The Clash Between the Minds Page 18

  Sarah gave Mel a gentler thump on his back this time. "You're great for a girl's morale, Mel. You and Rusty both."

  "I apologize for Rusty pushing at you the way she did. It's mighty lonesome for her up here."

  "Forget it, Mel. I've been lonesome, too, so I know what she's going through. She's an attractive girl, and the way she can cook, she shouldn't have a problem finding the right person. She just has to keep looking." Sarah poked him with her elbow. "You, too. You're a good man. The woman who gets you will be lucky."

  Mel blushed furiously. "I want Rusty settled first." He cleared his throat. "Tomorrow, we have to be getting the gold loaded on the wagon. As soon as the roads are clear, I can take it to town and get it smelted down." He took off his hat, ran his hand through his hair, and replaced the hat. "Thieves like to watch the roads coming down from the mountains. Do you think you can ride shotgun for me?"

  Sarah grinned. "How about if I ride Spencer repeating rifle, instead?" She hesitated. "How come you don't take the gold down in a month or so? Wouldn't the thieves have stopped watching the roads by then?"

  "They've been known to come right to a miner's cabin, rob him, and leave him dead. I don't want to put Rusty in danger like that, let alone myself. If people know I've cashed in my gold and the money's in the bank, we'll be a lot safer."

  "All right, tomorrow we load the wagon."

  "Right. Let's go eat."

  After supper had been eaten and the kitchen area cleared, Sarah sat down next to Mel on the couch. Rusty headed toward her bedroom. "Aren't you joining us, Rusty?" Sarah asked.

  "In a minute," Rusty said over her shoulder. She went into the bedroom and came out holding a large box with a ribbon tied around it and a fancy bow on top. She stopped in front of Sarah.

  "I know we'll be going down the mountain soon, and I wanted to give you this." She handed the box to Sarah who was bewildered and curious.

  Sarah untied the ribbon and opened the box. Inside, was a brown leather vest. "Oh," was all Sarah managed to say. She lifted the vest and examined it. Leather fringe ran across the back and the front, about breast high, and two pockets were set low in the front. Nine silver dollars had been pierced and sewed to the vest, one on each pocket, two on each side of the front just above the fringe, and three across the back. So that's where the coins went. Sarah looked up at Rusty. "This is gorgeous. And I'm sure it took a long time to make. I really appreciate it."

  "Stand up and try it on," Rusty said.

  Sarah stood. Rusty held the vest as Sarah put her arms through it and shrugged it on. "Perfect. It fits just right," Sarah said. "How did you put the holes in the dollars?"

  "Banged them in with an awl when you were in the mine." Rusty blushed. "Those dollars are yours. I sneaked them out of your coin bag. I'm glad you didn't notice, because I wanted to surprise you."

  Sarah threw her arms around Rusty's waist, lifted her up, and swung her around. Rusty squealed until Sarah put her back down. "I am surprised. Thank you. Every time I wear this vest, I'll think of you and Mel and how good you've been to me." Sarah let go of Rusty and made a small salute to Mel. "As far as sneaking the coins goes, I probably wouldn't have any at all if Mel hadn't rescued me."

  Mel stood and smacked Sarah's shoulder. "All in a day's work," he said. "That's a mighty handsome vest, sis. I wouldn't mind having one myself after we trade in our gold. Think you could make me one?"

  "I'd love to." Rusty smiled and clapped her hands. "Yours can remind us of Sarah. We'll all have a connection to one another."

  "Connections are good," Sarah said. "I've enjoyed my time here with you two, but I have to admit, I'm getting excited about going back home."

  "We'll miss you," Rusty said.

  Sarah put one hand on the silver dollar on her left pocket. "I'll miss you, too, but I'll wear my vest a lot, so I'll be thinking of you often."

  Sarah rode Redfire through the woods to the left of the gold-ore-laden wagon that Mel drove. The snow remaining on the ground muffled Redfire's steps. The Spencer rifle lay in the crook of her left arm, ready for use at a moment's notice. She couldn't see Rusty, who rode Painter on the opposite side of the trail. That was good. Keeping out of sight was the right idea.

  Sarah wasn't able to make out the path down the mountain, but Mel had no difficulty, no doubt from having ridden it for two years. Something that she didn't consciously understand made her raise the Spencer and aim it forward.

  Two dark forms on horseback appeared through the trees ahead of her. Their attention was focused on Mel and the wagon. She advanced a bit closer, lifted the rifle to her cheek, and thumbed back the hammer. One of the men, half-hidden by the second man, had his rifle braced against a tree and was taking aim on Mel. The second man turned toward Sarah and let out a yell. With a squeeze of the trigger, Sarah sent him flopping to the ground. As she worked the trigger guard, raising a second shot into the barrel, the other man moved his rifle from the tree and fired toward her. Sarah heard the whistle of the shell passing to her left. She thumbed back the hammer, took careful aim, and fired again. The man slumped to the side, slid from his horse, and fell to the ground.

  Mel stopped the wagon and jumped down. Sarah rode quickly to meet him. "Mel," she whispered hoarsely, "I shot two. Go check them. Be careful. There might be more. I'll find Rusty." Mel ran into the forest, and she spurred Redfire across the trail. A shotgun blasted. A rifle fired almost at the same time. Sarah hurried toward the sounds, her eyes peeled for any movement. A standing horse, its saddle empty, appeared to the right of her. At the same moment, she spied a man standing behind a tree. He was aiming a rifle away from her.

  She couldn't shoot him in the back. "Drop it," she called.

  Instead, he jumped behind another tree and brought the rifle to bear on her. Where was Rusty? Shooting the high-velocity Spencer in her direction could be dangerous if she missed the man. She needed to get closer and use her revolver. Sarah dropped her Spencer to the ground and bolted off of Redfire. She lunged for a wide tree and shifted her Colt smoothly from her holster. The man shot, but missed, and she breathed a little easier.

  His next bullet chipped some bark from the tree she hid behind. Pretty good aim. Did he have a repeating rifle? Dare she chance that he didn't? She recalled the shotgun had gone off first, then the rifle right behind it. Rusty must have missed. She could be lying somewhere, hurt or worse. She had to move.

  She ducked her head out from behind the tree and quickly pulled back. The man took a shot at her. After he did, she ran zigzag toward him until she could see him clearly. As she had hoped, he was still loading his rifle. She stopped, aimed her pistol, and fired just as he raised the rifle toward her. He went down like a felled tree.

  "Rusty," Sarah yelled, "are you all right? Where are you?"

  Nothing stirred for a moment, and Sarah's heart beat like a trip-hammer. "Rusty?"

  She heard a faint answer. "Over here."

  Sarah ran toward her. She found her on one knee behind a stout tree trunk. Painter stood nearby, nibbling at a bush. Rusty had the shotgun pointed in Sarah's direction and never lowered it. Sarah knelt beside her. "Are you all right?"

  Rusty looked at Sarah with wide eyes. "I heard some shots. Then I saw a man. I shot him." She pointed to her right. "Over there. We fired at the same time, but his bullet hit a tree." She took a deep breath. "I hit him. I jumped off of Painter and got behind the tree. I was afraid he might not be alone, and he wasn't. I saw another man take off in the direction you just came from. I thought sure he'd come back after me. Did you get him?"

  Sarah put a hand on Rusty's shoulder. "I did. And two others on the other side of the trail. You can relax now."

  "Those shots I heard...is Mel all right?"

  "Mel's fine. Come on, let's go see him."

  Rusty stood up stiffly, her face ashen. She thrust the shotgun toward Sarah, and Sarah lifted it from her hands.

  "Is this the first time you've shot anyone?" Sarah asked.

  Rusty nodded a
nd shivered. "No matter what he's done, I hope he's not dead. I don't even like to shoot animals. Mel does all the hunting." Sarah put her arms around Rusty and hugged her. Even with a heavy coat on, Rusty felt almost insubstantial. Not like Faith. Faith was an armful. Sarah stifled a wry grin. And a handful, in every sense of the word. The thought made her arms yearn to hold Faith.

  She released Rusty and stepped away. "Stay here. I'll check on him." Sarah came right back, leaving a spotted trail of blood as she dragged a man behind her. "He's alive, but unconscious. We need to get them all in the wagon and take them to the sheriff. I didn't see his horse." Rusty grabbed Painter's trailing reins and held the mare still while Sarah loaded the man across Painter's rump.

  Sarah led the horse toward the wagon, with Rusty walking alongside. On the way, they passed the other man Sarah had shot. She stopped and checked him, only to find he was dead. "We'll come back for him," she said. She picked up Redfire's reins, and she and Rusty continued walking until they arrived at the wagon.

  Mel had retrieved the first two. Their bodies lay on top of the boxes of gold ore and their horses were tied to the back of the wagon. "Thank God, you're both all right. I heard shots and was just ready to come after you." Rusty ran toward him and they hugged. "I'm glad you're all right, sis." Mel patted her back then they let go.

  "I see you got another one," he said to Sarah.

  "This one's Rusty's. He's alive," Sarah said. "Couldn't find his horse. There's another one back there, dead. And another horse." She helped Rusty climb onto the wagon seat and tied Painter with the other horses.

  "These two are dead, too." Mel and Sarah loaded the wounded man onto the wagon. "I'll help you get the other man."

  "No need. I'll toss him onto his horse. Just try to calm Rusty. She's pretty upset at shooting a man."

  "Yep. I remember the first time I ever shot one. Up close anyways."

  "So do I. I guess most people never forget that." A picture of a young officer, bright red blood gushing from his eye, leaped into her mind. She switched her thoughts to rid herself of the horrible sight. "I'll get Redfire and the dead man and be right back." And my rifle. Don't want to leave that behind. Who knows when I might need it again? Never, if I had my way. But life holds few guarantees. Of anything.

  Chapter Eleven

  Mel steered the wagon through the streets of Laramie. A number of people, mostly men, walked about. Pieces of discarded paper and other debris mixed with the dust being blown about by the light breeze. It felt ten degrees warmer here than on the mountain, Sarah surmised. As they passed a tent advertising food, she smelled what could be sausage and heard the deep laughter of men. Farther down the street, which was lined with tents, wood-frame buildings, and an occasional brick one, they came to a doctor's office. Mel pulled the wagon to the side, got down, and tied it to the hitching rail.

  Sarah rode Redfire to the side where Rusty sat. "You all right, now?"

  "I think so. I almost threw up on the way down the mountain, but I feel pretty good now."

  Sarah chuckled. "Wouldn't be the first time someone got sick in this wagon. When Mel first brought me home, I think I left half my innards along the trail." Not a great topic of conversation, Sarah thought, but maybe it would take Rusty's mind off the shooting.

  Mel came out of the office with a man behind him. "This here's Doc Tobin. He says to bring everyone inside, even the dead ones. He's the coroner, too." Mel reached for the wounded man. Sarah dismounted, tied Redfire to the back of the wagon, and hurried to help him. They carried the man into the doctor's office and laid him on a table.

  "We'll tie their horses to the hitching rail," Sarah said as the sheriff came in the door. She nodded to him. "One horse got away."

  "Sheriff Boswell," the doctor said by way of introduction. "I think you know Mel Gunther and this here's his partner."

  "Coulter," Sarah said.

  The sheriff shook hands with Mel and Sarah. "What happened? Try to ambush you?"

  "Mel," Sarah said, "suppose you tell him about it, and I'll go back outside with Rusty. I don't like leaving her alone with the wagon." Mel nodded and Sarah went out. She untied the extra horses from the back of the wagon and hooked their reins to the hitching rail.

  Soon the sheriff and Mel returned, and with Sarah's help, they carried the dead men into the doctor's office. "Far as I'm concerned," Boswell said, "you're free to go. Just stop back when you've finished your business, and we'll sort through all this and get you to sign some papers."

  Sarah frowned. "Does that mean me, too?"

  "Did you kill any of these men?"

  Sarah tugged at the neck of her tunic. "Uh...all of them."

  "Then it means you, too."

  Sarah had mixed feelings about the killings. The thieves had taken a chance and put themselves in danger. They probably would have killed Mel and Rusty without second thoughts. Sarah didn't enjoy taking anyone's life, but in this case, she hadn't had much choice. Having to shoot hurriedly and from a distance didn't allow time to try for a nonfatal spot. She just aimed at their chests, the widest area.

  What would Faith think? That question made her really uncomfortable. Again, Sarah hadn't asked for the violence, it had just happened. Was she a magnet for it? She sighed. As far as she was concerned, she'd had enough violence to last her the rest of her life.

  "We'll do that, Sheriff. Thanks," Mel said. They went back to the wagon. "Sarah, do you want to do your telegraphing while we go to the smelter?" Mel climbed onto the wagon seat and gave Rusty a slight bump with his shoulder.

  Sarah untied Redfire and mounted. "No, I'm going with you to the smelter. I'm not leaving you until I know you and your gold are safe."

  "My gold? Part of it's yours, too."

  "Oh no. Keep that part as room and board. That's only fair."

  "No, it ain't. You worked hard for it. It's only fitting that you should have a share."

  Sarah rode Redfire up next to him and tugged on his arm. "Mel, I insist. I don't need the gold. I won't tell you my address unless you promise to keep every bit of it."

  Mel opened his mouth, but Rusty beat him to it. "For gosh sakes, Mel, promise her. You know Sarah by now. What she says, she means. She won't take the gold. I want her address so I can write to her. She said I could, and I want to." Rusty turned on her most charming smile. "Besides, you know I'll pester you to death, if you don't."

  Mel threw up his hands in a gesture of surrender. "All right, all right. God knows I can't win an argument with one woman, let alone two."

  Sarah winked at Mel. "I guess Rusty's feeling better. She's got her tongue back."

  Mel hooted and Rusty punched his arm. "I'd smack you, too, Sarah, if I could reach you."

  Sarah leered at her. "Unlucky me."

  Mel snickered. "All right, you two. Let's go get our ore smelted." He shook the reins, clucked to Brownie, and started off.

  When the ore had been unloaded, Sarah left Mel and Rusty to take care of the buying and selling details. She stopped in one of the stores. While there, she got directions to the telegraph office from the shopkeeper. She continued on to the telegraph office and sent a message to Faith and the same one to Leah and Phillip. "Snowed in for the past three months. Coming home. Love, Sarah." She didn't put a time to expect her. She knew any unforeseen delays would only worry them more. She sent wires to her parents and Scott and Lindsay that she was all right and was on her way home to Bonneforte.

  When she went to the Union Pacific train station, Sarah was surprised to see the ticket seller was a woman. She assumed that was because of Wyoming Territory's new law allowing women to be equal to men in voting and holding office. That probably had filtered down to civilian jobs. "I need a ticket on the next train for Missouri, Bonneforte, Missouri."

  The woman checked a schedule. "That leaves at 6:30 tonight."

  When Sarah gave her name to be added to the passenger list, the woman behind the counter peered at her. "I don't mean to offend you, but are you a man or a woman?"<
br />
  Sarah paid her more attention. She was a nice-looking woman, medium size, dark hair, eyes the color of the center of that flower, Black-Eyed Susans. Near Rusty's age. A smile twitched at Sarah's lips. "No offense taken. I'm a woman, Miss...?"

  "Miss Elgin." A grin creased the woman's face. "I thought so, judging from your name. Not often we see a woman in men's clothing. I like the idea. Maybe the time will come when all women can dress however they want to."

  "Maybe so. Pants are sure more practical than dresses. For most things."

  Miss Elgin laughed aloud. "Too bad you're leaving town, Miss Coulter. I like your sense of humor." She twirled the pen she held, and her tone deepened. "Can I do anything else for you?"

  Sarah groaned inwardly. Not that she would ever cheat on Faith, she didn't even want to, but where were these attractive women when she was single? "I'm taking my horse with me."

  Miss Elgin wrote something next to Sarah's name on the list. "That will be six dollars. Three for you and three for your horse."

  Sarah counted out the coins from what was left in her bag. She'd dumped most of them into a kitchen drawer at the Gunthers' house. She put the bag away.

  Miss Elgin stamped the ticket and passed it to her. Sarah slipped it into her hip pocket.

  "Will you be coming back to Laramie?"

  "I'm not sure. But I do have someone I'd like you to meet."

  "Oh?"

  Now Sarah pitched her voice lower. "I think you two might have a lot in common."

  Sarah and Miss Elgin looked at each other silently, until Miss Elgin said, "When will I meet this...person?"

  "She'll be with me when I return to the station. She and her brother."

  Miss Elgin's lips curved upward slightly. "I look forward to meeting her."

  Sarah left and met up again with Mel and Rusty. "I got a train ticket for tonight, 6:30."

  Rusty looked sad. "So you really are leaving."

  "Yes. But let's get things straightened out with the sheriff first." They went to the sheriff's office and left the wagon and Redfire tied to the hitching rail. Rusty walked behind the wagon and gave Painter a pat. "I haven't deserted you, girl. But the wagon's more comfortable." She rejoined Sarah and Mel and the three of them entered the office.