Page 19 of Follow the Lonesome Trail
“Well, I can’t let that happen to the boys!” He sounded irritated, as if offended she would think otherwise.
“That’s all fine and good, but I’m fairly certain that if we examine the matter systematically, we can find some sort of solution.”
“It had better be quick. Wouldn’t surprise me if the sheriff already had an idea about who robbed the train.”
“Already?”
“Sheriff Taylor is smart. Won’t take him long to find something to put him on the boys’ trail.”
Constance sat down at the table in silence, fiddling nervously with the brooch at her neck. Gideon remained quiet for so long that when he spoke again, it nearly startled her.
“This land hasn’t been ours for all that long.”
Constance glanced at him in surprise at the change of subject.
“Pa was a surveyor for the railroad and bought it when me and Tate was just little.” He paused. “He and Ma were real fond of it. Ma passed having Walter and then Pa was gone a couple years later. They’re buried out back.
“It’s a nice place,” Gideon finished after another strange pause.
“It is,” Constance agreed, hoping he’d go on. When he didn’t, she said, “Home is important.”
He took a breath that sounded a little harsh to her ears. “But what does it matter if the people supposed to be in it aren’t there?”
Just then the front door slammed open and Tate came in carrying Walter upside down.
“Put me down!” Walter shrieked, even as he laughed.
“Where’s Marsh?” Gideon asked.
“Out with the horses, he’ll be in here in a minute,” Tate dropped Walter down to where his hands could touch the ground, then let go. The boy tumbled in a squawking heap.
“I’ve been wondering…” Constance began, then, unable to explain her question, simply said, “Is his name reallyMarshMarshall?”
Tate and Walter both snorted and Gideon swatted Tate upside the back of the head.
“He hates his name, so we’ve always called him Marsh,”
“Not always,” Tate grinned, as Marsh walked in the front door. “We used to call him…”
“How ‘bout you shut up or I’ll tell her why we call youTate,” Marsh said with a straight face.
Tate lost his grin very quickly.
“Your name isn’t actually Tate?” Constance asked.
“Nah, it's William,” Walter said, grabbing several slices of bacon from the plate Gideon had set on the table.
“Then why do you…” Constance started, but Tate cut her off.
“I’ve got to go see to the milk cow,” Tate said abruptly and stalked out of the room.
Gideon grinned as the door slammed behind him and said in a loud whisper, “He ate an awful lot of taters when he was a kid…”
“Hey Gid!” Tate’s shout was serious, cutting off the rest of Gideon’s sentence. All three of the brothers immediately moved towards the front door.
Constance slowly followed, then stopped when Gideon waved a hand at her to stay back. She obeyed, though she still moved as close to the window as she dared.
Four men had appeared in the yard. Constance’s palms grew damp as she realized the middle-aged rider sitting lazily in the saddle wore a sheriff’s badge. Two deputies had already dismounted and held Tate in handcuffs. A third moved towards Marsh.
