and she wouldn’t have it any other way.

             
The sound of horse hooves drifted on the afternoon breeze. Charity shielded her eyes. Gabe and Hiram trotted toward the barn. Hitching her skirt, Charity hurried to the house. The men would be hungry.

             
“Men are here.” She grabbed an apron from a nearby hook. The tantalizing, rich aroma of chicken stew filled the soddy.
She
took great satisfaction in knowing the vegetables came from a garden she tended.

While Meg set plates on the table, Charity gave the stew a stir and checked the biscuits in the oven. She enjoyed having Mabel around, but it would be nice when
she
and Hiram
headed home in the morning. The kitchen wasn’t big enough for two cooks.

             
By the time the men came in
—G
abe favoring his side, the stubborn man
—t
he table was set and the children’s faces washed. Gabe took his seat at the head of the table and motioned for Hiram to sit opposite him.

             
Charity looked long and hard at Gabe’s scowling face.
He caught her looking and shook his head, signaling they would talk later. Sure they would. Just like all the other conversations waiting to be had.

             
“I’m taking Sam hunting tomorrow,” Gabe said. “Snow is coming
,
and the smokehouse is low. I don’t want to eat only pigs and chickens all winter.”

             
“A deer would be nice.” Charity reached for the serving spoon. “Maybe a turkey and a goose for the holidays.”

             
“If you
’re
hard up for food,” Hiram said, grabbing a biscuit. “Just come on by. We’ve plenty, and we know you’ve been set back a bit
what with all that’s been happening
.”

             
“Ma’s been target shooting,” Sam offered. “Used a lot of ammo.
Still can’t hit the side of a barn, though.
”

             
“What?” Gabe
’s
frown deepe
ned
. “And we will have plenty of food, Hiram.”

             
“Well, I, uh, thought I should learn to shoot and help gather meat.” Charity carefully ladled stew onto her plate.
“
And
, I can help guard the homestead when you’re away.”

             
“What is
it
with everyone?” Gabe tossed his spoon in his food. “I am perfectly capable of taking care of my family.”