By Joanna
Chapter II
Trail's End
"Okay, so how did you know?" Cody sighed as he sat himself down at the bunkhouse table with a mug of coffee.
Jimmy put his finger over his lips and motioned toward the sleeping figures of Lou and Buck, who'd taken the time only to cram a biscuit into their mouths before climbing into bed after their long night of riding.
Cody glared but nodded and then leaned forward and whispered, "Okay, how did you know?" he repeated in his quiet voice.
Noah and Teaspoon leaned forward with interest as well.
Jimmy shrugged, "Well, you know I come from Kansas, and that's not too far from here, right?" Their impatient nods assured him they did, "Well, every year we used to have a gathering of all the farmers and homesteaders and sod busters at harvest time. And this old man named Bill, who came out here as soon as the land was bought and lived here ever since. Well, he'd tell us stories. And the favorite story of his was the story of this mustang stallion. Of course, if it's the same stallion that'd put him at 60 or 70 years old now, but I guess it could be a son of his."
Teaspoon nodded, "Well, let's hope so, or I ain't too worried about catching him. So you're telling me the most interesting story Old Man Bill could come up with was about a horse?"
Jimmy shook his head and smiled ruefully, "This ain't just any horse and it ain't just a story, Teaspoon. This stallion has taken over a thousand mares, I'm telling you. He's smart, and mean too if the name Satan is any indication. Ain't too many people got a good look at anything but his hindquarters disappearing into the highlands." Still, he kept his mouth closed about the legend involving the real Satan and the stallion.
"Satan huh?" Noah shook his head, "Sounds like a real nice horse."
"Well, I don't believe it. But Buck says there's only one pair of tracks besides our horses', and that I do believe. So until we get a better theory, then I guess we'll figure Jimmy might be right," Teaspoon sighed and looked apologetically at Noah and Cody.
"I'm right," Jimmy agreed, nodding.
"Well, that's all well and good Hickok. But what do we do about it?" Cody asked sarcastically.
"Go get him," Jimmy replied easily and a reckless smile tugged as his lips, "We'd be famous, I'll tell you that much. I even hear tale the horse has a price on his head."
At the possibility of fame and fortune Cody's ears practically pricked forward like an interested dog. He cocked his head to the side, only aiding the similarity. "Price?"
Jimmy nodded, "It'll probably go up now that he's roaming these parts."
"Now hold on Jimmy. You already got a job. You can't go on a wild horse chase."
"We can't do our job till we get our horses back Teaspoon. Heck, the company will more than likely send us after him anyway before it's over."
As if by premonition, Kid opened the bunkhouse door and stomped in, half shouting "Teaspoon!"
"Shhh!" Teaspoon, Cody, Noah, and Jimmy all hissed at the same time, but the disturbance passed unnoticed to Lou and Buck.
Kid glanced in the direction of the bunks and closed the door softly, creeping over to the table and handing Teaspoon a letter.
"What's this?"
"Letter from headquarters in St. Joe. Seems almost every station has been hit by the horse thieves."
"Thief," Jimmy corrected him, and Kid raised his eyebrows.
Teaspoon shot an irritated glance in Jimmy's direction, but the returning look was defiant. He looked down at the letter and scanned the first few lines. Teaspoon shook his head and raised his eyes to Jimmy's again before turning to the other boys. "Much as I hate to admit this, Hickok here was right for once about one thing. Company wants you boys to track the horse thieves and bring back our horses, and the outlaws."
"Outlaw," Jimmy supplied again helpfully, grinning and blinking innocently at the murderous glare from his boss.
Teaspoon cleared his throat in irritation and read on, "You won't be paid any extra for this duty per se…"
"Surprise, surprise," Noah muttered.
"But, should you be successful in bringing back the bandits," Teaspoon raised his eyes long enough to send Jimmy a warning glare should he feel the need to make the noun singular, and continued, "you will be rewarded with bonuses of $25 each."
"For spending a week risking our neck and scalps in the high country?" Kid wondered, "I got three times that just for catching a single man from Cole Lambert! Much less a group of horse thieves…"
"How many times do I have to tell you there's only…" Jimmy started in.
"Hickok!" Teaspoon roared.
Lou and Buck both jumped to sitting positions and looked around in confusion.
"What's going on?" Lou mumbled.
"Nothing, except the company's sending us in the mountains to track the horse thieves!" Noah supplied.
"I thought there was only one of them," Buck stated sleepily, not understanding the sigh of complete frustration from Teaspoon as he threw his hands up and muttering to himself left the bunkhouse.
"Go back to sleep, you two. We'll explain everything later," Jimmy promised, and they very willingly complied.
It was soon decided that the boys would in fact ride out over the horse thief or thieves the next day. Teaspoon borrowed horses from the towns' people who'd been lucky enough not to lose theirs. The boys and Lou spent the day sleeping and packing up. At dinner there was a sense of excitement among them, as they made Jimmy tell the story of Satan over and over.
"No way. There can't be a horse eighteen hands high! Not a mustang!" Kid shook his head as he buttered a roll, "Not even one of them thoroughbred race horses would be eighteen hands!"
"Well, that's what they say. Black as night too…with blue eyes."
Kid and Cody both snorted in disbelief.
"Wanna make me a bet that he don't have blue eyes?" Jimmy charged.
"Uh, Jimmy, you haven't ever exactly seen this horse and you're gonna bet on the color of his eyes?" Noah questioned.
Jimmy turned to glare at Noah, then looked across the table, "Bill wouldn't lie. I bet you all five dollars that the horse has blue eyes and that he's at least eighteen hands."
Noah stuck out his hand and Jimmy grasped it firmly, with no doubt that the five dollars would be his.
Lou sat on the top of the corral fence enjoying a beautiful sunset. Her mind worked furiously, although outwardly she appeared perfectly at peace. This little adventure the company was sending them on would be the first time she was forced to be near Kid for any set amount of time. She couldn't refuse to go on the run, and she couldn't exactly follow at her own pace.
"Lou?"
She stiffened at the voice she knew so well, the one she heard in her dreams speaking softly, as well as her nightmares telling the other boys she hadn't been meant for him.
"Lou, I just wanna talk to you for a few minutes," Kid said quietly, seeing her preparing for battle. "Will you listen?"
Lou thought it over long and hard before nodding her head. She continued to stare towards the western sky as Kid climbed up on the fence beside her. For a moment he was silent, watching the sunset with her, and Lou was reminded of all the times they crept out of the bunkhouse after dinner to watch the sky turn into a canvas of red, pink, and gold together.
"Lou, what I said...before you left for Willow Springs about you and me..."
Lou clenched her jaw to steel the strange combination of fury and sorrow that washed over her at the mere mention of the conversation she'd overheard. It was still clear and painful in her memory.
"How long am I supposed to brood over something that just wasn't meant to be?" he'd asked all the other boys, seconds before finding himself face to face with her. He hadn't tried to clear it up right then, and Lou felt too much time had passed for anything he said to help her understand.
"Kid," Lou started, her tone one of warning.
"Lou, just hear me out, for God's sake."
Lou pressed her lips tightly together at the irritation in his tone, but nodded.
"Lou, when I said that I was crazy with hurt. And I never would have said it if I thought you were nearby."
"So, you want to talk about me behind my back now? Is that it?" Lou couldn't help muttering angrily.
"Lou, I know there's nothing I can do to make up for what I said before, and I know there's nothing that will make you understand why I turned to Samantha," Lou's fingernails dug into the corral fence at the mention of the name, "But I do care about you Lou, and I do still want to be friends. We been through too much together to just forget everything now.
Lou looked away from the eyes that were suddenly so gentle, the ones that were now trying to will her to look into. If she did meet that stare, she'd give in. She knew it as easily as she knew her own name.
"Do you think that's possible? After everything?"
"I hope so Lou. I really do. I know you're angry at me. Hell, I was angry at you too. But it's just making us both miserable. Don't you think we'd be happier if we were to start acting like friends again? Or at least try it?"
"I have to know something first Kid."
Kid nodded, "Fair enough. What is it?"
Lou still couldn't meet his eyes, even though she would have liked to in order to gauge his response. "Do you think what happened was a mistake? Are you sorry about it?"
Kid ducked his head to put his gaze in direct line with her eyes. He studied her with those eyes, eyes that only a lover could know so well. Slowly he shook his head, "Lou, those times we had together were the happiest of my life. I wouldn't trade them for all the money in the world, or all the Samanthas. Our timing was wrong, not us. How could you think I regretted any of that?"
Lou felt her cheeks grow red, but her heart slowed down from its dreadful thumping at finally hearing those words from him. She had meant something to him. Jimmy and Rachel both had been assuring her that was so for weeks, but only now could she start to believe them.
"What do you say Lou? Friends?"
Lou sighed, feeling different emotions urging her to answer different ways. Her pride was one of the foremost, remembering still too easily what it was like to hear the boys teasing Kid about Samantha, to hear the townspeople ask Kid for weeks afterwards why in the world he'd let the beautiful woman get away. But, bitterness was very taxing work, and it had a way of tiring a person out after awhile. Sometimes, Lou knew, it was just better to give into the pull to find peace and swallow some pride. As hard as that was for her…
She looked at the dust, anything to avoid those eyes, "It's worth a try, Kid. But I don't think it's as easy as all that."
"Why shouldn't it be? We forgive each other, and try to pick up where we went wrong."
"Kid, there's a big difference in forgiving and forgetting and I'm not likely to forget anything that happened for a long time."
Kid felt a deep sigh of relief from the bottom of his heart fill his frame. It wasn't perfect, but it was so comforting to finally see her soft eyes filled with something besides anger and sorrow.
"But you're willing to try?" Kid asked with a slight smile.
"I'm willing to try," she agreed.
"Do you want me to go now?" Kid wondered.
"I think I'd like to be alone…yes," Lou answered, although it was tempting to have him stay and enjoy the sunset that they used to love to watch together, wondering what the next day would bring, at ease with the knowledge they would face it together, whatever it was.
Kid nodded, "You'll be in soon? It's very cold…"
"Kid, I can take care of myself," Lou responded, but felt a twitch of joy that he still displayed concern for her safety, as maddening as that sometimes was, "I'll be along soon."
Kid met her eyes and smiled softly, shoving his hands into his pockets and walking away.
Once he was out of sight, Lou lay her head on her arms and let the tears flow from the corners of her eyes. She wasn't at all sure if it was going to be as easy for her as it seemed to be for Kid to just go back to being friends. She longed for the days when they'd loved easily and carelessly, letting what felt right between their hearts dictate their relationship, and not conventional rules. That was what she missed, even more than the friendship they'd shared since their first days at the express.
"Not again Lou," Jimmy sighed from behind her and then climbed to lean on the corral fence with her, "This ain't healthy you know. You ought to make up with him…or at least just talk to him."
Lou looked over at Jimmy and giggled at the absurdity, "I just did."
Jimmy raised his eyebrows, "You two is friends again?"
"Yep."
"So why are you crying?" Jimmy wondered carefully, knowing the slightest slip on his part could cause an explosion from her.
"I don't know. I think because I'm happy," Lou replied, the truthful nature of the statement dawning on her as she said it, "But it feels like I've given up, like I've lost a fight or something. It's like I had no choice but to surrender, even though I don't know if I was ready."
"Aw, Lou, I know it isn't easy…but if it helps, I think you were ready. And I'm proud of you."
Lou smiled at him and nodded, "That does help, Jimmy. Thank you."
Setting his arm around Lou's shoulder he squeezed her, "Things are going to get better for you now, I promise."
"Well boys, you've got a week and a half to get the horses back, but it'll be a good two days ride to the mountains before you can start looking. If you aren't back in two weeks, I'm gonna get worried." Teaspoon announced as all of his riders sat on their mounts facing him. Each had a packhorse to carry provisions, and they were bundled warmly in the early spring air, "I want you to be careful out in the high country boys. The weather up there is as dangerous as the Indians, and I don't want you caught by either. Watch the sky, Buck, you know the land...make sure these other boys...and girl...listen to you."
"I will Teaspoon," Buck assured him and all the riders exchanged glances.
"Ready to ride?" Cody asked his friends as he looped the reins of his pack horse around his saddle horn, despite Teaspoon's warning that it was safer to hold them at all times. Anything to save labor, that was Cody's motto.
"Ride Safe!" Teaspoon and Rachel called at the same time as the boys thundered out of the station.
They rode hard for two days, taking the path directly across the land and heading towards the snow covered mountains. They arrived in the last civilization to be found before the wild country of the highlands took over at sunset on the second day. The little town was comfortably entrenched into a side of a foot hill, taking a tenacious hold on the ground, and holding out stubbornly against the wilderness just behind the settlement. The lights in all the buildings blazed cheerfully as the weary travelers from Sweetwater rode down main street.
The town, appropriately named Trail's End, as it was the last bit of civilization before the high country, was a wild sort of place with more saloons than businesses, and more shady looking characters than respectable citizens, at least after sunset. There was no hotel that wasn't also a brothel to stay in, and in respect for Lou they opted instead to rent a few rooms at a boarding house on the far end of town instead.
"This is my kind of place!" Cody sighed in appreciation as a few painted ladies of the night crossed their path, smiling alluringly and crooking their fingers at the group of boys.
Lou blushed and looked away, accidentally meeting Kid's eyes as he automatically glanced at her to gage her reaction. Both quickly looked at the ground instead, startled to have found the other looking back.
They were all bone tired and chilled to the bone when they left their horses in the livery and knocked on the door of the rickety looking boarding house. Almost instantly, the door opened, showering a rush of warm air and bright light onto the boys standing on the frozen ground.
Apparently, spring hadn't come to Trail's End yet.
The older woman who greeted them was plump and gray, and talked incessantly as she ushered them all into the parlor and had them pull their chairs close to the fireplace. She seemed a lonely woman, and by her eagerness to give them three rooms for the price of two, Kid wondered how lucrative her business was. When she insisted on feeding them dinner for no extra cash, he realized she was more lonely than destitute.
Within five minutes, she'd introduced herself as Lucy Bedford, and informed them she was a widow, filthy rich, and God fearing. Then she rushed into the kitchen to finish preparing supper, leaving the boys and Lou exchanging wide-eyed glances at each other, with little to say.
"I feel like I'm at church!" Jimmy hissed to Lou as he gazed at all the crucifixes around the room.
"It'll probably do you some good!" Lou shot back as Mrs. Bedford bellowed that dinner was ready.
They filed awkwardly into the small kitchen and bumped into each other as they sat down around the table and began eagerly helping their plates.
"Which one of you would like to say grace?" she asked, folding her hands primly as she sat down at the head of her table.
Jimmy released the piece of bread that he'd almost shoved into his mouth and looked at his plate with cheeks burning.
He felt, rather than saw Mrs. Bedford's eyes on him, "How about you, young man?"
The others hid their smirks by bowing their heads. He looked across the table and saw the challenge in Noah's eyes before bowing his own head. He felt his face flush scarlet from the back of his neck up to his forehead as he cleared his throat.
"Dear Lord, um, this looks like a real good meal, and it's nice that you let us live this long to enjoy it." He looked up to see them all still bending their heads, obviously expecting more. With a deep sigh, Jimmy added the prayer he'd known in boyhood. "Bless this meal, bless this place, don't let no bread crumbs get on my face. Amen."
"Amen!" the others chorused heartily as Mrs. Bedford looked at him with a combination of amusement and disapproval.
"Amen," she added a moment later, after tacking on her own blessing after Jimmy's, obviously feeling his wasn't sufficient.
The riders ate hungrily for several minutes, pausing only long enough to gulp down some milk, or make deeply satisfied sounds of approval. Mrs. Bedford beamed from her own plate.
"Ma'am, this has got to be the best meal I ever had in my life!" Cody exclaimed through a mouthful of something that was now unrecognizable.
Lou kicked him under the table, "Mind your manners, Cody!"
Kid looked at their hostess and smiled, "You'll have to forgive Billy, Mrs. Bedford, come supper time, he forgets everything but his stomach!"
Mrs. Bedford shook her head and clicked her tongue, "Now, Mr. Cody, glutton is one of the seven deadly sins."
Cody grinned at her, "So I've been told."
Mrs. Bedford hid a smile behind her napkin demurely and then leaned back in her chair as Cody and Jimmy heaped one last helping on their plates.
A gunshot outside caused everyone to jump and reach for the guns Mrs. Bedford had insisted they hang on the coat rack.
"Don't pay that any mind. It's safe enough in here."
"Ma'am, no offense, but isn't this sort of a dangerous town for a woman on her own?" Kid wondered.
"Ah, they don't bother me any more, child. I've got the good Lord on my side. I think they all think I'm crazy because I preach to those that would try to cause me trouble."
"Why do you stay here?" Noah wondered, "Surely you could have an easier life back East, or even somewhere out West, away from these mountain men and outlaws."
"I take it upon myself to bring lost souls to the Lord. There's a lot of them around this territory," She narrowed her eyes and heaped another ladle full of stew onto Lou's plate, muttering something about "skin and bones." She then cast a sharp brown eye around the table, "And what of you boys? What brings you to Trail's End?"
"We're here to find Satan!" Cody grinned. There was nothing that could have prepared them for her reaction.
"What!" Mrs. Bedford cried, jumping to her feet, "What kind of people are you?" She clutched the rosary she wore at her neck and crossed herself fervently.
"Ma'am it's not what you think!" Lou cried, jumping up and walking toward the woman, "We're not chasing the real Satan, just the horse by the same name."
"As if there is any difference!" Mrs. Bedford shrieked, backing away as if Lou had the plague. She lunged for a large knife.
"Whoa, Mrs. Bedford! Don't do anything crazy!" Kid called out, standing up, as did the other boys.
"Get thee behind me Satan!" She screeched, plastering herself against the back wall and brandishing the knife. Lou began moving away from her in earnest, holding her hands out.
"It's just a horse!" Buck cried out as Lou stumbled backwards into his chest. He put both hands on her arms to steady her when she jumped and then stepped in front of her, "We're sorry to have scared you, but it's all a big misunderstanding, see?"
"Misunderstanding! You're the demons who are misunderstanding! That horse is the devil and everyone knows it! Tried to steal my soul from me just last night! And he'll steal yours too! He already has, hasn't he? He sent you for me! Well you can't have me, you dark angels! Yea, though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death I will fear no evil…"
Jimmy and Kid exchanged a look as Mrs. Bedford sank to her knees, clasping her hands around her cross and praying feverishly.
"But Mrs. Bedford, we're just messengers for the…"
"Messengers! God Almighty! Satan is trying to get to me through you! Oh Lord! Oh Merciful Lord!" She convulsed and jerked, falling onto the floor and shaking.
"She's having some kind of a seizure!" Lou cried out in terror, rushing forward to bravely dodge the slashing knife and pull it away from Mrs. Bedford.
"More like an exorcism," Noah commented as he went to help Lou still the woman.
She looked up at two young people who bent over her, trying to keep her from hurting herself and made the sign of the hex to ward off the evil, before her eyes rolled back in her head, and she fainted.
"Nice going Cody. You damn near killed her!" Noah informed the blond rider.
Kid rushed to take the older woman's pulse and eased her into a more comfortable position with Noah's help.
"What in the world got into her? What did she mean Satan was trying to steal her?" Lou wondered.
Jimmy cupped his face in his hands and groaned.
"What is it?" Buck wondered.
"Boys, Lou, there is something I should tell you about Satan."
Ike tapped his chest and signed furiously, and Buck nodded, "I agree with Ike. Whatever it is can wait. We should clear out of here before she wakes up and hurts herself--or us," he added as an afterthought.
They grabbed their gear and headed out across the street, away from the boarding house. As they were leaving Cody glanced at Buck, "Get thee behind me Satan? I didn't think anyone ever really said that."
"Well, apparently they do," Kid answered, "You just couldn't keep your mouth shut? Did it ever occur to you that a woman as religious as that might not like the name Satan mentioned under her roof?"
Cody shook his head, "Oh no you don't! There was no way I could have known she was crazy like that! All I did was tell the truth. Thou shall not lie, or something."
"No, instead thou shalt open thine's mouth and insert thine's foot every chance thee gets!" Lou muttered, drawing a laugh from them all.
Cody glared at Lou, then made the sign of the devil and hid behind Noah, peering from around his shoulder and looking at Lou, "Get thee behind me Satan! You she-devil!"
Buck shook his head, "Let's not talk about this any more. It's bad medicine!" the others seeing he was serious, respectfully ceased.
"Well," Noah wondered, looking around the town and hearing wild noises coming from the saloons in every direction, "What now?"
To be continued...Chapter Three
Copyright 1998-This work is not to be reproduced without the permission of the author
