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

#98 Turned Renegade

Turned Renegade?

By Patty Wilkinson

(Some strong language, violence and adult themes)

Noun: renegade: a person who deserts and betrays an organization, country, or set of principles.

Chapter 1

Jess Harper looked out the window at the sun-baked yard, hands stuffed in his pockets, despondency in his deep blue eyes. He sighed loudly before turning back to the unusually tidy parlour of the ranch house.

Just that morning, Daisy and Mike had departed for a protracted visit to Daisy’s sister in Cheyenne. Both young Mike and Daisy had succumbed to a bad dose of influenza in the spring; following on from a terribly long, hard winter and both were in need of a break and change of scene.

Sure, he and Slim, his partner in the ranch, had been happy enough for them to go, aware it would do them both good. But now as he stood in the quiet empty room with the long summer school holiday before him, he realized just how much he would miss them both.

Sighing again he reluctantly made his way towards the kitchen, knowing Slim would be expecting supper when he returned from mending fence over on the east pasture.

He was standing in the small kitchen debating whether to do beans and bacon, or just beans when there was a loud hammering on the front door. He ran to answer it, snagging the rifle kept by the door, before opening it cautiously and peering out.

Then he lowered the rifle, an embarrassed grin on his face, “Hell Mort where’s the fire?” he asked, “I thought it was Jesse James come to rob us the way you were practically knocking the door down.”

Sheriff Mort Cory gave his old friend a rueful look, “Sorry about that Jess, but a matter of some urgency...is Mrs Cooper in?”

Jess shook his head, “Nope took off to Cheyenne for the summer with the young ‘un this morning. Why what’s up Mort?”

“Hang on,” the Sherriff said before turning and running over to another rider watering his horse at the trough.

Moments later the other remounted and took off at speed and Mort ambled back.

“Panic over,” he said with a grin, “That was Walt Davies, his Mrs is in labour and we thought Miss Daisy might help out as midwife...but he’s ridden for Ma Patterson now.”

“Jeez, I hope young Annie will be OK?” Jess said.

“Sure… first ones always take forever,” Mort said expansively, having forgotten his recent anxiety. “So, you got any coffee going?”

Once they were seated at the kitchen table Mort asked, “So where’s Slim?”

“Still out mending fence, I drew the short straw today, gotta make supper. You wanna stay Mort?”

“No,” Mort replied quickly, “uh I mean no thanks Jess... got to get back, real busy ya know,” he added as he took another leisurely sip of his coffee before accepting a refill.

“So, what’s the news?” Jess asked settling down for a good old gossip.

“Not much doing in town right now,” Mort admitted and then realizing his faux pas said, “Up to my eyes in dang paper work though,” and took another contemplative sip of coffee.

“Your buddy Red Smith is having a tough time up in Rawlins though,” he said, “had the Bank robbed just last week.”

Jess gave a low whistle, “Did they take much?”

“Cleaned it out and killed a teller.”

“Jeez” Jess said, shaking his head and muttering, “bastards... But I guess Red will get ‘em if anyone can.”

Mort nodded, “He’s a mighty good Lawman that’s for sure.”

“So, who did it, do ya know?”

“Sure do… the Knight Gang; Ben and Davy Knight. It seems they’ve teamed up with the Dawes brothers Hank and Dev.”

When Jess didn’t respond Mort looked up from where he’d been refilling his cup again and was surprised to see his friend’s face had drained of colour.

“Hey buddy…what’s up, you look like you’ve seen a ghost.”

“Feels like it,” Jess whispered.

“You know them then...from your murky past?” he added with the glimmer of a smile.

“Oh yes, I know them alright,” Jess said quietly. “I dang well rode with them after the war Mort and I’m tellin’ ya right now Ben Knight wouldn’t kill anyone that way, or have party to it either.”

“Well, it looks like he did Jess and you’d better get your head around that. Because whatever you thought about the Knight Gang way back, I’m here to tell you the whole damn lot of them are murdering scum now. In fact, the faster, Red, tracks them down and they hang…the happier I’ll be.”

Once Mort had finished his coffee, he left Jess sitting on at the table, chin in hands remembering his old buddy, Ben Knight.

There had been three Knight brothers the eldest Davy; then Ben who was the same age as Jess; followed by young Sandy, the baby. He had been something of an afterthought and was a good ten years younger than his brothers and they were fiercely protective of him. Jess had been almost like a fourth brother when they were kids growing up back on the Texas panhandle. They skipped school together, went fishing and hunting. Laughed, fought and played together as young boys do, and now he smiled at the memories.

It was after the war that he’d joined up with them again. They had spent some time riding with him, trying to locate the Bannisters who had torched Jess’s family home and been responsible for the death of most of his kin.

They’d also thrown off the traces after a long hard war. Drinking and womanizing way too much in an effort to forget the terrible tragedies they had witnessed. Yes, they had been a wild bunch Jess acknowledged now, him, Ben and Davy. But they weren’t bad...hell they weren’t killers! They’d been merely high spirited...with the occasional minor offense to their names. Young Sandy had been way too young for all those shenanigans, as Daisy would have termed it; and was still living at home with his old Ma. Jeez, I hope he still is Jess thought fervently…if Ben and Davy really had decided to ride the owl hoot trail.

He was still sitting there with his memories when Slim barged in demanding food.

He’d entered the kitchen sniffing the air and then frowned.

“So, where the heck’s my supper I’m starving Jess!”

“Keep yer hair on, I’m doin’ it,” Jess growled standing up and wandering over to the stove where he commenced throwing pots and pans about in a desultory manner. Drawing on a cigarette as he worked and none too bothered as to where the ash went either, Slim noted irritably.

It was after supper when they were drinking their coffee that Slim threw Jess a thoughtful look and said, “I ran into Mort on the trail today.”

Jess nodded, “He came here lookin’ for Daisy.”

“He said... he also told me about that business with the Knight Brothers. Wasn’t it a Ben Knight that visited you here...not long after you’d first landed?”

Jess nodded, “He wanted me to join him and Davy on a cattle drive.”

“That’s it, and you declined...why’d you do that Jess?”

“I figured I kinda liked it around here...was getting settled.”

“Um...or was it you wanted to keep out of trouble huh? So, were they robbing banks way back then?”

“No, they damn well weren’t,” Jess said angrily. “Do ya think I’d have had anything to do with them if they had been?”

Slim shrugged, “They seemed real good friends?”

“Ben is a good man...Davy kinda easy led, but even so I really can’t believe they’d take up bank robbing...or killing,” he added quietly.

“Well, you’d better believe it,” Slim said seriously, “because Red Smith wouldn’t be mistaken about that kind of thing, would he?”

Jess shrugged, “No I guess not.”

Slim looked slightly anxious, “Heck you don’t think they’d try and hide out here do you?”

“Nah, they’d be crazy to try that. They’ll be heading for the Canadian border if they’ve got any sense.”

“If they had any sense, they wouldn’t have got in that fix in the first place,” Slim said tartly.

Then seeing Jess’ woebegone face, he took pity on him, “Come on pard, I’ll help you wash the dishes and then I’ll thrash you at checkers.”

It was a week later when they heard more news of the Bank robbery over in Rawlins.

Mose jumped down from the box waving a copy of the Laramie Sentinel about, and grinning at Slim said, “It seems they’ve caught one of the Knight gang.”

Jess who was approaching, leading the replacement team marched over and grabbed the paper...anxiously reading the headlines.

“Says they got Ben...but the rest have gotten clean away,” he said showing the paper to Slim.

“Looks like you were right then, headed for the border,” Slim agreed.

“So, you know these hombres then Jess?” Mose asked, all agog and sniffing some interesting gossip was in the offing.

Jess ignored him and went about changing the team.

Then when Mose glanced over to Slim, he merely shook his head in a gesture as if to say ‘I wouldn’t say anymore Mose.’

The old timer had been on the receiving end of the Harper temper in the past and it wasn’t something he wished to repeat.

“I’ll be on my way then,” he said eventually after casting Jess a wary glance.

Once he’d gone Jess took the paper over to the porch and slumping down on one of the chairs commenced reading.

“I thought you didn’t pay any credence to that rag?” Slim said as he wandered over to join him.

Jess shrugged, “I guess it’s all we’ve got and even that dang editor couldn’t change the facts about a Bank robbery that much, could he?”

“This business has really got to you hasn’t it Jess?” Slim said quietly.

“I just can’t figure how a man could change that much...it would need something real big to turn a man around that way...dontcha think Slim?”

“What? You think your friend was forced into it against his will?” Slim asked sounding disbelieving.

“Well, I don’t know do I? Maybe he was desperate and needed the money for something?”

“Maybe he just turned bad...had you thought about that Jess?”

*******

It was just a few days later that the subject of the Knight Gang was to come up again.

Slim and Jess had ridden into town for some supplies and called in at the livery to have a word with old Bert about a delivery of feed.

He came out from the back carrying a copy of the Sentinel and looking slightly embarrassed.

“What’s up Bert,” Slim asked, “bad news in there?”

“Kinda,” the old timer said.

Then turning to Jess said softly, “I guess I owe you an apology son.”

“Huh?”

“This guy in the paper...uh... Ben Knight?”

“What about him?” Jess asked suddenly on the alert.

“He was here a month or so ago, looking for you.”

“Well why the hell didn’t you say something?”

“I’m real sorry Jess you were away on business. Then by the time you came back I guess it just slipped my mind. You see he’d been over to the ranch to see you, but you were off helping Red Smith catch an escaped prisoner. You were working Deputy, for Mort ... if you remember?”

“Sure.”

“So where were you Slim?” Jess asked turning to his buddy.

He frowned, “When exactly was this, Bert?”

The old timer scratched his head and then gave a toothless grin, “I know exactly…was June 21^th, the Day before the Sunday Shoot.”

“I was off buying some stock and Daisy was over in town preparing for the ladies bake stall,” Slim added, “The Jackson boys were keeping an eye on the place for us.”

“Well never mind all that, what did he want...what did he say?” Jess asked

“Not much, I got the impression maybe he wanted you to help him out. But then when I told him you were deputizing for our Sheriff and off helping Sheriff Smith up in, Rawlins he seemed to kinda change his mind.”

“How do ya mean?” Jess asked impatiently.

“Well, I dunno really. He asked iffen you had a lot to do with the law and I said I guess you did. I told him how you were real good buddies with Mort, Red Smith and Sheriff Doug Masters over in Cheyenne too. Well, he looked real put out and said looks like my friend’s sold out...and he went off. I didn’t really understand what he meant,” he said looking anxious. “I’m real sorry I didn’t tell you sooner Jess.”

“So am I,” Jess growled.

Then seeing the hurt in his old friend’s eyes, said, “Heck sorry Bert...it’s OK no harm done,” and he changed the subject.

Jess was very quiet on the way home and once the horses had been tended, he slumped down on a porch seat looking off to the middle distance.

When Slim sat down beside him, he turned and said, “Alright...I’m doin’ it, just give me a minute huh.”

Slim knew he was referring to making supper...but he figured neither of them were very hungry.

“Hell, there’s no rush Jess. Then after a minute said, “you want to talk about it?”

Jess shrugged, “What is there to say...the guy needed my help and I wasn’t here for him.”

“It certainly looks that way. But like Bert, I don’t understand why he changed his mind. What did he mean when he said you’d sold out?”

“You wouldn’t understand,” Jess muttered.

“Try me...”

Jess sighed and then collected his thoughts. “Back on the panhandle when we were growing up, I guess we regarded the law as the enemy. We used to get into all sorts of trouble, bunking off school, scrumping apples... just kid’s stuff. But none the less we knew we’d be in big trouble if the Sheriff caught us.”

“That doesn’t sound so bad...like you say, just kid’s stuff.”

“Maybe not, but then when we teamed up after the war, we were really wild, shootin’ up towns, getting drunk...just acting crazy I guess and that’s when the law really became the enemy. We’d be slung in jail...and then move on to the next unsuspecting town...I know it sounds stupid but it was a kind of brotherhood, like in the war...only it was us against the establishment ... against the law.”

Then he turned to Slim and said, “But now, I am the law pretty often...part of the establishment ... and soI guess in his eyes I’ve forsaken my principles... the brotherhood and all it stood for...I ain’t that wild kid no more and I guess he don’t like it.”

“What about you Jess, how do you feel about it all?”

Jess gave him his slow smile, “That he’s a fool to choose the owl hoot trail...and I just wish I could have stopped him before it was too late.”

“And is it too late?”

“Well, he’s in jail and he’s gonna hang for murder if you can believe the Sentinel...so yeah I guess it is too late,” and with that he rose to go and fix supper.

After supper when Jess was still obviously concerned about his old friend, Slim said, “Hell Jess, please tell me you’re not thinking of riding up to Rawlins to speak up for this Ben?”

“It had crossed my mind. Dang it Slim I just can’t believe he’d shoot down a man in cold blood that way, it’s just not like him.”

Slim sighed impatiently, “I think you need to rethink your priorities, Jess. We’re really stretched here with Daisy and Mike away. What with us having to do all the domestics and yard chores on top of the rest of our work...I really don’t want you going off on a wild goose chase right now!”

Jess looked like he might argue, but then nodded, “I guess Red can be trusted to see justice done. Maybe I’ll just send a wire saying I know him to be of good character...much good it’ll do though,” he added morosely.

Then with the glimmer of a smile, “Anyway it’s your turn for all the domestics next week and I get to ride fence.”

But he hadn’t done with the business regarding Ben Knight, he just had to think how best he could help his old buddy and then he’d tell Slim.

Chapter 2

The following Monday morning found Slim feeding the chickens and doing the washing as Jess headed off for a day on the range.

He’d headed to the furthest point on the east pasture and by sundown he was starving hungry and ready for his meal as he made his way home at last. Then as he entered the yard, he noticed the hens were still pecking around instead of being safely penned up for the night. Glancing up he saw there was no smoke issuing from the cook stove chimney either. He remembered the other evening when he too was late with supper and shook his head, “Dang it Slim I suppose this is payback time,” he muttered to himself as he led Traveller into the barn and settled him for the night. That was when he noticed Alamo was missing.

“Garldarn it he’s gone off to town for the evening,” he said to himself in disgust and went off to feed the hens and pen them up.

Jeez that’s not like Slim to be so dang careless though he thought and a small shiver of anxiety rose in his stomach.

He cooked himself a quick supper and then dozed in the chair after his long day. When Slim still hadn’t returned by bedtime his anxiety turned to anger. Hell, he didn’t want me swanning off to help a friend but he can go to town in the week to see his girl, he thought feeling hard done by. What made it even worse was that his gal Millie was off staying with her brother back east for a few weeks and he was missing her something fierce.

He eventually turned in rehearsing what he would say to Slim when he finally deigned to arrive home in the morning.

He awoke the following day remembering that they had previously agreed this was the day they would spend some time fixing the barn roof, which was a two-man job. So, when Slim didn’t arrive for breakfast Jess finally swigged down the last of his coffee and wandered over to the barn to start mucking out feeling more than a little angry by now.

He stopped in his tracks as he marched over to Traveler’s stall and saw something hanging from a hook on the wall near Alamo’s empty stall. It was Slim’s gun belt. He stared at it for a moment and muttered, “What the hell?” His anger dying and quickly replaced by rising anxiety.

He plucked it from the hook and as he did so a note fluttered down to his feet.

He retrieved it and read the closely written bold handwriting over twice before cussing loudly.

It said, ‘If you want to see your partner alive get over to Indian Point. Come alone and don’t involve the Law, or your buddy is dead meat.

Jess considered riding for Mort, but then decided against it thinking maybe he was being watched. The gun hadn’t been there last night so maybe Slim’ s abductor was nearby?

Then he heard the sound of the early Stage rattling down into the yard...and knew he had to bluff his way through this with Mose, or the whole damn town would know about it within the hour.

“Howdy Jess, still surviving without dear Miss Daisy’s cookin’ then?” the old timer asked breezily.

Jess made a grunt that could have meant anything and commenced changing the team...all the time desperately trying to formulate a plan.

“So, where’s old Slim...washing dishes?” Mose added, determined to get his money’s worth out of the cowboy’s plight of being left without their beloved housekeeper.

Then a thought hit Jess, “Uh, nope he’s gone up to Denver on business...buyin’ in some stock...and I’m just on my way too, runnin’ kinda late actually,” he added. “So, I was wonderin’… could you drop into the Jackson spread as you pass it, ask the boys to cover for me.” he said hopefully.

Mose looked surprised, “Kinda short notice ain’t it?”

“Uh...I guess, see thing is Slim really needs my opinion on these beeves and I’d hate to let him down...be gone a week...or so. Tell the boys usual wages, plus a bonus for me needing them out here today...OK?”

“Well, I reckon, if Slim’ s relyin’ on you, you’d best git off Jess...I’ll see to it for you,” and slapping the reins he headed off up the rise at speed, a man on a mission.

Jess heaved a sigh of relief and having hurriedly packed some supplies and extra ammo he put Slim’ s gun belt in his saddle bag and rode off heading for Indian Point.

He rode northwest on the Rawlins Road and then turned off and headed up Elk Mountain where Indian Point was a look out place about halfway up the mountain. The area was densely wooded and Jess was on the alert looking for Slim’ s abductor, but unhappily aware that he would be pretty impossible to spot in the densely wooded terrain.

He finally arrived at the rocky outcrop overlooking the vast empty prairie spread out before him, and settled down to wait.

After a while he lit a fire and sat sipping a coffee and looking out at the open countryside. He was beginning to wonder if the damn letter had been a hoax and right now rustlers were hightailing it off with their prime stock. But then he heard a twig snap behind him and he was up on one knee, gun in hand in a split second.

A man approached him from the undergrowth, his hands raised in submission and a huge grin on his face. “Howdy, Jess,” he said.

Jess holstered his gun and said, “Davy Knight, what the hell are you doin’ here, I thought you’d be half way to the border by now.” Then his smile faded and he said, “And what the hell did ya think you were doin’...huh, this ain’t like you...or Ben?”

His old friend looked down acutely embarrassed, but before he could reply a tall swarthy middle-aged man pushed him out of the way... and aiming a rifle at Jess’s head said, “He was robbing a damn bank, as you well know, along with me. Good to see you again, Harper.”

Jess’s head jerked up and looked into the evil eyes of Hank Dawes and said, “Well I can’t say the same. Now quit wavin ’ that gun around Hank and tell me what you’ve done with my partner!”

“All in good time,” Hank replied with a grim smile. “You just behave and I’ll take you to him...any tricks and I guess you won’t be seeing him alive again.”

Then turning his gun on Davy said, “Cuff him!”

Davy looked fearful and moved over to Jess and handcuffed him whispering his apologies.

It was sometime later when they finally rode into a camp well hidden in a valley about ten miles outside Rawlins.

When the men dismounted and entered the camp the first thing Jess saw was Slim tied, gagged and lashed to a pine tree.

Jess tore over and although encumbered with the handcuffs was able to pull the gag down and said “Hell Slim are you OK?”

His pard looked almost grey, the colour drained from his face and his shirt filthy and stained with blood. He also sported several cuts and bruises to his face and looked to be in some pain.

“You goddamn bastards!” Jess yelled, turning furious eyes on his captors.

“He put up a bit of a fight,” Hank drawled, “had to restrain him some.”

Jess stood up looking like he might well throw a punch even though handcuffed.

“I’m OK,” Slim interjected quickly, “powerful thirsty though,” he managed.

“Git him a drink pronto,” Jess growled and Davy fetched a canteen at once and Jess helped Slim to drink.

All the while, the other Dawes brother, Dev, had been watching the scene silently and now the small balding man gave a slow hand clap.

“Very touching Harper...I just hope your compassion extends to your old friend Ben Knight, because you see you’re going to spring him from jail in the morning.”

Jess looked up…his jaw clenched and his eyes narrowed, “And what if I won’t?”

Dev Dawes merely ran a finger across his throat, the meaning of the gesture clear, and then grinned, displaying blackened teeth, “It’s the end of the road for your friend there. Now why dontcha just take it easy and think on it huh?”

With that he jabbed the rifle hard into Jess’s belly making him fall to his knees and cry out in pain.

Seeing his old friend hurt that way Davy ran forwards, but then had the rifle turned on him.

“Make your mind up Davy,” Dev barked, “its Harper or the gang! First you made all that dang fuss about taking Sherman...and now this. Goddamn it man, if I can’t rely on you, you’ll have to be tied up too...your decision!”

Then more kindly, “You want your brother out of that damn jail don’t you buddy?”

Davy just nodded helplessly, “You know I do.”

“Right, then tie up Harper alongside his pard there and let him relax a while…think things through.”

Then turning to where Jess was rubbing his stomach and looking as mad as all get out said, “But don’t take too long about it, Harper, because we ride before sun up tomorrow.”

Once the men had gone off to the campfire to drink coffee, Jess addressed Slim in a whisper.

“What in hell happened, how did they get the drop on you?”

Slim looked apologetic, “It was that Davy, he rode in yesterday saying that you’d ridden for Rawlins to try and help his brother. I recognized him from the picture in the paper. Said you’d been shot by mistake by a bounty hunter and you were asking for me. I was all for riding for the doc and Mort. But he said no time. You wouldn’t last and you were cryin’ out for me. Hell, what could I do Jess, leave you to die alone?”

Jess just shook his head, “I guess not. So, then what happened?”

“Those damn Dawes brothers were lying in wait for me...jumped me and had me hogtied almost before I even got a swing at them...surprise element, I guess I didn’t stand a chance.”

“Yeah, yeah, I understand. Jeez you look bad buddy,” he said ruefully glancing at Slim’ s battered face. “So now what do we do?”

“I reckon you’ll just have to do what they want. You’ll be able to get the drop on Red easy...spring Ben and then we’ll just have to try and get him back again once they release us.”

“Oh, so you think they’re gonna let us go just like that?” Jess asked shaking his head.

“Maybe not, but you got a better idea? Because if you don’t do it, I believe they’ll kill us both anyway. At least if you go along with them, we’ve got some sort of a chance.”

Jess looked deeply unhappy, “I dunno Slim... I just dunno if I can deceive Red that way. Hell, it goes against everything I believe in now.”

“What’s the alternative?” Slim asked looking weary.

Jess sighed deeply, “Oh, he’ll kill us alright, I know Hank of old...he’s plumb crazy...a natural born killer.” Then he gave a grim smile, “We always said he was born without a conscience.”

“Uh, what Doc Sam would call a psychopath?”

Jess shrugged, “I dunno the fancy name for it, but I know he kills men like we’d swat a fly to kill it...and it means about the same to him. Nope you don’t mess with Hank Dawes, that’s for sure.” He closed his eyes and took a deep breath before opening them again and turning to Slim said, “I’ll head out in the morning like they want.”

Sometime later Davy came over with some coffee and beans, and stopped for a while to chat.

“I’m real sorry about all this Jess, but you can see the way I’m fixed...I’ve gotta save Ben, you can understand that, can’t you?” he pleaded.

“Sure, I can see that,” Jess agreed, “What I don’t see is how you got in this damn mess in the first place. You and Ben ain’t bank robbers...hell ain’t killers either.”

“We were desperate for the money Jess, real desperate... or we wouldn’t have got involved; you know that. Then Hank and Dev came along, started talking us into the Bank job...but me and Ben decided it was crazy and we didn’t wanna do it. By then Hank wasn’t having any of that though, said he’d done all the planning and we were damn well going ahead. Said...well someone we care about would be hurt real bad...or worse iffen we didn’t play our part.”

Jess just nodded acknowledging the dilemma and sighed with relief. He just knew Davy and Ben weren’t real bad. But before he could ask what was so damn important and who was the person Hank had threatened? His pard butted in.

Slim said, “What I don’t understand is why is Hank so keen on springing your brother? He doesn’t strike me as the compassionate type,” he added with irony.

“That’s easy,” Davy said, “Ben had all the money, he stashed it someplace and Hank wants his share. Ben’s the only one who knows where it is, see.”

However, before he could elucidate further Hank wandered over and told Davy to go bed down.

Then turning to Jess said, “So you in then Harper?”

Jess nodded, refusing to meet Hanks quizzical gaze and just ignored him when he laughed.

“Well, well, so the mighty Jess Harper returns to the fold... I guess we’ll have you on the pay roll for the next bank job huh Jess?”

However, when Jess refused to be drawn in, he just wandered off still chuckling to himself.

Chapter 3

The following morning Jess, Davy and Hank set out before first light.

Jess with Hank’s threat ringing in his ears, “Iffen we don’t get back before dusk, Dev will kill yer partner and head for the hills...you got that Harper?”

“Loud and clear,” Jess had muttered before mounting up and throwing Slim an encouraging smile.

“See you Pard,” he said before heading off, all the time being covered by Hank’s rifle and his hands still tied.

Then after they had been riding for a minute or so Hank reined in and said, “Blindfold him Davy, if he gets the drop on us, he’ll never find his way back to save his buddy that way,” and he gave an evil laugh. Once Davy had done as requested and blindfolded Jess he led Traveller slowly along, now following Hank.

Dawn was just breaking as they rode into town by a back road and reined in on some waste land behind the Sheriff’s office.

“OK so you act real natural Harper...ask to see the prisoner and then as soon as that no good Sheriff opens up the cell you move in, take his gun and lock him in... got it?”

When Jess just looked down and didn’t reply Hank grabbed him by his shirt front and growled, “I said, you got it?”

Jess merely nodded.

“Good, that’s good. You get his gun, throw him in his own cell and release Ben...easy huh?”

Jess rolled his eyes, “Yeah real easy, iffen you don’t give a damn.”

“Don’t get smart with me Harper just remember yer buddy’s life depends on you getting this right. I’ll be behind ya every step of the way, so no trying to tip him off...understand?”

“OK ...OK let’s just git it over with,” Jess spat, impatiently.

He sauntered into Red’s office and received the warm welcome he knew he would...feeling awful knowing Hank was just outside the door watching his every move. Red had obviously slept at the jail and spent the night guarding his prisoner and was just enjoying his first coffee of the day.

“Well, howdy Jess, long time no see...take a seat buddy...coffee?” Red asked beaming at his old friend.

Jess gave him a weak smile and said, “Good to see you too Red... yeah, coffee would be swell.”

Once they were seated the sheriff frowned at his friend, “Are you OK Jess, you look kinda troubled... what brings you to these parts?” he added.

“Uh well see thing is I know Ben Knight and I was wondering if I could have a word with him, try and get to the bottom of all this business?”

Red wasn’t particularly surprised, knowing something of Jess’s wild youth, when he had mixed with more than a few rough and ready characters.

“Ah so that’s it,” Red said visibly relaxing, “well sure you can Jess. I was wondering how he got involved myself, seems a nice enough guy.”

“I thought you were holding him for murder...according to the Sentinel anyway,” Jess added.

“Ha you can’t believe anything in that rag Jess. Nope the killer got clean away. By all accounts this Ben was just watching the horses...and he seemed pretty reluctant about that too. According to a bystander it looked like Ben was going to come and tip me the wink...but then a shot was fired and I guess that spooked him, next thing they’d all ridden out.”

“So, who killed the teller then?”

“That was Hank Dawes; the bank manager and another teller saw everything. His brother Dev grabbed the money sack and then Hank just opened fire on the teller as he passed it over...for no dang reason. The other guy...uh we now know to be your friend’s brother Davy Knight, well he tried to stop Hank, pushed him at the last minute ... but the bullet still found its mark. I think Hank was all for killing the others too, but Davy made for the door saying the law would have heard the shot...and they all left. A witness fired on them and caught Dev a glancing blow in the arm and he threw the sack to Ben.”

“So really the Knight Brothers weren’t the villains of the piece then?”

“Hell no. I reckon they were coerced into it all. Say maybe you could get that Ben to come clean as to where they’ve stashed the cash? I reckon he could get off reasonably lightly if he confesses and the money is returned.”

If only I could do that Jess thought sadly, but it was impossible. Even if he could overpower Hank ... he still couldn’t get back in time to save Slim because he didn’t have a clue as to where the campsite was. They’d moved on late the previous evening and he had been blindfolded then and again this morning. Slim could be out there anywhere within a twenty-mile radius and if he wasn’t found by dusk, he’d be killed. No Jess thought miserably, he just couldn’t take that gamble. You had to give it to him he thought bitterly, Hank had thought it all through real well.

“Jess?”

“Uh...oh sorry Red I was just thinking...sure I’ll have a word with him now if you like.” He just hoped Red wouldn’t pick up on the way he was feeling. His heart was beating almost out of his chest and he felt a slick of cold sweat run down his back. Hell, he could hardly feel worse if it was Slim he was about to betray.

Red took up the cell keys and they went through into the back that housed the cell block. Two cells out there and an isolation cell at the back.

Ben was still sleeping when they went in and Red ran the key along the bars to wake him up.

“Visitor for you Ben,” he said cheerfully...and unlocking the cell door pushed it open.

That’s when Jess struck as fast and wicked as a rattler. He shot out his hand, plucked the gun from Red’s holster and stuck it in his back.

Red tensed and half turned, “Jess...what the hell are you playing at?” he cried indignantly.

“Back off and go sit on the other bunk,” Jess said now pointing the gun at Red’s chest as his friend turned to face him.

Then glancing over to Ben said, “Git over here Ben I’m springing ya.”

Ben didn’t need telling twice and was out of the cell in seconds...and almost bumped into Hank as he walked through from the office.

“Well done, Harper,” Hank said grinning evilly. “I’ll take over now, move to one side while I dispatch the bastard.”

Jess’s eyes opened wide in shock and he moved instinctively in front of his old friend and growled, “Over my dead body you will!”

“Oh come on stop playing the dang hero Harper, he’s a scum law officer and the world will be better off with one less.”

Jess didn’t budge an inch and still kept Red’s gun pointing at Hank...as he was covered by Hank’s rifle... a complete impasse.

“I ain’t movin’” Jess yelled furiously

“I’ll shoot you down Harper don’t think I won’t,” Hank said lifting the rifle higher and taking aim.

That’s when Ben leapt into action and grabbing the rifle pushed it aside.

“You shoot Jess and you’ll never find that damn money!” he yelled.

At that Hank sighed lustily and finally muttered impatiently, “OK Harper, just gag the son of a bitch and let’s be on our way.”

Jess put Red’s gun in his own belt and removing his friend’s bandana gagged him as requested. His back was to Hank and he mouthed, “I’m so dang sorry Red... they’ve got Slim, I’ve no choice...”

Red gave a slight nod and his eyes lost their anger and were now full of compassion.

“Come on Harper don’t take all day,” Hank yelled from outside the cell.

“I’m comin’,” Jess yelled over his shoulder.

Then turning back to Red mouthed, “I’ll make it good, I promise,” and with that turned and left locking Red in his own jail.

Once out on the trail Ben turned to Jess and said, “Gee thanks buddy...I see you ain’t changed that much...I thought you’d given up on the brotherhood, but I was wrong.”

“Oh, I’ve changed alright,” Jess said angrily, “and if giving up on the brotherhood means I accept law and order now then yup...I guess I’m a lost cause. Only reason I sprung ya Ben was because they’re holding my best buddy hostage and I didn’t have no choice.”

Ben just stared at his old friend in bewilderment and then said softly, “It ain’t like it seems Jess...”

“Well how the hell is it?” Jess yelled now losing his patience completely, “You robbed a bank and were party to a killing...just by bein’ there...so tell me how that ain’t like it seems...huh?”

Just at that point Hank rode up and said angrily, “Quit jawing you two and ride...or had you forgotten that dang lawman is probably mustering a posse as we speak.”

Jess was mighty relieved to get back to the camp and find Slim all in one piece...But they didn’t have much time to celebrate the fact as Hank chivvied them all up to break camp and move on.

They rode hard, due east for another twenty or so miles and relocated to the foothills of a mountain range. There were a multitude of caves and gullies and Hank chose a spot about hallway up the steep hillside where he had a panoramic view of the land below.

“We’ll be snug as a bug in a rug here,” Hank said with a broad grin. “And if your friendly local Sheriff and his posse come looking, we can pick ‘em off one by one from up here,” and he laughed long and loud.

“What’s up Harper, don’t see the joke?” he asked peering across at where Jess was staring at him deadpan.

“Only joke around here is you Dawes,” he spat.

The fact that Jess’s hands and feet were tied made no difference to Hank and he laid into him brutally.

When he continued to rain blows down and kick Jess, Ben once more came to his rescue, “For God’s sake quit it Hank, dang it you’ll kill him!”

“So?” Hank said stopping and turning on Ben.

“So, like I said anything happens to Slim or Jess you can kiss that money goodbye, because I ain’t taking you to it!”

At that Hank turned on Ben dragging him up by his shirt front, his angry eyes just inches from the younger man. Then he threw him down in disgust, “He’ll keep,” he muttered and wandered off back to the camp fire and his whiskey bottle.

“Darn it, I’m real sorry,” Ben said as he fetched water and rags to help clean his old friend up.

Slim just watched the proceedings helplessly until Jess seemed to come around and stared blearily about him.

“Jess are you OK?” Slim asked.

“Sure, sure,” Jess muttered, “never better.”

Ben and Slim exchanged a small knowing smile and Ben helped Jess sit up and gave him a drink before passing the water canteen over to Slim.

He then quickly glanced behind him and noting the others were getting stuck into the whiskey he settled down to talk.

“Well...are you gonna tell me about it then?” Jess asked.

His old friend was looking pretty darned formidable, Ben thought, his face streaked with blood and his eyes icy cold. But taking a deep breath he tried to explain.

“A lot’s happened since I came calling on you a few years back,” he started haltingly. Jess just nodded, but made no comment.

“I tried the best I could not to get involved in all this,” Ben continued tipping his hat to where the outlaws were now laughing uproariously about something...their merriment fueled by the strong drink.

“Not hard enough though,” Jess replied irritably.

“I called on you, but you were off doing good works helping the law out,” Ben said now angry himself.

When Jess didn’t respond he said, “I needed your help. I was desperate Jess I had to have the cash, I needed a lot of money real fast and thought you might help me.”

Jess raised a quirky eyebrow, “What? Help you rob a dang bank?”

“No, of course not...lend it to me, maybe help me get a loan...you being a partner in a business and all.”

Jess glanced over to Slim and rolled his eyes, before turning back to Ben “You’re kiddin’ ain’t you...it’s as much as we can do to break even most of the time.”

Ben shrugged, “Like I say I was desperate, I guess I wasn’t thinking straight.”

“You sure weren’t when you threw yer lot in with the Dawes brothers,” Jess spat, angrily, “what the hell were you thinking Ben?”

“They were the only people I could turn to...they said they’d split the cash four ways and there would be ample for what Davy and me needed. Hell Jess, I was drunk when I agreed to it. Then afterwards Davy said Hank would kill us iffen we backed out. He said we knew way too much and he didn’t trust us not to go to the law...so we had to go through with it.”

“Aw don’t give me that,” Jess said still angry, “you could have gotten out of town, God knows we’ve had to disappear without trace in the past and never had a problem.”

Then Ben looked into Jess’s eyes properly for the first time, “OK we had to do it, for Sandy... he’s sick real sick.”

Jess looked on his old friend with compassion for the first time, knowing how precious their younger brother was to Ben and Davy.

“He is...so what’s wrong?”

“He was shot, really badly in the leg... it was touch and go whether he’d lose it or not.”

“Jeez, I’m sorry...how?”

“He was damn well shot by a lawman of all people! He was just in the wrong place at the wrong time and caught in the crossfire between a couple of guys trying to rob the saloon and a Sheriff. The shot went wide and hit Sandy.”

“But he’ll be, OK?”

Ben shook his head, “He needs further surgery and rehab if he’s going to walk again. Hell Jess, you know how crazy the boy was about critters. Well, he studied real hard and got himself all educated up and apprenticed to the local horse doc. But he’ll never go back unless I can get the money. What dang good is a horse doc in a wheelchair huh?”

“The hospital fees are real expensive then?”

Ben named a figure and Jess whistled softly, “I guess bank robbing was the only way you were gonna get hold of that kinda money.”

“Well, that doesn’t make it right,” Slim snapped. He’d been silent this far, but now he could see Jess’s attitude changing and it worried him.

“I didn’t say it did,” Jess replied irritably, “but I can see how they’d consider doin’ it to get the money for Sandy. He’s a great kid…didn’t deserve that,” he added softly.

“I expect the bank teller’s Ma thought her son was a great kid too,” Slim said obstinately.

“I didn’t say what they did was right,” Jess snapped. “I’m just sayin’ I could understand how they’d be tempted to do it that’s all.”

But then the discussion was quickly terminated as Dev came over telling Ben that Hank wanted to discuss finding the money...and he reluctantly went off.

Once he’d gone Slim looked over to where Jess was watching his old friend go, his expression unfathomable.

He sighed deeply. He felt Jess’s loyalties were being sadly tried and wondered exactly which way he would turn if asked to choose between the law...and helping his old friend save his beloved little brother.

Chapter 4

The following morning Jess was kicked awake by Hank, “Wake up Harper we’re riding at first light. Then turning to Slim said, “You too Sherman, you’re riding with us...for now,” he added with a grim smile.

“What’s that supposed to mean?” Jess asked staring angrily after Hank’s retreating back.

“Looks like I’m on borrowed time,” Slim said quietly, “we’ve got to get out of this Jess or he’ll kill us both.”

“Ben and Davy too I reckon, as soon as he gets his hands on that money,” Jess agreed. “Maybe I can make Ben see sense...let us go huh?”

But then Dev was there telling them to saddle up, and they were on their way.

They had only been on the trail a few hours when Hank called a halt and directed them to again follow an old Indian trail up the mountainside. After a while he reined in and calling to Dev said, “Just as I thought we’re bein’ followed by a couple of hombres behind us, could be dang bounty hunters.”

The group looked down to the valley below and sure enough they could just make out two riders in the far distance. They stopped every now and then to look at the tracks and it was clear that Hank was right.

He turned to Jess and said, “OK Harper you’re gonna get rid of them.”

“I am?”

“Yeah, you are,” Hank said glancing over to Slim. No other words necessary.

“What do ya want me to do?” Jess asked looking resigned.

Hank sighed, “Use yer imagination...just tell them that as far as you know the Knight Gang are safely over the border. This could work to our advantage...stop anyone else following us. I’ll be watching your every move from those bushes down there and one false move and Sherman’s history...got it?”

Once they were in place the plan began to unfold.

Hank was ensconced behind the bushes at the roadside...close enough to see the action, but not actually hear the conversation.

Jess had ridden up the road a short distance and then turned back so it looked like he was coming from the north...and he met the two riders as planned just beside where Hank was in hiding.

The men reined in and wished Jess a good morning and then got down to business.

“We’re from Rawlins,” the elder of the two said, “out looking for an escaped prisoner, one of the Knight Gang...you heard of them?”

Jess grinned, “Heard of them I’ve been dang well chasin’ them since that bank job. I’m...Jake...Jake Hunter... I was lookin’ to make a killin’ on the bounty...you too?” he asked casually.

“Yeah, us too,” the younger man said enthusiastically, “we’re not professional bounty hunters like you though,” he said eyeing Jess’s low-slung iron. Jess noticed the glance and sighed knowing it was sadly all for show, the cylinder empty. He was also relieved that these two were rookies and probably not proficient at reading tracks and would assume the ones they had been following were old ones.

“We needed the cash...mortgage payment due on our ranch,” the younger said impulsively, “and we have to get some fast money.”

Well Jess could sure identify with that.

“Well, sorry to tell ya but I met up with a lawman in Montana and he told me the whole gang have hightailed it over the border...including that Ben Knight and uh...the guy that broke him out of jail?”

“Harper,” the older man said, “a dude named Jess Harper. Seems he was an ex-gunfighter who had taken up ranching...doing real well. He even acted as deputy back in Laramie and then he suddenly turned bad. Upped and sprang that Ben Knight from jail. The word on the street is that the law is more hell bent on catching him than they are the Knight Gang. Lawmen hate it when one of their own turn bad...turns renegade I guess you’d say,” he added.

Jess’s blood ran cold and he just felt like confessing all to these pleasant young men. To cry out ‘no, not me I ain’t a renegade.’ But then he remembered Slim being held hostage and swallowing hard agreed... “Yes, he sounded a bad lot.”

“So, are you riding back to town with us?” the younger man asked, thinking spending some time with a real Bounty Hunter would be kinda exciting.

Jess declined and tipped his hat over to the east, “Nope I’m on a promise with a sweet little gal over at a ranch that away,” he said with a cheeky grin. “Met her on the way up and she seemed real accommodating, so figure I’ll pay her a visit.”

The two departed chuckling and wishing him luck and Jess sighed with relief.

Then Hank bounded from the bushes looking furious.

“You sure took your time,” he snarled angrily. “You tipped then off didn’t you!”

Then before Jess could even reply he raised his rifle and shot the retreating men in the back, picking them off as easily as if they were mere game...and with a similar lack of feeling.

Jess just stared in horror before erupting in fury and easily wrestling the rifle from Hank’s grip, he sent him flying with a haymaker to the chin. He then commenced raining blows on Hank with the anger and passion of ten men. He was leaning over his victim to drag him up cussin’ and telling the already comatose Hank to get up and fight...when Dev brought the weight of his rifle butt down on Jess’s head rendering him instantly unconscious...as he crashed to the ground.

When he came around sometime later, he was once more handcuffed and Hank was sitting on a nearby rock watching him.

“You really shouldn’t have done that Harper,” he finally growled.

“Neither should you,” Jess retaliated. “They were good men just trying to raise a buck best way they could. Anyway, they were going back to town...Goddamn it they believed my damn lies...why’d you do that huh?”

“You were too dang long talking to them.”

“I was makin’ it convincing like you wanted,” Jess said querulously.

“Whatever,” Hank replied dismissively. “But you’re going to have to pay for what you’ve done to me Harper... pay dearly so you don’t cross me again. I should take your life...but you may be useful if we run into any more troublesome customers...so your friend will pay the debt for you.”

“Huh?” Jess asked his head feeling like it might explode with the pain he was suffering. “What are you talkin’ about?” he mumbled.

Then he saw Dev leading Slim on Alamo and he held his breath... staring at his buddy in shock.

“It’s payback time,” Hank said simply.

Slim was sitting tall in the saddle, his hands now free of the restricting thongs...his eyes determined...mouth set in a firm line.

“Slim?” he whispered.

“It’s OK,” Slim replied.

Jess just stared at him feeling the prick of tears behind his eyes...it couldn’t end this way it just couldn’t.

He turned beseeching eyes on Hank, “No,” he said firmly, “you want revenge then dang well take me...”

“Oh no,” Hank said grinning evilly. “The whole point of the exercise is to teach you a lesson Harper to get you back in line. Besides I’ll give your friend here ahead start...before I open fire.”

Jess looked around for help...where were Davy and Ben?

As though reading his mind Hank said, “Don’t think you can rely on your old friends, they’re off the other side of the mountain setting up camp right now. It’s just me and Dev here.”

“Please,” Jess begged. “I’ll do anything...”

“Shuddup,” Hank spat. Then smacking Alamo briskly on the rump, he set Slim off down the road at speed in the same direction as the ill forsaken would-be bounty hunters.

Jess watched in horror, the cold steel of Dev’s rifle in his ribs, as Slim swerved to right and left in an attempt to avoid the bullet he knew was coming.

Jess really thought for a moment Hank wouldn’t go through with it. He was just teaching them both a lesson. And then the echo of the shots rang out and Slim dived from his horse...rolled over a couple of times and then lay deadly still.

Jess turned on Hank and said ominously through gritted teeth, “By God you’ll pay for this Dawes. You’ll be begging me to kill you when I’ve finished with you...I can promise you that.”

Hank felt a shudder of dread run down his spine and for the first time in many years he felt real fear. He swallowed hard and looked away...unable to meet Jess’s terrifying gaze .

He finally turned to his brother and said, “Let’s get back to camp.”

“What!” Jess yelled now almost beside himself with the rage, “You can’t be serious. You’re gonna leave those men out there for the buzzards...I can’t even lay my pard to rest?”

“No time,” Hank muttered, again unable to meet Jess’s intense gaze.

Back at the camp Jess laid into Ben and Davy.

“Jeez I knew you two had sunk kinda low, but I never thought you’d be party to that!” he yelled at them.

Ben looked bewildered, “What are you talking about Jess?” Then beginning to look anxious, “Where is Slim?”

“He’s dead,” Jess spat, furiously, “and yer gonna pay...you’re all gonna pay!”

Ben turned shocked eyes on Hank, “Is this true?”

“Surplus to requirements, we didn’t need him anymore,” Hank said succinctly.

“Why you bloody bastard!” Ben yelled turning on the older man.

But then Dev was there his rifle stopping Ben in his tracks. “I hope we don’t hafta remind you as to whose side you’re on,” Dev said. “Because it would be a dang shame iffen we couldn’t trust you and had to tie you up beside yer friend there,” he snarled.

“Yeah, maybe you should remember why you got into all this in the first place,” Hank added, “Either you want to help yer kid brother or Harper...I guess you can’t do both huh.”

“He’s right,” Davy said dragging his brother away. “Let’s just get that damn money and head home huh?”

Jess lay back against the tree he was tied to and went over and over the tragic events of the day in his mind...the scene constantly playing out. Surely, he could have done something...but what? With a rifle in his guts and handcuffed it had been impossible to help his buddy.

Then he felt like his heart might break clear in two...his friend...his brother...was dead. What was the point in carrying on he thought? Jeez he felt like he was drowning in self-pity and misery.

But then after a while the Harper spirit gradually started to awaken. Of course, he had to go on! He had to get even with those bastards and then get home to Daisy and Mike, who would be back in a few weeks. He owed them more than the selfish thoughts that had been invading his mind. He owed Slim too. To make a go of the ranch...to carry out all the plans they had made together for its future. But first before anything else he had to find his buddy and lay him to rest...and then kill the Dawes brothers.

He sat there in the ensuing gloom of late evening, listening to the rustles of the night time critters going about their business and the haunting cry of a distant owl and felt just about as bad as he could ever remember. The thought of Slim’ s body lying out there all alone making him feel desolate.

He glanced over to the camp fire where Hank and Dev had been dozing for a while. Hank had cracked open a bottle of Red-eye almost as soon as they arrived at the camp and he’d been drinking steadily all evening as had Dev and Davy. However, Ben had been more restrained he had noted.

Now his friend came over, bearing a plate of beans that he placed carefully beside Jess.

Jess stared at it for a moment and then up into his old friend’s eyes and said, “You really think I could eat anything?”

Ben sighed and sank down beside him, “I guess not... Hell Jess, I can’t tell you how dang sorry I am... I had no idea. That Hank is plumb crazy you know that dontcha?”

“Oh, I know it alright,” Jess agreed. “What I don’t understand is what yer doin’ standin’ by him.”

“I don’t have any choice; you’ve seen how he is... the truth is, me and Davy are plain terrified of the guy.”

“Look Ben it’s not too late to change your mind over all this business. Set me free and I’ll take you and Davy back to Rawlins with the money…that way you’ve a chance of a lighter sentence.”

Ben shook his head, “I can’t do that Jess...we still need that money for Sandy.”

Jess sighed, “OK, OK... but can ya spring me now, so I can at least bury my pard. Hell you owe me that don’t you Ben?”

Ben looked troubled and then sighed deeply, “I guess I do yeah... but then back off Jess...steer clear of Hank please, because he’s bound to kill ya.”

Jess wasn’t about to start arguing the toss and merely said, “So are you gonna take these cuffs off or what?”

Ben had finally been persuaded to get the key from the deeply sleeping Hank.

“OK now I’m gonna cut the rope with my huntin’ knife and leave the cuffs and key over by Hank,” Jess said. “You go get some of that whiskey down yer neck and act like you’ve been tipping the jug same as the rest of them. That way you’ll be in the clear and I’ll git all the blame.”

Jess walked out of camp leading Traveller and was up and away as the Dawes brothers and Davy Knight snored drunkenly beside the camp fire...along with a very sober Ben, ready to play drunk too.

After a few hundred yards he slipped into the saddle and made his way silently across the moonlit mountain and down to the road where Slim and the bounty hunters had been shot.

He came across the two young men first, still lying in the dirt where they had fallen. He didn’t have the time to bury them, but vowed he would come back and do the job properly. In the meantime, he dragged them over to the deep ditch at the side of the road, removed their gun belts and then pushed them in and covered them as best he could with brushwood. That should keep the damn buzzards at bay for a while he thought. He strapped one of the gun belts on and checked the colt .45 before holstering it with a sigh of relief at being armed again.

Then he went over to where their mounts were grazing at the roadside and removed their saddles and bridles and loosed them off to hopefully meet up with a herd of broncs out on the plain.

He again heard the rumble of distant thunder that had been in the background since he left the camp and looking up saw storm clouds scudding across the moon and sighed. He had to find Slim and do his best to give him a decent burial and hopefully before the damn storm broke, he thought.

It was Alamo that led him to his buddy... He too was grazing by the roadside and he lifted his head and gave a little whinny of welcome when Traveller neared and he responded in kind.

Jess slid from the saddle and left the two horses together as he made his way slowly down the road seeking Slim’ s body. Then there was a brilliant flash of lightening illuminating everything before him and he saw Slim, lying where he had fallen at the side of the road.

Jess walked slowly over and removing his hat bowed his head and stood there in silent prayer, feeling totally overwhelmed. Then there was a tremendous thunder clap and he was galvanized into action.

He knelt beside his dear friend and decided he would try and get the body onto Alamo and take him someplace out of the storm and think about the interment tomorrow. There was a cave they had stopped at that morning for a break, just a couple of miles down the road. That would be dry and safe enough, there was wood for a fire too. The storm would wash away their tracks...and now that he was armed, he wasn’t that bothered about Hank finding him on the morrow anyway...revenge gnawing away at his heart as it was.

It was when he went to lift his pard that he was shocked beyond measure.

Slim groaned and after a moment his eyes flickered open and he stared up into Jess’s stunned face. He groaned again and then licked his lips and said, “So what kept you huh Jess?”

Jess could barely speak, but after a moment he collected himself enough to whisper, “Dadgum it...you’re alive?”

Slim gave him the glimmer of a smile and throwing him a quizzical glance said, “I think I must be... so you going to help me up?”

Jess pulled him into a sitting position and Slim yelped in pain and put a hand to his head.

“What’s up?”

“My head,” Slim whispered. “I hit it on a rock when I took that dive from Alamo.”

“What you jumped...you weren’t shot?”

“Hell no, I just waited for the first shot and then threw myself off. I figured I’d lie real still and he’d think I was dead. Only problem was I caught my head on that dang rock. I’ve been coming around and drifting off again ever since.”

Then there was another flash of lightning and crash of thunder.

“Come on let’s git out of this,” Jess said quickly, “you can ride double with me.”

Once they were sitting before a roaring fire, the storm raging loudly without , they were finally able to catch up on the day’s proceedings.

“I’m just so damn sorry I couldn’t stop him,” Jess said yet again.

“Forget it pard, there was nothing you could do. And those guys were ranchers you say?”

“Struggling to pay the mortgage, they just needed some fast cash.”

Slim shook his head sadly, “That Hank is pure evil.”

“I’m gonna go bury them tomorrow and then go after the gang,” Jess said quietly.

“OK,” Slim agreed, “that’s fine by me.”

“No, not you,” Jess said quickly, “You’re sick Slim, I want you to head back to Rawlins...tell Red what’s happened and where they are heading huh?”

Slim merely shook his head, “Oh no... I’m not leaving you to take them on alone Jess.”

“I won’t I’ll just trail ‘em...wait on you and Red with a posse,” Jess said innocently.

“Sure, you will,” Slim said sarcastically... then, “Come on let’s turn in. We’ve a busy day tomorrow.”

Jess just shook his head peering over at his pard in the dim light from the fire. “Anyone ever told you that you can be almost as stubborn as me?” he asked shaking his head and then grinning, “Night pard.”

“Night Jess...”

Chapter 5

The following morning Jess was pleased to see Slim seemed more himself. He wasn’t nauseous or dizzy, so he figured he wasn’t concussed.

“I still think you should ride for Red,” Jess said as they saddled up, “I might need to be...well...uh kinda devious, do things you wouldn’t like...once we meet up with them again.”

Slim’ s head shot up and his eyes narrowed, “What kind of things...what are you talking about?”

Jess looked uncomfortable and just shrugged, “Oh nothin’ ... come on let’s ride.”

They had no idea where Ben had stashed the haul from the bank job, but seeing as he was picked up within a few miles of Rawlins it had to be somewhere pretty close by.

“I figure we should stop and bury those poor guys first,” Jess said, “and then head up north a ways and up the mountain again. That way we’ll be able to see them as they start heading back to the border once they’ve picked up the loot.”

It was when Slim was going through the rancher’s saddlebags, trying to find out their identity so the next of kin could be informed that he came across a copy of the Laramie Sentinel. Its lurid headlines on the front page read... Harper Turns Renegade, then... ‘Jess Harper, partner in the Sherman Ranch and Relay Station and occasional Laramie Deputy has turned his back on law abiding society once more and returned to his outlaw roots...’ It went on to give shocking details of how he had betrayed his old friend by forcing Sheriff Red Smith release a prisoner wanted for bank robbery and murder, from the Rawlins jail. More details followed including how Harper was wanted for aiding and abetting a prisoner and a substantial reward would be given to the person bringing him in.

Jess who had been busy completing the burial of the second rancher looked up from his labors and said, “What you got there Slim?”

His pard quickly crumpled the paper and tried to stuff it back into the saddle bag, muttering, “Oh nothing important, just an old paper.”

But Jess was too quick for him and he strode over and grabbed the paper from Slim’ s grasp.

As he read the front page the colour drained from his face and when he finally looked up at Slim, he was practically shaking with rage...

“Goddammit Slim, it’s that dang editor again, I swear I’ll swing for him!”

“C’ mon Jess, this is the Sentinel, nobody believes the tripe that guy prints.”

“Oh, but they dang well do,” Jess spat angrily, “you know they do...my name will be mud all over Laramie by now.”

“We’ll soon change that, once we bring the gang in, they’ll see that’s all lies,” he said slapping the offending paper.

“Will they?” Jess said shaking his head. Looking down he muttered, “I sometimes wonder if it’s all worth it, maybe I’d be better off on the old owl hoot trail again.”

“What! What are you saying?” Slim gasped.

Jess shook his head, “Oh nuthin’ come on let’s get in place so we can see them passin’ through and then we can trail them...take ‘em when they ain’t expectin’ it huh?” he said with his cheeky grin.

Slim sighed with relief; that was more like his pard and he went to mount up...the two men riding briskly for the hills.

It was late the following afternoon that Jess and Slim espied the small party heading fast in a northerly direction. Jess figured they had found the proceeds of the robbery earlier that day.

Now he turned to Slim and said, “I figure Davy and Ben are on borrowed time right now.”

“Oh?”

“Sure, the Dawes brothers can’t be trusted any further than you could dang well throw them. They’ll turn on Ben and Davy and take the lot and they’ll strike today or first thing tomorrow I reckon.”

“No time to waste then,” Slim said succinctly, “we need to hit them tonight, but I imagine they’ll be watching out for us?”

“I guess so yeah, we’ll need to be careful,” Jess said with an evil grin, “real careful.”

They trailed the gang keeping well back and were finally rewarded by the sight of a plume of smoke spiraling up into the evening sky.

“They’ve made camp,” Slim said softly, “I guess we just need to wait until they’re settled for the night and then hit them hard.”

Jess agreed and wondered when the odds were stacked which way Ben and Davy would jump? Would they fight alongside the Dawes brothers or respect the friendship they had once shared with him and refuse to fire on him? It was an unknown, but Jess knew whatever happened it was going to be a difficult time...real difficult. Hell, Ben had once been as close a friend as Slim was now.

They had tethered their mounts a good half mile from the encampment. Then they walked silently in through the cover of the densely forested area, stepping carefully lest they snap a twig and alert the outlaws.

As they had hoped, the camp was now in silence with the men around the campfire snoring contentedly.

Jess was surprised they hadn’t posted a guard, but then he remembered they assumed Slim was dead; and figured he would be riding back to Rawlins for reinforcements.

They easily invaded the camp and the first the outlaws knew something was amiss, was when Jess bellowed, “Wake up you son of a bitch...it’s payback time!”

He thrust his rifle into the ribs of the recumbent Hank Dawes, while Slim covered the other three.

Dawes swore and rolled on his side clutching his chest as Jess looked down at him a grim expression in his dark blue eyes.

“Git up, you ain’t hurt that much,” he spat angrily...and after a minute Hank started to get shakily to his feet.

The others just stared in shock from where they had been rudely awakened gasping in alarm... until Dev jumped up to help his brother up...But Davy and Ben shrank back away from the action feeling deeply apprehensive as to Jess’s next move.

However, it came as no surprise to them that their old friend was after retribution first and foremost for what Hank had done to his partner. The fact that Slim was alive, a rifle in hand, and watching the proceedings with interest, was a huge relief to them both.

Jess holstered his gun and facing Hank said, “OK let’s see how you manage in a proper fight; if a filthy back-shooter like you has ever heard of such a thing?”

“Hank...no... Don’t do it!” Dev yelled to his brother.

But Hank wasn’t about to lose face by backing down.

“Leave it, butt out,” he called back, “this is between me and Harper.”

“Drop your gun,” Slim barked from where he stood staring at Dev. He scowled at Slim and then Jess before reluctantly doing so.

The fight was fast and furious with Hank taking the first swing...but it was clear Jess was the better fighter, even though he was a few inches shorter than the cumbersome outlaw, and several pounds lighter. He ran rings around Hank ducking and diving and then landing such forceful punches that his opponent was soon begging for mercy.

Jess finally left him where he lay on the ground bleeding and groaning pitifully.

“I told ya you’d be beggin’ me to finish it after what you did to Slim, didn’t I!” Jess said furiously. “Well, you’ll just have to wait for that because the only way you’re gonna die is at the end of a rope.”

Then everything seemed to happen at once.

As Jess bent to pick up his hat Hank drew on him. But before he could shoot, Ben opened fire and shot Hank through the heart killing him outright.

Then in the blink of an eye Dev drew a hidden derringer and was dispatched equally quickly and efficiently by Slim.

There was complete silence for the next few moments the smoke from the guns now spiraling up into the still moonlit night.

Then the spell was broken as Jess turned to Ben and said, “I guess you’ve made your choice Ben...the right one,” he added with the glimmer of a smile. “Thank you, you just saved my skin,” he added.

Then turning to Slim, gave him a warm smile, “Thanks pard,” he said softly.

Before they buried Hank and Dev, they removed Hank’s signet ring and the distinctive bright green bandana that Dev always wore. Then Slim took various documents from their saddlebags and turning to Jess said, “I reckon these along with the ring and neckerchief will be all the proof we need that the Dawes Brothers are no more,” and he placed the items carefully in his own saddle bags.

By now it was really late and they turned in for the night without too much more discussion. All of them feeling exhausted after recent events.

Jess awoke early the following morning. Seeing Davy and Ben around the fire brewing up some coffee, he left Slim sleeping and ambled over.

Sitting down with them he accepted a cup and then turning to Ben said, “I wanna thank you again Ben, I guess you saved my bacon last night.”

Ben just shrugged and said, “It seemed the right thing to do.”

“So, you got the money safe?” Jess asked after they had sipped their coffee in silence for a while.

He noted Davy and Ben exchange a troubled glance before Ben nodded, “Yup all safe and sound... And where nobody will find it either,” he said tapping his nose and looking secretive.

“Well, that’s good it’s safe,” Jess said grinning happily, “I figure if we set off early, we can make it back to Rawlins by noon tomorrow. I know Red real well, he’s a fair man and he’ll do all he can to make sure you get a light sentence. Helping me out that way and returning the money will show you’re really sorry for all you did.”

Davy looked really shocked, “What! You think we’re giving ourselves up...coming back with you?”

“Well, ain’t ya?” Jess asked looking equally surprised.

“Hell no, we ain’t!” Davy said adamantly.

“Well, I dunno,” Ben said looking thoughtful, “maybe it would be for the best bro... huh? If Jess is willing to stand up for us...help us get a lighter sentence?”

“Are you crazy?” Davy said, “We need that cash for Sandy! He’s depending on us you know that... And how can we look out for him if we’re stuck in a dang jail?”

“Yeah, I know…but hell I don’t want to be running from the Law for the rest of my life,” Ben said looking desolate.

“At least we’d be free to start a new life in Canada...Sandy too. He would have some kind of a life. Without the operation he’s got nothing, you know that,” Davy said cajolingly.

“Don’t listen to him,” Jess said, “I’ll help anyway I can...try and get some cash for Sandy, look out for him while you pay yer dues...huh?” he asked looking searchingly at Ben.

As he looked deeply into his eyes, he could see that his old friend was torn in two directions although he really thought he would do right thing.

But then...

“Have you forgotten we promised Ma on her death bed that we’d always look out for our little brother no matter what?” Davy asked, playing his trump card.

Ben looked down unable to meet Jess’s imploring gaze.

“I’m sorry Jess,” he muttered.

Jess’s heart plummeted...Now what? He couldn’t return without the prisoner he had sprung from Red’s jail...Hell he’d promised him he’d make it right. He was just about to reluctantly draw on his old friends and arrest them, when Davy said excitedly, “Come with us Jess... there’s a great life to be had over the border in Canada...we’ll split the money with you three ways...for old time’s sake huh?”

Then Davy looked deeply saddened and said, “But if you decide not to... well, we can’t let you tip off the law. We’ll have to make dang sure you and Slim are tied up real good and don’t make it back to Rawlins to raise the alert. Not until we’re safely over the border that is. I guess that would leave you in real bad trouble with your good friend the Sheriff though wouldn’t it, huh Jess?”

Jess just stared at him open mouthed feeling deeply shocked. Hell yes, he’d dang well end up in jail himself...and if the Sentinel was to be believed at all... then most of the lawmen would want to throw the key away too, after he’d seemingly betrayed them. Hell, what a dilemma. He couldn’t be jailed he just couldn’t. But equally he couldn’t leave all he loved in Laramie and throw in his lot with Ben and Davy...could he?

“Please come with us Jess,” Ben added hopefully, “it would be like old times...like it was back in Texas...the three of us back together again...what do you say huh?”

“Yes...so what do you say Jess?” Slim asked as he strolled over and caught the end of the conversation.

Jess looked up into that uncompromising gaze and felt about as bad as he could ever remember... If he thought betraying Red Smith was hard... well it had nothing on the way he was feeling now. But what was the alternative, go back to Rawlins and end up in jail himself? And anyways he’d made a promise to Red and he never broke a promise. But he also needed to help his old friends as much as he possibly could.

“I guess I ain’t got any choice, I’m going with them,” he said gruffly.

“What!” Slim exploded, “Of course you have a damn choice! Just bring them in, what’s your problem?”

“I guess his problem is that we’re real old friends...and he knows we wouldn’t come easy,” Davy drawled. “He doesn’t want to see any blood shed any more than we do. But I have to tell you Slim we haven’t been through all this for our brother to quit now.”

Jess knew that without returning all the cash from the bank job, there would be little hope of a light sentence for the men and he had no idea where it was stashed. Hell, he had to do something quickly to defuse the situation. Then maybe once he’d found the money, he could persuade the men to see sense. He was pretty sure Ben was almost convinced. He just needed to work on Davy and he knew dang well that if they gave themselves up voluntarily, they would be looking at a much brighter future.

But then Slim put an end to his speculation by saying, “Well iffen you won’t arrest them I guess it’s down to me,” and he went for his gun. But even before he had the iron fully out of the holster Jess had drawn on him.

“Drop it!” he snapped.

Slim stared at him open mouthed looking deeply shocked.

“I mean it Slim, drop the gun and kick it over here,” he said.

Slim paused a good minute longer before complying...and Jess picked it up and stuck it in his belt.

Then Davy came forwards with a rope and took Slim over to a nearby tree and tied him to it muttering, “I’m real sorry Slim, I guess we ain’t got any choice. Me and Ben have got to get out of here fast and it looks like Jess has decided where his loyalty lies at last,” he added.

Jess looked on hardly bearing to watch, but knowing he had to carry through with his plan if he was to save Ben and Davy from themselves. They’d see it his way in the end he believed that...But not if Slim had his way and frogmarched them back to town unwillingly. And anyway, Davy had been right, it would have ended in a gunfight sooner or later and Jess sure didn’t want to see Slim hurt ...or worse.

Now Davy and Ben were busy breaking camp and Jess finally wandered over to where Slim was looking mighty angry.

He hunkered down by his pard and whispered, “Sorry about this Slim...”

“Sorry... you’re sorry!” Slim yelled his eyes full of anger and hurt. “What the hell are you thinking Jess throwing everything away...the ranch...Daisy and Mike...Millie...Goddamn it our friendship...for what... a life back on the run?”

“Maybe you’d all be better off without me,” Jess replied suddenly feeling almost as though he really was betraying all he loved and cared about.

But then before Slim could reply he came to his senses. Hell, this wasn’t real it was all a subterfuge...but there wasn’t time to explain it to Slim. Not if he wanted to keep Davy and Ben’s trust in him. Time for explanations once he’d got the money and his friends were returning of their own free will. For now, he just had to concentrate on keeping Slim safe.

“Just ride back to Rawlins Slim forget about me huh?”

But Slim’ s eyes were so full of hurt and despair he had to add, “It ain’t what it seems I swear it Slim, just trust me huh.”

Then before he could say more Davy came up.

“We’re all saddled up ready to go Jess.”

Then turning to Slim said, “We’ll leave your mount a mile or two up the trail and by the time you manage to get free I figure we’ll be long gone ...I’m real sorry Slim but if you follow us well...I guess it won’t end well.”

Then he turned saying, “Come on Jess let’s ride.”

Jess said nothing, a shiver of fear running down his spine. He knew Davy to be unreliable and to panic when the odds were stacked against him. Now he figured he might shoot first and ask questions later and he just prayed Slim would do as he asked and head back to the safety of town.

Jess had never felt so torn...his instinct was to turn his gun on his old friends and bring them in and if they got a hefty sentence and young Sandy was crippled for life then so be it. Then he turned to look back at Slim and his pard gave him the ghost of a smile, “I guess I do...”

“Huh?”

“Trust you.”

Then Ben called out from where he was already mounted, “Come on Jess we hafta go!”

Jess called back, “Coming.”

Then turning back to where he was still hunkered down by Slim, out of sight of the others, he managed to remove his hunting knife from his boot and stick it in the undergrowth within Slim’ s reach. Then he whispered, “I’ll leave Alamo down the trail aways...whistle him up huh.”

Then he left a canteen beside him before standing up.

“Head back to Rawlins...tell Red I’ll bring ‘em back like I promised.”

Slim nodded and then Jess was up and away leading Alamo.

He stopped about a mile down the trail and waving the others to carry on saying he’d catch up…he dismounted and led Alamo over to the side of the road.

He saw Davy glance back and he made as though tethering Alamo securely...But once his companions disappeared around a bend in the trail, he quickly placed Slim’s gun in his saddle bag and then slapped Alamo on the rump, sending him back off from whence he had come.

Then he jumped back into the saddle and galloped off after the others.

Chapter 6

That night when they made camp and there was still no sign of Slim following them Jess gave a sigh of relief. Now all he had to do was convince Ben that giving himself up was the right thing to do and eventually he figured Davy would cave in.

Once a scratch supper was over, Jess made some coffee and topped up their cups from a small bottle of Denver James’ best Moonshine from his saddle bag.

The men lounged around the fire enjoying the strong brew and then Jess said, “I hope you guys know how much I’m throwin’ away to help you out.”

Davy just nodded, “Sure we do...you had a good job back at the ranch and relay...but we can set up our own place when we get to Canada. Oh, by the way the cash is stashed in our saddlebags. I was just kiddin’ when I said it was hidden real well,” he added chuckling, the whiskey making him expansive.

Jess sighed with relief and then shook his head, “It ain’t about money or work. It’s the folk I’m leavin’... Friends back at the ranch that have come to be kin to me...and my best girl Millie too.”

“Hey,” Davy said grinning from ear to ear, that ain’t young Millie from back on the panhandle, is it? As I recall you were real sweet on a Millie back then when we were just kids.”

Jess nodded, “The very same, Millie Johnson, we hooked up a few years back and are real close now. So ain’t you two leavin’ anyone special behind?”

Both men suddenly exhibited soppy grins and then Ben said, “Yeah sure we are but they’re real nice girls and I figure they wouldn’t want anything to do with jail bait.”

“What about a couple of guys who just made a big mistake and then decided to make everything right...I figure they’d be up for that...huh?” Jess argued.

“Except we ain’t about to make everything right,” Davy said quickly.

Jess looked from him to his brother Ben and saw his friend waiver...this was it he thought go in for the kill.

“Well, that’s a real shame because I reckon, you’ll never see them again.”

He watched the men take that sad fact on board and then said, “I guess your poor dear Ma is turning in her grave at all this.”

“What are you saying?” Davy barked, immediately on the defensive.

“Your Ma was a good woman...followed the law of the Bible and always did what was right. Same as mine,” Jess said. “Heck we were brought up on the scriptures, weren’t we? Taught to know right from wrong? And I figure she’d be real disappointed with the way you two are acting right now.”

“You do huh?” Davy said looking like he might just have to punch Jess if he continued in this vein.

“Goddamn it, Davy I’m giving you a choice here. I’m offering you a lighter sentence and hopefully a good life afterwards. I can’t do no more. I figure I can use the bounty on the heads of Hank and Dev to pay for Sandy’s operation to get him walkin’ good again. Then me and Slim will watch out for him until you get out of jail; what do you say...huh?”

Ben looked delighted, but Davy was still somewhat dismissive.

“But so help me, iffen you don’t agree to come back and hand yourselves over...then I’m just gonna hafta take you in. I guess that won’t look any too good for you,” he added when it appeared Davy still wasn’t completely onside.

Jess looked imploringly at Davy, knowing Ben was already won over.

He seemed to be thinking long and hard and then said, “OK I guess you’re making sense. Yeah... maybe it would be what Ma would have wanted,” Davy finally admitted and looking pretty darned emotional. Then he moved to shake Jess’s hand, “Thanks buddy, you always did seem to know what was right for us all, so we’ll trust you on this one.”

Jess heaved a huge sigh of relief...it was gonna be alright.

They rode into Rawlins a couple of days later early in the morning and Jess was looking forward to regaining his old friend Red Smith’s trust in him. Sure, he’d be kinda mad he’d been duped that way. But once he’d gotten over that Jess figured he’d be his usual forgiving self...Slim should be around too and God knew he’d got a few fences to mend with him as well.

He marched into Red Smith’s office along with Ben and Davy, who had surrendered their weapons to him as a show of, good faith and stopped dead in his tracks as he came face to face with Sheriff Carl Jenks from Oxenby Town, Texas. A man Jess hated with a vengeance...and which was reciprocated...some tenfold by the Sheriff.

“Well, looky here,” the Sheriff said, with the air of a rattler ready to strike, “if it ain’t my old friend Jess Harper and the remains of the Knight gang! Come in gentlemen and let me relieve you of your irons,” he added, quickly drawing his own and pointing it at Jess’s belly.

“OK drop your guns,” he said turning to Ben and Davy.

“I’ve got ‘em all here,” Jess said quickly, “the Knights are my prisoners but they handed themselves over voluntarily...and are ready to cooperate, including returning the money from the Bank heist.”

“Oh, is that right Harper?” Jenks asked throwing him a disbelieving look.

“Well why in hell would we be here otherwise,” Jess remonstrated, “and anyway where is Red. Red Smith the Rawlins Sheriff?”

“Your accomplice in freeing the Knight Gang you mean? Why he’s out of a job of course,” Jenks said slyly, “so it’s down to you and I to negotiate Harper, and as far as I’m concerned, you’re a lying bastard...any which way you look at it.”

Turning to his deputy, a witless looking boy, he said, “Lock ‘em all up in the back and we’ll see what Judge Harris has to say on the matter.”

“Damn it you can’t do this,” Jess objected, “and who in hell is Judge Harris when he’s at home anyways...never heard of him!”

“I seem to remember telling you that you’d got way too big a mouth when we ran into each other back on the Panhandle. Days when you were just a mouthy kid,” Jenks said throwing Jess a warning glance. “But you just wouldn’t listen would you boy...had to go and turn folk against me...cost me my job and my family...well I guess it is payback time now huh?”

Then turning to his deputy said, “Put that one out in the solitary confinement cell out in the back...I figure me a Harper need a little word in private later.”

It was much later that evening when Jess heard the outer door creak open and Sheriff Jenks stood there illuminated by the dim light filtering in through the small, high cell window.

Jess shot up from where he’d been sprawled on the hard cot and said, “About damn time, what’s a man to do to get food and water around here!”

“Ha you should be so lucky,” Jenks said with an ugly laugh.

Then he sobered and turning his gun on Jess said, “Move over here to the bars,” and Jess reluctantly did as he was requested.

“OK now put yer hands up high and turn around.”

Jess paused and frowning said, “What’s your game Jenks?”

“Just do it!” the Sheriff snapped.

When Jess still refused to move, Jenks said, “It would be just as easy for me to shoot you where you stand...then unlock the door and say I shot you trying to escape, nobody would dang well question it. Maybe shoot ya someplace you’ll just bleed to death real slow and painfully. Deputy’s gone for the night, so it’s just you and me Harper. And anyway, he’s just a dumb kid… I say, “Jump” and he says, “How high Boss?” you won’t find any help coming from him!”

Jess eventually turned around and raised his hands and seconds later he felt cold steel encircling his wrists as he was handcuffed to the top of the bars. Jenks then knelt down and secured Jess’s legs with a length of rope. Once he was sure he was secured he entered the cell and began systematically punching and kicking Jess to within an inch of his life. Spread eagle as he was, tied to the cell bars, he had no way to protect himself and Jenks rained blow after blow to Jess’s ribs, face and sensitive belly.

Eventually once his frenzied attack was over and Jess virtually unconscious, he removed the manacles and watched with pleasure as he tumbled to the stone floor, battered and bleeding.

“I guess you’ve gotten yer comeuppance Harper,” he muttered to himself as he left the cell... “You ruined my life back in Texas and I figure you’re gonna die real slow and painful for what you did to me...and there ain’t a damn thing you can do about it.”

Oh, there had been that little matter of Sherman turning up with his tall story that his partner would be arriving shortly with the Knight Gang who had given themselves up. But he’d gotten rid of that troublemaker he figured. When he’d once more come into the office that morning and seen Ben and Davy Knight in the cells Jenks had sworn that they had come in alone and there had been no sign of this Jess Harper.

“That’s right ain’t it boy?” he’d said turning to his hapless young deputy.

“Yes Boss,” the boy had replied looking scared to death.

No siree as far as he knew the Knights had told him Jess had returned home to Laramie. And that’s where Sherman would find him, he’d said smiling at the tall rancher, assuming he would be riding out that day.

*******

Meanwhile in reality, down the street in the saloon Slim and Red sat at a table drinking whiskey and discussing the dilemma.

“I just don’t believe it,” Slim said again, “so this Sheriff Jenks just marches in, says you are to be held responsible for Ben Knight’s escape...that you were in league with Jess and the town believed it?”

“Ha not as simple as that Slim; see this Sheriff Jenks rode in with a Judge in tow...Judge Harris.”

“Never heard of him,” Slim said.

“Me neither, I’ve sent a wire off to the powers that be to try and find out if there really is a Judge Harris, but in the meantime my hands are tied. The Judge decreed I’m out of a job until after the trial and if I were to argue the toss, well then, I’d spend the time waiting in my own jail!”

Slim shook his head, “And all this happened just a few days ago?”

“Uh-huh, I’ve sent a wire over to Mort Cory too. Asked him to send reinforcements if the Judge is bogus, but until we hear I’m afraid it’s just a waiting game. I guess the town had already kinda lost confidence in me after reading an article in the Laramie Sentinel some guy brought to town. It said I was in league with Jess and so of course folk thought it must be true if it was in the dang paper. Then this Judge came in and said the same thing...well most folk believed him.”

Slim shook his head sorrowfully, “I’m real sorry to hear that Red,” and then said, “What about Jess, do you believe he’s gone back home?”

“Nope, he wouldn’t go just like that, not in a million years. As soon as he encountered Jenks, he’d know something was up. Nah I really don’t know what’s happened to Jess, but I know one thing Slim...whatever it is it won’t be good.”

*******

Back in the isolation cell Jess stirred and groaned the metallic taste of blood in his mouth making him want to heave. He gradually managed to drag himself the few feet over to the cot and collapsed there, his mind in turmoil. One minute he’d been fretting about being way too dry and hungry and the next he was having blow after blow rained down on him. He gingerly put his right hand to his chest and it came away sticky with blood. He took a deep breath to try and stop the pain and dizziness...but then he was beset by even more pain in his ribs...Yup it felt like two, maybe even three were cracked or broken. Then he felt a sharp pain in his left wrist, “Goddamn it,” he muttered “don’t say that bastard has broken my dang wrist.” He had a vague memory of sinking to the ground and then Jenks stamping hard on his hand before he passed out again.

He lay there hardly daring to breathe such was the pain in his chest.

*******

He cast his mind back to that small town on the Texas Panhandle where Sherriff Jenks ruled the roost with a rod of iron. It wasn’t just the mostly law-abiding citizens of Oxenby that suffered under his tyrannical rule but also his family. He was both physically and mentally cruel, beating his poor wife behind locked doors and publically humiliating his young daughter.

Jess had first clapped eyes on Ginny when he rode into town one hot August day about ten years ago. He tethered Traveller to the rail of an inviting looking café and went in to get some food. He exchanged a few pleasantries with the pretty girl who served him and then settled down to eat. He watched as the girl then loaded a tray with food and headed across the street to the Sheriff’s office and he figured it was the prisoner’s dinners...and she returned shortly afterwards.

He was just finishing his meal when the café door crashed open and a bulky, red faced, angry looking man wearing a sheriff’s badge charged in.He then started haranguing the young girl, the gist of which was she had served too large a portion for the prisoners, yet again. Pointing at the offending tray all the time.

“I said they was on short ration you stupid girl,” he yelled and then deliberately took a knife and deposited half the meal on the café floor.

“Look he said grabbing her and pushing her head towards the plate...this amount got it!”

Flushing with embarrassment she whispered in the affirmative.l

Jess could bear it no longer, law man or not what gave him the right to talk to the kid that way? He half rose...but then before he could move the man left as quickly as he had arrived.

He went over to where the girl was bending down clearing up the mess, her dark hair falling forwards to hide the flush of embarrassment on her pretty cheeks.

“Here let me help,” he said.

“No, it’s alright really mister...?”

“Jess,” he said softly, “Jess Harper.”

She gave him the ghost of a smile and stood up from her labors, “Ginny,” she said, “Ginny Jenks.”

“So, who the heck does he think he is acting that way,” Jess said tipping his head towards where the Sheriff could be seen swiftly disappearing back into his office.

“He’s my Pa,” she whispered.

That was the start of their friendship as Jess dined there regularly after securing a short-term job breaking a few mustangs for the local livery owner.

But friendship had been all it was, he recalled now, as Ginny had a secret beau. She and Vin, the son of Freddy the livery owner, had been childhood sweethearts. However, she had been banned from seeing him as her Pa thought him unsuitable, so now they had to meet in secret.

It was a few days after Jess had arrived that Freddy, the livery owner, filled him in on their friendly local sheriff as he called Jenks, his voice loaded with sarcasm.

“See the thing is Jess, nobody will stand up to the bastard. He’s got the Town Council running scared that’s fer sure. If just one of them stood up and said he was way out of order, then I think they would join in and fire him on the spot. But none of them has got the guts.” Then he shook his head, “When I think what happened to Ginny’s Ma,” and he sighed deeply.

There was a pause and then Jess said, “So what did happen to Ginny’s Ma?”

“She done killed herself didn’t she. Poor woman was at her wits end with that bastard ridiculing her and beating her black and blue. Only so often a woman can say she walked into a door you know, Jess, before folk start talking. But she’d never admit it, never said a bad word about him, just done threw herself in the river and drowned. Of course, Jenks said it were an accident...but us folk knew different. We knew the truth of it alright. See she left a note and young Ginny found it. She told my son Vin…he knew all about it. But then the note mysteriously disappeared and Jenks sent Ginny off to stay with her aunt, down in Mexico while everything settled down. When she came back, she never mentioned her Ma again,” and he shook his head sadly, “Nasty business.”

It had been when Ginny arrived for work with a black eye that Jess knew he had to do something. She had admitted that her Pa had lashed out at her the previous evening when he had got wind of the fact that she was still seeing Vin.

“It’s not the first time,” she admitted, “or the last I suppose,” then she had broken down in tears asking Jess what she should do.

“What do you want to do?” he asked gently.

“Leave, run away with Vinny... we had it all planned. We want to join the wagon train heading west. He’s got kin out there. We could make a fresh start. But when he sees, what Pa has done to me today...well I’m real scared Jess. Scared he’ll take him on…want to settle things once and for all. But he’s no gunfighter; Pa would just gun him down in an instant.”

“Vin may not be a gunfighter, but I am,” Jess said softly. “You leave yer Pa to me. You go get ready to leave honey. I’ll tell you when it’s safe to go.”

“No Jess you can’t it’s not right you should risk your life for us this way...please. You don’t know Pa, he’ll just throw you in jail if you say or do anything against him, if he doesn’t shoot you down first that is.”

He just smiled at her, “It’ll be OK, you’ll see,” and with that he marched over to the Sheriff’s office. The words of his friend Freddy ringing in his ears… “If just one person stood up to him, I’m sure the Town Council would fire him on the spot.”

As soon as he entered, the stench assailed his nostrils...and looking around he saw several cowed-looking inmates in the cells and flies swarming around a couple of un- emptied slop buckets full of urine and vomit.

He then turned his attention to the baleful looking Deputy who sat feet up on the desk reading a paper and apparently immune to the reek.

He glanced up as Jess advanced on him and said laconically, “Yeah?”

“Where’s the Sheriff?” Jess asked curtly.

The Deputy shrugged, and then flicked a glance over to the large wall clock, “Saloon I reckon,” he said and returned to his paper.

Jess turned to go, but suddenly there was a clamor from the cells.”

“Don’t go mister,” one elderly man pleaded, “git us some water, please mister.”

Whilst another, who was bleeding from a head wound, begged for a doctor.

Jess looked down at the Deputy, “Why haven’t your prisoners got water and medical help. And hell can’t you clean the place up? It stinks in here!”

“You want water...over there,” he said tipping his hat to a bucket of clean water by the stove along with some cups. Jess heaved up the bucket and filling up cups for each of the four prisoners and distributed it. One poor soul was so thirsty he chucked it back up again.

Jess turned angry eyes on the feckless Deputy and said, “When did these men last get food and water?”

He shrugged, “Dunno that’s the Sheriff’s job. He likes to take care of all that stuff himself, you’ll hafta ask him mister.”

“Oh, I aim to,” Jess said turning and marching out of the hell hole of a jail.

If he’d been feeling pretty damn mad when he’d seen Ginny’s poor swollen face that morning, well now he was filled with rage as he marched down main street and stormed into the saloon.

He stood on the threshold, allowing his eyes to accommodate to the dim light within and then he yelled, “Where is Sheriff Jenks?”

A tall burly man turned from the bar and growled, “Why who’s asking?”

“I am, Jess Harper’s the name,” he said as he walked over and stood still several feet away from the big man, “I just wanted to see what a bullying, cowardly no hoper looked like,” he said pleasantly, but his expression grim, his cold eyes never leaving the Sheriff’s, his hand hovering over his iron.

The Sheriff looked furious, “Who the hell do you think you’re talking to!” he yelled.

“A man that ain’t fit for the office you hold for starters,” Jess yelled equally angrily. “I wouldn’t treat a dog the way you care for your prisoners and on top of that you use yer poor daughter as a punching bag. Well, I guess that makes you just what I said, you are... a bully and a coward huh?”

The Sheriff went for his gun, but Jess was way faster and had him covered in the blink of an eye. “Drop it and kick it over here,” he barked.

At the first sign of trouble the barkeep had whispered to his assistant to go for help. Now the leader of the Town Council along with two other members came forward from where they’d been watching the proceedings from the door, with ill hidden glee. Now that the tyrant of a Sheriff had been disarmed, they suddenly became very self-righteous and brave.

“Is there some trouble here?” Mr Jones the Council leader asked pleasantly, now smiling sanctimoniously at Jess.

“There sure is!” Jess said angrily, “Your Sheriff ain’t fit for the job. His prisoners are half starved and sick and the cells are a disgrace. On top of that the man regularly beats up his daughter. And by the looks of him he’s half way drunk at ten in the morning,” he added. “Is that really the kinda guy you want in charge of your town?” he asked the man in the smart suit, figuring he was one of the town’s movers and shakers.

Mr Jones quickly came forward and introduced himself.

“So, Sheriff,” he said turning to face Jenks, “is this true?” Knowing full well that it was.

The Sheriff blustered some, but was looking decidedly edgy and shame faced.

“Just go over to the damn jail and check it out iffen you don’t believe me,” Jess said, “and take in the café while you’re at it and look what he did to his daughter last night!”

Then a tall man in a dark suit came forward and said, “Yes that seems like a splendid idea Mr Harper.”

Turning to the members of the town council he said, “Permit me to introduce myself…I am Judge Myers and I just happened to be passing through town. But in a case like this I am most keen to see justice done. Shall we go gentlemen?” he asked, standing aside to let the Sheriff, still under Jess’s watchful eye, and the others pass and then they all repaired to the Sheriff’s office.

It had only taken a few minutes for the Judge to see exactly what kind of Sheriff...indeed what kind of a man, Jenks really was. Then behind closed doors the Town Council members opened up, saying they had all been subject to the man’s bullying ways and threats of blackmail over many years. If they threatened not to renew his contract year after year, he had become particularly offensive and most of the town lived in fear of the man.

The Judge’s timely visit saw all the prisoners freed immediately...with the Judge wanting to know why two, held on a charge of drunk and disorderly, were still languishing in jail two weeks later? “Surely the offenders are sober by now?” the Judge had asked with a quizzically raised eyebrow. The other elderly man with the head wound had been jailed several weeks ago allegedly for fighting. An argument had sprung up between himself and his equally elderly brother. The brother had not wanted to press charges, and so legally the man should not have been in jail anyway, the Judge remonstrated. Then he asked what was in everyone’s mind...How had he acquired the recent head wound?

The Sheriff was eventually jailed and found guilty on many charges of miss course of justice and misconduct at his subsequent trial and was relieved of his post. He was also given a lengthy prison sentence and was banned from holding the office of Sheriff for life.

Now all these years later as Jess lay on the cot in the Rawlins isolation cell, he wondered how had Jenks wormed his way in here as the new Rawlins Sheriff. And more to the point...where the hell was Slim?

Chapter 7

Slim and Red were holed up at Red’s place figuring that if they were seen out and about then the new Sheriff would find some misdemeanor to pin on them to get them in the jail along with the Knight Gang. It had only been because the leader of the Town Council had pleaded on Red’s behalf that he was walking free now. He had insisted that he had always been of good character and so he wasn’t banged up in jail awaiting trial for the alleged role he had played in the escape of his prisoner.

“I guess Sheriff Jenks really wanted me out of the way too,” Slim said as he sat up late drinking Red-eye with the Sheriff the day after the Knight Brothers had been arrested.

Then shaking his head said, “I just can’t figure where Jess has got to.”

“Me neither,” Red said sadly, “I really can’t think that he’d have left me high and dry this way. I figured he’d have stayed around and substantiated my story…that he drew on me and I had no choice but to let Ben Knight go.”

“And what the heck is Mort playing at?” Slim added. “You wired him several days ago, why hasn’t he replied? Or is he like all the other folk in Laramie and he believes what’s been written about you and Jess in that rag the Sentinel? ”

“Oh, I doubt that very much,” Red said stretching and yawning widely. “Mort is a good man he’ll be doing the best he can to sort out this dang mess... Come on Slim, let’s hit the hay and see what tomorrow brings huh?”

The following morning, they were sitting around the breakfast table when there was a loud knocking on the door and Red was proved right regarding Mort and his reliability.

He stood there grinning at his old friend along with an elderly gentleman wearing the dark suit and hat of a Judge.

They were ushered in at once and Mort beamed at Red and Slim and said, “Sorry I didn’t reply to your wire Red, but I was busy contacting Judge Myers here and then we both thought it imperative that we should ride over as soon as was possible.”

“You did?” Slim said looking somewhat bewildered.

“Indeed,” intoned the old Judge, “you see I’ve had dealings with this Sheriff Jenks in the past...if it is indeed the same man. Well, if so, I know for a fact that he bears a grudge against your partner Jess Harper.” Then looking around him said, “So where is the boy?”

Slim knew Judge Myers slightly as he occasionally stood in for their local circuit judge if he was away or sick. He covered the Laramie and Cheyenne area and had met Slim once or twice over the years. He vaguely remembered Jess saying he’d met the old man back in Texas years ago, but couldn’t recall any details.

Now he turned to the elderly gentleman and said, “I think your guess is as good as ours Judge, we haven’t clapped eyes on Jess for a while.”

He forbore to say the last time he’d seen his buddy he’d tied him up to a tree. Then headed off into the blue yonder with the two bank robbers.

“Well, he can’t be far away,” Mort said, “because I’ve just seen Traveller in the livery when we dropped our mounts off.”

Red and Slim exchanged a glance. Of course, why hadn’t they thought to check?

“Well, we both know he wouldn’t travel far without that good old horse of his,” Mort said, “and so I reckon the smart money is on him being in your jail someplace Red?”

“Uh, there is an old isolation cell out in the back yard. But I never use it, what with it being so dang dark and cold. It still locks up real good though; so that bastard Jenks could be using it.”

“Before we go over, I think we need to fill you in about Sheriff Jenks, and his accomplice Judge Harris,” the Judge said. He quickly explained about the vendetta the Sheriff had with Jess and how he’d been stripped from office after Jess had exposed the appalling way he treated his prisoners...amongst other things.

“I’ll lay odds that this Judge Harris is his ex-deputy, Jake Skitt. The two went into the Bounty Hunting business after Jenks’ fall from grace. I guess that’s how they picked up on the bounty on the heads of the Knight Gang. But then when he saw Jess was involved, I figure he thought it an ideal way to get his revenge at last. All he had to do was implicate Red and get him out of office and then just await Jess turning up with the Gang. Oh, he knows Jess well enough to know he’d do the right thing,” he added. “Then goodness knows what his intentions were...uh are...But not good that’s for sure.”

And thank God he had done the right thing, Slim thought now. He knew Jess would have done... of course he did. But these last few days just wondering where he was had really tested his faith in his good buddy. Now all he wanted to do was to find him and make things good between them again.

“Well, what are we waiting for?” Mort said now turning to Red, Slim and the Judge, “let’s go catch us a bogus Sheriff and Judge and put them in your jail where they belong Red and get you reinstated.”

“And find Jess,” Slim added urgently.

They crashed into the jail to find Sheriff Jenks chewing on tobacco, feet on desk and looking like he’d had a rough night out in the saloon. ‘Judge Harris’ looked equally disheveled and was peering vacantly about him and sipping a coffee liberally laced with whiskey. Of the anxious young deputy there was no sign.

Both men jumped looking decidedly guilty as Red, Mort Cory, Slim and Judge Myers entered.

Jenks took a moment to weigh up the situation, prepared to bluff his way out of things...but Mort Cory was having none of it.

“I do believe you are holding a rank that you’re not entitled to,” he said firmly, “and I’ll ask you to surrender your weapon and badge.”

“What are you talking about, do I know you?” Jenks asked rising from his seat and glaring at Mort.

“Maybe not, but I’m sure you remember Judge Myers,” Mort said standing aside to reveal the elderly Judge.

Well, the gentleman might be getting on in years but there was nothing wrong with his mind or his legal obligations.

“You are Carl Jenks he intoned and have been excluded from holding the office of Sheriff, so explain yourself!”

At that point Jenks went for his gun, but Mort and Red were way too fast for him and had him covered and disarmed in the blink of an eye.

Then the Judge turned to where the bogus Judge Harris aka the ex-Deputy, Jake Skitt was sidling his way towards the door.

“Not so fast man, I think you have some explaining to do too,” the Judge said angrily as Red collared him as well.

All this time Slim had just been standing apart and staring at Jenks. Now he came forwards...glaring furiously at the bogus Sheriff. “What have you done with my pard, Jess Harper?” he yelled angrily.

Jenks’ head shot up and he threw Slim a withering look, “Well I guess that’s the one good thing that’s come out of all this business. Your partner’s dead by now Sherman...or at least pretty near. See he’s been locked up out back without food or water for nigh on three days now....so I guess you’d better start planning the wake.

Slim just stared at him rooted to the spot and unable to believe what he was hearing, Jess dead...no ...no it wasn’t possible.

“So, you wanna say something about that huh?” Jenks goaded him.

“Why... you son of a bitch!” Slim growled and hurling himself at Jenks threw a punch that sent him flying across the office where he hit the wall and slid down as though in slow motion... instantly ... dead to the world.

Slim advanced upon him and was all for finishing the job...but Mort held him back and Red and Judge Myers picked up Jenks and roughly carried him off to the cell next to the Knight brothers.

“Couldn’t have said it better myself Slim,” Red said gruffly, “but I guess we’ll let the law take care of him now. Go check on your Pard huh,” and he tipped his hat towards the back door, throwing Slim a set of keys.

Leaving the Judge and Red to deal with the prisoners Slim and Mort made their way out through the back door and across the yard to the small brick building on the far side. Slim unlocked the door and it creaked open revealing an icy cold dark space. The men stood on the threshold for a few seconds allowing their eyes to adjust to the dim light filtering in from a high window; Slim shuddering with repulsion at the grimly forbidding room.

The walls were dripping with water and the whole place stank of damp and decay...he glanced around him and was just able to make out a figure huddled down under a thin blanket on a low cot in the corner. He was across the room in two strides and fell to his knees beside the cot, gently pulling the blanket back. Then he recoiled in horror and heard Mort cuss gently behind him as they both saw Jess’s ghostly white face...covered in dried blood and his ripped shirt similarly splattered with blood and dirt. He lay deathly still and seemed not to be breathing.

Slim rested a gentle hand on his chest and whispered, “Pard what has he done to you?”

He glanced up at Mort tears in his eyes and said, “I swear I’ll kill that bastard for this Mort.”

Mort squeezed his shoulder and threw him a compassionate glance before looking back down at Jess. Then he leaned in and felt for a pulse in his neck and breathed a huge sigh of relief.

“He’s still with us Slim; just about anyway, help me get him out of this hell hole.”

Once he’d been carefully laid on the couch in Red’s office the Sheriff ran for the doc while Slim tried to make his pard comfortable. He covered him with a clean blanket and washed the worst of the blood from his face. Now in the cold light of day he could see the bruising and abrasions to his face and torso. There were deep shadows below his eyes and his lips looked dry and cracked. Slim had tried to get him to drink, but he was beyond that, still only semi-conscious he choked so violently that they had to give up...for the time being at least.

Judge Myers looked down at the travesty of the young man he remembered from his time in Texas and shook his head sadly. Then he turned to where Jenks was now locked in a cell and said bitterly “All your work I presume?”

“Prisoner resisted arrest,” Jenks replied looking mighty pleased with himself.

But the Judge was nobody’s fool and he could see that the injuries had been inflicted over several days. Some wounds open and bleeding...others starting to heal and some of the bruises a deep purple and others fading to all colors of the rainbow. Plus, there were deep cuts to both wrists where he’d clearly been restrained by handcuffs during the beatings.

“Oh no my friend,” the Judge said sarcastically, “the doctor will be able to define exactly how and when these wounds were inflicted and with his report, I do believe we are looking at many, many years in prison for these depraved and despicable acts of violence. I just wish it could be justice metered out with a rope for these atrocities,” he added.

Slim looked up and noted with satisfaction that his words had wiped the smirk of Jenks’ ugly mug, but he just hoped and prayed that they hadn’t been too late and his pard’ s injuries and severe dehydration were not life threatening.

It would seem that old Doc Adams was of a similar mind as he immediately organized for Jess to be taken to his office. Then leaving Mort and Slim in the waiting room he disappeared into his surgery where he spent over an hour working on Jess.

He finally returned looking tired and sombre.

“I’ve done all I can for your friend Mr Sherman, but I’m not sure if it’s enough,” he said shaking his head sadly. “He’s severely dehydrated and needs small amounts of fluid every hour...and uh I’m afraid my nurse is off sick herself. I will of course minister to him as much as I can, but I do have other patients.”

“That’s alright,” Slim said quickly, “I’ll stay over, nurse him myself.”

“Are you sure my boy, are you up to it? He added with the ghost of a smile. “Your friend has a somewhat uh... robust aversion to hospitals and uh...medical interventions as I remember from the last time it was my...ha...my pleasure to have him as a patient.”

“You mean he’s a pain in the butt to nurse, and as ornery as all get out,” Mort supplied grinning widely.

“Uh, precisely,” the elderly doctor said returning the smile.

“Well, that’s alright,” Slim said quickly, “you see I’m really quite used to his little ways doc... he doesn’t faze me any; I can promise you that.”

“Oh, well good, good,” the doc said rubbing his hands together and smiling benignly at Slim, “Come along into the hospital room then young man and see if you can get some fluids down him huh? He’s still very groggy, falling in and out of consciousness, so you’ll just have to bide your time and be patient.”

“I can do that,” Slim responded.

The doctor looked slightly troubled and continued, “I have to warn you though he’s really not in a good place right now. I’ve patched him up as best I can. He’s got two fractured ribs and a badly sprained wrist along with all the other cuts and abrasions. The main worry is that he could have internal injuries and I can’t rule that out yet. If he exhibits extreme pallor or starts vomiting blood then we have some serious concerns. But let’s just hope that doesn’t occur. He is experiencing some bad stomach cramps due to the lack of sustenance and water, and I have to warn you, that will get worse before it gets better. But as I say patience is of the essence.”

The doctor opened the door and allowed Slim to enter and they both looked down at the sleeping patient. His face barely had more colour than the snowy white sheet that was pulled down to expose his tanned torso swathed in bandages.

“I’ll leave you with him,” the doc whispered, “just call if you need me.”

Slim sat down on the chair by the bed and looked down at his pard. His face was bruised and battered, his lush eyelashes casting a shadow on his cheek. Slim smiled briefly remembering how dear Daisy always said eyelashes like that were wasted on a boy. Oh how he wished for her sensible no-nonsense nursing skills right then.

After a few minutes Jess groaned and his eyes flickered open and he looked around him, his gaze finally coming to rest on his pard.

Slim braced himself for the onslaught that was to come. How he weren’t staying in that dang hospital bed one moment longer. How he was just fine and Slim should quit fussin’ like some old woman. How he was so dang mad and just let him get his hands on that out and out bastard Jenks.

But nothing...

He looked up into Slim’ s concerned gaze and with suspiciously bright eyes and merely whispered, “I’m so dang sorry Slim...can you ever forgive me?”

“Hey what’s all this?” Slim said resting a kindly hand on Jess’s chest, “Sure I can, you were just doing what you thought was right...and anyway it turned out OK in the end... well sort of.” he amended. “I guess things aren’t too rosy for you right now. But you got the Knights back in Red’s jail like you promised and it’s looking like they’ll get a light sentence after bringing back the money and all. As to me, well I escaped not long after you‘d ridden out thanks to that hunting knife you left me. Then my horse arrived a little later,” he grinned. “Heck I was back in town in time for supper Jess, so don’t fret... And what’s more…that low life Jenks that did this to you is in jail too.”

Jess almost sat up and then fell back again groaning, “Jenks, where the hell is Jenks?”

“Hey take it easy pard like I said, he’s locked up in Red’s jail. Thanks to old Judge Myers riding over with Mort, Red has been completely exonerated and it looks like Jenks and his accomplice will have the book thrown at them.”

“No listen you don’t understand about the money from the bank job.”

“Sure I do, Jess, it will be in Red’s Safe I imagine.”

“Nope you go look in Jenks saddlebags, he was bragging about it yesterday. He told me that him and that bogus Judge uh Jake something...were leaving town tonight...heading for the border and taking the Bank money along with all the Bounty money too. He said nobody knew I was out the back and I’d die before anyone found me.”

Slim couldn’t speak for a moment and swallowing hard just squeezed Jess’s shoulder. “Jeez I’m sorry,” he finally managed. “But don’t you worry he’ll get what’s coming to him, I can promise you that...and as for the money I’ll make sure it’s secure, don’t fret.”

But then all discussion about the misdoings of Jenks and Skitt were forgotten as Jess suddenly yelled in agony and the devastating stomach cramps kicked in again, rendering him almost speechless.

Slim watched him helplessly for a minute as Jess rolled onto his side and brought his knees up, his mouth in a hard line as he tried hard to stop crying out in pain.

Then Slim could bear it no longer and dived out the door calling for the doc.

Sometime later Jess relaxed back sighing and his eyes closed as his breathing became more normal. The doc looked down from where he’d been applying clean cloths soaked in hot water rung out and then applied to Jess’s stomach.

“That seems to have done the trick,” he said glancing over to Slim with a faint smile. “I think he’ll sleep for a while now...are you OK to do this if he suffers a recurrence?”

Slim nodded, “Sure.”

“Good, good…then come along to the kitchen and I’ll show you where you can heat up the water and indeed make yourself a meal too. Please help yourself to anything you’d like,” he said with a warm smile. “Such as there is,” he added, “I’m rather remiss at keeping the place well stocked since my dear wife passed away.”

Then he took his leave saying he was off to a confinement and might be some time...most likely all night. “First babies take their time,” he added with a knowing smile.

Slim made himself a quick meal and then returned to a still sleeping Jess and settled down for the night.

He was rudely awoken a few hours later by Jess crying out in pain and writhing on the bed and cussing loudly.

“Hey pard take it easy, are you hurting badly again?” Slim asked with concern.

Then he noticed he was perspiring heavily, his face flushed and eyes glittering with fever.

Jess looked up like he hardly knew Slim and rolled his head on the pillow, “My head,” he finally whispered, “my dang head feels like it’s exploding....and my belly’s on fire.”

Slim was no doctor and he was totally flummoxed. Did he treat the fever by washing Jess down with icy water...or apply the hot cloths to his stomach to relieve the intense colic like pain...and what of the headache? Damn it where was that doctor when he was needed Slim lamented.

What then followed was one of the worst nights Slim could ever remember since teaming up with Jess.

For a time, he really thought he might lose his pard...the fever seemed to be consuming him and his breath was coming in agonizingly painful gasps as his broken ribs protested.

But his breathing was out of Jess’s control as was everything else and he felt like he was being hurled away on a bed of pain into some sort of hell where he was destined to burn forever.

Meanwhile Slim relentlessly swabbed him down with freezing water in an attempt to break the fever.

At one point Jess was practically out of his mind with the fever and pain, and he grabbed hold of Slim’s shirt front and yelled, “Don’t let me go Slim...fer God’s sake don’t let me go!”

“It’s OK buddy I’ve got you,” Slim said throwing a comforting arm around his shoulders, “you’re not going any place, not on my watch,” he said firmly.

Jess sighed deeply and then fell back on the bed and his eyes rolled upwards, his head lolled to one side and he lay deathly still.

For one terrible moment Slim really thought he’d lost him.

He stared at him in consternation for a full minute before yelling “Jess!” and shaking him violently.

After what seemed a lifetime, Jess finally seemed to rally some and groaning whispered, “Stop yellin’ at me Slim, I’ve got a bad head remember.”

Slim let out a gusty sigh of relief and then said, “Come on sit up and drink some water. It’ll make you feel better.”

“A swig of Denver’s brew would make me feel a hell of a lot better,” he replied.

Slim let out a relieved bark of laughter as he realized his pard had turned the corner...everything was going to be alright. The fever had broken and he had his buddy back.

Jess duly drank his water and then collapsed back on the pillow...and looked up into Slim’ s eyes.

“Jeez I’m sorry Slim,” he said softly, “I guess I’d have been less trouble iffen you’d just thrown me out for the buzzards huh?”

Slim grinned back down at him, “Well it isn’t too late, you just get some shut eye now so I can too huh... or I might just be tempted!”

Chapter 8

Jess was soon back to his old ornery self, demanding he should get up and get on with his life! In the end Doc Adams agreed, just for some peace, on the strict understanding that Slim contact him if Jess was to relapse in any way.

The two men went to stay with their old friend Red Smith’s Ma, Maud and were spoiled rotten so there was no worry on that score Slim knew. Ma Smith fed Jess up like he was a turkey awaiting Thanksgiving and Slim too was treated to her wonderful baking and sunny disposition.

“Goodness me what would dear Daisy say if I sent you boys home looking half-starved,” she had chuckled. “I’ve seen more meat on a scarecrow than you Jess,” she added, giving him a hug and peck on the cheek. She seemed to bear him no ill feeling after what he had put her beloved son through and Jess was mighty appreciative and relieved too.

He had made his peace with Red the day after ‘the night from hell,’ as Slim had dubbed the night of Jess’ fever.

Red had come over shortly after breakfast asking to see the patient.

Slim had a feeling that maybe Red Smith would like to speak to Jess in private, so made himself scarce as the big red-headed Sheriff went to sit by the bed.

Jess had been dozing after his rough night, but awoke after a few minutes and found himself looking into the kindly brown eyes of his old friend.

He sighed deeply and said, “Smitty, I hafta explain...and apologize too...”

“No need buddy, Slim explained all about what happened. Hell, you’d no choice and I guess I’d have done just the same. Goddamn it your best buddy’s life was at stake, what else could you have done?”

Jess drew a sigh of relief and then groaned at the pain in his chest.

“You want the doc?” Red asked, quickly leaping up from his seat. But Jess put out a restraining hand.

“Hell no, I aim to git outta this place soon, don’t go upsettin’ the doc.”

Red sank back down and grinned, “Same old Jess, I guess?”

When Jess said nothing Red said, “So were you tempted ...just a little bit... that was a powerful lot of money you’d have made away with?”

Jess shook his head, “Only time I really thought about it was when I read all that crap the Sentinel had printed...about me havin’ let everyone down. How the lawmen were really unforgiving and tough on their own. Hell, I felt just so dang bad that you, Mort and even Doug Masters over in Cheyenne might have been thinking the worst of me.”

“I guess all your real friends were on your side Jess, believed there would be a dang good reason for the way you’d behaved. As for the others well I guess a man really doesn’t need that kinda friend huh? I see yer still callin’ me Smitty...so I guess we’re still friends huh?”

Jess just nodded feeling quite moved by his buddy’s words, and eventually managed, “You bet.”

“Judge Myers has decided he shouldn’t try the case,” Red said, changing the subject as he noted Jess was looking kind of emotional. “He says he’s way too biased after seeing what Jenks had done to you. But he’s going to stand as a witness to all that happened and the Laramie Judge old Harold Moreton, will try the case next week.”

“Well, that should be OK,” Jess conceded, “he’s a fair man.”

Red nodded, “Anyway Judge Myers reckons it’s a forgone conclusion you and I will be totally exonerated and the damn Sentinel will have to write a full and accurate account, eating humble pie...so that should please you.”

“What would please me would be to get my hands on that Editor and stick his damn paper where the sun don’t shine,” Jess said gruffly.

Red grinned and said, “That’s more like the Jess I know. So come on then buddy, let’s try and get you sprung from here and go find a glass or two of whiskey huh?”

It was actually a couple of days later that the doc finally released Jess into the care of Red Smith’s Ma, Maud. She was a retired nurse like Daisy and the old Doc knew Jess would be safe in her hands.

The trial was fairly executed and ex-Sheriff Jenks and ex-deputy Skitt were sentenced to ten years hard labour for the part they had played in duping the town in falsely accusing their Sheriff of misconduct. They were also accused of causing Jess’ life threatening injuries. It was the evidence given by the doctor and young deputy that finally condemned them to the severe sentence. Not to mention the fact that the bank money was found securely packed in Jenks saddlebags...and again the young deputy was able to confirm he had overheard Jenks and Skitt planning to leave for Canada with the contents of the Sheriff’s safe.

As for the Knight Brothers, they were commended by the judge for the way they had given themselves up and returned all the money from the robbery. Also, how Ben’s shooting of Hank Dawes had saved Jess’s life and proved his allegiance to the law. In his summing up the Judge was to compliment them on their return to the straight and narrow and said their attitude would be considered in his sentencing...which seemed fair to all concerned, when it was delivered.

The two were to be transferred to the Laramie jail where they would be confined for the next six months and if they were proved to be of sound character would spend the following six months working on an extension of the railroad. It was hard work with long hours, but once they had shown themselves to be trustworthy after a further six months then they would have paid their dues to society and would be released.

Jess was able to spend some time with the two before they were transferred to the Laramie Prison and confirmed that the bounty on the Dawes brothers, Hank and Dev would be used to pay for young Sandy’s operation and recuperation.

“Then I’ll try and find him work in Laramie,” Jess added where we can watch out for him until you’re freed.”

“I don’t know how we can ever thank you for all you’ve done Jess,” Ben said sincerely.

“Well, I guess it all turned out OK in the end,” he replied.

“I’m just so damn sorry I tried to get you to go off on the old owl hoot trail,” Davy chipped in. That was so wrong of me Jess. Especially now I really understand all you’d have lost. You’ve made some good friends...and all are good men, even if they are the law,” he added with his cheeky grin. “I guess I was wrong about you. You didn’t sell out your old ideals, you just formed new...better ones and I understand that now.”

Jess just nodded and shook his hand, “Good luck Davy...you too Ben, and try and stay outta trouble huh,” he said with a playful smile.

“Soon as we’re done with jail were gonna find a place and work the land, no more drifting,” Ben said seriously, “we’re gonna settle down and make a proper home for young Sandy.”

“Well, we’ll help you any way we can,” Slim said coming over and shaking the brother’s hand too.

Then they were led off to the waiting Stage and the journey to the Laramie Prison.

“Well, I guess that’s that...let’s go home Pard,” Jess said grinning at the tall rancher.

“Amen to that,” Slim said smiling back.

*******

They arrived home a few days later and were pleased to see the yard and critters all in great shape, the Jackson boys having done a good job.

It was when Slim went into the kitchen to try and find something to rustle up for supper that he saw a date ringed on the calendar.

“Hell Jess come here,” he yelled at his buddy who was lighting the parlour fire; the evening having turned a little chilly.

“What’s up?” he asked entering the kitchen.

Slim tipped his head towards the calendar, “Daisy and Mike are due home in two days and look at the state of the place...uh not to mention you!”

Jess looked around the dusty kitchen that had clearly been neglected over the last few weeks and then said, “Looks OK to me...and what do ya mean, ‘not to mention me?’”

“Well, you’re a mess pard. All those bruises on your face and chest, Daisy will have a fit and start getting all clucky when she lays eyes on you.”

“Dadgum it!” Jess said with feeling.

“You’ll just have to make sure you don’t shave too closely. A bit of stubble should cover the worst. Those bruises and cuts on your face have nearly faded anyway. But heck, don’t let her see your chest...keep your shirt on all the time.”

“Well, I’m gonna hafta take it off sooner or later. Iffen I don’t change my shirt that’ll really get her mad.”

Slim sighed heavily, “I mean just keep it on when she’s around. You know what you’re like for coming to the breakfast table with it hanging open. Just be discreet and then she won’t find out about how you were laid into and what we’ve been up to these last weeks.”

“OK, OK so what’s for supper?”

“Have to be beans, it’s all we’ve got. We’ll need to head off to the mercantile tomorrow. After we’ve cleaned the place up....and then...”

But he stopped and stared intently at a note on the wall, pinned up next to the calendar.

“Then what?” Jess asked looking up and following Slim’ s gaze.

“Never mind that...look at that dang list...it’s all the jobs she wanted doing while she was away Jess.”

Jess wandered over and read out, “Mend latch on hen house door, paint porch, chink bunkhouse,” then he stopped, “Heck there’s about ten things here, we’ll never get it all done in time. You’ll just have to explain to her Slim. Then looking inspired, “Tell her we was called away on urgent business and never had the time.”

“Me tell her?” Slim asked raising an eyebrow. “So where will you be?”

“Well Denver of course, we talked it all through, didn’t we? You said you were happy for me to go over and sort out Sandy’s operation...talk to the surgeon and pay for it all with the bounty money. You do remember?” He asked sarcastically.

“Oh no... you are going nowhere until Daisy and Mike get back; I’m not facing her alone.”

“Jeez anyone would think you were scared of her...what she’d say...or do?” Jess said mockingly.

“And you’re not?”

“Uh...so what did you say was for supper then Slim?”

As it happened, they managed to fully stock the larder, clean the house and do most of the jobs on the list.

“Amazing what a man can do when push comes to shove,” Jess said tipping his hat back and admiring his handy work after painting the porch.

Slim nodded, “Yup, sure is and if we play our cards right, she need never know we’ve even been away. Come on Jess let’s get washed up...noon Stage with them on board should be here within the hour.”

“So that’s the long and the short of it, Miss Daisy,” Mose Shell said as he sat in the Stage office enjoying a catch up with his favorite housekeeper. “Of course, that dang Sentinel made Jess out to be public enemy number one...But then later when all the truth came out and Sheriff Cory and Judge Myers rode over to Rawlins and sorted everything out...well that old Editor had to eat humble pie yet again. They had to print that Jess and Sheriff Red Smith were completely exon...uh... exonerated that’s it. That’s dictionary talk, for cleared of any blame you know,” he said with his toothless grin.

“Oh my,” said Daisy, “it looks like my boys have been very busy in my absence.”

“So did Jess and Slim whop the baddies real good in the end?” Mike asked entering into the spirit of things.

“I guess they probably did young ‘un,” Mose said. “But not before that bad Sheriff nigh on half slaughtered Jess...jeepers Slim said he really thought he was a goner!”

Then he saw the look of shock on Daisy and Mike’s faces and added quickly, “Course he bounced back real quickly. Why yes, I do believe he said his broke ribs were almost healed now and the sprained wrist good as new, so he’s just fine.”

“Well thank you for our little chat, Mose, most enlightening...so maybe we should be on our way?” Daisy asked hesitantly.

“Oh Lord of course Ma’am,” he said leaping up at once and escorting her to the door.

“That’s the problem with conversing with such a lovely lady as yourself Miss Daisy, a man loses all notion of the time,” he said grinning at her again.

Sometime later he swooped down the rise and came to a standstill with a flourish by the porch where Jess and Slim were awaiting their arrival.

Slim rushed over and hauled the door open and helped Daisy out swiftly; followed by Mike.

Daisy took Slim’ s offered hand and smiled at him and then turned to where Jess was welcoming Mike home. She noted that he just pulled him into a warm hug and ruffled his hair instead of the usual way he lifted him up and threw him in the air. But she said nothing. Then he was pulling her into a warm embrace and saying, “Welcome home Daisy, we’ve missed you both something fierce.”

“Oh, and I’ve missed you boys,” she said sincerely, “let’s get inside and I’ll make you some lunch.”

“No need,” Slim said quickly, “all done and ready.”

“Oh my, what a treat dear,” she said cheerfully, “and goodness you boys have painted the porch too, “she exclaimed cheerfully as she made her way into the house.

“I can’t get over how much you’ve achieved,” she said again over lunch, holding Slim’s gaze, “however did you manage it all?”

Slim looked down unable to face the kindly scrutiny...and Jess said, “Well we just got stuck in Daisy...was real easy once we got going,” he added with a nonchalant smile.

“So did my friend Bobby call?” Mike asked, “I meant to tell him I’d be away and I forgot...he was gonna bring his new saddle to show me.”

Jess looked nonplussed, “Uh...I’m not sure...did he Slim?”

Slim too looked slightly wrong footed and then said, “He could have been over Mike, but we’ve been out a lot...mending fence and stuff you know?”

“Well, I’m sure you must have seen Mrs Patterson, she told me her John was coming over last week to leave me some extra jam jars for my jam making...uh where are they?” she asked looking around her as though they might suddenly materialize out of the ether.

“Jam jars?” Jess said like they were an alien concept. “Nope can’t seem to recall any jam jars...you Slim?”

The moment was broken by Mike asking if he could be excused as he’d finished eating and he wanted to check on his pony.

Once he’d gone Daisy fixed Jess with a penetrating gaze and said, “Are you quite alright dear, you look like you’ve lost weight...and uh, is that a nasty bruise I can see on your cheek?” she asked leaning over and turning his head to the light to see more clearly.

Jess looked down and said nothing.

“You know don’t you, Daisy?” Slim finally said dead pan.

“Yes dear, Mose told me everything...now your version please if you would be so kind!”

Chapter 9

Jess left for Denver a couple of days later.

Slim grinned at his buddy when he arrived at the breakfast table dressed in his Sunday best and looking like a real city gentleman so Daisy declared.

“You’ll be fighting off the woman looking like that,” Slim joshed him later when they were alone in their room, Jess packing his valise.

He looked down at his polished boots, dark trousers and matching frock coat and brocade waistcoat all set off with a sparkling white shirt and black string tie and frowned. “Dang it Slim there’s only one woman I want and she ain’t around right now.”

“So, when is Millie due home?” Slim asked sobering.

“Your guess is as good as mine. Last I heard she was havin’ to go look after her sick old auntie. Seems her Ma wasn’t feelin’ too good so Millie drew the short straw. Heck she’s been away at her brother’s place for weeks and now this!”

“So where does this aunt live?” Slim asked.

“Dunno, Tom just said it was her Pa’s elder sister and Millie is her favorite niece.”

“Well, I can understand that,” Slim said smiling fondly, “your Millie is a real kindly little lady and I figure she gets on with most folk.”

“Yeah, well she’d better hightail it home pretty soon and lavish some of that kindness in my direction or dang it I’ll hafta go fetch her.”

“Yup wherever she is,” Slim said with a chuckle.

Then changing the subject said, “How long will you be gone in Denver?”

“Uh, a week should cover it...see young Sandy through the operation and make sure the nursing is all in place to help him walk again afterwards, and then I’ll head home.”

“Um, well don’t make it much longer. I saw Daisy working on a new list of chores last night and I’ll need help, savvy?”

“Sure thing,” Jess said slapping his arm, “I’ll be back before you know it,” and picking up his valise headed for the door.

But Slim knew Jess’s journeys usually ended up kind of complicated and invariably protracted.

“Sure, you will,” he said sarcastically... “sure you will.”

The railroad journey was uneventful and as they pulled into the station Jess peered out of the window at the bustling city. Then taking a deep breath he disembarked and made his way towards the hospital. He’d been there once before when he’d accompanied young Mike for his tonsil operation and so knew his way around pretty well.

He found the ward where Sandy was laid up waiting for his operation and after a quick word with the Sister in charge he was delighted to be shown directly into the doctor’s office.

Doctor Springer jumped up from his seat when Jess entered and wreathed in smiles said, “Well hello there Mr Harper good to meet you at last.”

Jess was feeling rather perplexed, but shook the doctor’s hand and sat in the offered comfortable chair by the desk.

“I can see you are looking somewhat puzzled, let me explain,” he said kindly. “You see I have been following your story in the press, how you went after Sandy’s brothers and convinced them to give themselves up; with a positive outcome. I for one can see how they managed to get into that predicament. I don’t condone bank robbery, certainly not...but I do have some empathy with them. And a great deal of respect for you Mr Harper, going out on a limb that way to help old friends...and now you are here to sponsor Sandy I believe?”

Jess figured the doc must have seen the revised version of the press story where he had been vindicated and was hailed a hero having helped to rid the world of Hank and Dev Dawes and bring the Knight Brothers to justice. He reckoned the paper had been mailed over to young Sandy, by a friend.

Aware that less said the better about his recent adventures he merely smiled at the Doc, and agreed, “I sure am here to support young Sandy and pay for his operation and the extra stuff he’ll need afterwards to get him back on his feet,” and he withdrew a bulky envelope from his pocket and pushed it across the desk to the doctor, I guess this should cover it,” he added.

If that was rather unorthodox behavior the doctor took it in his stride and smiling thanked Jess.

“I’ll pass this on to my secretary and she will prepare a receipt. The operation will be scheduled as soon as possible and then all being well he will enter our rehab facility a few days later. Then the hard work begins,” he said smiling at Jess. “Young Sandy will have to work diligently, but I think the outcome will be favorable and we’ll have him back to his veterinarian studies within a few months...all being well,” he added. “Now would you like to see the young man?”

Jess hardly recognized Sandy... but he was just a kid the last time he’d seen him, he recalled. Now this red headed nineteen-year-old with the infectious grin looked back at him from his hospital bed, “I knew you’d come through, Jess, I just knew it!” he said breathlessly.

“Hey take it easy kid,” Jess said sitting down on the bedside chair.

“I’m OK,” Sandy said cheerfully, “I’m just kind of out of condition, layin’ around the place all day, enough to drive a man nuts you know that, Jess?”

Jess concurred then said, “The doc says he’ll do the operation just as soon as he can. All paid for upfront and the uh...what’ d he call it...oh yeah rehab too. He says you’ll be fightin’ fit within a few months and back at yer studies.”

“Gee Jess, I can’t thank you enough, really, I can’t. Not just for the money, but for sorting out my crazy brothers too. I just can’t figure how they’d do something so dumb.”

“I guess they weren’t thinking straight and were real upset about you too, desperate to find the money you know,” Jess said honestly.

“Yeah, I know it... they wrote me. Told me everything...how you saved their necks too Jess.”

Jess just shrugged, “Glad to help and they’ll be free to make a fresh start within twelve months. They said they’re gonna find someplace to work the land and make a proper home for you too.”

The boy grinned at that, “Well I’d better stay with them, keep ‘em on the straight and narrow huh Jess!”

Then he noticed the boy was looking rather pale and tired so he departed promising to visit again the following day.

It was when he was crossing the busy entrance hall of the hospital that he noticed a young woman seated in a corner, her head in her hands and weeping softly. His heart went out to her as he assumed she had maybe had some bad news about a loved one. Then he looked more closely. There was something familiar about the glossy dark hair and the tilt of her head as she sat up and wiped her eyes with a pretty lace hanky.

No...it couldn’t be ...he strode over.

“Millie... Mill... that you?” he gasped.

Millie turned her woebegone face up at him looking momentarily puzzled and then reality dawned and her face crumpled again, but this time with tears of joy, “Jess, oh Jess,” she cried.

He sat down beside her and took her in his arms as she sobbed into his chest for a few moments and then she gave a little sigh and pulled back.

“I’m sorry,” she said softly, “I was just so very miserable and alone, wishing you were here...and then suddenly you were. I can hardly take it in,” she added, looking deeply into his concerned blue eyes.

“Your Aunt?” he asked.

She nodded, “She died this morning they said I was to wait here to collect her things. Oh Jess I just can’t believe she’s gone.”

“I’m real sorry sweetheart, so was this yer Aunt Elizabeth you used to talk about sometimes, yer Pa’s sis?”

“That’s right, yes. I lived with her for a little while after I moved up from Texas.”

“You were real close then…I never knew.”

“How could you I hadn’t seen her for a year or so and it was awful seeing her looking so sick,” she said with another little sob.

Jess hugged her closer and then a nurse breezed along with a large carrier bag and paused looking down at them both, compassion in her eyes.

“Your aunt’s things my dear,” she said. Then giving Jess a brief smile said, “I’m so glad your husband is here to help you through all this.”

Jess opened his mouth to explain and then closed it again, what did it matter what the nurse thought. So, he just accepted the package and helped Millie up.

“Sister gave you all the information on the local undertakers and everything?” the nurse asked.

“Yes...uh thank you, I’ll attend to it all tomorrow,” Millie said before thanking the nurse and turning to leave.

But then the nurse called her back and thrust a letter in Millie’s hands. “Your aunt wrote this just a few days ago and she said I was to hand it to you personally...said she trusted me to be sure you got it safely.”

Millie looked down at the envelope addressed to her in her aunt’s neat bold handwriting and thanked her again before leaving, supported by Jess.

Her aunt’s house was a large town house within walking distance of the hospital and once they arrived Millie dug into her pocket for the key and pushing open the door, they made their way inside.

They were immediately greeted by a flurry of fur as one ginger and one black kitten ran up to Millie mewing piteously.

Millie smiled for the first time and said, “Come, come…you were fed not that long ago, you’re not really poor starving waifs.”

Then grinning at Jess said meet Catatonic and Catastrophe, Catatonic sleeps all the time and looks like he’s dead to the world and the other, Catastrophe is always causing mayhem. Jess chuckled and scooping up the black kitten he eyeballed him, “I guess this one is Catastrophe huh?” he said as the kitten stared back at him with huge green eyes.

“You’ve got it,” Millie said, “and old Ginger here is Catatonic...always dropping off to sleep.”

“Those are some names ...quite a mouthful,” Jess said thoughtfully, scratching the kitten behind his ears and getting a purring response. Then he grinned, “I get it, Cat for short huh?”

Millie nodded, “Dear Aunt Elizabeth had a wicked sense of humor and she was also a great scholar and the longer, more complicated the names the better...these are just the latest in a long line of cats she’s owned.”

“A scholar... so was she a teacher?”

“Oh yes, she was a Head Teacher you know. In fact, she founded her own girl’s school here in Denver, just down the road, the Elizabeth Johnson Foundation.”

Jess looked at her in amazement, “Gee that’s some achievement.”

“That’s not all…she was also an art dealer and made a small fortune buying and selling famous works of art and all the money went into the school. She felt very strongly that girls were underrated and offered less in the way of higher education than boys and it was her mission in life to change that.” Then she sighed, “Poor Aunt Elizabeth, she will be sorely missed,” and she looked near to tears again.

Jess quickly took control and guided Millie through to the front parlour. Then once she was comfortably seated, he said, “I’ll go find the kitchen and brew us some coffee and feed these two, OK?”

“Oh, bless you,” she whispered, “I do feel kind of beat, must be all the upset.”

“Sure honey, coming right up,” he said, and made for the door.

“Jess…”

“Yeah?”

“You will stay here with me tonight, won’t you?”

“Try and stop me,” he said throwing her a loving look.

She sighed happily, “And then you can tell me exactly what you’re doing here...and in the hospital too. Heck you’re not sick, are you?” she suddenly asked anxiously.

“Nope I’m fine,” and he explained a little of Sandy’s operation.

“What, not little Sandy Knight…I used to baby sit him...he was a sweet boy,” and then she yawned and apologized.

“I’ll make that coffee,” he said.

When he returned ten minutes later with the coffee pot, she was fast asleep.

He quietly set about lighting the fire and then set the pot close by to keep warm and waited for her to awake.

A little later she stirred, her eyes flickered open and she stretched before pausing as she saw Jess peering quizzically at her from beside the now crackling fire.

“I’m sorry,” she said quickly, “I must have dropped off.”

He grinned at her and pouring the coffee he brought the two cups over and sat beside her on the large comfy couch.

“Here this’ ll make you feel better.”

She sipped it gratefully and then looked saddened by the recent events.

Feeling that maybe talking about her aunt might help some he said, “So tell me about yer aunt, she sure is a whole lot different from the rest of the family...head teacher and art dealer huh?”

“She’s nothing like my Pa you mean,” she said, “a lowly share farmer.”

“Heck, I didn’t mean it that way,” he said quickly, “I had a lot of time for yer Pa he was a good man...and I respected him you know that... I just meant well I guess they were like chalk and cheese huh?”

She nodded, “Oh yes. You see Pa was one of eight kids and my grandparents had trouble making ends meet. So, when this distant relative visited and said she’d like to offer Elizabeth a home back east...well I guess it seemed a good idea. Oh, granny was real upset, didn’t want her to go, but grandpa convinced her it was for the best and she’d get everything money could buy including a good education.”

“Seems fair enough,” Jess said, thinking how his own Pa would have sold him off to the highest bidder without a second thought... “So, what did Elizabeth make of all this then?”

“Pa said she was real excited, couldn’t wait to go to a posh new school. See even then she loved her books and had pretty much outgrown the local school. This couple were real rich, but couldn’t have kids; so I guess they kinda bought Elizabeth. Then they lavished love and attention on her. Well, coming from a family of eight kids who can blame her wanting a new life... and she made the best of it...like I said, owning her own school these last twenty odd years.”

“So how come she was an art dealer too?” Jess asked fascinated by this unusual woman.

“Her new adoptive Pa was an art dealer back east...taught her everything he knew. Then when he died all his paintings came to her...and she started buying and selling herself...as you can see,” she said nodding to where a fine seascape hung above the fireplace with several other masterpieces were dotted around the house.

“I wonder what’ ll become of them all, and the books too, heck there must be several hundred,” he said looking at the wall of bookshelves in disbelief.

“I expect it will all be in her Will,” Millie said sadly... Then she gave a little gasp of surprise, “Or maybe that letter the nurse gave me, I’d completely forgotten about that,” and she got up and went to fetch the letter from her coat pocket.

Sitting back down next to Jess she tore the envelope open and began reading aloud.

My Dear Child,

If you are reading this then it means I am no longer of this world. Do not grieve for me sweet Millie for I am now at peace after the most amazing and exciting life. I have no regrets. Except maybe that I could not convince your parents to let me have guardianship of you...but no matter we shared some very special and happy times together did we not?

Millie glanced up at Jess looking mystified, “I’d no idea she wanted to adopt me,” she said.

“Kinda like history repeating itself, “Jess said, “the couple that adopted her couldn’t have children and your aunt was a spinster lady...so I guess she wanted you as a daughter.”

Millie shook her head, “I always knew there was some bad feeling between her and pa, but didn’t know what it was all about.”

“So would you have wanted to be adopted the way Elizabeth was?” he asked.

She looked completely shocked, “What, leave my family behind...and... and you behind too? Goodness me no I wouldn’t have gone period!”

He sighed with relief, “Well that’s good to hear...so what else does she have to say?”

Millie continued reading to herself and looking up said, “Mainly instructions about the funeral. She wants all the books to go to the school, that’s all arranged apparently and they will call and collect them after the burial. She asks that I take the cats home with me too.”

“And all these paintings...if they are worth something it ain’t a good idea to leave them in an empty house,” Jess said practically.

“Uh... yes here we are. There is the name of an art specialist who works for a local auction house; she says she trusts this Mr Brown to make sure they are sold for their true worth... All except the little one in my room here, she says I’m to have that as a gift,” she added, her eyes lighting up. (PP –

“Gee that’s kind of her to remember you,” Jess said.

Millie frowned, “She says under no circumstances must the auction house take that one, it is special and to be kept safe. In times of need, look back, she says.”

“Maybe it’s worth something...more than you think,” Jess said thoughtfully. “And what does she mean look back?”

“Millie shrugged, “One of her riddles I expect she was full of those. I’d never sell it anyway,” she said staunchly, “I shall have it as a keepsake to remember my aunt by. I really don’t think it’s worth a lot of money,” she added, “but it’s very special to me.”

“What else does she say?” Jess asked.

“Just that the Will is to be read after the funeral, she gives the name and address of her solicitor.”

Then she gave a little gasp, her eyes wide with shock.

“Hey what’s up sweetheart,” he asked, seeing her looking so shocked, “more bad news?”

She shook her head, “No, listen to this.”

And so, my dear, I will tell you now that I am leaving this house and contents, bar the paintings, to you. The proceeds from the art sales I would like to go to setting up scholarships for penniless youngsters who wish the gift of learning...The Elizabeth Johnson Memorial Bursary.

Please do as you will with this old house, maybe rent it out and acquire a good steady income to help you if you ever have a rainy day? Or sell it and put the proceeds towards setting up your own home maybe?

Be happy my darling child and do marry that cowboy of yours he sounds perfect.

All my love, Aunt Elizabeth.

They stared at each other in amazement before Millie once more broke down in sobs.

Jess held her close for several minutes gently kissing her hair and murmuring softly to try and comfort her and after a while she pulled back and looked up into his compassionate gaze.

She sniffed and then with a watery smile said, “Auntie sure got that right...”

“Huh?”

“You are perfect,” she said kissing his cheek.

“Aw I dunno about that,” he said, “you might not want an ol’ cow poke like me around no more. Not now you’re a wealthy woman,” he added, only half joking.

She pulled back and frowned at him, “Why Jess Harper don’t even think that...you know I don’t give a fig for wealth. Just as long as I have you and enough to get by on, that’s all I’ve ever wanted.”

He nodded, “Sure I know that...and it was real good of her to remember you that way...so what’ ll you do with it?”

She shrugged, “I figure I’ll talk to auntie’s solicitor...but maybe rent it out like she says and the money would be kinda nice she said with her sweet smile. We could save it for when we’re Wed.”

Chapter 10

The following morning Millie accompanied Jess on his visit to see Sandy at the hospital and then they intended to carry on and have a meeting with the Undertaker to make the final arrangements for the service and burial. Afterwards they had a meeting scheduled with Mr Brown regarding the valuation of Aunt Elizabeth’s art collection.

Had Jess not had such a busy morning ahead he might have taken more notice of Sandy’s reaction when he saw Millie, but as it was, he just chuckled at the youngster’s face when he clapped eyes on his old baby sitter.

When she walked in the door with Jess the youngster looked like all his Christmas’s had come at once.

“Golly Gee Miss Millie what the heck are you doing here?” he asked, almost falling out of bed in his excitement.

“Why I’m here to see you of course,” Millie said easily, “Jess told me about the operation and I thought I’d come by and wish you luck.” She decided not to mention the recent demise of her aunt, thinking it hardly suitable conversation for one about to have major surgery. “I’ve been staying with a relative and happened to bump into Jess and he told me all about your accident and how this surgery will see you right,” she said smiling. “And you were always such a sweet little boy when I used to mind you back home in Texas,” she added smiling down at him.

“Well, I’m not a little tyke anymore,” he said grabbing Millie’s hand and holding it tightly, “I’m all grown up now Millie.” his eyes sparkling with delight as he looked earnestly into her pretty face.

“So I see,” she said kindly, and then the doctor came in and said they were all ready for him.

“Good luck kid,” Jess said punching him lightly on the shoulder, “I’ll be back to see you in a day or so...take it easy huh.”

Sandy smiled, “Thanks Jess.”

Then turning to Millie said, “You’ll come too won’t you Millie...please say you will.”

“Of course,” she said finally extricating her hand, “we’ll see you real soon.”

Once they were on their way Millie turned to Jess indulgently and said, “What a nice boy. Like I mentioned, I used to look after him for his Ma when he was about four and I’d have been uh thirteen or fourteen. His Ma had a job, early evenings in the saloon, do you remember?”

“Sure I do,” he said with a cheeky grin, “you used to let me in the backdoor once she’d gone and we’d have a little kiss and a cuddle.”

She laughed, “I remember; and we raided the cookie jar too!”

“And yer still the prettiest gal in town,” he added pulling her into a warm hug.

Once the funeral arrangements had been made, they went to visit Mr Brown at the auction house.

He was a large cheerful man and very respectful of Millie’s late aunt and also her expertise in the art world.

“It will be an honour and a privilege to assist you, young lady,” he said clasping Millie’s hand and then shaking Jess’s too. “Your Aunt had a very good eye for art, very good indeed. So would it be convenient to come along and collect the items you have selected this afternoon...and then set them to auction say the day after your dear Aunt’s funeral?”

“Perfect,” Millie said, “Mr Harper and I need to get back to Laramie as soon as we can.”

“Of course, of course my dear, you will need to get back to work no doubt,” he said smiling at her.

Then he stood up and going to the office door called out, “Dobbins...Dobbins, come in here please.”

Then he sighed and returned back to his desk, “Our newest member of staff, not quite knocked him into shape yet,” he said frowning slightly.

A moment later a skinny, rough looking middle-aged man in a shabby suit appeared and said, laconically “Yeah, you wanted something?”

Mr Brown rolled his eyes and muttered, “He’ll never do,” under his breath... and then more loudly “Yes Dobbins, this is Miss Elizabeth Johnson’s niece, Miss Millie Johnson and her friend Mr Harper.”

Dobbins nodded to Millie and eyed Jess suspiciously.

“You are to take orders from them when collecting the selected paintings this afternoon and bring them directly to the auction house. Mr Billings will accompany you... do you understand?”

“Yup...”

“Sir!” Mr Brown barked.

“Yup...sir,” the other said rather sarcastically.

Once he had slouched off Mr Brown said, “I do apologize, one simply can’t get the staff these days. But Mr Billings, who’s out of the office presently, is one of our most experienced operatives; you will be in good hands with him. Dobbins is merely the uh...unskilled labour,” he said as though washing his hands of him.

Mr Billings along with Dobbins duly arrived at the appointed hour and Millie showed them the pictures that were for sale. Billings carefully catalogued them and oversaw Dobbins loading them into the wagon.

It was when Mr Billings was writing out a receipt for the goods that Jess noticed Dobbins was missing. Then he heard a movement upstairs and leaving Millie and Billings to their business he ran lightly up the stairs and saw Dobbins in Millie’s room with her beloved picture that her aunt had given her in his hands.

“What the hell do you think yer doin’ in here?” Jess demanded angrily.

Dobbins threw him a dismissive glance not even paying lip-service to civility now out of sight of his employer, “What’s it to you, you ain’t the seller,” he said.

“No but my woman is,” Jess said hotly, “now put that down and git.”

The man backed off a little at Jess’s aggressive manner and said, “I was just doin’ her a favor...fetch a good price, nice little picture like this...very popular picture of kids. I noticed it when I took that old landscape from the other wall...”

“I won’t tell you again,” Jess said menacingly.

“OK, OK I’m goin’,” and he slouched off back downstairs.

Once they had left Millie said, “What was that creepy man doing upstairs again?”

“He was after that picture of yours.”

“You did tell him it’s not for sale,” she said running up to her room and retrieving the picture that Dobbins had thrown on the bed.

Following her in Jess looked carefully at it for the first time and then gasped in delight, “Hey it’s you ain’t it!”

She nodded, “Auntie painted it herself... she said it was no masterpiece like the other art she owned, but it was her favorite because it was me... and I love it because she painted it. I’ll never sell it.”

Jess looked puzzled, “That’s funny because yer aunt implied it was worth a fortune? She said something about look back, some kinda riddle you thought?”

“It’s worth a fortune? Well, it’s priceless to me, I expect that’s what she meant,” Millie said. “As to looking back, she probably was thinking of looking back to the happy times we spent together, that will be it,” she said, replacing it on the wall.

The following morning Jess said he wanted to visit the hospital, just to check the surgery had gone as planned. He knew there would be no visiting allowed for a few days, but just wanted to be reassured that the operation was successful.

Millie opted not to accompany him as there was plenty to do in the house checking through her dear aunt’s belongings.

She was busy going through her correspondence when there was a loud knocking on the door and on answering she saw the disreputable looking Dobbins standing there.

“What do you want?” she asked briskly, remembering his despicable behavior of the day before.

“Come ta collect the picture,” he said gruffly, “the one up in yer room ma’am.”

“What! It’s not for sale,” Millie said hotly, “and does Mr Brown know you’re here?”

“Uh Brown and I parted company,” he said, “didn’t quite see eye to eye on the finer things in life.”

“I can imagine,” Millie muttered and the started to close the door, “you’ve had a wasted journey Mr Dobbins, good day.”

But as she went to close the door a well-positioned boot stopped her and moments later, he wrenched the door from her grasp and pushed his way in.

“Up here ain’t it.”

Millie tore upstairs after him and yelled, “Get out of here, I told you the picture is not for sale... it’s just an amateur painting, not worth anything to you anyway!”

“Well, that’s where yer wrong ...because I reckon you protest way too much huh? Making so much dang fuss...I reckon it must be worth quite a bit. Well, yer man...Harper struck a deal with me said it was mine for $20 ...so here you go,” he said throwing the money on the bed.

Millie stood between Dobbins and the painting and raising her chin said, “Don’t you dare touch it. Now just go...or...or...I’ll...”

“You’ll what gal,” he jeered... “you think you can stop me do ya?”

“No, but I do,” Jess roared as he entered the room on having just returned from the hospital. Grabbing hold of Dobbins shirt front he dragged him up, before laying a haymaker to his chin that sent him flying across the room. He hit the wall and slithered down…a look of shock on his ugly mug...before he passed out.

Jess dragged him up again and would have hit him once more if Millie hadn’t intervened.

“He’s out for the count Jess, just get rid of him,” she gasped.

Jess practically hurled him down the stairs and out onto the sidewalk before leaning down over the semi-comatose man and saying “You fetch up here again it’ll be an undertaker yer needing, not a doc... you got that?”

Dobbins managed a nod before dragging himself off as fast as he could...and scuttling away down an alley.

“You OK sweetheart, he didn’t touch ya did he?” Jess asked when he returned.

“No, no, I’m fine,” Millie said bravely, “he won’t be back, thanks Jess.”

They went and sat in the parlour and once she had collected herself, she said, “So how’s Sandy?”

Jess’s face clouded, “He’s not good, not good at all. Hell Millie the doc said he had a really bad reaction to the anesthetic...its touch and go right now...he might not make it.”

Millie insisted on visiting as soon as it was allowed and the doctor reckoned later that it was her presence and continued support that saw the boy through the worst of his dark days. She sat beside him hour after hour talking softly, and once he began to recover helping the nurses to feed him. Jess visited daily too and also went about all the formalities surrounding the renting of the house and tidying up all the issues that usually arose after a death. The books were collected by the school and the new Principal was overjoyed by the announcement of the Elizabeth Johnson Bursary to be formulated after the auction of the paintings.

The day of the funeral dawned wet and windy and quite chilly for late August, but the turnout was overwhelming. It seemed to Millie and Jess like half of Denver had attended. There were some touching eulogies from her former students and staff and a great out pouring of grief from her many friends and supporters.

Once the funeral and wake were over Jess and Millie turned for home, feeling quite overwhelmed and ready for a quiet evening and early night.

As soon as they entered the silent house Jess sensed there was something wrong. There was no sign of the kittens making their usual noisy welcome and clamoring for food. The house felt quite chilly as well. On further investigation Jess discovered the back door was wide open.

Millie followed him through and looking puzzled said, “I locked it, I’m sure I did.” Then she called for the kittens and moments later they tore in from the yard crying for food as usual. Then Millie gasped, “Oh no, I left a window open a little so they could go out in the yard if they needed to...do you think someone broke in?”

“If they did, I guess they’re long gone...let’s check to see if anything’s missing huh?”

It was when Jess finally entered the bedroom, having checked downstairs that he saw Millie’s prize painting was gone.

“Garldarn it, Dobbins,” he muttered under his breath. After the last run in with the man Jess had called in at the auction house and Mr Brown had given him the lowdown on his former employee.

“I didn’t like his attitude at all and on further inspection it appeared that his references were bogus,” Mr Brown had declared. “I made inquiries with the Sheriff and it seems our friend Dobbins is known to the law and indeed served a prison sentence for theft and fraud, specializing in works of art. It seems he procures paintings by devious means and then sells them on almost immediately in the same town, before moving on. In that way he seems to have got clean away with it on several occasions,” Brown had said looking clearly furious that he too had been duped by the man.

“Well not this time he ain’t,” Jess said to himself now. “I’ll catch the son of a bitch if it’s the last thing I do.”

He visited every low dive in the town he could find and it appeared Dobbins was well known amongst the criminal fraternity. To aid his search Jess decided to play the part of a fellow criminal, looking for his old friend Dobbins to tip him off that the law was after him. ‘I shouldn’t do any trading with the guy right now’ he informed all the contacts he found in the backstreet bars, ‘seems the law is on his case.’

He finally struck gold in yet another scruffy bar. When Jess had asked the bar keep if he knew the whereabouts of his friend Dobbins the man had jerked a thumb.

“His buddy old Fred might know,” he said.

He came upon a wizened ratty face little man drinking whiskey at a dark corner table. The rheumy-eyed old timer looked up when Jess sat down opposite him and said he was looking for Dobbins...and professed to be a friend.

Fred looked at him thoughtfully, “Uh, maybe you are and maybe you ain’t,” he finally managed.

Jess was beginning to run out of patience.

“Look dang it, I’m trying to help him out here. I’ve heard the law have got wind of his latest scam. Hell I just wanna warn him that’s all!”

Again, the man pondered deeply before coming to a decision.

“About that painting of the pretty gal, is it?”

Jess nodded enthusiastically, “Yup that’s it...seems the darned owner called the law in. They’re out lookin’ now.”

“OK, OK I believe ya. He’ll be over at the Knot Hole down on Third Street...back room. You’ll need the password to git into the back. Just say Freddy sent ya...that’ll git ya in.”

When Jess eventually entered the dark dismal back room of the Knot Hole, he immediately saw that Dobbins was sitting at a table with another man...the wrapped painting between them... and the punter counting out some notes.

Jess was beside them in one swift movement and drawing his gun covered them both growling, “Put yer money away mister, it ain’t fer sale!”

The buyer looked mighty shocked and backing off quickly picked up his cash and said, “I don’t want any trouble mister...you want it, it’s all yours,” before scurrying off at speed.

Jess sat down in the chair just vacated opposite Dobbins and glared at him.

“I thought we had an agreement...you weren’t to come back as I recall.”

Dobbins licked his lips, his shifty eyes seeking a get-out route.

Jess holstered his gun and picked up the parcel before standing and gesturing with his head for Dobbins to rise and accompany him.

“Come on,” he said, “I guess we don’t want to make a mess in here...I figure the barkeep don’t want blood on his nice clean floor,” he added sarcastically, glancing down at the sticky, filthy wooden flooring.

Once outside Jess said, “Well I guess this is where I teach ya a lesson Dobbins huh?” and threw a punch that sent him crashing into the bar wall. On recovering, the older man tried to fight back, and Jess toyed with him for a little while before finishing it with a devastating blow to the jaw that rendered him unconscious.

He then shook him roughly until he came around and said, “I told ya once before to git...and this time yer gonna. See I’ve pretty much blacklisted you all over town. There ain’t anyone will come within a mile of you, much less enter into trade. So, you’ve got two choices Dobbins. You ride out now and don’t look back, or you and me take a trip to the Sheriff. So what’s it gonna be huh?”

Dobbins looked groggily up into Jess’s face and then whispered, “Give me a hand up, huh mister?”

Jess obliged and then said, “That your horse over there tethered by the bar?”

Dobbins nodded and staggered towards where his horse ...and after several attempts finally mounted.

Jess nodded in approval, “Wise choice...and if I ever clap eyes on you again, I’ll knock yer damn teeth down yer throat, got it?”

“Sure mister, I’m goin’,” Dobbins confirmed and heading his mount out of town went off at a slow trot...without looking back.

When Jess returned to Aunt Elizabeth’s house an anxious Millie was waiting up for him.

Then she beamed at him when he revealed the wrapped painting, “Oh you found it!”

“Uh-huh and that low life Dobbins too.”

Her face clouded, “Oh Jess, please tell me you didn’t hurt him badly...I don’t want you in trouble with the law.”

“Nah, just made him reconsider his business options around here… anyways I guess he won’t be troubling us again,” he said cheerfully before ripping the paper from the painting.

Then his face fell as he saw the smashed glass of picture frame.

Millie looked upset too, but quickly rallied.

“It’s OK I know where auntie keeps her spare frames. She was a keen amateur artist and framed all her own pictures, I’ll fetch one.”

When she returned Jess was looking down at the painting in his hands; a perplexed expression on his face.

“What is it...please don’t say he’s damaged it,” Millie said running across and peering down at the painting. Then she gasped in shock, “I don’t understand, that’s not my painting.”

“It’s OK,” Jess said quickly, gesturing to the small table beside him, “yours is here...this one was behind it in the frame...along with this piece of paper,” he said passing a dusty scrap of headed writing paper across.

Millie peered at it for a moment and then her eyes widened in shock, “Oh my, this is a letter of Provenance Jess.”

“Huh?”

“Aunt told me all about them. It’s a document that states the authenticity of something, in this case a Thomas Cole painting...you know the famous artist?”

When Jess still looked blank, she said, “This is an original Thomas Cole, given as a gift to my aunt! She told me all about him once. They were childhood friends back East and he gave her this when he was just beginning to gain fame and fortune, I’m guessing from the date on the letter.”

Then she took the painting from Jess and looked at the beautiful landscape depicting a child in a boat on a river surrounded by lush countryside. “See here is the signature.” Then her face was wreathed in smiles, “That’s what she meant Jess... Look in the back...not look back... And yes, this painting really is worth a fortune!”

“Well, I’ll be!” Then he chuckled, “I guess we’ve got Dobbins rough handling to thank for this, iffen he hadn’t broken the glass we’d never have known it existed. I guess that’s why he was so persistent to get it because you were adamant not to sell. Maybe he thought there was something hidden away...and I guess he was right!”

*******

The following morning, they made their final visit to the hospital to visit Sandy as they were returning to Laramie the following day. Jess had dealt with the solicitors, who had recommended a good Agent. They in turn had found a nice professional couple to rent Aunt Elizabeth’s house on a long lease. All her books had been delivered to the school. The Elizabeth Johnson Bursary set up and the money from the Art sale in the account; ready to help disadvantaged youngsters.

“I could never have sorted everything out so quickly without your help Jess,” Millie professed as they made their way up to Sandy’s ward.

“And I reckon Sandy wouldn’t have made it if it hadn’t been for you visiting so regular and helpin’ to care for him,” Jess said smiling fondly down at her, “so I guess we’ve both done a pretty good job here ain’t we.”

She agreed smiling, “Yes, but it certainly will be good to get home.”

“Oh yeah, I suppose,” he said squeezing the hand he was holding, “I guess it will, but I’ll miss us bein’ together, you know the way we have been...it’s been real special ain’t it.”

“Yes, it has,” and they shared a loving look, before a nurse bustled past bringing them back to reality.

“You go in and say goodbye while I find the doc and check all is going ahead for him to move on to the...uh rehab ward, I won’t be long,” Jess said moving off.

Millie was totally unprepared for the reaction she got from Sandy when she told him she and Jess were leaving for home the following morning.

He sat bolt upright in bed his face a study of shock, “But you can’t leave me Millie you just can’t!”

The nurse who was busy checking the temperature chart looked up, but said nothing.

Millie sat down on the bedside chair and said softly, “It is alright Sandy don’t take on so. You’ll be just fine. Goodness, you know how lovely everyone is here. You’ll probably buddy up with some of the other young folk getting well again over in the rehab ward too. You’ll see, you’ll forget about me and Jess in no time. Anyway, you’ll be well before you know it and coming over to Laramie to await your brothers...uh return. I know Jess is going to look out for you,” she added. They had only discussed the matter the other day and Jess was going to try and get an apprenticeship with the local horse doc, but decided not to mention it, until it was a done deal.

All the time she had been speaking Sandy had been holding her hand tightly and looking deeply into her eyes, like a lovelorn puppy. Millie realized and quickly removed her hand and looked away, suddenly feeling uncomfortable.

“I won’t,” he said softly.

“Won’t what Sandy?”

“I won’t forget you...you see, I love you Millie,” he said once more taking her hand.

Just then the door opened and Jess came in completely unaware of the charged atmosphere in the room.

He grinned down at Sandy and said, “So all ready for the next step then Sandy? I’ve just been talkin’ to the doc and he says you’re his star patient now. I reckon we’ll have you out of here and back in Laramie before you know it.”

If Jess was slightly surprised by Sandy’s less than enthusiastic reaction he hid it well, just assuming the boy was tiring of his prolonged hospital stay. Hang it all he would have gone stir crazy by now he mused.

Then Millie stood up and smiling weakly said, “Take care Sandy,” and she left quickly.

Jess raised a quizzical eyebrow, but said nothing, merely taking Sandy’s hand and shaking it before wishing him well and turning away.

But Sandy called him back, “Jess please, I need to speak to you.”

“Oh?” and he returned standing over the boy; a questioning look on his face.

“It’s Millie, we’ve gotten real close you know,” the boy said blushing a little.

“Oh yeah... really?” Jess asked dead pan.

“Yup in fact, I aim to ask her to marry me, Jess. You’re a real good friend of hers aren’t you...so do you think I stand a chance?”

Jess’s face was a study as he stared down at the boy not knowing whether to laugh or be angry.

“You’re gonna ask her to wed you?” he finally managed, “Well I hafta tell ya that...”

“Mr Harper, I need to speak to you...outside,” the nurse broke in quickly.

Jess looked even more surprised at that and turning to Sandy said, “I’ll be back,” the comment sounding more like a threat than a promise, and he accompanied the nurse outside to where Millie was waiting looking quite overwhelmed.

“Did...did Sandy say anything to you?” she blurted out.

“He sure did,” Jess said, “He reckons he’s gonna wed ya.”

“He’s crazy,” Millie retorted, “heck he’s just a kid, what’s he thinking?”

Jess shrugged, “I dunno, but he’s sure got the hots for you.”

“I’d no idea he felt that way. I haven’t encouraged him, if that’s what you’re implying,” Millie said crossly.

“Heck, I didn’t mean that,” Jess said suddenly contrite, “it’s just kind of a shock...you know?”

“Uh, yes I do,” Millie said sarcastically, before looking kindly and saying, “Oh dear what a fix.”

“Maybe I can help,” the nurse, who had witnessed everything, said drawing them to a private seating area and settling them down.

“This is a very common occurrence,” she said earnestly, “for an impressionable young man to fall for his nurse. They tend to confuse compassion and caring for well...something more. We see it a lot in the nursing profession. Our patients think they have fallen in love. But usually once they are on the road to recovery, they realise how silly they have been and get over it...usually surprisingly quickly,” she added with a little wink.

Jess turned and saw the doctor had joined them.

“Yes, nurse is correct. But you know I think many a pretty nurse is as responsible for curing our patients as the treatment they receive,” he said with a chuckle. Then sobering said, “I honestly think that your support really helped Sandy get through this Miss Johnson, I didn’t think he’d make it at one stage.”

“That’s as maybe,” Jess said, “but you can’t let the kid carry on thinking he’s in with a chance with Millie, someone has to put him straight.”

“I disagree,” the doctor said, “in fact I really think that could set him back... badly. As long as he has some sort of hope of seeing Millie again and maybe enjoying her company, I think that will help him to get back his strength more quickly. The alternative of telling him he has no hope at all could... well make him give up completely.”

“Well, I dunno,” Jess said trying to see both points of view. Eventually he sighed, “I guess you know best doc. But I ain’t gonna lie to him, maybe you should just say I was called away...and let’s hope he’s over all this craziness by the time he lands in Laramie!”

Then thanking the nurse and doc once more he said, “Come on sweetheart, let’s go home,” and the couple made their way from the hospital hand in hand.

The young nurse looked after them and sighed. That Millie Johnson was one lucky gal she thought, before turning to go back to the ward and explain to Sandy that his friends had left, but were looking forward to seeing him in Laramie once he was fully recovered.

Chapter 11

It was an uneventful journey, even though they did have the two kittens, now renamed Ginger and Blackie, in a carrying crate with them. Blackie cried pitifully for the whole journey whereas Ginger fell asleep on entering the crate and didn’t wake again until they arrived at their destination.

“So, what are ya gonna do with them?” Jess asked eyeing the two little bundles of fur fondly.

“Just hope Tom is happy for me to keep them. His old cat died a few years back and he said not long ago that we had some rats in the yard. Maybe he’ll be happy to have them to keep the vermin down?”

“Uh...well Blackie might, but I doubt Ginger can stay awake long enough to go rattin ’,” Jess chuckled. Then seeing her sad face said, “Hey if it don’t work out, there’s always room for another cat in our barn, so don’t fret.”

As it happened Tom, the barkeep, welcomed the cats with open arms and they settled into saloon life well. Blackie as expected ruled the roost out in the backyard and it was soon rat and mouse free. As for Ginger, he set himself up as a Saloon Cat and slept away most of the day comfortably stretched out at one end of the bar. He settled near where Tom displayed cold cuts and bread for those requiring food. However, should a punter occasionally decide to try before they paid, then a paw...claws out, would swiftly lash out. Many were the hungry customer who went off nursing a badly scratched hand along with their food.

If the kittens had been welcomed with open arms Jess’s homecoming was not quite as harmonious.

Being unable to tear himself away from Millie he had spent another couple of days in town and so when he finally arrived on the Stage one noontide it was to be greeted by a stony faced Slim.

“A week you said...two tops and it’s been nigh on a month Jess! What the hell have you been doing?” he asked angrily as Jess climbed down from the Stage.

“Good to see you too Pard,” he replied sarcastically, before searching the yard for a sign of Mike or Daisy, who he figured would give him a somewhat warmer welcome.

As the Stage rolled off, Mose was chuckling to himself at Jess’s less than kindly welcome, “Told ya so,” he muttered to himself.

“Your name’s mud back at the Sherman spread,” he’d shared cheerfully, earlier on the way over. “Slim is having to mend fence alone and is waitin’ on you arrivin’ home to move the herd...yup, ol’ Slim ain’t happy... not at all!”

Now in the yard Slim continued his rant. “And if you’re looking for Mike and Daisy, you can forget it. Mike started back to school and Daisy’s acting Midwife over at the Patterson place...so it’s just you and me. So, are you going to tell me what’s been going on...huh?”

Half an hour later Slim was slightly appeased.

“Well, I suppose that you did what you had to...and of course I see that Millie needed you.”

He sighed and then giving his pard a weak grin said, “Welcome home Jess...so you want to cook or wash up huh?”

*******

The days turned into weeks and the men drove the herd down to their winter grazing in the lower pastures. Then started making all secure around the house and yard before the winter storms began.

One day in late October Jess received a wire from the hospital stating that Sandy’s treatment was complete and he would be arriving in Laramie in two weeks.

All was hustle and bustle at the ranch with an extra bunk placed in Mike’s room and Daisy set about planning nourishing meals for the recovering patient. He’ll need to get his strength up again after all that time in hospital she said cheerfully, happy for once to have someone to lavish her nursing skills upon.

Now she looked at Jess and said gently, “Have you seen Doc Peters about him taking Sandy on as apprentice while he’s here?”

He nodded, “Yup, saw him a few weeks ago and he said he’d be glad of the help. Said as how he’d had other folk learning and he’d be happy to share his skills again,” Jess said quietly.

“Did he mention Kate?” Daisy said peering at Jess with deep concern.

He nodded “Yup, just said how she was a natural...and he missed her.”

Daisy sighed deeply, “And do you Jess, do you still miss her?”

He shrugged, “I’ve got Millie ...she’s all I want...you know that, Daisy.”

Jess and young Kate Stockdale had become friends and then lovers when she worked at the ranch a few years before. But the romance had not ended well and Jess had confided in Slim that he felt like his heart had been tore out and ripped in two when the couple had to end their relationship.

Now he sighed deeply and said, “Don’t go there, Daisy, it’s all dead and buried and gonna stay that way.”

“Alright dear I quite understand,” she said and went off to check on the oven where an apple pie was baking.

Jess looked down, swallowed hard closing his eyes and then marched off to the yard to tie into the morning chores.

The following morning the noon Stage tore down the rise and into the yard, Mose bringing the team to a standstill with a flourish, before leaping down from the box.

“Hey where’s the fire?” Jess asked chuckling at the clearly excited old timer.

“It’s all kickin’ off in town Jess, you’ve gotta ride in,” he said, loving being the bearer of sensational news.

“Whoa, what’s going on?” Slim asked strolling over, “We’re kinda busy right now Mose, so what’s so all fired important?”

“That young Sandy Knight has landed that’s what! He’s had a big scene in the bar with your Millie, Jess! Last I saw he was tryin’ to drink the bar dry and callin’ fer you to come and have it out with him. Dunno what it’s all about but I figure the Sheriff will be called over iffen you don’t go and sort the kid out!”

As Jess hitched Traveller up outside the saloon there was the sound of gunshots from within and he barged in through the swinging doors in time to see Sandy again firing up at the ceiling...the other customers either pushing past Jess to leave or standing staring in morbid fascination.

Then Jess was aware of the Sheriff standing just behind him, “What the hell’s going on?” Mort asked gruffly. “I leave town for a night and come back to this!”

Jess shook his head, “I ain’t sure, but I’ve got a feeling Sandy’s just had some bad news. Leave this to me huh Mort.”

As soon as Sandy spied Jess, he lowered his gun and stared at him in bewilderment.

“Why didn’t ya tell me?” he finally managed, “you knew I loved her...why’d you lie that way, Jess?”

“Look, put that dang gun down Sandy and we’ll talk this through,” Jess said.

Sandy levelled the gun back up at Jess and there was a sharp intake of breath from the onlookers.

“Don’t be a damn fool Sandy, just give me the gun and we’ll go sober you up,” Jess said glancing at the half empty whiskey bottle on the table.

Sandy just stared at him and finally the gun waivered and he holstered it, whispering, “Sorry.”

Mort strode over and took him by the arm, “Come along son, you can sober up in one of my cells and then we’ll discuss how much you owe Tom for the damage.”

He glanced at Jess and said, “Can you come over too Jess? I need to get to the bottom of all this.”

He nodded, “Sure just give me a minute Mort.”

Once the Sheriff had left with his prisoner Jess strode over to the bar and took Millie in his arms, “Are you OK?” he whispered.

She was trembling, but rallied well, “Yes...I am now.”

“So, what happened?”

She sighed deeply and led him to a nearby seat where they settled, Jess holding her hand across the table top.

“It seems he didn’t get over that crush he had on me like they all said he would. In fact, it got worse he said he really wants to marry me.”

Jess looked shocked but said nothing.

“Anyway, just yesterday he had a new nurse on the ward and he was telling her all about me. Well Jess it was the nurse that was caring for Aunt Elizabeth, she was so kind do you remember her?”

Jess thought back and then remembered the kindly woman who had said, “I’m so glad your husband is here to see you through all this, when Jess had been comforting Millie after the death of her aunt. Then how he hadn’t bothered to correct her ...it hadn’t seemed important...up until now.

“Yeah, go on,” he said softly.

“Well, she remembered how you were comforting me and she said to Sandy, “But Millie and Jess are married aren’t they?” Poor Sandy said he felt his world was falling apart when he heard that news. So, he left Denver at once. Then on his arrival in Laramie came straight to the saloon. He’s been here a couple of hours. Oh Jess he begged me to tell him it wasn’t true, I felt so bad. ”

Jess just shook his head, “I knew this would happen,” he said bitterly. But then threw her an encouraging look and said, “Then what? You did tell him the truth didn’t ya?”

She nodded, “I told him we weren’t actually Wed. But yes, I had to level with him and I told him how we did have an understanding. That’s when he went crazy... cussing and calling for you to come and fight for me. Then he started drinking and things got worse…so Tom went to fetch Mort, just before you arrived.”

At the mention of Mort Jess said, “I’d better go...I’ll see ya later huh?”

She nodded, “Of course.” Then quietly, “Just for the record Jess, I still think what we did was right...I’m sure having something to live for helped him recover.”

“Maybe...lets’ just hope he sees it that way and forgives us,” he replied, before turning and heading for the jail.

Sandy had fallen asleep by the time Jess arrived.

He viewed the prisoner and threw Mort a rueful smile, “I guess he ain’t used to strong drink.”

“It begs the question why he was served it,” Mort said tersely.

“Apparently it looked like he was just gonna have a beer and settle down and Millie thought it best to go out the back for a while, making Tom’s dinner. Then Betty came in to help out and didn’t know about all the fussin’ that had gone on before. She just served Sandy with a bottle when he came to the bar. Tom was out back taking his break...first they knew about it was when he kicked off sayin’ he wanted to kill me. That’s when Mose came to find me.”

“Yes, and Tom found me eventually... one time I’m away for a few hours it all kicks off,” he added sighing.Then he relaxed back in his chair and tipped his hat to the other, for Jess to sit down.

“So why is the kid so all fired up?” he asked.

Ten minutes later, Jess said, “That’s about it I guess...”

“So, you’ll explain that to him, how the doc told you to say nothing?”

“I guess that’s all I can do,” Jess agreed.

“I’d leave it until tomorrow,” Mort said sagely, give him time to sleep it off and sober up...think things through.”

Jess was just about to take his leave when a sorely tried Tom burst into the office, “Can you come Sheriff? It’s that Carl Mason from the Sentinel, causing a ruckus in the bar again. Things are heading towards another dang fight iffen you don’t come and sort him out!”

Jess rose to accompany Mort but the Sheriff said, “Uh you just stay here and mind the shop for me will you Jess, don’t like leaving it unmanned with a prisoner in the cells.”

Then once he’d left with Tom he said, “Way Jess feels about the staff of the Sentinel he’d be more hindrance than help in smoothing things over,” and Tom chuckled...knowing full well how Jess felt about the newspaper; and with just cause too.

Sometime later Mort frogmarched Carl Mason, the Sentinel’s chief reporter into the office and threw him unceremoniously into the cell next to Sandy.

Jess grinned at the Sheriff when he returned and said, “What did he do to ruffle yer feathers, Mort?”

“I tried to get some order and he dang well took a swing at me; said he was entitled to his freedom of speech!”

“What even if it’s malicious lies?” Jess asked knowing the caliber of Carl’s views...being any story was a good story, true or not.

“Precisely,” Mort said pouring them both a coffee. “He thought he could get away with suggesting the daughter of the leader of the Town Council was having an affair with the newly married Blacksmith...turns out they’d never even met. She is engaged to a guy with the same surname though.”

“A mere detail,” Jess said grinning...then he sobered. “That editor, Larry Seddon, wants decking...and God knows I nearly did it last time he published all those lies about Slim.” (See #97 Who Killed Clay Brady)

“Freedom of the Press Jess, real hard to clamp down on,” Mort said sadly.

“Yeah, well I’d clamp down on it...right where it hurts,” Jess said with feeling.

*******

When he went to pick Sandy up the following morning, he was both surprised and pleased by the young man’s changed attitude.

When Mort let him out of the cell Carl called after him, “Good luck kid, nice talking to ya.”

“Jeez you ain’t been talking to that no hoper from the newspaper have you Sandy?” Jess asked.

“Uh no, well not really, he seemed to know all about me and my brothers robbing the bank too. I just told him about my expensive operation and how good you and Millie had been to me,” he said, “nothing else, honest.”

Then he continued, “I’m real sorry Jess for the way I acted, I was way out of order. The Sheriff explained everything...about how the doc said not to tell me about you and Millie. And you know I guess he was right. It was the thought of seeing her again that kept me going. But now I’ll just see her as a real good friend...if that’s OK with you?” he asked anxiously.

“Sure, that’s just fine by me,” Jess said punching the boy lightly on the shoulder, “come on let’s go home huh.”

Then at the door he turned back and said softly, “Thanks Mort.”

Chapter 12

Sandy settled well into ranch life and after a week Doc Sam visited to check him over and declared he was fit for work.

He got along splendidly with old Doc Peters from day one and at the end of the first week the old veterinarian was able to confirm that Sandy was a natural.

“Six months with me and then he can return back to the university knowing all there is to know about horse doctoring,” he told Slim with a big grin.

Because of the nature of the work the Doc often being called out day or night it was decided that Sandy would move into his spare room and would therefore be available to help at any time.

“You keep in touch kid you hear me,” Jess said as he saw the boy off on the following Monday morning.”

“And do be sure to come by for Sunday lunch Daisy added, Doc Peters would be most welcome too.”

“Thank you, Ma’am,” Sandy said politely as he mounted up.

“Thank you too Jess for everything,” he added and especially for loaning me this real good horse.

Jess patted the lively Pinto on the rear, “Jumble here is a real good horse, he’ll see you right,” he said with a grin.

Sandy nodded his thanks again and said, “A real good name too huh Mike.”

The youngster grinned, “I guess. I called him that because he is a jumble of colors ain’t he...”

Then Slim was shaking his hand and wishing him luck as he rode away, pausing for one last wave before galloping up the rise.

Life seemed to be panning out really well for young Sandy, until the following week when the Sentinel published a lurid story all about young Sandy Knight.

It said how the new prodigy of the local horse Doctor was none other than the younger brother of the notorious Knight Gang. They were currently languishing in the Laramie Prison after committing heinous crimes including bank robbery over in Rawlins. It was also quite probable that they had been involved in the coldblooded murder of Clancy and Pete Meeks from the Rawlins area. It went on to declare that the two young ranchers had been forced into bounty hunting to try and make ends meet, but had been callously back-shot whilst on the trail of the Knight Gang. The younger Knight Brother although not directly involved in the bank robbery had doubtless benefited from the proceeds of the raid. He had recently undergone expensive surgery and a rehabilitation treatment costing many hundreds of dollars donated from an unknown source, but very likely blood money.

The article ended with the rhetorical question, ‘One must ask the question, did the Knight Brothers receive a lenient sentence because of their friendship with Jess Harper? He, in turn, being a great buddy of the Rawlins Sheriff, Red Smith, who had earlier been allegedly, involved in the escape of one Ben Knight?’

Jess was incensed as he stood in the Sherman Ranch yard reading the account in the Sentinel. He was watched by Mose Shell who had recently delivered the paper and was eyeing Jess carefully, anticipating with relish the fury that would doubtless be unleashed shortly.

“So, you gonna be riding into town later and have it out with that editor, Larry Seddon again?” the old timer asked, clearly enjoying the drama of the occasion.

Then Slim wandered over, “The team’s ready Mose. I should be on your way if I were you,” he added, glancing over to where Jess’s knuckles were turning white as he gripped the offending newspaper.

Once Mose had reluctantly left, Slim turned to where Jess was still reading the paper, cussing softly under his breath.

“That bad huh,” Slim asked throwing Jess a quizzical glance, “So what’s old Larry been up to now?”

“See for yerself,” Jess snapped angrily before thrusting the paper at Slim and striding over to the barn.

When he returned with Traveller saddled a few minutes later Slim was looking equally furious as he watched Jess mount up.

“I just don’t believe he’s written this…it’s all lies again,” Slim remonstrated.

“See that By-line?” Jess growled, “It’s that Carl Mason yet again! What did I tell him last time huh?”

Then Slim frowned, “So where are you going, and what are you going to do about it, Jess?”

“Town...I thought that would be pretty damn obvious. I’m gonna knock that no hoper Mason into next week. Hell Slim, I didn’t spend all that time gettin’ the bank money back safely, and helpin’ out Davy and Ben for this to happen. Not to mention sorting  young Sandy out, for some dang upstart to make a mockery of it all! Lyin’ through his teeth for the sake of a good story dang it! The kid don’t need this just when he’s getting his life back on track.”

“Oh, I agree, but there’s ways and means,” Slim said urgently, “you’ll only get yourself in trouble this way Jess.”

“So, what’s the dang alternative, get yer solicitor Benson to make them retract it like last time huh? Have you forgotten what that dang Editor said about you last year huh Slim? He needs more than a rap on the knuckles,” and with that he rode off hard leaving nothing but a cloud of dust.

When he arrived in town, he noticed a small group of people standing around the boardwalk by the Sheriff’s office. He dismounted and after hitching Traveller, made his way through the group and into the office to be confronted by more men. They were all talking loudly and Mort was trying to get some order.

“What the hell’s goin’ on?” Jess asked as he marched over to the desk.

“Here he is said Denny Barnes. So, is it true Jess, were you in league with the Knights? And how come the kid could afford that operation huh? Why my Annie and me have been savin’ up for years to get her aliments sorted out! Surgery’s expensive; real expensive. So, you and that Red Smith siphoned off some of the bank money for it did ya...like the paper says... huh?”

“No! We dang well didn’t!” Jess roared, “That’s slander Barnes so just watch yer filthy mouth!”

“So, uh... where did it come from then Jess?” asked one Jeb Soames a small elderly neighbor.

“Well, I’ll tell ya,” Jess said, “it were from the Bounty Money paid out on Dev Dawes if you must know. Slim shot him and gave the bounty to the kid for his operation. Sandy had nothing what-so-ever to do with that bank heist and didn’t benefit in any way. And just for the record, both Davy and Ben Knight were pushed into it against their will. Hell, Ben even prevented further killin’ by stopping Hank form murdering the rest of the bank staff. They returned the money and gave themselves up and that’s why the Judge was lenient. Me and Red didn’t have any say in the matter.”

“Oh well that all seems perfectly legal and aboveboard,” Jeb said with a kindly smile. “Why didn’t you say something before Jess and all this bad feeling and lies could have been avoided?”

“Well, I dang well would have done if that bastard Carl Mason had asked me instead of tricking an innocent boy into talkin’ and then twistin’ his words!”

There was much chattering and the odd apology before the small crowd dispersed to pass on the news to the others waiting outside.

“Well, I’m glad all that’s settled,” Mort said breathing a sigh of relief.

“Huh, you think it’s settled,” Jess yelled now even more furious than he had been on the initial reading of the paper. “It sure ain’t as far as I’m concerned and it dang well won’t be until Mason and Seddon eat their words.” And with that he strode out of the office slamming the door behind him.

Small knots of bystanders paused and watched as Jess marched down Main Street looking as mad as all get out...

He barged into the newspaper office, ignoring the receptionist, who quailed and stared wide-eyed at him. He kicked open the inner office door and stood surveying the scene within.

Carl Mason, the reporter jumped up from his seat looking mighty anxious as he saw the look of naked fury on Jess’s face. Meanwhile the Editor cleared his throat and looked wildly around him for an escape route.

Without further ado Jess grabbed Carl by the shirt front and growled, “I warned ya what would happen if you printed any more lies about me and my friends didn’t I Mason?”

But before he could answer, Jess threw a haymaker that sent the reporter flying across the room where he catapulted into a filing cabinet and then sank to the floor in an untidy heap.

Jess then turned his attention to the Editor, “I guess you don’t seem to understand simple requests from our solicitor not to print libel. So maybe I should just find a way that will remind ya huh?” he asked, moving towards the now terrified bespectacled man.

At that moment the door flew open again and Mort entered saying, “I don’t think that will be necessary Jess. I reckon you’ve made your point,” he added tipping his hat towards Carl Mason who was looking pretty much out for the count.

Jess stared hard at Mort, his eyes cold and threatening, “You think so?”

Mort moved across the room and put a gentle hand on Jess’s arm, “Come on Jess see sense, we’ll make sure that everything you’ve just told folk back in the office is printed.”

“And printed pronto!” he added turning a hard look on the Editor. “You’re going to eat humble pie until it chokes you Seddon and if I’m not satisfied I might just turn my back and wait and see if Jess’s ideas are better... savvy?”

Once a two-page retraction of the previous story was written and replaced by actual facts printed…Jess was satisfied.

Then Mort looked thoughtful, “Do you still supply the mercantile in Rawlins?” he asked the editor.

“Why sure,” said Seddon, “especially if it’s a local story concerning folk over there.”

“Um...well I guess you’ll need some more copies then huh. I want every single paper you’ve sold to be followed up by this new story...got it?”

When the Editor looked down, saying nothing and ruing the expense, Jess bellowed, “You got that Seddon?”

“Yes... yes of course, I’ll get right on it,” he said quickly scuttling off.

Once Jess and Mort could see that all was being done to try and repair the damage, they left the office and stood talking on the boardwalk, for a few minutes.

“So, you’re all done I take it,” Mort said dryly, “I really don’t want any more rough-stuff Jess...I’ll turn a blind eye this time...but...”

“Yeah, yeah I know and maybe I was a little out of order, but Hell Mort, he deserved it didn’t he?”

Mort grinned, “I guess I can’t argue with that. Now what? Are you heading back to the ranch?”

“Uh-huh, after I’ve talked to Sandy, I reckon if he’s seen that rubbish, he’ll be feeling mighty upset.”

*******

“Gee Jess this is all my fault that you and the Rawlins Sheriff were made to look bad, I should never have talked to that guy in the cells.”

“You weren’t to know Sandy, and anyway, I was more worried about what it would do to you workin’ for Doc Peters. But he’s fine about it. Anyway, the retraction with the truth will be out by tomorrow so I figure no real harm done.”

“Thanks Jess, I owe you...again,” he said ruefully.

“Hey forget it. So, are you up for the dance at the weekend?”

“I dunno, are you and Millie going?”

“Sure, and we’ll introduce you around, there are a lot of pretty gals in town Sandy and you can’t spend all yer time workin’ ya know.”

The dance was a great success and Sandy seemed to be enjoying himself...at first. But then Slim noticed him looking longingly over at where Jess and Millie were dancing close to a slow number and guessed the boy wouldn’t be over his infatuation for a while yet .

He looked around and then excusing himself to Lily, saying he wouldn’t be long, he strode over to where Rev Joshua Wesley was sitting with his family. After chatting for a little while, and with the Reverend’s approval, Slim took his eldest daughter Hannah across the dance floor and introduced her to Sandy.

At the end of the night Jess and Slim looked around for Sandy but there was no sign of him. Slim advanced on Joshua’s party and asked Hannah if she had seen Sandy after their dance.

She shook her head, “No he seemed a tad upset about something, but I don’t know what. He did say he enjoyed our dance though,” she said eyes sparkling.

“So where is he now?” Jess asked.

She shrugged, “He apologized and said he was not feeling too good and was going home...well to Doc Peter’s I guess he meant.”

The men thanked her and went off to collect their girls who were waiting patiently by the door for them.

“He didn’t look sick to me,” Jess said in surprise as they wandered across the hall.

“I don’t think it’s that kind of sick,” Slim said.

“Huh?”

“I saw him watching you and Millie earlier when you were getting kind of close and personal and he didn’t look any too happy about it; I guess the boy is still lovesick.”

“Damn it,” Jess said, “I thought he was all over that.”

“Seems not and it’s a real shame because Hannah looked to be quite keen on him too.”

“I’ll go have a word with him tomorrow,” Jess said as they arrived at the door. Then turning to Slim with a cheeky grin said, “Right now I’ve got more pressing things on my mind,” and throwing an arm around Millie’s slim waist took her off home to her cosy rooms above the saloon.

It was afternoon by the time he made it down the street to Doc Peters’ house near the livery.

“Haven’t cast eyes on the boy since yesterday afternoon Jess,” the Doc said with a big grin, “I figured that he’d gone courting after meeting someone at the dance.”

At that Jess looked anxious, “Is his horse still here Doc?”

“Why sure out the back...do you think there’s something wrong?”

Jess shrugged, “I hope not...but can you send a message to me with Mose Shell when he turns up huh?”

They heard nothing that day and they both imagined he was spending Sunday holed up someplace in town fretting about his unrequited love. Then on the Monday morning they were surprised to see Doc Peters ride into the yard and tether his old grey mare to the hitching rail.

“Have you heard something?” Jess asked without preamble as he emerged from the barn, followed by Slim.

“Indeed, I have,” the older man said, “Sandy didn’t turn up for work this morning and it’s not good news boys...not good at all.”

Once they were seated on the porch chairs, the Doc handed over a crumpled note written in pencil and barely legible.

“I found it in my office waiting room this morning. Says they want $5000 for the safe return of Sandy. Dang it, he’s been abducted,” he said looking clearly upset.

Jess took the note from him and continued reading, “You’re to leave the money in a valise under the table in the waiting room tomorrow at first light, and to leave the door unlocked.”

Then he glanced over at Slim, “It says if the law is involved it’s the end for Sandy. Anything goes wrong and we’ll never find him.”

“Who the hell would do this?” Jess asked looking pained.

“Maybe it’s some chancer who’s read the Sentinel. That bit about Sandy’s expensive operation being paid for by the bank heist...they could think he’s got the rest of the money as well, or knows where the gang have it hidden,” Slim said.

“That’s madness,” said Doc Peters, “who on earth would believe that. Why would they think I would have access to it and anyway...all the money was returned wasn’t it?”

“Yes, but the average Sentinel reader just believe anything they read,” Jess said angrily. “They probably figured it was stashed at your place Doc.”

“More to the point what are we going to do about it,” said Slim, ever the practical. “Have you told Mort about all this?”

The horse Doc shook his head, “Nope I thought I’d better sound you two out first. I didn’t want to make matters worse for the boy in case these hoodlums could be watching me I guess.”

“I shouldn’t worry too much I figure they’re kinda new at this game,” Jess said.

Then turning to Slim said, “What kind of idiot arranges to pick up a ransom right in the middle of town, a block down from the Sheriff’s office?”

“A really dumb one,” Slim said grinning back at his pard.

“OK doc so here’s what we do,” Jess said turning to Doc Peters.

******

Jess, Slim and Mort Cory were in place well before first light the following morning. Mort inside the doc’s house, Slim was around the back whilst Jess watched the place from the shadows across the street.

Just before dawn two riders walked their mounts slowly down the street and pausing to look around them hitched up outside the doc’s place. Then they made their way quietly inside via the unlocked door.

Less than a minute later one of the men shot out again, but stopped in his tracks on the boardwalk as Jess shoved a rifle unceremoniously into his back and said, “Don’t move a muscle mister.”

Then he frogmarched him inside where he was reunited with his accomplice who was being held at gun point by the Sheriff.

“Right then gentlemen,” Mort said indicating with his rifle that the prisoners should be seated, “so what’s all this about huh?”

The men exchanged a troubled glance but then Jess grabbed one by his shirt front, balling his fist and growled, “We can do this easy or hard, which is it to be huh?”

The pale young man flinched and said quickly, “OK, OK we’ll tell ya, just don’t hurt me mister.”

The story then came tumbling out. How the pale youth, Jake, was the younger brother of Clancy and Pete Meeks from the Rawlins area. The two young ranchers that had been forced into bounty hunting to try and make ends meet, but had been callously back-shot by Hank Dawes whilst on the trail of the Knight Gang.

The other kidnapper said he was Jake’s cousin, Jim Meeks. He confessed that it had all been his idea after reading in the Sentinel that young Sandy was in possession of the proceeds from the bank raid.

“But that don’t make no sense,” Jess snapped, “hell do you really think the law would allow that huh?”

“No, I guess not...but we were desperate; not thinking straight. See thing is mister we lost the ranch after Pete and Clancy were murdered. Then just last week we had a chance of buying it back, if we could just find the cash. Well, it seemed heaven sent when we saw that Sandy Knight was worth a small fortune. I guess we figured he owed us.”

“He don’t owe you nuthin’,” Jess said, “He weren’t involved in anyway. You’ll find that out soon enough once the latest Sentinel hits the streets, with a true account for a change.”

“If anything, you should be grateful to Ben Knight, because he was the one that dispatched your brother’s murderer, Hank Dawes,” Slim said quietly.

“I reckon maybe we’ve gotten a lot of the facts wrong,” Jim Meeks said ruefully.

“Well, yer bound to iffen you read the likes of the Sentinel,” Jess said in a kindlier tone. Hell, he felt so dang bad about how the Meek brothers had been killed and could feel some sympathy for these two young men.

“So, what have you done with Sandy?” Mort asked getting to the point.

“Uh he’s safe enough. We left him in an old logging cabin, heading out of town about a mile down the Cheyenne road...you know it?”

“Sure do,” Jess said, “come on Slim,” and the two made for the door.

“Tell him...tell him we’re real sorry,” Jake said.

Jess merely nodded and pulled his hat down hard before leaving with Slim, while Mort rounded up his prisoners and headed for the jail.

Dawn was just breaking as they hitched up outside the old logging cabin and made their way inside.

In the dim light within they were just able to make out the shape of a bunk pulled up by the fireplace. But on further inspection they saw that the bed was empty save for a length of frayed rope.

“Looks like he already escaped,” Jess said turning to grin at Slim.

“Uh-huh, strange we didn’t pass him on the way in though.”

“Yeah, unless he’s afoot, then I guess he’d have taken the short cut to town down that steep gully and across the old Jenson property.”

They turned as one and headed off once more. Knowing that the gully was way too steep and treacherous for their mounts they skirted it and went directly to the old Jenson spread, but there was no sign of Sandy and the dry, hard ground bore no tracks, so they headed back to town.

“Has he come back?” Jess asked as he entered Mort’s office.

“Young Sandy...why no, I thought he’d be with you,” Mort said looking puzzled.

“He escaped from the cabin,” Slim said, “and we figured he’d have headed back to town, we called in at Doc Peters place, but no sign.”

“Where the devil can he be?” Jess said. Then more softly, “Jeez, I sure hope he ain’t in trouble...he doesn’t carry a gun and anything could have happened...cougar...snake?”

“Hey ease up Hotshot,” Slim said gently, “we’ll find him.”

Then turning to Mort, he said, “I figure we need to get a posse together and search the area really thoroughly.”

Just then the door opened and Rev Josh Wesley strode in a huge grin on his face.

“Good morning gentlemen,” he said cheerfully, “tell me now, are you missing a certain young trainee horse doctor?”

“We sure are,” Jess said quickly, “you know something Padre?”

“Indeed, I do Jess, he’s currently at my place enjoying the company of my eldest daughter and a hearty breakfast,” he said smiling warmly.

“Well, what the heck is he doing there,” Mort said hotly, “we were just about to get up a dang search party!”

“I thought as much,” said Josh, “and that’s why I came over. You see the poor boy was weary and sought sanctuary in my Church. He was worried that his two abductors would seek him out again if he showed his face down Main Street you see.”

“Seems a sensible move,” Jess said, then grinning at the Reverend said, “It’s also got the advantage of your Hannah being around,” he added, remembering that Sandy had made quite a hit with Josh’s eldest daughter back at the dance.

“Indeed,” Josh said winking at Jess, “there is that too!”

From that day on Hannah and Sandy were practically inseparable, spending all their free time together from their work as trainee horse doc, and junior school teacher.

One day a few weeks later after Church Jess took Joshua to one side asking for a quiet word.

“Certainly, my dear boy come into my study,” Josh said kindly.

Once they were both seated Jess looked embarrassed and said, “This is kinda hard for me Josh... but it’s about Sandy and Hannah.”

“Yes?” Josh said raising a questioning eyebrow, “They make a lovely couple do they not?”

“Oh sure, yeah...they do ...it’s just that ...well...”

“Go on Jess... you know you can say anything to me.”

“Well, I guess what I’m trying to say is I don’t wanna see Sandy hurt if Hannah... well isn’t in it for the long haul?”

“Ah I understand,” Joshua said smiling fondly at his old friend. “I assume you are referring to that uh...rather intense crush my dear daughter had on you that time?” (See # 40 The Secret Admirer)

“Yeah well...then once she was over that she struck up that friendship with Davy Squires and nuthin’ came of that...so...”

“Yes, that was a shame. A nice boy...but I’m afraid she was still holding a candle for you Jess and once Davy found out he finished things.”

“Uh, I did wonder,” Jess said softly. “So, her and Sandy do ya think it is real this time huh?”

“I do my dear boy...very real. Hannah is older now and more sensible and I do believe this relationship will last.”

“I sure hope so Josh, for Sandy as much as anything. The boy don’t deserve no more sadness in his life.”

“Quite so, but don’t fret my boy, I think they will survive the test of time. He is off to the Veterinarian College back east soon to finish his training. If they can survive the separation, then I really think they’ll make a go of things.”

Let’s just hope Sandy is over Millie too he thought privately. Jeez why did romancing have to be so dang complicated he thought to himself?

Epilogue

As it worked out Sandy and Hannah did indeed make a go of things. Although Millie would always have a special place in Sandy’s heart, it was Hannah he truly loved and would spend the rest of his life with.

On qualifying as a veterinarian, he returned to Laramie where his older brothers had set up a small market garden after being released from prison. He initially moved in with them and then later was offered a partnership with Doc Peters. Upon his death a couple of years later the old horse doc left the Practice and house to Sandy in his Will. He and Hannah were married and she bore him two sons. One of whom followed his father into the practice while the other followed in his grandfather’s footsteps and became a minister.

A few months after Sandy qualified, Jess Slim and Mort were taking their ease sitting on the Sherman Ranch porch, a coffee apiece and discussing the newly qualified Vet.

“A real big help to the town,” Mort said, “he does all the night calls now old Doc Peters isn’t in the best of health. I’m real glad you were able to help him out,” he added, “you two were kinda responsible for the boy doin’ so well I guess,” he added.

Slim nodded, “The bounty money from Hank Dawes helped pay for the operation, that’s for sure.”

Jess nodded, “I reckon we wouldn’t have been in a position to find that low life Hank if I hadn’t sprung Ben from jail...even if I did feel real bad about it at the time.”

“And so, you should have felt bad,” Mort said dryly, “turning your gun on an officer of the law,” and he tutted, before turning to Slim with a sly wink.

“Real bad that...huh Slim?”

“Could have been worse,” Jess said quickly, “I could have lamped him one.”

“Yes,” Mort said with feeling, the light of battle in his eyes. “Like you did me that time...”

“Yeah, but I did cure yer toothache didn’t I Mort?” came the cheeky response.

“Um, I guess you did at that...and the means did justify the end in that case. You found Slim...thank goodness. But don’t think you’d get away with it again,” Mort said firmly before passing his cup for a refill.

“Hell no!” Jess said with feeling, “I guess my ‘Renegade Days’ are well and truly over Sheriff,” and he grinned so broadly that Mort just had to laugh...and soon all three were laughing uproariously.

The End

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