Where the Deer and the Antelope Play (Code of the West) (7 page)

“He wasn’t goin’ for his gun. I knew he wouldn’t. I just wanted to shut up that mouth of his.”

“But what if he would have drawn? Just suppose you were wrong. What then?”

“I guess I would have killed him. I, eh . . . never figured he would take me up on it, so I didn’t bother with what to do. Say, did Pepper say why she came out today?”

“I reckon by the greeting I got, she was just lonesome.”

“What’s that supposed to mean?”

“It means I’ll be eatin’ my supper alone out in the barn t
onight.”

Tap turned around in the saddle resting his right hand on Brownie’s rump. “Is that pony of yours worn out from last night, or can we pick up the speed?”

“Lead the way. I don’t aim to slow down true romance.”

They had galloped a couple of miles in the shadowy tw
ilight when Wiley called out. Tap spun around to see him leap to the ground and stoop to inspect his horse’s leg.

“You got problems?” Tap hollered.

“Lamed up. Go on. I’ll have to walk him in.”

“It’s gettin’ dark. Can you find your way to the house?”

“I rode through this country last night. No doubt I can do it again. Go on and visit your darlin’.”

“I hate to leave you afoot.”

“Then why don’t you walk my horse in, and I’ll go visit with that yellow-haired girl.”

“You sure you’re all set?”

“Get out of here, Andrews.”

“We’ll keep supper warm for you.” Tap trotted the horse down into a gulch and up the bank on the other side.

He listened to the crunch of Brownie’s hoofs breaking through the crusty snow.

This is crazy. I can’t believe I’m doin’ this.

The few scattered trees stood as black sentinels. The snow took on a twilight glow as he rode back up into the mountains. In the distance, Wiley plodded along leading his horse.

“You get lost, Andrews?”

“I got to thinkin’, and sure enough, I figured you wouldn’t find your way to the house. And then just as I’m supposed to be takin’ Pepper back to McCurleys’, I’ll have to ride out here and find you in the dark. So I decided to come find you now and save myself a trip. Hop behind me. We’ll take it easy, and Brownie can pack us home.”

Holding the reins to his own horse, Wiley pulled himself up behind the cantle of Tap’s saddle. “Okay, what’s the real reason you turned around?”

“It’s too cold out here for a man to be afoot. The more I thought about it, the colder I got. The way it was goin’, I figured I’d freeze to death just thinkin’ about you.”

“What about that girl of yours?”

“She don’t like driving home in the dark by herself, so I reckon she’ll wait for me. I’ll get to visit plenty on the way back to McCurleys’.”

“I figured she was stayin’ at the ranch for a few days.”

“Nope. She won't stay overnight at the ranch until after the weddin’. We decided a while back that we’re doin’ it right.”

Brownie’s slow, labored stride got them into the yard about two hours later. Tap rode right up to the front door.

“I put her rig up in the barn,” Wiley reported, “but I don’t see any lights on inside.”

“Maybe she’s back in the kitchen.”

Wiley slid off Brownie’s rump. Tap climbed down and handed him the reins.

“I’ll put up the horses. You go courtin’,” Wiley offered.

Tap was pushing through the front door before the word came out of his mouth. “Pepper?”

She’s not here!

By the time Wiley entered the house, the lamps were lit, a fire was burning in the fireplace, and Tap sat at the piano bench reading a letter.

Dear Tap,

It’s my fault. I told you I wasn’t coming out this week, but I was missing you. I trust you didn’t try to take on cattle rustlers by yourself. We really need to talk. Abel Cedar (Suzanne’s brother) showed up at the hotel looking for Zachariah Hatcher. I had to tell him about his death and Miss Cedar’s. It was a dreadful experience!

One good thing, he gave me all of Suzanne’s things, even her Bible. However, I gave him the balance of her funds. I know we wanted to get some things for the ranch and buy some more cows, but it really wasn’t my money. Now ever
ything I have is rightfully mine. That makes me feel really good. I know it was the right thing to do. I hope you’re not disappointed in me.

I think the banker’s letter is self-explanatory. Did you know that there was this bank note due on the place? Maybe you have that all covered, and I’m wo
rrying for nothing.

I really can’t wait until this is my home, and I never have to drive off and leave you. If you can’t get away and come into McCurleys’ tomorrow, I’ll plan on returning Monday.

Don’t worry about the drive back. The banker led the way with his rig.

With much love,

Pepper

“I see her buggy’s gone,” Wiley reported. “I guess your da
rlin’ got tired of waitin’. She write you a love letter?”

“Yeah. I mean, no. You don’t ha
ppen to have $2,089.45 on you?”

“I got about $9.45. What for?”

“I can raise $80. That leaves me $2,000 short. Some Ft. Collins banker came by and said the previous owner had a bank note past due. If I don’t come up with the funds by January 1, they’ll foreclose. The weddin’ comin’ up, and some joker is threatenin’ to take away the ranch. This place is the whole reason I figured now is the time to get married.”

“She marryin' you for your ranch?”

“Eh, no. I don’t think so. Of course not.”

“Then you’ll figure somethin’ out. Shoot, for the smile of a pretty lady, a man can determine all sorts of things.”

Even the heat of the kitchen and a hot meal failed to fully warm Tap. After Wiley sauntered out to the tack room for the night, he glanced around at the messy bedroom.

I’ve got half a mind to just leave on my clothes and crawl under the covers .
 . . but the cold chill is on the inside, so I guess it wouldn’t matter.

He hung his Colt on the bedpost and stripped down to his long johns. Turning off the lamp, he pulled the covers up to his chin.

Lord, I’m really tryin’. I want it all to be different. I don’t want to bother anyone, and I don’t want anyone to bother me.

This ranch doesn’t belong to anyone. I want it.

And Pepper.

And some cows and some kids.

I don’t want ambushes in the night.

Bankers showin’ up demandin’ payment.

Neighbors who’d rather shoot me than talk to me.

You know I’ve been faithful to Pepper. I haven’t been drinkin’. I haven’t shot anyone who didn’t need shootin’. I’m tryin’ to read up on the Bible and learn all I can. If there’s somethin’ else I ought to do, I surely hope You’ll show me.

Tap lay on his back and stared up through the window at the stars. Sometime after midnight the stars dimmed, and he fell asleep.

The sound of a wagon and voices in the yard brought him to his feet in the blackness of the room. He hobbled to the front door, pulling on his pants and buckling his holster all at the same time.

People laughing? A woman? Pepper? Who is she with?

He reached the front door just as there was a light knock. The room was dark, but the starlight filtering onto the front porch gave off just enough light for him to tell who it was.

“Selena?”

“Ay, Señor Tapadera.
¿Tiene usted cuartos por las mujeres bonitas y uno hombre grande?”

“Eh .
 . . what?”

“You got company, cowboy,” She grinned. Then tossing back her waist-length black hair, she waltzed straight into the front room.

4

D
anni Mae?” Tap stepped aside as a short woman with thick, wavy brown hair and a tan blanket wrapped around her shoulders swished into the house behind Selena.

“Paula? What’s going on?” Tap asked the thin woman with a scar on her chin who followed the others into the dar
kened front room. The aroma of heavy French perfume flooded the room.

“We’re freezin’—that’s what. You don’t mind if we borrow your fire, do you?”

“No . . . eh, no, come in. How did you . . . where’s . . .”

Tap had just struck a match to light a lantern near the door when a girl who looked about sixteen with big, round eyes and brown hair that hung straight down from a center part scooted past him.

“Who are you?” he asked, holding the lantern up.

She turned back. In the flicker of the light Tap could see a turned-up nose, puffy eyes, and tear steaks dried into her cheeks. “I’m Rocky.” Her full lips puckered in a permanent pout.

“Rocky?”

She answered almost in a monotone, “My mama named me after the mountains.”

“Where is your mama?” he questioned.

“Dead. Where’s yours?” Her thin shoulders stooped, and she disappeared into the shadows.

“Danni Mae, where’s Stack?” asked Tap.

“He’s puttin’ the team away in your barn,” Danni Mae called. “Tap, do you mind if we stir up your fire?”

“No, no. Make yourself at home,” Tap muttered as he started across the yard toward the barn.

By the time he got there, Wiley had a lamp lit, and he and Stack Lowery were talking in front of a two-horse freight wagon.

“Stack, what in the world’s going on?”

“Hey, partner. We were just in the neighborhood and thought we’d stop in for breakfast,” the big man joked. Yet his eyes showed very little humor. His voice lowered. “It ain’t good, Tap. The dance hall burned to the ground.”

“What happened?”

“Three men rode into Pingree Hill earlier this evenin’. I don’t know them too well, but they been doin’ business at April’s for a couple months, so I didn’t think nothin’ of it.

“April’s been in Denver for over a week, and I was out in the kitchen when the girls started screamin’, ‘Fire!’ By the time I got there, flames was lappin’ up the curtains on the north wall and spreadin’ toward the bar.

“I yelled at Selena to get the girls and head for the yard. Then I ran upstairs to make sure the rooms was empty. I had to carry Rocky out to the porch, then ran back in to help a co
uple of the boys toss water on the fire. That pump was pert’ near froze up. We was lucky to toss a bucket or two. Meanwhile, the flames had shot right up to the second floor. I told the boys it was time for us to get out.

“I covered my mouth and busted into April’s room. I fi
gured on grabbin’ the cash box, shotgun, and a few pieces of her jewelry. But the cash box was busted open. All the money was gone. Not only that, the east wall was on fire.”

“It spread that fast?”

“It was a separate fire.”

“So you figure the dance hall fire was meant to divert you?”

“Yep. The girls were huddlin’ on the porch. They said all three of them hombres hightailed it to the south the minute I ran back inside. I tried to settle ’em down over in the barn, but they was freezin’ and worried. That little one, Rocky, jist knew they would circle back and shoot us all. I hitched up the team and tried to figure where to take them. Snow’s closed roads off to the east. We didn’t want to follow the outlaws, so we headed west to the closest place that would provide a fire and some shelter.”

“Was there a big one named Karl and a
nother maybe Hank?”

Stack stopped unhitching the team. “And Bufe. That’s them. You know ’em?”

“I had a showdown with them about noon yesterday. They were runnin’ some Rafter R beef through my place. That youngest one was shot in the leg.”

“That’s the one that was missin’.”

“You want to go out after them now?”

“To tell you the truth,” Stack rubbed his big, callused hands together, “I need to warm up, git a bite to eat, and catch a nap. I ain’t goin’ to be no help if I fall asleep in the saddle.”

“We can start first thing tomorrow, but it might be rough to catch ’em.”

Stack’s squared jaw looked chiseled in stone. “At least we got to try. Most of that money belonged to those girls. All they got is what they carried with ’em. That dance hall burned like a dead fir tree in July.”

“When you and Wiley get those horses stalled, come on over. I’ll see if I can stir up something for everyone to eat. It ought to be breakin’ daylight soon.”

When he entered the house, Selena was in the rocking chair with the gray and white cat in her lap. Her long black hair spread across her shoulders like a shawl. Danni Mae came over to Tap, deep wri
nkles around her tired-looking eyes.

“How’s Pepper?” she asked.

“She was here yesterday, but I missed seeing her,” Tap reported. “I was chasin’ some rustlers off my place. Probably the same bunch that hit April’s.”

“How are the plans for the wedding?”

“Everything’s on schedule. She’s got every minute planned out. Say, you’ll still be able to sing, won’t you?”