Page 42 of Wagon Train Honor
They faced each other. Her eyes grew dark.
“You’re welcome.” He touched a finger to her chin. “You have a good life, you hear?”
She brushed her palm to his cheek. “You too.”
For a heartbeat, neither of them moved. He, for one, was reluctant to break this tender connection. But the rumble of approaching horses reminded him of his duties.
“I must go.”
“Of course.” A fingertip touched his lips. Then she stepped back, leaving him frozen in the spot. It was tempting to kiss her. But he didn’t have the right.
“Goodbye,” he whispered past a thousand regrets. Then he raced for the corrals, threw on his saddle, donned his red tunic, and went to meet them.
Seeing him approach, the riders halted the herd. Dust swirled up from their hooves.
The man riding in the lead rode forward, took in Robert’s red jacket, and said, “Howdy. Sam here. I brung your horses.” He pulled the bill of sale from his saddlebag and handed it over.
Robert checked the papers to make sure they were properly signed, then moved forward to look over the animals. They wouldn’t look their best after being driven north to Cypress Hills, but this bunch looked worse than they should. And were days late, which meant they should have been driven at an easy pace. But more concerning was the count. Even after three times, he didn’t get a correct tally.
“I’m to take delivery of twenty head. I count only fifteen.”
“Yeah. We run into trouble. Rustlers.” Sam wiped dust from his brow and adjusted his hat. “The herd scattered in the fight. My brother and one other man was killed.”
The news hit like lightning. “I’m sorry.” Robert glanced at the other riders. They all had the appearance of having survived a tough battle. “Let’s get the horses to the corrals. Then you can tell me what happened.”
Sam waved to the other riders, and he and Robert rode at the head of the herd, leading them down the trail and into the corrals. As soon as the gate closed, the men, apart from Sam, took their supplies and set up camp nearby.
“What can you tell me about the rustlers?” Robert unfolded his notebook and prepared to take a statement.
“Five riders. All with bandannas over their faces. Couldn’t see much of ’em.”
“What about the horses they rode?”
“One rode a big black horse. Too nice for the likes of him. ’Nother had a sorrel with white socks. Others were stocky range animals—red in color. But I’d know that black horse if I saw it agin.”
Robert jotted the information in his book. A distinctive black horse. One like that belonging to those rough-looking men? Didn’t seem that was coincidence. “You say they got away with five horses?”
“The herd stampeded. Took us days to round ’em up. The rustlers vanished in ta thin air.”
“They must have found a hidden draw somewhere.” He drummed his pencil on the page. He wanted to hunt the robbers down, retrieve the missing animals, and escort the men to jail. But he needed to get the horses to the fort. He tucked the notebook back in his pocket. “We’ll deliver the horses and report to the sergeant. He’ll be sending out men to catch these lawbreakers.”
“There ain’t gonna be no we. Me and my men are going home. Gotta tell the widows what happened.” Weariness drew harsh lines on Sam’s face. “You’ll need to hire yerself some others.”
“Of course.” Except there was a dire shortage of available men. Robert considered his options. He could string the remaining animals and hope to manage on his own. But he couldn’t stay awake day and night for the time the journey required. What other option did he have?
“Would any of your men ride with me? I guarantee they’d get a nice bonus.”
“You could ask ’em, but there be times no ’mount of money is ’nuff.”
Sam escorted Robert to the camp the men had set up. But every one of them refused his offer. After thanking them for the delivery of the horses and expressing his condolences for their loss, he went back to the trading post to tell Hiram the news.
“You know any men I could hire to help?”
“Not offhand.” He rubbed his whiskered jaw, the rasping sound grating on Robert’s nerves. “Say, why not ask if you can ride with the Miller bunch?”
Accompany the wagon train? Ride with Ruby and her family? Enjoy her company longer? It was tempting. “That would put them in the path of danger if those men are set on getting more horses.” No. He’d manage on his own.
That night before he turned in, Robert wrote Hennie a letter, including the picture Ruby had drawn. He took the sealed envelope to Hiram, who promised to send it on its way as soon as possible.
