Page 20 of Follow the Lonesome Trail
“What is this?” Gideon’s voice carried loudly.
“Mornin’, Gid,” The sheriff said as he dismounted, “I hate to tell you this, but the boys are gonna have to come with me.”
“They didn’t do nothing!” Walter said, rushing over to where Tate was pulling against his captors.
“What are you talking about?” Gideon tried to grab Walter, but the boy was already past him, latching onto the first deputy’s arm and pulling.
“Now, Gid, don’t tell me you don’t know what these boys were up to. We practically tracked their horses here and they match the descriptions given by the witnesses. There ain’t nobody else nearby…hey, quit that kid!”
“Get him off me!” yelled the deputy that Walter was practically climbing.
Tate tripped over the second deputy’s foot and hit the dirt, spluttering as he got a face full of grit. By this time the third deputy had grabbed hold of Marsh’s arms, pulling him back as he tried to go to his brother’s aid. Just as Gideon rushed forward the first deputy screeched and leapt back, accidentally kicking Tate in the rear. He jerked and Walter hit the ground, wiping his bloody mouth as the deputy held his equally bloody right ear.
A loud gunshot cut through the chaos and froze everyone in their tracks. For a moment, Constance felt sick and nearly fell over in relief when she saw the sheriff lower his smoking pistol from the sky and slide it back into his holster.
“I said, that’s enough.” The sheriff didn’t shout, but he might as well have. “The two of you are coming with me and that’s an end to it. You can’t go around robbing trains and kidnapping ladies with no consequences.”
Gideon stood up, helping Tate back to his feet. Constance knew just what he was about to say when he took a step towards the sheriff. And though it was far from brilliant, she had an idea.
With a spring in her step, she strolled out the front door with a, “Goodness, was someone shooting?”
Sheriff Taylor, to give him credit, was a bit surprised when she walked out the door, but when she introduced herself as MissC.J. Morrow, the lady who’d been abducted from the train, she could see the wheels turning in his brain.
“Are you alright, ma’am?” the sheriff asked.
“Why of course!” Constance smiled politely, then said, “But why on earth do you have those boys all tied up?”
“They’ll pay their dues for kidnapping you, don’t you worry none about that,” one of the deputies chimed in, his eyes wide and a faint blush touching his cheeks as he looked her over.
“Well, yes, of course I was kidnapped,” Constance said, directly to the sheriff, “By two rather incompetent men. Despite that, I did find some difficulty in trying to get away from them,” she walked down the steps as she spoke and slipped a hand in the crook of Gideon’s arm. “But as you can see, Mr. Marshall here did a wonderful job of rescuing me! I wanted to be taken into town yesterday, but after my ordeal, well, I believe Mr. Marshall must have thought I needed the rest, so he kindly let me stay here for the night. The men even slept in the barn. Wasn’t that generous of them?”
She beamed up at the sheriff and squeezed Gideon’s arm, hoping he’d let her do most of the talking.
Sheriff Taylor stared at her, with one eyebrow raised. “Mm. Generous. And just who were these two desperate characters Gid saved you from?”
Constance’s palms felt damp. “They…well, you see, they wore masks. I’m new to this part of the country, so how could I know who they were?”
“I see,” the sheriff grunted and shifted to look at Tate and Marsh, still handcuffed. “And how come you didn’t say anything about this rescue when we rode up?”
Gideon bristled and with believable indignation said, “Well, you didn’t give me a chance before you started arresting the boys!”
Sheriff Taylor let out a heaving sigh and shoved his hat further back off his forehead. Constance knew he was about to poke holes in their already cracking story, for it was clear he saw right through the farce. After a long silence, he said, “Did the outlaws hurt you, ma’am?”
“Not at all,” Constance said, firmly.
“Boys, untie the Marshalls and go water the horses,” the sheriff finally said with his hands on his hips.
“But Bill!”
“We’ve got the eyewitness right here saying the Marshalls rescued her. I’m gonna ask her a question or two. Now, go water the horses!”
The three deputies did as they were told and untied Tate and Marsh, grumbling all the way to the water trough. Sheriff Taylor stepped forward until he stood right in front of the lot of them.
“Ma’am. Can I speak to you over here a mite?” The sheriff gestured to the other side of the house.
She followed him, trying to hide her nerves, when he finally stopped. “You know good and well you could press charges. You say the word right now and I’ll make an arrest.”
“Sheriff, you are a credit to your profession. And if I knew hardened outlaws that needed to be brought to justice, believe me, I’d tell you who they were.” Constance fisted her hands in her skirt.
