Page 62 of Wagon Train Honor
Dismounting, he made his way past the garden spot.
Dobie huddled on the ground, glancing up as Robert drew near. Tears streaked his face, and he burst out crying when he recognized Robert.
“I thought you might be here.” Robert crouched beside Dobie. “You brought a blanket.” Army-gray wool covered the two smaller graves.
“I didn’t want them to be cold.” His sobs ended, and he swiped away the tears.
Robert pressed his hand to the child’s back. “That’s very kind of you.”
Silence greeted his remark.
Dobie sucked in a shuddering breath. “And then I couldn’t remember how to get back, and I didn’t want to be here in the dark.”
“You know someone would have come looking for you.”
“I guess.” He glanced nervously over his shoulder. “But what if it was bad men?”
Every muscle in Robert tensed. Did Dobie think someone watched him? Had he seen something suspicious?
Without being obvious, Robert checked his surroundings. He didn’t see a person, but there were far more hoofprints than he’d left. The skin on the back of his neck prickled.
Someone had been here. Someone who might even now be watching his back.
“He’s on his way,”Joe called.
A collective sigh filled the air. They’d gotten enough information from Bertie to understand Dobie had taken a blanket back to the graves so they wouldn’t be cold.
Louise and Cecil rushed to take their son from Robert. Cecil shook Robert’s hand and thanked him. Louise rocked the boy and hugged him tight.
With a tip of his head to Joe, Robert signaled him to join him.
Ruby waited until their backs were to her. Then she followed, moving quietly and trying to remain out of sight.
“There’s evidence of other riders,” Robert explained what he’d seen as he saddled his horse and gathered supplies. “I’m going to find them. If they aren’t the rustlers, then I need to know why they are so secretive.”
“Be careful.”
“I always am.” He swung into his saddle and reined around. That’s when he saw Ruby lurking in the shadows, and he rode closer. “I’ll be back.”
“Must you go out this close to dark? Wouldn’t it be safer to wait for daylight?”
“Darkness hides me. I won’t come back until my job is done.”
A hundred fears, a thousand protests flooded her thoughts, but she nodded. “You’re a Mountie.”
He touched her cheek, then moved away.
She watched until he was out of sight, found a touch of comfort in the way he clung to the shadows. “Go with God,” she murmured.
Her stomach growled. Wait. He hadn’t eaten. But he was gone. No packhorse. Only what he carried on his saddle. She whispered another prayer for his safety, then joined the others for the delayed meal. She let Joe explain where he’d gone and ignored Angela’s sympathetic words.
She ate her food, helped clean the dishes, pretended to sing when Gabe played his guitar, and then lingered around the campfire long after the coals turned black.
Angela climbed from their wagon. “He’s not likely to come back tonight. You might as well go to bed.”
“Oh, I was lost in thought and didn’t realize how late it was.” Ruby hurriedly placed her bedding under the wagon and prepared for the night. Not that she expected to sleep a wink.
Chapter 15
