Patty Wilkinson Writing, traveling, having fun and meeting up with friends old and new!

#91 The Mysterious Christmas

The Mysterious Christmas

By
Patty Wilkinson

Some strong language, adult themes and violence

Chapter 1

Jess Harper pulled the saddle off, and led Traveller into his stall to commence rubbing him down.
It had been a mild day for early December and both of them had worked up quite a sweat on the gallop back from the east pasture where Jess had been mending fence.
A few minutes later Slim Sherman wandered in, a bridle he’d been mending in his hand. He hung it up and then turning to Jess said, “All done then?”
“Yup good as new, and I mended that latch on the gate too.”
Slim nodded, “Good. So, you’re still all fired up about going up to the Crawford spread before Christmas to deliver those green broke mustangs?”
“Oh, come on Slim you know as well as I do, I promised old man Crawford I’d deliver them in time for the Big Day. He’s bought them for his twin grandsons as Christmas presents you know.”
“Yeah, I know it... But I just can’t help thinking it is kind of convenient,” Slim continued with a wry smile. “You heading off just when Daisy wants the house turned upside down with all the cleaning for the Christmas party. Not to mention all that gift and food shopping she’s hankering to do.”
“Well, I’m no great shakes at all the shoppin’ fer fancy stuff Slim, that’s more in your line. Besides iffen we want a nice fat Christmas bonus I need to get those mares off our hands before they eat us out of house and home too.”
Slim looked thoughtful, “I guess you’ve got a point there and he is paying top dollar.”
“Well, there you are then...and I’ll be back before you know it. I’ll call in and visit with Red Smith and his Ma on the way back, Daisy wants me to take some gifts. But I’ll be back the week before Christmas; Christmas Eve at the latest.”
“I’d like you back the week before Christmas,” Slim said firmly, “at the very latest Jess. There’s the Christmas tree to cut, the turkey shoot, extra logs to be chopped, so don’t think you’re getting off lightly...no swanning in just in time for a Christmas Eve drink.”
“OK, OK quit yer fussin’ I hear ya.”

Jess set off for Rawlins a few days later with Slim’ s dire warnings of retribution, should he be late back, ringing in his ears. But he’d also shaken his hand warmly and said, “Safe journey pard, you take care you hear.”
He’d already said his farewells to Mike and Daisy earlier and now he gave Slim a cheeky little salute, “will do,” he said and leading the two lively mustangs trotted Traveller out of the yard and up the rise.
It was still pleasantly mild for the time of year and so camping out at night was no problem and he made good time as he jogged along leading the two green broke mares. He’d headed due west out of Laramie making for Centennial and then rode on through the Medicine Bow Forest. Here the landscape was sheltered amongst the huge pines and he found excellent places to camp. From there he made his way due north towards Rawlins heading for the Crawford Ranch, just a few miles south of Rawlins.
He finally arrived at the Bar Y, home to Bill Crawford and his wife Maud. The elderly couple were delighted with the mares that Jess proudly showed off and the deal went through very amicably.
Now with a wallet bulging with cash Jess could hardly wait to hit town, down a few beers and catch up with his good friend Red Smith and his family. So, he declined Ma Crawford’s kind offer of dinner and pushed on towards Rawlins.
He rode into town just as dusk was falling. After making sure Traveller had a good billet at the livery, he walked purposefully down Main Street and into Sheriff Red Smith’s office.
The handsome, auburn haired Sheriff’s head shot up as the door burst open and his initial look of surprise quickly turned to delight when he registered who was standing there.
He leapt up from his desk to pump Jess’s hand, “You old son of a gun, why didn’t ya tell me you were visiting, I’d have lined up the shot glasses and the dancing girls,” he said laughing.
Jess grinned back, “Well that don’t sound like the sorta thing a happily married family man should be sayin’... So how are Jenny and the kids?”
“Fine, just fine,” Red said sinking back down into his chair and indicating Jess should take the one opposite. Then he removed a bottle of whiskey and a pair of shot glasses from his desk drawer and poured out two measures before pushing one across to Jess.
“Not too early for you, is it?”
Jess just rolled his eyes and accepted the glass with alacrity, thanking him. Once they had tossed the drinks back and Red had refilled their glasses he said, “So what brings you to these parts then Jess?”
After he’d explained about the sale of the mustangs and also the fact that he was bearing gifts and a letter from Daisy for Red’s old Ma, it was agreed he should stay with Mrs Smith for a couple of nights.
“You know Ma, she won’t let you out of her sight until she’d fed you up some,” Red said grinning, “She gets really anxious; what with you bein’ so dang lean and all. She just has the notion to fatten you up every time she claps eyes on you,” he chuckled.
“Don’t I know it,” Jess said rubbing his flat stomach, “I guess she’d give Daisy a run for her money as far as that’s concerned, but I ain’t complaining,” he added with a cheeky grin.
Ma Smith and Daisy had become firm friends when she had visited Rawlins along with Jess a few years back seeking her reclusive long-lost brother and the two women had kept in touch ever since. *See #59 Daisy’s Promise.
“Ma is coming round to our place tonight to make plans for Christmas,” Red said now, “so you can catch up with her then...you will come back for supper, won’t you?”
“Try and stop me,” Jess confirmed.
“Good that’s settled. “I’m all done here for the day so let’s call in at the saloon and see how they are for shots and dancing girls,” he said with a wicked wink.
Jess spent a blissful time staying in Rawlins with his good friends and was spoiled rotten by Ma Smith as per usual. He also spent some time with Jenny; Red’s long suffering beautiful young wife, and his lively young children.
He apologized as he was leaving, “I guess I’ve persuaded Red into spending way too much time in the saloon Jenny,” he said, “I’m real sorry.”
She giggled at that, “Well you know my husband Jess, he doesn’t need much persuading. At least he was in good company. Now don’t you leave it so long next time and have a real safe journey home. Give my love to Slim, Mike and Daisy,” she added.
Red shook his hand and grinning said, “Not to mention the lovely Millie, give her a big kiss from me Jess....huh.” That earned him a brisk slap on the arm from his wife. But her eyes were twinkling as she waved Jess off, he noticed.
He’d already said his farewells to Ma Smith and his saddle bags were full of her delicious home baking, a present and long missive for Daisy; and a bottle of Moonshine for himself from Red.
“It’ll keep you cosy on the trail buddy,” he’d said with a sly wink as he’s slid it into Jess’s saddle bag when his wife wasn’t looking.
Jess had waved to them cheerfully as he left; retracing his steps of the previous week.
He figured he’d have plenty of time and would arrive home easily within the specified day. The weather however had turned a tad colder and snow was threatening, so he was glad when he reached the relative shelter of the Medicine Bow Forrest. From there it was pretty much plain sailing and he was on the homestretch when disaster struck.

Chapter 2
Later he blamed it all on Red’s gift of the hill whiskey. It was a remarkably strong brew and certainly helped keep the chill off he soon discovered. It was after a splash in his coffee as he camped one bitterly cold night that he thought he’d change his route and travel the last few miles of the journey over land. He decided to leave the road at Centennial and skirt around the back of Sheep Mountain and take the lower trail towards Laramie as it was less exposed. The wind had turned bitter, blowing a northerly across the plain and he really needed some added shelter. However, the going was pretty rough off the road and he had to take his time, dismounting and leading Traveller in the more rocky and treacherous places.
He was in an unfamiliar area of rocky waste land some fifteen miles from Laramie when disaster struck. To be brutally honest he was feeling a tad hung over after indulging a little too freely of Red’s Christmas gift. The night before had been bitterly cold and he had awoken in the night shivering under his bedroll. Unable to sleep he’d stirred up the campfire and helped himself to a good couple of shots of the Moonshine.
Now as he made his way cautiously along a rocky incline his head was thumping like a herd of buffalo were encased in his skull. All he could think of was getting home and relaxing with a good strong coffee.
The day had actually turned out to be quite pleasant with the sun warming the ground some and he heard birds singing and the odd rustle in the undergrowth of critters emerging to enjoy the unexpected short warm spell. At least the snow hadn’t arrived he thought...but Jeez, he could do with a good strong coffee...
Then through the trees he saw some smoke rising into the sky, obviously coming from a cabin secreted in the woodland to his left. Maybe they’d offer him a reviving cup of coffee he thought hopefully...or even a bed for the night as it was now later in the afternoon and would soon be dusk.
He turned his mount towards the welcome sight...and then everything seemed to happen at once... One minute he was peering at the distant smoke in anticipation of getting warm once more. Then the next, Traveller gave a cry of terror and reared up tipping an unsuspecting Jess off. He fell badly hitting his head on a sharp rock as he fell down the steep drop to his left catching his hip and ankle on more rocks before he finally came to rest at the bottom of the gully. He fell badly, his ankle turning as he finally came to rest.
Meanwhile Traveller had reared and stamped his iron shod hooves viciously down on the rattler dispatching it in a single blow. He stood sweating and shaking fearfully for a few minutes before finally making his way carefully down to the gully by a less torturous route. Then he stood nearby his master cropping the grass and waiting for him to wake up.
When Jess finally awoke a good half hour later, he was frozen to the marrow and squinting up he noted the sun was now low in the sky and it would soon be dark.
He started to heave himself up and then cussed and gasped at the pain in his head. He explored the back of his head with a tentative hand that came away sticky with blood. He moved again trying to stand and this time he fell back again swearing loudly at the pain in his hip and ankle.
“Damn it,” he muttered and then looked over to where Traveller was now beginning to move towards him, his ears pricked forward and giving a little whinny of welcome.
However, something else took Jess’s attention. A small blond boy was standing near Traveller and peering over at him with interest.
“Mike, Mike that you?” Jess called in surprise as he desperately tried to focus properly, “Come here Tiger.”
The youngster did as he was bid and grinned down at Jess, “Gee you sure do cuss a lot Mister,” he said gleefully, “I’m not Mike, my names Tommy.”
Jess was finding all this kinda difficult to take in as his head was aching something fierce and he seemed to be having a problem focusing. He closed his eyes and opened them again staring at the youngster who now stood grinning down at him.
“Uh, sorry about that,” Jess said quietly, “I guess I took a tumble from my horse. I’m kinda hurtin’ some ya know?”
The boy nodded sagely, “You look pretty sick mister yer face is sorta pale, like you might chuck up,” he added cheerfully.
“Yeah well, I guess you’d look sorta pale too iffen you’d fallen down from top to bottom of this bloo ... er this darned gully,” Jess said with asperity.
The boy took that in his stride and said kindly, “I reckon Ma will be able to fix you up real good, you wanna come home with me?”
Jess considered his options. It was nearly dark now and he sure didn’t feel up to camping out or indeed making the last leg of his journey home in the dark either.
“You know I think that might be a real good idea,” he said, “so can ya help me up son?”
Tommy gave him a hand up and then said, “You didn’t tell me your name Mister.”
“Jess, Jess Harper,” he said offering a hand, “good to know ya Tommy.”
The youngster, who now Jess could see was probably a year or two younger than Mike but with similar blond floppy mop of hair, gave him another broad grin. Then sobering he said, “Did you see my Pa on the trail Mister Harper?”
Jess shook his head, “Nope can’t say as I’ve seen anyone today. Why is he off huntin’?”
“Nope he went to Laramie on business a few days back, but we thought he’d be home by now. Ma say’s to trust in the Lord and Pa will be back soon ...and I do...but it’s nearly Christmas you know,” he continued seriously, “We’ve hardly done anything to get ready yet. Pa was gonna bring back supplies...presents too.” Then he looked sadly off to the horizon, “I sure hope he’s OK.”
“I’m sure he’ll be home real soon,” Jess said kindly. “So, would I know yer Pa? I live about 12 miles out of town on a swing station.”
The boy shrugged, “I reckon not. We’ve not been here long. His name’s Thomas Hammond Junior...seeing as his Pa was Thomas Hammond too... that was my grandpa,” he added looking suddenly sad.
“Oh,” asked Jess, “your grandpa is around too huh?”
The youngster shook his head and looked bleak, “Nope he died.” Then he pointed to the smoke off in the distance said, “Come on then Mister Harper I’ll take ya to Ma. Can I ride double with ya huh?”
Jess mounted with difficulty the pain in his ankle and hip severe. Then he pulled the child up behind him and they made their way slowly towards where the smoke from the cabin still snaked up into the now fast darkening sky.
As soon as Jess reined in, the large shack door opened, light from within flooded out across the frosty ground. A woman stood there, a rifle in hand looking anxiously out into the dwindling daylight.
“It’s OK Ma,” Tommy said quickly sliding down from Traveller. “This is my new friend Mister Harper, he’s hurt pretty bad, had a fall from his horse.”
Jess had remained silent again trying to focus on the woman, but it was hard to see her properly in the gloom of late afternoon with the light behind her. However, he figured she wasn’t any too pleased to have a stranger fetch up on her doorstep, with her man away and all.
He swung down from the saddle and gave a small gasp as the pain shot up his left leg, but he rallied well and turned to give her his most charming smile.
“Evening Ma’am, I’m real sorry to bother you. My name’s Jess Harper, I’m a partner in the Sherman Ranch and Relay just the other side of Laramie.Thing is a rattler startled my horse and I fell kinda badly. I could do with a place to sleep the night, a barn would be fine,” he added, casting his gaze around seeking any outbuildings.
But before he could say anything else she had put the gun down and run over to his side. “You poor man, come along inside at once,” she said kindly, “let’s take a look and see what damage you’ve done. I’m Anna...Anna Hammond, do come along in.”
He hid a smile as she reminded him so much of what Daisy would have said and done.
She was at his side now and taking his arm began to lead him towards the house. Before turning back and reprimanding the child for being out so late.
“Uh, my horse,” Jess said weakly.
“Don’t fret Mr Harper, we’ve a good barn around the back, he’ll be quite safe there.”
“Tommy, feed and water Mr Harper’s horse will you. Then rub him down...and once he’s cooled down a blanket, I think it will be, another cold one tonight, then straight inside young man!”
“You sure know your way around horses Ma’am,” Jess said admiringly.
She just nodded and said, “Lean on me Mr Harper, we’ll soon have you fixed up and it’s Anna, remember?”
Once he was in the cosy cheerful house the woman helped him to a seat by the fire and stood back to look at him properly.
“Oh my goodness, you do look peaky,” she said softly. “I’ll just get some water to clean up that nasty gash to your head.”
Jess just stared at her in shock...It couldn’t be.... no of course it wasn’t her...But jeez, she sure had the look of a woman he had once known...a woman he had loved, but had never had the chance to make his own. No Jane Hudson had been married to another, and Jess’s code of honour wouldn’t let him pursue the relationship, no matter how much they had both wanted it. (*See #10 The Mountain Adventure.)
This woman had Jane’s amazing green eyes and auburn hair and even had the slightly care worn appearance Jane had on his first acquaintance with her. The difficult life she’d had as the wife of a mountain man, living a life of poverty with several young children, had aged her beyond her years... But then as their friendship progressed, she had seemed to grow younger and more beautiful by the day.
He suddenly realized he was staring at this kindly woman and blushing looked down.
“Are you alright Mr Harper?” she asked anxiously, “do you feel a little feverish?”
He shook his head, “Nope I’m fine Ma’am, er ... Anna,” he said quickly.
She nodded and hurried away to fetch some cool water and rags to attend to his wounds.
Jess watched her go, a puzzled expression in his deep blue eyes. She was wearing an incredibly old-fashioned dark dress, the sort favored by his old granny....and she was also heavily pregnant he noted.
Once she had returned and the task was accomplished, she turned her attentions to his ankle.
“I’d better get this boot off right away,” she said casting his tight denims an apprehensive glance, “once an ankle swells up its powerful hard to get a boot off.”
“Or back on,” Jess added, “I sure don’t wanna be a nuisance to you, I’d figured on riding back out again come morning. I guess you’ve gotten enough of your plate without sick strangers cluttering up the place.”
She glanced up at him from where she was now kneeling to remove the boot, “Nonsense,” she said quickly, “the Good Lord says love they neighbor so we’ll look after you. Besides you’ll not be able to ride for a few days I’d wager. You look to me like you may have some concussion from that nasty blow to the head and this ankle will doubtless keep you off your feet for a while...Um and that hip looks to be hurting some too?”
“It’s fine ma’am,” Jess said quickly, there being no way he was losing his denims so she could tend that too.
She glanced once more at the snugly fitting pants and wondered how he managed to get into them, never mind take them off and reckoned maybe she’d just tend the ankle ...for now anyway.
“You seem to know a lot about fixin’ folk up,” he said with a grin once she started bandaging up the painful ankle.
“Should do,” she said smiling up at him, “I was a nurse before I married.”
“And now you’re the Ma to a fine boy...and another on the way,” he said shyly. “So, I sure don’t want to hinder you any ma’am.”
“Ma of two,” she said her eyes twinkling. Then she put a hand to her swollen stomach, “and yes another due in the New Year.”
She called out, “Polly....Polly dear come on in here Mister Harper won’t bite.”
After a minute a diminutive girl of about five put her head around the door from a bedroom and peered at him with huge anxious eyes.
“Howdy sweetheart,” Jess said softly, “my name’s Jess and yer Ma here has been fixin’ me up after I fell off of my horse. So, you all ready for Santa then huh?”
She smiled at that and entered the room, “Father Christmas doesn’t know where we live now,” she said “and so Pa’s gone to town to wire him and tell him me and Tommy has been real good this year.”
“Well, that’s swell honey,” he said grinning down at the pretty little thing with the curly dark hair and the face of an angel.
“Except Pa is kind of late back,” Anna said, “and we’re all behind aren’t we Polly...nothing ready for the big day.”
“Well maybe I can help?” Jess asked with a friendly grin, “Seeing as how you’re holding me captive by taking that ol’ boot off. I reckon I could still hobble around and cut some wood for the fire...maybe even scare up a wild turkey for the meal; and me and Tommy could go find a Christmas tree too ...huh?”
“Hold on mister you’re going to rest up that ankle for a day or two and then we’ll see,” she said smiling kindly at him.
Jess sighed and said in mock sadness, “Once a nurse always a nurse huh? OK I’ll behave ma’am.”
“Anna,” she said
“Anna,” he repeated smiling into her eyes.

Chapter 3
Anna had bustled off to make supper and the children were attending to the evening chores so Jess had time to look around him from his comfortable chair by the fire.
It was a sizable, room with fireside chairs and a large comfy couch. A dining table stood in the far corner, set for four. There was a large crucifix on the wall above the fireplace and a Bible stood in pride of place on a low side table. A large untidy writing desk was set beneath the window and one wall was lined with bookshelves holding many weighty tomes and also some aged magazines. He thought it an odd space for a young family. There were no toys in evidence or any of the little light touches of frippery that women liked to add he noted. In fact, the whole place looked a lot like it must have done a century or so ago. The only lighting via very old rusty looking oil lamps and candles and the drapes ancient, as was the rag rug before the fire.
But then he was drawn from his reverie as Anna announced supper was served.
There was the delicious aroma of rabbit stew wafting from the pot in the centre of the table and Jess was just about to move to butter a biscuit when he noted the little family were sitting with heads bowed, clasping hands. Then he was aware that Polly had placed one tiny hand in his and Tommy had done likewise on his other side, so they were all linked together. Anna said Grace, blessing the food and company and asking for speedy healing of their guest, before they finally tucked into the meal.
“I hope our religious ways aren’t too strange to you,” she murmured as she passed his plate.
He grinned at that, “Heck no, we say Grace at the ranch too...well on a Sunday,” he amended. “I was brought up knowing the Good Book, Ma made sure of that,” he added with a tinge of bitterness at the recollection of having to memorize some of the psalms and verses.
“No better guide for a child to learn about life,” she agreed, “and adults too for that matter, it is all in the Good Book, all we need to know.”
“Yes Ma’am,” Jess agreed, feeling slightly out of his depth.
But then she quickly changed the subject and the matter of what Father Christmas might be bringing the family was addressed.
However later after supper the children sat quietly whilst Anna read some of the Christmas story from the large Bible. Then they were bustled off to bed...but young Tommy stopped by the door and turned to his Ma.
“Don’t worry Ma, I’m sure Pa will be home tomorrow and I’ll go look for him again.”
Then turning to Jess said, “Goodnight, Mister Harper sir,” before happily running off to bed.
Polly dropped a little curtsy and said ‘goodnight, sir’ also, before following her brother out.
“Gee are they always that well behaved?” Jess asked looking amazed.
She gave him a puzzled frown, “But of course,” she replied and went off to brew some coffee.
Once Anna had settled down in the other fireside chair and poured Jess a coffee he said gently, “Are you sure that’s a good idea? Letting the boy wander off so far...he was a good half mile away when he found me.”
She looked surprised, “Why ever not, it’s quite isolated here and besides the Good Lord will protect him.”
Jess looked down and sighed quietly, “It may seem isolated to you Ma’am but believe me there are folk abroad even out here.”
She looked slightly startled then, “What you mean hostiles?”
“Uh....Indians you mean? Well yeah possibly, but we have no fight with them right now, they wouldn’t harm a young boy. But outlaws use these back trails too and they might not be quite so accommodating...youngsters can sell for good money on the slave trade.”
She gasped at that.
“Anyway, it weren’t two legged varmints I was thinkin’ of...more the four legged kind. There are mountain lions out there that get pretty hungry this time of year...wolves too maybe.”
“Oh my, I’d no idea it is so dangerous. It just felt like one of those large parks we have back east,” she said, “are there bears too?”
“They’ll mostly be hibernating now, just like that old rattler should have been. He just came out to get some sun I guess...it was pretty warm earlier in the day. That’s the thing you see, nature can be real unpredictable.”
“I see,” she said thoughtfully.
“I reckon the Good Lord gave us all common sense so we don’t get into trouble out there. You need to stay close to home, iffen you don’t know the place, do you see? That’s the way to keep the boy safe huh... rather than relying on God to get him out of trouble?”
She smiled at him then, “You’re right of course...thank you for the lesson in common sense. I think maybe sometimes I can become a bit blinkered and rely on the word of the Lord too much and don’t use the brain he gave me,” she said ruefully.
He grinned at that, “Well you seem pretty smart to me and it ain’t your fault you’re new to the area. It takes time to adjust I guess,” he said looking around the rather shabbily decorated room.
She followed his gaze and then gave a charming giggle. “Oh, we aren’t staying here Jess. We’re just on a visit to spread the Word to all we meet. But mainly we came to see Tom’s father. A neighbor wired us and said he was really sick. But of course, Grandpa Tom wouldn’t see a doctor, so we decided we must come and visit...nurse him back to health. But sadly, it wasn’t to be and he left us just last week.”
“I’m real sorry Anna, “he said softly.
“Thank you he was a very special man. A world acclaimed author. But he had also been a recluse for many years...he hated visitors said they destroyed his muse.”
“Uh-huh,” said Jess looking slightly mystified.
“To such an extent that he went out of his way to avoid contact with anyone. If folk called, he just refused to answer the door or would take refuge in the cave up the hill at the back.”
“Liked his own company then,” said Jess grinning.
“Yes, it all stemmed from him losing his wife...she died when my husband...also called Tom was just nine and his Pa packed him and his little sister off back east to be raised by an aunt. That’s how we met,” she added cheerfully, “she was our next-door neighbor, so we were childhood sweethearts.”
“That’s nice,” said Jess, remembering how he and his gal Millie had been childhood friends before they finally became lovers and were now promised to each other.
“His poor Pa suffered terribly though,” she said sadly. “He went through a phase of writing hear tbreakingly tragic stories about death and doom for several years.”
“It’s real hard losing someone that close,” Jess said softly, “I guess we all deal with it in or own way.”
She looked closely at him then, but merely said, “Yes I think you’re right.”
She sighed and said, “So we saw little of him over the years. But this visit was really special. I think he knew he was on borrowed time and he spent time with the children. Then he talked long into the night with Tom too. So, it was worth it to come here. Even if it wasn’t the best time for me to travel,” she added looking down at her swollen stomach.
“I guess not,” Jess said.
Then rather diffidently, “You’ll be alright? When is the baby due?”
“Oh, not until the New Year,” she said cheerfully. The wife of our neighbor at the back has promised to call by and help out once my time comes and of course my dear Tom will be here.”
“So, what does he do for a living?” Jess asked, feeling slightly surprised that a man should leave his pregnant wife and young children out alone in this isolated spot. Maybe he was kinda lacking in common sense too Jess thought wryly and was depending on the Lord to keep them all safe.
“He’s an academic, a teacher in a small school attached to a seminary back in New York. We specialize in educating orphan children via a charitable trust. Then those deemed suitable have the option to go on to the theological college next door,” she said. “I act as matron and the children also attend school there, so it’s quite a family thing. We are on the Christmas vacation now and will return soon after the baby is strong enough to travel...probably for the Easter term at school, in the spring.”
Just as I thought Jess mused a college guy with his head in the clouds and no thoughts as to how dangerous the west could be.
When he remained silent, she threw him a quizzical glance, “You don’t seem very impressed. Do you not hold with education Jess?”
“I guess I ain’t the one to ask,” he said, “seein’ as how I didn’t get too much of it myself. But no, it ain’t that. It’s just... well it can be kinda dangerous out here for a woman alone, and I figure maybe your husband doesn’t realise that...or he wouldn’t have left you.”
“He really needed to go to town, we’d no supplies left and he also had to attend to Grandpa’s Will... besides...”
“...The Good Lord will keep you safe,” Jess interjected.
She smiled ruefully at that, “Yes that’s exactly what he said.”
Jess shook his head, “I guess I’ll stay around for a few days, until he gets back huh?”
“I’d like that, thank you.”
Then he suddenly felt real sick and dizzy and ran a hand across his face, taking a deep breath.
“Jess I’m so sorry I shouldn’t have kept you up talking so much. You’re tired and a little concussed from that nasty fall too I imagine,” she said gently. “Will you be comfortable on the couch?” she added, where she had already placed a pillow and blanket.
“I’ll be just fine,” he said quickly, “and thanks for looking after me so well I really appreciate it.”
“Good night, Jess,” she said softly as she turned and left the room, pausing at the door to give him a little smile, “Sleep well,” she added before leaving and closing the door behind her.
Jess took a deep breath, the physical resemblance between Anna and the mountain woman Jane, were again like a knife through his heart. He was over her long ago. She was now living happily with her husband in California, he knew that...but even so old memories were stirred and it was a long while before he finally slept.

Chapter 4
Jess was suffering a terrible nightmare...reliving his time with Jane...how he’d been badly hurt and she had nursed him, and his feelings for her had changed from gratitude to something much deeper. Something that he should never have been feeling for a married woman...But the circumstances had been very difficult and, in some ways, their growing affection for each other had seemed justified. Jess knew right from wrong and had eventually walked away from the situation, but now it had come back to haunt him once more. In his dream Anna was reading to him from the Good Book and then looking at him with such disappointment, and then anger. “It’s time to repent your sins,” she said harshly, the words hurting him deeply.
“I never... I didn’t sin,” he’d gasped.
“A sin was committed none the less,” she intoned...her voice rising with religious zeal, “A sin was committed in your heart if not physically...repent...repent I say!”
Jess sat bolt upright, shaking and sweating as he peered around the unfamiliar room trying to get his bearings. For a moment he was back visiting his old grandma in her small cabin. The furniture and drapes all dating back to that era. There was a ghostly mist surrounding the room too...But then he realized the fire was smoking and he got up and stirred it into life before opening the front door a crack to let some air in and get it blazing again.
He shivered and sank back down on the couch an overwhelming feeling of doom and gloom cast over him...an aftermath from the dream he figured. It had been triggered by Anna looking so much like Jane Hudson he reckoned. All that talk of Bible learning and morals had doubtless stirred up his conscience some and he gave a wry grin.
“Well Harper you ain’t no angel that’s fer sure, but no point in frettin’ about the past now. ‘Tis over and done with and you did the right thing...eventually anyway,” he whispered to himself.
He peered around the room again, the remnants of the smoke still giving an eerie almost ethereal feel to the place. There was something else odd too. Weren’t those kids just too well behaved? As for Anna, well, she was almost of another age with her pious ways. She seemed so far removed from the young mothers he knew who scolded and laughed with their children in equal parts. He sighed deeply, “Each to their own,” he said quietly before turning in once more; hoping for no more bad dreams to plague the night. But as he lay there a mist descended once more...and this time it wasn’t smoke...just like a grey fog and with it a bone chilling cold, seeming to come from the walls of the old place. Jess shivered and huddled under the blanket; wishing fervently he was back home.
*******
The following morning his ankle was still very swollen and his head aching from the nasty gash he’d received from his fall, so he was happy to take things easy for a while.
He sat before the fire, his leg up on a footstool, Anna in the other chair knitting, the children seated at the table silently attending to their studies.
“They always this quiet?” Jess asked tipping his head towards where the children were earnestly engaged in writing and reading.
Anna smiled across at him, “Oh yes they are totally engrossed, they enjoy the challenge of their studies, I don’t force them you know,” she added with a quizzical smile, “ they enjoy it really.”
Jess scratched his head and grinned at her, “If you say so.”
“So, tell me about yourself, have you always worked at the Relay Station?”
Jess shook his head, “Nope I come from Texas originally. But been pretty much everywhere, I guess. I was on the drift for five years... after the war that is.”
Then he stopped, why was he telling this smart woman about his past? He was always so dang private about all that...liked the past to stay right there in the past where it belonged.
“I imagine it was a hard life in Texas...after the war anyway?”
“Before it too,” he said deadpan, “My Pa was a share farmer, didn’t make much and us kids had to do our bit to help out, I guess that’s why I didn’t get too much schooling.”
There he went again he thought sipping the herbal tea she had insisted he drink...what had he brought all that up for?
“So, it was hard trying to make a living after the war?”
He just nodded and looked off into the crackling fire.
“But you managed alright?” she persisted.
He looked up into those kindly concerned eyes so like Jane’s and he was helpless to resist her gentle questioning, “I guess I kinda lost my way,” he admitted, “rode the old owl hoot trail for a while...”
At this young Tommy’s head shot up and he looked over at Jess eyes sparkling, “What... so you were and outlaw Mister Harper...a gunslinger?” he asked in hushed awe.
“Yes, boy I got into some trouble with the law and used my fast gun to make a livin’ too, but I ain’t proud of that.”
Tommy now left his books and wandered over, “That’s so exciting,” he said, “so are you still a fast draw, will ya show us huh...will ya?”
“No, I won’t,” Jess said firmly, “and it ain’t exciting boy. It was just the way things were for me. I had to be a fast gun to survive. I still have to be sometimes,” he added bitterly. “But it ain’t something I’m proud of, like I say. You should be more excited about yer book learnin’ and the great future you’re gonna have because of that. You sure don’t wanna turn me into some kinda hero, because I promise you, I ain’t.”
All this time Anna had been looking on and getting more and more distressed, “I’m so sorry Jess, I shouldn’t have pried.”
Then turning to Tommy said, “And you shouldn’t talk to Mister Harper that way either Tommy shame on you, apologize.”
“I’m sorry sir I didn’t mean any harm.”
“I know that, Tommy. Now you get back to yer studies and maybe your Ma will let us both go off tomorrow and scare up a wild turkey for your Christmas dinner and I’ll show ya what a gun should really be used for huh?”
“Gee thanks Mister Harper!”
“Can we Ma... can we go hunting, please?”
Anna smiled benignly at him, “Yes you may dear, as long as Mister Harper feels up to it and rests that leg today.”
Once the children were engaged in their studies once more, she turned to him and said softly, “I really am sorry, I just can’t help myself, I’m always so interested in people.”
“That’s OK and I didn’t hafta answer you, in fact I guess I usually wouldn’t have done. Maybe I just thought you deserved to know the truth about who you’ve got sleepin’ under yer roof,” he said thoughtfully. “But I want you to know that when I met Slim Sherman and started working at the ranch; well, it completely turned my life around. I put up my gunslinger weapon for good.”
Then he gave her a cheeky grin, “I guess you could say I’m a model citizen now. A good clean-livin’ God fearin’ boy,” he added with a wink.
She enjoyed the joke and giggled, “Well I’m glad to hear it Jess,” and she bustled off to make him some more of her special herbal tea. He sat back and relaxed, surprised that the advent of more of her herbal brew didn’t bother him any. She’d said it was a simple recipe her Pa in law had used and it relaxed one and helped promote healing too. Well, dadgum it, it sure beat any of Jonesy’s concoctions he thought smiling broadly.
The day went by swiftly, with him dozing by the fire and in his waking moments the room once more took on that ethereal aura of the previous night...everything hushed and his vision misty as if watching the scene before him through fine gauze. He shook his head and tried to wake properly a few times, blaming his lethargy on the blow to his head.
Before the children turned in that night it was agreed that he and Tommy would take off before first light on their hunting trip; leaving the house without waking the boy’s sleeping mother and sister.
Once the children had run off, Tommy in a state of high excitement, Anna said, “You will watch out for him won’t you Jess, he’s not too experienced around guns.”
Jess nodded, “Sure I will, I’ll treat him like he was my own, I promise you, he’ll be perfectly safe. I figured I’d do all the shootin’ and the boy can learn a few tips, maybe go out again with his Pa when he gets back.”
At the mention of Tom, her husband, her face clouded, “I wonder what on earth can be keeping him in town so long?”
Jess shrugged, “If he is tryin’ to sort out a Will, like you say, it may be taking him some time. Especially if yer Pa in law didn’t have a solicitor to draw it up. It could be that. He’ll hafta have everything checked out...you know what the law can be like, moves powerful slow at times.”
“Yes of course you’re right, I’m sure he’ll be home soon,” she said with a brave smile. “And as for young Tommy I know you’ll care for him...like your own,” she added with a smile. “So, do you have any youngsters back at the ranch? I don’t believe you’re married, but is Mister Sherman?”
“No ma’am, I guess we’re both kinda shy and I’ve got me a fast horse,” he said with a grin. Then more seriously, “Nope, we’ve both got great gals we’re seeing and I figure we’ll be settlin’ down to family life one of these days. But right now, we’ve just got Mike to care for.”
“Mike?”
“Yup he was a young orphan boy that fetched up at the ranch a few years back. He lost his folks when the whole wagon train was wiped out in an Indian attack. He’d no kin, so me and Slim took him on, adopted him. He’s a great kid, a couple of years older than your Tommy and shaping up to be a fine rancher too.”
“Ah, so that’s why you’re so good with the children,” she said smiling, “it’s quite rare in young men of your age to be so in tune with youngsters.”
He just shrugged, “It comes natural to me I guess, bein’ from a big family and all...”
“Oh, that’s nice,” she said smiling at him, “do you see much of them all?”
Jess sipped the herbal tea and looked into the fire for a good minute before finally replying, “No I don’t. See most of them perished in a house fire when I was just fifteen... of the two surviving my brother died just last year...and my big sis lives in California.”
There he went again, he reflected, telling this woman his most closely guarded secrets...and yet it felt natural to reveal everything of his past to her.
When he finally turned to look at her there were tears in her eyes.
“Oh, I’m so sorry,” she whispered.
“‘Twas a long time ago,” he said quietly, “and like I say I’ve got Slim, Mike and Miss Daisy in my life and they’re kin to me now. Along with my beautiful gal, Millie,” he added with a heart- breakingly gentle smile.
She smiled back, “She’s a lucky girl to have you... and Miss Daisy?”
“Ah, that’s Mrs Daisy Cooper our housekeeper. She rules the roost. Keeps us all in order back at the ranch, and cares for Mike. I guess she’s like a Ma to us all really,” he added grinning now at the thought of Daisy.
“Won’t they all be missing you?” she asked suddenly, “Were you on your way home when you had your accident?”
He nodded, “Yup and I guess I’ll be in the doghouse with my pard for a few days when I get home, but he’ll get over it,” he added with a cheeky grin.
“I don’t want for you to be in any trouble on account of us,” she said quickly. “But after what you told me about it not being too safe out there, well I really am beholden to you for staying a while.”
He smiled at her, “I’ll stay another couple of days and if there ain’t any sign of him I’ll ride into town and see what the problem is, OK? I should be able to make it there and back in a day as long as the snow holds off.”
“Thank you,” she said smiling and getting up, “I’ll fetch you another drink and then you’d better turn in if you’re really going hunting so early?”
“Only way,” he replied, “you catch ‘em just as they’re coming down from roosting...so gotta be in place before first light.”
She shuddered slightly, “I’m terribly hypercritical, I love fresh meat, but hate the thought of it being killed.”
He chuckled at that, “Tell ya what… I’ll do like the Indians do and thank it for giving up its life to feed us...huh...that better?”
“Much,” she said smiling at him and going off to brew more herbal tea.

Chapter 5
The following morning Jess was up bright and early. He noted that he felt energized and much more alert than he had since the accident, once he’d drunk a couple of cups of strong coffee, and was pleased to see that Tommy was up and about too. It was an hour or so before dawn and the boy was full of excitement for the morning ahead.
They were just tiptoeing out of the house when a little voice called out, “Wait for me.”
The two turned around and saw Polly fully dressed. She had one boot on and hopping around to put on the other.
Jess ran over to her and said kindly “Hey what’s all this about Polly? You’re up kinda early ain’t ya?”
“I’m coming with you,” she said firmly, “I want to catch the turkey too and Pa will be real proud of me.”
“Hey honey, I don’t think yer Ma would be any too happy about that,” Jess said gently. “And besides we can’t leave her home all alone, she’d be real lonely wouldn’t she huh?”
The little one considered that and said, “Well I suppose she would.”
“Sure, she would, now you go back to bed huh...and me and Tommy will be back before you know it.”
She nodded sadly, “Maybe Pa will come home today...can we go see later Tommy?”
He big brother just shrugged, “We’ll see,” he said vaguely...already having been told by his Ma he was to stay close to home as Mister Harper said it could be dangerous out there. Now not wanting to frighten his little sis and also wanting to get off, he just grinned at her, “We’ll see later maybe,” and pushed her gently back towards her room.
The two hunters returned triumphant a couple of hours later bearing a large wild turkey and two plump rabbits.
They found Anna in the kitchen fixing breakfast and she was delighted with the largess.
“I figured seein’ as I’ve been eatin’ ya out of house and home I should provide something for the pot,” Jess said grinning as he showed her the rabbits.
Then Tommy was dispatched to wake his sister while Anna finished off the breakfast and Jess went off to wash up.
A few minutes later Tommy dashed into the kitchen and said, “Polly’s gone Ma and she’s wearing her coat and boots.”
Jess, just re-entering the room, cussed softly under his breath. “Oh no,” he said to Anna, “she wanted to come huntin’ with us, but I said no and she went off back to bed...or so I thought,” he added grimly.
Anna looked anxious, “If it really is dangerous out there, we must go and look,” she said quickly divesting herself of her apron.
Jess shook his head, “No, you stay here in case she comes back, me and Tommy will go. We didn’t see her out on the trail so I don’t think she followed us or we’d have met up.”
“She did want to go look for Pa before,” Tommy said, “maybe she’s gone to our secret look out. It’s over the back in the woods near a little stream...you can see way down to the trail that comes up to the cabin from there.”
“Well come on, what are we waitin’ for?”
He turned back to Anna and gave her a reassuring pat on the arm, “She’ll be fine don’t fret,” he said and he dashed off, followed by Tommy.
As soon as they reached the rocky outcrop overlooking the valley below, it was clear she wasn’t there. They called and looked around, but nothing...
Hell, Jess thought what if she’d decided to try and walk to Laramie to find her Pa; the thought filling him with dread. A youngster alone in this harsh environment wouldn’t last long. If a cougar or wolf didn’t track her down then she could easily fall to her death...or simply wander off, get terribly lost and starve... he stared out at the distant horizon feeling totally overwhelmed as to where to start.
He turned and saw Tommy wiping a tear away and slung an arm around his shoulders and pulled him into a warm embrace, “Don’t worry kid, we’ll fine her,” he said with more confidence than he was actually feeling right then.
They turned and started back down through the dense woodland when Jess heard a small noise. He stood stock still and listened...yes there it was again...a groan.
“Polly, Poly is that you?” he yelled.
He and Tommy stood still... silently straining their ears and they were rewarded by a faint cry...followed by a whimper.
It was only a matter of a minute before they located her lying on her side under some bushes, her knees drawn up and her face contorted and wet with tears.
Jess knelt down beside her, and put out a gentle hand, “Hey sweetheart what are ya doin’ up here huh?”
“I... I was looking for Pa and then I got real hungry so I ate the pretty berries...but they weren’t real nice like blackberries and now my tummy hurts,” she gasped before crying out in pain.
Jess looked up at the bush and inwardly cussed.
“These berries on this here bush?” he asked anxiously.
She nodded, “They aren’t nice don’t eat ‘em Mister Harper,” she said crying again.
Jess said nothing, just picked her up and carried her swiftly back towards the cabin, Tommy running on ahead to warn his Ma.
Jess burst into the kitchen minutes later and said urgently, “Make up a cup of warm water and add lots of salt...quick!”
Anna looked from her daughter’s now pale sickly little face up to Jess and back, totally shocked.
“Do it now Anna!” Jess said urgently, “Then make her drink it all in one go.”
“But she’ll be terribly sick,” Anna said, even as she started to do as she was bid.
Ten minutes later little Polly was sitting on her Ma’s lap looking exhausted and tearful after having chucked up all the berries.
“What...what was it she ate?” Anna asked eventually, looking pale and shaky herself.
“Bane-berries,” Jess said, “they can be lethal iffen you eat too many.”
“They can kill you?”
Jess nodded, “Well a small child anyway...if they eat a few then yeah. They have trouble breathin’ and the heart stops eventually. But caught quickly enough she should be just fine,” he added smiling at the youngster. “Beats me as to why she ate so many of the dang things though...they’re real bitter.”
“Oh, that’s easy,” Polly piped up. “I figured that they were maybe like medicine, because that always tastes bad but it’s good for you.”
“But you’re not sick dear,” Anna said faintly. “So why take what you thought was medicine?”
“I thought it might be like that cod liver oil you give us. You always say that will make us grow up real big and strong. So, I thought this medicine would make me grow up too, so I’d be big like Tommy and be able to go hunting and do fun stuff like he does.”
“Oh Polly,” her Ma said pulling her close and not knowing whether to laugh or cry.
A little while later the child was put back to bed for a nap and Jess, Tommy and Anna enjoyed a late breakfast.
“How is your ankle now Jess?” Anna asked, “Did you manage alright this morning?”
Jess had been fine until the dash home carrying young Polly...that sure hadn’t helped the healing any he thought grimly. However, he wasn’t about to share that with Anna, feeling he’d had about as much fussin’ and frettin’ as he could stand for one day.
“Just fine,” he said mentally crossing his fingers and changing the subject.
“Uh, I thought Tommy and me might go find a Christmas tree later, is it OK if I ask Polly to come too...maybe let her choose? Might make her feel better...a tad more grown up ya know?”
“Oh Jess, that’s a wonderful idea,” she said throwing him a brilliant smile, all the angst of the last hour put behind her for a moment, “I’ll tell her as soon as she wakes up.”
Then rising to clear the table she said quietly, “You know you were quite wrong what you said to Tommy yesterday.”
“Huh?” he asked looking puzzled.
“You told him you weren’t a hero...when we were talking about your past. Well, you may not have been back then...but you certainly are now,” she said blushing slightly, “as far as I’m concerned anyway,” and she went off to the kitchen to start the washing up.
Jess looked after her an unfathomable expression in his deep blue eyes.
They didn’t need to venture far afield to find a suitable tree and Jess was able to cut down the medium size pine that Poly had declared ‘just perfect’.
Then they tied a rope on and he and Tommy hauled it back to the cabin, Polly skipping on ahead. They were nearly there when a few light snowflakes stared swirling down around them and the children cried out in glee.
“Gee it really feels like Christmas now doesn’t it Jess?” Tommy said grinning joyfully.
Jess nodded and returned the smile...but heck this was all he needed. Sure, the fine smattering of snow looked pretty... But the weather could turn real quick around these parts as he knew all too well. A pretty snowstorm could suddenly turn into a raging white out blizzard, killing or at least stranding folk in a matter of hours.
By the time they got back the bitter cold was making his damaged ankle and hip ache something fierce and he just wanted to sit a spell.
Anna was at the door to greet them and after enthusing over the tree she told the children to go and change into dry warm clothes and then turned her attention to Jess.
He looked pale and exhausted to her nurse’s eye and she quickly insisted he lie on the couch by the fire and take a nap, “I’ll fetch you some extra strong herbal tea directly,” she added, “I can see that you’re in some pain Jess, so don’t argue dear.”
He hid a smile, her attitude again mimicking Daisy...must be a nurse thing he thought vaguely, before stretching out and closing his eyes.
When he awoke it was dusk and the appetizing smell of rabbit stew was emanating from the kitchen.
A few minutes later Anna appeared with a steaming mug of strong tea.
He squinted up at her, “Heck what time is it?”
“Nearly six, you’ve been asleep nearly all afternoon...are you feeling better?”
He nodded, “Sure” and accepted the drink from her sniffing the strong fragrant brew that he was getting to quite like.
The children were full of excitement over supper as the snow had continued falling and they had been allowed to play out for much of the afternoon.
“What, they missed their studies? “Jess said in mock horror as an aside to Anna and winking at her.
She smiled back, “It was the easiest way to make sure they didn’t disturb you...and you needed a good rest. Besides,” she said chuckling, “it’s nearly Christmas...I’m not a monster you know Jess. I do allow them fun as well as encouraging them to study hard.”
Instead of smiling and agreeing he looked perturbed.
“What is it?” she asked, thinking she’d said something to upset him.
“What’s the date?” he asked, “I didn’t think Christmas was so close?”
“Oh yes,” she said it’s the 22nd of December already.
He shook his head, “I’d no idea, I guess I must have lost a couple of days someplace,” he added with a rueful grin.
“Well, you were quite concussed when you first arrived and slept a lot...that’s probably it,” she said sensibly. Then looking rather anxious she added, “Do you have to leave soon then Jess?”
Seeing how upset she and the children looked at the prospect of him riding out he shook his head. “Nope I guess I’m OK for another couple of days ...as long as the snow don’t get too bad. I don’t wanna be snowed in here all winter he added,” laughing. But secretly he was quite concerned. He couldn’t leave these greenhorns out here alone, of course he couldn’t. But they needed supplies anyway if they were to survive a Wyoming winter and so he’d have to leave soon. If the husband couldn’t be located, then dang it he’d hafta bring the supplies back...or maybe make arrangements for them to move to town. Hell, what if something had happened to the guy...he was real sick...or worse?
He was awoken from his reverie by young Polly pulling at his sleeve, “So can we Jess huh... can we?”
Jess looked askance of Anna.
“She wants to know if you’ll go up in the attic for her and Tommy to try and locate the tree decorations tomorrow,” she said, “seeing as how the access is rather small,” she added looking down at her now pronounced pregnant stomach.
“Sure honey, I can do that,” Jess said turning to the child at once.
“That’s settled then,” said Anna happily, “and with the paper decorations I’m going to help you children make; the place will really look like Christmas when Daddy comes home.”
Once they were all settled for the night Jess found he couldn’t sleep after his prolonged nap. He prowled around the room looking at the titles of the books on the shelves, many by the famous author, Mr Thomas Hammond snr, the children’s deceased grandfather. They seemed to be mostly adventure stories aimed at children and Jess wondered idly if he had written them originally for his son, Anna’s husband, when he was a boy...or maybe even for his grandchildren Polly and Tommy. He flicked through a couple of the light funny stories before replacing them and looking for something with a more adult theme.
Then he came upon a large pile of Goodson’ s Weekly Magazine and picking up a few retired to the couch with them. Looking through he noted that Hammond had been a regular contributor...but these stories were nothing like the children’s stories. These verged on horror with death and misery being their mainstay. He frowned, hell there was enough death and destruction in the real world he thought without dang well havin’ to read about it for pleasure.
Then his eyelids began to droop and he put the magazines aside and fell into a deep sleep.
But again, he was troubled by nightmares and awoke in the small hours, the vision of young Polly lying pale and lifeless in his arms as her mother cried hysterically. He slowly awoke properly and looked around him. It was alright... Polly hadn’t perished from the potentially lethal berries after all. It was all just a terrible dream thank God...and he lay back again sweating and then shivering slightly. He sure would be glad when he was home again, he thought. He glanced around the room. Once more it seemed to be bathed in an eerie light...and he felt an overwhelming presence around him…one of deep sadness. Get a grip Harper he said to himself... yer just beat and hurtin’ some. You’ll be fine in the morning…and with that he forced himself to lie back and get to sleep again.

Chapter 6
The next morning, he awoke feeling much better...and scoffed at his imaginings of the previous night. Then after a good breakfast and couple of cups of reviving coffee he made his way up the ladder and through the narrow hatch into the cabin attic.
The children were beside themselves with excitement and Jess grinned to himself. Sure, they were brought up kinda strictly, with all that extra book learning and religious dogma, but at the end of the day they were just regular kids full of joyful anticipation of all the seasonal treats to come.
Anna handed a lamp up to him, and now he looked around the confined space searching for the wooden box that she said held the old Christmas decorations for the tree. The place was knee deep in dusty boxes of all sorts and it took him a while to locate the one he was seeking. Then under a pile of ancient dark dresses, similar to the one Anna now wore, he found what he was looking for. He wiped the dusty surface with his hand and was rewarded by an old handwritten label saying Christmas Cheer... Um he thought fleetingly, he could dang well do with some Christmas cheer himself and he wondered if Denver James had delivered the Christmas Moonshine to the ranch yet.
Then he was alerted to the children’s cheerful cries below asking him if he’d found the decorations yet, and picking up the box carefully lowered it down to where Anna waited below. He was just turning to make his exit when something in the corner caught his eye...he went over for a closer look and picked up a beautiful china doll dressed in an exquisite silk gown of pale blue. She had a wig of golden curly hair, wide innocent blue eyes and a tiny rosebud mouth. Picking her up he made his way back down the stepladder.
“Hey honey look what I found up there,” he said showing Polly the cute doll.
However, he wasn’t expecting her reaction ...as the child took one look at the doll and gave a little gasp of shock...before turning to her Ma and saying. “It’s Betsy–Jane isn’t it, Mama....I’m scared!”
Jess looked from the child to her Ma and back frowning, “Uh, so what’s so bad about Betsy–Jane then, she looks like a real swell doll to me?” he said mystified.
Anna came forwards and took the enchanting object from Jess and said gently, “It’s alright Polly dear...Grand papa should really never have read you that story.”
Tommy, who had been thumbing through the copies of the Goodson’ s Weeklies, that Jess had put aside the night before, brought a copy over.
“Here it is, a story called ‘The Doll Who Wept’. It’s all about a little girl who loved her doll...and then when she was just five years old...same as Polly... she upped and died of the fever. When her ma and pa came home from laying her to rest, they saw that her best doll, Betsy-Jane, was crying a real tear...that’s so sad isn’t it?”
“I’ll say,” Jess agreed with feeling; looking at the magazine. Yup there was a pen and ink drawing of the doll and it was identical to the one he had found.
“But it’s just a story, like make believe huh?” he said addressing Anna...and suddenly feeling a slight shudder of apprehension running down his spine.
“Oh goodness me yes of course,” Anna said laughing, although to Jess the mirth sounded slightly hollow.
“Really,” asked the little girl. “So, she won’t cry if I play with her?” she asked hopefully.
“No dear, and she looks to me like she’d really like to have a little girl play with her again.”
The child took the doll carefully from her Ma and hugged her before saying, “Now don’t you fret Betsy–Jane I’m going to take real good care of you,” and she ran off happily with her new friend.
But Jess glanced back down at the story and shook his head, jeez, the guy sure had an odd way of entertaining his grandchildren he thought.
Anna seemed to read his thoughts...
“I think he read the story to them as the doll belonged to Mary, my husband’s little sister. Apparently, she left it here after her Ma died and she and her brother were sent back east to live with their aunt. She left it here to keep her Pa company after she went away,” Anna said sadly. “I suppose that’s why he wrote such a heartbreaking story. He must have been missing the children so much. I know after he’d read it, he tried to explain how much he had missed his son and daughter when they left. Maybe he was feeling a tad guilty about having sent them away too,” she said reflectively. “But I imagine he felt it was the right thing to do at the time.”

Later the story was forgotten with all the hustle and bustle of decorating the tree. The old ornaments were truly beautiful, some of them dating from about a hundred years ago,” Jess guessed.
Once everything was in place, they lit the candles as dusk fell and stood in awe admiring the beautiful site…the children and Anna’s eyes sparkling in delight.
Then Anna turned to Jess and said softly, “Thank you so much, we just wouldn’t have been able to do all this without your help.”
Again, in the romantic candle lit room Jess was put in mind of his lost love, Jane, and he swallowed hard before saying, “You’re welcome, Anna. But I guess I’ll hafta be on my way tomorrow. I’ll go look for your husband, send him home,” he added with a grin. He had to get home and see everyone; he was missing them all something fierce...especially Millie he wanted... no he needed to see his Millie.
Polly looked tearful at that news. “I want you to find my Pa, but I don’t want you to go! Can’t you spend Christmas with us?” she asked her huge innocent eyes pleading.
He knelt down beside her and said gently, “Well I reckon not sweetheart. You see I’ve got a family waitin’ on me back in Laramie, and they’d be real sad iffen I didn’t get back home for Christmas.” She nodded forlornly at that but understood the sense of it.
“But you will come back and visit us sometime, won’t you?” She asked.
He nodded, “Sure I will and it ain’t too far to Laramie so maybe we could meet up there sometime with yer Ma and Pa huh?”
She nodded satisfied and went off to fetch Betsy–Jane to show her the magnificent Christmas tree.
Later in the evening that strange feeling came over him once again. Anna was by the fireside, knitting for the baby, a sweet smile on her lips as she hummed softly to herself. The children were sitting quietly on the floor beside the tree working on a jigsaw puzzle, Betsy–Jane propped up beside them. He again had the strange feeling of not really being there, almost as though he were outside peering in at this picture of domestic bliss from afar. Once more the room seemed to shimmer and a soft mist enveloped the scene. He glanced back at the doll and could have sworn he saw the glint of a tear…
The next thing he knew the room was now dimly lit, the children were abed and Anna about to turn in herself. She wandered over to where he was now stretched out on the couch and placed a large cup of the herbal tea that he had become accustomed to on a table beside him.
“Extra strong to give you a good sleep before your journey tomorrow,” she said cheerfully, but then stopped and put one hand to her back.
Jess noted the little gasp and frown as she held her back.
“Are you OK,” he asked quickly, “it’s not the baby, is it?”
She smiled down at him then, “Goodness no, he isn’t due until after New Year...No just making himself known, kicking,” she added smiling again.
“You’re sure you’ll be OK if I ride out tomorrow?” he insisted.
“Absolutely fine, don’t worry Jess I have done this before you know,” she said with a little giggle.
He returned the smile, but then looking serious, “If...um fer any reason Tom can’t get back, well I’ll come and let you know. I’ll stay until he can make it. I won’t leave ya here alone, you know that dontcha?”
She nodded, clearly touched and a hint of tears in her eyes, “Yes I know...and you’re a good man. But I’m sure Thomas is on his way; he won’t let us down... he never has you see.”
Jess nodded and once she’d left, he turned in, but he couldn’t help thinking there was a first time for everything...and just maybe Thomas was in trouble.
*******
The following morning it was a sad little trio that waved Jess off.
There were still some deep snow drifts in some places and a nasty northerly was blowing up as he rode away from the cabin. He turned to give a final wave and was struck by how small and fragile the little family looked huddled together in the icy wind and for two pins he’d have ridden back again. But no, he had to ride out, locate Thomas and then go see his own family, although he was wondering what kind of reception he would get from Slim, riding in on December 23rd. He gave another brisk wave and headed off.
He glanced up to the sky and was alarmed to see huge grey snow clouds blowing in, “Hell that’s all we dang well need,” he said to Traveller as he hustled him on to greater speed.
He was down on the main road about six miles from Laramie and the snow coming down apace when he saw a heavily laden buckboard driving towards him.
The driver hove to when Jess came alongside and said cheerfully, “Greetings my friend, inclement weather is it not?”
Jess hid a smile, talkin’ that way this guy sure had to be the college teacher from back east.
Jess leaned forward in the saddle and offered a hand, “Sure is,” he agreed, “and I guess you must be Mister Hammond huh? I’m Jess Harper.”
The tall dark man looked somewhat surprised, but shook Jess’s hand warmly.
“Yes, I’m Thomas Hammond, have we met? He asked looking puzzled.
“Nope, but I’ve just spent the last few days up in yer Pa’s cabin with your family. See I had a bad fall from my horse and your wife was good enough to take me in and tend my injuries.”
“Ah, so that’s it,” Tom said smiling warmly, “that sounds like my dear Anna. She’s an excellent nurse. Our philosophy is always to try and love and serve our neighbor Mister Harper. Help out where we can. So, you found them well?” he asked smiling benignly.
Jess felt like asking him why the hell he’d left them all for so dang long, but restrained himself and merely said, “Yup they’re all just fine. But will be real glad to have you home. Way out here is no place for a woman and children alone ya know,” he added somewhat frostily.
Tom looked slightly taken aback, but rallied quickly, “Ah, I usually find the Good Lord provides,” he said expansively. However, when he registered Jess’s stony stare he added quickly, “But you’re quite right my friend, I have been gone far too long. Some issues around some er...legal matters,” he said vaguely. “But all successfully concluded now,” he added with a sigh of relief...
“Well, that’s good,” Jess said somewhat deadpan.
Tom was beginning to feel slightly wrong footed now and as the snow was coming down thick and fast, he decided to conclude their little chat and said, “Well I appreciate you stepping in and keeping an eye on them all for me...Merry Christmas Mister Harper!”
Jess relented then and smiled at the guy, hell he couldn’t help it if he was a complete greenhorn.
“You’ve a lovely family,” he said smiling now...but the words so keep ‘em safe... hung in the air between them...although left unsaid.
“Thank you,” Tom said sincerely.
“Merry Christmas,” Jess added before giving a small salute and kneeing Traveller on into the fast-gathering gloom of the day.
When he finally rode into town, he was surprised to see how busy it was with the boardwalk positively teeming with eager shoppers. He decided to take Traveller down to the livery first and then call in on Millie at the saloon. It was still only mid-morning and he figured he could have some time with his girl and still make it back to the ranch before sundown. Well, he wasn’t too late he mused, he’d have a day to help with all the chores before their holiday guests arrived.
Old Bert from the livery greeted him with a cheery grin and said, “I thought you’d be home on Christmas Eve Jess, helpin’ out before all your guests arrive...last minute shopping, is it?”
Jess just stared at him open mouthed, “It’s the 23rdain’t it?” he said, “Not Christmas Eve yet?”
Bert laughed at that and then winked, “Been on the moonshine early have you Jess... just been sleeping it off huh?”
He was surprised at his old friend’s far from cheerful reply, “Stop joshin’ me Bert, it ain’t really Christmas Eve, is it?”
“Well, if you don’t believe me ask the Sheriff,” Bert said jovially, tipping his hat to a figure fast approaching Jess.
He turned and saw Mort ginning over at him, “All set then Jess, come to escort me and the gals back to your place, have you? Gee I can’t wait to get stuck into Miss Daisy’s cooking...not to mention Denver’s Christmas cheer. He has delivered huh...you have been home?” he added
“You’ll be lucky if there’s any left,” old Bert joked. “I think the boy’s drunk it all the way he’s acting...says it ain’t Christmas Eve Sheriff!”
Mort raised an eyebrow and considered his old friend carefully...sure he looked a bit trail weary, but not particularly hung over.
“Slim was in the other day,” he said casting Jess a speculative glance, “he was cutting up pretty rough, saying as how you were way overdue. But I guess he was more worried than angry...so where have you been huh? I take it you haven’t come from the ranch this morning?”
“Nope I ain’t. See the thing is Mort I had a kinda mishap...a rattler spooked Trav here and he tipped me off.”
Mort raised an eyebrow again, “Really? So, you manage to stay up on those dang mustangs you break, but can’t stay on board your own horse huh?” he asked leaning over and patting Traveller fondly on the neck.
Then he turned to Bert and winking said, “And we all know what a difficult ride ol’ Traveller is don’t we Bert.”
The old timer enjoyed the joke and then turned back to Jess waiting for the next tidbit of the boy’s latest adventures.
Jess ignored the jibe and continued stoically, “So I had a real bad fall and this kid found me and took me home to his Ma ...and well...she’s been nursin’ me these last few days.”
Mort rolled his eyes at that, “Um, pretty was she Jess?” Then quickly, “No don’t answer that, a foregone conclusion, I guess. But maybe you better not share that bit with Slim and Daisy huh? I reckon it would sound better iffen you were just to say you’ve been laid out by a smoky camp fire, in the bitter cold, with just some jerky to keep you alive.”
Bert chuckled at that and was rewarded by an angry glare from Jess, “Just tend my horse will ya Bert. A good rubdown and extra rations, he got real cold today. I’ll be back for him this afternoon,” and he turned and marched off. He was swiftly followed by the Sheriff, but not before he’d given Bert a knowing wink.
Mort caught up with him a couple of blocks down Main Street and said, “Hold on there, Jess, I was only ribbin’ ya... so are you OK now?”
Jess turned and gave him a weak grin, “Yup, and I know that Mort. I guess I’m just feelin’ kinda bamboozled, I could have sworn it was the 23rd.”
“A head wound, was it?” Mort asked sympathetically and when Jess nodded, he said, “They can do funny things to a man Jess, you know that...probably concussed. So, did this pretty little lady fix you up with pain medicine? That can make you sleep away the days you know.”
Jess thought back to the strong herbal infusion he’d been drinking for the pain and nodded, “I guess you’re right.” Then grinning, “So I’ll ride in with you early afternoon...OK...safety in numbers,” he added with a wink, thinking Slim wouldn’t bawl him out in front of company.
“Are Betty and Maudie workin’ shift at the saloon now? He added hopefully.
The two middle-aged spinster ladies were always glad to make a few bucks covering for Lily and Millie at holiday times and if they were honest were glad of the company, especially at Christmas.
“Yup they started this morning and I think old Tom said he was giving the girls the morning off to pack and finish their shopping.”
There was suddenly a gleam in Jess’s eye and a spring to his step that Mort knew only too well.
“See ya later Mort, like you said I’ll be riding in with you and the women folk later, just gotta see my gal right now.”
Mort nodded, “Fine...and uh Jess?”
“Yeah?”
“I shouldn’t mention that pretty little nurse lady to Millie either.”
Jess grinned at him and flapped a hand before marching purposefully down Main Street and into the saloon.
Millie answered the knock at the door of her room above the bar right away. Pulling it open wide she surveyed her errant beau with a look of delight mixed with exasperation.
“Where have you been,” she said indignantly, “we were expecting you last week?”
Then as she looked into those deep blue eyes so full of love she relented at once and flew into his warm embrace... before pulling him into the room.
“Well, I’ll tell ya all about it,” he said holding her close.
Then he leaned in for a kiss and murmured, “But maybe later huh?” ... and with his foot, kicked the door closed behind him.

Chapter 7
The couple’s love making was passionate and time flew. Before they knew it Lily was knocking on the door saying Mort was below with the buckboard and were they ready to go?
Then with all the hustle and bustle of the journey and arrival at the ranch, Jess’s latest exploits were forgotten, for the time being anyway.
Slim, Daisy and Mike had rushed out of the ranch house when they heard the buckboard rattle into the yard followed by Jess on Traveller.
Ignoring their guests for a moment Mike rushed over to Jess as he swung down from the saddle and moments later, he was hoisted up into the air as Jess laughed up at him, “Howdy Tiger how are ya doin?”
“Just great,” the child cried happily, “now you’re home anyway. We’ve been watching out for you every day...we sure missed ya at the turkey shoot,” he added somewhat reproachfully.
Jess held him tight for a second and then put him back down on the ground.
“Well, I’m really sorry I missed it too,” he said ruffling the boy’s hair, “but I had a little accident out on the trail slowed me down some.”
Daisy and Slim who had been busy welcoming their guests turned to Jess at once.
“Oh my, are you alright dear?” Daisy said concern in her kindly eyes.
Whereas Slim looked slightly cynical but said nothing.
“Uh, I’m fine now Daisy really, don’t fret,” he said quickly.
Then turning to Slim said, “I’m sorry I’m late back pard, I’ll explain everything later huh?”
Slim gave him a brief nod, but Jess just knew he wasn’t going to get off that lightly.
Slim along with Mike and Daisy ushered their friends into the house, carrying various packages of gifts and extra food and drink and Jess turned towards the barn to tend his mount.
He was just rubbing Traveller down when the door opened admitting Slim, and Jess took a deep breath, just waiting for the storm to break.
Slim stood leaning on the stall, stony faced, “Well... and this better be good Jess,” he said angrily.
Jess, having his back to Slim, rolled his eyes and took a deep breath before turning and saying quietly, “I can see as why you’d be mad Slim, but it weren’t my fault really it weren’t. See Traveller here was spooked by a rattler and tipped me off, I fell kinda bad and hurt my ankle...hip too... In fact, it’s still hurtin’ some,” he added rubbing his side for effect.
“Go on,” Slim said dead pan.
“I hit my head too…got a real bad concussion,” he added warming to his theme...and going for the sympathy vote.
“.... And some sweet little old lady found you out on the trail and took you home to nurse you back to health,” Slim broke in.
“Well, she weren’t that old,” Jess said, “but that’s about the gist of it.”
“Um...well let’s try this for size. You and Red went on one bender too many and you’ve been sat on your butt over at his place for the last week trying to find the energy to get back home... But what with Red supplying more of the same...in the way of Moonshine and that pretty little wife of his feeding you up... I guess you were too dang stuffed to get on your horse,” Slim finished triumphantly.
Jess having completed his task now came out of the stall and taking off his hat turned to Slim.
“Look for yerself iffen you don’t believe me,” he said…tipping his head forwards so Slim could see the bruising to his neck and healing scar on the back of his head.
This somewhat appeased him and he said gruffly, “Well OK I suppose I’ll hafta believe you.”
“Well thanks,” said Jess angrily, now feeling the injured party. “Want me to drop my pants and show you the bruise on my hip and ankle too, huh?” he asked belligerently.
“No, that won’t be necessary,” Slim said kindly, “and I’m sorry Jess. But you know the way you can be sometimes.”
Then clapping him on the back said, “Come on in and take a look at the tree, it’s real swell...best we’ve had.”
Jess’s good humor returned and he allowed himself to be steered towards the house and grinning said, “Garldarn it Slim, you say that every year!”
When he entered the house, he was struck by the warm happy atmosphere, the tree indeed looking magnificent and the wonderful aroma of home cooking wafting out from the kitchen.
Then he cast his mind back to the place he’d just ridden from. Sure, there’ d been a swell tree and all the general excitement of Christmas generated by the children. But there had been something else too. Something deep in the very fabric of the old cabin...a feeling of terrible grief and anger and now a shiver ran down Jess’s spine at the memory. Then he recalled those strange nights when a grey mist had descended over the room bringing with it a bone chilling cold and he shuddered again.
“I said do you want a glass of Denver’s best?” Mort asked again. “Hey what’s up Jess,” he added, “you look like you’ve seen a ghost....and yer shivering.”
Then Slim wandered over with some glasses, “You’ve not picked up a chill out on the trail have you pard?” he asked.
“Nope, I’m fine,” he said quickly and pretty soon he was. All the strange feelings about the Hammond cabin forgotten as the day progressed.
The final preparations for the big day were made and eventually a very excited Mike was shooed off to bed trailing his stocking, his eyes sparkling with anticipation at the advent of Santa.
Christmas Day was a pure delight from dawn to dusk, starting at five in the morning with Mike bouncing on Jess’s bed and asking if he could have his stocking NOW!
Slim and Jess had watched indulgently as the child whooped in delight at all the carefully wrapped gifts...then a hearty breakfast was enjoyed by all.
“It’s just too bad Kate can’t be with us this year Mort dear,” Daisy said sadly... as they sat finishing their meal.
He nodded, “Yup it sure is. But she felt her place was nursing poor Cody through the fever. According to Denver he could have lost the boy had it not been for my Kate’s wonderful nursing and old Indian herbal medicine. Kate may only be a second cousin to Denver, but she treats those boys of his as her own,” Mort said proudly, “she’s a good woman that’s for sure.”
“I don’t know why you don’t just up and marry her,” Jess said chuckling, “put us all out of our misery.”
“Well don’t think I wouldn’t ask her,” Mort said hotly. “In fact, maybe I already have...but she’s way too independent to be tied to any man...so she reckons.”
“Well, she ain’t gonna change her mind stuck up that mountain, is she?” Jess persisted.
“Well, dontcha think I know that?” Mort replied. “As soon as spring is here, she’s promised a long visit with me...and I aim to make her welcome ...real welcome,” he added with emphasis.
“Well good,” said Daisy quickly glancing across at Mike who was taking in all the banter. His eyes huge as his head swiveled between Jess and Mort.
“Uh, Mike dear if you’ve quite finished maybe, you could collect the eggs. The sooner the chores are done the sooner we can think about opening presents.”
Once he’d gone Mort turned to Jess and Millie, “So what are your plans then? A spring wedding on the agenda is it Jess? Maybe we could make it a double wedding,” he added with a sly grin.
Jess turned pale and Millie hid a giggle. Then seeing her lover’s uneasiness, she got up and started clearing the breakfast dishes away.
“Come on Romeo,” she quipped let’s get the washing up done, then us gals can make a start on the vegetables for dinner.”
Jess followed her out meekly, whilst Slim and Mort shared a wink, “That’ll teach him,” Mort chuckled.
“Well, I think I’ll be in my dotage before any of you get married,” Daisy said with feeling, “and I do so want to be young enough to enjoy all your babies,” she added for good measure, eyeing Slim and Lily.
Slim got up quickly, “Er I guess I’ll go help Jess,” he said and was off in a flash, leaving Lily and Daisy hiding their laughter.
From then on, the day was a kaleidoscope of joyful scenes. From the gift opening through to the mouth-wateringly delicious Christmas dinner...all was perfect.
The day flew by and eventually Mike and the ladies retired for the night, leaving the three men toasting their toes before a crackling fire and savoring a nightcap.
They sat back in their chairs, a glass of whiskey in hand, and relaxed in perfect harmony.
After a while Slim turned to Jess and said “So come on then Hotshot let’s hear what really happened last week. Starting with why a little knock on the head and bruised ankle kept you holed up someplace for the best part of a week huh?”
Jess was feeling kind of mellow and knew Slim was past hauling him over the coals now, so he just said, “The family that helped me out needed a bit of kindness themselves, so I figured I’d stay around and look out for them for a little while.”
“Family,” Slim asked raising an eyebrow, “so not a little old lady then?”
“Nope quite a good lookin’ younger one from what he told me earlier,” Mort broke in with a cheeky wink at Slim.
“Go on then pard I’m all ears,” Slim said trying to keep a straight face.
“Well, Anna, that was the lady, she was stuck in the cabin with a couple of young ‘un’ s and another on the way. Her husband was overdue from town and so seein’ as how they weren’t ready for Christmas I stayed on and helped them out like I say. I chopped a Christmas tree down for them, shot a good-sized turkey...that kinda thing. They needed the help Slim, real greenhorns”, he said with a chuckle. Then determined to justify his actions, “Just bein’ neighborly,” he added for good measure.
“Oh, so they’re neighbors then?” Slim asked.
“Well not real close neighbors, no. I left the main road and came back around Sheep Mountain on the old Indian trail. The Hammond’s cabin was down off the track about ten or twelve miles on the other side of town.”
To his surprise both Mort and Slim looked really shocked.
“What...what have I said?” he asked looking from Slim to Mort and back.
“Did you say the Hammond place...back in the woods overlooking a deep gully?” Slim asked quietly.
Jess nodded, “Yeah, that’s right why? Do you know the place? Real nice folk...I met Mr Hammond on my way back...in that bad snow storm,” he added, “I sure hope he made it home OK.”
At this Mort choked on his whiskey and after much back slapping and a top up he finally managed, “You met Mr Hammond?”
“I just told ya didn’t I?” Jess said beginning to feel slightly impatient with his friends. “So, what’s the big deal?”
“The Hammond place has been empty, for almost as long as I can remember,” Slim said looking deeply shocked, “it’s reputedly haunted Jess...”
Jess burst out laughing, “Yer kiddin’ me...well I guess I’ve spent the last week with a whole house full of ghosts then,” he said chuckling.
“He’s not joshing you,” Mort said looking mighty serious, “the story is a local legend.”
“What story...huh?”
“You’re not going to like it,” Slim said. “But here goes. OK the story goes that it was Christmas Eve and Mr Hammond had gone to town to buy a special present for his wife who was expecting their third child. But on the way back he was hit by a terrible snow storm. All he could do was find shelter in the lee of some pines and sit it out. The following morning, he was making his way up to the cabin on foot when he came across the bodies of his two young children...they’d gone searching for him and perished in the storm. When he got back home his wife had died in childbirth.”
Jess gasped....and then shook his head...this was crazy.
“I told you, you wouldn’t like it,” Slim said.
“I don’t like it and I don’t believe it either,” Jess said stoutly. “Yeah, sure that fits what happened to me, but it has to be just a coincidence, they were real I tell you!”
“Folk have heard terrible wailing and crying come from the old cabin,” Mort embellished, “and some say they’ve seen the ghost of old Hammond flitting about the place.”
“The ghost, of Mr Hammond you say?” Jess asked.
“Oh yes he killed himself soon after the family perished...couldn’t stand the grief...so you see Jess nobody has lived up there for years. Heck I was by the place myself not six months ago. I was hunting and a storm blew up. I went and sheltered in the house...and nobody there...except...”
“Except... what Mort?” Jess asked slowly beginning to feel spooked...real spooked.
“Except there was this strange mist that came down at night and it was so dang cold I ended up sleeping in the barn,” he said. “It felt real um...oppressive ...didn’t like it one little bit,” he added. “So you see Jess I’m sorry but either that bash on the noggin you had is responsible for you seeing things...or you just spent a week with some very old ghosts.”
Slim could see that Jess had been seriously alarmed and quickly changed the subject to something more suitable for a Christmas Evening, but he just knew his buddy wasn’t going to let it lie.
They all started talking about something else and the moonshine flowed freely, so it was a rather ‘sleepy’ Jess and Slim who finally lurched off to bed in the small hours of the morning. They had left Mort sleeping peacefully on the couch pulled up by the fire. Then they made a valiant effort not to bang about as they got ready for bed, aware that their girls were asleep in Mike’s room just on the other side of the wall.
Jess tipped his head towards the wall as they settled down for the night, “So near and yet so far,” he quipped.
Slim rolled his eyes, “Try not to dwell on it Hotshot,” he replied with a grin, “and don’t forget we’re spending New Year’s Eve in town, things will improve then I guess...’night.”
“’Night pard,” Jess said sleepily.
He fell into a deep sleep almost at once but then woke just before dawn shaking and sweating as he lay there reliving the nightmare he’d just experienced.
Poor Anna was in pain crying out for her husband and children, then the terrible losses. He saw Mr Hammond’s face contorted and stricken in grief. Then he had yelled at Jess, “This is all your fault Harper you should have stayed with them...they’d still be alive if you hadn’t left!”
That’s when he sat bolt upright in bed, his eyes open wide in horror.
“It wasn’t me,” he muttered, “it wasn’t my fault...it all happened years ago, why blame me?”
Then he woke up properly and remembered the revelations of the night before. How the Hammond place had allegedly been deserted for years...but how could that be? Anna had said her father-in-law, who had lived all his life there, had just passed over. Maybe the old guy had just been out, away on some business when Mort had stopped that night, Jess thought to himself.
But Mort had experienced that weird cold mist too. Then there were so many strange things about the family...the children so well behaved and exceptionally versed in their Bible. Their somewhat strict upbringing was certainly reminiscent of a bygone age. There was Anna’s dress, jeepers that was definitely real old he mused. He sure couldn’t see any of the gals he knew wearing that type of dark dowdy costume nowadays. Then there was the way he had occasionally felt like he was on the outside looking in, almost as though he was watching a play that he had no part in. Was that down to that crack on the head...or something more sinister? And yet....and yet.... they were real flesh and blood people...he’d carried little Polly back from the spinney when she’d eaten the berries...he’d joshed and play fought with young Tommy...he’d inhaled Anna’s flowery perfume. Hell, they were real alright, of course they were.
His thoughts went round and round in his head like rats in a barrel...and by morning he was feeling like he was losing his mind... But one thing was for sure...he was gonna find out; one way or another!

Chapter 8
However, finding out the truth about the Hammond Family had proved trickier than Jess had imagined. The Festive season flashed by, with the boys enjoying some fun and also really romantic times with their gals at New Year. But then reality kicked in; Mike was back at school, and there was a mess of chores that needed attending back at the ranch before the worst of the winter storms hit.
Slim had joshed Jess a little over his visit with the Hammond ghosts, but he took it so badly that he decided not to broach the subject again. So as time passed, he figured Jess had forgotten all about the incident and merely put it down to a bad dose of concussion and maybe a tad too much Moonshine as pain relief.
With those thoughts in mind, it came as quite a shock when Jess said he wanted to go back the next week to re-visit the Hammond house.
“Oh, come on, Jess, you’re not still stressing about that are you?” Slim said impatiently.
“Just put it down to experience buddy...a really bad head and maybe too much Moonshine too huh?”
Jess looked down. Yeah, sure it was probably the effects of too much Moonshine the night before his accident that had caused him to fall so badly.... But then once Tommy found him and Anna was caring for him, he hadn’t touched a drop...instinctively knowing she wouldn’t approve of strong drink.
“I don’t buy that,” he said angrily. “I ain’t stupid Slim, what do ya think? I imagined the whole thing...huh?”
“What I’m saying is you just weren’t yourself Jess. Have you forgotten that time we were on a hunting trip and you got a really bad concussion? Jeez you even took a couple of fits...you were really out of it, buddy...and if it hadn’t been for Jane’s careful nursing well... I don’t know what would have happened to you... *See #10 The Mountain Adventure
Jess gasped at the mention of Jane’s name and then looked away quickly.
“Jess, what is it...what aren’t you telling me huh?”
When Jess refused to answer, Slim said peevishly, “If you won’t discuss it how am I expected to understand you eh?”
“It...it was this Anna Hammond, well she was a dead ringer for Jane Hudson Slim. Her voice, looks everything ...except fer her taste in clothes and bein’ kinda religious,” he added.
“Well, there you are then,” Slim said emphatically, “you got a real bad concussion...and you remembered how Jane cared for you the last time that happened...so you sorta well...magic-ed her up... to look out for you.”
“I did what?” Jess asked open mouthed, “I kidded my brain into thinking Jane had come back to look after me again?”
“It’s what you would have wanted though isn’t it Jess?” Slim said now eyeing him speculatively... “Hell the way you two were together...”
“Shut the Hell up!” Jess yelled angrily, “This ain’t got anything to do with me and Jane...so leave her out of it. It’s just a coincidence that this Mrs Hammond had her looks that’s all.”
“Sure...it is,” Slim said with a sarcastic note to his voice. “It seems to me like there are a heck of a lot of coincidences going on here,” he added dryly. “Right down to Ma Hammond being pregnant...there being two other kids and then you seeing Hammond on your way home...Want to know what I think Jess?”
“Nope, but I guess yer gonna tell me anyway...”
“I think that you actually heard that old legend one time, maybe in the saloon when you’d had a few too many drinks and had simply forgotten all about it. Then when you were sick and stranded at the cabin, your mind reminded you of the story...so of course you’d see all the family as clear as day...that’s all it was Jess, your mind playing tricks on you.”
But Jess had got his stubborn look on...
“We’re heading into town for supplies next week ain’t we...well we could go up to the Hammond place and still be back before dusk...so what do ya say huh Slim?”
*******
The following Monday they took care of the few purchases they needed to make and then made for the road heading north out of town.
It was now the middle of February and although deep snow had been down since Christmas, somewhat curtailing their travels, now it was melting and there was the smell of spring in the air
The going was pretty tough and although it was a sunny day the land was still muddy from the recent snow.
They finally arrived at the turn off for the cabin and as they rode up Jess had a feeling of foreboding. There was no smoke issuing from the chimney, no hens pecking in the yard and no sign of any horses in the corral either.
“We’re wasting our time,” Slim said impatiently as he reined in Alamo by the hitching rail, “there isn’t anyone here Jess.”
Jess dismounted and marched up to the door banging a loud tattoo that seemed to echo within.
After a few minutes he pushed it and it swung inwards with a loud creaking sound.
Slim was now behind his pard and the two entered and then stood stock still looking around them.
The cabin was devoid of life and as the sun filtered in through the open-door dust motes hung in the air...the place was completely deserted.
Jess turned bewildered eyes on Slim, “They were here I swear it Slim...they really were. They were staying until Easter, she said...until the baby was strong enough to travel back east.”
Slim could see how sincere his buddy was and his heart went out to him. Jeez he’d seen how much he’d suffered when he’d had to give up Jane Hudson. No wonder that he had remembered those heart-breaking days from a few years back. He’d been badly hurt... and not just by the head wound, but by the impossible love affair with Jane.
Yes, all this was purely a combination of strong drink and a bad head injury that had conjured up this terrible fantasy that Jess seemed to believe in, or so Slim believed.
Now he turned back to his buddy and said, “Look Jess I understand I really do. But you were sick buddy...all this... that you thought was real was just make believe...you must understand that?”
Jess hung his head, “I guess...well maybe...”
“Come on pard let’s go home,” Slim said slinging an arm around Jess’s shoulders.
Jess nodded and they moved towards the door, then something made him turn back.
He walked back into the children’s rooms...and there on Polly’s bed sat the doll Betsy-Jane that had so scared the little girl when Jess first found her in the attic.
He picked the doll up and he could have sworn a tear ran down her cheek.
He stood there transfixed and then he heard Slim calling him.
He put the doll gently back on the bed and left.
“What the hell was going on?” he asked himself.
They mounted up, but Jess was still reluctant to ride out. How could he tell Slim that he was still convinced all he’d experienced was real...just because he’d found an old doll?
“Are you comin’ or what?” Slim asked.
Jess sat immobile in the saddle, “We could uh...go check out the neighbors over the ridge, ask if they’ve seen anything?” he asked hopefully.
“What neighbors?” Slim asked sighing heavily.
“I dunno their name but the wife was gonna help out when Anna had the baby.”
“Well, where do they live?” Slim asked.
Jess shrugged, “I dunno, someplace over the ridge...”
Slim rolled his eyes and then looked more closely up to the Heavens. “Look Jess there’s storm clouds brewing up in the east...looks like we’ll get a good soaking going home anyways... So, if you think I’m going on a wild goose chase looking for some darned family that doesn’t exist you can forget it. Now come on!” With that he spurred Alamo off at speed, in the direction of town.
Jess glanced after his buddy and then back to the cabin, before sighing deeply and kneeing Traveller to follow his pard, albeit at a slower pace.
But Jess wasn’t a quitter and as they passed through town, he insisted on questioning all the shopkeepers regarding one Thomas Hammond Jnr. He described him accurately, but nobody seemed to have seen anyone fitting that description around Christmas time, or indeed since. His last chance was to question old man Benson. He was the Sherman family solicitor and was indeed the only legal professional in town. So, Jess figured it would have been Benson who handled the last Will and Testament of old man Hammond Snr.
“I’m sorry Mister Harper but I really can’t help you,” the kind elderly man said. “I have no knowledge of the man...or indeed of his family visiting. I have no client of that name listed.”
Jess thanked him and turned away.
“See,” said Slim impatiently. “Just give up on it Jess. I’m cold, tired and dang well soaking wet too...so can we please go home and forget the whole sorry business huh?”
Jess nodded sullenly and pulled his hat down hard before mounting up...feeling seriously anxious now. Hell was he really going crazy...had it all been one long strange dream?
*******
If it hadn’t been for Sister Mary he might well have given up on ‘the whole sorry business’, as Slim called it. Accepted what his pard had implied, that he’d just been out of his mind with the pain and was severely concussed from his bad fall...and imagined everything.
Sister Mary arrived on the afternoon stage; about two weeks after their unproductive visit to the old Hammond cabin.
“This is the gentleman you need to talk to,” Mose said as he opened the coach door having jumped down from the box with unusual speed.
The Nun took Mose’s offered hand and allowed herself to be helped down where she stood smiling up into Jess’s surprised deep blue eyes.
“Mister Harper?” she asked in a melodious tone.
He nodded and tipping his hat said, “What can I do for you Ma’am...uh...Sister?”
“I believe you are a friend of Mister Thomas Hammond... the writer, according to the stage driver,” she said nodding to where Mose was now unhitching the team. “He said you’d been staying at the cabin?”
Jess shook his head, “I was there but, no ...Sister, never met the guy...”
Then he cast Slim a challenging look and said, “But I do believe I met his son and family...”
“Family, really, oh yes. Of course, I never met the children, poor dear Martha died in childbirth with her third you know and the youngsters Tom and his little sister were sent back east to be raised by an aunt.”
“So, you are a friend of the family then?” Slim broke in.
“Why yes of course, didn’t I say?” she asked with a disarming smile in Slim’ s direction. “I was at school with uh...Martha’s baby sister. Then when poor Martha died, I wrote to Thomas regularly...such an interesting man...and now I finally have the opportunity to visit,” she said with another bright smile.
Heck she sure was purty for a woman of God Jess thought fleetingly...then what she’d just said sank in...
“I think maybe you should come in... sit awhile,” he said solicitously, “there’s something you need to know.”
He cast Mose a baleful look as he turned to escort the Sister indoors. Why the heck hadn’t Mose broken the news to her that Hammond was dead? Jeez by the town’s reckoning he’d been dead and haunting the place for years.
Once they were all sitting around the table with Daisy dispensing coffee, a concerned look in her eyes, Jess took the initiative.
“I’m er real sorry to tell you Sister, but Mister Hammond Senior is dead...I’m afraid you’ve had a wasted visit.”
“Oh, it’s alright,” she said quickly, “I am aware of his passing Mr Shell um...Mose already mentioned it... but that, although deeply saddening,” she said casting her eyes down for a moment, “it will not change my plans.”
“It won’t?” Slim asked looking askance.
“Indeed not. You see dear Thomas was a very religious man and as such he asked that I visit and bless his last resting place. He was indeed quite poorly last time he wrote. I had hoped to see him of course. But none the less a promise is a promise and I intend to visit his grave...which is I believe in the family plot near his cabin?”
Jess nodded, “Yup it’s out the back along with that of his wife’s and baby son...”
“As I thought...so I must pay my respects,” she said softly.
Then she turned her bright smile on Jess, “I was wondering...that is... hoping that maybe I could ask you to escort me Mister Harper? You see I thought I could get there via the stage coach...but apparently not?”
“No Ma’am...it’s quite a rough ride... I guess we could make it in the buggy,” he said glancing at Slim for confirmation. “If we went on the Laramie Road and then took the trail up to the cabin from there…We’d have to walk the last half mile or so I reckon...but it’s possible to do yeah.”
“So, you’ll take me?” she asked clasping her hands together and looking positively joyful.
“Uh, well I didn’t say that,” Jess prevaricated...thinking a tough trip back up to that dang cabin was the last thing he really wanted to do. “Um, Slim and I are pretty busy, with the ranch and all right now...”
“Oh, I think we can spare you for a day,” Slim said grinning over at his partner.
Then in a lower tone, “It might be just what you need pard. The Sister here to say a few prayers around the place...lay a few ghosts to rest maybe,” he added with a wink.
When Jess just glared at him, he added more sympathetically, “I guess it would help you draw a line under things huh Jess?”
He looked down and sighed then looked back into Sister Mary’s expectant eyes, “OK,” he said softly. “I guess you’d better stay the night and we’ll set off at first light....be back by supper if we go real early.”
Then Mose was at the door with a small black travel valise, “The Sister goin’ or stayin’?” He muttered.
It was later that night, with Sister Mary tucked up in Mike’s bed and the youngster bedding down with Daisy, that the men had a chance to talk through the matter.
Jess was lying on his bed and Slim was washing up when he turned to Jess and said, “Come on Hot shot it won’t be that bad and anyway it will do you good to get it all out of your system...maybe this Sister Mary will exorcise those ghosts of yours.”
Jess ignored the comment and lay back against his pillow, hands laced behind his neck, “So how old do you reckon she is then?”
Slim shrugged, “It’s kind of hard to tell...late thirties...maybe forty?”
“Well, if she was at school with old Ma Hammond’s sister, she must be that at least…”
“Her baby sister she said...so if she was...say ten years younger than Ma Hammond that would make her in her forties,” Slim said thoughtfully.
“She looks a lot younger,” Jess mused, “she’s got real smooth skin.”
Slim chuckled, “It’s all that clean living and praying she does...no worry lines, see? Heck we had an old Nun used to come into school to teach Bible Study and she was over sixty and not one wrinkle,” Slim said smiling at the memory.
“She doesn’t look too much like a Nun either,” Jess continued, “she’s really...well I dunno got a sorta stylish look about her somehow.”
Slim turned away from the sink and threw the towel to one side, “Hell Jess don’t start getting the hots for a Nun, what is it with you and women huh?”
“I’m not...hell I wasn’t!” Jess said indignantly, “I was just sayin’ is all...”
“Well maybe she’s from one of these modern Orders, I do believe some actually live and work in the community nowadays...back east anyway... They’re not all sitting in Nunneries praying you know Jess. And I can’t see as how you’d know she was stylish anyways, wearing that habit and wimple and all...”
“Huh...wimple what’s that?”
“It’s called a wimple Jess that headdress that covers all her hair and fits around her face...with all that on and that long dress she looks pretty much like a regular Nun as far as I can see.”
Jess just shrugged, “I guess.”

Chapter 9
If there had been any doubt about Sister Mary’s genuineness, they were completely dismissed the following morning. Mike had been dispatched to inform the Sister that breakfast was ready and she told him that she was extremely sorry but it would be another half hour before her Morning Supplications were completed.
When he returned to the table with a puzzled look Daisy said quickly, “Oh dear of course I should have realized,” and went to place Mary’s meal in the warmer to keep hot.
“What’s her Morning suppl...sup... things?” Mike asked.
“Supplications dear, another word for prayers...petitions...I expect she prays for a lot of people every day.”
“Including us?” Mike asked looking impressed.
“Especially us,” Slim said winking at Daisy, “and my goodness we sure need it...and some of us more than others,” he added with a smirk in Jess’s direction.
“Oh, Slim dear, don’t be awful,” Daisy said admonishing him with a teasing slap to the arm.
Eventually Betsy was hitched up to the small, lightweight buggy and Jess slapped the reins heading off towards town much later than he had anticipated.
It was a bright, but bitterly cold February morning and Daisy had insisted on wrapping a warm rug around Sister Mary’s legs. She sat bolt upright, looking to neither right nor left and said nothing for the first couple of miles, practically ignoring Jess’s attempt at polite conversation. However eventually she seemed to realize she was being rather antisocial and turning towards him said softly, “You must forgive me Mister Harper, but I am somewhat unversed in social intercourse.”
When Jess threw her a rather startled look, she endeavored to explain.
“I am not very good at conversing...everyday conversation, chit-chat. You see I am from a silent Order, so you must forgive me.”
Jess heaved a sigh of relief, pleased that little problem had been sorted out.
“Uh, that’s just fine Ma’am...Sister, I ain’t much one for idle chatter either,” he said with a warm smile.
She smiled back, “Thank you for being so understanding. So, I shall just sit here and meditate, if that is agreeable with you?”
Again, Jess was slightly flummoxed, but just smiled weakly and said, “You just do what you want Sister,” and turned his attention back to the road ahead.
It was early afternoon before he turned onto the track that led up towards the old Hammond place. They had stopped at noon for a meal. At Jess’s insistence he had lit a fire to warm the Sister up some and they had enjoyed a pleasant picnic of Daisy’s best fried chicken. However, Sister Mary wasn’t very much more forthcoming over the meal and indeed seemed somewhat on edge. Jess wondered fleetingly if she was worried about being in the middle of nowhere with a strange man and he endeavored to be kind, but not overly familiar, treating her with the decorum and respect a woman of the cloth deserved.
He tried to draw her out a little more on her relationship with Old Man Hammond, but she seemed reluctant to discuss the matter in any detail, just saying they shared a mutual reverence for the Spiritual aspects of life.
At that he suggested they pack up and move on if they intended to be back home before dusk. The day had turned even colder and there were some ominous dark clouds on the distant horizon that troubled him slightly.
The track finally petered out and they started to walk the next half mile or so on foot. They passed the place where Jess had his accident and again, he was fully convinced that he hadn’t imagined the whole thing. The younger Hammond family seemed as real as Sister Mary was, now striding alongside him.
“Uh, did Mister Hammond senior mention his family were coming to stay, after he got sick?” Jess inquired hopefully.
Sister Mary looked off into the distance and then seemed to remember something and turning to him said, “Why yes I believe he did say young Tom and his wife were coming to stay...and the grandchildren too...I’d quite forgotten.”
If she was surprised by Jess’s animated response of, ‘I just knew it!’ she didn’t remark on it, merely marched purposefully onwards.
After they had only gone a short distance she stopped and said, “You know Mister Harper I do believe this track isn’t so bad; are you sure you can’t bring the buggy up to the cabin? You see, dear Thomas, insisted I take a small selection of his books with me and I fear they would be far too heavy to carry.”
Jess surveyed the track and was pleased to see that it seemed far less over grown than he had remembered.
“I reckon you’re right; I’ll go fetch Betsy and the buggy,” he said cheerfully.
He returned a few minutes later and they arrived in style, Jess tethering Betsy to the fence near the water trough. He wondered if he should unhitch her and loose her off in the corral. But then Sister Mary said, “I really shouldn’t bother I don’t intend to stay very long Mister Harper.”
He glanced up at the advancing snow clouds and said, “Well that’s good,” and showed her into the dusty parkour of the old cabin.
Everything was just as he and Slim had left it, with no evidence of anyone having inhabited it recently.
The Sister looked keenly around her, inspected the books, selecting a few and then turning to Jess said quietly, “Shall we pray?”
She sank to her knees and so Jess felt honour bound to do likewise. There was a good ten minutes of praying for the immortal soul of one Thomas Hammond. Then she blessed the house and finally arose.
Jess got up stiffly, the floor being mighty chilly, and was about to suggest maybe they make tracks, when she turned and beamed at him.
“Now the grave I think?”
Jess hid a sigh and showed her to where Mister Hammond Snr his wife Martha and baby son were buried.
More long-drawn-out prayers ensued and Jess was beginning to feel mighty chilly kneeling by the graveside...a spiteful little wind having gotten up.
She finally stood up and then glanced towards some shrubbery and a small hill beyond the little fenced in graveyard.
“And his Meditation Place...up there?” she asked.
“Huh?” Jess asked looking puzzled.
“I think he sometimes referred to it as, the cave?”
“Oh yeah, his daughter-in-law said he used to go up there to escape folk...he was somethin’ of a recluse,” he added.
“Oh, it was so much more than a bolt hole to hide in,” Sister Mary said earnestly. “It was his Private Chapel, where he prayed and meditated.”
“Oh right,” Jess said, just wanting to get warm and then get home in that order.
“I really must visit for a short spell,” she said heading off towards the wooded area obscuring the cave entrance. Jess started to follow her, rather half-heartedly...but to his surprise she stopped in her tracks and turned back towards him.
“Would you think me awfully rude if I asked to visit his ...well his sanctuary, alone. Only I really want to bless the place and remember his spirit in solitude?”
“Sure,” said Jess with relief, “heck, that’s just fine by me Sister.”
“Maybe you would be kind enough to make us a hot drink, in the cabin? Then we could warm up before the journey home?” she asked with a guileless smile.
He watched her head off towards the cave and then hurried back to the cabin to put the coffee on. He lit the fire and took his thick jacket off and put it down to dry off whilst he made the brew. It had started to snow lightly as they prayed by the grave and he decided to dry it off before the long journey back. He’d remembered his rain slicker...but figured he’d have to let Sister Mary have that.
It was some fifteen minutes later and he was just beginning to wonder what had become of the Sister, when he heard a little whinny from Betsy. He grinned, “Gettin’ kinda restless huh, well you and me both,” he muttered to himself, pouring the coffee.
He was just going to go and find the Nun when he heard Betsy whinny again and peering out of the window, he saw the Sister dragging something heavy along and then as he watched as she hauled it up and threw it in the buggy...making Betsy move restlessly and neigh again.
“What the hell?” he asked himself.
He tore out of the cabin and towards the buggy.
“You OK Sister,” he called out, “need a hand with that?”
The Nun froze with her back to him....and then turned slowly, her usually gentle eyes now hard and glittering dangerously.
Then as quick as a flash she put a hand into her voluminous habit and withdrew a deadly looking derringer.
“Oh no Mister Harper,” she said harshly, “I think you’ve helped me quite enough thank you.”
Jess stood stock still about ten feet away, his eyes glancing down at the gun and then up into Sister Mary’s eyes.
“What are you pullin’? Damn it who are you?” he growled.
“It’s quite simple,” she said, her left hand removing the wimple in one easy movement, releasing a head of ravishing, long, wavy auburn hair tumbling around her shoulders. “You see I’m no Nun Mister Harper...I’m Travis Daily’s woman, Ruby Jackson. Come to pick up the spoils from his last job. See a goddamn lawman finished Travis, I guess you’d know all about that wouldn’t you Harper? But not before he wrote and told me where he’d stashed the money, so I guess he had the last laugh.”
Jess stood there open mouthed, the pious Sister Mary bizarrely transformed into her alter ego, one Ruby Jackson.
“Pretty good huh?” she said with a cheeky grin, “I sure had you fooled with all that dang prayin’, didn’t I? One of the advantages of being a little orphan gal brought up by the Nuns...Knew all that darned prayin’ would come in useful someday. They even taught me how to talk posh...when I need to that is!”
“Do I know you?” he finally managed, his eyes narrowing.
“Our paths crossed back in Texas, a good few years back. I don’t think you saw me in that saloon, but I saw you. I saw that fast draw and the way you shot that card sharp too. ‘Course that was back in your owl hoot trail days, but by all accounts, folk do say you’ve changed.” she said throwing him a speculative glance.
“They don’t just say it,” Jess said hotly, “I have changed. Now are you gonna stop being a damn fool and hand over that gun?”
“Sorry... no can do,” and without further warning, she suddenly pointed and fired.
Jess took a dive and the bullet caught the top of his left arm, slamming painfully into the muscle.
But he was up again in the blink of an eye. Lunged towards her and had wrestled the gun away and had her in his firm grasp in seconds.
He held her tightly, her back to him and his right arm around her throat.
“That wasn’t real smart,” he drawled angrily, “now git in the house, pronto.”
She tried to struggle free, so he had no choice other than to frog marched her back into the cabin and push her roughly down onto the dusty old couch.
He shook his head angrily, “So much for ‘I really want to bless the place and remember his spirit in solitude,’ he said in an approximation of Sister Mary’s dulcet tones. “You really took me for a sucker didn’t you gal!”
She just shrugged and looked smug.
“OK so I wanna hear it...all of it, starting with how come you know so much about the Hammond family...huh?”
She sighed deeply and then gesturing to the little black poke bag she wore on a cord around her waist said, “It’s all in there.”
He removed the bag and opening it found rough directions to the cabin and also a letter.
He opened it and read it briefly. It was from Travis Daily, saying he was at the Cheyenne Doctor’s Office, badly wounded and didn’t have long to go. He was waiting to have a bullet removed, but he didn’t think he’d survive the operation. There were various declaration of love and then he got down to the point...telling exactly where the money was stashed. Then suggesting she enlist the help of one Jess Harper who he knew worked at the relay... ‘Just use your charms gal... then when he’s got you there safely, you dispatch him. He’s no loss to society...and I owe him. It was him riding posse that put this dang bullet in me.’
Later in the long letter, ‘the old man’s family are staying at the cabin right now...was real hard for me to get in the cave without them seeing me. The dang kids were playing outside. The old man is real sick...I guess the family will move on after he croaks.’
Jess slapped the letter with his good hand and yelled, “Dadgum it! I really was right all along!”
“What are you so all fired up about?” Ruby asked sulkily.
“Oh nuthin’,” he said quietly folding the letter up again. “So, what are we gonna do with you huh?”
“Set me free,” she said batting her eyes at him. “Maybe both take off west? There’s plenty of cash in that old strong box Jess.”
He just rolled his eyes at her sudden use of his given name, “I was thinkin’ more along the lines of are ya going to come quietly...or do I hafta deliver you to the Sheriff all trussed up like a turkey for the oven...huh?”
While she was cussing long and loud, he finally decided he’d have to tie her to one of the dining chairs, for now at least. He could feel the blood trickling down his arm from her bullet and looking down saw his shirt sleeve was sodden.
Once she was tied up, he took himself off to the kitchen and cleaned and bandaged the wound to his arm as best he could. The bullet was firmly lodged in and already he was beginning to feel light headed from the loss of blood. Knowing he must act quickly he went out to check on Betsy and the weather...leaving Ruby still tied up.
He was alarmed to see the wind had got up and now the previous little flurries of snow were coming down fast and furiously...the afternoon having darkened to almost dusk.
“Dang it,” he muttered, they’d have to set off now or risk being snowed in at the remote cabin.
He went back inside and pulled on his jacket, grimacing in pain as he did so, all the time being watched by Ruby, like a cat waiting to pounce.
He finally untied her, but left her wrists tied and then putting the rain-slicker he’d brought in around her shoulders said, “Come on Ruby and dadgum it you better hadn’t give me any trouble.”
As soon as he surveyed the now completely covered track, he knew he couldn’t risk driving the buggy down the hill again. There were too many rocks and ruts now shrouded in the thick snow. So, all he could do was to go to Betsy’s head and slowly and painfully lead her down to the road.
By the time he reached it he was practically all in and his attention wavered for a moment as he stood, breathing deeply and swaying slightly, about to climb aboard the buggy. In that split second Ruby grabbed hold of the reins and slapped them hard yelling at poor Betsy to move on.
However, she was a wise old horse and she knew Jess wasn’t yet on board so just stood stubbornly still. She didn’t recognize the shrill voice commanding she ‘giddy yup’... and had no intention of obliging.
Seconds later Jess managed to drag himself up to the seat and fixed Ruby with the full force of the Harper glare.
“Goddamn it, I ain’t ever hit a woman...but I guess now would be a real good time to start. Now you darned well behave or I won’t be held responsible...you got that!” he spat angrily wrenching the reins from her grip.
She just nodded sullenly, admitting defeat, for now at least.
They were only about five miles from town when the blizzard hit...a complete white out. Jess could barely see a few feet ahead as the wind lashed the large snowflakes all around them.
It was no good, they couldn’t carry on he knew that...poor old Betsy just wasn’t up to it either. He looked around him and recognized a fallen pine by the side of the road and knew an old Indian trail ran just beyond it and led up to the Red Rock. This was a rocky outcrop a few hundred yards from the road. He figured if they camped in the lee of that they could at least avoid the worst of the weather and would just have to lie low until the storm abated.
He again jumped down and led the old horse up the trail and then thankfully out of the full force of the storm, beneath Red Rock. There was quite a deep over hang forming a shallow cave that was completely dry and just large enough to shelter the horse too. Once Betsy was unhitched Jess led her into the comparative warmth of the cave and when he was sure she was comfortable he went back to where Ruby sat sulking in the buggy.
“You comin’ in to take shelter or are you gonna freeze to death out here?” he asked angrily.
She eventually got down and made her way beneath the overhang complaining bitterly.
“You just be dang glad you didn’t get away with taking off with the buggy,” he said furiously, “because you wouldn’t survive out here alone for five minutes.”
At that the urgency of the situation seemed to hit home and she collapsed dejectedly to the cave floor.
After a few minutes he went off to the buggy returning a few minutes later with the rug and a gunny sack containing the makings for coffee and some food left from their lunch.
The cave was often used as a sanctuary from the weather by travelers and on searching about at the back Jess came up with some kindling and several large logs. He slowly made a fire, his arm throbbing relentlessly now. But he managed to get the coffee on before delving into the gunny sack and producing a small bottle of moonshine. He took a swig and then passed it over to Ruby, who in turn took a drink, grimacing and coughing.
“Jeez that’s powerful stuff,” she said her eyes watering as she passed it back again.
Jess gave her a quizzical glance thinking it wholly inappropriate hearing her talk that way while dressed as a Nun...but just nodded, “It’ll keep the cold out some, I guess. We may need it if we hafta stay the night.”
She looked horror stricken at that, “What camp out here in this bitter cold...all night?”
“You got a better idea then?”
They settled down and Jess gave her the remains of the earlier meal, professing not to be hungry.
In actual fact he was feeling sick to his stomach, the pain in his arm gradually getting worse as the afternoon dragged on. He figured that the practically point-blank range shot had probably splintered the bone in his upper arm and he knew all too well that he desperately needed some medical attention.
Eventually the effects of the fire added to the whiskey he had drunk, in an attempt to alleviate the pain, made him drowsy and his eyelids started close.
Ruby was watching him like a hawk and when he appeared to be sleeping she very gingerly made her way across to him and leaning over his prone figure; inched her fingers towards his gun butt. After a moment, holding her breath, she slid her fingers around it and slowly started to pull it from the holster....
Instantly her wrist was encased in a vice like grip and Jess growled, “Git off.”
“Ow you’re hurting,” she cried as he twisted her wrist away from his Colt.
He let go at once but pushed her away from him and she sat back down throwing him a moody look.
“Not happy with dang well shootin’ me you wanna finish the job, do you?” he asked bitterly.
Her chin came up and she looked unrepentant, “Well why not, you killed my man.”
Jess sighed impatiently, “The hell I did. I merely shot him in the shoulder and I didn’t have too much choice seein’ as he was shooting to kill me. I was the one that patched him up and then rode double with him to the Cheyenne doc.”
“But it was still your shot that killed him?” she said now looking slightly uncertain.
He shook his head, “What happened was his own dang fault. The doc patched him up real good, said he’d make a full recovery. He’d had some of that anesthetic...so he slept through the surgery and doc said he’d be out of it until morning, so we just locked him in the hospital room. But it seems he woke up in the night, tried the door and when he found it locked...he decided to get out through the window.”
Jess paused and shook his head.
“Go on,” she whispered.
“Well, I guess he didn’t realise there was a ten-foot drop and he must’ve fallen real bad...he bled out before he reached the livery. Owner found him dead in a pool of blood right by the door in the morning. So, you see, it was his own damn fault, Ruby.”
She flushed up, “I’m sorry I guess I was wrong about you. So if he’d been sensible, he’d be alive right now?”
Jess shrugged, “I guess not...see the Stage Coach guard he shot wasn’t so lucky...he was shot through the heart by your man. I guess Daily would have hung anyway.”
They finally settled down for the night, but they were far from warm as the wood supply was diminishing fast. Jess knew that if he burnt enough to keep them comfortable it would run out long before dawn and then they would be at real risk of freezing to death.
Ruby was still shivering even after he had covered her with the blanket and his rain slicker...but when her teeth started chattering, he knew he had to do something.
He sighed with resignation...
“I guess you’d better come over here,” he said gruffly.
Her head shot up...she’d pretty much given up on the idea of trying to seduce him, knowing how mad he was at her. But just maybe he was feeling like a little feminine company she thought cheerfully.
She sidled over and then sat down, throwing him her most sexy smile, then unbuttoned the Nun’s habit to reveal a skimpy, scarlet silk under-slip.
“You can quit that for a start,” he said angrily, “now just lie down...on yer side.”
She obliged licking her lips and looking deeply into his eyes that were now just inches away.
“Other way around,” he snapped.
She looked slightly puzzled but did as she was bid.
He put his arms around her and pulled her close spooning.
“OK this should keep you from freezing to death,” he said, his voice still gruff. “Now fer pity’s sake go to sleep will ya.”
It looked like she was right all along, he wanted no part of her...and to be honest she doubted he wanted to do anything right then but get that bullet out of his arm...Maybe she’d been kinda hasty shooting him that way. Tomorrow she’d try another tack she thought as she drifted off to sleep in his warm embrace.
The following morning, she awoke at first light and seeing Jess was still in a deep sleep, she put her plan into action. She focused hard on the puppy that had died when she was a youngster. And as usual it never failed to bring tears to her eyes...once she was sure the tears were flowing, she started sobbing quietly.
Jess stirred and rolled onto his back looking around him...then he heard the woman sobbing and sat up.
“What’s wrong?” he asked, almost kindly. Yup he was one of those men that couldn’t stand to see a poor woman in distress she thought, hiding a smile.
“I, I’m just so scared,” she whispered.
“Huh, how come?” he asked peering at her, “I ain’t gonna hit on you. Surely you know that by now, hell I just wouldn’t, you’re quite safe.”
“No, it’s not you,” she said quickly, “you see Jess I’m in terrible trouble...I well...I killed a man back in Texas.”
His eyes opened wide in surprise, “You did?”
She nodded, “So you see if you take me in, I’ll face the gallows and I’m just so frightened,” she said sobbing again. Then pulling herself together said, “Unless, you let me go? You could take me to the railroad and I could leave as Sister Mary, nobody would know the truth.”
“I would,” he said stoutly, “Hell Ruby, you’ve admitted to taking that money from the stage robbery ...not to mention shooting me. What am I supposed to say old man Hammond’s ghost took a pot shot at me huh?”
“I don’t know but I can’t die...not when I’m innocent.”
“You’re innocent huh?” he asked looking doubtful.
“I promise you,” she said opening her eyes wide, “this man he... well he tried to force himself on me Jess. He was drunk and wouldn’t take no for an answer...So I... well I shot him in self-defence, then I ran away...but I know I’ll hang if they catch me...please I beg you let me go.”
Jess had met Ruby’s sort before, oh yes, they were convincing enough...would do pretty much anything to escape jail he figured with a grim smile.
“Look,” he said, “if you’re innocent like you say, then you’ve nothing to be afraid of...I’ll make sure you get a fair trial...now let’s get going. The snows stopped and I really need to get to town.”

Chapter 10
Jess never knew how he made it to town...he just hung onto the reins for dear life and hoped and prayed old Betsy would get them there safely.
He didn’t trust Ruby any further than he could throw her and so they made the journey with her hands still tightly bound, much to her displeasure.
The snow had at least stopped and in fact was starting to thaw, a cheerful sun coming out as they finally drove down Main Street.
By now he was barely conscious, but as he pulled Betsy to a halt outside the Sheriff’s Office he took a deep breath, ready to relinquish his prisoner and then see the doc.
However, the second the buggy came to a standstill, Ruby leapt off and tore down the street as fast as she could... before cannoning straight into the arms of Sheriff Mort Cory coming in the opposite direction.
“Hey whoa there,” he said putting out his hands to stop a collision. Then he looked at the flame haired woman still wearing the Nun’s habit.
“Sister? He asked looking shocked.
Then Jess appeared, “Hold her Mort!” he yelled, “She’s my prisoner.”
“Prisoner?” Mort asked tipping his hat back and looking even more surprised, but never the less grabbing the woman’s arm and holding her firmly.
Once they were in Mort’s office Jess explained briefly what had happened.
Of course, Ruby, now back in the guise of Sister Mary, vigorously denied the charges...saying Jess had been bushwhacked on their way home from visiting the old Hammond place. That he was obviously half crazy and delirious with the pain from the bullet wound.
“Only person that is half crazy around here is you iffen you think you’ll get away with that rubbish Ruby!” Jess cried angrily.
“Steady Jess,” Mort said gently, “here son sit down before you fall,” he added pushing a chair over.
Then turning to his Deputy said, “Escort this young lady to the cells will you Lon.”
“I’m innocent I tell you... you can’t do this Sheriff!” she yelled furiously.
“I think you’ll find I can Ma’am. You just go and relax some...maybe offer up a few prayers,” he added wickedly. “I’ll just get a statement off of Jess here and then we’ll hear your side of things later huh.”
With that Lon took the woman, now cussing loudly, out to the cells.
Once she’s gone Mort turned concerned eyes on his old friend, “She did this to you?”
Jess nodded.
“Well, that doesn’t surprise me,” said Mort shaking his head, “sounds about Ruby’s style.”
“You know her?” Jess asked.
“Oh yes, well her reputation anyway. Got a pile of Wanted posters in my drawer on her...just didn’t recognize her when she was posing as that pious Sister Mary. She’s wanted down in Texas for murder,” he added.
“Uh, she told me about that Mort, said it was self-defence when a guy tried to force her?”
“Ha,” Mort spat, “what a load of old baloney. Hell, Jess she’s a hooker and the reason she shot that guy was because he refused to pay up. She did the same to a guy in Kentucky...only she knifed him. Then she joined forces with Daily and actually accompanied him on bank raids. Seems she shot and killed a young Mother, in front of her young ‘uns back in Texas. Oh, she’s a bad lot alright.”
All the time he’d been speaking he’d been searching in his drawer for the wanted poster and now slapped them on the desk, “Here see,” he said triumphantly, “I told you I’d got them someplace,” he added looking down at the likeness of Ruby on his desk.
When Jess didn’t respond Mort looked up and then dashed around his desk and was just in time to catch him as he fell forwards off the chair in a dead faint.
He called for Lon and the two men quickly carried him across the street to Doc Sam’s office.
*******
Jess opened his eyes and groaned...then peered around him...figuring he was in Doc Sam’s hospital bed. Then his gaze finally came to rest on the doc’s pretty nurse and daughter Carrie.
“Well welcome back to the land of the living, I was beginning to think you’d never wake up,” she said cheerfully.
Jess looked from her to the white bandages swathing his arm and back again, “You’re Pa got it out OK?”
She nodded, “Yes, it was a mess Jess...but all fixed up now.”
He nodded and then a look of amazement washed over his handsome features, “Hey I don’t feel like I’m gonna chuck up,” he said in wonder.
She smiled back, “You were so deeply unconscious that Pa didn’t need to use any chloroform, you’ll be pleased to hear.”
“I sure am,” he agreed sitting up.
He would have even attempted to get up Carrie surmised if her Pa hadn’t entered at that very moment.
“Hey whoa there, Jess,” the kindly doctor said gently pushing him back on the pillows, “not so fast young man, you’re going nowhere until I say so.”
“Aw Sam I’m fine, not sickly at all...”
“That may be so, but you’ve lost one heck of a lot of blood, so you just stay put and let Carrie spoil you for a day or two...and that’s doctor’s orders,” he said firmly. “Now you just rest up. Mose has taken a message to the ranch telling them what happened and Mort is coming over tomorrow to take a statement.”
“Looks like you’ve gotten everything covered,” Jess said with a weak smile.
Then he turned and winked at his good friend Carrie, “I guess it won’t be too bad...then, so what’s for supper...huh...huh?”
Mort visited the following morning and duly took a statement from Jess.
Once he’d finished writing he said, “Thanks Jess, what with this and the contents of that letter I guess it’s pretty much conclusive evidence of her consorting with Daily over the Laramie Stage robbery. There are also various sworn statements down in Texas regarding the murder charges, so I guess she’ll be taken down there for the trial. This statement will be enough from you…no need to attend.”
“How is she?” Jess asked.
Mort shrugged, “I dunno I shipped her off to the Laramie prison this morning. We just don’t have the facilities for female prisoners. She’ll stay there until her trial, I guess. Then she’ll hang for sure.”
Jess shook his head, “What turns a woman that way Mort? How could she kill another woman like that? In that bank heist, huh?”
Mort shrugged again, “Who knows…but I’ll tell you one thing Jess, there will be one grieving husband and two little motherless kids who will be mighty grateful you apprehended her.”
Jess merely nodded, “I just wish it had never dang well happened in the first place,” he said softly.
Then after taking a deep breath, he said, “Well at least it proves I was right about old man Hammond and his family visiting.... they weren’t all just ghosts the way you and Slim reckoned.”
Mort looked thoughtful for a moment and said a non- committal, “Um...”
“Oh, come on Mort, admit it...the family did exist...and the old man only just died too.”
“Maybe,” Mort said grudgingly. “But it could well have been just a traveler Daily saw. I do believe folk stay there occasionally...heck I even did myself. And as to the children, well it has been known for local kids to go up there to play...a sort of dare in the haunted house...you know?”
“No, I don’t!” Jess said hotly, “Are you saying you still don’t believe the family I saw exist?”
Mort just sighed deeply, “Well there isn’t any evidence of them is there, son? Nobody in town has seen them...so sign at the cabin...looked pretty deserted by all accounts of what Slim said. They couldn’t be living up there with no supplies...and no family of that description has traveled out on the railroad. I’m sorry but I still think you imagined the whole thing.”
“Damn it, Mort...this is just the way everyone was when I first rode into Laramie...nobody trusted me or would believe a word I said... I thought things had moved on some,” he said bitterly.
“Look I’m sorry Jess,” Mort said immediately contrite, “let’s just agree to differ on this one huh?”
*******
Jess was still feeling pretty hard done by when he rode back to the ranch a few days later.
He drove into the yard unhitched Betsy and started to lead her to the barn as Slim ran out of the house a big grin on his face.
“Hey welcome back Jess, how are you feeling?”
“OK I reckon,” Jess said with a weak smile.
“That’s good,” Slim said slapping him on the back.
“Like you care,” Jess added morosely.
Slim’ s eyebrows shot up, “Hey what’s wrong Jess? Are you sore because I didn’t come visit you?”
He just shrugged and led Betsy into her stall.
“Well, I’m sorry,” Slim said now leaning on the stall, “but I’ve been really busy. The north pasture fence was down in a couple of places after that real bad snow and some of the stock escaped. I had to go round ‘em up single-handed Jess...then a couple of the heifers got sick, I’ve just not stopped.”
Jess flicked him a glance, “It’s OK I didn’t expect any fuss...not like it’s the first time I’ve been shot up.”
“Daisy and Mike have been real worried about you...we all have.”
“Oh yeah, sure,” he said before starting to rub Betsy down; wondering where were they then?
As though he’d read his thoughts Slim said, “Mike’s in school and Daisy’s had to go over to Ma Moore’s place she’s real sick again and it’s Daisy’s turn to sit in with her for a few hours. She’ll be home tonight.”
When that got no response, Slim gazed at his buddy and then said quietly, “What’s this really about Jess?”
“Huh?”
“OK I know you’ve been hurt pretty bad, Mort rode over and told me all about it. But it isn’t like you to sulk this way, so what’s really bothering you?”
Jess finally turned and looked Slim in the eye, “If you’ve spoken to Mort, I guess you know...”
Slim looked puzzled and then light dawned in his gentle eyes, “Oh, it’s this business about the old Hammond place isn’t it.” he chuckled, “Mort said you were still insisting that family was real. Heck Jess you’ve seen all the evidence against the idea. We saw no sign of them, and nobody else has seen hide nor hair of them. Come on you’re not really going to believe that letter written by a no-good hoodlum, are you? He was just mistaken that’s all.”
Now Jess was suddenly blazing mad. “That’s just the way you all thought of me when I first rode in here wasn’t it Slim? I was a no-good hoodlum whose word couldn’t be trusted...and I guess things ain’t changed that much huh!”
Slim’ s jaw dropped and he flushed up, “Heck Jess, it isn’t that way at all. Sure, I believe you really thought you saw those folk. It was just that you were kind of sick and mistaken. No need to get all fired up about it. Of course, I believe and trust you usually, you know that buddy.”
“Do I?” Jess muttered and turned back to his task.
Shaking his head Slim went off to brew some coffee, hoping his Pard would come to his senses soon and just agree that it had all been a mistake. How he’d imagined the whole Hammond episode, as Slim thought of it. But in his heart, he knew Jess’s stubborn streak wouldn’t let him give in.
It was later that night when Slim had said he was whacked and gone off for an early night that Daisy and Jess were able to talk.
“I do understand how you’re feeling dear... almost betrayed?” she said gently. “But there really is no need. Slim and I, Mort, goodness everyone I know, trusts you implicitly and respects you too. Please don’t let this issue with the Hammonds affect you so much.”
He shook his head, but then gave her a wide grin, “You’re right, of course you are... I suppose I can live with the fact that what’s really important is that Slim believes they were dadgum real to me,” he said with a chuckle.
Then fixing Daisy with his best little boy smile, said, “So uh... Daisy, there wouldn’t be any of that apple pie left would there?”
She bustled off to fetch it after squeezing his hand and beaming at him.
Jess stretched his legs out in front of the fire and smiled to himself. It didn’t matter what anyone thought he said to himself...but Thomas, Anna, Tommy and little Polly had all existed alright...and one day he’d dang well prove it!

Chapter 11
That day was to come just the following week!
Slim and Jess were in the yard looking over a bunch of mustangs milling about in the corral, Jess trying to decide which one to cut out and work on. But then their attention was taken by a buckboard rattling down the rise and into the yard.
Both men looked up in surprise as the tall stranger brought the team to a halt and grinned at Jess.
Jess’s face was a picture of surprise and then utter delight...and turning to Slim said triumphantly, “Slim... I’d like to introduce you to the Hammond family...Thomas, his wife Anna and young Tommy and Polly!”
Then grinning up at Anna who was cradling an infant, “And their new baby...good to see you,” he added winking at the children, “real good!”
“Well, old chap it is I who am pleased, no indeed overjoyed to be able to visit at last and thank you properly for all you did for my family before Christmas,” said Thomas beaming at him.
Jess cast Slim a quick glance and was happy to see his Pard was speechless and looking not a little embarrassed.
“It’s real good to see you all again,” Jess repeated, helping Anna down while Thomas took care of the sleeping baby.
“You look real well.” he added, noting the smart skirt and blouse she was wearing.
“Oh, I’m just so glad to be back in my own clothes,” she said smiling at him. “I don’t know what you must have thought of me wearing that dreadfully old-fashioned dress. It was actually Thomas’s grandmothers and the only thing I could find to fit me.” she chuckled.
Well that sure cleared up his concerns as to why she’d been dressed in such an old-fashioned way...adding fuel to the argument that maybe she had actually been a ghost.
Then they were joined by Daisy and also Mike it being a Saturday.
Introductions were made and Thomas, Anna and the baby ushered inside whilst Mike took Tommy and Polly off to check out some of his pet critters.
As the adults made their way inside Slim pulled Jess back a hand resting on his arm, “I’m so, sorry Jess... I should have believed you.
Jess just shrugged, “I guess it will be kinda interesting to see where they’ve been hiding all this time huh,” and they joined their guests around the table as Daisy poured the coffee.
“I really should have visited sooner to thank you,” Thomas said accepting a cup of the steaming brew from Daisy with thanks. “But what with the new arrival and having to move out...we’ve been pretty busy,” he said sincerely.
Once the baby girl had been duly admired Jess said, “You moved out?”
“Yes,” said Anna, “that house really wasn’t suitable for a new born. I don’t know if you noticed Jess but it has terrible rising damp...goodness me it looked like a fog had descended some nights and it was bitterly cold even with the fire going... so we moved out to the Smith place soon after little Ginny was born.
“The Smith place…?” Jess asked looking puzzled.
“Yes, it was Nancy Smith that helped deliver little Ginny. Then when she and George decided to move down to Denver to live with their son, they suggested we stay on in their place for as long as we liked.”
“Well, that accounts for us not finding you when we visited,” Slim said,” but nobody in town had seen you either?”
“Oh no well we just did the same as Pa used to do, we used old Indian Joe’s Trading Post on the way up to Centennial. It’s closer to us than town if you go across country.”
“Your Pa, only passed recently then?” Slim asked.
“Yes, indeed a fine old gentleman...but a terrible recluse. He and Indian Joe cooked up that old story about the Hammond place being haunted you know,” Thomas said with a grin. “Apparently Pa wrote a very dark story about a guy returning to his family on Christmas Eve and being stranded. When he got back the whole family were dead, the wife and baby in childbirth and the children frozen in the snow. He shook his head sadly. “I’m afraid my dear Pa took to writing some very macabre stories after my Ma died in childbirth and my sister and I and were sent back east to live with our aunt.
Then turning to Jess he said, “I found the story in an old magazine...and it so resembled our meeting on Christmas Eve I thought you might enjoy reading it Jess. Strange how fiction sometimes resembles truth...but thankfully not in this case,” he added turning to encompass Slim and Daisy with his broad smile. “I returned home to a robust wife and healthy, happy children, all ready for Christmas thanks to Jess here.”
Jess took that on board but then said thoughtfully, “So where had you been when I met up with you on the road? Nobody in Laramie, including the resident solicitor, had seen hide or hair of you.”
“Ah, that’s because I bypassed the town and headed straight for Cheyenne. That was where my Pa had lodged his Will... again all part of his reclusive lifestyle. He didn’t want to go into Laramie. Not once the belief of his death and all those rumors of haunting abounded.”
“Well, that makes sense I guess,” Jess said.
“I’m glad it does to you,” Anna piped up. “I was furious when he told me he’d been all that way...no wonder he was gone so long,” she said, none the less throwing her husband a loving glance.
“I just didn’t want to worry you my dear, that’s why I told you the white lie about visiting Laramie,” he said rather shame faced.
“All’s well that ends well,” Daisy said beaming at the amassed company.
Then the baby needed feeding and Daisy and Anna went off to find some privacy chatting animatedly.
When the time came for them to leave, Daisy said, “Anna has left you some of that Herbal Tea you liked so much Jess.”
He thanked her and Thomas slapped him on the back and said, “I figure you need to take it steady though Jess, that’s quite a potent brew you know. My Pa swore by it for his lumbago. So, I tried it out a while back for a muscle strain and boy it had some weird side effects. I kept feeling rather strange...like I was on the outside sort of looking in on the family...hard to describe...and everywhere looked kind of ethereal...if you know what I mean?”
Jess nodded, “You bet ya, I know alright,” he said with a grin.
Slim did a double take...he did? So, when had the word ethereal entered Jess’s vocabulary he wondered...ghostly...other worldly...even eerie...but ethereal?
Once the conversation had moved on Slim turned to Jess and as an aside said, “You know what ethereal means then pard?”
Jess grinned, “I may not know the word, but I sure know the feeling.”
He grinned happily at his friend...all was explained completely rationally...just as he knew it would be one day.
Finally, it was time to go and there was a flurry of goodbyes as the children were rounded up, and their address back east supplied; with the promises to keep in touch.
As they were ready to move off Jess said quietly to Anna, “That old doll I found, uh Betsy–Jane...why did little Polly leave her at the old house?”
“Oh that,” Anna said giggling, “she swore the doll cried, just like the one in Pa’s story...but we never saw it happen.” Then she shrugged, “children and their wild imagination eh!”
Jess agreed and then they were waving the family off.
Once they had disappeared over the rise Slim slapped his buddy on the back, “I guess we all owe you an apology for not believing you Jess. There was a rational explanation for everything.”
Well...almost everything Jess thought...as he remembered the tear sliding down the porcelain cheek of the doll when they had visited the cabin together. Should he mention it? Nah, it would be his little secret he decided.
“Yeah, told ya so,” he said cheerfully, “I guess the drinks are on you tonight huh Pard?”

The End
Thank you for Reading and Merry Christmas!

A Note for new readers: You can find all my stories, including #10 The Mountain Adventure, plus more Christmas stories on my website www.pattywilkinson.co.uk To select a specific story scroll down to the bottom of the dates on the right of the screen, until you reach All at the bottom..(just above the hit counter) Click on All and the stories will be listed in order with their titles, the most recent one first. Happy reading,