Page 66 of Montana Lawman Rescuer
“I saw Collins yesterday. He had a deer he’d just shot. He said his son is doing well.” Dawson explained that the boy had been injured falling from the loft.
“Good to hear,” Jesse said. “Where did you see him?”
“Where the trail to the falls forks.”
Jesse laughed. “That must have been what we heard.” He told them of the incident yesterday. “I wondered if someone was shooting at me.”
“Who would be shooting at you?” Sadie’s voice conveyed disbelief.
“Seems nobody was,” Jesse said. “But there are three men running around robbing people and not minding if they kill someone in the process. Emily survived one incident. We also met some ruffians on the trail. Wouldn’t care to meet them again.”
Emily and Jesse had discussed the trio, and she had told him she was certain they weren’t the same ones who robbed the stagecoach. This meant there was more than one set of unsavory characters to be concerned about, though Jesse believed the three who stopped them on the trial had left the area.
“You haven’t captured them yet?” Grandfather demanded of Jesse.
“I lost their trail in the mountains.”
“I thought you could track over rock or ice.”
Jesse laughed. “I never claimed that.”
Grandfather studied him a moment. “I assume you will continue to look for them.”
“Certainly. You don’t need to ask.”
Emily squirmed. “It’s my fault he isn’t out there.” She hung her head to think she was keeping him from his work.
“Part of my job is to protect Emily.”
All eyes shifted to her. Mr. Morrison spoke, perhaps for them all, “Aye, lassie, and are you in danger from these scoundrels?”
“I don’t know. I didn’t see any of their faces, but perhaps they don’t know that. I’m waiting until I hear from the Newmans regarding Mikey before I make any plans.” And then what? She would go home, except she didn’t know where home was.
Annie sat back, disappointment in her eyes and her words. “I had hoped you’d stay here.”
Grandfather turned to Emily. “You’re a single woman. You couldn’t do better than to settle here in Bella Creek. We need more young ladies like you.”
Gram flicked her fingers at him. “Allan, you old scoundrel. What would Annabelle say to your interfering?”
He looked around the table. “See these fine young families? They can all thank me for interfering. Except for Carly and Sawyer, but they had her father to interfere on her behalf. I think Annabelle would be pleased with what I’ve accomplished.”
Gram shook her head. “You’re incorrigible.”
“If that means I’m successful in what I do, I have to agree.” He laughed at the scolding look on Gram’s face.
Emily kept her attention on the top of the table, hoping Grandfather would not return to his suggestion that she should stay in Bella Creek.
More and more, she longed to do so.
Many days had passedsince Emily wrote to the Newmans. She knew it would take time for the letter to cross the mountains and reach them and then for a reply to come. In the meantime, she kept busy, finding solace in work. She helped Gram with her sewing. She made supper. She spent time in the garden, and she played with Mikey. Her love for the child grew. It would be a terrible wrench when the Newmans came for him.
Today, she left Mikey to play with Evan and headed to the store to buy Gram more pink thread. The warm sun shone in a sky as blue as the bluebells she’d admired on their trip to find the Newmans. The air carried the scent of flowers and trees and the songs of happy birds. Dogs barked as she passed their yards. Peaceful town life.
The sound of a horse approaching from behind her brought her to a standstill, and she pressed to the side of the road. For the most part, she’d gotten over her wariness of strangers. She was learning to recognize more and more people, and that helped. Still, she was cautious until she could identify folks.
The rider wore dusty clothes as if he’d been on the trail a long time or was simply careless about his appearance. The man looked at her with bold eyes. She drew in her breath. Had she seen him before? If so, where and when? She searched her brain and could not come up with an answer.
The man’s dark eyes remained on her as he passed. Something about those eyes?—
